[0:01] [music]
[0:24] [music]
[0:52] I was kind of
>> call this bring the city council meeting
[0:57] to order.
[1:00] » Father in heaven, we commit this meeting
to you. Come and reveal your will in
[1:05] every aspect of our life and ministry.
As we discuss the affairs of this city's
[1:10] business, we ask for your will to be
done. Show us your purposes. Enlighten
[1:16] us that we may know how you want us to
accomplish our task. We desire your
[1:20] glory and blessings in all we do. direct
our thoughts, words, decisions, and
[1:26] actions toward the right path and help
us stay on track. Let your will be done
[1:31] as we plan to make decisions. Amen.
>> And amen.
[1:35] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
[1:41] republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[1:47] justice for all.
>> [clears throat]
[1:55] » Doug Brown here.
>> Megan Bryant
[1:57] » here.
>> Larry Bud
[1:58] » here.
>> Steve Dennis
[2:00] » here.
>> Steve Dorinez.
[2:02] » Kathy Driscoll
>> here.
[2:03] » Jim Olive
>> here.
[2:04] » All alderman are present. Motion to
approve the ominous vote designation.
[2:10] » Motion Bman Bryant. Second.
>> Second.
[2:13] » Alderman Olive. Questions or comments?
Roll call.
[2:17] » Megan Bryant.
>> Yes.
[2:18] » Larry Bud.
>> Yes. Steve Dennis,
[2:20] » yes.
>> Steve Dorchess, yes.
[2:22] » Kathy Driscoll,
>> yes.
[2:23] » Jim Olive,
>> yes.
[2:24] » Doug Brown,
>> yes.
[2:25] » Motion carries, seven to zero. Minutes
of the regular meeting held December 15,
[2:30] 2025.
Minutes of the water committee meeting
[2:34] held December 18th, 2025. Motion to
approve the minutes.
[2:39] » Alderman Bryant, second.
>> Second.
[2:42] » Alman Brown. Questions or comments? Roll
call.
[2:45] » Larry Bud,
>> yes.
[2:47] » Steve Dennis,
>> yes. Steve Doraness. Yes.
[2:49] » Kathy Driscoll.
>> Yes.
[2:51] » Jim Olive.
>> Yes.
[2:52] » Doug Brown.
>> Yes.
[2:53] » Megan Bryant.
>> Yes.
[2:54] » Motion carries seven to zero.
>> Motion recommended the city council to
[2:59] accept the resignation letter from
Alderman Chris Scaled. Motion.
[3:04] » So move with a comment
>> by Alderman Georgees. Second.
[3:09] » Second.
>> Alderman Bud comment. Alderman Georgees.
[3:13] I recommend that with Rocky's U
recommendation that he gets that
[3:17] notorized before he when he submits the
letter
[3:24] effective. Mr. Mayor,
>> effective once he gets it notorized,
[3:27] » right?
>> In Mr. Mayor, can I speak?
[3:30] » Yes.
>> Yeah. In accordance with the email I
[3:32] sent today, your motion should be uh
accepting the uh resignation of Alderman
[3:38] Chris Sculetti retroactive to December
15, 2025
[3:43] upon receipt of Chris Skoletti's
notorized signed resignation writing.
[3:50] » All right, that's your motion, Mr.
Dionz.
[3:53] » Yes.
>> And second,
[3:55] » yes.
>> Roll call.
[3:57] » Steve Dennis?
>> Yes.
[3:58] » Steve Dorches? Yes.
>> Kathy Driscoll? Yes.
[4:01] » Jim Olive.
>> Yes.
[4:02] » Doug Brown.
>> Yes.
[4:03] » Megan Bryant.
>> No.
[4:04] » Larry Bud.
>> Yes.
[4:06] » Motion carries. Six to one. Motion
recommended the city city council to
[4:11] approve the low bid of $10,000 for the
city owned property at 305 East Papa
[4:16] Street.
>> Motion. Alderman Bryant. Second.
[4:20] » Second.
>> Alderman Driscoll.
[4:22] Questions or comments?
>> Mr. Mayor, you vote on this particular
[4:27] uh motion and it does meet the statuto
requirements. The appraisal was $9,200.
[4:32] The contract bid proposals 10,000.
