108 N. VAN BUREN St.
NEWTON, IL 62448
April 7, 2026
• Bid Opening for the Sale of Surplus Public Real Estate on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
1. CALL TO ORDER: Joshua J. Kuhl, Mayor
Mayor Joshua Kuhl called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderman Gayle Glumac
Pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Alderman Gayle Glumac 3. 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
4. ADOPT OR AMEND AGENDA: Amend: Add Alisha Wise to Public Comments. Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to adopt the amended agenda. (Adding Alisha Wise to Public Comments) Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays: None
5. APPROVAL OF REGULAR MINUTES of March 18, 2026.
Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to approve the minutes of the March 18, 2026 meeting of the Newton City Council. Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
6. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Alisha Wise, Jasper County Animal Control Warden, addressed the council regarding a proposed 25’ x 25’ fenced area with a gate. The space would allow dogs to go outside for exercise and provide a designated area for meet-and-greets with potential adopters. Ms. Wise stated the project would be funded through donations, with installation assistance from local students.
7. COMMITTEE REPORTS OR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS: • Finance and Audit Committee Meeting on Monday, March 30, 2026 at 6:00 PM. Finance and Audit Committee Meeting Minutes March 30, 2026 6:00 PM – 7:24 PM Present: RJ Lindemann, Larry Brooks, Joshua Kuhl, Gayle Glumac, Melissa Brooks, Mike Swick, Maggie McDonald and Doug Weddell
• Doug Weddell’s TIF Application was discussed. It was recommended that his amendments be accepted by the council.
Doug Weddell left at 6: 28 PM.
• The dumpster reimbursement for Acra Lot 9 was discussed. It was recommended to approve the reimbursement for $1,199.88.
• The demolition reimbursement program was discussed. It was decided to eliminate the program and modify the dumpster reimbursement program.
Adjourned at 7:24 PM
Submitted by: RJ Lindemann – Chairman
8. OLD BUSINESS:
A. Consider and act on accepting or rejecting any bid for the Sale of Surplus Public Real Estate.
Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to accept the bid of $200,000 submitted by Lucas Bolander for the Sale of Surplus Public Real Estate.
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright
Nays: None
B. Open mowing bids for Earl Dufrain Park, Peterson Park and Riverside Cemetery.
C. Consider and act on awarding the bid for the Earl Dufrain Mowing Project. Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to award the bid for the Earl Dufrain Mowing Project to Denny Noblit Mowing and Digging in the amount of $75/per mow.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks
Nays: Lindemann, Blake
D. Consider and act on awarding the bid for the Peterson Park Mowing Project. Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to award the bid for the Peterson Park Mowing Project to Denny Noblit Mowing and Digging in the amount of $450/per mow.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: Blake
E. Consider and act on awarding the bid for the Riverside Cemetery Mowing Project.
Motion was made by Kaleb Wright, seconded by Mike Swick, to award the bid for the Riverside Cemetery Mowing Project to Denny Noblit Mowing and Digging in the amount of $750/per mow.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: Blake
F. Consider and act on authorizing the disbursement of funds to Kent Greeson for dumpster reimbursement application submitted for 607 Arca in the amount of $1,199.88, as recommended by the Finance and Audit Committee. Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Mike Swick, to authorize the disbursement of funds to Kent Greeson for dumpster reimbursement application submitted for 607 Arca in the amount of $1,199.88, as recommended by the Finance and Audit Committee. Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays: None
G. Consider and act on authorizing the amended total project cost to the TIF Application and TIF Agreement submitted for 1107 S. Van Buren by Wad It Up, as recommended by the Finance and Audit Committee.
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize the amended total project cost of $649,789 to the TIF Application and TIF Agreement submitted for 1107 S. Van Buren by Wad It Up, as recommended by the Finance and Audit Committee.
Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
H. Consider and act on authorizing the city’s prepaids for the month of March in the amount of $70,912.98. (This is a correction from last month’s prepaids amount of $64,907.16.)
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize the city’s prepaids for the month of March in the amount of $70,912.98. (This is a correction from last months prepaids amount of $64,907.16.)
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright
Nays: None
9. NEW BUSINESS:
A. Consider and act on passing Ordinance 26-01 Replacing Chapter 11 Electric System 11-1-1 Service Charges A, B, and C Revenue Neutral PCA Shift. Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to pass Ordinance 26-01 Replacing Chapter 11 Electric System 11-1-1 Service Charges A, B, and C Revenue Neutral PCA Shift.
