City to have new communication system, services

By Margaret Downing

Reporter

LOVES PARK – At the Jan. 19 Loves Park City Council meeting, aldermen approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Darryl Lindberg to enter into a 60-month contract on a new phone service usage and telephone system per a contract at a cost not to exceed $591.99 a month – and not to exceed $44,693 over the 5-year life of the contract.

IP Communications, Inc. of Loves Park will install and provide the service and equipment to all city locations, excluding phone equipment at Fire Stations No. 1 and 2, as those two locations recently had a new phone system installed. The city will pay 50 percent down with the remaining 50 percent due at installation.

An ordinance allowing for a Class E (packaged beer and wine sales at a fueling/gas station/convenience store) for Alpine Mart in the 7600 block of N. Alpine Road was passed.

An ordinance providing for a Class F (video gaming) liquor license for Mabel’s Jackpot in the 5700 block of N. Second St. was also approved. Alderman Julie Hobel voted against the motion to approve it.

Alderman Clint Little gave the weekly police activity report for the week of Jan. 11-17.  A total of 439 calls for service, 256 arrests, and 10 accidents were logged.

On the weekly fire department report dated Jan. 18, seven false fire alarm calls, one public service, and one assist police call were reported for the week. The previous week’s calls included one fire call, four false fire alarm calls, one natural gas leak call, three carbon monoxide calls, and two assist police calls.

The council approved payment of $18,782.81 in water fund bills, and $65,007.81 in general fund and all other bills, as presented on Jan. 12. Alderman Julie Hobel voted no on the motion to approve the general fund bills.

City Clerk Bob Burden reported that the city had received $60,427.49 in Motor Fuel Tax funds from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation for the month of December.

Mayor Darryl Lindberg made note of an article that appeared in the Jan. 19 daily newspaper that included an interview with Alderman A. Marie Holmes, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1960s, including the Selma, Alabama “Bloody Sunday” march (March 7, 1965), noting that Holmes had quite an amazing story to tell. At the time, Holmes was a student at the University of Illinois.