North Egypt News

City of Mt. Vernon City Council met March 26.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The Mt. Vernon City Council called a Special Meeting for Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1100 Main Street, Council Chamber Room, 2nd Floor, Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Due to the absence of Mayor John Lewis, Deputy City Clerk Becky Barbour called the meeting to order. The first order of business was to appoint a Mayor Pro Tem. Motion by Council Member Joe Gliosci to appoint Council Member Donte Moore as Mayor Pro Tem for tonight’s meeting. No other nominations. All were in favor.

Mayor Pro Tem Donte Moore opened the meeting.

ROLL CALL

Roll call showed present: Council Member Joe Gliosci, Council Member Donte Moore, Council Member Mike Young. Absent: Council Member Ray Botch and Mayor John Lewis. Also present: Acting City Manager Nathan McKenna, Finance Director Stephanie Bailey, and Deputy City Clerk Becky Barbour.

VISITORS/CITIZEN’S REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE

No visitors spoke at the meeting.

REVIEW AND DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED 2025-2026 BUDGET

Acting City Manager Nathan McKenna stated that a few updates were made on the project list that was presented at the previous city council meeting. He explained that the City is creating a new Fund 16 which is for the new indoor recreational center. This will be to separate and track the revenue and expenses for the new center.

GENERAL CORPORATE FUND

The General Corporate Fund 01 is the general operating fund for the City departments. The City is proposing revenues of $21,672,127 and $22,651,121 in operating expenditures, leaving a $12,610,201 working fund balance which is approximately 6.7 months of a working fund balance. It is down slightly from last year’s working fund balance. There is a negative balance of $978,994, most of which is contributed to increases of wages and benefits, plus an increase to the pension contribution to the police and fire pensions.

City Council Budget Workshop

MOTOR FUEL TAX

City Council Budget Workshop Wednesday, March 26, 2025

The Motor Fuel Tax Fund 10 – This will have in house and contracted out street projects being paid for from this fund. This leaves $315,380 in the fund for future projects.

The list of projects to be paid from Fund 10 are as follows:

SANITATION FUND

Sanitation Fund 12 – McKenna stated this is the trash service with Republic, ending with a $196,828 working fund balance. One change is with the electronic recycling drive. The drive the City did last time was with a new company and the cost wassignificantly lessso that the City is going to be offering another one this Spring and possibly multiple recycling drives again next year.

REC CENTER FUND

Rec Center Fund 16 – This is for the Rec Center. We have $360,000 that is anticipated coming in from the cannabis tax. This also has the revenue from the bond issue for the construction of the indoor rec center.

TOURISM FUND

Tourism Fund 20 – McKenna stated that this fund has operating expenditures listed including lighting, Christmas decorations, grand opening of Broadway Commons, and expenses for Salute to Freedom celebration. There are increases in advertising with anticipation of the overpass closing, need additional marketing for the area.

C.D.A.P. FUND

C.D.A.P. Fund 21 – This is the housing rehabilitation grant that the City was awarded. The applications have not been opened up yet to start the process. That is done by Crosswalk.

QUALITY OF LIFE/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND

Quality of Life/Economic Development Fund 24 – McKenna stated that this fund started with a working fund balance of $4,464,621. Total revenue with the working fund balance is $10,522,250. The City has $9,795,363 expenses, leaving $726,887. This is a significant drop in the working fund balance, however there are many projects to be paid for by this fund. Some of the projects listed are the Dawson Park playground and parking in the amount of $90,000. This is a project carried over from last year and it will be one of the first ones completed. $660,000 is going to demolish the tennis courts at Veterans Park and redo that area, which includes installing new tennis courts, pickleball courts, and a parking lot. $3,000,000 Streetscape Grant is a grant that the City is applying for with a match of $3,000,000 expense for a downtown project. $75,000 for building and structures is for various improvements potentially at City Hall. $40,000 is for Cusumano ballfield which is for improvements to the concession stand and restrooms. $20,000 for an additional bus shelter. $90,000 is for Harrison and 9th Street to do improvements on the corner of 9th Street to the alleyway on Harrison.