Ayes: Lindemann, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks
Nays: Blake
(Revenue-Neutral Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) Shift of $0.03
The Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) is a variable line item on electric bills that allows the City to recover the actual cost of purchased power.
• It goes up or down monthly depending on wholesale energy costs.
• It is designed to ensure the City neither profits from nor loses money on energy supply costs. • It helps keep the base electric rate stable, while reflecting real-time market changes. Since changing power suppliers last May, the City’s average PCA has been $0.0308 per kWh. This indicates that:
• Our current base electric rate is set below the actual cost of power, and
• A significant portion of the true cost of electricity is being collected through the variable PCA rather than through the base rate.
A revenue-neutral shift of $0.03 per kWh from the PCA into the base electric rate would: • Increase the base electric rate by $0.03/kWh
• Reduce the PCA by approximately $0.03/kWh
• Keep total customer bills essentially unchanged (based on current averages)
This is not a rate increase. It is a restructuring of how revenue is collected.
This is important because it will align the base rate with the actual cost of service, reducing customer confusion. Right now, the PCA appears high because our base rate is artificially low relative to our actual supply cost.
Additionally, many customers interpret PCA as a surcharge a penalty, or a hidden rate increase. Lowering the PCA and placing more cost into the published base rate makes bills easier to understand, improves rate transparency and hopefully reduces customer complaints during high-cost months. Again, emphasized, this proposal does not increase electric rates. It simply shifts $0.03 from PCA into the base electric rate to better reflect our actual cost of power. It is a structural correction, not a revenue increase.
Since we changed power suppliers last May, our Power Cost Adjustment has averaged just over three cents per kilowatt hour. That tells us something important — our actual cost of power is consistently higher than what is built into our base rate.
What’s proposed tonight is not a rate increase. It’s a structural adjustment. By moving three cents from the PCA into the base electric rate, we’re simply aligning our published rate with the true, ongoing cost of power.
The total amount customers pay does not change based on current averages. What changes is stability and transparency. The PCA will better reflect short-term market swings instead of carrying what has clearly become a sustained cost level.
This improves financial predictability for the electric fund, reduces customer confusion about a high adjustment line, and puts our rate structure on more solid footing moving forward. It’s a revenue-neutral correction — not an increase — and it positions us better for the long term.
B. Consider and act on authorizing Tyler Weber’s Letter of Resignation. Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Mike Swick, to authorize Tyler Weber’s Letter of Resignation.
Ayes: Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: None
C. Consider and act on authorizing an operations agreement with Aqua Ops, LLC to serve as interim IEPA Certified Operators of the City’s Public Water System. Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to authorize an operations agreement with Aqua Ops, LLC to serve as interim IEPA Certified Operators of the City’s Public Water System. Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake
Nays: None
D. Consider and act on authorizing to advertise for a Water Plant Operator Department Head.
Motion was made by Mike Swick, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize the advertisement for a Water Plant Operator Department Head. Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays: None
E. Consider and act on authorizing the Watermain Replacement Project between Hutton Dr. and Homestead Subdivision.
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize the Watermain Replacement project between Hutton Dr. and Homestead Subdivision.
Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
F. Consider and act on authorizing the re-hire of Susie McCann as Manager of the Newton Aquatic Center.
Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to authorize the re-hire of Susie McCann as Manager of the Newton Aquatic Center.
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright
Nays: None
G. Consider and act on authorizing the pool manager to be paid $18.50/hour. Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to authorize the pool manager to be paid $18.50/hour.
Ayes: Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks
Nays: None
H. Consider and act on authorizing to advertise for lifeguard positions. Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize advertising for lifeguard positions.
Ayes: Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: None
I. Consider and act on authorizing the lifeguards and summer maintenance positions to be paid $16.00/hour.
Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by RJ Lindemann, to authorize the lifeguards and summer maintenance positions to be paid $16.00/hour.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake
Nays: None
J. Consider and act on authorizing summer concession positions to be paid $15.00/hour.
Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize summer concession positions to be paid $15.00/hour. Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays:
K. Discuss the dumpster reimbursement program.
Discussion of the council is to revoke the Demolition Reimbursement Program completely and modify the Dumpster Reimbursement Program.
Reimbursement of funds will be based on tonnage load price hauled to the landfill. The reimbursement amount will have a cap, that number is not yet confirmed. The city will be amending the application for review and plan to have it up and running at the beginning of the fiscal year.
