Vandalia council approves police laptop purchase, asphalt contract and Teamsters agreement; denies backyard-chicken variance, approves Kroger sign

VANDALIA — The Vandalia City Council on March 17 approved three resolutions and took two land-use votes, all by unanimous roll call, including a purchase of mobile data terminals for police, an asphalt supply contract for public works, and formal approval of a contract with Teamsters Local 957 that city staff said takes effect March 31, 2025.

The approvals came in a meeting that also denied a zoning variance to keep five chickens on a less-than-one-half-acre lot and approved a sign-area variance for a Kroger store. Council members voted 5-0 on each item.

The most immediate spending action approved was resolution 25-R-16, authorizing the purchase of 14 Panasonic mobile data terminals and related equipment from CDWG LLC at Sourcewell cooperative pricing for $67,573.14. According to the staff report, the Vandalia Division of Police’s existing Panasonic CF-31 Toughbooks are at end of life and not compatible with the current Windows version required for Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance. The police upgrade was budgeted at $67,600. The IT manager recommended waiving formal bidding and buying through the Sourcewell cooperative; the council approved the purchase 5-0.

The council next approved resolution 25-R-17, awarding the city’s asphalt concrete bid to Valley Asphalt Corporation. The award sets prices at $82…