Belleville council approves audit, multiple leases, telecom agreements and event permit

The Belleville City Council on Oct. 20, 2025, approved the city’s fiscal year 2025 audit and a series of contract and permit items, including equipment and telecommunications leases, a vehicle purchase, an extension to a liquor-license special-use permit for the Heart Pub and authorization for a community luminary walk event.

The actions, taken largely on motions read together as consent or grouped items, also set the annual joint review board meeting date for all active tax increment financing (TIF) districts and nominated Jennifer Brown as the public member for that board. The council read and adopted two ordinances, and approved a mix of citywide service contracts and one-time purchases.

Most items were approved with motions and unanimous voice or roll-call votes. Council members identified on the record as voting in favor included Alderpersons Randall, Ferguson, Anthony, O’Brien, Dillman, Kaiser, Elmore, Weigand and others; where the record shows “all in favor” the motions were recorded as carrying.

Key approvals and specifics

- Fiscal year 2025 audit: The council voted to accept and file the FY2025 audit report (motion listed as 11 C 1). No dollar adjustment or auditor name was stated in the record.

- Leases and service contracts: The council approved a 60-month lease and maintenance contract with Watts Copy Systems Inc. for library copy machines (11 C 2). It also approved master service agreements and service order addenda with New Horizon Communications for POTS lines at various city locations on a month-to-month basis at $2,700 per month, and for wireless POTS replacements on a 36-month term at $920.30 per month plus nonrecurring charges of $266 (11 C 6).

- Telecommunications site agreements: The council approved a first amendment to a PCS site lease with Sprint Spectrum LLC for a wireless communications tower at 101 A South Illinois Street (11 C 4) and approved an option and lease agreement with Vertical Bridge for a new telecommunications tower on city-owned property at South 70 Fourth Street (11 C 5).

- Equipment and vehicle purchases: The council waived formal bidding procedures and approved purchase of one new 2026 Ford F-150 from Bob Ridings Fleet Sales for $37,393, a price reported as beating the state bid (11 C 3). It also approved the Watts Copy Systems lease described above.

- Special-use permit extension: The council approved an extension of a special-use permit related to a liquor license and outdoor dining for the Heart Pub, located at 1112 West Main (case/parcel reference shown as 08210332003004), extending the permit until Dec. 31, 2025.

- TIF joint review board and nomination: The council set the date for annual joint review board meetings for all active TIF districts for Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at 9 a.m., and nominated Jennifer Brown as the public member nominee for those meetings.

- Claims, disbursements and payroll: The council approved claims and disbursements in the amount of $1,428,042.05 and payroll in the amount of $1,048,257.89.

- Community event and street closure: The council approved a request from Charlie’s Health Main LLC to host the “Charlie’s Place Luminary Walk” rest area and associated street closure on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, 4 p.m.–10 p.m., with resident access required from 1 p.m.–11:59 p.m. City services requested included barricades, no-parking signage, picnic tables and trash containers.

- Ordinances: The council read by title and then voted to adopt Ordinances 9430 and 9431. Ordinance 9430 is a zoning ordinance related to case 005 January 22 (details were not specified on the record); Ordinance 9431 amends Title 3, Administration, Chapter 30, City Council, Section 30.19 (standing committees) of the Revised Code of Ordinances of the City of Belleville.

Votes at a glance

- Claims, disbursements and payroll (approval): approved (motion carried). Amounts: claims $1,428,042.05; payroll $1,048,257.89. - Treasurer’s reports (August 2025): approved (motion carried). - Amend Title 3, Section 30.19 (standing committees) (11 A 2): approved (motion carries). - Set joint review board date for active TIF districts (Dec. 4, 2025) and nominate Jennifer Brown: approved (motions carry). - Amend 2025 committee and commissions calendar and extend special-use permit for Heart Pub through Dec. 31, 2025: approved (motions carry). - Accept and file FY2025 audit (11 C 1): approved (motion carries). - 60-month copy machine lease with Watts Copy Systems Inc. for the library (11 C 2): approved (motion carries). - Waive bids and purchase one 2026 Ford F-150 from Bob Ridings Fleet Sales for $37,393 (11 C 3): approved (motion carries). - Approve first amendment to PCS site lease with Sprint Spectrum LLC at 101 A South Illinois Street (11 C 4): approved (motion carries). - Approve option and lease with Vertical Bridge for a telecom tower at South 70 Fourth Street (11 C 5): approved (motion carries). - Master service agreements with New Horizon Communications for POTS and wireless replacements (11 C 6): approved (motion carries). Costs noted in motion: $2,700/month (POTS lines), $920.30/month for wireless replacement (36 months), nonrecurring charges $266. - Charlie’s Place Luminary Walk rest area and street-closure request (Dec. 13, 2025): approved (motion carries). - Ordinances 9430 and 9431: read by title and adopted (roll-call vote recorded; motion carries).

Why it matters

Taken together the approvals cover routine fiscal oversight, ongoing equipment and communications service contracts, and site agreements for wireless infrastructure that will use city property. The council also completed standard permitting for a community event and moved forward on TIF oversight by setting the joint review board meeting date and naming a public member nominee.

What’s next

The city will hold its joint review board meetings for active TIF districts on Dec. 4, 2025, at 9 a.m., as set by the council. Several contracts and leases approved at the meeting (library copy machines, telecommunications site leases and communications service agreements) will proceed to implementation according to their stated terms; the record on Oct. 20 did not include implementation dates beyond the contract terms noted above.