Beardstown approves tentative agreement with UFCW Local 431 after roll call

The Beardstown City Council voted July 2 to approve a tentative agreement with United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) District Local 431, which represents employees at the city’s Public Works and City Hall operations.

A motion by Alderperson Eric Harbin, seconded by Alderperson Shawn Taylor, to approve the tentative agreement passed on a roll call vote noted in the record as 5–3; Alderpersons Harbin, Dawn Seward, Shawn Taylor and Mayor Tim Harris voted in favor, Alderpersons Lisa Buhlig, Ron Culves and Keith Schramm voted no, and Alderwoman Mary Davis abstained. The meeting minutes state Davis’s abstention was counted toward the majority, and Chris Baer was absent.

The council’s action was recorded as a tentative agreement; the transcript does not include the contract’s dollar amounts, specific term lengths, or details of changes to wages or benefits. Those contract specifics were not read into the record at the meeting and are not specified in the minutes. The motion as entered reads: “That the tentative agreement between the City of Beardstown and United Food & Commercial UFCW District Local 431 representing the Public Works and City Hall Employees be approved.”

City officials did not provide further discussion of the contents of the tentative agreement during the meeting. No public comment was recorded on the item. The meeting record does not show whether final ratification will require a future council vote, employee ratification, or administrative signature; those next steps were not specified in the transcript.

The council approved other routine items on the agenda and received monthly department reports during the same session.