City of Mt. Vernon City Council met Aug. 7.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
The Mt. Vernon City Council held a Regular City Council Meeting on Monday, August 7, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at City Hall, 1100 Main Street, Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/MtVernonIL.
Mayor John Lewis opened the meeting.
Pastor Craig Smith with First Free Will Baptist Church of Mt. Vernon led the Invocation. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
ROLL CALL
Roll call showed present: Council Member Ray Botch, Council Member Donte Moore, Council Member Mike Young, and Mayor John Lewis. Absent: Council Member Joe Gliosci.
PRESENTATION OF JOURNALS
The Journals for the July 17, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting and July 31, 2023 Special City Council Meeting were presented for approval.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Journals as presented. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
None.
APPROVAL OF CONSOLIDATED VOUCHERS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
The Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable were presented to the Council for approval.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to approve the Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable in the amount of $2,101,072.41. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
BIDS AND QUOTES
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented the Bid Results for the Parking Lot Overlay Project at Veterans Park. This is for the northeast parking lot. There were three bidders for this project. Staff recommendation is to award the bid to the low bidder, Jax Asphalt, in the amount of $92,382.81.
| Jax Asphalt | Mt. Vernon, IL | $92,382.81 |
| E.T. Simonds | Carbondale, IL | $101,884.83 |
| Samron | Murphysboro, IL | $140,367.27 |
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to grant permission to accept the Bid Resultsfrom Jax Asphalt for the Parking Lot Overlay Project at Veterans Park in the amount of $92,382.81. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel presented the Bid Results for the Western Gardens Sanitary Sewer Investigation and CIPP Lining Project. There were three bidders for this project. Staff recommendation is to award the bid to the low bidder, SAK Construction, LLC of O’Fallon, MO, in the amount of $951,968.50.
| Visu-Sewer of Missouri | E. St. Louis, IL | $977,474.63 |
| Insituform Technologies USA | Chesterfield, MO | $1,836,056.75 |
| SAK Construction, LLC | O’Fallon, MO | $951,968.50 |
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to grant permission to accept the Bid Results for the Western Gardens Sanitary Sewer Investigation and CIPP Lining Project from SAK Construction, LLC, in the amount of $951,968.50. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
CITY MANAGER
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission for a Street Closure on Logan Street Between Beverly Heights and 26th Street on August 12, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for the Hands Up Summit. Requesting Party: First Free Will Baptist Church. The First Free Will Baptist Church is providing lunches to the attendees of the Hands Up Summit, and they will be crossing Logan Street to get to the Church for lunch. They desire to close the street from their east parking entrance to Beverly Heights Street for the safety of pedestrians crossing the street for lunch and traveling back to the Summit services. Staff recommendation is to approve the street closure. Pastor Craig Smith was present to discuss the street closure. He stated that the Church will be serving 500 lunches to attendees. The Summit will be held in the park at one of the pavilions and they expect pedestrians to cross there and believe this street closure is best for the safety of the attendees.
Council Member Ray Botch motioned to grant permission for a Street Closure on Logan Street Between Beverly Heights and 26th Street on August 12, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the Hands Up Summit. Requesting Party: First Free Will Baptist Church. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel requested permission for a Street Closure on Lamar Avenue between 19th Street and 21st Street on August 12, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the Backpack Giveaway. Requesting Party: Mrs. Spann. Mrs. Spann is changing her backpack giveaway this year and moving it back to her neighborhood. This closure is to accommodate the backpack giveaway on Saturday, August 12. Staff recommendation is to approve the street closure.
Council Member Mike Young motioned to grant permission for a Street Closure on Lamar Avenue between 19th Street and 21st Street on August 12, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the Backpack Giveaway. Requesting Party: Mrs. Spann. Seconded by Council Member Ray Botch. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
CITY ATTORNEY
City Attorney David Leggans presented for First Reading of an Ordinance Adopting Solar Energy Facility Regulations. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel stated that thisis a first reading on changes to City regulations regarding commercial and non-commercial solar projects. This is to define a commercial solar energy facility and a non-commercial solar energy facility. Non-commercial is a solar facility where the energy is going to be used by the person who owns the facility, and the commercial facility is selling solar energy to other people. This establishes setbacks, zoning use, and conditional use for commercial projects in certain zoning for ground mounted solar facilities. FIRST READING ONLY
City Attorney David Leggans presented a Resolution Accepting a Proposal from American Legal Publishing. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel explained that this is a web-based service that will review, host, and codify the City’s Ordinances. This will be used as a “plug-in” on the City’s new website, which gives the City searchable ordinances, notification within the Ordinances of a new Ordinance, definition of terms, cross-reference of Ordinances and index, and the ability to easily search other municipality’s ordinances who use this same service. We reviewed other providers of this service, and this one meets our needs, is simple to use, and affordable. The initial cost will be about $20,000. Subsequent years it is $500.00 annually, plus fees per ordinance submitted and codified.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Resolution Accepting a Proposal from American Legal Publishing. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
City Attorney David Leggans presented a Resolution Authorizing an Agreement for Fountain Place Drive Improvements. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel stated that the City has selected Gonzalez as the engineering company for the Fountain Place project road improvements for the Manner Polymer project. The minimum the City is responsible for is the improvement of the road from the traffic circle to the Manner Polymer property. It is highly probable that this project would qualify for the IDOT Economic Development Grant program for infrastructure. Under this program, a project can qualify for funds based on the job creation of the project it is serving which could be $30,000 per full time equivalent job and no more than 50% of the project. This would mean that the City may be able to improve the dilapidated roads in the Industrial Park from State Route 37 (10th Street), remove the traffic circle and make a four-way stop, improve the storm water management in the area, and improve Industrial Drive to Woodland Drive. The City may be able to do a project that costs up to $1.8 million and the City’s match would be $900,000. In order to see how far this could go and understand the possible costs, Gonzales Companies, LLC has been asked to conduct a study and provide estimates of three scenarios. Under this contract they will also prepare the grant documents and administer the grant, as well as any environmental permits, etc. The cost of this preliminary engineering work is $53,500.00 unless the scope changes.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Resolution Authorizing an Agreement for Fountain Place Drive Improvements. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
MAYOR
Mayor Lewis wanted to remind citizens of the Hands Up Summit on Saturday, August 12 at the Veterans Memorial Park from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Market Days at Veterans Memorial Park from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL
City Council Member Donte Moore wanted to remind citizens that Mrs. Spann’s backpack giveaway is on 19th Street this year. It starts at 10:00 a.m. and lasts until 2:00 p.m.
Also, Council Member Moore stated that the Hands Up Summit is a really good program. It offers a variety of back-to-school, family, educational and legal services. If you have any type of legal questions, attend this program to get your questions answered.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
EXECUTIVE SESSION
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Council Member Mike Young motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Council Member Donte Moore. Yeas: Botch, Moore, Young, and Lewis. Absent: Gliosci.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
https://mtvernon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/08072023-Regular-City-Council-Meeting-.pdf
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