North Egypt News

City of Benton City Council met Oct. 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Messersmith Called The Meeting To Order And Directed Roll To Be Call. Commissioner

Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, 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 23, 2024 At 5 P.M. In The Campbell Building Located At 901 Public Square In Benton, Illinois. Seconded By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Had No Purchase Orders For Approval At This Meeting. Under Updates, Commissioner Garavalia Stated That The Repairs To The Police Department Have Finally Been Completed. Commissioner Garavalia Also Stated That She Is Still In The Process Of Obtaining Bids For 1403 South Main Street.

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

Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve A Pool Adjustment For 401 East Bond. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0. Commissioner Kays Abstained.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #00421 To S&S Muffler For 2 Front Tires, Mounted And Balanced, For The Pumper Truck In The Amount Of $1,190.98. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken: Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve The Hiring Of Dylan Palmer As A Probationary Full-Time Firefighter Off The Current Eligibility List. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0. Mayor Messersmith Then Swore Mr. Palmer In As A Firefighter.

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve Payroll For The General Fund In The Amount Of $81,489.14 And The Water And Sewer Fund In The Amount Of $22,025.93 For A Total Payroll Of $103,515.04. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve Monthly Bills From Downtown Tif In The Amount Of $515.91, MFT In The Amount Of $9,472.91, And The Ap Fund In The Amount Of $399,930.37 For A Total Amount Of $409,403.28 To Be Paid On 10/14/2024. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Approve A Year End Stipend For All Full Time Employees Of A $50.00 Save A Lot Gift Card. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Stated That He Believed The Council Needed To Think About Giving A Year End Stipend To The Paid On Call Firefighters As Well.

City Attorney Malkovich Stated That The City And The Police Department Union Have Reached A Tentative Agreement. Attorney Malkovich Asked For A Motion To Table Approve Of The Union Negotiations At This Time. Commissioner Kays Made A Motion To Table Police Department Union Negotiations. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Under Updates For Public Affairs, Mayor Messersmith Stated That Work Has Begun On Malkovich Park, The Work In The Northeast Municipal Parking Lot Has Been Completed, And Fall-O-Ween Will Be Happening At Capital Park This Coming Saturday, October 19, 2024.

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Needed A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #00851 To Linkdin For A 12 Month Premium Subscription In The Amount Of $959.88 That Was Submitted By Brian Calcaterra For Economic Development. Mayor Messersmith Stated That This Would Allow Mr. Calcaterra To Be Able To Connect With Businesses That May Want To Come Into Our Community. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Purchase Order #00851 To Linkdin In The Amount Of $959.88. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Needed A Motion To Approve The Application For A Zoning Change For The Property Located At 328 South Main Street. Zoning Administrator Brian Calcaterra Stated That He Recommended Approving This Application As The Zoning Is Contiguous And Not Spot Zoning. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve The Application For A Zoning Change For The Property Located At 328 South Main Street. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Needed A Motion To Approve The Council Resolution Of Support For The CDAP Grant. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve Resolution #24-09. Second By Commissioner Cockrum. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

Mayor Messersmith Stated That He Needed A Motion To Approve The Resolution Of Support And Commitment Of Local Funds For The CDAP Grant. Commissioner Cockrum Made A Motion To Approve Resolution #24-10 A Resolution Of Support And Commitment Of Local Funds For The CDAP Grant. Second By Commissioner Garavalia. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 5. Commissioner Cockrum, Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Kays, Commissioner Garavalia, And Mayor Messersmith. Nays: 0.

In Miscellaneous Business, Mayor Messersmith Asked Patrick Greenacre And Kendra Shaw From Berwyn Shops To Give A Presentation. They Gave An Overview Of The Berwyn Shops And Berwyn Boutiques Project They Began In Berwyn, Illinois. Mr. Greenacre And Ms. Shaw Showed The Council Pictures, Discussed The Process Of Picking Tenants, And Went Through Costs To Complete Their Project. Mayor Messersmith Stated That He And Brian Calcaterra Have Been Looking Into Doing A Project Like This For The City Of Benton.

Also In Miscellaneous Business, Commissioner Kays Stated That The Benton Community Park Recently Underwent An I Park Inspection. He Stated That He Was Happy To Report That The Community Park Received A “100”. Commissioner Kays Stated That This Is Unheard Of. He Stated That Even Though The Park Does Not Belong To The City, It Is A Jewel For Benton And He Hears A Lot Of Compliments On How Nice The Community Park Is.

No Old Business.

No New Business.

In Matters From The Public Audience, A Gentleman, Who Did Not Reveal His Name To The Council, Stated That He Had Recently Received A High Bill From The Water Department. This Gentleman Stated That He Usually Receives A Bill Close To $90.00, But This Bill Was For $358.00. This Gentleman Stated That No One From The Water Department Called To Let Him Know He Had A Leak. He Stated That There Was No Sewer Used With This Leak As It Was Eventually Found In His Yard And He Doesn’t Understand Why The City Offers No Adjustment For This, But Does Offer Adjustments For Filling Swimming Pools. This Gentleman Stated That Because Of This Leak, He Had To Have His Yard Excavated And It Ended Up Costing Him $5,100.00 To Fix This.

Also, In Matters From The Public Audience, Mr. Tom Carter Addressed The Council. Mr. Carter Stated That Our Metering System For The City Of Benton Is Terrible. Mr. Carter Also Asked The Council Where We Are On Paying Off The Sewer Plant. Mr. Carter Stated That He Would Like To Know How Long The Citizens Of Benton Will Be Charged The High Rates. Commissioner Kays Stated That He Does Not Have The Exact Number For Paying Off The Sewer Plant, But He Will Have This Number For The Next Meeting. Mr. Carter Asked Where The City Is On The Costs For Repairing 1403 South Main Street. Commissioner Garavalia Stated That She Has Not Received All The Bids/Proposals Back At This Time. Mr. Carter Asked Commissioner Cockrum If Sewer Adjustments Will Change To Include Leaks At The First Of The Year. Commissioner Cockrum Stated That The Council Is Looking Into This.

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

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