MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY JUNE 10, 2024 AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE BENTON 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, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING AND APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2024 AS PRESENTED. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0. ABSTAIN: 1. COMMISSIONER STOREY.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR APPROVAL AT THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON ITEM (B) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF REPAIRS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO START IMPLEMENTING THE USE OF WORK ORDERS WHEN IT COMES TO REPAIRS AND ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF ON PUBLIC PROPERTY OR BUILDINGS. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE HAS A FORM SHE IS WELCOME TO USE IF SHE WOULD LIKE. MAYOR MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED THAT MONDAY.COM IS SOMETHING THE CITY IS USING TO KEEP TRACK OF ITEMS LIKE THIS. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE IS CURRENTLY TEXTING ITEMS TO PEOPLE SO THAT SHE HAS A RECEIPT AND COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE LIKES GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT WAY.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ASKED COMMISSIONER COCKRUM IF HE COULD CHECK WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO HAVE A WOBBLY SINK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TIGHTENED UP. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE WOULD REACH OUT TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES ABOUT GETTING THIS TAKEN CARE OF.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE POOL ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING HOMES:
VOLZ @ 711 CARBON STREET
BOYCE @ 403 NORTH TENTH STREET
TITTLE @ 712 GRAND STREET
MOORE @ 1328 WHISPER WAY
HOUSE @ 209 WEST CARLTON STREET
GULLY @ 208 NORTH SEVENTH STREET
COMMISSIONER STOREY SECONDED THIS MOTION. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER KAYS ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO LAKE LOT TRANSFERS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO TABLE PURCHASE ORDER #00128 TO MORROW BROTHERS FORD FOR 1 NEW 2023 POLICE INTERCEPTOR IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,290.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER KAYS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00131 TO SAM’S CLUB FOR 2 COMPUTERS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,598.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE DISPOSING OF SURPLUS PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT NO LONGER WORKS. THIS PROPERTY INCLUDES 1 GENESIS II MOBILE RADAR UNIT WITH 2 ANTENNAE, A BLACK SWIVEL DESK CHAIR, 1 CODE 3 SIREN CONTROL BOX, A MARTEL PATROL VEHICLE DASH CAMERA, A VIEWSONIC 17” COMPUTER MONITOR, AND 2 LG 27” COMPUTER MONITORS. ALL THIS EQUIPMENT IS EITHER BROKEN OR NONFUNCTIONING. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM SECONDED THIS MOTION. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH ASKED COMMISSIONER STOREY IF HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THE BUNTINGS PUT UP AT CAPITAL PARK AND THE LARGE FLAG RAISED FOR FLAG DAY. COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE WOULD ASK THE FIREMEN TO DO THESE THINGS.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL DATED 06/07/2024 FROM THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $94,049.89 AND FROM THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $23,57998 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL OF $117,629.87. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE BILLS DATED JUNE 10, 2024 FROM MFT IN THE AMOUNT OF $47,813.62 AND FROM THE AP FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $496,703.09 FOR A TOTAL OF $544,516.71. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT THE ANNUAL ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CONFERENCE IS COMING UP AND THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHO WOULD BE ATTENDING. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO SEE A RETURN OF INVESTMENT ON WHAT WAS LEARNED WHILE AT THE CONFERENCE. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED WRITTEN NOTES ON WHAT WAS IMPLEMENTED AFTER THE LAST CONFERENCE FROM CITY CLERK BROOK CRAIG, ZONING ADMINISTRATOR/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN CALCATERRA, AND CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS MALKOVICH. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS TO RETURN TO THE CONFERENCE, BUT WAS WAITING ON THIS YEAR’S PROGRAM TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD BE ATTENDING. COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION ALLOWING CITY CLERK BROOK CRAIG TO SECURE 5 HOTEL ROOMS FOR THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CONFERENCE AND 2 HOTEL ROOMS FOR THE ANNUAL TIF CONFERENCE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS MALKOVICH HAD NO UPDATES FOR THIS MEETING.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED UNDER UPDATES THAT OVER THE WEEKEND THE CITY WIDE YARD SALES HAD TAKEN PLACE. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE WAS IMPRESSED WITH HOW WELL THIS EVENT WAS PUT TOGETHER. MAYOR MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED UNDER UPDATES THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR ½ OF THE OSLAD GRANT FOR MALKOVICH PARK TO BE SENT TO THE CITY. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING ON THE GRANT ADMINISTRATORS TO TELL US WHEN TO PROCEED. MAYOR MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED THAT HE AND A FEW OTHERS HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE CITY’S IDENTITY AND POSSIBLE REBRANDING.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH ASKED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA TO PRESENT ITEM (C) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT MADE BY ELIZABETH BISCHOFF TO OWN AND OCCUPY A NEW DOUBLE WIDE MOBILE HOME LOCATED AT 1005 ENTERPRISE STREET. MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT THIS IS A BRAND NEW DOUBLE WIDE MOTILE HOME. HE STATED THAT THE ZONING BOARD HAS PRESENTED A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THIS SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND HE SECONDS THAT. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION MADE BY ELIZABETH BISCHOFF TO OWN AND OCCUPY A D NEW DOUBLE WIDE MOBILE HOME LOCATED AT 1005 ENTERPRISE STREET. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH ASKED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA TO HANDLE ITEM (D) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE APPLICATION FOR ZONING CHANGE MADE BY RILEY AND LEANN ROBERTS TO CHANGE THE ZONING OF PARCEL # 08-18-227-012 FROM B-6 TO R-2. MR. CALCATERRA STATED THAT HE RECOMMENDED THE COUNCIL APPROVE THIS CHANGE. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR ZONING CHANGE MADE BY RILEY AND LEANN ROBERTS TO CHANGE THE ZONING OF PARCEL #08-18-227-012 FROM B-6 TO R-2. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
IN NEW BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT IT APPEARS THE CANDIDATE FOR NEW FIREFIGHTER WILL BE DECLINING THE POSITION. COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT WE MAY HAVE TO EXTEND THE TEMPORARY TERM FOR JOHN OWENS.
NO MATTERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER KAYS. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER KAYS, COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
5:30 P.M.
