The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Michael Rodeffer
The La Harpe City Council met on September 8th at 7 p.m. at the La Harpe Clubhouse. Attending was Mayor Katherine Hasten-Reed, Council members Dave Clover, Jeff McDowell, Jim Lenix, Todd Stevens, and Randy Shumaker.
Marvin Miller arrived at 7:37 p.m. Also attending were City Clerk Lucretia McPeak, City Treasurer Monalisa Graves, Interim Police Chief Tim Edwards, Water Superintendent Tim Graves, Street department employee David Little, and guests Ve and Taylor Roberts, Chad Burt, Dan Gillett and Michael Rodeffer.
Tim Graves informed the council that the past water violation had been taken care of and approved by the IEPA.
Graves noted he had talked to Doug Erickson from Benson Engineering about the issue at the sewer plant. A representative from Benson Engineering will be at the next council meeting to present a plan for the sewer plant.
City Clerk Lucretia McPeak noted October 24th will be City wide clean-up day.
City Treasurer Monalisa Graves explained she had a bill for $2160.16 for chemicals which needed to be added to her report.
Interim Police Chief Tim Edwards noted the Explorer police vehicle has an issue with the transmission and would like to have it looked at.
Council member Dave Clover expressed several concerns. Clover stated he was not happy with the decision to allow interim police chief Tim Edwards to drive the La Harpe police vehicle to Oquawka where he is working as chief of police there.
Mayor Hasten-Reed noted herself and Randy Shumaker had made the decision to allow Edwards to drive the La Harpe police vehicle there when he was coming to work at La Harpe from Oquawka.
Hasten-Reed noted she had brought up the decision at the last council meeting and no one had expressed a problem with it.
Clover was absent at that meeting. Clover also added he didn’t like it that a police officer has only been on duty 3 days a week.
Clover stated he would like an officer on duty every day when school was in session and wants the council to get more aggressive at hiring a full-time police chief.
In other action the council unanimously approved: