Surveillance cameras for downtown, a new business development near Schnucks and a noise ordinance complaint against a local bar were the highlights from Monday’s meeting of the Waterloo City Council. 

Aldermen approved the purchase of four security video systems from Secure One Self for $10,592 that will be used downtown by the Waterloo Police Department as surveillance. 

These security video systems, which feature four cameras each for multidirectional viewing, will be placed at the intersections of Main and Third, Mill and Main, First and Main and Mill and Church streets.

Waterloo Police Chief Jeff Prosise stressed that the intent isn’t to monitor simple traffic violations, but rather to assist in investigations for vehicle break-ins, thefts and violent offenses.

“Our downtown business district continues to grow, so it’s just a good idea to do this,” Prosise said. 

In June, the city council approved the purchase of license plate recognition cameras for the WPD to be mounted on utility poles at the north and south ends of Route 3 as vehicles enter and leave the city.

LPR cameras are a specialized type of video surveillance camera designed to capture license plate information that can be sent to police agencies to assist in locating stolen vehicles, find missing people and arrest fugitives.

Also at the meeting, the council gave approval on a final plat for Lot 6 of Waterloo Commons, which is a property at the northeast corner of the Schnucks development on North Market Street across from Tequila Mexican Restaurant.

City officials said a new bank is expected to be built on that lot, but no further specifics were provided at this time.

During the citizen input portion of the meeting, Thomas Nitzsche spoke on behalf of neighbors to Washy’s Saloon at 1324 Jamie Lane. He played an audio clip of loud music from the bar that contained foul language.

“We’re subjected to this pretty much every Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon,” Nitzsche told the council.

He listed addresses of fellow neighbors he had spoken with on the issue that reported their homes vibrating and windows rattling due to the music. Other neighbors want to speak out but fear backlash from the bar, he said.

“I’ve been banned from Washy’s,” Nitzsche said. “I go to a lot of bars in Waterloo… I have no problem personally with Washy’s or any other bar owners in town. But we just can’t live like this.”

In other news from the meeting, the council extended the regulations for outdoor dining and approved and annual agreement between the WPD and Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois.

Aldermen also approved a new phone system for City Hall through Harrisonville Telephone Company in the amount of $23,394.25, the purchase of two Ford F150 trucks for the gas and electric departments from Sunset Ford in the total amount of $66,218.25 and the low bid from Rooters-American Maintenance in the amount of $442,307.30 for the city’s asphalt resurfacing program.

The council also approved a facade grant application for Shelby’s Automotive at 600 S. Market Street and a preliminary plat for Co-Op Acres, which consists of two commercial lots and one agricultural lot located east of Route 3 between Oak Falls Drive and the Monroe County Electric Cooperative headquarters.