Pinckneyville Cash Reserve Adequate for Winter
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Harold Emling of Emling and Hoffman summarized the audit for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2011. Emling gave the standard clean opinion. The only recommendation was that the new checking account for the Police Department be handled by the City Clerk's office, as are all other finances.
Pinckneyville has a lot of debt for a city of its size, Emling said. He pointed out that the majority of that debt will be repaid by 2021. Refinancing the bonds saved money.
The only other area of concern is that the city is an underfunded police pension fund. The audit estimates that the city will need to put an additional $1.63 million in the fund to cover retirement costs for current police employees over the next 30 years. The fund currently has $465,000 in cash on hand.
In 2011, the city added to that debt by financing a $340,000 fire truck.
The city also received $572,000 from the state to cover underbilled utilities at the prison in 2008 and 2009.
Treasurer Rick Reese said the said cash balances remain at the same level as the past few months, which is good. However, he expects cash on hand to decrease as the city pays for gas this winter. The current gas bill is $30,098.
The city will also pay $400,00 for principal and interest on bonds in November and December.
In other business, the council:
approved the purchase of a new F550 dump truck with snow plow and chip or salt spreader at a cost of $59,000.
agreed to pay $150 for an ad in a PCHS sports calendar and $175 to Royal Publishing for an ad in a McLeansboro girls basketball tournament program. The funds will come from the hotel/motel tax fund. Mayor Augie Kellerman was at odds with the council, having already approved the expenditure. The other members of the council debated the merit of a $175 ad in a Hamilton County publication and asked that Kellerman bring future requests to the council before approving them.
heard from Mayor Kellerman that he would like to establish a no parking zone on city property at the intersection of Route 154 and Mildred Drive. He said people have parked cars there to sell. The Mayor is worried that the vehicles could cause an accident. City Attorney Roger Seibert said he will prepare an ordinance for the next meeting. Seibert will also prepare an amendment to the ordinance governing itinerant vendors to require contractors to obtain a $50 license before operating in the city. Mayor Kellerman said unscrupulous contractors sometimes take advantage of the elderly. The required license will allow Police to monitor contractors.
approved a request for $66,719 from DCEO for the final payment on the Illinois Rural Heritage Museum.
agreed to request a one-year extension on portion of the DCEO grant for the Illinois High School Basketball Hall of Fame.
heard from Finance Commissioner Leonard Heisner Jr. that he is working with Treasurer Rick Reese to offer direct deposit of paychecks for city employees. Current employees would have a choice as to whether or not they wish to utilize direct deposit. New hired could be required to use direct deposit.
passed an ordinance authorizing the towing and impoundment of illegally parked vehicles and vehicles constituting a public nuisance. The new ordinance sets a fine of up to $75 plus towing fee and a $22 per day impoundment fee. Prior to this ordinance, police did not have the authority to tow illegally parked vehicles. Instead, they were limited to a $5 parking fine.