Morris honors top cops

MORRIS – Several members of the Morris Police Department were honored at Monday night’s Morris City Council meeting.

Police officer Ryan Ties was awarded the Officer of the Year Award by Morris Police Chief John Severson.

Ties led the department in tracked categories, including misdemeanor arrests, drug arrests, citations, traffic stops and driving while license suspended/revoked and incident reports, and he placed second in open doors, ordinance citations and warrant arrests.

Severson awarded Ties with a plaque and a certificate and read a letter from Jack L. Rinchich, national president of the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

“Dear officer Ties,” the letter said. “It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been awarded the General Commendation Award of the National Awards Program of the American Police Hall of Fame. Our staff members join me in commending you for your valor and service.

“Your outstanding action during the performance of your duties deserves to be recognized. Your bravery and dedication to serve the public as a law enforcement officer is commendable. You set an admirable standard for all officers to follow.

“Again, please accept our congratulations on your nomination and award. The staff of the American Police Hall of Fame wishes you continued success in your role as a law enforcement officer.”

Other awards given out by Severson went to officers Dakota Collofello and Justin Martin from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists for their work in DUI cases and to Detectives Alicia Steffes, Paul Burke and Curtis Kneller and officer Dustin Seale for their work on a case involving a stolen vehicle and firearm that resulted in an arrest and a conviction with a sentence of six years.

“It was nice to honor these officers,” Morris Mayor Richard Kopczick said. “They all work very hard, and they deserve any recognition we can give them.”

In other action Monday night, the City Council unanimously approved the following requests:

• From the Morris Community YMCA to use the upper grounds adjacent to the tennis courts and the band shell at Goold Park for the fourth annual Fitness Under the Sun program multiple times a week from March through September

• From Bonnie Lata of Bone-ified Care Inc. to host the 16th annual Doggie Easter Egg Hunt in Goold Park from 9 a.m. to noon March 27

• From the Grundy County Clerk to block parking spaces along Liberty Street from Illinois Avenue to Washington Street from April 15 to 17 for election purposes. All of the requests were granted by a unanimous vote.

“We feel that it is better to have these dates set aside early,” Kopczick said. “It looks like the COVID numbers are coming down, and we hope it stays that way and we can have some of these events. They will keep things as safe as possible and we can get back to some sort of normalcy by having them.”

The council also heard the close-out of the CDAP grant monies obtained for the Long Term Control Plan Phase IV-A Project, which was the sewer lines installed on Lisbon Street from Pleasant Street to Route 6. The total cost of the project was $2,114,645.42, and the city received a grant of $1,139,199.48, meaning that the city used $975,445.94 of its own money for the project.

The Finance and Administration Committee recommended in the form of a motion that the council

• Enter into an engagement letter with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP for legal services with the city of Morris

• Approve the legal review of the municipal code at a cost of $9,150.

Both motions passed, 8-0.