You'll note in the contract that the
[4:37] buyer are also required to pay all the
closing costs, the publication cost,
[4:42] title policy, and so forth. So once this
gets approved, we'll line up with the
[4:47] title policy and set a closing date that
has to occur within 30 days of today.
[4:52] » It should be the high bid, not the low
bid. Correct.
[4:55] Yeah, the 10,000. So, yeah, obviously a
motion second. Roll call.
[5:01] » Steve Dorchz, yes.
>> Kathy Driscoll,
[5:04] » yes.
>> Jim Olive,
[5:05] » yes.
>> Doug Brown,
[5:06] » yes.
>> Megan Bryant,
[5:07] » yes.
>> Larry Bud,
[5:08] » yes.
>> Steve Dennis,
[5:10] » yes.
>> Mayor Barry votes yes. Motion carries
[5:13] eight to zero.
>> Motion recommended the city council to
[5:16] approve the engagement letter with Hart,
Southworth, and Witzman.
[5:21] Motion
[5:26] move.
>> Pardon
[5:29] motion.
[5:34] [snorts]
>> Second.
[5:36] » Motion by Alderman Brown. Second by
Alderman Bryant. Questions or comments?
[5:42] » Comment mayor if you like.
>> Roll call.
[5:45] » I have spoken to uh Ben of DNA
Associates and also Jim Morris. Uh, I
[5:51] have worked with Mike Southworth on many
occasions concerning his uh, uh,
[5:55] services as bond counsel. They asked me
if I was okay with him, and I'm okay
[5:59] with that. Um, I asked him, I should
have got an email to ask him what his
[6:05] um, he's going to be charging on the
base of $350 an hour, but it's going to
[6:09] be as a transaction fee that he
according to his email today, it should
[6:13] not exceed $15,000 for the anticipated
$18 million project.
[6:19] Okay, [clears throat]
>> there's a motion in a second. Roll call.
[6:23] » Kathy Driscoll,
>> yes.
[6:24] » Jim Olive,
>> yes.
[6:26] » Doug Brown,
>> yes.
[6:27] » Megan Bryant, [clears throat]
>> yes.
[6:28] » Larry Bud,
>> yes.
[6:30] » Steve Dennis,
>> yes.
[6:31] » Steve Dorinez.
>> Motion carries seven to zero. Motion
[6:36] recommended the city council to approve
the non-bargaining pay increase of 4% to
[6:41] reflect the ASME union contract
beginning January 1st, 2026.
[6:47] » Motion with a comment. There's a motion
by Alderman Bryant. Second.
[6:52] » Second.
>> Alderman Bud. Questions or comment?
[6:55] Comment. Alderman Bryant.
>> I um think due to prior conversation
[6:59] that we'd like to amend that to 4% or
$3,000, whichever is less.
[7:05] » Okay. There's amended motion 4% or
$3,000, whichever is less. Is there a
[7:12] second? A
>> second. Alman Bud,
[7:15] » questions. Any other questions or
comments?
[7:19] Roll call.
>> Jim Olive,
[7:20] » yes.
>> Doug Brown,
[7:22] » yes.
>> Megan Bryant,
[7:23] » yes.
>> Larry Bud,
[7:24] » yes.
>> Steve Dennis,
[7:26] » yes.
>> Steve Dorchanz,
[7:27] » Kathy Driscoll,
>> yes.
[7:29] » Motion carry seven to zero. Committee
reports, discussions, andor motions to
[7:34] approve, adopt, andor deny, andor table,
andor amend, and or refer to an
[7:40] appropriate committee in whole or in
part the matters regarding following
[7:43] subject matters discussed at the
committee level. Water, Mr. George Sess.
[7:49] » Thank you. Uh motion recommended city
council to approve the water rate
[7:53] increase beginning January 1, 2026 and
to direct the city attorney to amend the
[7:58] current ordinance to reflect these
changes. Make that formal motion.
[8:02] » Motion alderman Dorenez. Second.
>> Alderman Driscoll. Questions or
[8:07] comments?
>> I have a question. Why aren't we putting
[8:09] in what the increase is going to be?
Cuz nowhere in this motion does it say
[8:14] what that increase is.
It came out of committee as I believe
[8:20] increase correct.
>> Was that what came out of committee?
[8:24] » Well, the initial the initial increase
is is greater than that. Um but it's the
[8:30] that's the annual increases
>> 4% annual increase
[8:33] » beginning in 2027
>> on top of the initial increase.
