Elgin approves new ward map

ELGIN – Elgin has updated its voting wards to reflect shifts in the city’s population.

In a special meeting Monday, Elgin City Council approved a map containing the new voting wards. Those wards are as follows:

• Ward 1: The area within the city limits bounded by Country Aire Estates and unplatted parcels in the north half of Section 24, T4N, R11W and the northwest quarter of Section 19, T4N, R10W; the west halves of the northeast and southeast quarters of Section 23, T4N, R11W and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 23, T4N, R11W. The ward also includes the northeast quarter of Section 35, T4N, R11W; Legacy Estates and the rest of Section 36, T4N, R11W; Elgin Medical Plaza Addition Phase 1, Block 1, Lot 1; Kingsman Apartment Homes Addition and other unplatted tracts in the south quarter of Section 25, T4W, R11W west of Interstate 44.
  Ward boundaries begin at the intersection of U.S. Highway 277 and D Street and continue east and northeast along U.S. 277 to Windy Road, then continue north to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of Section 30, T4N, R10W. The boundaries continue east to the east right of way on I-44, then southwest along the right of way to U.S. 277.

The boundaries then continue east to A Street, south to First Street and east to D Street, then north to the starting point.

• Ward 2: The area starting at the intersection of First and D streets and continuing east to the intersection of First and Keeney Road, then north to the north boundary of the K-Lowe Addition. The boundaries continue west to K Street, north to Fourth and K streets, west to F Street, north to State Highway 17, west to D and south to the starting point.
• Ward 3: The area bounded by Rock Bridge Estates Addition, Apple Creek Estates Addition, Bridgetown Estates Addition, Bridge Town South Addition, Twin Creek Addition Lots 1-3 and 11-12 (City Park). The ward also includes the east half of the southeast quarter and the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 32, T4N, R10W plus other unplatted tracts in the west half of the southeast quarter of Section 32, T4N, R10W.
• Ward 4: The area bounded by Kolker Estates Addition and other unplatted tracts in the southeast quarter of Section 30, T4N, R10W; Shadow Ridge Addition, Willow Creek Estates Addition, Smallwood Acres Addition and Elgin Memorial Cemetery. The ward begins at the intersection of Fourth and F streets and continues north to SH 17, then east to Keeney Road. The ward continues south to the north boundary of the K-Lowe Addition, west to K Street, north to Fourth and K and west to the starting point.

In other business, the council:

• Boosted the mayor’s compensation to either $700 per month, plus the city’s basic health insurance package, or $1,000 per month.

The mayor’s compensation used to be either $300 per month, plus health insurance, or $600 per month. The change will not take effect until the next mayoral election.

The city has not updated the mayor’s compensation for at least a decade, said Councilman Sean Bateman.

“I think it’s long overdue to increase it,” he said. “It certainly comes nowhere near compensating the mayor for the scope and time required for what Elgin is now.”

The change will take place with the next mayoral election and will not affect the current mayor.

• Waived the requirement to obtain a permit for fireworks within the city limits on the Saturday before the Fourth of July, as well as July 3 and 4. If the Fourth falls on a Saturday, the permit requirement would be waived only for July 3 and 4.
• Required all new fence construction and major fence repairs (more than 50% of the fence) to include a gate to the alley or the back of the property.
• Authorized the city clerk/treasurer to extend the cutoff date for people who have not paid their water bill for 48 hours beyond the original date. The mayor has the discretion to decide whether to grant an additional extension.
• The council also set a $250 fine for tampering with water meters.
• Raised the fee for sewer taps from $75 to $150 and authorized city staff to perform the taps.
• Approved the placement of stop signs at the following intersections: Seventh and D streets, Sixth and G streets, H and Third streets, Sixth and H, and Second and H.