FLORA CITY COUNCIL MEETS (4/7/25) pg The Flora City Council met Monday afternoon and breezed
through a light agenda. In the absence of Mayor Rick Slaughter, Commissioner Linda
Spicer served as Mayor Pro Tem and called the meeting to order. During public
comments, Jessica Muskopf with Flora Rotary Club noted that the group would
like to extend the Rotary Annual Disc Golf Tournament to a two-day event.
The Council previously approved the club’s use of Charley Brown Park on Monday,
May 26th and Muskopf asked that the request also include Sunday, May
25th. Commissioners approved her request unanimously. Next, for
Commissioner Mike Genthe addressed the body representing the Clay County
Cruisers Car Club. The club requests the use of Charley Brown Park for their
21st Annual Car and Truck Show on Saturday, July 19th
with a rain date of July 26th. Commissioners approved the request
without dissent. Next, the council approved the meeting agenda and consent
agenda. The latter included approval of the regular meeting minutes, the bills
and a request from Megan Pierson with the Clay County U of I Extension office
to use Charley Brown Park on Tuesday, June 17th for the Livestock
Skill-A-Thon Contest. In Regular Business, Mayor Pro Tem Linda Spicer thanked City
of Flora employees for the work they did ahead of the heavy rainfall over the
past several days. She stated that they were busy cleaning out ditches and
culverts and working to ensure lift stations were ready for the deluge that
dumped 7” of rainfall over the past week, including roughly 4” on Saturday.
Spicer also noted that with the warming conditions that people are beginning to
use the pickleball courts again. She was happy about that but also requested
that people clean up after themselves and throw empty water bottles and other
trash into the nearby receptacles. Commissioner Phil Wiley said with the
arrival of spring the Farmer’s Market is returning to Flora’s Library Park on
Saturday mornings through September. Look for fresh produce to be available
for purchase as well as other food items including baked goods. A variety of
other products will also likely be available. Wiley also said that coming up
on Saturday, May 3rd, they plan a new event referred to as Spring
Fest, that will be similar in format to the former WNOI Spring Garden Show.
Vendors will offer their products in Library Park at no charge. There’s also a
BBQ cookoff competition scheduled for that day. Contact Anna Rounds at the
Flora Chamber of Commerce Office to learn more at (618) 662-5646. Commissioner Jim Fehrenbacher introduced a resolution for
improvement under the Illinois Highway Code and dealing with road work in Flora
through the Illinois Department of Transportation. The measure passed
unanimously. Flora City Administrator/Economic Development Director Mike
Stanford called on Lee Beckman with Milano and Grunloh Engineers of Effingham
to update the council on the status of Flora’s various grant applications. Due
to the quick pace of Beckman’s delivery and the poor acoustics of the meeting
room, it was difficult to understand the bulk of what he told commissioners
without a list of what was being presented. Next, Stanford presented an
ordinance to convey a former alleyway to Vanessa and Richard Fopay at 409 W. 12th
Street. The measure passed unanimously. Building and Zoning Official Chad Bayles presented an
ordinance to sell the real estate at 508 Vincennes Avenue to Anthony Woolever
for $1,000. The motion was approved without dissent. And with all business
complete, the meeting adjourned.