Council Minutes 09-03-26
Harrisburg City Council
City Hall
110 E. Locust Street
Harrisburg, Il 62946
September 03, 2026
6:00 p.m.
The Harrisburg City Council met on September 03, 2026 at 6:00 p.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, and Jonathan Brown answering the roll call. Commissioner Rupert Johnson was absent.
Mayor John McPeek thanked the city employees for their work during these hot days.
Pastor Jerry Wells from 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.
Council Meeting Minutes – August 20, 2026
Special Meeting Minutes – August 25, 2026
Sullivan Lawn Care - $4,650.00 - #5478 – Business District
Hick’s Concrete, LLC - $75,000.00 - #013576 – DCEO Sidewalk Grant
Sullivan Lawn Care - $4,650.00 - #5517 – Business District
Ray O’Herron - $116.68 - #3297082 – Council Contingency
Ray O'Herron - $27.27 - #3297082 – Council Contingency
Mechelle Adbulazizov – Petition Lake Lot – 4th Add, Lot 10-F
Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Citizen Sharon Vandenburg would like to see new sidewalks throughout town. She said the city should apply for grants. The council informed her the city has received sidewalk grants and there is a waiting list of sidewalk repairs.
Citizen Howard Sullivan, who mows the city cemetery, asked the citizens to please pick up any personal belongings next week so his crew can properly weed eat around the headstones. He has not removed any personal belongings to avoid upsetting anyone. However, the personal items need to be remove long enough for his crew to do one final mow, weed eat, and blow around the headstones. The council thanked Howard Sullivan for his hard work in maintaining the city cemetery this year.
The city opened up sealed bids for the sale of the 1991 Ford Truck. The city received thirty sealed bids. The sealed bids are as follows:
Kyle Stackhouse – Plymouth, IN: $17,010.00; Eric Danielson – Baraga, MI: $12,700.00.
Dean Whitworth – St. Peters, MO: $7,623.00 (withdrew bid prior to opening)
Bill Moroney – Elmhurst, IL: $7,328.00; Greg Russell – Smith Station, AL: $10,553.25
Brock Boedigneime – Granville, IL: $6,526.00; Dan McGuire – Ottawa, IL: $7,600.00
Bill Collins – Sturgis, KY: $6,500.00; Rickey & Lisa Childers – Mt. Vernon, IL: $7,000.00
Dr. William Moroney – Elmhurst, IL: $6,185.00; Randy Dotson – Decatur, IL: $6,351.00
Jake & Cassie Hercher – Bloomsdale, MO: $6,000.00; Steve Kremer – St. Louis, MO: $9,100.00; Jeff Winters – Harrisburg, IL: $7,358.00; Matthew Tapp – Morganfield, KY: $14,275.00; Nolan Bastien – Greenwood, IN: $8,251.00; David Lieber – Springfield, IL: $10,033.87; Carleton Compton – Hutsonville, IL: $7,625.00; Harry Alvey – Equality, IL: $6,011.00; Eric Speakman – Marion, IL: $7,500.00; Les Wolske – Benton, IL: $7,152.00
Mark Mayfield – Evansville, IN: $7,000.00; Scott Shobe – Mahomet, IL: $9,191.00
Tim DeJournett – Keenes, IL: $5,800.00; Michael Ray, Sr. – LaCenter, KY: $10,569.00
Don Endriss – Harrisburg, IL: $6,151.00; Tim Tuttle – Harrisburg, IL: $11,250.00
Steve Edwards – Smithland, KY: $9,333.00; Warren Rollman – Shawneetown, IL: $8,220.00
Edward Broy – West Frankfort, IL: $6,355.00
Commissioner Raymond Gunning made the motion to accept the sealed bid from Kyle Stackhouse from Plymouth, IN in the amount of $17,010.00. Seconded by Commissioner Roger Angelly. 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.
Priority Power Solar will be at the September 17, 2026 meeting.
Attorney Kolby Smithpeters informed the council that the owner of 125 W. Raymond lives in Utah. He will reach out to her, try to acquire the property, or get a demolition order.
Attorney Kolby Smithpeters stated the owner of 615 W. Sloan Street has agreed to deed the property over to the city. This requires three signatures so it might take a little time to get the signatures. He will let the council know when is has the signed deed.
Mayor John McPeek stated he needs to table the Provalus discussion which includes the agreement, 10 W. Locust Street, and 21 W. Locust Street.
Mayor John McPeek stated the council will go into executive session to discuss potential litigation.
Mayor John McPeek stated the council will go into executive session to discuss personnel.
Commissioner Jonathan Bown held an open discussion regarding the budgets. He only questions spending because it involves taxpayer money. From 2019 to current, no one’s budget has been cut. The water and sewer department budget is less than previous years. He said the water/sewer department is doing a great job with their budget. The other budgets have increase and he understand the cost of doing business has gone up.
He asked all department to come up with ideas to help save money. During the budget process, he and the city treasurer came up with ways not to lay off the police officer. Commissioner Raymond Gunning did not attend any of the budget meetings. The public property department gave $50,000 to the police department and gave the street and alley department a tractor to help the other departments.
