Jamie Munks
The State Journal-Register
City Water, Light and Power and Springfield’s recruiting efforts for minority police officers were the main concerns voiced Tuesday at a public hearing about the city’s proposed $602 million budget for the fiscal year that begins March 1.
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After Tuesday’s public hearing on the budget, aldermen held a regular committee of the whole meeting where they set the agenda for next week’s council meeting. Here are some of the measures that will be up for a vote:
*An ordinance authorizing an additional $25,000 to attorney Ron Stone for a total of no more than $50,000 to represent Springfield police Sgt. Jeff Barr, a defendant in a U.S. District Court case that also names the city. Because of a conflict of interest for the city in the case, an exterior law firm was brought on to represent Barr. Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin called the cost a concern, because the city has already spent upward of $75,000 defending Barr in the lawsuit.
*An ordinance accepting a bid for tree trimming around power lines from Nelson Tree Service Inc. for up to $6 million for the next two years. Nelson was the only bidder. The city last awarded the company a contract for fiscal years 2015 and 2016 for $5 million. Aldermen have gotten complaints from constituents who have seen Nelson workers in the past “maybe milking the clock a little bit,” Theilen said, adding that he hasn’t personally witnessed that. McMenamin urged CWLP leaders to find a way to introduce more competition into the tree-trimming contract process.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 