MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2026 AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE CAMPBELL BUILDING LOCATED AT 901 PUBLIC SQUARE BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND DIRECTED ROLL TO BE CALLED. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH WERE PRESENT FOR THE ROLL CALL. COMMISSIONER KAYS WAS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY MAY 11, 2026 AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE CAMPBELL BUILDING LOCATED AT 901 PUBLIC SQUARE IN BENTON, ILLINOIS. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT. MAYOR MESSERSMITH DID REMIND THE COUNCIL AND AUDIENCE OF THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS SET FORTH BY ORDINANCE.
UNDER PUBLIC PROPERTIES, COMMISSIONER STOREY ASKED THE AMERICAN LEGION LADIES AUXILIARY IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 5B. THEY EXPLAINED THE PLAN IS TO HOST A PARADE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT TO BAILEY LANE, TRAVELING NORTH MCLEANSBORO STREET. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE THE MOTION TO SHUT DOWN N MCLEANSBORO STREET FROM E MAIN TO BAILEY LANE STARTING AT 10:00 A.M. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER STOREY HAD NO UPDATES OR PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THE MEETING.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM PRESENTED ONE PURCHASE ORDER FROM DIAMOND EQUIPMENT FOR A NEW BACKHOE. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE ORDER FOR $145,000.00. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE POOL ADJUSTMENTS AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: 1205 WHISPERWAY, 525 E TAYLOR, 722 OLD ORCHARD DRIVE, 306 E BOND, 607 E WEBSTER, AND 1402 N DUQUOIN STREET. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
UNDER ACCOUNTS AND SAFETY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA ANNOUNCED THAT OUR FIREMEN HAD RECENTLY FINISHED THEIR COURSES OF WATER SAFETY TRAINING.
COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA HAD NO PURCHASE ORDERS.
CITY ATTORNEY MALKOVICH PRESENTED THE PAYROLL DATED MAY 22ND FOR APPROVAL WITH $93,193.42 FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND $28,822.65 FROM THE REVENUE FUND, TOTALING $122.016.07 TOGETHER. COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MAY 22ND PAYROLL. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
THERE WERE NO BILLS OR PURCHASE ORDERS FROM ACCOUNTS AND FINANCE.
THERE WERE NO UPDATES FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS MAYOR MESSERSMITH ANNOUNCED THE FIRST FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT HAD ABOUT 75 ATTENDEES AND THAT THIS CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF THE SURVEY INFORMATION OUR CITIZENS HAVE BEEN GIVING US THROUGH OUR NEW WEBAPP. MAYOR MESSERSMITH ENCOURAGED THE PUBLIC TO VISIT WWW.BENTONPULSE.COM TO VIEW AND USE THE APP.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH HAD TWO PURCHASE ORDERS. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER 885 FOR SAEFTY STIPENDS, TOTALING $2,625.00. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER COCKRUM MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE ORDER 886, TOTALING $2,550.00. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH ASKED ZONING ADMINISTRATOR CALCATERRA TO PRESENT 9C. MR CALCATERRA REPORTED THAT ALL THREE APPRAISED SURPLUS PROPERTIES HAD BEEN AUCTIONED. TWO OF THE LOTS RECEIVED NO BIDS. THE 3.074-ACRE TRACT AT THE CORNER OF TURTLE POINT AND LAKESHORE DRIVE, APPRAISED AT $40,000.00, RECEIVED A BID OF $36,000.00 FROM KYLE AND MANDY CHADEE, REPRESENTING 90% OF THE APPRAISED VALUE AND EXCEEDING THE REQUIRED 80% MINIMUM. MR. CALCATERRA NOTED THAT THE BUYERS HAVE REITERATED THEIR PLAN TO BUILD A RESIDENCE ON THE PROPERTY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND THAT THE SALE WILL GENERATE ADDITIONAL REAL ESTATE TAX REVENUE THE CITY WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECEIVING. MR. CALCATERRA RECOMMENDED THAT THE COUNCIL ACCEPT THE BID. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BID. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR MESSERSMITH PRESENTED TWO INVOICES FROM CHASTAIN & ASSOCIATES, TOTALING $2912.85. THESE INVOICES WERE FOUND LEFT OVER BY THE FIRM AS THEY WERE CLOSING DOWN THE PROJECT FILE. MAYOR MESSERSMITH STATED THAT FOR US TO BE TOTALLY DONE WITH THIS PROJECT WE NEED TO PAY THESE SO IT CAN BE CLOSED. COMMISSIONER STOREY MADE THE MOTION TO PAY THE TWO INVOICES, ONE FOR $2612.00 AND THE OTHER FOR $300.85. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
IN MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS COMMISSIONER STOREY WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT TO TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR HANDLING OF THE BIG BREAK ON SPANI STREET. COMMISSIONER STOREY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THE HELP OF THE POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL THAT WERE OUT THERE TOO. COMMISSIONER STOREY STATED THAT THE CITY IS ALL ABOUT ITS EMPLOYEES.
NO OLD BUSINESS.
NO NEW BUSINESS.
NO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MOTION TO ADJOURN MADE BY COMMISSIONER STOREY. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER COCKRUM. VOTE WAS TAKEN. YEAS: 4. COMMISSIONER COCKRUM, COMMISSIONER STOREY, COMMISSIONER GARAVALIA, AND MAYOR MESSERSMITH. NAYS: 0.
ADJOURNMENT 5:15 P.M.
