The Watseka City Council will investigate the possibility of adding a gas tax.
Alderman Dennis Cahoe said at last weekâs finance committee meeting that the cityâs roads are in need of work and this would be a way to establish some funds to do that. Cahoe said at the time that raising property taxes is not a good idea. He also said that if anyone else has ideas on how to get some of the projects funded the council will be happy to listen.
On April 27 Cahoe said, âLast finance meeting we talked about this gas tax as a way to possibly finance street repairs. I think all of us agree thereâs plenty of work to be done on streets. Since I didnât have all the answers to questions you might have, Iâve asked Mr. (city attorney Joe) Cainkar to speak.â
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A discussion on approving raises for public works and water/wastewater laborers was table at the Watseka City Council Tuesday night on advice of counsel.
The aldermen had discussed raising the laborers pay to $19/hour starting May 1.
City Attorney Joe Cainkar said he has not yet heard back from the union representatives and advised the council to wait until that correspondence has arrived.
âWe canât do it yet,â Cainkar said. âWe havenât heard back from the union yet.â
âWhy do we have to wait on them?â Alderman Dennis Cahoe asked.
âBecause youâre going to get an unfair labor practice if you do something without their approval,â Cainkar said.
After 24 years with the department, Watseka Fire Chief Tim Ketchum is stepping down.
Ketchum told the Watseka City Council public safety committee meeting April 13 that he will be stepping down as of June 30.
âI have decided it is time for me to retire from the fire department,â he said. âIâm very proud of what Iâve accomplished there. Danny Adams brought me on many years ago. I wanted to help my community. I feel like Iâve accomplished that. Iâve helped the fire department grow even further after what Chief (Dave) Mayotte did for the department.â
He said once a new chief is appointment âIâm not going to turn my back and just walk away,â he said. âIâve told all my officers that whoever gets the position or other officer duties they have, if they have questions they are more than welcome to call me. Iâll talk them through things, show them where things are, whatever I can do to help make that transition as easy a