HOME RULE SALES TAX FUND

Home Rule Sales Tax Fund 25 – McKenna stated that this is the fund that is used for most of the City’s capital purchases – equipment. There is $300,000 in the general corporate fund for several of the dilapidated structures acquired for demolition. There is also $100,000 budgeted here for the decision to be made on the Municipal West building or the old Police Station. There is $139,000 for sidewalk repairs on 22nd Street, 13th & Herbert and the area around St. Mary’s School. There is $31,000 for a new park mower, $30,000 for MDT laptop computers for the new police squad cars. $5,000 for a Connex Box for long-term storage for the Police Department. Also requesting $185,000 for a new backhoe, $107,000 for a skid steer with bucket, $50,000 for new tasers for the patrol division, $20,000 to replace a drone, $450,000 for a new street sweeper, $180,000 for a new dump truck, and $365,000 for 5 new squad cars. The $480,000 for traffic signals is for 34th & Veterans. $900,000 for Fountain Place improvements – for roadway improvements. This leaves the Home Rule Sales Tax Fund with a working fund balance of $1,402,366.

PENSION SALES TAX FUND

Pension Sales Tax Fund 26 – McKenna stated that the revenue in the account is $1,277,079 – this is ¼ of the 1% sales tax that the City receives. This fiscal year will end with a working fund balance of $2,820,918 and we are anticipating the next contribution to be $1,657,843. This is a rough estimate and would just depend on the market. This will leave a $2,440,154 working fund balance.

GENERAL CORPORATE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

General Corporate Capital Projects Fund 30 – McKenna stated the City is anticipating this fund ending with a working fund balance of $1,523,466 with an additional $1,365,500 in revenue and $3,458,706 in expenditures leaving a working fund balance of $630,260. Some of the projects in this fund are the antenna replacement once the water tower is complete. This will be relocating the equipment from the old Police Department to the new water tower. Another project is to start the process with an architect for renovation and redesigning the Rolland Lewis Community Building. This also includes replacing the roof on the 12th & Casey building. This fund also includes parking lot overlay for some of the city owned parking lots. There is $2,000,000 under capital improvements that has been in this account for several years. It is potentially for improvements to the City Hall building or a future building.

HEALTH INSURANCE FUND

Health Insurance Fund 40 – McKenna stated this is the self-funded account. We are anticipating ending this budget year with $3,042,090 working fund balance.

CDBG GRANT FUND

CDBG Grant Fund 55 – This is for the various sewer main projects.

WATER FUND

Water Fund 60 – There are two ongoing water main replacement projects, one of which is the water tower. The connection valves is the placement of the three valves on the transmission line. $75,000 is budgeted for the Route 15/45th Street water main replacement that the City has to do prior to the start of the new Exit 95 overpass. There is also $100,000 budgeted to start on the lead service line replacement. The estimate is 700 to 800 that will have to be replaced. There is $3,000,000 budgeted for a new public works building that the City has been talking about. This leaves a working fund balance of $4,168,815.

SEWER FUND

Sewer Fund 61 – McKenna stated that the City is anticipating a $2,316,542 working fund balance at the end of this budget. There are several projects. The $2,339,797 with Veolia is the City’s annual contract. $50,000 is for the purchase of land near the waste water treatment plant. $15,432 for continuing utility easement clearing. There is $180,000 budgeted for Olive and Pavey sewer line. $275,000 for various manhole relining. $100,000 for inhouse materials for sewer. $609,000 for 9th Street cleaning and inspection. This is one that the City has an issue with around 9th Street and 148. This is something that the City has to address and may require the City to reroute that line.

DOWNTOWN TIF FUND

Downtown Tif Fund 71 – McKenna explained there is $300,000 that has been identified toward the Howard & Casey Building that has been in this fund. Everything else has been allocated toward the downtown park project. This leaves a working fund balance of $765,638.

INDUSTRIAL PARK CONSERVATION AREA (WESTSIDE) TIF

Industrial Park Conservation Area (Westside) Tif 72 – McKenna stated that this is one of the TIF funds that the City is working to have extended. There has been three projects in it. This number should should see a significant increase in the revenue coming into it next year, but at this time we do not know what that increase is going to be. The City is currently working with the school districts and other taxing bodies to get their boards approval to support to extend it. This is still in negotiations.

RTE 15/I-57 (EASTSIDE) TIF

Route 15/I-67 (Eastside) Tif 73 – There is not much going into this fund. Drury project is currently the only project in it. This is being used to pay some of the loan for the 44th Street repayment.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

No Executive Session was held.

ADJOURNMENT

Council Member Mike Young motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Council Member Joe Gliosci. Yeas: Gliosci, Moore, and Young. Absent: Botch and Lewis.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:43 p.m.

https://www.mtvernon.com/media/joedkom1/03-26-2025-special-council-meeting.pdf