City of Mt. Vernon City Council Met March 15.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The Mt. Vernon City Council held a Regular City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, 1100 Main Street, Mt. Vernon, Illinois via teleconference due to the Covid-19 Quarantine via GoToMeeting. The Log-In for the meeting is https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/357016389, Call in Number: (872) 240-3212, Access Code: 357-016-389.
Mayor John Lewis opened the meeting.
Pastor Kent Jackson from Family Life Church gave the Invocation.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
ROLL CALL
Roll call showed present: Council Member Ray Botch, Council Member Joe Gliosci, Council Member Donte Moore, Council Member Mike Young, and Mayor John Lewis.
PRESENTATION OF JOURNALS
The Journal for the March 1, 2021 Regular City Council Meeting was presented for approval.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Journal as presented. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
Melissa Starr, representing residents of Stanley Avenue, addressed the City Council and presented a petition signed by the residents regarding traffic issues on Stanley Avenue. They were requesting stop signs be installed and possibly lower the speed limit to 15.
Mayor Lewis stated he would give to Public Works and Engineering to look at intersection. Lewis stated that he believes that ILCS 11-604 of the Illinois Vehicle Code says we cannot set a speed limit lower than 20 mph.
APPROVAL OF CONSOLIDATED VOUCHERS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
The Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable were presented to Council for approval.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to approve the Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable in the amount of $1,004,013.00. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
BIDS AND QUOTES
None
CITY MANAGER
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel asked permission to Seek Qualifications for Updating the City of Mt. Vernon IEPA Waste Water Five Year Plan, Engineering for the Waste Water Project, as well as the 2022 Waste Water IEPA Application. The City has a five-year plan with the IEPA. This is the fourth year of the plan. Next year the plan will be updated to keep all the projects moving forward. The City is seeking qualifications instead of requesting bids. This allows the engineering fees to be eligible for reimbursement under the loan forgiveness.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to grant permission to Seek Qualifications for Updating the City of Mt. Vernon IEPA Waste Water Five-Year Plan, Engineering for the Waste Water Project, as well as the 2022 Waste Water IEPA Application. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel asked permission to Seek Qualifications for Updating the City of Mt. Vernon IEPA Drinking Water Five-Year Plan and Prepare the 2022 and 2023 Cast Iron Water Main Replacement Projects and Submit the IEPA Applications. The City has a five-year plan with the IEPA. This is the fourth year of the plan. Next year the plan will be updated to keep all the projects moving forward. The City is seeking qualifications instead of requesting bids. This allows the engineering fees to be eligible for reimbursement under the loan forgiveness.
Council Member Joe Gliosci motioned to grant permission to Seek Qualifications for Updating the City of Mt. Vernon IEPA Drinking Water Five-Year Plan and Prepare the 2022 and 2023 Cast Iron Water Main Replacement Projects and Submit the IEPA Applications. Seconded by Council Member Ray Botch. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
CITY ATTORNEY
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented for Second Reading of an Ordinance Vacating Undeveloped Streets. This is in the area of Milano Metals property. The streets are located on Castleton, Railway Avenue, part of Fifth Street, and part of Sixth Street. The partial streets are located on the Milano property and have never been treated like public streets. Milano is moving forward with a large expansion and it is important to have ownership and control of this property. Milano Metals will pay a $5,000.00 fee for the vacation of Railway Avenue so that the entire right- of-way will be under the ownership of Milano Metals.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned for adoption of the Ordinance #2021-08, an Ordinance Vacating Undeveloped Streets. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented for First Reading of an Ordinance Authorizing Execution of a Quit Claim Deed from the City of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, to Milano Railcar Services, LLC, for Parcel Numbers: 07-32-505-002, 07-32-505-003 DIV, and 07-32-129-003. The City disclaims any interest in the property which Shapiro Brothers or Milano acquired from the Railroad.
