MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2024 AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE BENTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER STOREY WAS ABSENT.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THIS MEETING HAD BEEN CALLED FOR THE DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF HIRING A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. MAYOR MESSERSMITH ASKED ZONING
ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA TO DISCUSS THIS. MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT HE
INTERVIEWED PEOPLE ALONGSIDE MAYOR MESSERSMITH AND ATTORNEY TOM MALKOVICH. MR.
CALCATERRA STATED THAT HE NARROWED THE POOL TO TWO INDIVIDUALS AND HAD CITY CLERK
BROOK CRAIG AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES INTERVIEW THEM BOTH AS WELL. MR.
CALCATERRA PRESENTED CALEB CAVINS FOR THIS POSITION. HE SAID MR. CAVINS HAD MOXY AND HE BELIEVES WITH HIS PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT IN REPOSSESSING PROPERTY, HE WILL DO GREAT IN THIS POSITION AS HE WILL KNOW HOW TO HANDLE SITUATIONS. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE
FELT THIS POSITION WAS GREATLY NEEDED. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE HAS NOTHING
PERSONAL AGAINST MR. CAVINS, BUT DOES NOT SEE THE NEED IN HIRING FOR THIS POSITION.
COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE HOPES IN A YEAR HE CAN PUBLICLY SAY HE WAS WRONG AND
THAT THIS POSITION IS NEEDED.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO HIRE CALEB CAVINS AS CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY PENDING THE OUTCOME OF DRUG AND FIT FOR WORK TESTING WITH A
SALARY OF $32,500.00 PER YEAR ON A PAY RESOLUTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA.
VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR
MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER KAYS.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
9:45 A.M.
