Points of Interest from Past City Council Minutes

To interested readers and friends of history,

The following is a compilation of notes Mayor Mundy has taken from the City of Sycamore Town Board and City Council Meeting Minutes from Sycamore's beginning in 1858 through 2016. City Clerk Candy Smith is credited with having the City Council Minutes available for review as she carefully and accurately records, maintains, and safeguards City records. It has taken Mayor Mundy eight years to review the minutes, make notations, compile them, and print the results as readers see here. This document is intended for use by those interested in the meeting history of Sycamore Town Boards and City Councils. All of the notes have been taken by Mayor Mundy directly from City of Sycamore Meeting Minutes and are edited neither for English grammar rules, spelling, punctuation, nor for political correctness. 

The notes from the minutes present a small snapshot in time of how Sycamore grew from a frontier settlement of rustic cabins to the beautiful vibrant and economically sustainable community she is today. There have been many good and faithful public servants who guided Sycamore through her infancy; the Civil War Years; Industrial Revolution; the Great Depression; the World Wars; the great post-war years of building and expansion; the loss of beautiful little seven-year-old Maria Ridulph due to her kidnap and murder on December 3rd, 1957; good economic times and poor as well; loss of former Mayor Harold "Red" Johnson in 1991; loss of former Mayor B. Phillip Ramsey in 1992; major growth in the mid-2000s; business retention, expansion, and new business coming to Sycamore. 

During the 1990's voters approved by referendum becoming a home rule city and establishing a city manager/council form of government in which Dr. Bill Nicklas became the first city manager: currently, the manager is Mr. Brian Gregory. With professional management Sycamore City Council has increased revenue, controlled costs more effectively, built needed public works and public safety facilities, and acquired Sycamore Center, the former Henderson Building, built as the Daniel Pierce Building, for administration. Public Works garage, a 2nd water tower, a new well, aggressive streets, walks, and recreation paths improvements, a second fire station, expansion of police department quarters, finance and human resource offices, and enlarged modernized city council chambers have all been added. 

Improvements are good, but the best part is the people who direct and staff city services. Credit goes to volunteers who serve on various boards, committees, and commissions. All told, 150 full and part-time employees and 100 volunteers work together as Team Sycamore. Success in serving the public rests with these dedicated people. Our Creator has and will continue to bless our city as we live, work, learn, worship, and play in "Sycamore, Where Life Offers More."

Respectfully submitted,
Mayor Ken Mundy
2005 to 2017