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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-23-06 Mechanical Committee Minutes MECHANICAL COMMITTEE TUESDAY May 23, 2006 – 6:30 p.m. Mayor Heinze called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Those in attendance: Aldermen Joe Berardi, Jim Hartford, Craig West, Kevin Meade, Eric Schenck, Rick Reed. Alderman Sarff and Alderman Carl were absent. Others in attendance: Mayor Rodney W. Heinze, City Clerk Nancy Whites, City Treasurer Kathleen Luker, City Attorney Chrissie Peterson, Interim Police Chief William Doster, Wastewater Treatment Supt. Joe Carruthers, Water Treatment Supt Greg Pollitt, Street & Garbage Supt. George Spahn, Zoning Officer Clark Wilson, Joe Ginger Video Services. Those in the audience was news media Daily Ledger John Froehling, Democrat Publishing Bill Mitchell, WBYS Radio Mark Bixler. Public Safety & Traffic Alderman Eric Schenck, Chairman Police Report. Interim Police Chief William Doster highlighted the report of page 2. On the criminal arrest he listed the kinds of arrests. Bill said he would also be getting together a map of traffic accidents. Alderman Schenck asked if the map of traffic accidents would be given out each month or quarterly? Bill said would be monthly and yearly. Police Report. Fire Chief John Stanko was absent due to a fire. Alderman Schenck th reported that in John’s report for April 17, Lieutenant Tom Shubert and Fire Fighter Mark Hanlin were notified of their selection for a 2006 Firehouse Magazine heroism award. Both awards were in honor of their actions during a January 20, 2005 fire in which a nine-year-old autistic child was trapped on the second floor. Lieutenant Shubert and Fire Fighter Hanlin searched the second floor, located the child, and successfully removed him from the house. Due to the prompt medical attention provided by paramedics, the child survived. East Maple & Avenue B 4-way Stop Sign. Alderman Schenck mentioned that Alderman Carl is concerned that a traffic hazard may exist at this intersection located near Graham Hospital. The City Council had taken action to reduce the speed limit to 25 mph because of this same concern. Alderman Carl would like the Council to consider making this intersection a four-way stop. Interim Police Chief Bill Doster also suggested that if the area is made a four-way stop to have a lighted sign on Avenue B and have the salt trucks out in the winter to clean the hill of snow. Motion and second by Aldermen Berardi/Hartford, the area of East Maple and Avenue B a four-way stop be recommended with lighted sign being placed on South Avenue B, refer to council for their consideration. Voice vote, motion carried. 1 Mechanical Committee 5-23, 2006 Alderman Meade ask about Tamarack and Avenue B for a stop sign. Recommended to the Streets & Garbage Committee for next month. The Public Works, Water & Sewer Committee adjourned at 6:43 p.m. Streets & Garbage Alderman Rick Reed, Chairman th Stop Sign at 7 & Grant Place. Alderman Reed ask for Police Chief Bill Doster to conduct a traffic study of the area. The Streets & Garbage Committee adjourned at 6:44 p.m. Lake, Buildings & Grounds Alderman Joe Berardi, Chairman Pavilion at Lake Canton. Alderman Berardi ask for this issue to lay over until next month as information was just made available tonight. Alderman Berardi reported that he had on his committee the topic of Proper Notification of Compliance from Federal/State EPA and it was removed from the agenda. Alderman Berardi then ask Nancy Whites, City Clerk to respond. Nancy Whites said that Alderman Hartford called on Friday and said the topic belonged under his committee. Alderman Berardi then asked Alderman Hartford if he was running the Lake, Buildings & Grounds committee? Alderman Hartford answered, this topic is a sewer issue and he had talked with the mayor about the content. Alderman Berardi then asked Mayor Heinze if he had taken the issue off of his agenda? Mayor Heinze answered, he thought it belonged under Alderman Hartford’s committee. Alderman Berardi asked Mayor Heinze, how did you know what I was going to talk th about? Mayor Heinze said, we presumed it was the situation at 11 Avenue and E. Myrtle. Alderman Berardi said I’m an Alderman, I have a telephone number and nobody called, but Alderman Hartford calls from St. Louis to change my agenda. I do not appreciate it, and don’t believe any of you have a right to take something off of my committee! Alderman Berardi then asked for City Attorney Chrissie Peterson to answer the question. Chrissie commented that she had provided her comments in writing to Alderman Berardi. Alderman Berardi said I know this, but I want everyone to know. I’m asking, can I arbitrarily take off any topic from other aldermen’s committee? Chrissie answered, what I sent you explains in the memo in general who sets an agenda for committee is something determined by the order or business rules the committee adopts themselves. There is not specific items that addresses who puts something on an agenda or who 2 Mechanical Committee 5-23-06 removes something from an agenda. So the default rule kicks in. Which means Roberts Rules of Order. Roberts Rules of Order on this subject states that agenda items can be placed by anyone including the chair up through the point where the meeting is adopted. But that also means the agenda has to be adopted at the beginning of the meeting. That conflicts with the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Which says if were going to do business by an agenda, it has to be posted 48 hours ahead of time. So the answer is about as clear as mud of who can add or remove items from the agendas. Alderman Berardi and I then reviewed the City’s Municipal Code Book, where it states the chairs of those committee’s proposed, have jurisdiction of items that falls within their jurisdiction. Alderman Berardi then asked Alderman West if he removed items he had listed on his agenda sometime back? Alderman West said he did, as he did not know what was going to be talked about. Then Alderman Berardi asked Alderman Meade the same question. Alderman Meade said the word remove, is not right terminology as the topics were added to another committee agenda. Alderman Berardi asked Alderman Meade if the mayor had discussion with him about the removal of the items from his agenda? Alderman Meade, said yes we did! Alderman Berardi told Alderman Hartford to not take anything off of his agenda and don’t put anything on my agenda without my permission. Alderman Berardi – I’m