Sunday, August 12, 2007

City approves TIF funding request

Sunday, August 12, 2007 - Posted 6:44:11 PM
The Minonk City Council approved a TIF II funding request from Cunningham Candies to help finance the replacement of the loading dock on the rear of their building located at 550 North Chestnut Street. They submitted two bids, the lowest being for $7,390.

City Administrator Trent Smith said the project is a TIF eligible expense that would qualify under the business retention/expansion guidelines. Cunningham Candies has 5 full-time and 3 part-time employees. He said they are eligible for 40% to 50% of the project cost and there is available TIF money and he recommended that the application be approved by the City Council.

The Council approved a payment for a maximum of $3695 or 50% of the project whichever is less and payable on completion of the project and subject to final receipts being submitted.

Zoning board recommendation approved

The Council approved an application for a variance from Mark and Penny Baron to allow for the construction of a 10 feet by 16 feet shed in their back yard located at 417 East Fourth Street. The Council approved a 5 feet side yard variance to allow for construction of the shed.

Changes on Recreation Board

Mayor Koos announced that he has accepted the resignation of Eric Schultz from the Minonk Recreation Board. Schultz served as chairman of the board.

The Council approved the appointment of Mark Holland and Jay Jochums to the Recreation Board. The Recreation Board will nominate a new chairman at their next meeting.

Public Comments

Christie Ruestman thanked the City Council for their approval of her TIF II application to replace the loading dock at her business.

Mayor Bill Koos announced that more businesses downtown need to take advantage of the TIF II business retention/expansion program because there is money available for projects.  Koos said that we want to be able to give this money out to businesses as it helps the whole downtown area and benefits the individual businesses and us as a community.

Jerry Welch, representing St Paul’s United Church of Christ, said that there are several pot holes in the 600 block of Elm Street along the end of street and at the edge of the church parking lot. Welch said they are going to grade them up and try and fill them in and asked the next time that the City does spray patching if it could come over and seal the area up.

Mayor Koos said that the City would give a physical inspection of the area and be in contact with him.

City Administrator Comments

• Thanked Eric Schultz for the time he has donated to the Recreation Board.
• Thanked the Minonk Daisies and said that in addition to helping keep some of the litter picked up in Minonk, this group of young girls has raised money to purchase the “No Littering” signs that you see as you enter Minonk and were installed by the City workers.
• Advertised for bids to replace the shingles on the Filger Library roof. All bids must be received by August 16, 2007 at 10 a.m.
• Sound system for the Council chambers has been ordered and may be installed by the next meeting.
• Illinois Municipal League 94th annual conference will be held on October 18th through October 21st and anyone from the Council wishing to attend should complete the registration form in their July Illinois Municipal Review magazine and return it to me as soon as possible.

Mayor's Comments

• Thanked Eric Schultz for his service on the Recreation Board for the last six years. Koos said that Eric did a very good job and his budgeting was commendable and a lot of the programs he helped get started have been a great benefit to the community.
• Reported on the railroad property refund and said that he did not know if the amount to be refunded as stated in the newspapers ($90,000) will be the actual total, but the City will apply for our share of what the refund will be.  Koos said he should have more information within a month and payment should received by December.
• Thanked the Zoning Board for all of their work as they have been meeting a lot lately.
                        Viewer comments on this article

Thrown away wrote on 8/29/2007 at 19:49:47

I'd like to meet with the "education", person who quoted, "There are a lot of things that happen in the city that no one knows about...", The citizens of Minonk have NO IDEA as to what is going on up there. Why do you think there is an option to move the ambulance across town, because when they know tooooooo much and they do, they get tossed to the garbage on the bottom of the hierarchy’s shoes. Thinking about putting up, so that they can't shut the average everyday person up Not sure if I have the right name or not. Most likely, NOT. That's too bad because the little fish in the pond would have more empathy with the communities needs. Power goes the wrong way here in “the good place”.

moving out wrote on 8/24/2007 at 17:42:46

If I was someone outside of this community, looking to bring my family here, I would be discouraged after reading from this site.

RE: concerned citizen wrote on 8/23/2007 at 19:54:04

you have your information correct, and yes, a "force out resignation" enabled one to resign and save face....hence the 6 months w/ pay for breach of contract....better to offer 6 months than the remainder of the contract. i still can't help but to think that what goes around comes around. many wonderful people who had positions of authority in the community were also "forced out" but were NOT given 6 months pay, and all the while smith said not a word in their defense. therefore, it would be a good idea in the future to watch who you burn, because it will always come back on you.

education wrote on 8/22/2007 at 02:30:38

There are alot of things that happen in the city that no one knows about but if you want to know go to the meetings I know I have been there and there is always plenty of chairs left. But I guess it is easy to complain about things when you do not know what is going on. Remember at the end of every meeting the Mayor that ya all are complaining about asked, is there anything from the public. Plus if he and the counsil is so bad why did the city people vote them in. There will be spots opening in about a years so if your complaining put up or shut up.

concerned outside citizen wrote on 8/19/2007 at 19:43:23

What ever the rumor was he has been let go. Did he really say something that bad for the whole city council to vote to let him go. what a bunch of hicks. the guy did a great job this comes up and bam you guys send him back to the great white north. great job city.

Minonk Watch Dog wrote on 8/14/2007 at 05:12:33

Rumor is the City Administrator did say that and since has been suspended without pay for a week for such a comment. Maybe in Canada you can do things like that but not in America.

Concerned Citizen #2 wrote on 8/13/2007 at 14:29:56

that would be against the law wouldn't it??? im sure our city leaders wouldn't do anything like that?

Concerned Citizen wrote on 8/13/2007 at 09:43:18

Did the city reject appicants who birthday is older than 1970 on the new public works position?

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