[8:38] » So this year will be 4% then next year
will be another 4%.
[8:41] » No, this year's this year's
approximately 16%.
[8:45] on January January 1st. That's
proposing.
[8:49] » That's not the way I understood it that
night at the meeting.
[8:54] » So,
>> there's a motion in a second.
[8:59] Any other questions or comments?
[9:04] Roll call.
>> Doug Brown?
[9:08] » Yes.
>> Megan Bryant?
[9:10] » Yes.
>> Larry Bud,
[9:12] » no.
Steve Dennis,
[9:14] » yes.
>> Steve Dorchanz,
[9:16] » yes.
>> Kathy Driscoll,
[9:18] » no.
>> Jim Olive,
[9:21] » no.
>> I don't know what you said.
[9:25] » I said yes.
>> You said yes. So, the motion carries 4
[9:28] to three.
[9:32] » City attorney updates.
>> Just two quick matters. Number one, on
[9:36] the Illinois Valley Paving Company, the
closing documents, they've been revised.
[9:39] I think Jim Morris is working on getting
those documents signed and getting back
[9:43] to us. Hopefully by the next meeting
we'll have those for your review and
[9:47] approval. Secondly, uh I sent you out a
copy of my supplemental city attorney
[9:53] opinion letter regarding the pending
audit that's still not completed. I'm a
[9:59] little concerned about that. I mean, you
got an email from your city clerk today
[10:03] when we received another warning from
the state. We now have an extended
[10:07] deadline until I I guess what the 18th
of this month that they have to have
[10:13] this audit in. I don't know why it was
due on October 30th of last year. There
[10:19] are severe penalties, interest and so
forth that can be assessed by the state.
[10:23] They can also uh uh put a stop payment
order on any future grants from us. So I
[10:29] think this is something very serious
that you should talk to your accountants
[10:33] about and make sure that the audit does
get completed for your approval and
[10:38] submittal prior to the that that date.
So um that would have to be at the next
[10:43] council meeting obviously. So my
recommendation mayor is that you get a
[10:47] hold of the accountants and get them to
get this done for you.
[10:50] » And I think Crystal's on top of that. So
we'll wait to hear from her.
[10:55] » Thank you Crystal.
>> That's it.
[10:59] Rocky, from a contractual standpoint,
you know, I don't remember what the
[11:03] contract says, but do we have any is
there are there any teeth in that in the
[11:08] contract? [clears throat]
>> Well, as you may recall, I my suggested
[11:14] revisions were never made and I think
it's been a while since I looked at the
[11:18] contract, but I think you're going
you're limited as to what uh you can
[11:23] kick back on them. I think it's limited
to what the amount that you paid them.
[11:26] I'll have to check that for sure. But
but certainly it is an issue and I think
[11:31] that uh if you consider gone going next
year, you need to get that contract
[11:36] revised and get some more teeth into it.
Uh because having this kind of a delay
[11:41] and having these threats from the state
is not good for the city.
[11:46] » Thank you.
[11:50] » Mayor report. Hope everyone had a happy
new year. Now it's time to get back to
[11:55] work. 2026. Our goals will be to get
West Main Cross done, get safe routes to
[12:01] school completed, and to begin the
renovation of our downtown square. I'm
[12:06] very optimistic that the industrial park
will see activity in the near future.
[12:12] Thank you.
Motion to approve or ratify payment of
[12:17] bills of $143,724.
[12:22] Motion following. Bud second. Okay.
>> Alman Bryant, questions or comments?
[12:27] Comment. Alderman Bud?
>> Nope. I went through them today and
[12:30] » Good. All right.
>> I had two that I questioned and I got
[12:33] the answers.
>> Roll call.
[12:35] » Megan Bryant?
>> Yes.
[12:37] » Larry Bud?
>> Yes.
[12:38] » Steve Dennis?
>> Yes.
[12:40] » Steve Dorinez?
>> Yes.
[12:41] » Kathy Driscoll?
>> Yes.
[12:42] » Jim Olive?
>> Yes.
[12:44] » Doug Brown?
>> Yes.
[12:45] » Motion carries seven to zero. First subp
paragraph G of 5ilcs
[12:51] 120 slice 2.06.
