North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Sept. 9.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled Benton City Council Meeting Held Monday September 9, 2019 At 6:00 P.M. In The Benton Municipal Building Located At 1403 South Main Street Benton, Illinois.

Mayor Kondritz Called The Meeting To Order. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz Were Present For Roll Call.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Be Made On The Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled City Council Meeting Of September 9, 2019. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Perkins Made A Motion To Approve Partial Pay Estimate 1 For Wiggs Excavating For North Main Street To Joplin Street Water Main Relocation In The Amount Of $97,888.34. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That He Had Spoken With Representative Severin. Representative Severin Stated That The Widening Of Highway 7 Would Include The Adding Of Four (4) Foot Bike Lanes On Each Side Of The Highway. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That This Is Something The State Will Maintain And When The Project Is Finished There Will Be Bike Lanes From Mt. Vernon To Marion.

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That He Would Like To Approve Resolution #19-14 For A Road Closure For The Bchs Homecoming Parade On October 4, 2019 From 1:00 P.M. To 2:45 P.M. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That The Oil And Chip Work Is Slated To Be Finished This Week.

Commissioner Storey Stated That He Would Like To Hire More First Responders. Commissioner Storey Stated That There Are Multiple Shifts Per Week Where The City Of Benton Has One (1) Officer On Duty At A Time And He Feels That We Are Not Adequately Covered. Commissioner Storey Also Stated That Two (2) To Three (3) Times Per Week The Fire Department Has One Guy On Shift Between The Hours Of 4 P.M. And 8 A.M. Commissioner Storey Stated That The Fire Chief Believes The City Can Save $28,000.00 A Year In Overtime By Adding Another Fireman. Commissioner Garavalia Questioned This Statement. Commissioner Storey Stated That By Not Taking The City Offered Insurance He Was Saving The City $10,000.00 Per Year And He Wanted That To Go Towards A New First Responder. Commissioner Storey Also Stated That If This Does Not Happen He Will Take The City Offered Insurance In The Future.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Monthly Bills In The Amount Of $484,241.95. This Amount Includes $93,010.37 To Chastain And Associates For The I-57 Interchange Project. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Payroll For 09/06/2019 For General Fund In The Amount Of $65,586.38 And For The Water And Sewer Fund In The Amount Of $26,425.15 For A Total Of $92,011.53. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Like To See The Ordinance Concerning Adjustments For Sewer And Pool Fills. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Like Clarification Regarding What The Ordinance Considers As Excessive Water Usage Versus Water Loss.

Commissioner Garavalia Presented An Adjustment For Don Owens Of 804 Eads Street And Made A Motion To Approve This Adjustment As It Meets The Criteria Set Forth In The Ordinance. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Deny Adjustment For Gerald Pyron 412 West Smith As He States The Use Of The Excessive Water Is Unknown And Therefore Does Not Meet The Criteria Set Forth In The Ordinance. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Asked Zoning Administrator David Garavalia To Present Item (B) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Amending Ordinance 19-12 Prohibiting Razor Wire To Make I Zoning And Government Entities Exempt From This Ordinance. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Asked Zoning Administrator David Garavalia To Present Item © Discussion And Or Approval Of Bids For Demolition Of 20 East Taylor Street And 411 North Buchanan Street. Mr. Garavalia Stated That These Demos Will Not Take Place Until Next Fiscal Year, But Approving Them Now Would Give Him The Necessary Time To Have All Steps Completed By The Time Of Demolition.

Commissioner Perkins Made A Motion To Approve The Bid For Demolition Of 203 East Taylor From Ap Excavating In The Amount Of $3,600.00. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Perkins Made A Motion To Approve The Bid For Demolition Of 411 Buchanan Street In The Amount Of $4,200.00. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That The Airport Submitted Recommendations Including A New Fuel Pump Hose In The Amount Of $21,176.89, Having The Airport Manager Engage An Appropriate Vendor To Diagnose/Repair The Runway Identifier Lights System, To Direct The Airport Manager To Engage An Appropriate Vendor To Replace A Broken Fuel Tank Sump Pump, And The Fill The Vacant Seat On The Advisory Board As Soon As Possible. Commissioner Perkins Made A Motion To Approve The Airport Recommendations As Presented. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

No Miscellaneous Business.

Under Old Business, Commissioner Garavalia Asked If A New Resolution Would Need To Be Passed In Order For More Than One Commissioner To Participate In The Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. Attorney Malkovich Stated That This Resolution Would Need To Be Amended If Indeed Another Commissioner Wished To Participate As Resolution #19-13 Was Passed For Only The Finance Commissioner.

Under New Business, Commissioner Storey Stated That He Has Noticed 19 Inoperable Vehicles In The Northwest Quadrant Of The City And These Owners Will Be Notified Of Their Ordinance Violation.

In Matters From The Public Audience, Cindy Britton Asked The Council What Would Happen If A Citizen Chose Not To Pay The Ticket For An Ordinance Violation. Mrs. Britton Also Stated She Would Like To Thank The Board, Especially Cathy Garavalia, For Their Work Into Looking Into Ways To Handle The Budget. Mrs. Britton Also Asked Commissioner Perkins If He Had A Policy Of What Would Happen With Employees Who Always Refused Overtime. Commissioner Perkins Stated That He Did Not Have Any Overtime Refused To His Knowledge Since He Has Taken Over As Commissioner.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Adjourn. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Perkins, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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