State Pays Five Months of Prison Utility Bills
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Treasurer Rick Reese announced that the city had $717,027 in unrestricted funds as of June 30. That is $591,000 more than the city had a year ago.
The state paid four months worth of utility bills prior to June 30 and an additional $89,959 for the April bill since then.
In other business, the council:
placed on file for public inspection a contract between the City, Foundation for Pinckneyville and Harold Palmer for administrative services for the DCEO grant for the museums. Palmer will be paid $5,000 of the grant funds, which is the maximum allowed by DCEO. He has negotiated an additional contract with the Foundation for $25,000, but will donate $10,000 of that back to the foundation. Economic Development Coordinator Carrie Ford said that construction on the Rural Heritage Museum should begin this fall. The Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum group is also meeting regularly and working on their project. Ford said she has completed and sent the quarterly report on the grant to DCEO.
placed on file for public inspection a lease agreement between the city and the American Thresherman Association for a section of land connecting the Thresherman's Museum to the land leased to them by the state. City Attorney Roger Seibert said the city must publish notice of intent to lease the property and cannot act on the lease until Aug. 9. The lease agreement would be for 99 years.
agreed to give the Chamber of Commerce $2,500 from the Hotel/Motel tax fund to advertise the annual Mardi Gras celebration.
approved an audit report requiring the city to refund $907.99 from the labor and equipment fund and $3.99 from the general fund to the motor fuel tax fund.
approved the requested street closings for the American Thresherman Association parade and show. The parade follows the same path as in years past. In addition, Ballpark Road will have traffic restricted on Aug. 16 and 17 and closed Aug. 18 through Aug. 22 for the Thesherman's summer show.
granted permission for the Perry County Humane Society to collect funds on Oct. 16 at the four-way stop and locations around the square.