Beardstown council adopts water‑sewer ordinance, approves $558,167 payment and police body cameras; zoning amendment fails
May 21, 2024 | Beardstown City, Cass County, Illinois
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BEARDSTOWN, Ill. — The Beardstown City Council met May 21 and approved a package of routine financial and public‑safety measures while postponing action on proposed zoning changes.
The council unanimously adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 21 of the Beardstown City Code, addressing water, sewers and sewage (motion by Dawn Seward, seconded by Chris Baer). The minutes record a 7–0 roll‑call vote in favor (Yea: Baer, Buhlig, Culves, Davis, Harbin, Schramm and Seward; Absent: Shawn Taylor).
The council also approved Payment Resolution No. 5 for the USDA Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project in the amount of $558,167.37. Dawn Seward moved the resolution, seconded by Eric Harbin; the motion passed by a 7–0 roll‑call vote. The resolution’s payment breakdown lists Hood Construction Group Midwest LLC for $547,226.60 and Benton & Associates, Inc. for $10,940.77.
On public‑safety equipment, the council unanimously approved a Motorola Solutions quote for body cameras and accessories totaling $99,218.00 (motion by Chris Baer, seconded by Eric Harbin).
A motion to approve changes to the Zoning Ordinance aimed at better defining accessory uses and structures produced split results. The minutes record two related motions: a motion described in the minutes as a motion to table (mover: Dawn Seward; seconder: Eric Harbin) and a subsequent motion by Ron Culves, seconded by Chris Baer, to adopt the proposed zoning amendments. The adoption motion failed 5–3 (Yea: Baer, Culves, Seward; No: Buhlig, Davis, Harbin, Schramm; Absent: Taylor). The minutes contain an inconsistent line about the table motion’s outcome; the council resumed discussion after executive session and scheduled a committee meeting on the zoning changes for May 28, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.
Other business: the council dispensed with the reading of the May 7 minutes and approved them (motion by Mary Davis, seconded by Eric Harbin); the consent agenda of routine reports was approved and filed (motion by Dawn Seward, seconded by Eric Harbin). City Clerk Brian Ruch presented April financials showing cash receipts of $1,667,994.67 and cash disbursements of $1,608,348.28 and summarized fund balances, including a General Fund balance of $2,861,453.72 and ARPA grant funds of $745,319.45. Ambulance reports for Beardstown and Virginia were presented, showing 49 and 32 total calls in April, respectively.
The council entered executive session at 7:11 p.m. under Exemption 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) for collective bargaining and returned to open session at 8:16 p.m. With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m. on a motion by Mary Davis, seconded by Dawn Seward.
(For the official record, meeting minutes are available from the City Clerk’s office.)
The council unanimously adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 21 of the Beardstown City Code, addressing water, sewers and sewage (motion by Dawn Seward, seconded by Chris Baer). The minutes record a 7–0 roll‑call vote in favor (Yea: Baer, Buhlig, Culves, Davis, Harbin, Schramm and Seward; Absent: Shawn Taylor).
The council also approved Payment Resolution No. 5 for the USDA Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project in the amount of $558,167.37. Dawn Seward moved the resolution, seconded by Eric Harbin; the motion passed by a 7–0 roll‑call vote. The resolution’s payment breakdown lists Hood Construction Group Midwest LLC for $547,226.60 and Benton & Associates, Inc. for $10,940.77.
On public‑safety equipment, the council unanimously approved a Motorola Solutions quote for body cameras and accessories totaling $99,218.00 (motion by Chris Baer, seconded by Eric Harbin).
A motion to approve changes to the Zoning Ordinance aimed at better defining accessory uses and structures produced split results. The minutes record two related motions: a motion described in the minutes as a motion to table (mover: Dawn Seward; seconder: Eric Harbin) and a subsequent motion by Ron Culves, seconded by Chris Baer, to adopt the proposed zoning amendments. The adoption motion failed 5–3 (Yea: Baer, Culves, Seward; No: Buhlig, Davis, Harbin, Schramm; Absent: Taylor). The minutes contain an inconsistent line about the table motion’s outcome; the council resumed discussion after executive session and scheduled a committee meeting on the zoning changes for May 28, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.
Other business: the council dispensed with the reading of the May 7 minutes and approved them (motion by Mary Davis, seconded by Eric Harbin); the consent agenda of routine reports was approved and filed (motion by Dawn Seward, seconded by Eric Harbin). City Clerk Brian Ruch presented April financials showing cash receipts of $1,667,994.67 and cash disbursements of $1,608,348.28 and summarized fund balances, including a General Fund balance of $2,861,453.72 and ARPA grant funds of $745,319.45. Ambulance reports for Beardstown and Virginia were presented, showing 49 and 32 total calls in April, respectively.
The council entered executive session at 7:11 p.m. under Exemption 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) for collective bargaining and returned to open session at 8:16 p.m. With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m. on a motion by Mary Davis, seconded by Dawn Seward.
(For the official record, meeting minutes are available from the City Clerk’s office.)
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