MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY MAY 24, 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 AND COMPUTER ATTENDANCE AS WELL AS IN PERSON AT THE BENTON CITY HALL LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.
IN THE ABSENCE OF MAYOR KONDRITZ, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, AND COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT. MAYOR KONDRITZ WAS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE READING AND APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 10, 2021 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ASKED BOB REA AND HILARY REMM OF S.C.D. REA INSURANCE TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING THE RESEARCH OF A CYBERSECURITY POLICY. THEY SPOKE ON THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A CYBERSECURITY BREACH SUCH AS THE BREACH THAT OCCURRED RECENTLY WITH THE COLONIAL PIPELINE. MR. REA STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO RESEARCH THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROTECTING THE CITY OF BENTON FROM AN ATTACK SUCH AS THIS. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO ALLOW S.C.D. REA INSURANCE TO RESEARCH A CYBERSECURITY POLICY FOR THE CITY OF BENTON. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR APPROVAL AT THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO TABLE ITEM (B) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF LOCATION FOR AIR CONDITIONERS AT THE HISTORIC CAR MUSEUM. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00654 TO CHASTAIN AND ASSOCIATES TO PAY INVOICE #14 ON THE 1-57 INTERCHANGE PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,608.56. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PERKINS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THE CITY RECEIVED AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH IDOT REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE CITY OF BENTON. THIS AGREEMENT IS RESIGNED EVERY 10 YEARS. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT OF REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE ON A COUPLE INTERSECTIONS IN TOWN, BUT OTHERWISE IS AGREEABLE TO HAVING MAYOR KONDRITZ SIGN THIS INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO ALLOW MAYOR KONDRITZ TO SIGN THIS INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH IDOT REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE CITY OF BENTON. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR APPROVAL AT THIS COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL AS NO OTHER BUSINESS.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS AND NO MONTHLY BILLS FOR APPROVAL AT THIS COUNCIL MEETING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FOR MAY 14, 2021 FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,294.82 AND FOR ALL OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $59,110.68 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $105,405.50. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A PAY RESOLUTION OF 2% FOR NONUNION AND NONCONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE VENDOR PERMIT TO ALLOW THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO PURCHASE A $50.00 UMBRELLA PERMIT FOR EVENTS THEY ARE HOSTING. THIS PERMIT WOULD BE PURCHASED FOR EACH EVENT AND ANY VENDORS REGISTERED THROUGH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR SAID EVENT WOULD BE COVERED. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO AMEND THE CURRENT ORDINANCE TO ADD A $50.00 UMBRELLA PERMIT FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY THOMAS MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE WAS CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UNION.
UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS, THERE WERE NO UPDATES AND NO PURCHASE ORDERS. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SALE OF REAL ESTATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE TABLED AT THIS TIME. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. NAYS: 0.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, TOM CARTER ASKED COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA IF SHE HAD A TOTAL OF WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN REIMBURSED FOR COVID RELATED ITEMS. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE THAT NUMBER WITH HER THIS EVENING. MR. CARTER ALSO ASKED THE COUNCIL HOW VENDOR ACCOUNTABILITY WOULD BE HANDLED WITH AN UMBRELLA COVERAGE. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT IT WOULD BE UP TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS REGISTERED WITH THEM.
COMMISSIONER PERKINS MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER PERKINS, AND COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
TIME 6:40 P.M.
