The Minonk City Council approved the purchase of a taser or "stun gun"
for use by the Minonk Police Department. Police Chief Nick Cavera said
that purchase of a taser would help with the safety of the police
officers and that he was comfortable with the purchase and use of the taser.
City Administrator Trent Smith said the laser and related equipment
would be purchased from the unspent police capital fund that was
budgeted for computer modems. Smith said the modems and antennas have
already been purchased. Minonk Police Officer Justin Gale wrote a
policy that is a combination of other police department policies.
Officer Gale is a certified instructor for Taser use and will be
training all officers of the Minonk Police Department and has already
trained a few other departments for Taser use.
Administrator Smith said that the laser and related equipment will cost
$1893.01. Smith said that the following equipment would include:
• Taser X26 Model # 26011 at a cost of $799.95.
• Taser Camera Model # 26750 at a cost of $499.95. (This would be
attached to the Taser and would go on every time that it was being
deployed. It protects the City and the Police Officers from wrongful
use.)
• 7 Blade-tech Holsters Model # 44952 at a cost of $279.65. (Each
officer will have one and the Taser would be stored at the police
station and when the qualified officer came on duty he would pick it
up.)
• 4 Air Cartridges (Duty) Model # 44200 at a cost of $75.88.
• 14 Air Cartridges (Training) Model # 34200 at a cost of $237.58.
Truth in Taxation hearing
The Council passed the Truth in Taxation Ordinance. City Administrator
Trent Smith said that the Property Tax Levy must be passed each year in
order to levy taxes and fund everything that the City does. Smith said
that as required by law (Truth in Taxation Act) the City must announce
its projected property tax levy at a public hearing if it will be 105%
or more of the previous year’s operating levy and must be approved by a
motion of a majority of the City Council.
Smith said last year’s property tax extension for operating funds
was $354,963. This year’s operating funds levy request is $398,632, or
a 12.3021% increase in actual monies requested.
The estimated property taxes for debt service are $45,625, a
decrease of 6.7741%. While the revenues and expenditures have increased
over 12%, the actual total tax rate has only increased 7.37%. Smith
said this is mostly due to increases in liability insurance costs,
unemployment insurance costs and ambulance costs.
Smith said that the water, sewer, and garbage funds are enterprise
funds and they are self-funding and user paid. The general fund is
comprised of administration, police and streets. It is also used to
fund the majority of ESDA, library, and recreation programs. Most of
the revenues are derived in that fund are from sales tax, utility tax,
and the state income tax.
Smith added that the budget increases are for the most part to
recover the shortfall in FICA, increases in liability costs, and to
recover a shortfall in unemployment. Those funds are self-funded
through taxes only. There is an increase in ambulance, but it is
covered through user fees.
Other business
The Council approved Resolution 2006-01 (A
Resolution for participation in the State of Illinois Federal Surplus
Property Program.)
Appointed Ken Reese to the Zoning Board. His appointment will run through 2010. There is one vacancy left for the board.
Public Comments on Snowmobiles
Larry Hill (403 North Walnut) reported that due to the snow he is
having a problem with snowmobiles destroying his private property. He
said that he planted hundreds of trees and bushes this fall and that
snowmobiles are running over them and breaking them off. They are
driving their snowmobiles across people’s private property. He said
that he had a copy of the City’s ordinance on snowmobiles that was
written in 1980 and that it sates that all snowmobiles that operate
with the City of Minonk must be registered with the City Clerk’s Office
and must have a current Illinois Department of Conservation
registration. He also said that he called the Department of
Conservation and was told that all snowmobiles must have a State of
Illinois Conservation Department current sticker, insurance, and
running lights. Hill told the Council that they need to publish
something in the paper reminding people to at least have the common
courtesy to respect other people’s property and meet all of the
regulations that are required. He said that we have an ordinance on the
books.
Mayor Bill Koos said that Minonk has one of the more liberal
policies on snowmobile around the area. He said they are allowed on
certain streets, but under certain circumstances, and destroying
private property is not one of those circumstances. He said it is a
privilege to have an ordinance like we have in Minonk. Koos said
that we need to publish the ordinance in the paper and we need to
address this issue and we will address this issue through the proper
channels.
City Administator Comments
Thanked the Minonk Businessmen’s Association for putting on another great parade.
Thanked the Police Department and Public Works Department for the
long hours they put in to get ready for the parade and during it.
City Council Comments
Alderman Cunningham reported
that the library just got their new carpet installed and that they
found a mosaic tile floor under the old carpet at the entrance that
says "Filger Library" and they left it exposed.
Mayor's Comments
• Thanked everyone involved for pulling off
the Parade of Lights under the extreme and cold conditions in a very
difficult situation and under a time pressure and still succeeded in
performing as usual if not better.
• Thanked the Public Works Department (Charlie, Carey, Jim, Ron,
and Mike) for a job well done in getting the streets cleaned and the
sidewalks cleared in the business district.
• Thanked the Minonk Businessmen’s Association.
• Thanked Jack and Jay Jochums for their work with the Parade of Lights.
• Thanked the Ambulance and Police Departments.