North Egypt News

City of West Frankfort City Council met Sept. 24.

Here is the minutes provided by the Council:

1. Mayor Jordan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Requesting a Roll Call. All Commissioners were in attendance, along with the City Attorney and City Clerk.

2. Mayor Jordan asked for approval of the minutes from the September 10, 2019 Council Meeting. Commissioner Harkins made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Chambers. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

3. Mayor Jordan next asked for approval to pay city bills in the amount of $59,949.18. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Warren. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

4. The next item was approval of an ordinance amending the city code 5.04.210 regarding the hours of operation for class c liquor license / local clubs. The Mayor stated the city has been approached by the Elk's Club to allow them to stay open the same hours as the bars on friday and saturday nights until 2 a.m. This is intended on making their hours of operation the same hours as the taverns which are class "A". Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Chambers. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

5. The next item was approval of an ordinance authorizing the purchase of 2008 pierce pumper truck and payment through a bank loan. The Mayor stated the city has purchased a used pumper truck. This is a loan with Banterra Bank that will be a 5 year loan for $150,000.00 at a rate of 2.95 percent. Commissioner Harkins made a motion to approve, seconded by commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

6. The next item was approval to accept an offer for purchase of a lot deemed as surplus property. The Mayor stated we have a lot at 701 W. St. Louis Street. We have had this lot awhile and have a bid for $500.00 from Andrew Hayes who lives next door and has been mowing this lot for three years. Commissioner Chambers stated he has reached out to me several times with issues with this property and has been trying to take care of it and maintain it. Commissioner Chambers made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Harkins. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

7. The next item was approval to purchase properties located in the City of West Frankfort Il through the county's tax liquidation program in the amount of $6,520.00. The Mayor stated this is a program we have participated in and has been going on before our administration started. The addresses of these properties are 408 N. Cochran, 201 N. Jackson, 603 S. Brown, 1210 W. St. Louis, 214 Washington Blvd. and two on Palmer Street. Commissioner Warren stated do all these properties have building on them? The Mayor stated the one on Palmer Street there was a trailer there and it has been repossessed so it has been removed. The street department had to go clean up the lot and it is a vacant lot but we had to take care of it because it was abandoned. The city has an investment in that property, but the rest of these have structures on them. Once we get the property what we usually do is we get bids to tear them down because our goal is to see these properties cleared off and when the neighbors are interested in them they can bid on it and we can hopefully recoup our money back. Commissioner Warren stated we don't want to keep buying peoples old homes and spending our money on that and not recouping any money. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Warren. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

8. The next item was approval to accept bids and award projects for demolition. The Mayor stated these are properties that we have either fast tracked or we have possession of that we are going to tear down. We have bids from Joplin Salvage and neat cut.

The first property is 1403 E. Clark Street. The Mayor stated Joplin bid $3,150.00 and neat cut bid $3,750.00. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve the bid from Joplin Salvage, seconded by Commissioner Harkins. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

The next property is 1104 E. Elm Street. The Mayor stated Joplin bid $3,400.00 and neat cut bid $3,750.00. Commissioner Chambers made a motion to approve the bid from Joplin Salvage, seconded by Commissioner Warren. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

The next property is 701 N. Madison Street. The Mayor stated Joplin did not bid on this property and neat cut bid $2,950.00 Commissioner Harkins made a motion to approve the bid from neat cut, seconded by Commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

The next property is 206 N. Parkhill Street. The Mayor stated Joplin Salvage bid $2,950.00 and neat cut bid $3,450.00. Commissioner Chambers made a motion to approve the bid from Joplin Salvage, seconded by Commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

The next property is 510 N. Vanburen Street. The mayor stated Joplin Salvage bid $3,250.00 and neat cut bid $3,450.00. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve the bid from Joplin Salvage, seconded by Commissioner Chambers. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

The next property is 303 and 305 W. Main Street. The Mayor stated this building occupies two store fronts. Joplin Salvage did not bid on that. We have a bid from neat cut for $26,800.00. If you think that is a fair price we can accept that and if you want to rebid it since we only got one bid on it. Commissioner Simpson stated do we own these properties? The Mayor stated some of them but not all. Commissioner simpson stated these main street buildings were Morthland College. The Mayor stated CW reached out to the IRS and lien holders and made them aware of the condition of these buildings and that we would demolish them but we need permission. We won't own the property we are just trying to get it off of our main street. The Mayor stated I think the concern is what could possible be in it. It would be my recommendation to table this one bid and find more out about it and rebid it to hopefully get a better price. The city attorney stated you will need to reject this bid if you want to rebid it. Commissioner Chambers stated I make a motion to reject the bid for 303 and 305 W. Main street. Commissioner Chambers made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

9. The next item was approval to advertise for bids for demolition regarding the following properties: 1201 W. Elm, 1108 E. Oak and 1405 E. St. Louis. The mayor stated for 1201 W. Elm to my understanding this will not affect the ownership of the property but we will put a lien on the property for the amount of the demolition. 1108 e. Oak street we have a court order for demolition and 1405 E. St. Louis Street has been deeded to the city. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Harkins. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

10. The next item was approval of a resolution for the fchs homecoming parade to be held friday, September 27, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. Commissioner Warren made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Chambers. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

