MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2014 AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE BENTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 500 WEST MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR KRAFT CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. THOSE PRESENT WERE COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT.
MAYOR KRAFT STATED THE COUNCIL WOULD BE GOING OUT OF ORDER OF THE AGENDA. HE ASKED THE LADIES AUXILIARY TO COME UP BEFORE THE COUNCIL. FREDA BROADWAY STATED THAT AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING THE BENTON CITY COUNCIL STATED THAT IF THE LADIES AUXILIARY RAISED $1,000.00, THE CITY WOULD MATCH IT. MS. BROADWAY BROUGHT STATEMENTS SHOWING WHERE THEY HAD RAISED $1,000.00.
MAYOR KRAFT ASKED MIKE HANSEN FROM SHAWNEE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO COME FORWARD. MR. HANSEN UPDATED THE COUNCIL ON THE PROJECTS THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE CITY OF BENTON. MITCH GARRETT WITH SHAWNEE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ALSO CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND THANKED THEM FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF BENTON.
COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING OF AND APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 REGULAR MEETING. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BURNETT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, AND COMMISSIONER MILLER. NAYS: 0. MAYOR KRAFT ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING OF AND APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 CONTINUED MEETING. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, AND COMMISSIONER MILLER. NAYS: 0. MAYOR KRAFT ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING OF AND APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BURNETT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, AND COMMISSIONER MILLER. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER MILLER ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING.
COMMISSIONER WYANT STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING.
COMMISSIONER BURNETT PRESENTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2014 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2014. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO 11 INCIDENTS WHICH INCLUDED 2 MEDICAL CALLS, 2 SERVICE CALLS, 4 FALSE ALARMS, 2 MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT/FIRES, 1 STRUCTURE FIRE, AND 2 ILLEGAL BURNS. THEY HAD 0 GALLONS OF WATER USAGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT STATED THAT ENGINE 801 IS IN SERVICE, ENGINE 803 IS OUT OF SERVICE BUT EXPECTED TO BE BACK IN SERVICE 09/26/2014, AND ENGINE 805 IS IN SERVICE WITH AN AXLE BEARING SEAL LEAK. THIS WILL BE REPAIRED WHEN ENGINE 803 IS BACK IN SERVICE. ENGINE 803 ALSO HAD 3 SEPARATE ISSUE FLAT TIRES THAT HAVE ALL BEEN PATCHED. FIRE INSPECTIONS ARE ONGOING. THE STORM SIREN NEAR GESSEL’S HAS BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE CHARGING SYSTEM. FW ELECTRIC HAS BEEN CALLED TO CHECK THIS. HYDRANT FLOW TESTS TO BEGIN OCTOBER 1, 2014.
COMMISSIONER BURNETT PRESENTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 18, 2014. THE DEPARTMENT HANDLED A TOTAL OF 108 DISPATCH CALLS FOR SERVICE. THESE INCLUDED 7 TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND 24 TRAFFIC STOPS, 6 DOMESTIC DISPUTES, 4 THEFT REPORTS, AND SEVERAL OTHER CALLS FOR SERVICE. THE DEPARTMENT COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 42 WRITTEN REPORTS.
COMMISSIONER BURNETT PRESENTED A PURCHASE ORDER FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR TURNOUT GEAR FOR A TOTAL OF $7,605.00. THERE IS A QUESTIONS ON THIS TO BE WORKED OUT IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. COMMISSIONER BURNETT MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PURCHASE ORDER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FOR 9/12/2014, TOTAL GENERAL FUND PAYROLL OF $56,241.14, WATER AND SEWER OF $28,801.04, FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $85,042.18. COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PAYROLL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER. WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FOR 9/26/2014, TOTAL GENERAL FUND PAYROLL OF $58,520.22, WATER AND SEWER OF $29,276.44, AIRPORT CARETAKER $850.00 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $88,646.66. COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PAYROLL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MILLER PRESENTED SEWER ADJUSTMENT APPLICATIONS FOR KEVIN HEFNER OF 329 MCCALL AND BETTY SINK OF 1200 FAIRLAND. COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE TWO APPLICATIONS FOR SEWER ADJUSTMENT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BURNETT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO PASS THE 2014 TAX LEVY ORDINANCE, #14-08. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BURNETT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT THERE WERE MINUTES FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION FROM MONDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 REGARDING A LAKE MOSES SUBDIVISION 2 PHASE 2 PLAT. MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT THE MAP IS HERE IS ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSIONER. MAYOR KRAFT ASKED FOR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE MINUTES AS PRESENTED. COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF 09/15/2014 AS PRESENTED. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BURNETT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT AT THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2014, THE COUNCIL HAD NARROWED THE ELECTRICAL PROVIDERS FOR THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES TO 3 PROVIDERS. THE COUNCIL HAS FURTHER REVIEWED THESE. MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT THE CHEAPEST PROVIDER FOR A 2 YEAR PERIOD WAS DIRECT ENERGY. HE STATED THE CITY WOULD BE LOCKED IN AT A RATE OF $0.05286 PER KWH. COMMISSIONER WYANT MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT DIRECT ENERGY AS THE ELECTRICAL PROVIDER FOR CITY OWNED PROPERTIES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT CITY OFFICIALS CANNOT VOTE A SALARY INCREASE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT CAN VOTE AN INCREASE FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL. THIS HAS TO OCCUR 180 DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THAT COUNCIL. THE LAST SALARY INCREASE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL WAS DONE IN 2006 FOR THE COUNCIL TAKING SEAT IN 2007. COMMISSIONER BURNETT ASKED THE MAYOR WHAT THE COUNCIL IN WEST FRANKFORT MAKES. MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT THE MAYOR WEST FRANKFORT HAS A SALARY OF $14,500.00 AND THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE A SALARY OF $7,000.00. COMMISSIONER MILLER STATED THAT THE COUNCIL COMPENSATION PACKAGE IS 0.0066% OF THE OVERALL BUDGET. COMMISSIONER BURNETT MADE A MOTION TO HAVE ATTORNEY TOM MALKOVICH PREPARE AN ORDINANCE TO INCREASE SALARIES FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO $11,700.00 FOR MAYOR AND $6,000.00 FOR COMMISSIONERS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
UNDER OLD BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER MILLER STATED THAT ON 10/17/2014 THERE WILL BE A FLU CLINIC AT CITY HALL FROM 9 A.M. TO 11 A.M. FLU SHOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR $25.00.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
NO MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
FIRE CHIEF SEAN FAIRES PRESENTED A POWER POINT PRESENTATION ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. DURING THIS PRESENTATION PICTURES FROM THE RAIL CAR TRAINING RECENTLY ATTENDED BY SEVERAL CITY OF BENTON FIREFIGHTERS WERE PRESENTED.
COMMISSIONER WYANT MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BURNETT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BURNETT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
TIME: 7:55 P.M.