UNOFFICIAL MINUTES OF THE NEWTON CITY COUNCIL
108 N. Van Buren St
Newton, IL 62448
December 20, 2022
Sealed bids for cash rent farm ground are due by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, December 20,
2022.
Bid opening started at 5:45 PM and finished at 6:10 PM on Tuesday, December 20, 2022.
1. CALL TO ORDER: Joshua J. Kuhl, Mayor
Mayor Kuhl called the meeting to order at 6:10 PM.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderman David Brown.
Pledge of allegiance to the flag.
3. ROLL CALL: Rosetta M. York, City Clerk
Physically present: Gayle Glumac, David Brown, Larry Brooks, RJ Lindemann, Eric
Blake and Marlene Harris
Also present: William Heap, City Attorney, Treasurer Melissa Brooks and Clerk
Rosetta M. York
Absent:
4. ADOPT OR AMEND AGENDA: Item # 7 add Tyler Weber
Motion was made by Harris, seconded by Brooks, to adopt the amended agenda.
Ayes: Glumac, Brown, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Harris
Nays: None
5. APPROVAL OF REGULAR MINUTES of December 6, 2022.
Motion was made by Brooks, seconded by Lindemann, to approve the minutes of
the December 6, 2022 meeting of the Newton City Council.
Ayes: Brown, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Harris, Glumac
Nays: None
6. APPROVAL OF BILLS & ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
Alderman Lindemann reviewed the pre-paids in the amount of $391,975.57 and the
bills and accounts payable earlier today and made a motion to approve the pre-
paids and authorize payment of the bills and accounts payable in the amount of
$101,659.28. Harris seconded the motion.
Ayes: Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Harris, Glumac, Brown
Nays: None
7. PUBLIC COMMENTS/COMMUNICATIONS:
Tyler Weber: I wanted to remind the citizens that the bulk water salesman has been moved
from behind City Hall to the Water Plant at 400 N Van Buren St. The connection was updated
from the 1-1/4” male camlock (banjo) fitting to a 2” male camlock (banjo) fitting. Anyone wanting
water will need a 2” female camlock (banjo) fitting on their hose. The Water and Wastewater
departments removed the old structure from behind the City Hall building to eliminate any
confusion.
Also, I handed out a report to the council and mayor detailing the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency’s (IEPA) inspection of our Water Department. If there are any questions please let me
know and I will gladly answer them.
8. COMMITTEE REPORTS OR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS: None
9. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Discuss cash rent farm ground bids and/or continue opening bids if needed then
discuss bid tally.
The bid tally was read by the council.
The Aldermen recommended taking the highest cash rent bid for each location,
which were:
Gerald Shackmann, 21.07 tillable acres at $273.00 per acre,
Darren Zerrusen, 24 tillable acres at $265.00 per acre,
Darren Zerrusen, 50 tillable acres at 280.00 per acre.
b. Consider and act on the 3 cash rent farm ground contracts: 21.07 acres, 24 acres and 50
acres.
Motion was made by Brooks, seconded by Glumac, to authorize the 3 cash
rent farm ground contracts: to Gerald Shackmann 21.07 acres at $273.00 per
tillable acre, to Darren Zerrusen 24 acres at $265.00 per tillable acre and
Darren Zerrusen 50 acres at $280.00 per tillable acre.
Ayes: Lindemann, Blake, Harris, Glumac, Brown, Brooks
Nays: None
c. Consider and act on Chief Britton promoting Adam Bridges to a full-time Newton
Police Officer.
Motion was made by Brown, seconded by Glumac, to authorize Chief Britton
to promote Adam Bridges to a full-time Newton Police Officer.
Ayes: Blake, Harris, Glumac, Brown, Brooks, Lindemann
Nays: None
d. Consider and act on sending Newton Police Officer to attend the full-time academy
starting Jan 4, 2023 for $5,617.20 plus allowable expense with a graduation date of
April 28, 2023.
Motion was made by Brown, seconded by Glumac, to authorize sending
Newton Police Officer to attend the full-time academy starting Jan 4, 2023 for
$5,617.20 plus allowable expense with a graduation date of April 28, 2023.
Ayes: Harris, Glumac, Brown, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake
Nays: None
10. NEW BUSINESS:
a. Consider and act on selling # 12 Lot in Five Aprils Crossing subdivision.
