All right, the July 15, 2024 City of Andalia Council meeting is now called to order.

We'll start with a moment of reflection, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

Please stand for the pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Along with the council meeting minutes of June 17th.

Are there any comments or corrections?

Being none, they stand approved.

And next item is under communications petitions and awards, where we have a proclamation to present to Shellis Heinman.

If you could join me at the podium.

All right.

Whereas the City of Vandalia seeks to recognize those citizens who, through their life's work, have brought credit to our city.

Where Shellis Heinman spent his formative years in Vandalia graduating from Vandalia Butler High School.

Whereas Shellis Heinman attended the University of Eastern Illinois on a soccer scholarship, graduating in 1973.

And whereas Shellis Hyman began his coaching career while a graduate student at Murray State University.

And whereas Shellis Heineman has coached men's soccer at Eastern Illinois University for seven seasons at Southern Meth Methodist University for 24 seasons, and FC Dallas of the Major League Soccer for five seasons, and men's soccer team at the Grand Canyon University for four years.

Whereas a hallmark of each of his teams has been a well-coached, disciplined and mentally strong team that played hard till the final whistle.

And whereas Shellis Hyman has for the past two years returned to his roots, donating his time for the instruction of boys and girls in the Vandalia throughout his soccer camps, his unselfishly instilling in them the next generation of soccer players all the same qualities that made him a success on the field and in life.

Whereas, thanks to Shellis Heinmann, generosity, the proceeds from the soccer camp are donated to the Vandalia Recreation Fund, which provides scholarships to the local youth participants on the Vandalia Rec Center Leagues.

Now therefore, I Richard Herbst, by the authority vested in me as the mayor of the City of Andalia, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, July 16th, 2024, as Shellus Hyman Day in the City of Andalia.

Congratulations.

Thank you very much to the council.

This is a really a special day for me.

When I came to the United States, we lived in Vandalia.

It wasn't easy, but I would I made some fantastic friends and some of my classmates and my best friends are here tonight.

And I called uh Steve Clark a couple years ago and said, you know what I do?

I coach.

That's what I do my whole life.

And I would like to come to Vandalia and do a soccer camp for the kids.

But I will cover all my expenses, but and all proceeds would go to the recreation department.

Well, Steve said, yeah, definitely would like to do that.

So this year we talked again.

And I said I said I would like to do it again under the same conditions.

So here we are today.

And uh getting this recognition is truly, truly important in my life.

I I tell my players that three P's in life.

This place, which Vandalia is my place.

This is my home.

In fact, if you got on my computer and you put in Vandalia, you you got my password.

All right.

Uh purpose.

What is the purpose?

My purpose is I want to make people better.

Not only on the field, but as human beings.

I can't tell you the number of people that contact me to have played for me in since 1981 that I still connected to.

And of course, the the third thing is passion.

And I have a great passion in what I do in my life.

I'm fortunate with with uh love of Jesus Christ and and I believe in good things happen to good people, but I never ever expected something like this.

And um if Steve Clark and Jeff Crow, both recreation people who really encourage this to happen.

I really want to thank all of you for this great honor and award.

I wish my wife would have would have been able to come here, but my daughter's getting married, so she wanted to do some plans.

Uh but uh she definitely wants to know how it went, so thank you very much.

All right, now we next we have the introduction and oath of office for uh Matthew Green, firefighter paramedic inspector, and then we'll also do the introduction and oath of office for Dustin Myers, police officer, Mr.

Cron.

Matt, do you want to stand up?

Stay right there for now.

Um so um this is Matt Green, and Matt started um with the division of fire as a part-time employee back in July of 2023, and then he recently began his full-time career with the division of fire on June 20th of this year.

Matt is a graduate of Wayne High School in Huber Heights and MVCTC, where he enrolled in the fire EMS program.

Matt continued his education after graduating in this past spring.

He obtained his paramedic certification.