North Egypt News

City Of Benton City Council Met Jan. 24.

Here Are The Minutes Provided By The Council:

Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled Benton City Council Meeting Held At 6:00 P.M. In The Council Room At 1403 South Main Street Benton, Illinois, 62812.

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, January 10, 2022. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Go Out Of Order On The Agenda And Allow Circuit Clerk Jim Muir To Address The Council. Mr. Muir Stated That The City Council Will Receive An Official Invitation, But He Wanted To Present A “Save The Date” Of Sorts For The Courthouse Dedication. Mr. Muir Stated That The Courthouse Dedication Is April 22, 2022 At 11 A.M. Citizens Will Be Able To Enter The West Side Entrance Of The Courthouse, Be Given A Tour, And Exit Through The Sally Port Where Hotdogs, Burgers, And Other Sandwiches Will Be Served. The Food Is Being Donated By The Local Banks. Mr. Muir Also Stated That That Everyone In Attendance Will Receive A Commemorative Coin And Booklet That Are Being Paid For By Advertising In The Booklet.

Mayor Kondritz Also Asked David Harp To Speak Before The Council. Mr. Harp Stated That The I-57 Interchange Project Is Proceeding Well At This Time.

Commissioner Cockrum Stated That He Had Purchase Orders For This Meeting.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Transfer Of Lake Lot Lease #31 From Linda Musulin To Brett Lohmeyer And Julie Loymeyer. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Preventative Maintenance Agreement Renewal With Evapar For The Generator At City Hall In The Amount Of $650.00. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Qtpod Support Agreement And Annual Cell Plan For The Airport In The Amount Of $1,425.00. This Support Is What Allows The Use Of The “Pay At The Pump” Fuel System. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Advertising For Acceptance Of Mowing Bids For Twin Oaks, Benton Municipal Airport, Benton City Hall, And The Benton Police Department. Commissioner Cockrum Stated That The Water Department Has Mowed The City Hall, Police Department, And Twin Oaks In The Past, But This Year They Will Be Concentrating On Replacing Water Lines Instead. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Saw No Reason To Bid Out The Airport As Last Year’s Mowing Personnel Did An Excellent Job. Commissioner Cockrum Stated That He Felt It Was Only Fair To Bid All Of The Areas That Need To Be Mowed. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 1. Commissioner Garavalia.

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That He Has No Purchase Orders For This Meeting.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Approve A Preliminary Engineering Agreement Between The City Of Benton And Union Pacific Railroad Company For The Watena Street Crossing. Commissioner Messersmith Stated This Is Part Of The Wastena Street Project And Money Has Been Allotted To Cover The Costs Associated. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 1. Commissioner Storey.

Commissioner Messersmith Also Stated That In July Of 2022 The I-57 Expansion Project Will Be Coming Towards Benton, Between Mile Markers 71 And 77.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #00052 To Novacom For A Camera System In The Amount Of $2,574.95 To Be Paid From The Dui Fund. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. 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 The Hiring Of A 6th Fireman. Motion Died For Lack Of A Second. Commissioner Storey Stated That He Believes The City Has The Money To Do This, But We Are Using Our Money In Other Places As Opposed To Where It Should.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Payroll For January 21, 2021 For The Police And Fire Departments In The Amount Of $47,750.99 And All Other Departments In The Amount Of $44,443.91 For A Total Payroll Of $92,194.90. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion That No Additional Covid Benefits Be Paid To City Employees Retroactive To December 31, 2021. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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

Mayor Kondritz Presented Purchase Order #00659 In The Amount Of $900.00 To Purchase A Page In The Franklin County History Society/Courthouse Dedication Booklet. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve This Purchase Order. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 1. Commissioner Storey.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Felt The Security Deposit For Twin Oaks Needed To Be Raised From $100.00 To $200.00 To Cover The Costs Of Cleaning And Repairs. Commissioner Storey Made This Motion. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

In Miscellaneous Business, Commissioner Storey Stated That On Friday, January 28, 2022 At 10 A.M. The City Of Benton Would Cease Dispatch With West City And Begin With Central Dispatch.

No Old Business.

No New Business.

In Matters From The Public Audience, Jeff Shockley Stated That He Felt Not Allowing His Car Shows On The Square Was A Mistake For The City Of Benton. Mr. Shockley Stated That He Had One Show With 68 Cars, Has The Appropriate Insurance, And Has Asked Businesses On The Square If They Mind His Shows. Mr. Shockley Would Like To Have His Car Shows On The 2nd Saturday Of Every Month April Through October From 4 P.M. To 8 P.M. With The Exception Of September, Which Would Be The 3rd Saturday To Not Interfere With The Chamber Car Show. Commissioner Cockrum And Commissioner Messersmith Stated That They Would Do Some Checking With The Businesses Around The Square And Report Back To The Council With Their Findings At The Next Council Meeting.

Tom Carter Stated He Had Some Questions Regarding The Audit. He Stated That The Did Not Believe The Audit Was Accurate As It Showed A $600,000.00 Deficit In The Water And Sewer Departments. City Clerk Brook Craig Stated That The Finance Department Was Aware There Were Some Problems And Meetings Have Been Scheduled With The Auditing Firm To Discuss This And Other Items. Mr. Carter Also Stated That He Would Like To Acknowledge That The County Is $2½ Million Dollars Below Budget On The Courthouse And He Believes They Are Doing A Good Job.

Airport Manager Matthew Harrison Stated That The Previous Mower At The Airport Property Charged $200/00 Per Mow. He Also Reported That The Tree Removal Has Almost Been Completed, The Terminal Has Been Paid Off, And There Were Approximately 2,500 Take Off And Landings That Occurred At The Benton Municipal Airport This Year. Mr. Harrison Also Stated That 20,000 Gallons Of Fuel Were Sold This Year At The Airport And This Produced Approximately A $5,000.00 Profit. Mr. Harrison Stated That The Runway Painting Will Occur In The Spring, A Redo On Runway Lighting Will Be Placed For Bid, And There Is The Possibility Of A Corporate Sized Hanger Being Built And A Runway Extension. Mr. Harrison Announced That The 2nd Saturday Food Truck Fly Ins Went Very Well Last Year And Will Be Done Again This Year. Mayor Kondritz Thank Mr. Harrison For All His Hard Work And Stated That When The Governor And Transportation Secretary Visited The Airport, They Were Very Pleased With All The Updates.

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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