The candidates interviewed were Shelly Butler, 42, of 425 E. Fourth Street, incumbment in Ward One; Matt Fink, 39, of 508 E. Fourth Street, challenger in Ward One; Wayne Tucker, 75, of 717 Johnson Street, incumbment in Ward Three; and Bill Koos, 40, of 1035 Maple Avenue, challenger in Ward Three.

The first question asked of each candidate was "Would you vote for a landfill to be put into Section Six north of Minonk under any circumstances?"

Candidates Butler, Tucker, and Koos all said they would not vote for a landfill. Candidate Fink said he was not familiar with the background to the landfill issue but would probably not vote for a landfill either.

The second question asked was, "Do you think the City Manager should have supervisory control over the city employees and that his actions should be supported by the city council".

All of the candidates answered yes to the above question.

Each candidate was asked "What is Minonk's most challenging problem."

Candidate Shelly Butler said that she felt that the city sewer system was the most pressing problem to be solved and the city's infrastructure must be improved.

Candidate Matt Fink felt that the Minonk businesses must be supported and new businesses be sought out. He did not want to see Minonk business community continue to decline.

Candidate Wayne Tucker said that the downtown area needs to be revitalized. He sees a need to replace the hardware store that was lost. He also wants to see the proposed Westside Park Pavilion become a reality.

Candidate Bill Koos thinks that Minonk needs to update and improve its infrastructure so that it can meet the needs of future growth. He felt that upgrading the sewer and water system was important in attracting new businesses and residents.

In an interview with the Minonk News-Dispatch unopposed candidate Sean Cunningham in Ward Two wants to help Minonk move forward in economic development. He would like to see more downtown development and sound fiscal decisions made.

Also in an inteview with the Minonk News-Dispatch unopposed mayoral candidate Mark Spencer said that he wants to be involved in helping Minonk become a better community. Continuing to fight against any landfills in and around the city is a priority and working toward economic development.

City of Minonk election results

The well had been treated for bacteria earlier this winter and it appeared that the problem had been eliminated. The fact that it is re-occuring means that more aggressive measures must be taken. Right now the EPA will not allow any new water permits to be granted or any water expansion projects be allowed until the bacteria problem is solved.

Kohlhase thinks that the reason the previous treatments have not stopped the bacteria is due to some irregular surface in the well that is hard to reach with normal treatments. He gave the council his recommendation for eradicating the bacteria. The new treatment process requires first removing the pump. Then the inside of the well is televised to determine the condition of the well and to identify potential trouble spots. Next, tremmie chemicals will be put into the well followed by wire brushing the well. Then the well and chemicals would be agitated and the chemicals allowed to sit over night. Finally, the pump is re-installed and the chemicals pumped off and the well tested again at 24 hour intervals.

The estimated cost of this latest treatment process is between $20,000 - $24,000. Kohlhase said that the cost of the treatment is expensive because of the deepness of the well. Well # 3 is 1902 feet deep making it one of the deepest wells in the state.

Mark Spencer made a motion to accept the proposal to do the suggested treatment with a cap of $24,000 to do the job. He cited the need to get this done right away since the water usage will be going up soon with the advent of warmer weather which will prohibit the shutting down of well # 3 for any length of time. Well # 3 could be shut down for up to 2 weeks during the treatment process. The council approved Spencer's motion. It was noted that a boil order would not be required during the treatment process.

Bob Rychlicki from Kane, McKenna gave the council guidlelines and samples on how to set up a TIF district for the downtown area. He mentioned that the city must define the review process for potential TIF applicants and set up parameters for implementing a TIF project. Other things to consider is what type of percentage split to apply to TIF payments. Rychlicki indicated that new construction is not elgible for TIF money unless it is a public building.

The council is planning on establishing a TIF ordinance. The TIF committee would consist of the city council and perhaps some local residents.

Frank McKay from Locis Company explained the computer accounting package that his company markets. The software package consists of a Utilities system, general ledger, accounts payable and payroll. The package is being used by 200 cities in Illinois and is controlled by the Illinois Municipal League. Local cities that have been using the accounting package include Metamora, Pontiac and Henry.

The system includes an optional membership program that provides unlimited telephone support and enhancements to the system. McKay indicated that his company can provide help in converting the city's current files into a format for the new system.

