Council - Regular Meeting

One minute. Good evening. I'd like to welcome everyone to the East Debuke City Council meeting. It is Monday, January 5th. I ask that you please turn your cell phones off during the meeting. Please be quiet during discussions. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of American Art

here. Flur here. Meer Roby here. Taylor here. Mayor Digman here. Attorney H here. 26-02 staff report, city manager report.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, so the, uh, as you've probably seen, the Ceno Avenue water main project is basically complete, so you can use the whole road. Um, also just update on the union contract. I reached out to the union again last week to remind them that they need to address their local stewards because um of retirements and things. Um I still have not heard back from them. Uh Incognito Nyore finally made it out last week and the Incognito building is at least half torn down and I saw it this afternoon. So that will be out of there shortly. Um the other vacant buildings we're establishing a regular schedule. um for citing uh owners who don't comply with the city code to get their uh permit for uh having a vacant building. Um on the 27th of January, we're going to do a uh financial financial planning workshop for employees uh over the lunch hour and um just an opportunity for um someone who knows financial planning to be able to talk to uh the employees about um how to look at their retirement and things like that, how to plan for it. So Jennifer Cre from Thrivant in Debuke will be coming over. Um, very nice of her to offer to do that. Um, public works truck is being outfitted and should be in service hopefully the next time we really need it. And then, um, I wanted to comment on the fire department and EMS. Um, most often we don't see what the volunteers in the fire department do for the community. And I know that in the last couple weeks over the holidays, I've had a number of very difficult calls. And um having served for 15 years myself, I know that that can really cut into the joy of the

holidays um for people. But um they continue to protect us and continue to come out at any hour of the day or night. And um so want to recognize the the fact that they keep coming out and keep doing their job um no matter what time of year and how tough it can be. And so when you run into them, I'd ask that everybody thank each and every one of them and hope we'd start it now. SO that's my report.

Thank you. I'd just like to wish everybody a happy new year. As we close the book on 2025, I'd like to thank city manager sites, city staff, all the department heads, city employees, volunteers, as well as everybody sitting at this table for uh making 2025 a truly successful year for our city. So, thank you. Alder person report Bergmeer. Nothing to report this week. Thank you. Denhart, nothing at this time. Mayor Fluer, nothing.

Thank you, Meyer. Um, I just had a gentleman reach out to me the other day just to ask a question. The sidewalk right next to our place there. There's a spot where it's really bad. You didn't know if the city could fix that before somebody trips on. It's on the side of the building. It's pretty observant. When you come around the corner, you can see it tore up. He just asked if we could have

I know I know the owners have owner has been have talked about that um working on that sidewalk and we've had discussions with them. Um the sidewalks are the responsibility of the owner of the property. Um and we offered and in order to try to encourage people to fix sidewalks we that's why we offered the to pay for the concrete um for people who do that. Um but we'll continue to work with those guys. We offer to pay for the concrete. That's Yeah, that's what we've been doing this year. Yeah, that's all I got. All right, thank you, Robie.

Yeah, just two quick questions. Um, first one, Indian Hill Sewer Extension, do we have people lined up that want to connect on to that? Uh, yes. Um, I believe it's all but um maybe three. Three or four. Some Yeah, I think it's two or three. Yeah. Yeah, it's right in the neighborhood of three. that aren't and everybody else um has signed up. We're going to start that in the spring. Is that as soon as the soon as it's available to be hooked up? Y

Okay. And then do we have any plans in the future of bringing water down water and sewer down 35? I've had a couple of people ask me on that. down 35 to to the homes along 35 like the 19th hole and Oh, well it it actually does go up past um the 19th hole. Yes, it does. And um they have the opportunity doesn't though, does it? The sewer. Yeah, the sewer does not.

Do we have any plans in the future of doing anything like that? Um nothing on the books immediately but um because yeah like 19th hole and those would be some of those are outside the city too. Um so yeah it would have to be a new project but the water does go through there. Okay. And then can we meet sometime to look at that parking lot ordinance that we had all talked about and get something drawn up for that? Maybe the next meeting get that in front of the council. I think it'd be good. Yeah. if we sat down and kind of do have something to bring to the committee or or bring it straight to the council at this point. I just had people asking me about the sheds back there if they're on railroad property or

we've been back there and addressed that. Okay, that's all I have. Mayor, thank you. Taylor, nothing tonight. Mayor, thank you. City Attorney House. Nothing to report, Mayor. Thank you. Police Chief Kassic, report. Thank you. Public works director Van Astrin. Fire Chief Heim.

So, we got um one person to swear in tonight and then we have uh two other people that are going to be promoted to a field training officer. Um we'll go I'll talk about that right now and then we can get into it. Um last January um we tked I tasked actually Captain Williams with forming a committee or a training committee to come up with um a better orientation on boarding process for the fire department along with a training program. He put together uh committee of a firefighter, an EMT and another officer. They came up went through the process came up with an onboarding process and came up with the idea of doing a field training officer program underneath his uh guidance. It's a pretty strong program and the committee themselves picked the two individuals. So that will be Maline will be EMS and Sam W will be fire. So they will they will be uh helping out anybody new that comes on the fire department whether it be from an EMS standpoint or a fire standoint both they will be the go-to people to help train them get them to the uh areas that they need within their probationary period of the year. So, um, again, we're trying to continue to make things better and get people to stick around for for a long period of time, and we figured that that would be, um, a good thing to do. And so, we'll be pinning them tonight. Uh, first off, we'll be um pinning and swearing in Cindy Davis. She uh, completed her year this year. She's an ENT. She'll be getting pinned by her husband and uh signing the book as as we do every year. For the people that have never been here before,

red book uh on the desk has a lot of history. It has been signed since 1904 by every department. So, um it's part of history that we continue to do at this time. If the city attorney can come up and Sydney can come up I member of the fire company here of our company. I will attend all meetings and my power obey our officers and the interests of the company.

