MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY OCTOBER 25, 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.
MAYOR KONDRITZ CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL. ALL MEMBERS WERE PRESENT IN PERSON AT CITY HALL.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2021. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED RICK LINTON WITH REND LAKE TOURISM TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. MR. LINTON WAS ACCOMPANIED BY BARBARA LINTON, CATHY CRAWFORD, AND RACHEL GARTNER. MR. LINTON STATED THAT THE S3DA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT (SCHOLASTIC 3D NATIONAL ARCHERY TOURNAMENT) WILL BE HELD AT REND LAKE ON JUNE 16, 2022 THROUGH JUNE 19, 2022. MR. LINTON STATED THAT THIS EVENT WILL BRING AN ESTIMATED 1,000+ STUDENT ATHLETES INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL 3,000 FAMILY MEMBERS AND SPECTATORS FROM THE UNITED STATES AS WELL AS OTHER COUNTRIES. VISITORS WILL REQUIRE 500 HOTEL ROOMS PER NIGHT AND WHEN NOT IN COMPETITION THESE VISITORS WILL BE IN OUR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES LOOKING FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES. MR. LINTON STATED THAT THIS EVENT WILL HAVE AN ESTIMATED REGIONAL IMPACT OF $3,000,000.00 TO $4,000,000.00. MR. LINTON STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY OF BENTON FOR BEING A HOST CITY FOR THIS EVENT.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO DENY APPROVAL OF LAKE LOT LEASE TRANSFER #31 FROM LINDA MUSULIN TO DAN GRABEL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE HIRING OF A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EMPLOYEE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT CHALK BENTON WILL TAKE PLACE ON OCTOBER 30, 2021 AROUND THE BENTON SQUARE. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED THAT COLLEGE STREET WILL BE CLOSED DURING THE PLAYOFF FOOTBALL GAME FOR TAILGATING.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00362 TO MORROW BROTHERS FORD FOR A 2020 FORD RESPONDER F-150 CREW CAB WITH TITLE AND LICENSE IN THE AMOUNT OF $37,115.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY TOOK NO ACTION ON ITEM (B) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF POLICE UNION CONTRACT.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF DISPATCH NEGOTIATIONS/CONTRACT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HIRING OF A 6TH FIREMAN WOULD TAKE $15,000.00 OUT OF THE BUDGET FOR PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL AS SAVE ON OVERTIME IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000.00 TO $28,000.00.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO REMOVE PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTERS DAYLON KELLEY AND ZACHARY HALSTEAD FROM THE PAID-ON CALL FIREFIGHTER ROSTER. BOTH CANDIDATES ARE LEAVING DUE TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF NEW POSITIONS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADDITION OF KENNETH WROBLEWSKI TO THE PAID-ON CALL ROSTER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED SHE HAD NO ITEMS FOR THIS MEETING.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES FOR THIS MEETING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES FOR THIS MEETING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED ATTORNEY MALKOVICH TO HANDLE ITEM (D) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF RELEASE OF MORTGAGE DOC #2014-0975. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER INDIVIDUALLY REGARDING RELEASE OF THIS MORTGAGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $90,000.00. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE RELEASE OF MORTGAGE DOC #2014-0975. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
UNDER MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS DISCUSSION WAS HELD REGARDING DECORATING THE TOWN FOR UPCOMING PLAYOFF GAME.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
IN NEW BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE RATES FOR STREET SWEEPING.
IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, MR. TOM CARTER ASKED WHAT THE NAME OF THE NEW ZONING ADMINISTRATOR/CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IS AS WELL AS HIS STARTING SALARY. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT HIS NAME IS BRIAN CALCATERRA AND HIS STARTING SALARY IS $38,500.00. MR. CARTER ALSO STATED THAT HE MET THE NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EMPLOYEE, COLE LEVANTI, AND THAT HE HAS OFFERED TO HELP HIM WITH ANY ELECTRICAL WORK. MR. CARTER QUESTIONED COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH ON WHETHER CROSSWALKS WILL BE PAINTED ON THE SQUARE ONCE CONSTRUCTION OF THE COURTHOUSE IS FINISHED. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THIS IS PART OF THE PLAN. MR. CARTER ASKED IF THE COUNCIL HAD DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF FOUR WEEKS OF PAID LEAVE UNDER THE PRESIDENT’S NEW PLAN AND IF SO, CAN THE CITY AFFORD IT. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN DISCUSSED AT THIS TIME.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
6:40 P.M.