Council Member Mike Young made the motion to suspend the rules and take action on the Quit Claim Deed. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
Council Member Mike Young motioned to approve the Ordinance #2021-09, an Ordinance Authorizing the Execution of a Quit Claim Deed. Seconded by Council Member Donte Moore. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented for First Reading of an Ordinance Authorizing the Transfer of Sanitary Sewer Main and Storm Water Sewer Main, and Authorizing an Agreement Running with Land and Vacation of Easements Between the City of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and Milano Railcar Services LLC. There is a storm sewer and sanitary sewer on the Milano property that serves only the Milano property. The storm sewer begins at their office building, then turns south and remains on their property and goes all the way east to a manhole. From the manhole on, the City will remain the owner. Anything that only serves Milano property will be transferred to them. The storm water sewer main starts at their driveway and goes through their property. The City came to an Agreement with Milano Metals or if any successor owner decides that when they no longer want to maintain the sewer line or abandon the line causing the City to reroute the storm water in that area, Milano will pay 70% of the cost of the reroute.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to suspend the rules to vote on an Ordinance. Seconded by Council Member Ray Botch. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Ordinance #2021-10, an Ordinance Authorizing the Transfer of Sanitary Sewer Main and Storm Water Sewer Main, and Authorizing an Agreement Running with Land and Vacation of Easements Between the City of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and Milano Railcar Services LLC. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented a Resolution Approving the Amended Mt. Vernon Police Department-Jefferson County Multijurisdictional Narcotics Division Interagency Agreement and authorizing the Chief of the Mt. Vernon Police Department to Execute Said Agreement. Under this Agreement, the City and County will share with the forfeiture assets and funds equally (50/50 split), as well as sharing with any other expenses related to the Narcotics Division. Police Chief Trent Page stated that the Sheriff’s Department added one person which changed the equation from 1/3 to 1/2.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to approve the Amended Mt. Vernon Police Department- Jefferson County Multijurisdictional Narcotics Division Interagency Agreement and Authorizing the Chief of the Mt. Vernon Police Department to Execute Said Agreement. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented a Resolution Approving an Agreement Between the City of Mt. Vernon and Round Table Design, Inc. for Professional Services Relating to a New L&N Elevated Water Tank and Authorizing the City Manager to Direct and Execute Said Agreement. This is the next step for the Application to the IEPA for the replacement of the water tower. The Application will also include a number of water lines about 22,000 linear feet. Round Table Design has already designed the water lines. The City is close enough with the State to remove the existing L&N Tower. The City is moving forward with the engineering on a new tower.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to approve an Agreement Between the City of Mt. Vernon and Round Table Design, Inc. for Professional Services Relating to a New L&N Elevated Water Tank and Authorizing the City Manager to Direct and Execute Said Agreement. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
MAYOR
Mayor John Lewis read the following statement:
“I have noticed some chatter about why Mt. Vernon isn't using the housing grants that the governor announced last week. There were several Southern Illinois towns, i.e.: West Frankfort, Marion, Herrin, Carterville, Valier, Sesser, who received awards. I noticed comments such as the grants are overly complicated, or they are very cumbersome. Many people don’t pay much attention to this until they see an awards list from the Governor, and Mt. Vernon isn’t on the list. The fact is that Mt. Vernon participates in these housing rehab grant programs as often as we are allowed to by the law and our staff is very capable in both the writing and application of these grants.
The City of Mt. Vernon has been in the cycle of these housing grants for years. Communities can only apply every other year. Since 2002, the City has received a total of 11 housing rehab grants. We use the CDAP
Housing Rehab Grants, like the ones announced last week, as well as the Illinois Housing Development Authority Grant which is a different program. We currently have an active CDAP housing rehab grant and will not be eligible to apply for another one until the current one is complete. Of course, the execution of this grant was delayed by COVID, but has now been reinstated. Crosswalk Community Action Agency administers the City's housing rehab grants. They are finalizing the applications for this round. However, if you have inquiries, it is not too late for the residents to call Crosswalk to submit an application, but they need to contact Crosswalk as soon as possible.
Since 2002, the City has been awarded 11 housing rehab grants for a total amount of $3,411,882.00, that has been invested in low to moderate-income owner-occupied homes. On average, about $30,000 to $40,000 is invested in each home making improvements, like: new roof, new windows, HVAC, bathroom rehab, flooring, electrical system updates, siding, new porches, etc. depending on the needs of each home.”
Our staff is well aware of these grants and I appreciate all the hard work that they put in to get these types of grants which has resulted in over three million dollars to rehab parts of our City over the last ten years.
CITY COUNCIL
Council Member Donte Moore stated there will be a mobile food market on Saturday, March 20 at City Hall beginning at 10:00 a.m. The last one was very successful. Moore believes there will be 400 boxes available.
Council Member Donte Moore stated that he is working with Rend Lake College on a job market fair to be held on Thursday, April 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. They can help with tuition assistance, offer childcare programs, job placement, trucking program, welding program, etc.
Council Member Mike Young spoke about a leak found recently in an isolated area that had been reported to him by a friend. This is the second time a friend has contacted him regarding a water leak. Young wanted the public to know that it is important to report leaks if they find one so that the City can investigate and fix the problem.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
None.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Council Member Joe Gliosci motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, Lewis.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:27 p.m.
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