North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Feb. 14.

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, January 224, 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 City Engineer Rodney Potts To Address The Council. Mr. Potts Stated That Any Time The Municipality Is Dealing With Federal Money, A Certain Criterion Must Be Followed. Mr. Potts Stated That A Qbs Policy Must Be Passed As Well As Rfq For The Wastena Street Project. Mr. Doug Cime From Hansen Professionals Accompanied Mr. Potts And Stated That His Company Has Been In The Process Of Obtaining Easements For The Wastena Street Project. Mr. Cime Stated That 21 Offers Have Been Given At This Time. There Are 8 Signed Easements, 2 That Are In Agreement And Waiting To Sign, And There Are 11 Pending And In Negotiations.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Approve The Various Various Qbs Policy For The Wastena Street Project. Mr. Potts Stated That This Has To Be Done Every 5 Years And That Since It Was A Various Various Qbs, It Is Good For Any Project Done With Federal Funds For The Next 5 Years. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. 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 Release Of Rfq For The Wastena Street Project. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders For This Meeting.

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

Commissioner Cockrum Asked Attorney Malkovich To Discuss Item (C) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Amending Lake Lot Lease Language. Attorney Malkovich Stated That The City Had Been Approached And Asked To Change The Language In The Lease To Only Being Able To Terminate A Lake Lot Lease For Nonpayment Of Rent. Attorney Malkovich Stated That The Council Had The Right To Change This Language Or Make No Changes At All. No Motion Was Made From The Council On This Item.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Rewiring Of The Street Barn And To Get Prices For This To Be Done. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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

Commissioner Messersmith Stated That A Discussion Has Been Held Regarding Parking On East Main Street. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That He Would Like To Wait Until Construction Of The Courthouse Is Completed Before A Decision Is Made On Parking.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Table Item (C) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Resolution For Closing The Square For The Franklin County Courthouse Dedication. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messermith Made A Motion To Approve Resolution #22-01 For Closing The Square For The Rend Lake Water Parade. Seconded By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Allow The Monthly “Cruise” Series Put On By Mr. Jeff Shockley To Take Place In The Parking Spots On The South And South East Sections Of The Square From Malkovich Park To Café Bloom, And If Needed The Use Of Capitol Park. This Motion Was Seconded By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Allow Himself To Approach The County For Cares Funding To Repair Infrastructure And Sidewalks Around The Square. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. 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 #00367 To Evapar For Emergency General Repair In The Amount Of $649.50. 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 Ordinance #22-01 Authorizing Lateral Hiring In The Police Department. 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 The Hiring Of A 6th Fireman. Motion Died For Lack Of A Second.

Commissioner Storey Stated That The Move Of Dispatch Has Gone Very Well And That He Feels The Service Is Better Than What West City Provided.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Bills In The Amount Of $378,325.96. 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 To Approve Payroll For February 4, 2022 For The Police And Fire Departments In The Amount Of $48,439.82 And All Other Departments In The Amount Of $40,498.95 For A Total Payroll Of $89,388.77. 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 Approve Payroll For February 18, 2022 For The Police And Fire Departments In The Amount Of $59,688.52 And All Other Departments In The Amount Of $50,739.00 For A Total Payroll Of $110,427.52. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That This Total Includes Police Department Backpay In The Amount Of $15,108.94. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Asked Police Chief Mike Andrews To Speak On Item (C) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Salary Adjustment For The Position Of Police Department Administrative Assistant. Chief Andrews Stated That He Will Be Retiring This Year And He Would Like To Give His $5,000.00 Stipend For Computer Crimes Investigator To Be Given To Christine Kraft. Chief Andrews Stated That Christine Has Been With The City For 12 Years And Has Been Handed A Lot Of New Duties With The New Police Reform And He Believes She Deserves A Salary Increase. Chief Andrews Stated That He Would Like To See Mrs. Kraft Receive A $7,000.00 A Year Raise. Chief Andrews Stated That This Would Take Mrs. Kraft’s Salary To $43,900.00 A Year. Commissioner Storey Stated That Mrs. Kraft Is Very Good At Her Job And Always Appears Busy When He Is In The Police Department. Commissioner Storey Stated That He Believes She Deserves What Chief Andrews Has Proposed. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Is Not Prepared To Vote On This At The Current Meeting And Would Like A Chance To Run The Numbers Before The Vote. Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Table This Item Until The Next Meeting. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. 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 Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders For This Meeting.

Mayor Kondritz Asked For A Motion To Prepare A Resolution For Sale Of Surplus City Owned Real Estate. Commissioner Messersmith Made This Motion. 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 Increase Security Measures At All City Owned Properties. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Seek Bids For Fencing Of The Street And Water Properties As Well As Installation Of Cameras At All City Owned Properties. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

No Action Was Taken On Item (E) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Feasibility Study For Solar Power For City Properties.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Appoint A Committee Of Craig Miles, Lee Messersmith, And Rodney Potts To Research Solar Power For City Owned Properties. Commissioner Cockrum 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.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Table Item (G) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Special Use Permit For Dorothy Voice To Possess A Single Wide Mobile Home Already Placed On Brown Street. Commissioner Cockrum Made This Motion. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. 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 A Motion Allowing An Ordinance To Be Drafted For Requirements For Issuance Of Building Permits. Commissioner Cockrum Made This Motion. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Under Miscellaneous Business, Commissioner Cockrum Stated That He Is Looking Into Having A Drive Thru Window Placed In The Water Department.

No Old Business.

No New Business.

In Matters From The Public Audience, Mr. Tom Carter Asked If The Auditors Have Responded To The City’s Questions. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That An In-Person Meeting Has Been Scheduled. Lennie Shelton, Director Of The Benton/West City Area Chamber Of Commerce, Stated That She Appreciates All That The City Does For The Chamber And Their Events.

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

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