MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY JULY 24, 2023 AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE BENTON CITY HALL LOCATED AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA WAS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, JULY 10, 2023. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CONTINUED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MONDAY, JULY 14, 2023. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS OR LAKE LOT LEASES FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS OR OTHER BUSINESS FOR THIS MEETING. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT A BID LETTING FOR OVERLAY WILL HAPPEN ON FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2023 AT 10 A.M. AT THE CITY HALL. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE BAM HAS BEEN DELIVERED AND THE OIL AND CHIP PROGRAM IS SET TO BEGIN.
IN THE ABSENCE OF COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, ATTORNEY MALKOVICH PRESENTED THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA LISTED UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH PRESENTED PURCHASE ORDER #00111 FIR 1 TASER X26 FROM ACCREDITED SAFETY IN THE AMOUNT OF $599.99. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS PURCHASE ORDER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER KAYS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT FIRE CHIEF SHANE COCKRUM HAS REQUESTED TO ADD TYLER CARROLL AND DYLAN STAGNER TO THE PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER ROSTER. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO ADD TYLER CARROLL TO THE PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER ROSTER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADD DYLAN STAGNER TO THE PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER ROSTER. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT POLICE CHIEF CHRIS FUNKHOUSER WOULD LIKE TO ADD SERGEANT PAY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT CHIEF FUNKHOUSER WOULD LIKE TO ADD $3,000.00 PER YEAR TO THIS POSITION. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADD $3,000.00 PER YEAR TO THE POSITION OF SERGEANT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA HAS REQUESTED A STREET CLOSURE ON WASHINGTON STREET BETWEEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022 FROM 4 P.M. TO 7 P.M. FOR THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE THIS MOTION. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON ITEM (E) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF “NIGHT OUT”.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL FOR THE DATE OF 07/21/2023 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $82,553.70, FOR THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT FOR A TOTAL OF $27,493.44, AND FOR THE PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,483.80 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL IN THE AMOUNT OF $118,530.94. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS OR MONTHLY BILLS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT REPUBLIC HAS RAISED THEIR TRASH RATE FOR THE CITY BY 31.7%. COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A TRASH RATE INCREASE FOR THE CITIZENS OF 30% MAKING THE NEW RATES BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER $18.84 FOR REGULAR RESIDENTIAL RATE AND $16.95 FOR SENIOR RATE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE #23-06 AMENDING WATER RATES. THE NEW MINIMUM WATER RATE WILL BE $16.42 INSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS AND $20.17 OUTSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS; $16.58 MINIMUM CHARGE INSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS FOR MULTI-UNIT BUILDINGS AND $20.62 MINIMUM CHARGE OUTSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS FOR MULTI-UNIT BUILDINGS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER STOREY.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 23-07 AMENDING SEWER RATES TO $20.10 MINIMUM CHARGE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER STOREY.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 23-08 AMENDING SEWER RATES FOR MULTI-UNIT BUILDINGS TO A MINIMUM CHARGE OF $20.11. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER STOREY.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE #23-09 AMENDING CHAPTER 12 – EMPLOYEE PERSONNEL CODE, 12-1-2(F) EMPLOYMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS/REVOLVING DOOR PROHIBITIONS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES.
IN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORT, MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY HAS GRANTED THE CITY OF BENTON A $950,000.00 GRANT TO RUN WATER UNDER PETROFF ROAD TO INDUSTRIAL PARK II.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
IN MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE, MR. TOM CARTER QUESTIONED THE COUNCIL ON WHY THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN REWARDING PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES FOR HIS WORK WHEN HE BELIEVES HE IS THE REASON $1.2 MILLION WAS MOVED FROM THE SEWER DEPARTMENT TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT. MR. CARTER SUGGESTED THAT THE CITY LOOK INTO A CRONYISM POLICY. MR. CARTER ASKED COMMISSIONER COCKRUM FOR AN UPDATED ON THE WASTENA STREET PROJECT. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT THE STORM SEWER HAS BEEN STARTED. MR. CARTER ALSO STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THEY WILL BE LUCKY TO FINISH THE WORK ON WASTENA BEFORE THE BAD WEATHER STARTS. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT THE CITY HAD NO CONTROL ON MOVING POWER POLES OR UTILITIES. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THEY ARE HOPING FOR DECEMBER 31, 2023 AS A COMPLETION DATE. MR. CARTER STATED THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ALL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS PROJECT AS HE HAS MULTIPLE THINGS, HE WOULD LIKE TO SAY HIMSELF.
AIRPORT MANAGER MATTHEW HARRISON GAVE AN AVIATION UPDATE. HE STATED THAT CROP DUSTING IS FINISHING UP. HE STATED THAT THE AIRSPACE USED FOR CROP DUSTING IS PROTECTED BY FEDERAL STATUTES AND THAT THE CITY DOES NOT GOVERN THAT. HE STATED THAT ANYONE WITH COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE CROP DUSTING COULD CALL THE SPRINGFIELD FFA OFFICE. MR. HARRISON ALSO STATED THAT THE 2ND SATURDAY FLY IN HAPPENING IN AUGUST WILL FEATURE A LUAH PUT ON BY THE BENTON AREA VOLUNTEERS GROUP.
MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER KAYS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
5:30 P.M.