This certifies that certifies that emergency medical technician. Cindy Davis has been duly appointed to the position of emergency medical technician for the city of East Fire Department. Your dedication to your job, the city, and the residents you serve, the skill with which you have shown in your ability as a vocationary emergency medical technician makes you deserving of the title of emergency medical technician. This certificate is awarded Monday, January 5th, 2026. Joseph Elm, fire chief John Digman, Mayor. If Sam and Maline will come up with who is going to Sam and Maddie will come up with their

put tape Sam, this to certify that field training officer for fire, Sam Lang, has been duly appointed to the position of field training officer for fire department for the city of East Fire Department. Your dedication to your job, the city, and the residents you serve, the skill and drive which you have shown as a firefighter makes you deserving of the title of field training officer, fire. This certificate is awarded Monday, January 5th, 2026. Joseph Mheim, Fire Chief John Digman, Mayor Mine will come forward. This this certified that field training officer of EMS, Maline Hind has been duly appointed to the position of field training officer EMS for the city of East Fire Department. Your dedication to your job, to the city and the residents you serve, the skill and drive which you have shown as an emergency medical technician makes you deserving of the

title of field training officer of EMS. This certificate is awarded Monday, January 5th, 2026. Joseph on fire chief John Pigman. That's all we got.

Thank you. All right. Thanks.

Thank you. 26-01 03 Speakers from the floor. There are none noted this evening. 26-04 consent agenda.

Still moved. Second. Roll call. Bergmmyer. I. Dagenheart. Hi. Four. I. Meer. I. Roby. Yay. And Taylor.

Hi. on to new business 26-05 presentation and proclamation that January 2026 as human trafficking and modern-day slavery prevention month. Just have a proclamation uh to read. City of East Debuke State of Illinois Executive Department Proclamation. Whereas by presidential proclamation, each January has been designed a national human trafficking and modern-day slavery prevention month. In addition, January 11th has been designated National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. And whereas the issues of sex and labor trafficking are a violation of human rights, the hope of this proclamation is to raise awareness of this topic. And whereas the city of East Debuke wishes to acknowledge the following organization for its efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking. The coalition against human trafficking and sexual exploitation. And whereas the United Nations global plan of action has three pillars upon which it stands. Protect, prevent, prosecute. We invite all citizens of East Debuke to educate themselves on this issue and to to support these three pillars to help eradicate the problem. And whereas we invite parents, teachers, and all citizens to increase their awareness of the potential evils of digital online uses of applications, conversations that groom youth into trafficking through fraud, force, or corision. And whereas

human trafficking is a national, state, and local issue, we commend teachers and IT staffs whose K through 12 curriculum alert youth and parents to limit sharing of personal information while using all online applications. Now therefore, I, John Digman, mayor of the city of East Debuke, Illinois, on behalf of the city council, staff and residents of East Debuke, do hereby proclaim the month of January 2026 as human trafficking and modernday slavery prevention month in the city of East Debuke. Mary Lou, if you'd like to step forward there and turn on the microphone, please. Before I even say much, I just want to express how impressed I was with the young people who came forward recently and were uh members of those two teams. That's quite impressive. So whatever you're doing, you're doing it right. So in response to the proclamation, I'm Marylu Irons. I'm co-chair of the local group against human trafficking. So on behalf of the local antihuman trafficking group, I wish to express our appreciation to the East Debuke City Council for your willingness to share this proclamation, thus increasing awareness of the evils of modern-day slavery called human trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors. By educating ourselves and others about trafficking, we are better able to decrease the numbers of young people being groomed through fraud or force.

Working together to end human trafficking is our goal. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for all that you and your group do.

You are welcome. All right, moving forward. 26-06. Discussion and possible action to approve Sincinoa Avenue water mane replacement payment in the amount of $15,28923 for WHKS in the city of East Debuke. So this is within the uh budgeted amount for the project which has been um successfully completed.

Any questions or discussion? Is this their final invoice? Yes. Good. And this is basically for the job done there. It's all correct. Yep. All right. If there's no second motion second. Jagenheart I. Lur. Hi, Meyer. Hi, Roby. Hi, Taylor. Immer

26-07. Discussion of possible action to approve First Street parking lot payment in the amount of $161,83.13 for temporally excavating in the city of East Debuke. Again, the project's been successfully completed. Um the only thing left to be done is when the asphalt comes in um it opens up again. Uh asphalt have to be applied around the um covert area. But aside from that um it's a well done project and these are within the boundaries of the of what was approved. So move mayor.

I'll second. Roll call. Lure. I Meyer. Hi Roby. Nay Taylor. Hi Bergmire. Hi Dagenheart. Hi. 26-08. Motion to adjurnn. A motion to adjurnn. Roll call. Meyer. Hi. Roby. Hi. Taylor. Hi. Bergmeer. Hi. Denhart. Hi. Enler. All right, we are adjourned. All right.