Votes at a glance: Carthage council approves ordinances on fireworks, sports agreements, security access, audit and claims report; one utility-term change fails

The Carthage City Council adopted multiple ordinances and motions during the meeting and approved the city claims report and an external audit. Below are the actions recorded on the meeting record.

Council bills and formal council actions (selected):

- Council bill 25 09 — Ordinance amending the city code to add Lunar New Year as an exception to section 10-3 (fireworks). The council read the ordinance and then voted; the meeting record states, “Council bill 25 09 stands approved.” (Reading: 2539.0352–2556.625; adoption recorded.)

- Council bill 25 10 — Ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into a contract with Lightspeed Point of Sale for the Carthage Golf Course. The council read the ordinance and recorded it as approved: “Council bill 25 10 stands approved.” (Reading: 2558.525–2586.0452; adoption recorded.)

- Council bill 25 11 — Ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Carthage Youth Softball League for nonexclusive use of the Fair Acres Sports Complex fields for summer 2025. The ordinance was read and recorded as adopted: “Council bill 25 11 stands adopted.” (Reading: 2590.1052–2622.065.)

- Council bill 25 12 — Ordinance authorizing an agreement with Carthage Little League for nonexclusive use of Fair Acres baseball fields for summer 2025. The council adopted the ordinance; one council member asked that ages 13–16 be addressed next year and said they would vote yes this time with that reservation. The record shows: “Council bill 25 12 stands adopted.” (Reading and discussion: 2623.15–2705.555.)

- Council bill 25 13 — Ordinance authorizing an agreement with Fair Acres YMCA for spring sports program use of Fair Acres fields. The council read and adopted the ordinance: “Council bill 25 13 stands adopted.” (Reading: 2708.2–2739.1501.)

- Council bill 25 14 — Ordinance authorizing an agreement with Total Electronics Contracting Inc. to install door-access controls for public-works and street department buildings. The ordinance was read and adopted: “Council bill 25 14 stands adopted.” (Reading: 2743.29–2776.44.)

- Council bill 25 18 — Emergency ordinance amending section 2-160(b) of the Carthage City Code (termination payment language). The council moved the ordinance to reading, the language was read aloud and the council recorded it as adopted: “Council bill 25 18 stands adopted.” The amendment added language allowing a termination payment equal to one-half month’s salary unless a different negotiated payment is specified in an employment agreement. (Reading and discussion: 2779.985–2911.85.)

- Council bill 25 15 — Ordinance authorizing the mayor to enter into an employment agreement with Tracy Cox as city administrator (adopted as amended). See separate article for full details. (Reading and adoption: 2916.15–3059.82.)

- Council bill 25 16 — Ordinance to amend section 2-316 (CWEP board terms). The council voted; the record states, “Council bill 25 16 fails.” Two members were identified as voting no (Taylor and Glass). (Reading and vote: 3119.05–3201.57; recorded vote discussion: 3225.16–3231.5852.)

- Council bill 25 17 — Ordinance updating filing requirements for financial reports to move from paper to electronic/printed formats. The council read and recorded the ordinance as passed: “Council bill 25 17 passes.” (Reading and vote: 3236.205–3299.52.)

Other items and formal motions:

- Claims report: The committee on insurance and claims filed a claims report of $1,153,136.25. A council member moved to approve the March 25 claims report; the council voted, and the record shows, “Motion carried.” (Claims reading and motion: 1085.89–1167.62; approval: 2494.61–2515.7898.)

- KPM audit: The audit for fiscal year 2024 (presented by KPM) was discussed and a motion was made to accept the audit results. The council voted and the record shows, “Motion carried” for the KPM audit approval. (Audit discussion and motion: 1085.89–1167.62; approval recorded earlier in the meeting.)

- Committee approvals recorded in committee reports and subsequently moved in council include authorization for Vintage Rods to host a car show on the Carthage Square (May 17), and road closures for Food Truck Friday on specified dates (Seventh Street from Garrison to Lyon and Lyon from Seventh to Chestnut). Those items were approved at committee and were presented during committee reports; the council recorded committee approvals and motions were carried in committee prior to council action. (Committee reports: 1295.6051–1400.9149; 1360.92–1375.7451.)

Items read but not finally adopted on the meeting record: Council bill 25 19 (banner fire equipment ladder apparatus purchase) and council bill 25 20 (Walker Collaborative historic district guidelines) were read in new business; the meeting record shows readings but no recorded adoption of those two bills during this session.

Why this matters: the council adopted several vendor contracts and field-use agreements that affect local youth sports, public-works security, municipal finances and fireworks rules, approved the city’s audit and claims, and declined to extend CWEP board terms from four to six years.

How to find the record: the meeting transcript lists each reading and records the outcome for the adopted ordinances; when a roll-call tally was not read aloud the meeting recorded the bill as adopted or failed without a roll-call breakdown.