On Monday, February April 11, 2016, Mayor Everett Pannier called the City of Morrison Council Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., in the Whiteside County Board Room, 400 N. Cherry Street, Morrison, IL. He called for adjournment at 7:23. In attendance were City Clerk Melanie Schroeder, City Administrator Barry Dykhuizen; Treasurer Evan Haag; Director of Public Works Gary Tresenriter; Aldermen Curt Bender, Arlyn Deets, Dale Eizenga, Dave Helms, Vernon Tervelt, Mick Welding, and Harvey Zuidema.
Reports of City Officers and Department Heads
- Tresenriter stated he would have more information on the future Public Works Building at the Monday, April 25, meeting.
- CA Dykhuizen mentioned a public misunderstanding that the City of Morrison is the new owner of Annan Mill. Alderman Zuidema remarked a few people asked him. Annan Mill is owned by Morrison Historical Society.
Consent Agenda – For Action The Mayor noted a correction to the March 28 minutes; Alderman Tervelt had moved to approve Resolution #16-04. He stated Five-Star Enterprises, Morrison, IL, was unable to check the lawn mower deck width specification, in time to submit a bid for cemetery mowers. The owner requested more time to meet the other bids. Mayor Pannier suggested approving item #6 with acceptance of a late bid not to exceed $18,000. The nine items were approved.
1. March 28, 2016, Regular Session Minutes
2. March 30, 2016, Budget Session Minutes
3. April 1, 2016, Special Session Minutes
4. Bills Payable of $188,120.72
5. Application for Payment #4/Request for Loan Disbursement #5, Waste Water Treatment Plant
6. Approval of Bid, Cemetery Mowers
7. 2016 Street Seal Coat Program
8. Resolution #16-05, Maintenance of Streets and Highways
9. Appointment of Ward 1 Alderman, Kenney MahaffeySchroeder read the Oath of Office and swore in Ward 1 Alderman Kenney Mahaffey, shown above. He was seated.
Items for Consideration and Possible Action
1. Preliminary Fiscal 2016-2017 Budget–CA Dykhuizen stated he now is making the new Budget “publicly available, in a form that’s 95% complete. There is nothing to change before its approval. In 2017 Capital Expenditures are $10,700,000 (due to the Waste Water Treatment Plant); the Operating Budget is $4,172,346.” Copies are available at City Hall. He noted a large decrease in the Telecommunications Tax revenue this year ($26,992.45), compared to 2015 ($101,067.18.) Morrison’s diminished revenue–$74,074.73–is dramatic and almost singular among cities. He hopes this is a mistake, but “the Department of Revenue will take up to 30 days to answer” his query. This “money we get is based on landlines, which would normally decrease[with increased cell phone use]. But the number is too low” and other towns do not reflect as low an amount.
2. Resolution #16-04, Leachate Agreements–CA Dykhuizen accepted a Leachate Agreement from Waste Management as a Letter of Understanding between the City and the Waste Management Manager. Whiteside County is in agreement with the language, also. The previous agreement “goes back 12 years,” he said. In the 2016-2017 Proposed Budget “the rate will be 50% more.”Other Items for Consideration and Discussion and Information
Alderman Tervelt asked, “Where are we at on the new well?” Tresenriter said, “The Engineers are now looking at it. [They] need to gather more information. Willett[,] Hofmann [& Associates] will look at it.” The Mayor stated, “We do constant testing.” Tresenriter added, “Our lead and copper samples have been so good,” we do not have to test very often. “We never had an issue with lead, copper, or anything else, for that matter.”