City of Metropolis City Council met March 9.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
The regular meeting of the City Council, City of Metropolis, Illinois was held at 6:55 p.m. on Monday, March 9th, 2026, in Council Chambers of City Hall at 106 West 5th Street, Metropolis, Illinois. Upon roll call the following Council members were present: Alderwoman Michele Longworth, Aldermen Chuck Short, Jeff Bullock, Cord Koch, Jermey Holley, Chad Lewis, Al Wagner, Darryl Neill, Mayor Gregg Jeffords, Corporate Counsel Andrew Leonard, City Clerk Jan Adams and concerned citizens of Metropolis.
ROLL CALL:
Bullock Present Longworth Present
Holley Present Neill Present
Koch Present Short Present
Lewis Present Wagner Absent
Moved by Aldermen Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Jeremy Holley to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 2-23-2026 as presented.
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
CITIZENS & VISITOR REQUEST:
Tiffany Korte, owner of Farmer & Company Real Estate, wanted to share that the City of Metropolis was awarded $7,500 Placemaking Grant. The National Association of Realtors partners with local governments to transform underused spaces into vibrant places for the community. Farmer & Company Real Estate is eligible to apply for the grant on behalf of the city and is a member of the Egyptian Chapter of Mid-Illinois Realtors Association which can only have one project funded through the grant per calendar year. This will be the first grant presented to a Southernmost Illinois city by the association. The city applied for the grant in 2024 for a mommy and me swing for Washington Park but did not receive the grant. Tiffany contact Mayor Jeffords early February to apply for the grant again and received word in March we were approved. Mayor Jeffords added, “We greatly appreciated it.” The project will have to be completed by the end of the year; receipts and photos of the completed project must be received before the grant funds are awarded. The total budgeted for the dog park is $30,000, leaving $22,500 after the grant money which will come from the Riverfront TIF district. The dog park will be 100×200, just north of Dorothy Miller Park and will include ramps, agility course equipment, shelter, picnic table, benches and a bowl fountain for the dogs. The fence design is being finalized with Metropolis Hometown Hardware this week and the project is expected to be completed early summer.
Will Belford at 12 Dogwood Lane in Woodhaven Subdivision wanted to express his appreciation again to the council moving forward with the combined sewer project. This is the closest we have seen the project come to fruition. After reading the plans and seeing the scope of the project he was impressed with all the work involved getting it ready. Again, thank you all, we all really appreciate it.
MAYOR’S REPORT:
Moved by Alderman Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Jeff Bullock to approve payment to S&W Line Contracting in the amount of $13,047.00
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
Moved by Alderman Jeremy Holley and second by Alderman Cord Koch to approve payment to Preferred Health Plan LLC in the amount of $37,998.83
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
The event marks the 88th anniversary when Action Comics No. 1 was sent to press which introduced Superman. This year’s theme Superhero’s Stand up for Children will offer a photo-op with Cosplayers on Superman Square, a dinner for Cosplayers at The Space located at 715 Market Street and a dance party afterwards on Friday, April 17th, beginning at 3:30 p.m. then Saturday, April 18th Superman Day will be all day to enjoy.
Moved by Alderwoman Michele Longworth and second by Alderman Darryl Neill to approve road closure for Superman Day, April 18th. Road to be closed from Superman Square to 7th Street from 1-10 p.m. MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
Moved by Alderman Jeremey Holley and second by Alderman Jeff Bullock to approve increase of monthly transfers to the medical checking account from, $150,000 per month to $200,000 per month MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
The Metropolis Chamber of Commerce request street closure for the 2026 Superman Celebration on Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, June 14th.
Moved by Alderman Jeff Bullock and second by Alderman Darryl Neill to accept road closure of Market Street from the Northeast corner of the Courthouse lawn thru 8th Street, 6th Steet from the driveway of the Detention Center to the drive thru of Legence Bank, 7th Street from the old Happy Hearts back parking area to the City property on the East side of Market, and 8th Street on the West side from the NAPA business to the SICIL Drive for the Superman Celebration on June 11th through June 14th
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
Moved by Alderman Chuck Short and second by Alderman Chad Lewis to approve quote from UTB Transformers in the amount of $29,500.00 for a Pad Mounted Transformer (budgeted item) MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
CORPORATE COUNSEL:
Alderman Al Wagner present:
The new occupation tax begins July 1 adding an additional 1% sales tax on items other than anything identified as groceries, medical equipment and prescription drugs. The 1% tax is projected to generate an estimated revenue of $1% million annually that can only be used on infrastructure and infrastructure projects. Those additional funds would go toward a number of the infrastructure projects already planned including Phase III of the Combined Sewer Separation project and the Lead line and Watermain Replacement project throughout the city.
