Council Minutes - 06/18/26
Harrisburg City Council
City Hall
110 E. Locust Street
Harrisburg, Il 62946
June 18, 2026
8:00 a.m.
The Harrisburg City Council met on June 18, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. at the City Hall located at 110 E. Locust Street, Harrisburg, IL.
Mayor John McPeek called the meeting to order. Mayor John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Raymond Gunning, Roger Angelly, Rupert Johnson, and Jonathan Brown answering the roll call.
Pastor Jerry Wells with the Dorrisville Social Brethren Church led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to approve the consent agenda.
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Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Adam Gossett from AMR Ambulance thanked the council for the opportunity to help host the BBQ Festival. He said there were ten teams present and it was successful. He thanked the judges for their participation. There was a car show and a drive-in movie. He has met with the city clerk, city treasurer, and Mike Sullivan (Electric) about next year’s event. The event will be held June 04 and 05. Be watching for upcoming post. Commissioner Roger Angelly said it was a great event.
Citizen Travis DeNeal spoke to the council about how the Saline Shines program can help citizens with their electricity bills. He said people are not aware that they may be eligible for assistance with their power bills. He encouraged citizens to connect with WADI for assistance. He said he will be attending the local Farmer’s Markets to help promote the program. He said there is also information on the following website: www.salineshines.com. The council thanked him for the information.
Mayor John McPeek stated the city did not receive any bids for the sale of surplus city owned properties.
Mayor John McPeek stated there was a sealed bid opening held in City Hall on June 16, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. for a truck for the Fire Department. Those present were Mayor John McPeek, City Clerk, and City Treasurer. Jim Hayes, Inc. submitted three sealed bids. The sealed bids are as follows:
2022 Ram 2500 Crew – White with Laramie Trim
45,249 Miles
Certified Warranty up to 100,000 miles or September 27, 2029
Price: $44,970
2024 Ram 2500 Crew – Red with Bighorn Trim
28,774 Miles
Certified Warranty up to 100,000 miles or October 09, 2031
Price: $47,888
2024 Ram 2500 Crew – White with Bighorn Trim
11,784 Miles
Certified Warranty up to 100,000 miles or November 15, 2031
Price: $47,990
Fire Chief John Quisenberry went to Jim Hayes, Inc. and looked at all three trucks. He believes the best option is the 2024 Ram 2500 with 11,784 miles priced at $47,990. The council agrees that is the best option.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to purchase the 2024 Ram with 11,784 miles for $47,990. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Mayor John McPeek stated the mobile home located at 208 N. Sherman Street is eligible to receive their security deposit. Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to issue the security deposit 208 N. Sherman Street. Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated Moran Economic Development drafted the resolution for the redevelopment of 701 N. Commercial Street. Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to approve Resolution 26-0618. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to authorize Mayor John McPeek to sign the TIF Agreement with the Weissman Corporation. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Shawn Fluta spoke to the council about the Triple S Road solar project and agreements. He presented the council with a map/drawing regarding the proposed easement. Ameren and IDOT agree with this project.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to authorize Mayor John McPeek to sign the Triple S Road easement agreement, Ameren easement agreement, and utility agreement. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Mayor John McPeek presented an ordinance for the transfer of property to Harrisburg Unit 3 School District. The building trades program is going to build a house on this property next year. The council thinks that is a great idea. Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to approve Ordinance 1935 transferring the property to Unit 3 School District. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Mayor John McPeek stated the council will go into executive session to discuss collective bargaining.
Mayor John McPeek stated the council will go into executive session to discuss property acquisition.
Mayor John McPeek stated the council will go into executive session to discuss potential litigation.
Attorney Kolby Smithpeters stated the homeowner at 101 Midkiff Street is going to deed the property to the city. This property is beyond repair, and Superintendent Jacob Palmer has already cleaned it up one time. Mayor John McPeek stated it will be torn down very soon.
Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to accept 101 Midkiff Street. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
City Treasurer Alex Jackson presented the Shawnee Square Center agreement to the council as drafted by Moran Economic Development. The property will change owners. The potential new owner would like to keep the agreement and request some assistance with the roof repairs. The request is for a $30,000 payment over the next five years in total $150,000 along with the current agreement. He stated the roof needs to be replaced as well as the trusses.
Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to accept the proposal for Shawnee Square Center. Seconded by Commissioner Jonathan Brown. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
City Treasurer Alex Jackson stated LKB Wellness submitted a TIF Façade application. She has purchased 1 S. McKinley Street and will be making the following updates to the property: replacing underpinning; repairing parking spaces; additional gravel to parking lot; new sign; stair repair; external lighting and security camera system. She is projected to spend $16,500.00 and she will be eligible for a $5,000 reimbursement once the project is completed.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to approve the TIF Façade application from LKB Wellness. Seconded by Commissioner Jonathan Brown. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Jonathan Brown said he would like to thank his department. He stated people do not realize how many hours are spent on grant writing and city events. There is a lot behind the scenes that these ladies do that go unrecognized. The council thanked his department.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning would like to request the name from the Merit Board for a new hire in the Fire Department. The council asked if this could wait until after contract negotiations. He stated he is just obtaining the name for the next new hire. He stated he will need to hire and get the new hire enrolled in the academy which is in September. He said the Merit Board will be testing on July 18 which will create a new list.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to obtain the name for the next firefighter new hire from the Merit Board. Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning stated his department has three retired squad cars that he would like to advertise for sale through the bid process. Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to authorize the city clerk to advertise for sealed bids for the sale of surplus property of three retired squad cars as is. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Police Chief Nathan Moore informed the council the ARMS contract is not going to be as beneficial as he had expected. He would like to stay with the current provider. He has been working with them on some updates. Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to rescind the AMRS contract. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Citizen’s Barger spoke to the council regarding the reckless driving and speeding issues on Hazel Street. There was a discussion about possible speed bumps, changing the speed limit, and patrolling the area. Superintendent Kenny Mayhall has put up some “Children at Play” signs along Hazel Street. The citizens are concerned for the safety of their children when these cars are driving on Hazel Street.
Commissioner Rupert Johnson stated his department will look into options to possibly include speed bumps. Speed bumps cannot be plowed over during the winter. Superintendent Kenny Mayhall stated this will open the window for citizens to request speed bumps on their road. Police Chief Nathan Moore suggested installing Flock cameras.
Mayor John McPeek suggested looking into the rubber speed bumps which can be removed during bad weather. Police Chief Nathan Moore stated it would cause people to slow down. Due to the design of the road, it is hard to conduct radar patrol.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning state the council will go into executive session to discuss personnel.
Commissioner Roger Angelly thanked everyone involved in the BBQ Festival. He said it was a great event and is looking forward to next year.
Commissioner Roger Angelly stated he has an employee who has resigned from the water/sewer department. He will be accepting applications and resumes for the position. Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to authorize the city clerk to advertise for a job opening in the water/sewer department. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Mayor John McPeek would like to have Attorney Kolby Smithpeters look into updating the code enforcement ordinance. There are a lot of neglected properties in Harrisburg. Saline County is selling the property to a trustee who is not maintaining these properties. The violations tickets are being ignored. He would like tickets written to hold these property owners responsible. He said the citizens of Harrisburg deserve better. Attorney Kolby Smithpeters said he will have something drafted for the next meeting.
Commissioner Rupert Johnson said Saline County needs to be held accountable for the property they own. The city mows several county owned properties and does not get paid for it. Mayor John McPeek stated his department mowed forty lots last week and thirty of them were owned by the trustee. Commissioner Jonathan Brown is in favor of increasing the fine expense.
The council discussed options on how to improve the community, making some changes to the ordinance, provide a program that incentivizes owners to clean up their property, and finding a contractor who would sign off for a residential TIF program.
Mayor John McPeek held a discussion about the issue with shopping carts. Shopping carts are being taken from the businesses. These businesses are having to replace the shopping carts. He would like to see the individuals who are taking the shopping carts be held accountable. Police Chief Nathan Moore stated that unless the business owner files charges, there is nothing they can do. A formal complaint must be filed.
Mayor John McPeek said David Williams is retiring from the city on July 31, 2026. He will also be accepting applications and resumes for the vacant position. Mayor John McPeek made the motion to authorize the city clerk to advertise for a job opening for a Code Enforcer. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Mayor John McPeek said the city had their first BBQ Festival on June 13 and it was a success. This will be an annual event. He thanked Adam Gossett from AMR for the idea and all his hard work put into the event.
He announced the upcoming July 4th celebration which consists of a parade starting at 1:00 p.m. on Poplar Street. Then around 5:00 p.m., the city will have live music, food vendors, and fireworks at the amphitheater. There was a meeting with Assistant Chief Police Zach Poptez to discuss traffic on Small Street.
Mayor John McPeek said the 2nd Annual Jeep Run will be on August 15, 2026 and it starts at the Elks Lodge. Registration can be found on the city Facebook page, or you can register in the city clerk’s office or the day of the event. Registration starts at 8:30 and the jeep run begins at 10:30.
Mayor John McPeek made the motion to go into executive session to discuss collective bargaining, potential litigation, property acquisition, and personnel. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Adjourn: 9:01 a.m.
Reconvene: 10:05 a.m.
Mayor John McPeek made the motion to return to open session. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Mayor John McPeek called the meeting to order. Mayor John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Raymond Gunning, Roger Angelly, Rupert Johnson, and Jonathan Brown answering the roll call.
Mayor John McPeek stated there is no action for collective bargaining, potential litigation, property acquisition, or personnel.
Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to adjourn. Seconded by Commissioner Rupert Johnson. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Adjourn: 10:06 a.m.