North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Sept. 12.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Kondritz Called The Meeting To Order. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz Were Present For Roll Call.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve The Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled City Council Meeting Of August 22, 2022. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Asked Commissioner Storey To Present First At The Meeting.

Commissioner Storey Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders And No Department Reports For This Meeting.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Hiring Justice Purdie As A Full-Time Police Officer. Second By Commissioner Messersmith.

Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Messersmith, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Asked Attorney Malkovich To Handle Item (D) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Sro Contracts With Benton Consolidated Community School District 47, K-4 And 5-8. Attorney Malkovich Stated That He And Chief Funkhouser Had Written Intergovernmental Agreements With The Benton Consolidated Community School District 47 For Two Student Resource Officers, One For K-4 And One For 5-8. Attorney Malkovich Stated That Each Council Member Had Received A Copy Of These Agreements In Their Packets And Would Like To Have A Motion To Approve These. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve The Intergovernmental Agreement With The Benton Consolidated School District 47 For K-4. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve The Intergovernmental Agreement With The Benton Consolidated School District 47 For 5-8 Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Asked Officer Jeremy Watkins To Address The Council Regarding Item (E) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Purchasing A K9. Officer Watkins Stated That He Has Felt For A While That The Benton Police Department Would Benefit From Having A K9 On Staff Again. He Stated That With The Changes To The Police Reform That Will Go Into Effect On January 1, 2023, A K9 Would Be Useful In Searching Of Vehicles. Officer Watkins Stated That The Previous K9 Was An Attack Dog And The Dog That The Department Is Looking Into At This Time Would Be A Sniffer Dog. Officer Watkins Stated That He Would Be Responsible For The K9 And Therefore Would Switch From His Current Shift To A Power Shift. He Would Be On Proactive Patrol And There Would Be Little To No Overtime In His Position. Approximately $17,000.00 Would Be Needed In Order To Purchase The New K9 And Officer Watkins Stated That He Feels The Department Could Raise Majority Of The Funds Through Grants, Donations, And Fundraisers. Officer Watkins Stated That It Would Cost The City Approximately $2,500.00 A Year, After The First Year, In Order To Feed, House, And General Taking Care Of The K9. Officer Watkins Stated That He Would Like To Ask The Council For Permission To Begin The Process Of Raising The Funds For The K9 With The Hopes Of Being Able To Acquire The K9 In May Of 2023. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Starting The Process Of Raising Funds For A K9 In The Benton Police Department. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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

Mayor Kondritz Asked Rob Weilt With Age (Affordable Gas And Electric) To Speak With The City Council On Aggregation For City Owned Electric Accounts. Mr. Weilt Stated That The City’s Current Aggregation Program For City Owned Accounts Will Not Expire Until January Of 2024, However, With The Recent Spike In Electric Rates And The Fact That It Does Not Appear Costs Will Lower Much In The Future And Probably Only Go Higher, Mr. Weilt Would Like The Council To Discuss Allowing Age To Sign The City With A New Rate. No Action Was Taken At This Time.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That It Was The Time Of The Year When The City Council Needed To Set Trick Or Treating Hours. With Halloween Falling On A Monday Evening, Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Set Official Trick Or Treating Hours For Saturday October 29, 2022 From 5 P.M. To 8 P.M. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Trick Or Treating Hours For Saturday, October 29, 2022 From 5 P.M. To 8 P.M. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nay

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Table Item (E) Discussion And/Or Approval For Acquiring Appraisal Of Land Approximately 28 Acres Lying South Of The Wastewater Treatment Plant And South Of The I-57 Airport Business Park For Potential Sale And Development. Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Table This Item. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve A Lake Lot Lease Transfer For Lot #110 From William G. Tennison And Shirley A. Tennison To Christy Langford. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve A Lake Lot Lease Transfer For Lot #152 From Phillip Bartley Durham To Robin Smith And Ben Smith. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Cockrum Stated That He Would Like To Give A Verbal Department Report. Commissioner Cockrum Stated That His Department Has Been Busy Boring On Iowa Street And Installing New Lines In Addition To Fixing Leaks And Other Daily Duties.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Design/Engineering Of Industrial Park Ii Watermain Extension Stating That This Will Be Paid From The Ijrl Tif Funds. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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

Commissioner Messersmith Gave A Verbal Department Report. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That The Milling And Overlay Project On South Mcleansboro Street And A Portion Of Joplin Street Was Underway. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That This Project Would Be Completed In The Next Few Days And Then Striping Will Be Set For The Next Week. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That The Street Sweeper Is Currently Out Of Commission, But Parts Have Been Ordered And Once They Arrive Street Sweeping Will Commence. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That The Bchs Homecoming Parade Will Take Place On Friday, September 16, 2022, At Approximately 1:30 P.M. The Parade Will Begin At The High School And Go West On East Main Street, And End Around The Public Square.

