The Macomb City Council voted concurrence Monday with Mayor Mike Inman’s appointment of Todd Tedrow as police chief. City Clerk Renee Lotz administered the oath of office to the new police chief, who had served in an interim capacity since December.
Also Monday, aldermen voted 4 to 3 not to accept a job description for a proposed planning and development specialist. Dave Dorsett, Don Wynn, Ashley Katz, and Jennifer Hemingway voted no, while Justin Schuch, John Vigezzi, and Byron Shabbaz voted in favor.
“I agree with the position,” Dorsett said, “but the department is currently in flux.” He said the department should fill existing vacancies before adding a new one.
Schuch said he favors adopting the position description. “This is how you build a department,” he said.
In other business, the city council voted to adopt a memorandum of understanding with the Georgetown Homeowners Association regarding use of their swimming pool. Public Works Director Alice Ohrtmann said the city would sponsor swimming lessons there because the Macomb High School pool is having work done. Closure of the Glenwood Park swimming pool necessitated relocation of the summer lessons.
Aldermen voted to accept an ordinance authorizing acceptance of a $4 million loan from the Illinois Water Pollution Control loan program for city sewer plant improvements. Also approved was a $49,288 reduction in the summer road resurfacing budget.
Mayor Inman began the council meeting by issuing a proclamation declaring May 5 as Phi Beta Sigma Charter Day. Though the national chapter was founded in 1914 at Howard University, its Iota Chi chapter at Western Illinois University was founded 48 years ago on May 5.
The mayor saluted the men of Phi Beta Sigma for their efforts in “service, scholarship, and the pursuit of social justice” and their continued dedication to WIU and Macomb. The fraternity’s national foundation chair Anthony Jones, a 1987 WIU business graduate, said, “It’s a nice thing having you guys recognize us.”
