The Taylorville City Council tabled three fairly big motions on Monday night during their bimonthly meeting at the Municipal Building including one that would limit the Mayor’s power on being able to approve solely gaming license classifications. With Aldermen Doug Brown and Kathy Driskell absent, City Council started off the night honoring Taylorville Track Star Owen Morgan and giving the oath of office to Firefighters Kurt Hoehn and Colin Ayers.
The Council approved some omnibus votes, heard from the Downtown Taylorville Committee and approved a few ordinances. Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry spoke asking for volunteers and informing the public on the upcoming 4th of July festivities.
A motion was tabled to recommend to the city council to approve the quote from 120 water at a cost not to exceed $23,000. The motion was tabled due to some questions that city attorney Rocci Romano had concerning it. A motion was also tabled to recommend to the city council to approve the construction of a 50’ seawall with a 12x24 dock at 3516 East Lakeshore Drive for many of the same reasons.
The big discussion of the evening and the one that took the majority of the night was a motion to recommend to the City Council to direct the City Attorney to amend the City Code to require full City Council approval for all gaming license classifications. Right now, only certain classes have to be approved by the full city council and the council wanted to make it so that way everyone was covered. Attorney Romano said he was willing to do it, but needed some boundaries over what would be allowed and what wouldn’t so the city wouldn’t fall susceptible to lawsuits.
Council members stressed that the only reason they wanted to do this, was to make sure one person didn’t have all the power. The question was then brought up over how much is too much. Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry says that he has never allowed one without getting Council approval, even though he could.
After a 20 minute discussion, the council said they were tired of talking about it and talking in circles, and they tabled the discussion for a later date. The next city council meeting is set for July 3rd.