Moved by Alderman Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Cord Koch to Adopt an Ordinance Implementing a Non-Home Rule Municipal Retailers’ Occupation Tax and a Non-Home Rule Municipal Service Occupation Tax 2026-05
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Absent
The Redevelopment Agreement is for the renovations at the Baymont theater located at 203 E Front Street with an approximate cost of $190,000 and requested the maximum amount of $20,000 for the project. Funding comes from the Metropolis Riverfront Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area.
Moved by Alderman Jeremey Holley and second by Alderman Chuck Short to Adopt an Ordinance Approving A Redevelopment Agreement By and Between City of Metropolis and Diamond Hospitality LLC 2026-06
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
There was an inquiry about what is needed to bring a circus to town. The amusement application and ordinance has not been updated since 1977 and needs to be revisited. Corporate Counsel stated that a correction is needed replacing the language utility deposit with license. The council approved the ordinance with the correction made.
Moved by Alderman Jeremey Holley and second by Alderman Darryl Neill to Adopt an Ordinance Amending Title XI Business Regulations, Chapter 111 Amusements, Section 111.02 Licenses 2026-07
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
The Redevelopment Agreement is for the renovations of a home located at 213 West 4th Street with an approximate cost of $150,260 and requested the maximum amount of $20,000 for the project. Funding comes from the Metropolis Market Street Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area.
Moved by Alderman Jeremey Holley and second by Alderman Chad Lewis to Adopt an Ordinance Approving A Redevelopment Agreement By and Between City of Metropolis and James Little Enterprises, Inc 2026-08
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
The motion to adopt an Ordinance Approving a Redevelopment Agreement by and Between City of Metropolis and Metropolis Hospitality LLC will be brought back at a later date.
DEPARTMENT HEADS:
Chief Tolbert educated the council that the Ohio River traffic has been shut down in both directions after a TVA high transmission line was snapped around 10:45 Sunday, March 8th and fell into the water. The shutdown will be approximately two days while TVA removes the line from the river. When the line is removed traffic will resume during the night with the line being repaired and reinstalled during the day.
OLD BUSINESS:
NEW BUSINESS:
Mayor Jeffords brought two abatement liens for discussion and explained the Mayor’s Office cannot approve them because they deal with revenue and therefor the council must vote on them.
The home located at 414 E 5th Street has been vacant for several years and there is interest in purchasing the property. The church next door wants to demolish the home and make a green space. There are several liens attached to the property that were not disclosed before they made an offer. They asked if the liens could be waived due to the cost of the demolition. The consensus was to table the motion needing more information on the property and its future sale.
Moved by Alderman Chuck Short and second by Alderman Jeremey Holley to Table the motion to approve the lien release located at 414 E. 5th Street
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
There is interest in purchasing the property at 1208 Baynes which is adjacent to theirs. The property has $7,757 worth of liens and asked if we would consider waving the them. The potential buyer wants to clean up the property that still has dilapidated small buildings and debris everywhere left from a fire that destroyed the home. and after discussion the consensus was to release the liens upon the sale.
Moved by Alderman Chuck Short and second by Alderman Cord Koch to approve the lien release upon sale of property at 1208 Baynes Street
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
Emergency Management director Micah Tolbert explained the plan reflects the name change of Honeywell to Solstice Advanced Materials-Metropolis Works, updated agency phone numbers, department heads of the city and state agencies.
Moved by Alderman Cord Koch and second by Alderwoman Michele Longworth to approve the City of Metropolis Emergency Operations Plan
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS:
FINANCIAL REPORT:
Moved by Alderwoman Michele Longworth and second by Alderman Chad Lewis to approve the Finance Report be received and approved and that the orders be drawn on the Treasurer for the different amounts mentioned therein and that the Mayor and the City Clerk be authorized to make necessary arrangements for payment of current Salaries, Payroll and Contract bills.
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
Moved by Alderman Jeremy Holley and second by Alderman Chad Lewis to approve the Finance Report be received and approved and that the orders be drawn on the Treasurer for the different amounts mentioned therein and that the Mayor and the City Clerk be authorized to make necessary arrangements for payment of miscellaneous bills.
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
Moved by Alderman Jeff Bullock and second by Alderman Cord Koch seconded by to adjourn. TIME: 7:23
MOTION CARRIED:
Bullock Yea Longworth Yea
Holley Yea Neill Yea
Koch Yea Short Yea
Lewis Yea Wagner Yea
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