Rockford Sun

City of Carlyle City Council met June 9.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The Carlyle City Council was called to order by Mayor Judy Smith at 7:00 p.m. at the Case Halstead Library, 550 6th Street, Carlyle, IL.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Aldermen present were Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, and Bruce Hilmes. Alderman John Hodapp was absent.

City employees present were City Administrator Brad Myers, Chief of Police Mark Pingsterhaus, City Attorney Joe Heiligenstein, City Treasurer Chad Holthaus, Keith Housewright, Andy Wennerstrom, Kevin Rolfingsmeyer, Josh Butts, Heather Taylor, and City Clerk Rita Jurgensmeyer.

Others present were Matt Wilson, Corey Johnson, Hunter Taylor, and Ellen Woehrmann.

Alderman Jeff Taylor made a motion to approve the May 27, 2025, minutes. Alderman Tammy Peters seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, and Bruce Hilmes. Nay: none.

City Administrator Brad Myers introduced Ellen Woehrmann, from IMUA, IMEA. He said one of the students in Carlyle has been awarded a scholarship from IMUA. She then congratulated Hunter Taylor saying that his essay and his application really stood out. There were over 70 applicants for the scholarship. She presented him with a check and a certificate.

Ellen Woehrmann said they recently had their annual conference and they gave the City of Carlyle their safety award because they also received the safety award from American Public Power Association’s Safety Awards of Excellence for 2024. She said only six IMUA members received the safety award from APPA. There were only 102 municipal utilities to receive the award nationwide.

Ellen Woehrmann then presented Kevin Rolfingsmeyer with the IMEA Safety Award.

Alderman Jeremy Weh made a motion to pay the claims against the city. The motion was seconded by Alderman Jeff Taylor and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, Bruce Hilmes, and Tammy Peters. Nay: none.

Alderman Jeremy Weh made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report as presented. Alderman Jeff Taylor seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, Bruce Hilmes, Tammy Peters, and Jim McClaren. Nay: none.

Mayor Judy Smith welcomed TDK to the city of Carlyle. They are officially open. She is more than thrilled to have another business in town. They have a beautiful building that they built on the west side of town on Old U.S. Route 50.

Mayor Judy Smith thanked the Bill and Norma Fritz family for their generous donation of the trees at the intersection of Route 50 and Route 127. Premier Landscaping started early the other morning and by 1:00 p.m. they had 50 trees planted and mulched and were starting to hang the water bags on them. It is a beautiful addition to Carlyle. They are all some form of Maple or Crab Apple. When spring comes you will see flowering trees and, in the fall, you will see colorful leaves. Hopefully, the trees will be there for many years and will make a statement when you come into Carlyle. She again thanked Dale Fritz and his two sisters for spearheading the project.

Mayor Smith reminded everyone that oil and chip will be done on July 31st and August 1st. If you want your alley oiled it costs $650.00 and needs to be paid by July 15th.

Mayor Smith said that Landyn Mitchell won the state championship for the 110 hurdle. Landyn has requested that his plaques will go on the entrances to Carlyle. The entrance to Carlyle on the east and the south is where the plaques will be hung. The Illinois Department of Transportation makes the plaques and they will be hanging for a year, after a year IDOT takes them down and awards one to the school and one to the student. Since he attends Christ Our Rock school IDOT will award one to the city. The city will give it to Landyn or to the school. They should have them up in about a month.

City Administrator Brad Myers said that all the departments have been very busy. He said the Street and Alley Department are uptown by Flowers by Tess and Doughboys redoing the curb. It’s been needed for years. Kyle Berry and the Street and Alley department employees are doing a great job as well as keeping up with their regular day-to-day duties. They are also down two dump trucks.

The Water and Sewer Department is installing a new water main on Ridge Street. This will be going on for a couple of months. They are going as far as 11th or 12th Street. It’s over a mile of water main.

The Electric and Park Departments put up a new scoreboard at the city park.

City Administrator Brad Myers said that the city put a spicket out by the sign on the north side of town to be used for the new trees.

Keith Housewright reported for the library saying that the summer reading program is starting on Thursday. The first program is put on by the University of Illinois Extension. They will do a program on amphibians. The program goes for seven weeks. He said that the council allowed him to hire Yvonne Straeter. She has been doing the story time. They are getting 25 to 30 kids every Tuesday for story time. They have older kids coming in and they will have something for them too.

City Administrator Brad Myers said that at the last council meeting it was discussed to have an electric rate study done. He contacted a company called Utility Financial Solutions and they will conduct an electric rate study that will take them approximately 12 weeks to complete. They are going to look at every single thing the city charges for and let the city know if they have to lower or raise the rates. The last rate study was done in 2014. The cost of the study is $22,900.00.

Alderman Jeff Taylor made a motion to hire Utility Financial Solutions to conduct an electric rate study at the cost of $22,900.00. Alderman Mike Jansen seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, Bruce Hilmes, Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, and Scott Diekemper. Nay: none.

City Administrator Brad Myers said the Finance Committee forwarded installing a fence at the base of the 17th Street water tower. A quote was received from J Square Fence in the amount of $7,500.00.

Alderman Jeff Taylor made a motion to approve the quote from J Square Fence in the amount of $7,500.00 to install a fence at the base of the 17th Street water tower. Alderman Jim McClaren seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, Bruce Hilmes, Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, and Jeremy Weh. Nay: none.

Chief of Police Mark Pingsterhaus reported for the Police Department saying that GTSI handles all the radio equipment for the city. They will be here Wednesday between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. Right now, they are running off the antenna at the old city hall. They will be transferring everything to the water tower. They will be putting a repeater on the city hall side. The police department already has a repeater. Some of the radios may need to be reprogrammed.

Kevin Rolfingsmeyer added that GTSI is also coming out to check the sirens. There have been some comments on Facebook about the sirens not sounding right. Mayor Smith asked that when they find out when they are coming out to let city hall know so they can put something out to alert the citizens to the sirens being tested.

City Administrator Brad Myers said that at the Employee Concerns Committee meeting that was held earlier tonight they interviewed two applicants for the Water Swing Shift Operator position. They recommended hiring Levi Hays for the position.

Alderman Jeff Taylor made a motion to hire Levi Hays for the Water Swing Shift Operator position. Alderman Jim McClaren seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Mike Jansen, Bruce Hilmes, Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, and Jeff Taylor. Nay: none.

City Administrator Brad Myers said that at the Employee Concerns Committee they also discussed posting for the night shift utility operator position.

Alderman Jeff Taylor made a motion to allow posting for the night shift utility operator position. Alderman Tammy Peters seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Bruce Hilmes, Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, and Mike Jansen. Nay: none.

At 7:20 p.m. a motion to adjourn was made by Alderman Jeff Taylor. Alderman Tammy Peters seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Tammy Peters, Jim McClaren, Scott Diekemper, Jeremy Weh, Jeff Taylor, Mike Jansen, and Bruce Hilmes. Nay: none.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/carlyle/Board.nsf/Public#