MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY JANUARY 23, 2023 AT 5:00 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 COCKRUM COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL. COMMISSIONER STOREY WAS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED KEYSTONE ENERGY TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL FIRST. ANTHONY FOTOPOULOS INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO THE CITY COUNCIL STATING THAT HE IS A CO-FOUNDER OF KEYSTONE POWER HOLDINGS, LLC AND FOCUSES ON PARTNER MANAGEMENT, DUE DILIGENCE, DEAL PLACEMENT, AND FINANCING. MR. FOTOPOULOS HANDED OUT BINDERS TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING A PROPOSAL TO PLACE SOLAR POWER WITHOUT CAPITAL INVESTMENT AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. IN THE PROPOSAL AN ESCALATOR AND A FLAT RATE CALCULATOR OF SAVINGS WERE LAID OUT. WITH THE ESCALATOR THERE WOULD BE A NEW RATE EVERY YEAR STARTING AT $0.0349FOR ELECTRICITY WITH A TOTAL SAVINGS AT THE END OF 30 YEARS IN THE AMOUNT OF $980,613.00. WITH THE FLAT RATE THE CITY WOULD PAY A RATE OF $0.0449 AND THE ESTIMATED ELECTRICAL SAVINGS OVER 30 YEARS WOULD BE $1,105,322.00. ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA STATED THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PAY REAL ESTATE TAXES ON THIS PROPERTY IF SOLAR WAS INSTALLED THEREFORE THE SAVINGS WOULD ACTUALLY BE LESS AND NOT START TO BE SEEN UNTIL YEAR 4 OF THE PROGRAM. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL A FURTHER DATE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING, NO LAKE LOT LEASES, AND NO WRITTEN DEPARTMENT REPORT. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT THERE WAS A BAD WATERMAIN BREAK TODAY ON EAST MAIN STREET AND THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN REPAIRING NUMEROUS WATER LEAKS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS AND NO WRITTEN DEPARTMENT REPORT. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAD PATCHED EAST MAIN STREET IN FROM OF THE JAIL AND THAT THEY WERE PREPARING OF THE WINTER WEATHER THAT HAS BEEN FORECAST FOR OUR AREA.
COMMISSIONER STOREY WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE MEETING AND THEREFORE ATTORNEY MALKOVICH HANDLED THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE NEEDED A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00073 TO FABICK CAT FOR LEVEL 2 MAINTENANCE SERVICE ON THE FABICK CAT GENERATOR LOCATED AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $785.56. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE NEEDED A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00072 TO NOVACOM FOR AN IN-CAR VIDEO CAMERA SYSTEM AND TESTING IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,115.00. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH ALSO STATED THAT THIS PURCHASE WOULD BE MADE FROM THE DUI FUND. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS AND NO MONTHLY BILLS TO APPROVE AT THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL DATED 01/20/2022 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $74,686.28 AND FOR THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $32,036.99 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $106,723.27. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES.
MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES AND NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR APPROVAL AT THIS MEETING.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA TO HANDLE ITEM (D) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF). MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT THE CITY OF BENTON HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION OF UNDERPERFORMING AREAS WITH THE CITY AND THAT THE CITY RECOGNIZES THAT TAX INCREMENT FINANCING IS A MEANS TO ADDRESS AREAS OF BLIGHT, SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTE LOCAL JOB CREATION AND RETENTION. MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT HE WOULD REQUEST THAT A MOTION BE MADE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION #2023-02 IN SUPPORT OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KONDRITZ ASKED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA TO HANDLE ITEM (E) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE PURCHASE OF A 2019 FORD FUSION FOR THE ZONING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR. MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT HE HAS RESEARCHED A LOT OF CARS AND FOUND A 2019 FORD FOCUS, BLACK WITH FOUR DOORS, FROM CARMAX OUT OF FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS IN THE AMOUNT OF $24,110.00. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PURCHASE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT A NEW CHEVY VOLT COULD BE PURCHASED FOR $23,000, BUT WOULD VOTE YES ON THIS PURCHASE. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
IN NEW BUSINESS, MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SIT-DOWN TALK WITH THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY THAT HOUSED THE OLD LINCOLN SCHOOL BUILDING. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO THANK PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES FOR MAKING THE HEART FOR THE VALENTINE’S PROJECT AT CAPITAL PARK. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THE BENTON AREA VOLUNTEERS HAVE PLACED A HEART AT CAPITAL PARK FOR CITIZENS TO TIE BOWS AND RIBBONS TO FOR VALENTINE’S DAY REPRESENTING THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE THE “HEART” OF OUR COMMUNITY. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA INVITED ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT.
IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, TOM CARTER STATED THAT THE CITY HAS AGREED TO HIRE A NEW POLICE OFFICER AND GAVE TWO PAY RAISES AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. MR. CARTER ASKED IF WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE INCREASE IN PAYROLL. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT THE CITY OF BENTON IS FAR FROM BROKE AND THAT WE WERE WORKING IN THE POSITIVE AND IN GOOD SHAPE. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT WE ARE WORKING WITHIN OUR BUDGET AND THAT THE TREASURER WATCHES THE MONEY VERY CLOSELY. MAYOR KONDRITZ STATED THAT HE IS PROUD OF THE CITY OF BENTON’S BUDGET. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THINGS WOULD LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT IN THE BUDGET, BUT THAT THE CITY IS DEFINITELY OPERATING WITHIN THE BUDGET. MR. CARTER ASKED FOR A DOLLAR AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE CITY HAS. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE COULD NOT PROVIDE THAT AT THIS TIME, BUT THAT SHE WOULD GET THAT NUMBER FOR HIM.
COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER MESSERSMITH, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR KONDRITZ. NAYS: 0.
5:45 P.M.
