MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY AUGUST 22, 2022 AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE BENTON CITY HALL LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR KONDRITZ CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, 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 AUGUST 8, 2022. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CONTINUED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2022. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2022. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER STOREY ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF AUGUST 17, 2022. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER STOREY ABSTAINED.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED COMMISSIONER STOREY TO PRESENT ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF HIRING A STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICER. COMMISSIONER STOREY ASKED CHIEF CHRIS FUNKHOUSER TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL. CHIEF FUNKHOUSER PRESENTED THE COUNCIL WITH A BREAKDOWN OF HOW THE POSITION COULD BE PAID FOR. CHIEF FUNKHOUSER STATED THAT BENTON GRADE SCHOOL DISTRICT #47 HAS AGREED TO PAY THE CITY OF BENTON $50,0000 A YEAR FOR A NEW RESOURCE OFFICER. CHIEF FUNKHOUSER STATED THAT THE COST OF A NEW OFFICER WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $63,532.97 AND SO THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE $13,532.97. IT WAS STATED THAT WITH THE DIFFERENCE IN SALARY FROM WHAT CHIEF ANDREWS WAS MAKING COMPARED TO WHAT CHIEF FUNKHOUSER MAKES IN ADDITION TO THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT FUNKHOUSER WOULD BE MAKING AS A 22-YEAR EMPLOYEE AND WHAT A FIRST-YEAR OFFICER WOULD BE MAKING, THE CITY WILL STILL BE SAVING APPROXIMATELY $7,796.38 FOR THE FIRST YEAR. JOHN PULLIAM WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT STATED THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 1,200 STUDENTS IN GRADES K-8 AND THAT HAVING ONE RESOURCE OFFICER FOR THAT MANY KIDS IS NOT ENOUGH. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE HIRING OF A STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICER FOR BENTON CONSOLIDATED COMMUNITY SCHOOL, DISTRICT #47. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00376 TO MABAS DIVISION #68 FOR DUES IN THE AMOUNT OF $507.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00378 TO MERMET SPRINGS FOR BOTTLES, NECKLACES, AND HOSE IN THE AMOUNT OF $577.98. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00377 TO DIVE RESCUE INTERNATIONAL FOR A BOTTLE GAUGE, A REGULATOR, AND FREIGHT IN THE AMOUNT OF $548.56. COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT THIS IS TO BE PAID FROM THE DIVE ACCOUNT AND DONATION FUND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAS A PURCHASE ORDER THAT WILL BE SHARED WITH THE STREET DEPARTMENT AND WILL LEAVE THAT FOR COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH TO PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LAKE LOT LEASE TRANSFER FOR BRYAN AND MEGAN LYLES FOR LOTS 52 AND 53. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LAKE LOT TRANSFER FOR MICHAEL WESTON FOR LOTS #134 AND #135. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE A DEPARTMENT REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO POUR A CONCRETE PATIO AT THE AIRPORT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00664 TO RURAL KING FOR A 5-FOOT ROTARY TILLER IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,099.99. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HALF OF THIS WOULD BE PAID FOR FROM THE STREET DEPARTMENT AND HALF FROM THE WATER DEPARTMENT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERMITH STATED THAT HE ALSO WOULD BE GIVING HIS DEPARTMENT REPORT VERBALLY AS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES HAS BEEN VERY BUSY. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE ON FORREST STREET AND THAT THE MILLING AND OVERLAY PROJECT FOR SOUTH MCLEANSBORO STREET IS SET TO BEGIN ON 09/06/2022.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION #22-11 FOR A ROAD CLOSURE FOR THE BCHS HOMECOMING PARADE ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2022. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE HIRING A FULL-TIME TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE IN THE STREET DEPARTMENT. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THIS DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY DOWN TWO EMPLOYEES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS OR BILLS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL DATED AUGUST 19, 2022 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $71,441.09 AND WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $26,724.24 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $98,165.81. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WANTED TO COMMEND LISA MENO FOR COMING IN AND TAKING CARE OF WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE IN HER OFFICE BEFORE LEAVING FOR A FAMILY EMERGENCY. SHE ALSO ASKED THAT THE COUNCIL KEEP HER AND HER FAMILY IN THEIR PRAYERS.
CITY ATTORNEY TOM MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES FOR THIS MEETING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES OR PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.
IN MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THE TOWN AND COUNTRY GARDEN CLUB HAS OFFERED TO PLANT FLOWERS AND PLANTS AT THE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. ALL THE COUNCIL COMMENTED ON HOW NICE THE NEW “WELCOME” SIGN OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL LOOKS. THE SIGN WAS DONATED TO THE CITY OF BENTON FROM THE REALITY SHOW THAT WAS RECENTLY TAPED IN BENTON.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
NO NEW BUSINESS
NO MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
6:35 P.M.