Commissioner Messersmith Made A Motion To Table Item (C) Discussion And/Or Approval Of Designating The New Playground On Grand Street As A Park. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Hiring A Full-Time Employee. Commissioner Storey Stated That This Employee Will Actually Be A Water Department Employee, But Will Be Loaned To The Street Department At Time. The Employee To Be Hired Is Kevin Sample. Second Y Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

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

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Pay Monthly Bills Dated September 12, 2022 In The Amount Of $360,501.79. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Payroll Dated September 2, 2022 For The General Fund In The Amount Of $62,357.41 And For The Water And Sewer Department In The Amount Of $25,082.39 For A Total Payroll In The Amount Of $87,439.80. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Felt Like The Break Room At City Hall Needed Some New Chairs As Well As A Couple Tales Were Needed At The Airport Terminal. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That The Hospital Was Getting Rid Of Some Furniture And She Could Acquire It All For $200. Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Purchasing The Chairs For City Hall And Chairs And Tables For The Airport Terminal. Second By Commissioner Messersmith. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Messersmith, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That The Benton Area Volunteers Group Has Been Formed And Will Be Helping With Festivals And Decorating Of The City For Events. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That The Next Meeting For This Group Will Be At The Benton Public Library On Tuesday, September 13, 2022, From 6-7 P.M. Attorney Malkovich Reminded The Council That If Multiple Council Members Attend The Meeting, No City Business Is To Be Discussed.

Attorney Malkovich Stated That He Had No Further Items For Discussion At This Meeting.

In Miscellaneous Business, Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Had Just Signed The Paperwork With The Engineers And Idot Department Of Aeronautics To Lay Asphalt At The Airport. Mayor Kondritz Stated That There Was Some Property On North Main In Front Of Betty Aiken And David Mccollum’s Properties That Needs To Be Taken Care Of By The Street Department. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That Mayor Kondritz Should Have Called Him And Let Him Know There Was An Issue So That It Could Be Resolved. Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Had Spoken To Public Works Director Craig Miles About This And That He Had Not Handled The Situation. Mayor Kondritz Also Stated That This Needs To Be Taken Care Of As Soon As Possible. Mayor Kondritz Also Stated That No One Has Been Mowing The City Owned Property At Industrial Park Ii That Houses The Sign. Mayor Kondritz Stated That At This Time There Are Weeds That Are Waist High And It Is An Embarrassment. Mayor Kondritz Stated That His Final Commend Under Miscellaneous Business Was That The Roads On Whisper Way, Near His Home, Are Disintegrating With Grass Growing In The Roads. Mayor Kondritz Stated That Homeowners Either Have To Mow The Road (As He Does), Spray Weed Killer, Or Pull The Weeds Which Ends Up Pulling The Roadway Up As Well. Commissioner Messersmith Stated That He Would Look Into This.

No Old Business.

In New Business, Commissioner Storey Stated That Tonight, Before The Meeting, A Call Was Received By The Police Department About A Potential Drug Deal Happening. Commissioner Storey Stated That Unfortunately The Officer On Shift Was Already At A Call And Could Not Go. Commissioner Storey Stated That We Are Going To Have To Hire More Officers.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Wanted To Thank The Fire Department For Helping With The Flags, Banners, And Buntings Around Town For Patriot Day. Commissioner Garavalia Also Wanted To Thank Greg Baker From The Benton Area Volunteers For Putting The Buntings Up At Capital Park. 4

In Matters From The Public Audience, Tom Carter Stated That In 1983 The City Hired A Man Named Eddie Frost. He Was A Water Department Employee, But Worked In The Street Department. Mr. Carter Stated That The Street Department Paid The Water Department Back For Wages.

Carter Also Questioned The Council On The New Water Lines Being Run To Industrial Park Ii. Commissioner Cockrum Stated That With The New Business Being Opened In Industrial Park Ii, There Will Be A Great Demand For Water And This Will Help Provide That. Mr. Carter Asked If The Leak Under I-57 Caused An Issue With The Waterlines Already Running To Industrial Park Ii. Commissioner Cockrum Stated That The New Lines Will Be Bigger Lines.

Carter Asked If The Airport Owned Land That Is Potentially Going To Be For Sale Is Under A Grant. Matthew Harrison Stated That This Is Being Looked Into. Mr. Carter Also Asked If The Filing Cabinets At The Airport Containing Deeds Had Ever Been Brought To City Hall. Mr. Harrison Stated That They Had Not. Mr. Carter Suggested That The City Ask Someone Like David Garavalia To Look Into These.

William Mcpherson Asked About The Demolition Grant That Was Acquired By The City In 2021. Attorney Malkovich Stated That Brian Calcaterra Is Keeping Track Of This.

Airport Manager Matthew Harrison Stated That The Airport Fly Ins Have Ended For The Year. He Stated That Only One Had To Be Canceled For Weather This Year And He Feels That They Were A Great Success. Mr. Harrison Stated That Fuel Sales Are Currently Down, But That With The Price Of Fuel In Illinois Currently It Is Hard To Stay Competitive. Mr. Harrison Stated That All The Hangars Are Full And There Is A Waiting List With Five Names On It For Hangars At This Point.

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