Councilman Dean Barth made a motion to buy the accounting package along with the membership program. The package's individual systems can be bought and implemented separately. City Administrator Phil Cotter recommended that the city first start with the Utility program. Cotter also mentioned that the city would need a new computer in order to handle the new system. He said he would work with the software vendor in buying a new computer that would meet the requirements of the system.

City Administrator Cotter gave the proposed city budget for 2001-2002. The budget will be discussed at a public town meeting on April 16 at 7:00 p.m. Cotter advised council members to make a changes or corrections prior to that meeting. The public can review the budget at city hall after April 5 and can make suggestions or inquiries to their councilperson prior to the town meeting. The town meeting will be conducted by a Farnsworth & Wylie representative.

In other affairs, Councilman Dean Barth said that he has been requested to ask that the speed limit be decreased from 35 to 25 between First Street and Fourth Street on Chestnut Street. He indicated that there are new families with children living along that stretch of road necessitating the action.

Capasso signed a three year contract with the school district. He served 12 years at the Fieldcrest school district and its precedessor, the Minonk-Dana-Rutland school district. The past seven years he was superintendent.

Capasso was selected from the five finalist who were interviewed from a field of 42 applicants. Leroy school board president said that Capasso's experience and background in curriculum, as well as building projects, put him at the top of the list of qualified candidates.

Capasso said he accepted the job because he sees lots of exciting things going on, including the building of a new high school. He added, "Leroy is a nice community with a nice school and good reputation." He stated the he liked the board and felt it would be a great bunch of people with whom to work.

"Following a guy like Larry Copes, there aren't any messes to clean up," Capasso added.

Francis Flynn, assistant production manager at the Minonk bakery, said the state will offer retraining through its dislocated workers program at Illinois Valley College, Olgesby, or at Illinos Community College, East Peoria. Flynn also has been contacting other area employers about possible jobs for the employees.

According to research provided by Donna Rae Eilts, the Minonk bakery moved to its present location on July 29, 1937. J. E. Morgenstern, proprietor of the Sanitary Bakery, bought the Leiken building and moved the bakery 2 doors south to its new location.

For many years the Sanitary Bakery sold bread retail to area customers with its orange bread trucks delivering bread and rolls to homes throughout Central Illinois.

In 1960 the Sanitary Bakery closed down and was bought out by a Rockford firm which converted the bakery into strictly a wholesale manufacturing business. Walt Stringer managed the bakery at that time.

The amount of funds awarded through the CDAP grant #9324115 was $299,500. The total cost of the infrastructure development at the Caroline Addition was $1,037,432. This meant that local funding amounted to $737,932. Included in the local funding was a grant of $138,500 from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The originally scheduled trial date of April 16 was changed to May 21 to allow for the three defense motions made by defense lawyer Paul Welch. The three motions - requesting dismissal of the case, specific information about the time and place of the alleged offense, and a ruling on what evidence will be allowed at the trial - could have been filed earlier, said Woodford County State's Attorney Michael Stroh.

However, since the defense, until two weeks ago, had a motion pending to remove Judge Robert Freitag from hearing the case, Welch said this was the soonest such motions could be presented.

The defense indicated that the trial make take three or four days to complete. Freitag ruled that the rwo sides are to provide each other with a witness list by April 24. According to Stroh, early defense reports suggested more than 100 possible defense and character witnesses.

Supervisor Jim Meyer reported the beginning and ending balances for each of the township funds.

General town fund

Road district fund

Highway Commissioner Jim Baumann reported on the condition of the township equipment: one 2000 International dump ruck, one 1995 International dump truck, one 1975 Allis Chalmers road grader, one 1983 John Deere loader backhoe, one 2000 reversible snowplow, one 1986 reversible snowplow, one 1984 snowplow, one V-plow, one 1979 wing plow, one 2000 salt spreader, one air compressor, one 1995 weed sprayer, one Stihl chainsaw, one 1991 road drag, two chain hoists, a bench grinder, one 2000 and two 1999 mobile FM radios, one GE Phoenix two-way radio and base, one five-drawer filing cabinet and two jacks, which are all in good condition.

Cassie Jolly (2) - advanced oil painting and black and white photography

Lee Baker - weaving and textiles

The motion was spurred by requests from public attendees at the meeting. Melvin Matter and Ron Redenius both gave testimony praising Mr. Cotter's work for the city and asked the council to consider asking him to stay at the post. The council passed the motion by Shelley Butler to keep Mr. Cotter on. Future mayor Mark Spencer was the lone dissenter.

