MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY JANUARY 22, 2024 AT 5 P.M. IN THE BENTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET BENTON, ILLINOIS.
COMMISSIONER KAYS CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL. COMMISSIONER STOREY AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH WERE ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2024, HELD AT 5 P.M. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA SECONDED THIS MOTION. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVED THE CONTINUED CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF JANUARY 12, 2024 AT 9:30 A.M. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PARTICIPATION IN THE COZY CLUB PROGRAM THROUGH RSP HEATING AND COOLING FOR THE CITY HALL AND TWIN OAKS BUILDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $24.95/MONTH PER SYSTEM. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS, NO POOL ADJUSTMENTS, AND NO LAKE LOT LEASE TRANSFERS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PARTIAL PAY ESTIMATE #1 TO WIGGS EXCAVATING FOR THE 8” WATER MAIN PROJECT ON PETROFF ROAD IN THE AMOUNT OF $290,005.20. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER KAYS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
IN THE ABSENCE OF COMMISSIONER STOREY, ATTORNEY THOMAS MALKOVICH HANDLED THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT THERE WERE NO PURCHASE ORDERS, UPDATES, OR DEPARTMENT REPORTS.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD FIND A LETTER OF RESIGNATION FROM OFFICER ROGER BRENT ERTHALL THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED TO CHIEF CHRIS FUNKHOUSER. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS RESIGNATION. COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION, WITH REGRET, TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF OFFICER ROGER BRENT ERTHALL EFFECTIVE MAY 24, 2024. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FOR 01/19/2024 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $83,976.68 AND WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $27,949.10 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $111,925.78. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS OR MONTHLY BILLS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A CATASTROPHIC EVENT POLICY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. THIS POLICY ESTABLISHES UNIFORM GUIDELINES FOR PROVIDING PAID TIME OFF TO EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BENTON FOR ABSENCES RELATED TO A CATASTROPHIC CASUALTY LOSS SUFFERED DUE TO A FIRE, NATURAL DISASTER, OR TERRORIST ATTACK. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES FOR THIS MEETING.
IN THE ABSENCE OF MAYOR MESSERSMITH, ATTORNEY MALKOVICH HANDLED THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORT.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE NEEDED A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00673 TO ALLEGION FOR A 5-YEAR SERVICE CONTRACT FOR THE AUTOMATIC DOORS AT CITY HALL IN THE AMOUNT OF $116.00 PER YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF $1,160.00. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PURCHASE ORDER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT THE MAYOR WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE SUNDAY LICENSE OPTIONS. MAYOR MESSERSMITH WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW TWO OPTIONS FOR SUNDAY LIQUOR PERMITS. FIRST OPTION WILL BE TO PAY $1,200.00 AND BE ALLOWED TO BE OPEN EVERY SUNDAY. THE SECOND OPTION IS TO PAY $50.00 PER SUNDAY YOU WISH TO BE OPEN. COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO AMEND THE SUNDAY LICENSE OPTIONS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD FIND A LETTER FROM THE LADY’S AUXILIARY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION IN THEIR PACKETS. THE LADY’S AUXILIARY HAS ASKED FOR A DONATION OF $500.00 OR WHATEVER PLEASES THE COUNCIL TO PURCHASE NEW FLAGS TO PLACE AROUND TOWN. COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO DONATE $500.00 TO THE LADY’S AUXILIARY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION FOR THE PURCHASE OR FLAGS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT WE NEEDED A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM (E) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF HIRING CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
IN MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THE CITY WILL BE DONATING TWO GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR WEEKDAY RENTALS TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THEIR ANNUAL DINNER SILENT AUCTION.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT THERE WAS A GOOD CROWD AT THE BENTON INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT THIS WAS GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON MULTIPLE LEAKS AROUND TOWN.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. NAYS: 0.
5:15 P.M.
