MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2021 AT 6:00 P.M. PURSUANT TO THE GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDER IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 ISSUED MARCH 16, 2020, THIS MEETING WAS HELD BY TELEPHONE CONFERENCE, COMPUTER ATTENDANCE, AND 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. MAYOR KONDRITZ AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA BOTH ATTENDED THE MEETING VIA ZOOM AND COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, AND COMMISSIONER STOREY ATTENDED THE MEETING IN PERSON.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 25, 2021. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES OR PURCHASE ORDERS.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED CITY ATTORNEY TOM MALKOVICH TO DISCUSS ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF CONTRACT. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE WATER, SEWER, AND STREET DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF BENTON. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT A MOTION NEEDED TO BE MADE ALLOWING THE MAYOR TO SIGN THIS CONTRACT. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO ALLOW MAYOR KONDRITZ TO EXECUTE HIS SIGNATURE ON THE UNION CONTRACT FOR WATER, SEWER, AND STREETS FOR THE TERM OF 2020-2024. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER/ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DAVID GARAVALIA TO DISCUSS ITEM (D) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT FOR TECHNICAL AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR GRANT APPLICATION FOR ABANDONED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MUNICIPAL RELIEF PROGRAM. MR. GARAVALIA STATED THAT IF APPROVED, THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A MAXIMUM OF $50,000.00 THAT WOULD BE USED TO REIMBURSE FOR HOMES DEMOLISHED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR TO DEMOLISH HOMES THIS YEAR. IN ORDER TO FILE THE APPLICATION FOR THIS GRANT, IT WILL COST THE CITY OF BENTON $1,900.00 AT A MAXIMUM IF WE WERE DENIED. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ASKED WHERE THE MONEY FOR THE APPLICATION WOULD COME FROM AND MR. GARAVALIA STATED HE COULD FIND IT IN HIS BUDGET, POSSIBLY FROM THE MOWING LINE ITEM. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH APPLICATION FOR THIS GRANT. 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 ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ASKED DAVID HARP OF CHASTAIN AND ASSOCIATES TO PROVIDE A PROJECT STATUS REPORT FOR THE I-57 INTERCHANGE. MR. HARP STATED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN WITH CARRIE NELSON AT IDOT THIS AFTERNOON AND THAT THEY WERE GIVEN THE GREENLIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON THE PROJECT. MR. HARP ALSO STATED THAT HE WOULD BE PROCEEDING WITH A PLANNING PROJECT MEETING WITHIN THE WEEK.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH ADVERTISING FOR TAKING BIDS ON MOSQUITO ABATEMENT FOR THE CITY OF BENTON FOR 2021. THIS MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED HE HAD NO ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FEBRUARY 5, 2021 IN THE AMOUNT OF $85,601.74. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO ALLOW CITY EMPLOYEES TO BE PAID FOR TIME OFF TO TAKE THE COVID-19 VACCINE. A DISCUSSION WAS HELD REGARDING HOW LONG OF A PERIOD OF TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED OFF FOR GETTING THE VACCINE. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA REVISED HER MOTION. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA’S NEW MOTION WAS TO ALLOW CITY EMPLOYEES TO HAVE ONE HOUR OF PAID TIME OFF TO OBTAIN A COVID VACCINE IN THE CITY OF BENTON AND TWO HOURS TO OBTAIN A COVID VACCINE OUT OF THE CITY OF BENTON AND THIS IS FOR BOTH DOSES OF THE VACCINE. MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER STOREY LEFT THE MEETING BEFORE THE VOTE WAS TAKEN TO GO TO WORK.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO FURTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AT THIS MEETING.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
UNDER OLD BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ASKED WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE EXPIRED CONTRACT FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER/ZONING ADMINISTRATOR DAVID GARAVALIA. COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AS WELL BECAUSE A LOT OF CITIZENS HAVE ASKED HIM IF THE POSITION WILL BE OPEN. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT MR. GARAVALIA WILL BE RETIRING, BUT HE HAS SOME PROJECTS TO SEE THROUGH BEFORE DOING SO. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THEY WILL BE SEARCHING FOR A REPLACEMENT IN APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
NO MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS MEETING UNTIL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 FOR PAYMENT OF BILLS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
