North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Aug. 23.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled Benton City Council Meeting Held Monday August 23, 2021 At 6:00 P.M. At The Benton City Hall, 1403 South Main Street, Benton, Illinois.

Mayor Kondritz Called The Meeting To Order. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz Were

Present For Roll Call, Commissioner Storey Was Absent.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Appoint Coy Cockrum To The Position Of Public Property Commissioner. Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Appointment Of Coy Cockrum To The Position Of Public Property Commissioner. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 3. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Asked Commissioner Cockrum To Come Before The Council To Be Sworn Into Office By Judge Thomas Tedeschi. Commissioner Cockrum Was Sworn In And The Oatii Of Office Was Signed By Judge Tedeschi, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Kondritz Being Attested By City Clerk Brook Craig.

Mayor Kondritz Asked Code Enforcer/Zoning Administrator David Garavalia To Present Item (D) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Tif Agreement With Arkat Properties, Llc. Mr. Garavalia Stated That He Recommended Entering Into A Tif Agreement Of 85% Reimbursement Over The Remainder Of The Life Of The Tif. Mr. Garavalia Stated This Was Approximately 9 Years. Arkat Properties, Llc Built Kathalynas Spine, Sport & Rehabilitation On Church Street. Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Tif Agreement With Arkat Properties, Llc. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Asked Bob Rea Of S.C.D. Rea Insurance To Address The Council Regarding A Cybersecurity Proposal. Mr. Rea Stated That The Application Had Been Filed Out By The City And He Has Submitted This To A Writer. He Stated That There Are Not Many Companies Writing This Type Of Policy For Municipalities At This Time, But That Cincinnati Had Agreed To Do So. The Policy Would Have An Annual Aggregate Limit Of $1,000,000.00 And Would Cover Response Expenses, Computer Attack, Loss Of Business Income, Cyber Extortion, Identity Recovery, Data Compromise Liability, Network Security Liability, And Media Liability. The Premium For This Policy Would Be $4,895.00 Per Year. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Has Been Contacted By Another Company Who Would Also Like The Chance To Bid On A Cybersecurity Policy For The City Of Benton. Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Table This Item Until A Later Date. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4.

Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled City Council Meeting Held On Monday, August 9, 2021. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 3. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0. Commissioner Cockrum Abstained.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Minutes Of The Continued City Council Meeting Of August 13, 2021. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 3. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0. Commissioner Cockrum Abstained.

Commissioner Cockrum Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders For This Meeting And No Lake Lot Lease Transfers.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Advertising For Bids For Ground Storage Repairs. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Process For Hiring Of A Wastewater Treatment Plant Employee. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders For This Meeting, Commissioner Messersmith Stated That Highland Street Next In The Block Next To North Benton Baptist Church Will Be Closed On August 26, 2021 For A Josh Wilson Concert From 5 P.M. To 9 P.M. Commissioner Messersmith Also Stated That He Will Be Closing College Street In The Block Of The Football Field At All Home Football Games. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That The Street Department Will Be Providing The Barricades, But The Parent Football Club Will Be In Charge Of Setting Them Up And Taking Them Down After The Ballgame.

Mayor Kondritz Announced That Commissioner Storey Would Not Be Joining Us For The Meeting As His Family Is Currently Being Affected By Covid 19. Mayor Kondritz Asked For Prayers For The Storey Family At This Time.

In The Absence Of Commissioner Storey, Attorney Thomas Malkovich Stated That The Benton Fire Department Would Like To Enter Into An Intergovernmental Agreement With The State Of Illinois For Use Of The Ibid System. This Motion Was Made By Commissioner Messersmith. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4.

Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Attorney Malkovich Stated That Is Continuing With Union Negotiations For The Police Department,

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Had No Purchase Orders For The Meeting And That She Would Need To Continue The Meeting Until Friday To Approve Bills.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Payroll For The Police And Fire Departments In The Amount Of $42,144.57 And All Other Departments In The Amount Of $61,380.10 For A Total Payroll Of $103,524.67. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Just Wanted To Make Everyone Aware That She Would Be Including A Payment To "Do Your

Ing" For Services. She Stated That This Is In The Budget Already And The Payment Would Be For $1,200.00. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Like The Council To Consider

Increasing This Amount In The Future.

Attorney Malkovich Stated That He Had No Updates For This Meeting.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Had No Updates Or Purchase Orders

For This Meeting. Mayor Kondritz Also Stated That He Would Like To See The Walk-Up Window, Which Has Been Previously Approved, To Be Completed In The Water Department. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Has Met With A Company And Is Awaiting Some Information. I

In Miscellaneous Business, Mayor Kondritz Stated That In Looking At Census Numbers, The City Of Benton's Population Has Been Reduced By 3.9%

No Old Business.

No New Business.

In Matters From The Public Audience, Mr. Tom Carter Stated That He Is Concerned That With The New Payscale The Wastewater Treatment Plant Will Not Be Able To Keep Properly Trained Operators. Mr. Carter Stated That He Felt That Mayor Kondritz Did A Great Job With The Appointment Of Coy Cockrum To The Position Of Public Property Commissioner. Mr. Carter Stated That Other Than Himself. Coy Is The Most Qualified Person For The Job.

Commissioner Messersmitii Made A Motion To Adjourn. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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