City of Mt. Vernon City Council Met May 3.
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. Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/MtVernonIL
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.
Council Member Mike Young 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 Journals for the April 16, 2021 Council Workshop, the April 19, 2021 Regular City Council Meeting, and the April 23, 2021 Special Council Meeting were presented for approval.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Journals as presented. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
None.
APPROVAL OF CONSOLIDATED VOUCHERS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
The Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable were presented to Council for approval.
Regular City Council Meeting Monday, May 3, 2021
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to approve the Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable in the amount of $1,128,129.15. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
SWEARING IN OF NEW COUNCIL
Mayor John Lewis introduced Deputy City Clerk Becky Barbour to conduct the swearing in of newly re-elected Mayor John Lewis, City Council Member Paul Michael Young and City Council Member Joe Gliosci.
APPOINTMENT AND SWEARING IN OF CITY CLERK
Mayor John Lewis presented for the advice and consent of the City Council, the Appointment of Mary Jo Pemberton as City Clerk of the City of Mt. Vernon, IL to begin May 3, 2021 for a four year term.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to accept the Appointment of Mary Jo Pemberton as City Clerk of the City of Mt. Vernon, IL to begin May 3, 2021 for a four-year term. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
Mayor John Lewis introduced Deputy City Clerk Becky Barbour to conduct the swearing in of Appointed City Clerk Mary Jo Pemberton.
BIDS AND QUOTES
None.
CITY MANAGER
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Seek Bids on the Easement Clearing Project. This is to continue work on the water and sewer by getting remote easements cleared.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to grant permission to Seek Bids on the Easement Clearing Project. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Waive Bidding Procedures and Purchase Three Police Interceptor SUV’s Through the Illinois Bid Buy Procurement System. The City purchased three last year, cycling them, and plan to buy three each year. This is eliminating the Chargers and replacing them with Interceptors. These are 2022 models. This is from the 1% sales tax for equipment.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to grant permission to Waive Bidding Procedures and Purchase Three Police Interceptor SUV’s Through the Illinois Bid Buy Procurement System. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Bid Manhole Relining for the 2021- 2022 Project. The City has budgeted $125,000.00 for manhole relining. This will continue the sewer collection system improvement and will reline about 70 manholes.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to grant permission to Bid Manhole Relining for the 2021- 2022 Project. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Seek Requests for Qualifications for Shiloh Drive Improvements. This is for the Engineering. The City has received funds from Rebuild Illinois. This has been approved by IDOT. This would be for improvements on Shiloh Drive from Magnum Steel to Northeast Lake Terrace.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to grant permission to Seek Requests for Qualifications for Shiloh Drive Improvements. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Seek Requests for Qualifications for Veteran’s and Exit 94 Structural Repair. This is for Engineering. This is a project the City is doing through Rebuild Illinois funds. The bridge is separating from the road, it is a structural problem, and the City is responsible for repairing that. This has been approved by IDOT.
Council Member Joe Gliosci motioned to grant permission to Seek Requests for Qualifications for Veteran’s and Exit 94 Structural Repair. Seconded by Council Member Donte Moore. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Seek Bids for Engineering for Traffic Signals at Veteran’s Memorial Drive and S. 45th Street.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to grant permission to Seek Bids for Engineering for Traffic Signals at Veteran’s Memorial Drive and S. 45th Street. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission to Waive Bidding Procedures for the Purchase of a Generator to be Installed at Eagle Court. This is for the water tower storage tank at Eagle Court. This is to improve how the City can respond in the case of an emergency. The company will install and maintain the generator.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to grant permission to Waive Bidding Procedures for the Purchase of a Generator to be Installed at Eagle Court. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission for a Street Closure on the First Friday of Each Month from May through October 2021 for Jordan Street Between 10th Street and 12th Street from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for a Car Show. Requesting Party: Kingsmen Auto Club. The Kingsmen Auto Club has spoken to the local businesses in the area. The recommendation is to approve the street closure.
Council Member Mike Young motioned to grant permission for a Street Closure on the First Friday of Each Month from May through October 2021 for Jordan Street Between 10th Street and 12th Street from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for a Car Show. Requesting Party: Kingsmen Auto Club. Seconded by Council Member Donte Moore. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
CITY ATTORNEY
City Attorney David Leggans presented for First Reading an Ordinance Prohibiting Parking on 45th Street. This is in the area of Thrive. There is no accommodation for parking on either side of the street. The business has been contacted and they are looking for alternatives to accommodate the problem. The recommendation is to restrict the parking on the shoulders and to place no parking signs there. By passing the Ordinance, it would give officers the authority to enforce the no parking on both sides of 45th Street.
