North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Oct. 9.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled Benton City Council Meeting Held Monday October 9, 2023 At 5 P.M. In The Benton Municipal Building Located At 1403 South Main Street Benton, Illinois.

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

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve The Minutes Of The Regularly Scheduled Council Meeting Held On Monday September 25, 2023.  Seconded By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Storey Stated That He Had No Pool Adjustments For Approval At This Meeting.

Commissioner Storey Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders For Approval At This Meeting.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve A Lake Lot Lease Transfer Of Lot #32 From Kathleen Meile To Clayton Mace And Maxwell Meile.  Second By Commissioner Cockrum.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve The Hiring Of Cody Williford As A Full-Time Water Department Employee.  Second By Commissioner Cockrum.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 4.  Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 1.   Commissioner Kays.

Commissioner Storey Discussed The Need For Accepting Bids For Hvac Services For The City Of Benton.  Since There Are 5 Properties With Hvac Systems And Not All Current Contracts Are Completed, Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Table This Until All Contracts Have Reached Their End Date.  Second By Commissioner Garavalia.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

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

Commissioner Cockrum Stated That The Wastena Project Is Progressing.  He Stated That They Will Be Putting In Curb Soon.  Commissioner Cockrum Also Stated That Asphalt Will Be Laid In November And Seeding Will Be Done In The Spring.  Commissioner Cockrum Stated That Spani Street Has Been Oil And Chipped In Cooperation With Illini Asphalt.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Had No Purchase Orders, Updates, Or Department Reports For This Meeting.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Like To Approve The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Master Agreement.  In Approving This Agreement, A Resolution And Ordinance Both Would Need To Be Passed.  Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Resolution #23-17 Entering Into The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Master Agreement.  Second By Commissioner Cockrum.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Ordinance #23-14 For The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Master Agreement.  Second By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Would Like To Host A Chili Cook Off Competition Between The Fire And Police Departments.  The Date And Times Are Too Be Decided.  Commissioner Garavalia Made A Motion To Approve Hosting A Chili Cook Off Competition Between The Fire And Police Departments.  Second By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve Payroll Dated 09/29/2023 For General Fund In The Amount Of $84,524.66 And Water And Sewer In The Amount Of $24,998.33 For A Total Of $109,522.99.  Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Cockrum Stated That The Meeting Will Need To Be Continued To Approve Payment Of Bills.

Commissioner Kays Presented Ordinance #23-15 Amending Chapter 38 Utilities, Section 380201, Article Ii – Rates And Regulations To Include Trash In The Penalties On Water Bills.  Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve This Ordinance.  Second By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve Invoice #1 To Brown And Roberts For The Apron Rehabilitation At The Benton Municipal Airport In The Amount Of $17,218.79.  Second By Commissioner Garavalia.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Allow Himself To Look Into The Possibility Of Increasing Lake Lot Fees.  Second By Commissioner Cockrum.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

No Updates From Attorney Malkovich For This Meeting.

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Had No Purchase Orders Or Updates For This Meeting.  Mayor Messersmith Asked Brian Calcaterra To Present Items (C), (D), (E), (F), And (G).