This portion of the city council meeting
[12:55] is reserved for any person wishing to
address the council on any relevant
[13:00] subject matters concerning the city. The
Illinois opens Meeting Act 5 ILCS1201C
[13:07] manage no action shall be taken on
subject matters not list on the agenda
[13:11] but the council may direct staff to
address the topic or refer the subject
[13:15] matter to a future council andor
committee meeting. If anyone wish to
[13:20] address the council, please provide your
name and address. Limit your comments or
[13:24] presentation to three minutes and avoid
repetitious comments. Anyone like to
[13:28] address the council? Cody,
>> I'd like to say something.
[13:33] » I'm supposed to stand up. Uh whenever I
came back to assistant chief, there was
[13:38] a there was a issue of pay and it was
said in the thing that we would no
[13:45] longer let superintendent percentages
drop below where they had made up to.
[13:50] And with this $3,000 thing, my
percentages and other people's are going
[13:55] to drop drastically again. And it I
don't know what the deal is. We have no
[14:00] problem spending money on other things.
It seems like we do not like to spend
[14:04] money on our people. Um, it makes it to
where you bring the percentage down and
[14:09] then everybody wants to leave and then
we wonder why people want to leave over
[14:13] and over and over again whenever you
continuously say the work you've done is
[14:19] great but we're going to take your
percentage down. My work my quality of
[14:24] work doesn't go down yet you keep taking
my percentage down year after year. From
[14:29] when I stepped up, it was 124%. And now
after this, it's going to be down to
[14:34] about 114ish
percent. So it just keeps dropping and
[14:40] it'll drop again. And that's not even
including longevity of what the union
[14:43] gets. I'm just including base pay only,
but it just keeps happening over. We
[14:48] continue this vicious cycle over and
over and over again. We never fix these
[14:52] problems and we just keep taking
everybody's pay down. And I'm like, "Oh,
[14:56] I wonder why people keep leaving the
city of Taylorville."
[14:59] I, for one, I'm sick and tired of always
getting toyed with and just thrown under
[15:05] the rug. We're supposed to have uh
evaluations. I haven't seen any
[15:09] evaluations, but how would anybody even
be able to evaluate me on what I do
[15:13] anyway?
Nobody could. So, I would say I don't
[15:18] understand why the $3,000 that total is
not going to change anything in the city
[15:24] budget between what it was supposed to
be and what it would have be if it's the
[15:29] lesser of the two. It makes no sense to
me. Can someone please explain that to
[15:33] me?
[15:38] » If I may, I will say it's it's a $700
difference is about what it is, Cody.
[15:44] And you would the 124 to 114 is not
true. It probably if you're
[15:50] » No, I'm saying from when I started back
as assistant chief, it was 124. I'm down
[15:54] at 117 right now.
>> Well, the way we got it now and and this
[15:57] is the sheet that I was provided uh your
pay goes from $93,64
[16:04] to $96,64.
And with a 4% increase, it would have
[16:10] went to96,786.
[16:14] So it's $722.
>> Why is it okay? Why does it have to come
[16:18] out of my pocket when that's nothing
compared to the city budget? Nothing.
[16:23] » $50,000 on a lawn mower, but we can't
give $700 to a superintendent.
[16:28] » Well, I think we we the we decided that
we got to try to cut corners now. And by
[16:34] » Why don't you try to make money instead
of cut money? We've got an ambulance
[16:37] sitting over there doing nothing. We've
got a a city a lake department that can
[16:41] make money. We got an airport that can
make money. Why aren't we trying to do
[16:44] that? Why is it always have to come from
the employees?
[16:53] » Thank you. Anyone else like to speak?
>> Mr. Mayor, I got a followup comment if I
[16:59] can make.
>> Okay.
[17:01] » I looked at the calendar here and going
back on this audit situation. The
[17:04] deadline is January 18th. Your next
council meeting is not till the 19th. So
[17:09] unless Crystal can get a hold of the
state and ask them for another
[17:12] extension, you're you're probably going
to be faced with calling a special
[17:16] meeting before the January 18th to
approve the audit and get it submitted,
[17:21] assuming that your accountants will get
the job done.
[17:24] Okay. Okay. Thank you. All right. Anyone
else?
[17:29] » Motion for adjournment. Some
>> by Alderman Bryant. Second. Second.
[17:34] Alderman Brown questions earned
roll call or all in favor of a journ I
[17:42] » we are journ 717