Mayor Pro Tem Don Brubaker called a regular scheduled City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room at Washington District Library in the absence of Mayor Manier. Answering present for Roll Call were Aldermen Jim Gee, Al Howerter, Dave Dingledine, Jim Newman, Amanda Shipp, Bob Brucks and Don Brubaker. Alderman Todd Clanin was absent. Also present was City Administrator Bob Morris, City Attorney Kenneth L. Black, City Engineer Ken Newman, Chief of Police Jim Kuchenbecker, P&D Director Jon Oliphant and City Clerk Carol Moss.

All present stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. The Agenda was reviewed and City Administrator Morris asked that the first part of the Executive Session having to do with the appointment, employment compensation, etc., be deleted. The remainder of the Agenda stood as presented.

Alderman Brucks moved and Alderman Gee seconded to approve the Consent Agenda of December 17, 2007, as presented. The Consent Agenda included minutes of the December 3, 2007 Council meeting, Bills & Payroll in the amount of $809,969.41, Pay Request #10 to Commercial Mechanical in the amount of $38,041.00 for Water Treatment Plant No. 2 expansion, and the Planning Commission annual report. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Dingledine, Howerter, Shipp, Newman, Gee, Brucks, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

There were no announcements, presentations, recognitions, audience comments or Standing Committee Reports.

City Attorney Black provided second reading, by title only, of an ordinance levying the annual municipal tax for the City of Washington, County of Tazewell, state of Illinois for the fiscal year commencing May 1, 2007 and ending April 30, 2008. Alderman Brucks moved and Alderman Newman seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Gee, Howerter, Dingledine, Shipp, Newman, Brucks, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

Second reading, by title only, was provided by City Attorney Black of an ordinance reducing the Tax Levy for 2007 made in connection with the $1,100,000 General Obligation (sales taxes and revenue sharing receipts Alternate Revenue Source) Bonds, Series 1998, of the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Shipp seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. Adoption of this ordinance will abate the property taxes previously levied for the Kern Road improvement. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Brucks, Newman, Gee, Howerter, Shipp, Dingledine, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

City Attorney Black read, by title only, second reading of an ordinance reducing the Tax Levy for 2007 in connection with the issuance of $1,325,000 Alternate Revenue Bonds, Series 2002 of the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois. If adopted, property taxes levied for the S. Cummings Lane improvement will be abated. Alderman Howerter moved and Alderman Newman seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Shipp, Brucks, Dingledine, Gee, Newman, Howerter, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

City Attorney Black provided second reading, by title only, of an ordinance reducing the Tax Levy for 2007 in connection with the issuance of $1,675,000 Alternate Revenue Bonds, Series 2002 of the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois. If adopted this will abate the property taxes levied for the Cruger Road/Cummings-Cruger Road sanitary sewer improvement. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Newman, Gee, Brucks, Shipp, Howerter, Dingledine, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

City Attorney Black read, by title only, second reading of an ordinance reducing the Tax Levy for the year 2007 made in connection with the $5,000,000 General Obligation Bonds, Series 2006 of the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Brucks seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. If adopted this will officially abate the property taxes levied for the Community Center. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Howerter, Gee, Newman, Shipp, Brucks, Dingledine, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

There were neither Staff Reports nor Aldermen's Comments and at 6:36 p.m. 

Alderman Newman moved and Alderman Dingledine seconded to move into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the purchase of real property for the use of the public body per 5ILCS 120/2(C)(5) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Brucks, Gee, Howerter, Shipp, Dingledine, Newman, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

At 6:55 p.m. the Council returned to regular session and Alderman Howerter moved and Alderman Shipp seconded to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.