MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY APRIL 10, 2023 AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE BENTON CITY HALL LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.

IN THE ABSENCE OF MAYOR KONDRITZ, FINANCE COMMISSIONER CATHY GARAVALIA CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER.  COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL.  MAYOR KONDRITZ WAS ABSENT.

COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2023.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ASKED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA TO ADDRESS ITEM (D) UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORT, DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF PETITION TO VACATE AN ALLEY LOCATED IN THE CORPORATE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF BENTON.  MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT THIS ALLEY RUNS NORTH AND SOUTH AND GOES THROUGH THE PROPERTY LOCATED NEXT TO CITY HALL WHERE THE NEWHOUSE LUMBAR COMPANY IS CURRENTLY BEING DEMOLISHED.  COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PETITION TO VACATE AN ALLEY LOCATED IN THE CORPORATE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF BENTON.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

1. CALCATERRA ALSO DISCUSSED ITEM (E) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF A BID TO PURCHASE SURPLUS PROPERTY FROM THE APRIL 3, 2023 AUCTION. MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED BEHIND THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND WAS APPRAISED FOR $57,000.00. THE HIGH BID FOR THIS PROPERTY WAS $62,000.00 RECEIVED BY KYLE MCCOLLUM.  COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE HIGH BID OF $62,000.00 MADE BY KYLE MCCOLLUM.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

4. CALCATERRA STATED THAT ITEM (F) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BENTON AND 5 HINMAN HOLDINGS LLC, WOULD NEED TO BE TABLED AT THIS TIME. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE TABLING THIS ITEM. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

3. CALCATERRA STATED THAT A FAÇADE GRANT APPLICATION HAD BEEN MADE BY DAVID GARAVALIA FOR FAÇADE IMPROVEMENTS AT 417 NORTH MAIN STREET. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FAÇADE GRANT APPLICATION MADE BY DAVID GARAVALIA. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  3.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND COMMISSIONER STOREY.  COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ABSTAINED.  NAYS:  0. 

4. CALCATERRA STATED THAT A FAÇADE GRANT APPLICATION HAD BEEN MADE BY JAMES FORD FOR FAÇADE IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED AT 1103 PUBLIC SQUARE. MOTION TO APPROVE THE FAÇADE GRANT APPLICATION BY JAMES FORD WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

4. CALCATERRA STATED THAT A FAÇADE GRANT APPLICATION HAD BEEN MADE BY SAMUEL SHILLINGBURG FOR FAÇADE IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED AT 501 PUBLIC SQUARE. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FAÇADE GRANT APPLICATION MADE BY SAMUEL SHILLINGBURG. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS OR LAKE LOT LEASE TRANSFERS FOR THIS MEETING. 

COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WRITTEN DEPARTMENT REPORT FOR THIS MEETING, BUT THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS HELPED WITH THE CONCRETE POURING AT THE FIRE STATION AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING TRANSFERS ON IOWA STREET TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT. 

COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.  COMMISSIONER MESSERMITH STATED THAT THE STREET DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN WORKING ON TEARING UP THE OLD DRIVE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND INSTALLING A NEW DRIVE.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED THAT HIS DEPARTMENT IS WAITING ON TELECOM TO FINISH ON MCLEANSBORO/EAST MAIN STREET SO THAT THEY CAN FINISH UP THAT PROJECT. 

COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00390 TO AMAZON FOR TWO KEYPAD SECURITY DOOR HANDLES IN THE AMOUNT OF $789.74.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0.

COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE HAD NO DEPARTMENT REPORTS FOR THIS MEETING. 

COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO DIRECT ATTORNEY MALKOVICH TO AMEND THE LATERAL HIRE ORDINANCE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM A TIME WORKED AT ANOTHER DEPARTMENT FROM 3 YEARS DOWN TO 18 MONTHS.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION APPROVE PURCHASING A K9 FROM ST. LOUIS.  COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT THIS DOG WOULD BE A LABRADOR RETRIEVER.  COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RAISED $21,000.00.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR APPROVAL AT THIS MEETING. 

COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THE MEETING WOULD HAVE TO BE EXTENDED TO PAY BILLS. 

COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THERE WAS NO PAYROLL TO BE APPROVED AT THIS MEETING. 

ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES. 

IN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORT, THERE WERE NO UPDATES AND NO PURCHASE ORDERS. 

COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ASKED ATTORNEY MALKOVICH TO ADDRESS ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE 2023/2024 BUDGET.  ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE NEEDED A MOTION ALLOWING THE BUDGET TO BE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY FOR TWO WEEKS.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PLACING THE DRAFT FISCAL YEAR 2023/2024 BUDGET ON DISPLAY FOR 2 WEEKS.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  VOTE WAS TAKEN.   YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0. 

NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.

NO OLD BUSINESS. 

NO NEW BUSINESS. 

IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, TOM CARTER ASKED WHY A POSITION FOR THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN POSTED BEFORE IT WAS PLACED ON THE AGENDA.  CITY CLERK BROOK CRAIG STATED THAT IT WOULD BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA AS SHE MISTAKENLY LEFT IT OFF OF THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING.  MR. CARTER ALSO ASKED IF ANYONE ON THE COUNCIL HAD BEEN TO THE COUNTY BOARD MEETING TO DISCUSS THE CAMPBELL BUILDING.  COMMISSIONER STOREY ASKED WHERE HE NEEDS TO GO TO VOICE HIS OPINION.  MR. CARTER STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A COUNTY BOARD MEETING ON APRIL 17 THAT HE COULD ATTEND AND VOICE HIS OPINION AT. 

COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING TO FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2023 AT 8:45 A.M. TO APPROVEMENT THE PAYMENT OF BILLS.  SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY.    VOTE WAS TAKEN.  YEAS:  4.  COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.  NAYS:  0.

5:20 P.M.