Chester City Council holds short meeting
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ In a short meeting of the Chester City Council, held Monday night, the council approved the adoption of the appropriation ordinance for Fiscal Year 2010.
The council then approved the mayor's appointment of Ron?Shemonic as assistant fire chief and Elanna Bradley as animal control officer.
The city negotiating committee for FOP negotiations was formed when Mayor Joe Eggemeyer asked for volunteers. In addition to Mayor Eggemeyer, Carole Abernathy,?Richard Brueggemann,?Dan Colvis and Police Chief Ryan Coffey will serve on the committee.
The council approved the mayor's appointments of the city negotiating committee for Labors Union Local #459 unit negotiations. The committee includes Mayor Joe Eggemeyer, as well as Councilmen Russ Rader, Nancy Crossland, and Clint Cowan. There will be one superintendent who is yet to be named.
In other council news:
The council approved an hourly rate increase for Skateland employees: Patty Carter, 50¢ more per hour, and Joey Carter, 25¢ more per hour.
The council determined the calendar year 2010 IMRF contribution rate to remain the same at the regular rate of 12.03%.
An ordinance relating to electric utility tax increase was adopted. The ordinance allows the city to charge maximum rate according to state statue. The increase will be approximately 15% of the tax amount of a bill.
 The council approved to allow the men's softball league to remove the ball diamond fencing at Cole Park. The city will then come in to do the necessary dirt work in preparation for the new fencing.
Approval came regarding the TIF accounting for calendar year 2007 and 2008 for quality vending & distribution, Inc.
Previous executive session minutes were reviewed and the council determined that portions of the minutes from the June 1 and July 6 meetings could be released.
The council reviewed verbatim records of closed sessions and determined no records should be destroyed.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for Monday,?August 3 at 7:00 p.m. at city hall.