MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY DECEMBER 22, 2025 AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL ROOM OF THE CAMPBELL BUILDING LOCATED AT 901 PUBLIC SQUARE, BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT FOR ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER KAYS ASKED FOR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM DECEMBER 8, 2025 AS PRESENTED. MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER KAYS ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER KAYS ASKED FOR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE CONTINUED CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM DECEMBER 12, 2025 AS PRESENTED. MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER KAYS AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER KAYS ASKED FOR A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM DECEMBER 12, 2025 AS PRESENTED. MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 3. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS AND COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ABSTAINED.
COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING. COMMISSIONER STOREY ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD NO APPROVAL OF PUBLIC PROPERTY USE PERMITS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS, POOL ADJUSTMENTS, OR LAKE LOT LEASE TRANSFERS FOR THIS MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CRAIG MILES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPOINT DAILUS RICHARDSON TO A 120-DAY TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS:
- COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE’ ORDER #00443 TO AMERICAN TEST CENTER FOR LADDER TESTING AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,249.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIOER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONR COKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMM ISSIONER KAYS, MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #004440 TO MIDAMERICA FIRE FOR AN INTAKE VALVE FOR ENGINE #803 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,464.88. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN FORMING A DECORATING COMMITTEE FOR DECORATING THE TOWN DURING HOLIDAYS AND EVENTS. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND THEN REVISIT THE FORMING OF A COMM ITTEE. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM (B) DISCUSSION AND/OR APPROVAL OF A DECORATING COMMITTEE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONERKAYS AND MAYOR MESSERSM ITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO AN ORDINANCE FOR THE USE OF E-BIKES, SCOOTERS, AND OTHER LIKE ITEMS. AFTER DISCUSSION, COMMISSIOENR GARAVALIA MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL A FURTHER DATE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIOENR GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 1. COMMISSIONER KAYS.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT SHOP WITH A COP WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY COMPLETED TACTICAL TRAINING AT REND LAKE COLLEGE. THIS TRAINING INCLUDED FIRE, POLICE, AND EMA. FIREMEN JAMES NEFF AND MATT WARREN WERE IN ATTENDANCE AND STATED THAT THIS TRAINING WAS VERY GOOD. CHIEF FUNKHOUSER WAS IN ATTAENDANCE FOR THIS MEETING. CHIEF FUNKHOUSER STATED THAT DISPATCH HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED OVER AND ALL THE BUGS ARE BEING WORKED OUT CURRENTLY.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PAYROLL DATED DECEMBER 19, 2025 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $93,541.59 AND FOR THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $28,967.53 FOR A TOTAL PAYROLL IN THE AMOUNT OF $122,518.12. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRU, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND COMMISSIONER KAYS. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER KAYS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER #00559 TO LEXIPOL/GRANT FINDER FOR AN ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $995.00. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
ATTORNEY MALKOVICH STATED THAT HE HAD NO UPDATES OR ITEMS FOR
DISCUSSION AT THIS MEETING.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT MALKOVICH AND CAPITOL PARK BOTH HAVE HAD SOME DECORATIONS PUT UP AND HE WANTED TO THANK THOSE THAT HELPED WITH THAT. MAYOR MESSERSMITH ALSO STATED THAT ZONING ADMINISTRATOR BRIAN CALCATERRA HAS ARRANGED FOR THE HOUSE AT THE CORNER OF TAYLOR STREET AND NORTH MCLEANSBORO STREET BE DEMOLISHED. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT THERE ARE FOUR MORE HOMES SLATED TO BE TORN DOWN AS WELL.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT HE HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THIS MEETING.
NO MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.
IN OLD BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT RESOLUTION 25-14, EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT NO ONE ON THE COUNCIL HAD THE RESOLUTION OR ACTUARIAL IN THEIR POSITION WHEN THEY PASSED THIS RESOLUTION. HE ALSO STATED THAT NO ONE VISITED THE TREASURER TO GO OVER CALCULATIONS ON WHAT THIS WOULD COST THE CITY. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE IS TAKEN ABACK BY THE ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THAT THE CITY WILL NOT KNOW THE TOTAL COST OF THIS ERi FOR A WHILE. HE STATED THAT THE COST COULD BE BETWEEN $732,206.00 AND $1,032,509.00 DEPENDING ON HOW THE CITY CHOOSES TO PAY. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT THE COUNCIL RAISED TAXES TO PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR AND THEN PUT THE CITY AT HAVING TO FUND THIS LARGE LIABILITY. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE BETTER. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT OF THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS RETIREMENT INCENTIVE, TWO EMPLOYEES HAVE SUBMITTED INTENT FOR RETIREMENT. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT SINCE THE COUNCIL DID NOT CLOSE OUT ANY PRIOR RETIREMENT INCENTIVES, THOSE EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE THEIR INSURANCE AND THE EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE IS APPALLED BY THE COUNCIL AND THEIR CHOICE TO PASS THE ERl. HE STATED THAT 80% OF MUNICIPALITIES DO NOT GO THROUGH WITH ERl BECAUSE OF THE COST OF IT AND IT ONLY MAKES MONEY IF YOU DO NOT REHIRE.
COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT HE HAS SAT THROUGH IO WEEKS OF LISTENING TO LECTURES FROM COMMISSIONER STOREY REGARDING FRIVOLOUS SPENDING AND THEN THIS WAS APPROVED. COMMISSIONER KAYS ASKED COMMISSIONER STOREY WHY HE HAD MORE MOLD TESTING DONE AT 1403 SOUTH MAIN FOR OVER $2,000.00 AND DID NOT ASK THE REST OF THE COUNCIL IF THEY AGREED THAT SHOULD BE DONE. COMMISSIONER KAYS STATED THAT THE INSURANCE CLAIM THAT THE CITY WAS PAID OUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
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ENOUGH PROOF OF THE MOLD IN THAT BUILDING AND THAT WHAT COMMlSSIONER STOREY DID INAPPROPRIATE. COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THAT COMMISSIONER KAYS DOES A LOT OF INAPPROPRIATE STUFF.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
NO MATIERS FROM THE PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, COMMISSIONER KAYS, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
5:24 P.M.