Failed for lack of a motion.
11. STATEMENTS BY:
Glumac: Thank you to the officers for helping at the school this time of year. It starts getting
extremely busy with more parent pickups and the officers have to stand out in the road even
longer. I appreciate that.
Merry Christmas to everybody. I hope everyone takes time to be kind to one another and
really think about what Christmas truly is.
Brown: I’d like to thank the Chamber of Commerce for all their Christmas activities on the
10th and for the little trees around town. It looks good.
As of December 31st, I will be resigning my position due to our moving. I wish you all the
best of luck. I will be a supporter of yours in the background knowing that you are under
appreciated on what you do and the amount of time you spend up here. I wish you luck on
everything trying to move forward.
I’d like to thank my wife for putting up with me being gone from the house all these years.
Thank you to Chief Britton, Chief Swick, Brad Benefiel and Steve Davis. They have made
supervising those two departments a dream. You guys are great.
Merry Christmas to everybody.
Brook: I wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We’re going to miss
Dave.
Lindemann:
• Merry Christmas. I said Happy Advent last time. Enjoy your Christmas. The city is
losing a valuable city council member, so I would just like to say thank you to David. I
Have sincerely enjoyed my time with you. It’s been fairly short. Thank you.
• The billing and adjustments and payment adjustment reports are fairly self-
explanatory. Couple penalties that were waived due to miscommunications. It’s all in
your notes what happened.
Eric Blake: Merry Christmas to everyone. I’ve learned a lot from you. I appreciate all your
time and effort helping me out. I agree with RJ that the city is losing a great asset. We have
had a lot of memorable conversations bouncing things off each other. I appreciate it. Thank
you.
Marlene: I want to reiterate everything everybody else has said. Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year. Dave, we’re going to miss you. It’s been a pleasure.
City Attorney: Merry Christmas. David thank you. It has been a pleasure being here with
you and getting to know you. I appreciate you.
City Treasurer: Merry Christmas. Dave we will miss you. I need to make some
appropriation changes.
Presented four appropriation changes:
Motion was made by Blake, seconded by Lindemann, to make the four (4) following
appropriation changes:
1. General Fund Police Department to move $5,000 from Contingency Fund (9000-23)
to Range Repair (5640-23).
2. Specials EMA to move $2,000 from Contingency Fund (9000-52) to EMA
Miscellaneous Expenses (7000-52).
3. Specials Capital Development to move $5,000 from Contingency (9000-56) to Legal
Expense (5420-56).
4. Water Department to move $5,000 from Contingency (9000-40) to Building Repair
(5630-40).
Ayes: Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Harris
Nays: Brown
City Clerk:
• The City has the following Candidates for the Consolidated Election on April 4,
2023: Ward 1, Mike Swick and Marlene Harris; Ward-2, Kaleb Wright; Ward-3
Larry Brooks; Zoning Board Members, Kenneth Belcher, Lanette Huddleston,
Twyla Harvey and W. Thomas Clark.
• Draft copies of 2023 Codebook Update are available soon.
• Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to everyone.
Mayor:
• Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to each one of you sitting here at this table and
our community.
• I want to thank the Chamber of Commerce for the different Christmas events they have
sponsored. Christmas on the Square and the light parade were excellent. I heard nothing
but positive feedback.
• Our town is beautiful as always. Continue to take your family through the park and to the
bridge.
• David, we haven’t had the chance to work together near as long as some at this table. I
thank you for serving our community for 15 years as an alderman. We’re losing you
David but I am very happy for you and your family as you make the move to enjoy country
life. I look forward to having you back here in a couple of weeks, to honor you properly. I
hope you enjoy the extra time and new life.
• Merry Christmas to everybody sitting here this evening and a happy New Year. I’m very,
very thankful for each and every one of you and what you guys do for this community. So,
thank you.
12. NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 6:00 PM
SCHEDULED COMMITTEE MEETINGS: None
13. EXECUTIVE SESSION: None
14. ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Brown, seconded by Lindemann, to adjourn the meeting.
Ayes: Brown, Glumac, Brooks, Lindemann, Blake, Harris
Nays: None
Meeting adjourned at 6:59 PM.
Submitted by Rosetta M. York
