UNOFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE NEWTON CITY COUNCIL
108 N. Van Buren St
Newton, IL 62448
February 2, 2021
1. CALL TO ORDER: Mark Bolander, Mayor
Mayor Mark Bolander called the meeting to order.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderman Robert Reisner.
Pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Alderman Robert Reisner.
3. ROLL CALL: Rosetta York, City Clerk
Physically present: Gayle Glumac, David Brown, Robert Reisner and Marlene Harris
Absent: Larry Brooks and Eric Blake
Also present: Treasurer Melissa Brooks and Clerk Rosetta York
4. ADOPT OR AMEND AGENDA: Add to #6 Amber Volk and add to #11 an Insurance
Committee Meeting Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 5:30 PM
Motion was made by Reisner, seconded by Harris, to adopt the amended agenda.
Ayes: Glumac, Brown, Reisner, Harris
Nays: None
5. APPROVAL OF REGULAR MINUTES of January 19, 2021
Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Glumac, to approve the minutes of the
January 19, 2021 meeting of the Newton City Council.
Ayes: Brown, Reisner, Harris, Glumac
Nays: None
6. PUBLIC COMMENTS/COMMUNICATIONS: John Stone and Shannon Woodard from Connor
& Connor to give updates on all the projects that they are working on for the City.
Amber Volk: JEDI had their
Annual Celebration today on a
Zoom Conference. The first
JEDITalk Speaker was Bill
Teichmiller CEO of EJ Water
Cooperative, Inc. The JEDITalk
videos are going to be put on the
JEDI web site. David Koechner
announced the winner of the
Economic Business of the Year
by video. The winner was Nucor
Skyline Steel LLC. She read the
2020 JEDI Totals.
Shannon Woodard:
1. Sarah Bush Clinic sewer line is completed, but has not been tested. Testing is supposed to
be tomorrow.
2. The City has received the Liberty St. grant to upgrade the watermain. SCRIPDC was doing
the environmental process application. The State lost the original surveys for the grant
which slowed the progress on the environmental approval. Once the grant agreement is
received, approved and signed, the bidding process will start.
3. The 5-year Plans are close to being completed. Then committee meetings will need to be
called.
4. City Hall renovation plans are close to being finalized. The project could be bid in March,
but the prices of construction materials are still pretty high.
5. The 4-inch water line which goes under the railroad on West End Ave. They have applied
for a boring permit under railroad.
John Stone:
1. Working on north and south alley on the 100 block between S. Jackson St. and Lafayette
St.
2. Preparing the survey work on the ground west of Newton recently purchased.
3. Mayor asking about Connor & Connor helping with the compliance letter for a USDA
Grant that Newton PD is applying to get.
PLEASE BRING YOUR MASKS
UNOFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE NEWTON CITY COUNCIL
108 N. Van Buren St
Newton, IL 62448
February 2, 2021
7. OLD BUSINESS:
A. Consider and act on hiring an employee in the Electric Department, effective February 9,
2021.
Motion was made by Glumac, seconded by Reisner, to authorize hiring Alden J. (AJ)
Schafer in the Electric Department, effective February 9, 2021.
Ayes: Reisner, Harris, Glumac, Brown
Nays: None
8. NEW BUSINESS: None
9. COMMITTEE REPORTS OR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS:
Glumac-Electric Committee 1-25-21:
1. The committee went into Executive Session to discuss personnel.
2. The committee came out of Executive Session and adjourned at 6:37 PM
10. STATEMENTS:
Council Members:
Harris: Thank you to the St. Thomas kids for their cards.
Reisner: Thank you to the St. Thomas kids for their cards. Peter Ray from INRR requested
Newton to think about closing another crossing.
Brown: No Comments
Glumac: My thoughts and prayers go out to the Leachman family.
City Treasurer: No Comments
City Clerk: No Comments
Mayor:
1. At a Rotary Meeting, Team of Mercy Support Group asked him to pass these fliers out.
This is a support group to help
parents that have lost a small child.
2. Our thoughts and prayers go out
to the Leachman family.
3. Thank you to the St. Thomas
kids for their cards.
4. Congratulations to Economic Business of the Year winner Nucor Skyline Steel LLC.
11. NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 6:00 PM
SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Insurance Committee Meeting Tuesday, February 9,
2021 at 5:30 PM
12. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Litigation, potential litigation, sale of real estate and purchase of real
estate
Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Glumac, to go out of open session and into
closed session to discuss litigation, potential litigation, sale of real estate and purchase
UNOFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE NEWTON CITY COUNCIL
108 N. Van Buren St
Newton, IL 62448
February 2, 2021
of real estate pursuant to the exceptions section of the Open Meetings Act pertaining to
those areas of discussion.
Ayes: Harris, Glumac, Brown, Reisner
Nays: None
Open session suspended at 6:33 PM
Motion was made by Reisner, seconded by Harris, to go out of closed session and back
into open session.
Ayes: Glumac, Brown, Reisner, Harris
Nays: None
Open session resumed at 6:49 PM.
Mayor Bolander announced that during closed session the council discussed litigation,
potential litigation, sale of real estate and purchase of real estate
13. ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Glumac, seconded by Reisner, to adjourn the meeting.
Ayes: Brown, Reisner, Harris, Glumac
Nays: None
Meeting adjourned at 6:50 PM.
Submitted by Rosetta M. York
