The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Deb Olson, The Quill
Following the resignations of City Treasurer Marcia Neff and Aldermen Amy Palmer and Josiah Neff at the end of the Monday La Harpe City Council meeting, June 27th , a Special La Harpe City Council meeting was called for Thursday, June 30th at 7:00 p.m.
The council met with a smaller than usual crowd at the La Harpe Community Clubhouse and with 7 items on the agenda including the appointment of a new treasurer, and two city aldermen.
At the beginning of the meeting City Attorney Diane Diestler explained that while former Alderman Josiah Neff had signed the documents necessary to make him the official custodian for the water department, his resignation means that the position must be reassigned and that it must go to an elected official not an appointed one.
She stated that Mayor Kienast or one of the remaining Aldermen (Foster, Mershon, Stiller, or Kraft) would have to fill the position as Water Department Custodian.
As Attorney for the City, Diestler stated that she had notified the IEPA of Neff's and Palmer's recent resignations.
Alderman Kenny Foster agreed to temporarily fill the position of official custodian until the other council seats are filled. Kraft made the motion to temporarily designate Foster as Official Custodian for the IEPA Responsible Operational Personnel and Stiller seconded the motion which unanimously carried.
Mershon made the motion to designate Mayor Kienast to act as Administrative Contact for LaHarpe Waterworks. Foster seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
The council voted to pay the engineering fees of $23,650.00 for McClure Engineering Associates.
Under agenda "item C" which called for the discussion of whether to trade in or sell the old police car, Ordinance #2016-6 was passed. The motion, made by Alderman Darrell Kraft and seconded by Kenny Foster, authorized the disposition of surplus municipal property with some guidelines.
With the decision to sell the police car rather than to trade it, it became necessary to publish the sale. The board approved both this sale and the newspaper publication.
At this time Marcia Stiller made the motion to go into Executive Session to discuss filling vacancies of pubic office. Foster seconded the motion which carried unanimously.
The regular meeting adjourned to Executive Session at 7:10 p.m.
The Executive Session began at 7:13 p.m.
Present for the Executive Session were: Dave Mershon, Marcia Stiller, Kenny Foster, Darrell Kraft, City Clerk Lucretia McPeak and Mayor Ryan Kienast.
Also present was City Attorney Diane Diestler.
Carmen Jackson was called to join the executive session at 7:40 pm. She left executive session at 7:56 pm.
Kraft made the motion to end the Executive session, and return to the regular meeting. Stiller seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
Executive session ended at 8:07 pm.
Returning at 8:08 p.m., the council approved the appointment of Carman Jackson to the position of City Treasurer with Kenny Foster making the motion and Marcia Stiller seconding it. In the vote, Alderman Foster abstained as he is related to the new Treasurer.
With this appointment and because of the resignations, it was necessary to change signatories on various city accounts. Foster made the motion to approve Jackson as the new signatory on city accounts and be bonded through the City of La Harpe. Mershon seconded the motion with Stiller, Mershon, and Kraft voting yes, and Foster abstaining.
It was also decided to table the appointment of two new aldermen that were needed to replace Josiah Neff and Amy Palmer until the second council meeting on July 25th..
There will be no meeting on July 11th.
Although the council had voted to adjourn once all agenda items had been dealt with, at 8:19 p.m. the meeting was re-opened so that City Clerk Lucretia McPeak could administer the oath of office to the new City Treasurer Carmen Jackson.
La Harpe City Clerk Lucretia McPeak (right) is swearing into office new City Treasurer Carmen Jackson of La Harpe who was appointed to replace Marcia Neff who resigned last month.
City Clerk guides new treasurer through necessary paper work. .