Meadow Equipment has been in the process of cleaning the well and used a television camera to inspect the well. The camera showed normal mineral buildup on the walls of the casing but could not pass the 1343 foot depth. The well was wire brushed to a depth of 1640 feet before it ran into the blockage. The bottom of the well is 1920 feet deep.

Kohlhase gave the council two options to consider. The first option is to disinfect the well from 1640 feet up. Money already has been approved for this option. The second option was to drill out the blockage and then disinfect the well. This option could cost anywhere from $45,000 to $100,000 depending on the method of drilling. Councilperson Shelley Butler asked if it would be possible to seal the well at the 1640 foot level to prevent the stagnant water from leaching up into the above water. Kohlcase said that would be a viable option but would cost another $10,000.

After a discussion the council voted to spend another $10,000 to seal the well with grout at the 1640 foot level to prevent any contamination from the stagnant water below. Alderpersons Dean Barth and Sherri Stalter voted against measure stating that it would be better to spend the extra money to drill through the blockage.

Kohlhase indicated that neither option is guaranteed to remove the bacterial infestation. He said that the city should start planning now for drilling well #4 so as to have a more guaranteed supply of water for future expansion. A preloan application has been made for $400,000 to cover the expense of a new well.

City Administrator Phil Cotter said that he and a Farnesworth & Wylie representative inspected all the streets in Minonk to determine places that needed to be repaired. It was estimated that $17,000 is needed to spread oil and chips to repair the problem areas. Cotter also mentioned that the city should be looking ahead to repaving Chestnut Street in its entirety. The estimated cost for that project is $300,000.

The council voted to spend $1312.66 to purchase 2 adult fiberglass backboards, 2 pediatric fiberglass backboards and 1 papoose fiberglass backboard for the Minonk Ambulance Squad. Ambulance Squad member Tanya Minz indicated that the present wooden backboards are outdated and not OSHA approved.

The council appropriated $450.00 to the Filger Library for the summer reading program. The council also approved the budget for 2001-2002. A revolving loan fund of $20,000 to Mary Kearfoot was tabled until later due to a question on the amount of collateral required for the loan.

The council denied a petition by Dan Marshall to not have to pay a water bill of $325.85. Marshall stated that the water pipes at his north end restaurant building burst when the water was not turned off by the city. However, the city indicated that the water meter shutoff was inside a building put around the meter and could not be reached by city employees for turning it off. Marshall said he would take care of it himself and turned off another shutoff valve of his own inside the building. The pipes froze between the two shutoff valves. Since the water froze after the city shutoff valve, the council felt that it was then the fault of the owner and denied his request.

City Adminstrator Phil Cotter received a letter from Mike and Debby McCann and Pam Jollie complaining about the sewer backup in their basements and asking for compensation from the city for the cleanup. Their request was tabled until the exact amount of the insurance claim can be determined. Cotter indicated that he has received only 3 or 4 complaints about sewer backup from the past rains. He said that older areas of Minonk with clay tiles and broken tiles are more suspectible to sewer backup from heavy rains and that there are no easy answers to the sewer backup problem. Installing a new system is economically prohibitive he stated.

Jennifer Lutz pitched the lady Knights to a 6-3 victory over Flanagan Friday, April 20, at Flanagan. Lutz also contributed 2 hits. Amy Breyne led the hitting attack with 3 hits. Fieldcrest is now 9-4 overall.

Fieldcrest beat Eureka 5-0 in a game played at Eureka on Thursday, April 19. Ashley Kolb issued no walks in gaing the victory for the Knights. Lindsey paced the victors with 2 hits, including a double and an RBI.

George Foote - 1844-1921
Frank Brown - 1837-1913
Charles Dunham - 1839-1919
John Herald - 1836-1911

Below are the other civil war veterans whose gravestones will be delivered later.

Oliver Wallace - 1887-1914
Francis Lockwood - 1820-1874
Frederick Melhorn - 1926-1866
Charles Webber - 1837 - 1894
Charles Sands - ? - 1891
Israel Thorn

Kindergarten teachers along with Rebecca Hardine presented the reading discovery program that the teachers would like to expand upon.

Hardine explained that there is a high rate of developmentally delayed students in the school system.

Pratt said that about a dozen people have applied for the job. The deadline to apply is May 14. He expects 20 to 25 applicants from Illinois and surrounding states. The company will screen the candidates and present four to six finalists to the school board May 17.