City Council Meeting Minutes — April 8, 2019

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY APRIL 8, 2019 AT
6:00 P.M. IN THE BENTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.

MAYOR KONDRITZ CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. THOSE PRESENT WERE COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE AND MAYOR KONDRITZ.

COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 25, 2019 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE LAKE LOT LEASE TRANSFER OF LOT #99 FROM CHRIS MCGHEE TO AARON COLLINS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE ASKED DAVID GARAVALIA TO GIVE HIS OPINION FOR BID APPROVAL OF MOWING OF NUISANCE PROPERTIES. MR. GARAVALIA STATED THAT ALL THE BIDS RECEIVED WERE CLOSE ON PRICE AND THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD JUST NEED TO MAKE A PREFERENCE. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BID OF SHOCKLEY MOWING SERVICE. MOTION DIED FOR LACK OF SECOND. COMMISSIONER WYANT MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BID FROM DAVID BOOKER FOR MOWING OF NUISANCE PROPERTIES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER STOREY.

COMMISSIONER STOREY ASKED CITY CLERK BROOK CRAIG TO OPEN BIDS FOR SURPLUS PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. CITY CLERK CRAIG OPENED THREE BIDS. THE FIRST BID WAS FROM CASE EASTERN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT IN THOMPSONVILLE, ILLINOIS IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000. THE SECOND BID WAS FROM ASHMORE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT IN ASHMORE, ILLINOIS IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,000.00. THE THIRD BID WAS FROM ELLIS GROVE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,229.35. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE HIGH BID OF ELLIS GROVE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,229.35. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #001148 TO THE HOME DEPOT FOR 9 VINYL BLINDS INCLUDING REMOVAL AND HAUL AWAY OF OLD BLINDS AND INSTALLATION OF NEW BLINDS IN THE BENTON CITY HALL IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,477.36. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO PAY BILLS ON APRIL 8, 2019 IN THE AMOUNT OF $409,093.38. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL PAYABLE FOR APRIL 5, 2019 FOR GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $59,274.56 AND WATER AND SEWER IN THE AMOUNT OF $26,014.23 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $85,288.79. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A SEWER ADJUSTMENT FOR TAMMY GRIFFIN OF 618 JOPLIN STREET AS IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THE ORDINANCE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO DENY A SEWER ADJUSTMENT FOR DAVID CROSSMAN OF 1202 GLENDALE STREET AS IT DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THE ORDINANCE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT WATER AND SEWER SUPERINTENDENT CRAIG MILES, POLICE CHIEF KYLE MELVIN, AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DAVID GARAVALIA ALL HAVE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS SET TO EXPIRE WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS. MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED FOR A MOTION TO ADD AN EXTENSION NOT TO EXCEED 90 DAYS TO EACH CONTRACT. COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO EXTEND THE CONTRACTS OF WATER AND SEWER SUPERINTENDENT CRAIG MILES, POLICE CHIEF KYLE MELVIN, AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DAVID GARAVALIA, NOT TO EXCEED 90 DAYS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

MAYOR KONDRITZ REQUESTED A MOTION BE MADE TO SCHEDULE AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR SEATING OF THE NEW CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 6, 2019 AT 6 P.M. COMMISSIONER WYANT MADE A MOTION TO SCHEDULE AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR MAY 6, 2019 AT 6 P.M. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT AN ALFRED PRIOR WANTED TO GIFT A PARCEL OF REAL ESTATE TO THE CITY OF BENTON IN THE RL HAYSE ADDITION. COMMISSIONER MILLER MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS GIFT OF REAL ESTATE TO THE CITY OF BENTON. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ZONING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE STATING THAT THEY WERE RECOMMENDING THE CITY OF BENTON DENY THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBMITTED BY DR. SAEED KHAN. COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE MADE A MOTION TO DENY THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT SUBMITTED BY DR. SAEED KHAN TO HAVE A DOCTOR’S OFFICE IN HIS HOME. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.

NO OLD BUSINESS.

UNDER NEW BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER MILLER STATED THAT THE DRAFT BUDGET IS AVAILABLE IN THE CITY CLERK’S OFFICE FOR THE NEXT 10 BUSINESS DAYS.

IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, DR. SAEED KHAN SPOKE TO AS WHY HE BELIEVED HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN HIS HOME. SEVERAL PATIENTS ALSO SPOKE AS TO WHY DR. KHAN SHOULD PRACTICE MEDICINE IN HIS HOME. JACK STEWART AND OTHER NEIGHBORS SPOKE IN OPPOSITION OF ALLOWING DR. KHAN TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN HIS HOME. THE FRANKLIN COUNTY GAZETTE ASKED THE CITY FOR A SPONSORSHIP IN THE AMOUNT OF $250.00 FOR A ¼ PAGE AD DEDICATED TO OUTSTANDING SENIORS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY.

COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.

6:45 P.M.