MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2020 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. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 10, 2020. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CONTINUED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 14, 2020. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT WE WOULD BE GOING OUT OF ORDER OF THE AGENDA. MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED ALAN PRICE AND MIKE ROLLA OF THE FRANKLIN COUNTY BOARD TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL. MR. PRICE AND MR. ROLLA PRESENTED THE COUNCIL WITH AN UPDATE ON THE NEW COURTHOUSE PROJECT. MR. PRICE STATED THAT THE PRICE FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE, IS PROJECTED TO BE $20,833,797.00. THESE GENTLEMEN ALSO STATED THAT THEY ANTICIPATE PROJECT COMPLETION NOVEMBER 24, 2021.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAS NOTICED SOMEONE HAS BEEN DUMPING CONCRETE MATERIAL IN INDUSTRIAL PARK II WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE CITY. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED ATTORNEY MALKOVICH TO DISCUSS ITEM (B) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF NEW LANGUAGE IN THE AIRPORT HANGAR LEASES. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT, AS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED AND AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY BOARD, THE LANGUAGE IN PARAGRAPH 11 OF THE AIRPORT HANGAR LEASES HAS BEEN CHANGED TO READ “LESSEE AGREES TO KEEP AIRCRAFT REGISTERED AND INSURED AT ALL TIMES. LESSEE WILL PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE UPON REQUEST.”
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED DAVID GARAVALIA TO PRESENT ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF BENTON DOWNTOWN TIF FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. CODE ENFORCER AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DAVID GARAVALIA PRESENTED THE DOWNTOWN FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT STATING THE CITY WOULD SET BACK $40,000.00, TO BE PAID FROM TIF FUNDS, TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT. TENANTS OF THE DOWNTOWN TIF AREA COULD APPLY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND IF SELECTED, THEY WOULD RECEIVE 50% OF THEIR MONIES BACK FROM IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS UP TO $5,000.00. MR. GARAVALIA ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE THE ZONING BOARD TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND SELECT THE TENANTS WHO QUALIFY. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DOWNTOWN FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO SET UP A TIME TO MEET WITH EACH DEPARTMENT REGARDING BUDGET PLANNING AND WOULD LIKE EACH DEPARTMENT TO PRESENT HER WITH A LIST OF WANTS AND NEEDS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR NO LATER THAN MARCH 9, 2020.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FOR FEBRUARY 20, 2020 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $65,569.64, FOR THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $27,000.57, AND FOR AIRPORT CARETAKER IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,100.0 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $9,670.21. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA PRESENTED A SEWER ADJUSTMENT FOR DEBBIE BUNDREN OF 1208 ESPY STREET. MS. BUNDREN STATES THAT THERE IS A “BIG WATER LEAK UNDER THE HOUSE, BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS”. MS. BUNDREN ALSO STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS “NOT RESOLVED. I PAID FOR A PLUMBER BUT LANDLORD WANTED TO AND AS TO THIS DAY HAS NOT. STILL HAS WATER OFF. I’M MOVING THIS MONTH.” AS THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO DENY THIS SEWER ADJUSTMENT AS IT DOES NOT COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A SEWER ADJUSTMENT FOR COLE YOUNDER OF 90 EAST MCKENZIE STREET FOR A BREAK IN THE LINE UNDER THE HOUSE WITH REPAIR OF THE LINE AND NEW FITTINGS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM (B) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF HAZMAT AND EXTRICATION ACCOUNT UNTIL FURTHER INFORMATION COULD BE DISCUSSED. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADD JUSTIN BOROWIEC AS AN AUXILIARY POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF BENTON. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE MABAS MEETING ATTENDANCE FOR FIRE CHIEF SHANE COCKRUM WITH REIMBURSEMENT OF GAS COSTS ONLY BY THE CITY OF BENTON. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE #20-02 MAKING THE SPEED LIMIT ON NORTH DUQUOIN STREET 25 MILES PER HOUR NORTH OF THE BRIDGE OVER I-57 TO PETROFF ROAD. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED HE HAD NO BUSINESS FOR THIS MEETING.
IN MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT CITIZENS ARE STILL PLACING COMMENTS IN THE CITY’S COMMENT BOXES PLACED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
NO OLD BUSINESS
IN NEW BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THE CONVERSATION OF MOSQUITO ABATEMENT FOR THE COMING YEAR. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO DISCONTINUING SEWER ADJUSTMENTS OF ALL KINDS. SHE STATED THAT THIS IS A TREND HAPPENING IN OUR AREA.
UNDER MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, JULIE PAYNE HUBLER STATED THAT SHE BELIEVES SPRAYING FOR MOSQUITOES DOES NOT WORK AND SHE FEELS THE CITY NEEDS TO LOOK INTO ALTERNATIVES. MS. HUBLER ALSO STATED THAT SHE HAS ALWAYS RESENTED SEWER ADJUSTMENTS OF ALL KINDS AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY DO AWAY WITH THIS PRACTICE. ALSO UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT, TOM CARTER STATED THAT HE WAS CURIOUS HOW THE AIRPORT COULD CONSIDER EXTENDING THE RUNWAY AND IDOT CONSIDER PUTTING A ROUNDABOUT ON PETROFF ROAD. RACHEL GARTNER SPOKE ON BEHAVE OF THE AIRPORT BOARD AND STATED THAT THE AIRPORT RUNWAY EXTENSION IS NOT HAPPENING AND NEITHER IS THE ROUNDABOUT AS NEITHER PROJECT IS FEASIBLE.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
TIME 7:00 P.M.
