The Carlinville City Council said goodbye to one of Carlinville’s most familiar faces Monday night.

Louie Daugherty attended his final council meeting as alderman. He has resigned his position in order to move next month to Springfield to be closer to his children and grandchildren.

"I just want to thank Louie for his many years of service to Carlinville," said Alderman Elaine Brockmeier. "After serving as ‘Mr. Carlinville,’ it’s going to be hard not seeing him around anymore."

City Attorney Will Hebron told the council how he had played ball with Daugherty in his youth, as had Alderman Norm Semrock and Mayor Bob Schwab. Everyone wished Daugherty the best as he enjoyed his retirement.

After the meeting, a reception was held for Daugherty.

There will be a public hearing Monday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m. on the annexation of property from Camille Brotze. If annexed, the property would make Carlinville Lake border the city limits, and Carlinville could annex the lake into the city.

Hebron explained the city had already spent money to survey a strip of land 300 feet wide that stretched from Garnet Estates down to the lake. If the agreement were approved, the city would annex the property, and also agree to give Brotze a 20-year abatement on real estate taxes for the strip of land.

"We are only talking about abating taxes on the land," Hebron said. "If she made any improvements, those would not be exempt. Also, if she sold or leased the property to someone else, it would not be exempt from real estate tax."

If an agreement is reached, Brotze would pay her tax bill, then turn the bill over to the city for reimbursement.

In addition, the city would also agree to give Brotze a 2-plus-acre parcel of land by the water works. The land was originally owned by Brotze at one time.

"At one time, Brotze had lakefront property," Director of Public Works Mary Beth Bellm explained, "but there were improvements to the lake, and that raised some land. She just wants the land back in her property. There really isn’t any plan to do anything with it."

By a 9-0 vote (Alderman Robert "Sonny" Albertine was not present at the meeting), the council agreed to extend the Enterprise Zone for the Macoupin Family Health Center. The facility will move from their location near Wal-Mart to property just east of Ss. Mary & Joseph Catholic Church on Route 108.

The new facility will be 5,100 square feet and include a larger waiting area, procedure room and labs. VH Builders is the contractor for the project.

So far, Macoupin County and the Gillespie City Council had approved the request. Carlinville’s approval was also required.

The Enterprize Zone allows any purchases of construction materials to be exempt from sales tax. In addition, they will be exempt from all property tax for five years. In its sixth year, the property would have 80 percent exemption, 60 percent in the seventh year, 40 percent in the eighth until the exemption expires in the 10th year.

Hebron asked if the business was also planning on connecting to city water. Bellm said yes, and the facility would also petition for annexation into Carlinville.

Several personnel decisions were also made Monday night. The council approved hiring Darlene Sarginson as assistant city clerk. It also accepted the Police Commissioners’ recommendation and promoted Kevin Naugle to lieutenant in the Police Department.

Dave Larson was reappointed to a three-year term on the Zoning Committee, with his term expiring in September 2009. Schwab appointed Alderman Keith Mefford to replace Daugherty on the Demuzio Sport Center Committee.

John Stiller was present to lodge some complaints over problems with lake leases. According to Stiller, not all the rules of the lake leases were being followed. "How many of you," he asked the council, "have read the lake lease? Dang few it seems."

According to Stiller, the leases forbid anyone from renting or subleasing their lake property to another person. "I know of at least two people who are renting to others at the lake. You get people who aren’t directly responsible on the lease for the property, so they don’t care, and they don’t take care of it. I’m getting to the age where I could decide not to go out there, rent my spot to someone else and become a slum lord."

Stiller also claimed that at least one person was running a business from their property on the lake. "I’m not talking about Gilmore’s, they are grandfathered in and do a public service. But there is a construction business that keeps equipment out there and runs it from the lake. That’s clearly illegal in the lease agreement I have."

Hebron did agree there were some problems with some people, and the city was working to deal with them. "We are chasing down people, working to evict some and dealing with them through the court," he explained. "Unfortunately, the laws are designed more to protect the tenant and not the landlord. But we are working on it."

According to Hebron, another factor was that there were different lease agreements at the lake. "Not everyone has the same lease," he said. "They sometimes expire at different times. We change them when we discover a problem, but they aren’t exactly all the same, since they all don’t come due the same time."

"I just wonder what the point is of signing a lease if it’s not worth the paper it’s written on," Stiller asked. "I keep leases, have for some time, because the city doesn’t seem to."

Schwab told Stiller the city was not ignoring the problem, and was continuing to deal with it. "I’m sure if we aren’t moving fast enough," he said, "you’ll be back to remind us."

There appears to be some hopeful news concerning the railroad crossings. Bellm told the council she had talked to Union Pacific, and they were working on railroad crossings across the state. "They are starting in Joliet and moving south," she said. "By the end of the year, they should be working in Carlinville."

Schwab asked Bellm if they said which year. She said at this point she did not know, but it could end up being 2007.

The council awarded two bid projects Monday night. McCann Construction will provide the awning for the entrance of the Carlinville Police Department at a cost not to exceed $10,845. LeVora had the low bid of $1,225 to provide a generator and do circuit work for CPD. The money will come from the Construction account.

Committee reports were approved for December. The council agreed to pay the following bills: Demuzio Center – $2,204; Public Lands – $2,665; Insurance – $122,796 (which includes the premiums for liability and Workman’s Comp.); Finance/Economic Development – $149,349; Lake – $3,086; Public Safety – $71,752; Tobacco grant – $220.15; ESDA – $170; Fire – $22,890. (According to Alderman Joe Direso, the recent storm increased payroll costs); Street – $16,986; MFT – $1,707; Water – $90,818.