The goal behind the amendments are to alleviate funding confusion and contribute to helping even more dilapidated homes get demolished. L. Consider and act on authorizing City Wide Cleanup to be held Friday, May 15 & Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to authorize City Wide Cleanup to be held Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2026. (NO TIRE COLLECTION THIS YEAR)
Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
M. Consider and act on authorizing the opening of the yard waste facility the first and third Saturdays, beginning Saturday, April 18, 2026 – Saturday, October 17, 2026 and every Saturday the month of November from 8:00 AM to Noon, under the landscape waste collection site rules.
Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Mike Swick, to authorize the opening of the yard waste facility the first and third Saturdays, beginning Saturday, April 18, 2026 – Saturday, October 17, 2026 and every Saturday the month of November from 8:00 AM to Noon, under the landscape waste collection site rules.
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright
Nays: None
N. Consider and act on authorizing one employee from the Electric Department and one employee from the Clerk’s Office to attend the IMEA IMUA IPEA Annual Conference and Trade Show held May 13 – 15, 2026 in Springfield, Illinois. Conference is free, only cost will be hotel and allowable expenses. Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Kaleb Wright, to authorize one employee from the Electric Department and one employee from the Clerk’s Office to attend the IMEA IMUA IPEA Annual Conference and Trade Show held May 13 – 15, 2026 in Springfield, Illinois. Conference is free, only cost will be hotel and allowable expenses. Ayes: Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks
Nays: None
10.STATEMENTS BY:
Glumac: Thank you to Tyler Weber for his years of service with the City of Newton. Thank you to our Electric Department during the storms and high winds with getting the trees cut down and limbs picked up.
Wright: Big thank you to Tyler for his service. Shame to lose him. Brooks: No comments.
Lindemann: Happy Easter! He is risen!
Blake: Thank you Tyer for his service with the city.
Swick: Thank you Tyler for all you have done for the city over the years. I appreciate all you have done and for visiting with me and answering my questions when something would come up.
City Attorney: No comments.
City Treasurer: Wish Tyler the best of luck.
City Clerk: 1 PO: Electric Department
1. Electric Department PO#41-30 to United Utility Supply for twenty-five (25) 30’ feet Wood Poles Class 4 in the amount of $6,250, and twenty-six (26) 35’ feet Wood Poles Class 3 in the amount of $9,958 plus $2,800 for freight, for a total purchase order total of $19,008.
Motion was made by Gayle Glumac, seconded by Mike Swick, to authorize the Electric Department PO#41-30 to United Utility Supply for twenty-five (25) 30’ feet Wood Poles Class 4 in the amount of $6,250, and twenty-six (26) 35’ feet Wood Poles Class 3 in the amount of $9,958 plus $2,800 for freight, for a total purchase order total of $19,008. Ayes: Blake, Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: None
Mayor: Echo the rest of the council in thanking Tyler Weber for his years of service and dedication to the Water Department. Wish him well on his future endeavors. Thank you Amy Tarr, once again, for all your work regarding the PCA and also for the way you were able to translate the information across to our residents. Thank you Melissa Brooks, Stacy Gray and Rachel McVicar for all their work on this year’s budgets. Thank you to all Department Heads and the Committee Chairs. I think you will all be happy with how things went this year and I am excited to get them in front of you all. Lastly, I want to announce there will be no, I repeat, NO TIRE COLLECTION this year during City Wide Cleanup. 11.NEXT REGULAR MEETING: April 21, 2026 at 6:00 PM
SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
• Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM • Finance and Audit Committee Meeting on Monday, April 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM.
• Police and Building Permit Committee Meeting on Monday, April 20, 2026 immediately following the Finance and Audit Committee Meeting.
12.EXECUTIVE SESSION: Potential Litigation and Personnel
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to go out of open session and into closed session to discuss potential litigation and personnel pursuant to the exceptions section of the Open Meetings Act pertaining to those areas of discussion.
Ayes: Swick, Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake
Nays: None
Open session suspended at 6:54 PM.
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to go out of closed session and back into open session.
Ayes: Glumac, Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick
Nays: None
Open session resumed at 7:32 PM.
Mayor Kuhl announced that during closed session the council discussed potential litigation and personnel.
13.ADJOURNMENT:
Motion was made by RJ Lindemann, seconded by Gayle Glumac, to adjourn the meeting.
Ayes: Wright, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Swick, Glumac
Nays: None
Meeting adjourned at 7:33 PM.
Submitted by:
Maggie McDonald
City Clerk