Staff and equipment has increased. He said cuts need to be made. He stated citizens are leaving Harrisburg and this council has not looked at the future. He wants the council to talk to local businesses and ask if the city can help them expand their businesses.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning suggests the new incoming council look at those options. Commissioner Jonathan Brown wants to clear up some misinformation. He has never said he wants to lay off a firefighter or do away with the ambulance. He has done some research about the ambulance. He asked Commissioner Raymond Gunning to present numbers for the ambulance at the next meeting.
Commissioner Raymond Gunning said no one from council asked the other communities for money to assist with the ambulance. Mayor John McPeek stated those communities already said they will not give financial support. Commissioner Jonathan Brown stated he has spoken to the mayor of Eldorado.
The council discussed the ambulance service and the boundary lines. The previous fire chief told council the ambulance would generate around one million dollars. At that time, an existing ambulance provider informed council they would not make that kind of money. Commissioner Raymond Gunning stated during one the of meetings that the ambulance revenue would lower the tax levy, and the tax levy has not been lowered because the city has not generate the income it was told it would.
Mayor John McPeek stated the city ran out Saline County Ambulance, and the owner informed Mayor John McPeek that the city will not make the money they have been told. Commissioner Jonathan Brown said it is not making enough money to cover expenses. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said the state law forces the city to go outside the city limits if no one is available.
Commissioner Jonathan Brown informed the council that the former fire chief signed documents with Deaconess that he was not authorized to sign. The former fire chief signed a mutual agreement allowing the ambulance to leave city limits. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said he was not aware of any mutual aid agreements signed by the former fire chief. Commissioner Jonathan Brown said the mutual aid agreement was signed in January 2026. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said he knows the ambulance goes outside the city limits. Commissioner Jonathan Brown said the ordinance states the fire chief cannot sign agreements and those agreements must come before the council.
Commissioner Jonathan Brown wants the fire ambulance to stay in city limits. The ambulance does cost money, and decisions need to be made because it has only generated $164,000 in three years. Commissioner Raymond Gunning stated life is more important than revenue. Commissioner Jonathan Brown said our ambulance should not leave the city limits. Commissioner Raymond Gunning told Commissioner Jonathan Brown to call the Department of Health and ask if the city is required to go to a call outside city limits if we are toned out.
The city has hired additional staff and bought an ambulance and is not generating enough money to cover one salary. The city ambulance should stay in the city limits. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said Department of Health requires the city ambulance to take calls even outside the city limits. Mayor John McPeek said he was told the city ambulance can help but cannot administer certain drugs. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said the city ambulance cannot administer IV drugs. Mayor John McPeek stated there is always a paramedic with Abbott.
Mayor John McPeek said the county gave the city $50,000 for the ambulance service this year. Commissioner Roger Angelly asked if the fire department could attend a call instead of sending the city ambulance. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said yes. Commissioner Jonathan Brown said the city council set the boundaries. Commissioner Raymond Gunning said someone needs to call Department of Health to find what the city can and cannot do.
Commissioner Jonathan Brown said he only ask questions because it affects the citizens and taxes. Bad decisions cost the taxpayers. Commissioner Roger Angelly said this all sounded good in the beginning, and they we were told the city could make $800,000 and that was not true. The council decided to help everyone, but it has not worked out so well. He thinks the council should have looked into this more and it needs to be correct.
Commissioner Jonathan Brown said the mutual aid agreements need to be looked at. Commissioner Roger Angelly agrees this issue needs to be fixed. Commissioner Jonathan Brown said he is not against ambulance, nor does he want to lay anyone off. He said the council’s job is to do what is best for the city. He said the council needs to get new businesses as well.
Commissioner Jonathan Brown commended Commissioner Rupert Johnson and Superintendent Kenny Mayhall for keeping up with their work and managing their budget. The city has to work together.
Fire Chief Nathan Moore presented life saving awards to Assistant Police Chief Zachary Popetz and Sargeant Ross Bergman. A 911 call came in with an unresponsive male who appeared to be having a heart attack. The police officers were dispatched and provided CPR on John Baker.
Citizen John Baker thanked the police officers, the council and city for saving his life. He is eternally grateful for their life saving efforts. He appreciates the city for having trained qualified employees.
Mayor John McPeek announced the upcoming Shawnee Sasquatch golf tournament. He thanks Mark Jones from Koerner Distributors for partnering with the city to help with this event. There are twenty teams participating.
There will be a drive-in movie on September 11, 2026. They are showing UP and it is being sponsored by All In One Reality.
The 6th Annual Sasquatch Festival is just a few weeks away. The city is still accepting donations to help sponsor this event. No amount is too small.
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: 6:31 p.m.
Reconvene: 7:07 p.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, and Jonathan Brown answering the roll call. Commissioner Rupert Johnson was absent.
Mayor John McPeek stated there is no action regarding collective bargaining, potential litigation, property acquisition, or personnel.
Commissioner Roger Angelly made the motion to adjourn. Seconded by Commissioner Raymond Gunning. A roll call vote was taken with all present voting yes. Motion carried.
Adjourn: 7:08 p.m.