UNOFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE NEWTON CITY COUNCIL
108 N. VAN BUREN St.
NEWTON, IL 62448
December 16, 2025
- City Insurance Committee Meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 5:30
PM. - Finance and Audit Committee Meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at
5:45 PM.
- CALL TO ORDER: Joshua J. Kuhl, Mayor
Mayor Joshua Kuhl called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. - PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderman Mike Swick
Pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Alderman Mike Swick - ROLL CALL: Maggie McDonald, City Clerk
Physically present: Gayle Glumac, Kaleb Wright, Larry Brooks, RJ
Lindemann, Eric Blake and Mike Swick
Also present: Attorney William Heap, Treasurer Melissa Brooks and City
Clerk Maggie McDonald - ADOPT OR AMEND AGENDA: Amend: (5. Should read minutes of December
2, 2025.)
Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to adopt
the amended agenda. (Amending 5. To read: APPROVAL OF REGULAR
MINUTES of December 2, 2025.)
Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays: None - APPROVAL OF REGULAR MINUTES of December 2, 2025.
Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by Mike Swick, to approve the
minutes of the December 2, 2025 meeting of the Newton City Council.
Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
Abstain: Lindemann, Blake - APPROVAL OF BILLS & ACCOUNTS PAYABLE:
Alderman Wright reviewed the pre-paids in the amount of $24,245.19 and
the bills and accounts payable earlier today and makes a motion to
approve the pre-paids and authorize payment of the bills and accounts
payable in the amount of $149,126.76. RJ Lindemann seconded the motion.
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright
Nays: None - PUBLIC COMMENTS: None
- COMMITTEE REPORTS OR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS:
- Personnel Committee Meeting on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM.
Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes December 9, 2025 6:00 PM – 7:26 PM
Present: Joshua Kuhl, Gayle Glumac, Kaleb Wright, Larry Brooks, Melissa Brooks, Eric Blake, Mike
Swick, Maggie McDonald and Samantha Bobor
Meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM.
- The committee moved to go out of open session and into closed session to discuss personnel.
Gayle Glumac makes the motion, Kaleb Wright seconds. - Gayle Glumac made the motion to go out of executive session and back into open session, Eric
Blake seconds.
Meeting adjourned at 7:26 PM
Submitted by: Mike Swick – Chairman - City Insurance Committee Meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 5:30 PM.
City Insurance Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 16, 2025 5:30 PM – 5:43 PM
Meeting was called to order at 5:30 PM. - The 2026 Symetra rate increase was discussed. A 20% increase was presented by Symetra. It
was recommended by the committee to approve the increase. - Alderman Lindemann will research other rates for the next year.
Meeting adjourned at 5:43 PM.
Those in attendance were: Joshua Kuhl, Larry Brooks, Eric Blake, Gayle Glumac, Mike Swick, Melissa
Brooks, Maggie McDonald, Amy Tarr and Tyler Weber - Finance and Audit Committee Meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 5:45
PM.
Finance and Audit Committee Meeting Minutes December 16, 2025 5:43 PM – 5:59 PM
Present: Joshua Kuhl, Gayle Glumac, Kaleb Wright, Larry Brooks, Eric Blake, Mike Swick, Maggie
McDonald, Melissa Brooks, Tyler Weber, Amy Tarr, Bill Heap, Taylor Kerner
Alderman Lindemann arrived at 5:50 PM - IMRF rates were discussed for 2026. The committee recommended to proceed with the IMRF
recommended rate of 7.76% - City Hall needed the East bay garage door fixed. The total cost of the repairs was $2,800. The
invoice will be split, and $1,400 will be paid out of Police and $1,400 will be paid out of General
Fund. - Taylor Kerner had under estimated his total project cost on his TIF application. It was
recommended by the committee to amend his current TIF agreement with the new project totals,
contingent all new receipts and invoices provided, and then bring to council for final vote.
