Newly elected council gets sworn in. From the left is Sean Cunningham, Brian Peterson, Kerry Carls, Larry Fortner.
A large crowd attended the Minonk City Council meeting Monday night to
witness the swearing in of a new mayor and aldermen. Mayor Mark
Spencer thanked the council and the city administrator for there
support and efforts during his four year tenure. He also extended
a note of appreciation to City Clerk Roberta Evans, City Administrator
Trent Smith and the Minonk city crew.
Mayor Spencer said he became involved in city affairs 12 years ago by
helping in the fight to keep a landfill from coming to the borders of
Minonk. He said he is
leaving office with the satisfaction of
knowing that the proposed raceway north of Minonk will put away forever
the possibility of a landfill being located near Minonk.
The
only item on the agenda for the old council was to approve the awarding
of a TIF expenditure to Herman's Body Shop for roof repair. The
council approved to pay 50% ($7,320.00) of the total expenditure
($14,640.00) payable over five years at $1,464.00 per year.
After the adjournment of the old council, the new council and Mayor
elect Bill Koos were sworn in. Council members Sean Cunningham,
Kerry Carls, Larry Fortner, and Brian Peterson wer sworn in to replace
outgoing council members Ron Redenius, Matt Fink, and Bill Koos. Click here to view a picture of the new council.
The first order of business for Mayor Koos was to present an award to
outoing mayor Mark Spencer. The next order of business was to
swear in Jim Liner as the new city clerk after he was nominated by
Mayor Koos and approved by the council. The new mayor then named Jason
Buchanan as mayor pro tem.
Jeri Sue Johnson of the Westside
Park Pavilion Committee presented plans for a new gazebo in the park to
the new council. Johnson said that the committee has decided to
purchase a white vinyl clad gazebo to match the trim on the new
pavilion and also to provide a maintenance free structure. The
estimated cost of the new gazebo is $10,500. The gazebo is a kit that
can be assembled by local volunteers. Johnson asked the council
if the city could pay for the concrete floor to help
fund the
project since more money is needed to fund the project. Mayor
Koos asked her to bring a cost estimate for concrete to the next
council meeting for the council to vote on it. Pavilion Committee
member Dean Barth said that the committee is still actively seeking
donations to help fund the gazebo. Plans are to have the gazebo
in place by the July 4th celebration.
Mayor Koos said that all
appointments of committee members and police would take place at the
next council meeting on May 16. Koos said that he is looking
forward to serving the community. He said he hopes to establish
the infrastructure and procedures that will provide a solid future for
Minonk so that the youth of today will want to live in Minonk tomorrow.
New City Clerk Jim Liner gets sworn in by outoing clerk Roberta Evans.