President of the Village Square Subdivision and it is located within the Canton Watershed. We have several things going on, the proposed strip mine, and the on going problems since 1997 of raw sewage being deposited in that creek of th CSO overflow at Myrtle & 11 Avenue. There was a dog that got sick because of this water pooling in the creek. Recommendation was to stop some of this overflow by raising 2 manholes. There cannot be any overflow at the Kilroy Lift Station, and those that have been, are not reported. Several reasons why not reported, don’t have monitoring system, and people don’t work on the weekends. We just anticipated spending $36 million and when the job is finished we will not have resolved the sewage problem on the northeast side of Canton. Alderman Berardi stated that Wastewater Treatment Supt Joe Carruthers has done some good work in responding to the situation. There was no remediation letter sent out on how to do this. We’re in violation of the CSO from Federal and State EPA. We sat in Budget Sessions and agreed to spend $150,000 at 4%, on a fire truck to pay off debt, but did not okay spending $100,000 to TV those sewer lines. There was 3 tons of debris that was taken out of the sewer lines. Alderman Berardi asked Joe Carruthers how much of the work is completed? Joe Carruthers answered that 60% of this work is completed. Alderman Berardi said he wasn’t to know what the plan was to address these problems, as he knows there are none. And since I have been removed from the Public Works Committee I cannot bring them up. 3 Mechanical Committee 5-23-06 Alderman Berardi then asked if a letter was sent to every resident at the Canton Lake area? Joe Carruthers said no, just to those residents that were in the direct area of that tributary. Alderman Berardi said that two things should happen. 1. The people who live at Canton Lake should get a letter that raw sewage is going into the lake and that a possible excursion is happening at the Kilroy Lift Station. 2. Also to notify the people of what their remediation is. Mayor Heinze asked Alderman Berardi of what committee are we in right now? Alderman Berardi answered, the Lake Buildings & Grounds Committee. Mayor Heinze said, then your asking for an action item? Alderman Berardi, no! Mayor Heinze, don’t be directing him what to do unless the council and committee directs him to do something. Alderman Berardi said that is right! I would like to apologize to the mayor as everybody in the city works directly for the mayor. Alderman Berardi passed a letter to Mayor Heinze from the Village Square Association. Mayor Heinze said he did not get invited to the meeting, so there was no meeting. Alderman Berardi said he could show him the minutes of the meeting. And the meeting was to discuss the clean up all the problems associated with Village Square. City Attorney Chrissie Peterson said to Alderman Berardi, as a point of order. So any motions you make, or action item you want to take on any subject later, is attached for validity purposes. I recommend closing the Lake, Buildings & Grounds Committee meeting over to Alderman Hartford, so he can officially open the Public Works Committee. And I understand the discussion might be exactly the same. This is for the purpose of what might come down the road later. That is my objection as a Parliamentary Point of Order. Alderman Berardi then said to Chrissie Peterson. I’ll have a point of order, and that is you’re out of order. Chrissie said okay! Alderman Berardi asked, is that a point well taken? Chrissie said okay. 4 Mechanical Committee 5-23-06 Alderman Schenck said we have absolutely identified the problem, we don’t have to be an alarmist. The Lake, Buildings & Grounds Committee adjourned at 7:08 p.m. Public Works, Water & Sewer Alderman Jim Hartford, Chairman Proper Notification of Compliance Federal/State EPS. th Wastewater Treatment Plant Supt. Joe Carruthers said at 11 and Myrtle one of the responsibilities is to provide a Public Notification. The language in the Public Notice we delivered did not address remediation. Remediation language would be like a health concern. I will include that information in the next letter. We do have plans and we do have things underway as a pre bid conference is scheduled for tomorrow with bids to be received June 7. And the first thing to be addressed on that construction site is two man holes to be raised and the SSO. th Alderman Hartford mentioned that some equipment has been installed at 11 and Myrtle of a phone liner, dialer, overflow switch and timer Joe Carruthers said the televising has not been completed yet, and we extended the height of the wall at CSO 14”. Alderman Hartford asked Joe when there is an overflow in the system, is there anything we can do to clean it up in a residential area? Joe Carruthers said permit wise we’re not made to do that, but we should. During your original structure of that CSO that area was wooded and was not residential on that tributary. When that CSO occurs we do everything we can to minimize the debris and clean up best we can. Alderman Hartford stated you are addressing these problems. Joe Carruthers said we are making further improvements to prevent CSO. Aldermen Meade asked how many CSO have occurred? Joe said so far this year 2. Last year it was a dry season and we did not report any. Alderman Meade asked Greg Pollitt the Water Treatment Plant Supt, if the lake has ever been out of compliance? Greg answered, no! Joe Carruthers commented that once the collection system is cleaned and televising begins then will be looking for ways to take the sanitary sewer completely out of that 5 Mechanical Committee 5-23-06 system. We will separate the two and have strictly a storm sewer or sanitary sewer. The flushing of the system we did not address in the Bond Issue. Clark Wilson Zoning Officer commented that when the city used oil and chipping on the streets a lot of the grit went down the sewer from this. Cliff O’Brien changed that system some years ago. Mayor Heinze said that Cliff O’Brien, Joe Carruthers, Keith Plavec and myself met daily to address the issue. Mayor Heinze told Alderman Berardi to not address the past council on past issues as the situation is over. Alderman Reed asked for Joe Carruthers that when the collection system is cleaned and televising of the sewer system is completed for him to bring some cost estimates to the committee. The Public Works Water & Sewer Committee adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Recording Secretary, Nancy Whites, City Clerk 6