City will pay for police training

By Kelly Costa

A resolution was approved at Monday night's Staunton City Council meeting that allows the city to advance the cost and expenses for probationary police officers for the Staunton Police Department to receive training at the Illinois Police Academy.

In consideration for the city paying for the candidate to attend the police academy to become a certified police officer for the city, the candidate must agree to serve as a police officer for the city for no less than three years from the date of his/her actual employment as a police officer for the city.

There are repayment stipulations of the tuition, fees and books for failing to pass and serving less than three years.

City Clerk Dennis Steigemeier announced that the city clerk’s office and all public works employees, except one water treatment plant employee, will be off on Tuesday, July 4, for the Independence Day holiday.

In Finance and Claims, the city council agreed to pay invoices from the following businesses: American Legal Publishing for codification updates to the City Code for $1,028.91; Laughlin Electric for installation of power to the new baseball scoreboards and LED lights at the concession stand and bathrooms at the ballpark as well as for lagoon aerator maintenance in the amount of $5,085; and Sandberg Phoenix for professional services rendered for special projects in the amount of $2,879.36.

In Utilities and Water, the city council voted to proceed with engineering on the Main Street 12” water main connection over the box culvert. They also voted to proceed with engineering on the 12” Easton Street from Leonard Street to Main Street water main project.

In Streets and Sewer, the council voted to proceed with engineering on the Main Street upgrades project. This project is to finish Main Street from Elm Street to Madison Street, when the culvert is finished.

Kari Presnell was hired as a full-time police dispatcher, and Samantha Harris, Taylor Mitchell, Gretchen Smith, Rebecca Naecker, and Freda Markle were hired as part-time police dispatchers.

The council also agreed to hire Jeffrey Setttles as a full-time police officer from the Police Commission interview process and to hire Griffin Prange as a full-time public works department employee.

In Judiciary, the city council waived the first reading and approved Ordinance #2209 Updated Guidelines from the Macoupin County Animal Control Department.

A charity roadblock by V.F.W. Post #1241 at the intersection of Main Street and Route 4 and Main Street and Union on July 7 and 8 was approved.

Brianna Bohlen and Anita Wayman were reappointed to the Staunton Library Board. Lacey Wieseman was appointed to the Staunton Library Board.

Those present for the meeting were Mayor Craig Neuhaus, City Clerk Dennis Stiegemeier, Police Chief Jeff Doerr, City Attorney Phil Lading, Public Works Director Mike Kuethe, aldermen Ryan Machota, David Manning, David Dias, Terry Tipler, Kristy Berg, and Matthew McKee. City Treasurer Cindy Pirok was absent. The next city council meeting will be on Monday, July 10, at 7 p.m.