Item (C):  Zoning Administrator Brian Calcaterra Presented A Petition To Vacate A Portion Of Two Streets Made By Timothy A. Cooksey And Lacey M. Cooksey.  Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve This.  Second By Commissioner Garavalia.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Item (D):  Zoning Administrator Brian Calcaterra Presented A Resolution Accepting A Grant From The Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Strong Communities’ Program.  Mr. Calcaterra Stated That This Grant Money Can Be Used For Demolition Of Homes.  Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve Resolution #23-18 Accepting A Grant From The Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Strong Communities’ Program.  Second By Commissioner Garavalia.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Item (E):  Zoning Administrator Brian Calcaterra Stated That He Would Like To Reappoint Victor Shockley To The Zoning And Planning Commissioner For A Two-Year Term.  Commissioner Cockrum Made That Motion.  Second By Commissioner Kays.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Item (F):  Zoning Administrator Brian Calcaterra Stated That He Would Like To Reappoint Garrett Collier To The Zoning And Planning Commission For A Two-Year Term.  Commissioner Garavalia Made This Motion.  Second By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Zoning Administrator Brian Calcaterra Presented The Application For The Special Use Permit Made By Brandon Finke To Contract And Occupy An Existing Single Wide Mobile Home Located At 1100 East Anna Street.  Mr. Calcaterra Asked Mr. Finke If He Would Like To Address The Council.  Mr. Finke Stated That He Knows The Home Needs Repairs And He Would Like To Do Those Repairs While Living In The Home And Possibly In The Future Tear The Home Down And Build A New House.  Mr. Finke Presented The Council With Pictures Of Past Projects He Has Worked On And Also Pictures Of What This Said Property Currently Looks Like.  Mr. Calcaterra Stated That It Was The Recommendation Of The Zoning And Planning Committee To Approve This Special Use Permit.  Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Special Use Permit For Brandon Finke To Contract And Occupy An Existing Single Wide Mobile Home Located At 1100 East Anna Street.  Second By Commissioner Garavalia.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Would Like To Approve A Facility Use Form For Capital Park With A Process Of The Council Reviewing And Approving These Uses.  Mayor Messersmith Stated That The Form Could Be Found In The Council Members Packets.  Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve The Facility Use Form For Capital Park.  Second By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Would Like To Ask The Council For Starter Funding In The Amount Of $10,000.00 To Begin Preparing For The Solar Eclipse On April 8, 2024.  Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Would Like To Have A Concert And Other Activities For Our Citizens.  Mayor Messersmith Also Stated That There Should Be Funds Available To Do This As The Moneys Set Back For The Hamilton Lake Bridge Were Not Used In Total And There Should Be Money In The Budget From Commissioner Kays And Himself Not Attending The Illinois Municipal League Conference Held In Chicago.  Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Give $10,000.00 Towards The Solar Eclipse Weekend.  Second By Commissioner Cockrum.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0. 

Mayor Messersmith Stated That In May The Council Was Presented With Chapter 1 Administration Amendments And It Was Tabled At That Time.  Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Would Like To Bring This Item Back Up For A Vote.  Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Chapter 1 Administration Amendments.  Second By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 3.  Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 2.   Commissioner Kays And Commissioner Garavalia.

No Miscellaneous Business.

In Old Business Commissioner Kays Stated That He Had Zero Issues With The Hiring Of Cody Williford As A Fulltime Water Department Employee.  Commissioner Kays Said He Felt Like The Process To Hire Mr. Williford Was Bad.  Commissioner Kays Stated That It Was Agreed To Hire For This Position On April 24, 2023, But No Further Advertisement Or Applications Were Taken After This Point.  Commissioner Kays Stated That What The Council Did Was Not Illegal, But It Definitely Was Not Clean.  Commissioner Storey Stated That He Believes That If An Employee Of The City Is Part Time, And A Full-Time Position Opens Up, He Believes The Part Time Employee Should Be Allowed To Move Into The Full-Time Position If They Are Interested In It.  Commissioner Storey Stated That If Craig Miles Says Something Is Going To Work, He Believes It Will And That Is Why He Moved Forward With The Hiring Of Mr. Williford.  Commissioner Kays Asked Commissioner Storey What Had Changed As He Was Previously Adamantly Against This Move Before.  Commissioner Storey Stated That Nothing Has Changed.  Commissioner Kays Stated That He Was Arguing Ethics.  Commissioner Kays Also Stated That He Is Very Unhappy With This Hiring Process And Commissioner Storey Stated That He Is Happy With The Hiring Process.  Commissioner Kays Asked Commissioner Storey If He Can Expect Any Further Surprises And Commissioner Storey Replied “Never Know”.

No New Business.

In Matters Of From The Public Audience, Tom Carter Stated That Commissioner Kays Is Correct And Commissioner Storey Is 100% In The Wrong.  Mr. Carter Stated That The Hiring Process “Stinks”.  Mr. Carter Asked The Council If The New Code Enforcement Officer Will Be Part Time And If They Will Be A Male Or A Female.  Mr. Carter Asked Why His Neighbor Had To Pay For Trash Even If He Did Not Want It.  City Clerk Brook Craig Stated That She Had Been Told That A Referendum Was Passed Many Years Ago And That The Passing Of This Referendum Gave Trash To All Residential Customers In The City Limits With The Charge Being Placed On Your Water Bill.

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Continue The Meeting Until Monday, October 16, 2023 To Pay Bills.  Seconded By Commissioner Storey.  Vote Was Taken.  Yeas: 5.  Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Cockrum, And Mayor Messersmith.  Nays: 0.  

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