11. The next item was discussion, with possible action, regarding the need for an additional building for the street department. The mayor stated we have to move our street salt at the incubator that is stored under the steel canopy and it is starting to eat the steel up. Chemstream has rented that area and want the salt removed. The salt has to be covered or in a building so roger came to talk to us about building a pole barn to put the salt in. We own the property on summers street which is right across the street from the street shed. Their current shed has been there along time and I said maybe we should build a new pole barn to put the street department stuff in and put the salt on the other side. If you build a pole barn with no heat, air with just a concrete floor it will probably be pretty cheap but if we build one that we will have to heat, insulate and put a bathroom in it will probably be pretty expensive. The discussion will be about building a barn to put the salt in and leave the street department in the building they are in now? Or do we build a new building with heat, air and bathroom and move the salt into their current building? We have to have a place to put the salt and that's the problem. Commissioner Simpson stated what about a salt storage shed? Do you have any idea what that will cost? Roger Stanley stated I haven't got that price yet. Commissioner Harkins stated it is specifically for salt. Roger Stanley stated if you decide to build a new building for the street department you can save $10,000.00 on the concrete floor. The Mayor stated tru built gave us a bid for $119,700.00 and the next one is from nci which is $85,850.00 and then there is a secondary bid for $57,084.00 that bid is without insulation and without two garage doors with openers. Commissioner Simpson stated the water, heating, electric, bath room none of that is included in these bids it is just the structure, floor and doors. The mayor stated these prices are just for a building to store the salt in with nothing on the inside. Is the aluminum? Roger Stanley stated yes. The Mayor stated isn't the salt going to eat that? Roger stated yes it would. Commissioner Simpson stated these bids are just for the outside structure for that building not including anything else we have a lot more to do before we can make a decision on this. Commissioner Chambers stated the diesel has to be in a heated building right? Roger Stanley stated yes. Commissioner Warren stated the business that needs our salt out to use the space, are they paying more rent? The mayor stated yes. Commissioner Warren stated so we will recoup a little bit of income for that. Commissioner Chambers stated I like the last one that is actually made to store salt. Commissioner Simpson stated that is all we need at the current time. The Mayor stated we need to get a price of the 60 x 80 salt storage shed. Commissioner Simpson stated we need a more accurate and detailed cost of these options, commissioner simpson made a motion to get bids on both of these options so we can move ahead and make a more informed decision. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Warren. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

12. The next item was discussion, with possible action regarding the purchase of a tailgate spreader in the amount of $3,950.00 for the street department. Roger Stanley stated it is for the back of the dump truck for the salt. Commissioner Chambers made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Warren. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

13. The next item was discussion, with possible action regarding the purchase of an immersible motor in the amount of $6,645.81 for the sewer department. The Mayor stated our engineer stated this is something that we need. The one we have is past warranty and needs replaced. Commissioner Warren made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

14. The next item was approval to pay an invoice from Skuta Construction Inc. in the amount of $3,450.00 regarding repairs at the intersection of St. Louis Street and Douglas Street. The Mayor stated this says they did a 12inch point repair and videoed the inspection on Illinois Street. Commissioner Warren made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Chambers. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

15. The next item was approval to pay an invoice from Heartland office supplies in the amount of $3,299.45 for water bill stock for the water department. Commissioner Warren made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Chambers. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

16. The next item was approval to transfer lake lot #28 from Danny and Donna Johnson to Thomas A. Vowell and Kimberly vowell, husband and wife, as tenants by the entirety. Commissioner Warren made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

17. The next item was approval for the Lion's Club to hold their annual Candy Day Fundraiser Roadblock on Friday, October 4, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 5, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the intersection of Route 149 and Highway 37. Commissioner Simpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Warren. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners and Mayor Jordan voted to approve. Motion Carried.

18. Building and sign permits:

N/A

19. Mayor’s comments:

I went to Chicago for the IML Conference. The main discussion this year was the new regulations for cannabis. Several communities have already taken action on this and something that is being discussed. What I can tell you is the fact that illinois has passed recreational cannabis use it becomes legal on january 1st. The proposal is that everybody is accepting it and you have to vote no to opt out of it. The city will have to decide one way or another and if we are going to participate we will have to pass an ordinance to regulate the taxing of it. The city has the ability to add an additional 3 percent sales tax on the sale of cannabis. That will have to be done by council action if the city should choose to participate. There is no need to take action on this right now because there is nothing pending. The only thing we can do is choose to participate or not participate. It is my opinion that before the city would take any action on this I think we should have someway that we can hear the voice of the community. I think we need to know what the people of west frankfort feel. The next thing we talked about was a seminar on codes. I want to thank the city for giving me the opportunity to go up there.

20. Commissioner comments:

Commissioner Harkins stated we had a big fire and the departments did a great job, they always do. We are getting our truck this week and I will be glad when we get the other one back in service.

Commissioner Chambers stated I am so sorry for the house fire and cannot imagine what you are going through. I cannot imagine how you must feel and it breaks my heart for you tam so sorry. I am super glad you are okay and if there is anything you need please let us know. If there is a town to be in to go through something like this I think you are in the right one.

Commissioner Warren stated everything looks great and the guys are doing a good job in the water and sewer department. The ladies in the water department are doing a great job and always friendly to me.

21. Audience questions or comments:

There were several neighbors that voiced their opinions and stated the issues they are having in the neighborhood relating to the house fire. They have asked for something to be done, update ordinances and work together to clean the town up and enforce the codes.

22. Mayor Jordan asked for approval to go into executive session to discuss contract negotiations, personnel, land acquisition and/or pending litigation, with possible action. Commissioner Wimpson made a motion to approve, seconded by Commissioner Harkins. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners along with the Mayor voted yes. Motion Carried. The council went into executive session at 7:29 p.m.

23. The council returned to open session at 8:04 p.m. On a motion by Commissioner Harkins, seconded by Commissioner Simpson. Roll Call Vote: All Commissioners along with Mayor Jordan voted to return to open session. Motion Carried.

24. With no further business to be discussed, the meeting

Was adjourned on a motion by Commissioner Harkins at 8:05 p.m.

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