MENDOTA – There’s a new police chief in town. Mayor David Boelk appointed Greg Kellen to the position at the Nov. 19 meeting of the Mendota City Council.

Kellen, entering his 29^th year as a member of the Mendota Police Department, will assume the duties as chief on Dec. 3. Current chief Tom Smith will remain as chief emeritus until his retirement on Feb. 20, 2019.

“This is something I’ve been working toward since I began with the department,” said Kellen. “I will be proud to serve the citizens of Mendota in this new position as police chief.”

Boelk appointed a committee of four aldermen – Bill Hunt, Walt Weiland, John Holland and Kyle Kim – along with David McNally, chairman of the Police & Fire Commission, to find a new chief. Out of approximately 30 applicants, the committee interviewed 15 people. The field was narrowed to five, and Kellen stood out among those five as the person for the job.

“Greg loves Mendota and he doesn’t know when to quit,” said Boelk. “He has great passion for what he does and he will make a fine chief for the city of Mendota.”

ALDERMANIC REPORTS

In action from alderman Hunt’s report, the council approved a memorandum of understanding with Mendota High School District 280 to place a resource officer in the school beginning with the 2019-20 school year. District 280 will pay 36 weeks of the officer’s salary. The officer will work for the city during the summer.

During alderman Holland’s report, the city heard a report on the completed fiscal year 2018 audit. The audit was described as clean, with no recommendations from the auditors. The audit will be placed on file.

Holland also presented the Police & Fire Pension report, which will also be placed on file. The fire pension is funded at 73.6 percent and the police pension is funded at 58.9 percent.

Holland added that the annual tax levy ordinance will be placed on the agenda for the Dec. 17 meeting.

Alderman Jim Fitzpatrick announced that the city incinerator burn pit will close for the season on Friday, Nov. 30 and the final day for the leaf vacuum program will be Friday, Dec. 7.

In other items from Fitzpatrick, the council approved a request from the Mendota Chamber of Commerce to close Indiana and Illinois avenues from Washington to Jefferson streets at the end of business on Friday, Nov. 30 until 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 for “A Mendota Christmas” celebration.

Also, the council approved a bid of $48,300 from Otterbach Excavating for demolition and clean-up of the Tidd property at 1209 Washington St.

The next regular meeting of the Mendota City Council will be Monday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m.