MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY MAY 10, 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.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET ON APRIL 26, 2021 AT 5:45 P.M. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. COMMISSIONER STOREY ABSTAINED BECAUSE HE STATED HE WAS NOT IN ATTENDANCE.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL 26, 2021. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE #21-04 RAISING WATER RATES A FLAT $1.00 PER MONTH. THIS RATE INCREASE WILL TAKE PLACE ON BILLS DUE FOR JULY OF 2021. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER STOREY.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT THE MOWING OF AIRPORT PROPERTY BID WAS AWARDED TO DAVID BOOKER FOR AN AMOUNT OF $200.00 PER MOW. COMMISSIONER STOREY ASKED COMMISSIONER PERKINS WHY DAVID BOOKER WAS AWARDED THIS BID. COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT PHONE INTERVIEWS WERE DONE WITH THE FINAL TWO BIDS TO BE CONSIDERED AND THAT AIRPORT MANAGER MATTHEW HAYS CHOSE DAVID BOOKER TO AWARD THE BID. COMMISSIONER STOREY LET THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT HE DID NOT APPROVE THE AWARDING OF THIS BID AS HE BELIEVES IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO GARRET BRITTON BECAUSE HE BELIEVES HE SPENDS MORE MONEY IN THE CITY OF BENTON.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH UPDATED THE COUNCIL ON THINGS HAPPENING IN THE STREET DEPARTMENT. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THE SUMMER ROAD PROGRAM WILL BE BEGINNING SOON, THAT THERE WILL BE A ROAD CLOSURE ON SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2021 FOR THE BCHS GRADUATION PARADE, AND THAT BY THE END OF MAY ALL RAILROAD CROSSINGS IN THE CITY OF BENTON SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BY THE RAILROAD COMPANY.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE #21-05 DESIGNATING THE FIRST BLOCK OF SOUTH MAIN STREET, FROM THE PUBLIC SQUARE TO CHURCH STREET, TO BE A NO PARKING ZONE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE FOR SAFETY CONCERNS AND IT WILL BE REEVALUATED AFTER CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00095 TO CONCEPTE OF ILLINOIS FOR ONE FORTIGATE-30E HARDWARE AND 1 YEAR OF THREAT PROTECTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $625.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. 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 PURCHASE ORDER #00096 TO VICTORY LANE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $85,000 FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO 2021 DODGE RAM 1500 CREW CAB TRUCKS AND THE EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. 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 PURCHASE ORDER #00653 TO CONCEPTE OF ILLINOIS FOR A BLOCK OF HOURS, 50 HOURS OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT, IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,925.00. 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 APPROVE BILLS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2021 IN THE AMOUNT OF $303,383.97. 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 PAYROLL FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,137.14 AND FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $44,019.28 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $90,156.42. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED ATTORNEY MALKOVICH TO ADDRESS ITEMS C, D, AND E UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT PREVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL HAD DISCUSSED HIRING A COMMERCIAL APPRAISER FOR REAL ESTATE IN THE CITY OF BENTON. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO HIRE A COMMERCIAL APPRAISER FOR REAL ESTATE. THE MOTION DIED FOR LACK OF SECOND.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT IN THE PACKETS THE COUNCIL WOULD FIND AN AUCTIONEER CONTRACT WITH G. DAVID GREEN. HE STATED THAT IF THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL, HE NEEDED SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT IN THEIR PACKETS THE COUNCIL HAD BEEN GIVEN AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COLLEGIATE COMMON MARKET. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT THE CITY HAS PREVIOUSLY USED THIS PROGRAM FOR WORKERS SUCH AS CHARLES TATE. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT CHARLES WAS AN EXCELLENT ASSET TO THE CITY OF BENTON WHILE HE WAS IN THIS PROGRAM. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT APPROVAL OF THIS AGREEMENT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE IF A WORKER BECAME AVAILABLE. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION ALLOWING MAYOR KONDRITZ TO SIGN THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COLLEGIATE COMMON MARKET. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
IN MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS, MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE AND DAVID GARAVALIA HAD SPENT PART OF THE DAY LOOKING AROUND AT THE LOTS IN THE CITY OF BENTON THAT NEEDED TO BE MOWED. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CITIZENS AWARE THAT THE CITY OF BENTON HAS AN ORDINANCE VIOLATION FEE OF UP TO $750.00 FOR PROPERTIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN MOWED AND IF THE CITY MOWS ONE OF THESE PROPERTIES THEY CAN SEND YOU A BILL FOR $200.00 AS WELL.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
IN NEW BUSINESS, MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO HAVING ONLY ONE MEETING PER MONTH INSTEAD OF TWO. THE COUNCIL WAS ALL IN AGREEMENT AND ATTORNEY MALKOVICH ASKED CITY CLERK BROOK CRAIG TO PUT THIS ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE: JEFF SHOCKLEY STATED THAT A TREE HAD FALLEN ON HIS HOME AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD AN INSURANCE COMPANY PERFORM A SURVEY ON THIS PROPERTY TO SEE IF THE CITY WAS LIABLE OR IF HE, AS THE HOMEOWNER, WAS LIABLE. MR. SHOCKLEY STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THIS SURVEY WHEN AVAILABLE.
TOM CARTER ASKED MAYOR KONDRITZ IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO HAVE ONLY ONE MEETING A MONTH, IF PUBLIC COMMENT TIME WOULD BE DOUBLED. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE AMPLE TIME TO HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ADDRESSED. MR. CARTER ASKED COMMISSIONER PERKINS IF HE GAVE HIS POWER AS A COMMISSIONER AWAY BY ALLOWING MATTHEW HARRISON TO ULTIMATELY PICK THE WINNER OF THE BID. COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT IT WAS A JOINT EFFORT AND HE HAD NOT GIVEN HIS POWER AWAY. MR. CARTER ALSO ASKED IF THE RATE INCREASE IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT WAS NECESSARY AND HE STATED THAT HE WAS LOOKING OVER THE BUDGET AND HAD FOUND A TYPO.
CHARLES HAYES OF 207 WEST PARRISH STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN HIS YARD ON THE CITY SIDE OF THE METER. COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT THIS INFORMATION WOULD BE RELAYED TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
6:45 P.M.