Council Member Donte Moore made the motion to suspend the rules and take action on the Ordinance, an Ordinance Prohibiting Parking on 45th Street. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve Ordinance #2021-19, an Ordinance Prohibiting Parking on 45th Street. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, and Lewis.
City Attorney David Leggans presented for First Reading an Ordinance Amending Section 16.7(m) Regarding a Sewer Rate Increase. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel stated this has been discussed in an earlier Budget Workshop and Council Meeting. The recommendation is to increase the sewer rate by 5%. This will also revoke the Ordinance that was passed last year to increase the rate by 5% that was not implemented because the Governor had not lifted his Executive Order.
First Reading was held.
MAYOR
Mayor John Lewis read the following statement:
“To start with, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the voters of Mt. Vernon. I am immensely grateful to my wife Pam, family, friends, and supporters. I am honored and humbled that you have again placed your trust in me. Not only am I thankful for your support, but also for all the candidates who offer to serve their communities and seek solutions for public problems. It is not easy to put oneself out there in such a public forum, so I give credit to those with the initiative to do so.
This Council has gotten a lot accomplished over the last 4 years. We cannot forget the contributions the last 4 years by former Councilman Jeff May and former Councilman Jim Rippy. All of our promises were completed in the first 18 months. We started at a time when the City was experiencing a downturn in sales tax revenue and many financial issues. We have gotten this City on a good financial footing. We have been able to expand and build our tax base so that no increases were needed from the taxpayer for operations. Much of this planning and vision takes many years. We have worked on Loves for over 3 ½ years. A couple of years for Quick Trip and quite a while on Rural King. You have seen quite an expansion at the 94 exit with Culvers and Mach 1. 7th Street is open which they said could not be done, the old Park Plaza is now demolished, the United States Post Office was moved to a new location and after 3 years of work, exciting things will be happening in the redevelopment of that area. After 4 years of planning, we are now seeing these dead-end roads being addressed on the west side. The new connector between Potomac and Davidson has started and 44th Street south is going to break ground this Spring heading south towards Mateer, Ilbery and Heritage Road. Veterans Park lake, after decades of neglect, is being addressed as well as the JC Lake area. Numerous improvements have been made at the Aquatic Zoo and Lincoln Park. Ordinances are constantly being looked at to bring them up to today’s standards and technology. Our billing office was remodeled, and credit card machines installed. While many communities around us are struggling with their aging infrastructure, this City put a plan in place to address those needs. Other cities are spending huge amounts of monies in overtime trying to keep up with the leaks with no money left to actually address the root of the problem which is replacing that infrastructure. This City has cut leaks from as many as 60 per month to as low as a couple a month, resulting in a drastic reduction in overtime, all because of the amount of piping we have been replacing. While I fully understand we cannot please everyone with our decisions, I can promise you your voice will be heard. No side will get everything they want, but we will try and strive for a compromise in which everyone gets some of what they want. In that vein, we brought back manufactured homes, so our citizens had options, opened up alcohol which precipitated the investment of a new Aldi in our community as well as spurring other businesses taking an interest in investing here. We have attempted to greatly enhance the quality of life in the south and east sections of the city by installing brighter LED streetlights, clearing, and cleaning alleyways and installing more than 70 cameras, which have provided tremendous results in our criminal enforcement. We have had more than 60 projects going at one time and all this has been accomplished even though this community endured 2 major water disasters and an ongoing pandemic lasting more than a year. Along with the dedication of this Council, we have been successful only because of the quality of the staff and employees we have in this City that figure out the nuts and bolts to get it done. We always welcome, invite and seek any of the public’s thoughts on moving this city into the future.
Now the work continues. Again, THANK YOU!!!”
CITY COUNCIL
Council Member Ray Botch thanked Mayor Lewis and City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel for their leadership.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
None.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Council Member Joe Gliosci motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Council Member Donte Moore. Yeas: Botch, Gliosci, Moore, Young, Lewis.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:33 p.m.
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