Illinois Valley Times

City of Peru City Council met July 28

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

A regular meeting of the Peru City Council was called to order by Mayor Ken Kolowski in the Peru City Council Chambers on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 8:06 P.M.

City Clerk Jamey Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno present. Mayor Kolowski present.

PUBLIC COMMENT

PRESENTATION

MINUTES/FINANCIAL REPORTS/ACTIVITY REPORTS

Mayor Kolowski presented the Regular Minutes of July 14, 2025, Treasurer’s Report for June 2025, City Clerk’s Report of Cash Received for June 2025, and the Building Permit Report-2nd Quarter. Alderman Payton made a motion the minutes be received and placed on file. Alderman Edgcomb seconded the motion; motion carried.

FINANCE AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

Alderman Sapienza presented the following disbursements for payment on July 30, 2025:

FUND NAME TOTAL EXPENSES

General Fund $761,744.69

Garbage Fund 81,393.84

MVP TIF 33,960.75

Utility Fund 555,445.89

Landfill 17,826.90

Airport Fund 2,857.86

Total $1,453,229.93

Alderman Sapienza made a motion the disbursements be received, placed on file and bills paid in the usual manner. Alderman Tieman seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Alderman Ballard made a motion to approve $200.00 donation to LP Band Parent Association. Alderman Payton seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Alderman Tieman made motion to approve $250.00 donation to LPHS Football Moms Club. Alderman Sapienza seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE

Alderman O’Sadnick made a motion to authorize the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to hire patrolman. Alderman Tieman seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Alderman Edgcomb made motion to hire part-time social worker for the Police Department (position based on annual grant). Alderman Payton seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye.

Motion carried.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

Alderman Moreno made a motion to approve invoice, in the amount of $27,900.00, from Advanced Asphalt Co. for patching on Water Street due to water main break. Alderman Lukosus seconded the motion. PSM/Fire Chief Jeff King reported the water main break caused the road to buckle up about 2ft.

Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Alderman Lukosus made a motion to approve James Hardie substation transformer repair and testing services from RESA for $85,000. Alderman Ballard seconded the motion. Kevin Minnick, Electric Operations Manager reported that James Hardie will be having a outage in October and it gives us a chance to repair and make modifications. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

REPORT OF CITY ATTOREY/ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

Special Counsel Herb Klein presented a proposed ordinance entitled:

ORDINANCE NO. 6966

ORDINANCE 6966 APPROVING THE FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE PERU INDUSTRIAL PARK TIF DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA, PLAN & PROJECTS

Alderman Lukosus made a motion the ordinance be adopted as written and read. Alderman Payton seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Special Counsel Herb Klein presented a proposed ordinance entitled:

ORDINANCE NO. 6967

ORDINANCE 6967 APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PERU NORTH COMMERCIAL TIF DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA, PLAN & PROJECTS

Alderman Payton made a motion the ordinance be adopted as written and read. Alderman Moreno seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Special Counsel Herb Klein presented a proposed ordinance entitled:

ORDINANCE NO. 6968

ORDINANCE 6968 APPROVING THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AND PROJECTS FOR THE PERU MIDWEST INDUSTRIAL NEXUS TIF DISTRICT (EXHIBIT C – PLAN IS ATTACHED SEPARATELY)

Alderman Edgcomb made a motion the ordinance be adopted as written and read. Alderman Tieman seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Special Counsel Herb Klein presented a proposed ordinance entitled:

ORDINANCE NO. 6969

ORDINANCE 6969 DESIGNATING THE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA FOR THE PERU MIDWEST INDUSTRIAL NEXUS TIF DISTRICT

Alderman Tieman made a motion the ordinance be adopted as written and read. Alderman Ballard seconded

the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Special Counsel Herb Klein presented a proposed ordinance entitled:

ORDINANCE NO. 6970

ORDINANCE 6970 ADOPTING TAX INCREMENT ALLOCATION FINANCING FOR THE PERU MIDWEST INDUSTRIAL NEXUS TIF DISTRICT

Alderman Tieman made a motion the ordinance be adopted as written and read. Alderman Edgcomb seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

Corporate Counsel Scott Schweickert presented the minutes of the July 23, 2025, continued Planning/Zoning Commission hearing held on petition of Illinois Valley Food Pantry located at 4133 Progress Boulevard in the City of Peru. Alderman Payton made a motion the minutes be received, placed on file and concur with the recommendation. Alderman Edgcomb seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Corporate Counsel Scott Schweickert presented a proposed ordinance entitled:

ORDINANCE NO. 6971

AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A TEXT AMENDMENT TO SECTION 11.05(d) OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND CONDITIONALLY GRANTING A SPECIAL USE AS SOUGHT BY THE PETITION OF ILLINOIS VALLEY FOOD PANTRY, AN ILLINOIS NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION, CONCERNING PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4133 PROGRESS BOULEVARD IN THE CITY OF PERU

Alderman Payton made a motion the ordinance be adopted as written and read. Alderman Edgcomb seconded the motion. Clerk Mertel called the roll with Aldermen Ballard, Tieman, Payton, Edgcomb, Sapienza, O’Sadnick, Lukosus and Moreno voting aye. Motion carried.

PROCLAMATIONS

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

NEW BUSINESS

Clerk Mertel reported that the clerk's office will restart the use of the CodeRED community notification system. Clerk Mertel stated he will use the alert system going forward for things like weather alerts, power outages, or water main breaks. Clerk Mertel stated the last time the system was used was in January 2024 and urged interested parties to go onto the website and sign up or update their information.

PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

Clerk Mertel presented a communication from Matt Becker of Stone Jug Barbeque requesting permission to close Schuyler Street between 3rd Street and Rte. 6 on August 24th for the annual Horizon House Steak Fry. Alderman Sapienza made a motion the communication be received, placed on file and permission granted. Alderman O’Sadnick seconded the motion. Motion carried.

MAYOR’S NOTES

Mayor Kolowski reported that the Jr. Police Academy was a great success. Police Chief Sarah Raymond stated it was well received.

Adam Thorson, Director of Parks, Recreation and Special Events, reported the Taste of the IL Valley starts on Thursday.

PUBLIC COMMENT

CLOSED SESSION

ADJOURNMENT

Alderman Payton made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Alderman O’Sadnick seconded the motion and motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

https://www.peru.il.us/government/agendas-and-minutes/minutes/regular-council-meeting/regular-meeting-minutes-2025/7003-regular-meeting-minutes-07-28-25/file