Belleville City council holds record 3-minute meeting to pay its bills

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
“You are witness to a new city record,” announced Belleville Mayor Pro Tem Jack Loria on Monday, Jan. 5, at 7:33 p.m., after the adjournment of a 3-minute city council meeting. The meeting started at 7:30 p.m.
There was nothing on the agenda to vote on except Accounts Payable and Departmental Expenditures, which essentially meant the council met to pay its regular bills and three big bills to Hennessey Engineers.
“You should write down everyone who was here,” Loria said, referring to the eight people in the council chambers.
Besides Loria, present at the council table were Mayor Kerreen Conley and Councilmen Tom Smith and Tom Fielder. Councilwoman Kim Tindall was absent and excused because she was ill.
From the city administration was City Manager Pro-Tem Lisa Long (the city’s clerk/treasurer), who also took minutes of the meeting. City Manager Diana Kollmeyer was in Florida.
In the audience were Planning Commissioner Mike Renaud, Police Chief Hal Berriman, and the Independent reporter.
Councilman Fielder said he had been told by former Mayor Glenn Silvenis that the record, up until Monday, was 7 minutes. Fielder said he had his usual comments to make, but he would save them for the next meeting in order to keep this meeting short.
The council approved $62,479.59 in accounts payable and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500, all to Hennessey Engineers: $5,144.50 in engineering fees from the Trust grant; $1,600 for Department of Public Service / Water Operations, from various budgets; and $16,014.50 for S-2 Grant Management, from the Water budget.
The next city council meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20, a day later than usual because of the Martin Luther King holiday on the council’s regular Monday meeting date.