Adjourned at 5:59 PM
Submitted by: Maggie McDonald, City Clerk
- OLD BUSINESS: NONE
10.NEW BUSINESS:
A. Consider and act on authorizing Carson Brown’s Letter of Resignation, with last working day December 18, 2025.
Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to authorize Carson Brown’s Letter of Resignation, with last working day December 18, 2025.
Ayes: Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks
Nays: None
B. Consider and act on authorizing the renewal of our IMUA Annual Membership
for 2026 in the amount of $4,315.72.
Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize the renewal of our IMUA Annual Membership for 2026 in the amount of $4,315.72.
Ayes: Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: None
C. Consider and act on authorizing the IMRF (Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund) contribution rate of 7.76% for 2026.
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize the IMRF (Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund) contribution rate of 7.76% for 2026.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake
Nays: None
D. Consider and act on authorizing Symetra Insurance rates for 2026. Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Mike Swick, to authorize Symetra Insurance rates for 2026.
Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays: None
E. Consider and act on authorizing one Electric Department employee and one Park Department employee to attend the Pesticide Safety Education Program on January 7 & 8, 2026 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Total cost of training for both employees is $140 plus allowable expenses.
Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize one Electric Department employee and one Park Department employee to attend the Pesticide Safety Education Program on January 7 & 8, 2026 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Total cost of training for both employees is $140 plus allowable expenses.
Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
11.STATEMENTS BY:
Glumac: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Please do not forget the true meaning of Christmas! Thank you to all the volunteers spreading Christmas cheer and working the hut for Lights in the Park. Thank you to the Electric Department for their hard work keeping the lights up and running. Thank you to Mindy Hartke and Matt Tarr for being there to unlock the hut when I can’t get it open.
Wright: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Cherish this time spent with family.
Brooks: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Lindemann: Merry Christmas! Thank God for our Lord Jesus Christ!
Blake: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Swick: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Enjoy your time with your families, it
sure is precious.
City Attorney: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
City Treasurer: Merry Christmas!
City Clerk: 1 PO for City Hall
- City Hall PO#01 to Overhead Door of Vincennes for service, labor and replacement of a 12’ RSX Trolly on the East garage door at City Hall for a total amount of $2,800. ($1,400 will be paid out of Police Dept. and $1,400 will be paid out of General Fund.)
Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize the City Hall PO#01 to Overhead Door of Vincennes for service, labor and replacement of a 12’ RSX Trolly on the East garage door at City Hall for a total amount of $2,800. ($1,400 will be paid out of
Police Dept. and $1,400 will be paid out of General Fund.)
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright
Nays: None
Merry Christmas!
Mayor: Wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! I echo this group in saying enjoy this time spent with your family and friends. Enjoy time with your kids being home, whether that is home from college, local schools, or those having to travel. Those of you who are traveling this holiday season, please stay safe. Thank you to our city employees for the extra time helping with snow cleaning during the couple of snows we have already had, and also the extra time spent fixing things with Lights in the Park. The vicious cold whether changed a few plans this past weekend.
Big thank you to our Chamber for still keeping Christmas on the Square alive for our community and having Christmas at St. Thomas this year. Again, I want to thank all of you here this evening, along with our city employees, for everything you do for this
community and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
12.NEXT REGULAR MEETING: January 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM
SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
- Personnel Committee Meeting on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 6:00
PM.
13.EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to go out of open session and into closed session to discuss personnel pursuant to the exceptions section of the Open Meetings Act pertaining to those areas of discussion.
Ayes: Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks
Nays: None
Open session suspended at 6:31 PM.
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to go out of closed session and back into open session.
Ayes: Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: None
Open session resumed at 7:00 PM.
Mayor Kuhl announced that during closed session the council discussed personnel.
14.ADJOURNMENT:
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to adjourn
the meeting.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake
Nays: None
Meeting adjourned at 7:01 PM.
Submitted by:
Maggie McDonald, City Clerk
