MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY MARCH 8, 2021 AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE BENTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET BENTON, ILLINOIS. PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDER IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 ISSUED MARCH 16, 2020, THIS MEETING WAS HELD BY TELEPHONE CONFERENCE AND COMPUTER ATTENDANCE AS WELL AS IN PERSON.
MAYOR KONDRITZ CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE READING AND APPROVE THE MINUTES OF
THE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS PRESENTED. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED MEMBERS OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL. IT WAS STATED THAT TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICING THE SOUTH MARCUM AND SPILLWAY RECREATIONS AREAS, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH THE CITY OF BENTON TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A UTILITY CONTRACT WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE WATER AND SEWER SERVICES TO THESE AREAS. IT WAS ALSO STATED THAT THIS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PROJECT WOULD BE FUNDED BY THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THE CITY OF BENTON AND THE REGION. THE COUNCIL WAS GIVEN A HANDOUT WITH A POSSIBLE TIME FRAME FOR THE PROJECT BEGINNING IN 2021 AND GOING THROUGH 2022 AS WELL AS A MAP WITH A PROPOSAL ON WHERE THE WATER LINES AND SEWER LINES WOULD BE PLACED.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT HE WANTED TO THANK THE WATER DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ALONG WITH THE STREET DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES FOR THE WORK THEY COMPLETED FIXING THE ROADWAY COMING OFF OF THE PUBLIC SQUARE ONTO SOUTH MAIN.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00626 TO BEN’S LAWN SERVICE FOR A TURF TIGER 61” CUT 37 HP BRIGGS MOWER IN THE AMOUNT OF $11,486.00 FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH IDOT DIVISION OF AERONAUTICS FOR PAVEMENT MARKING – RE-MARK OF THE RUNWAY 18-36 ALONG WITH PAYING THE BENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT’S SHARE OF $6,176.54. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE TRANSFER OF LAKE LOTS 62 AND 63 FROM STEVE AND SIBYL SWINNEY TO THE SIBYL ANN SWINNEY TRUST. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED HE HAD NO BUSINESS FOR THIS COUNCIL MEETING, BUT WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE THOUGHTS OF COMMISSIONER PERKINS FOR THE SOUTH MAIN REPAIR AND ALSO STATED THAT EAST MAIN REPAIR WILL BEGIN SOON. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED THAT THE RAILROAD HAS BEGUN WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS GOING THROUGH TOWN.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00040 TO FIRE APPARATUS AND SUPPLY TEAM FOR REPAIRS TO ENGINE #805 IN THE AMOUNT OF $654.64. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00039 TO THE FIRE STORE FOR A PAIR OF STRUCTURAL FIRE BOOTS THAT ARE NFPA COMPLIANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $449.50. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADD JARED C. EMBERTON TO THE BENTON PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER ROSTER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS IN THE AMOUNT OF $213,345.58. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL DATED 03/05/2021 FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $45,533.92 AND ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $55,113.98 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $100,667.90. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED HE HAD NO UPDATES THIS EVENING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT ALL OFFICES WILL BE LOCKED AT CITY HALL FROM NOW ON WHENEVER A PERSON IS NOT IN THEIR OFFICE. COMMISSIONER STOREY ASKED IF THERE WAS A REASON FOR THIS AND MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS THAT SHOULD BE KEPT LOCKED UP IN CASE SOMEONE WHERE TO ACCESS THE BUILDING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS THIS EVENING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ALLEY VACATION AT 1108 EAST ANNA. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE VACATING THE ALLEY AT 1108 EAST ANNA STREET5. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
IN MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT WE RECEIVED ONE MOSQUITO ABATEMENT BID AND A SPECIAL MEETING WOULD BE HELD ON FRIDAY TO OPEN THIS BID.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, TOM CARTER STATED THAT HE WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT REED’S HEATING AND AIR RECEIVED THE CITY’S BUSINESS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THAT HE WAS ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT AIR FILTRATION SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE. MR. CARTER ASKED THE COUNCIL IF THERE WAS ANY TRUTH TO THE CITY DOING FIVE (5) YEAR BUYOUTS FOR EMPLOYEES CLOSE TO RETIREMENT. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THIS OPTION IS BEING EXPLORED, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DECIDED UPON AT THIS TIME. MR. CARTER STATED THAT HE HAS EXAMINED THE NEW WATER, SEWER, AND STREET CONTRACT AND THAT HE FEELS THE SALARY FOR A CLASS 1 OPERATOR IN THE SEWER DEPARTMENT HAS TOO LOW OF A SALARY AND WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND ANYONE TO TAKE THAT POSITION IF IT WERE TO OPEN UP. MR. CARTER ASKED COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH IF HE COULD DRIVE THROUGH HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOOK INTO PLACING A PIPE ACROSS THE ALLEY. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES LOOK INTO THIS. MR. CARTER ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THE CITY PLANS TO BILL THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE. COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED IT WOULD BE METERED LIKE ANY OTHER CUSTOMER.
- HAYS OF 207 WEST PARRISH SPOKE TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING A LEAK AT HIS WATER METER. MR. HAYS STATES THAT HE DOES NOT BELIEVE HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FULL BILL HE WAS CHARGED DUE TO THE LEAK. COMMISSIONER PERKINS TOOK MR. HAYS’ INFORMATION AND TOLD HIM WE WOULD LOOK INTO THIS AND GET BACK TO HIM.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
6:55 P.M.
