Council split on police issue; mayor breaks tie
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Chester City Council was split, four-four, on this issue of the Public Safety Committee's recommendation to hire two part time police officers. The two new officers are Terry Knop of Chester and Mike Haberberger of Chester.
Aldermen Nancy?Crossland, Mike Blechle, Russ Rader and Ray Allison voted no, while Aldermen Kenny Dillman, Donnie Clark, Carole Abernathy and Richard Brueggemann voted yes. Mayor Joe Eggemeyer broke the tie by voting yes.
The council did not set an effective start date for the new officers. Pay rate will be $13.25 an hour.
Knop and Haberberger are both former Chester Police Officers. Knop retired from the police department in August 2010. Knop current draws a pension from the department. Haberberger resigned from the police department with his last day working being March 6 and last day of pay May 4, 2011. He got paid until that day due to the fact of unused holiday, vacation and comp time.
The council approved the Mayor's appointment of 7 members of the newly formed Welcome Center Committee. They are Carl Welge, Carolyn Schwent, Bob Decker, Norma Baughman, Teri Crum, Linda Sympson and Collette Pawley. At the last council meeting it was decided to form a new committee for the welcome center after the park board requested for it to be taken away as their responsibility.
Nine new individuals were hired for employment at Skateland. They are Zane Wallace, Jena Tressler, Zach Murdach, Brandon Young, Everly House, Jessica James, Autumn Phillips, Kaitlyn Wunderlich and Jordan Wetzel. All new employees will receive $7.75 an hour, with the exception of Wetzel, he will receive $8.25 an hour.
In other council news:
Mueller painting $1,250 proposal for painting five light poles, benches and a mural at Chester Square was approved by the council.
The council approved a donation to the Chester Area Concert Association for $500 and approved a $250 donation to the Fort Kaskaskia Bluegrass Music Festival.
The council discussed the fact that they did not receive any bids for 796 State Street, then discussed the one bid they did receive for 825 Maple Street, before rejecting it.
The council discussed liquor license requests from Vic Brown of Big Vic's and Ryan Waltermate of Wally's. The council then gave city attorney Jeff Kerkhover permission to write an ordinance to increase the Class A Liquor Licenses in the city. The council did not discuss the liquor license request from Larry Korando.
An extension of electric contract with Direct Energy was approved for a 16 month extension.
The council ratified action of the gas department to proceed with high pressure valve replacement at Kaskaskia River and ratified the action of the gas committee in purchase of additional gas futures.
IDOT's resolution for the Christmas on the River parade was approved. John's pass Carriage service agreement for Christmas on the River Parade was also approved.
The council rescinded the approval of purchase of a New Holland cemetery tractor and approved to accept the proposal of a John Deer 3320 tractor from WM. Nobbe. The cost of the tractor is $22,999, but the city will only have to pay $11,999 along with the trade of their old one.
The purchase of a dispatch recorder system for the police department was tabled.
The city engineer was directed to survey a 20' strip from the Marie Hamm property.
The next regularly scheduled city council meeting will be Monday,?September 19, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Chester City Hall in the council chambers and is open to the public.