Staff writer
Peabody City Council went into executive session for 10 minutes to discuss personnel Monday night. On return to open meeting, council members voted to hire Jonna Munson to fill the position of Peabody City Treasurer. Munson will be paid $13 per hour. She will receive a $.50 per hour raise with a satisfactory job performance report at the end of a six-month probationary period.
Munson was one of eight applicants for the position.
Mayor Larry Larsen appointed the following individuals to non-elected city positions: Stephanie Lago, city clerk, zoning administrator, Freedom of Information officer, floodplain administrator, and identity theft prevention program administrator; Rob Lane of Davis, Manly, and Lane, LLC, city attorney; Bruce Burke, police chief, health and safety officer; Travis Davis, police officer; Michael Cleary of Cleary Law Group, city prosecutor; Bradley Jantz, municipal court judge; Jan O’Neil, clerk of the municipal court; Mark Penner, fire chief; Ronnie Harms, interim public works superintendent; and Duane Davis, animal control officer.
In other business:
- The council approved city ordinance 02-2015 and resolution 02-2015 that allow the sale of personal fireworks from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 30 through July 4. The ordinance and resolution also allow the discharge of fireworks this year from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 30 through July 3, from 8 a.m. until midnight on July 4, and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 5.
- Lago told the council that Peabody Health and Rehab, new owners of the former Peabody Care Center, paid off the outstanding balances of two water bills left unpaid by PCC. The total was $4,506.
- Council members approved a $.15 per hour raise for returning municipal swimming pool life guards Katy Benson, Rylie McDowell, and Nick Prehiem.
- Jonathan Richstatter, president of Peabody Senior Babe Ruth Baseball, presented council members with a schedule of events for the Cal Ripken 11-year-old State Tournament of Champions that will take place at Peabody City Park July 16 to 19. The mayor and council members were invited to attend the events and throw out the first pitch to any game they choose. He also received permission to fire two or three pyrotechnic ground displays with 3 to 5 aerials per ground display following a coaches’ scrimmage at dusk on opening night. Brian McDowell, certified and licensed to discharge fireworks, will be responsible for the display.
- Lago distributed auction sale bills for the auction of city properties at 6 p.m. July 9. One house and seven vacant lots are scheduled to be sold by Leppke Realty and Auction. All eight properties will be sold from the site of the house at 213 E. Division St.