North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Nov. 22.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Kondritz Called The Meeting To Order. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz Were Present For Roll Call. All Members Were Present In Person At City Hall.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled City Council Meeting Held On Monday, November 8, 2021. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Stated He Had No Business For This Council Meeting.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #001776 To Green Electrical Supply For 12 Street Lamp Lights In The Amount Of $736.32. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz . Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Approve Ordinance #21-09 For A One Way Stop Sign Traveling North On Stotlar At The Intersection Of Taylor Street. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That A Grand Opening For The New Courthouse Is Being Planned. He Stated That The County Has Reached Out To Him And That More Information Will Be Coming In The Coming Months.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #00050 To Ids Applications To Move Benton Pd Lawman Records From West City To Central Dispatch In The Amount Of $6,625.00. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #00049 To Novacom For A New Repeater System And Building In The Amount Of $17,954.94. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Stated That West City Initially Asked For $165,000.00 Per Year For Dispatch Services. The City Of Benton Counter Offered $135,000.00 Per Year For A Two-Year Term. West City Dispatch Counter Offered $135,000.00 For A One-Year Term. Commissioner Storey Stated That Central Dispatch In Christopher, Illinois Has Offered The City Dispatch Services For $120,000.00 Per Year. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Accept The Offer Of $120,000.00 Per Year For Dispatch Services With Central Dispatch. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0. Attorney Tom Malkovich Stated That The Transfer To Central Dispatch Has To Be Made No Later Than 90 Days From November 1, 2021.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve The Hiring Of A 6th Fireman. Motion Died For Lack Of A Second.

Commissioner Storey Presented The Police Union Contract. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Police Union Contract For May 1, 2021 To April 30, 2025 Pending The Treasurer Looking Over The Pay Resolution. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Had No Monthly Bills Or Purchase Orders For This Meeting.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Payroll For November 24, 2021 For The Police And Fire Departments In The Amount Of $45,679.82 And All Other Departments In The Amount Of $43,277.03 For A Total Payroll Of $88,956.85. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated No Action Will Be Taken On Item (C) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Festival Of Lights.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Reopening The Downtown Façade Program. She Stated She Would Like To Set Aside $40,000.00 In Downtown TIF Funds With The Same Rules For The Last Program. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Table Item (D) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Increasing Lake Lot Lease Rental And Transfer Fees. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Has Noticed Some Damage To Capitol Park From Skateboarders. She Stated That She Has Spoken With Our Insurance Agents And Has Been Told If Someone Were To Be Injured, We Are Liable. Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Hang No Skateboarding/Rollerblading/Bike Riding Signs At Capitol Park. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That This Does Help With The City’s Liability If An Injury Were To Happen. A Lengthy Discussion Was Held With Commissioner Messersmith Stating That He Would Rather Say “Not Here, But Maybe Here” As Opposed To Just Saying “No” All The Time. Commissioner Storey Seconded The Motion. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Health Insurance Plan For Calendar Year 2022. Commissioner Storey Asked If This Was Put Out For Bid. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That Not All Insurance Companies Provide This Type Of Insurance. Commissioner Messersmith Seconded Commissioner Garavalia’ S Motion. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 1. Commissioner Storey.

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

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Had Picked Up Three 55-Gallon Bags Of Litter At Twin Oaks And Would Like To See The Litter Stopped. Mayor Kondritz Also Stated That City Hall Has Been Closed Due To Covid, But Would Like To See The Lobby Open Back Up To The Public By December 1, 2021. A Lengthy Discussion Was Held Regarding Whether City Hall Was Closed Because Of Covid Or Because Of Short Staffing. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Get The Interviews Finished And Have A Candidate To Present To The Council No Later Than December 13, 2021. The Council Also Agreed That The Lobby Would Open Back Up For 4 Hours A Day For The Rest Of This Calendar Year And The Plan Will Be To Reopen As Previously Open Pursuant To CDC Guidelines Beginning In January Of 2022.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders For This Meeting.

No Miscellaneous Business.

No Old Business.

No New Business.

In Matters From The Public Audience, Mr. Tom Carter Asked If People Would Be Required To Wear Masks As They Enter City Hall. He Stated That He Had Visited West Frankfort City Hall And He Was Welcomed In And Told He Was Not Required To Wear The Mask There. Mr. Carter Also Stated That West Frankfort Employs 12 Firemen, 12 Police Officers, 5 Street Workers, 3 Sewer Workers, And 3 Water Workers. Mr. Carter Stated That He Believes Not Hiring A 6th Fireman Makes No Sense. Mr. Carter Stated That He Has A Copy Of The West Frankfort Budget For Mayor Kondritz And Will Drop It Off For Him At City Hall. Mr. Carter Also Asked Commissioner Garavalia What The New Premium For The Insurance Would Be. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Have To Get Back To Mr. Carter With The Numbers. Mayor Kondritz Stated That The City Hall Will Request That All Cdc Requirements Be Followed.

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

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