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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-07 Public Hearing and City Council Meeti CANTON CITY COUNCIL Tuesday, April 3, 2007 – 6:30 p.m. th 50 North 4 Avenue, Canton, IL PUBLIC HEARING BUDGET FOR 2007 – 2008 6:30 P.M. Mayor Heinze opened the Public Hearing at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Heinze asked if any one in the audience wanted to speak? George Hall said he lives at 1245 E. Juniper. He asked for the number of employees covered by the health insurance? City Treasurer Kathy Luker stated that 115 are under the plan and 20 of them are between the Canton Park District and the Parlin- Ingersoll Library. George said in 2006 the Budget was $6 million Seventy- Three Thousand and the 2007 Budget is $7.37 million. That is an increase of $1.7 million, which is a sizeable amount. On the budgeting process, last year I spoke about budget goals to reduce cost. Over time is in all departments. Suspect all department heads came up with a plan. They should have some goals to taxpayers. It appears there is a mistake in the budget under the Capitol Outlay of the Water Department Equipment. The amount for improvements is $2 million and for the design. As an engineer I never got paid that amount. George wanted to know if enough money is in the budget for the alleged violations? Mayor Heinze told George Hall that this Public Hearing is for comments only. Mayor Heinze asked two more times if any one in the audience wanted to speak. Comments were not made by anyone else. Mayor Heinze ask the council members if anyone wanted to speak? Alderman Carl said he will vote against the Budget as we can do a better job. It is a risk for disaster if the Budget is pass as presented. Alderman Berardi ask Alderman Carl why did you say that Alderman Carl as you have a lot of experience? Alderman Berardi then ask, how do you feel about the insurance program that was presented? Alderman Carl said they will meet Tuesday and look at the Budget closer. City Treasurer Kathy Luker said the General Fund Contingency is 1% of expenses, and Water & Sewer is 2% of expenses, and Water & Sewer Bond expense is zero. Mayor Heinze asked two more times if anyone else wanted to speak? Comments were not made by anyone else. 1 Council meeting 4-3-07 The Public Hearing was then closed at 6:43 p.m. The regular scheduled Council meeting then came to order at 6:43 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OPENED THE MEETING, FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION GIVEN BY NANCY WHITES, CITY CLERK. Mayor Henze asked for roll call at 6:45 p.m. Present – Aldermen Joe Berardi, Jim Hartford, Craig West, Larry Sarff, Kevin Meade, Les Carl, Eric Schenck, Sonya Lewis. Absent: None. MINUTES OF CLERICAL COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 13, 2007. Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/West, the minutes of the th Clerical Committee meeting for March 13, 2007 be accepted and placed on file. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. MINUTES OF CLERICAL COMMITTEE BUDGET MEETING MARCH 19, 2007. Motion and second by Aldermen West/Carl, the minutes of March 19, 2007 Clerical Committee be accepted and placed on file. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 20, 2007. Motion and second by Aldermen Hartford/Lewis, the minutes of March 20, 2007 Council meeting be accepted and placed on file. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. MINUTES OF MECHANICAL COMMITTEE MEETING MARCH 27, 2007, AND THE ADDENDUM MADE to the minutes of March 27, 2007. Motion and second by Aldermen Schenck/Hartford, the minutes of March 27, 2007 Mechanical Committee, and the addendum for March 27, 2007 be accepted and placed on file. Discussion. Alderman Berardi said, I like to determine what exactly are we replacing and exactly what are we deleting? Alderman Berardi then stated, I want to ask the city attorney John McCarthy, who can edit, and by what authority do you edit the minutes? City Attorney John McCarthy answered, the minutes as I understand are prepared by the city clerk. Then there was a request to alter the minutes by 2 Council meeting 4-3-07 the city treasurer. The city clerk I understand concurred with that revision. Alderman Berardi said, so anybody from the audience could come up here and ask to have them changed! City Attorney John McCarthy said, I did not say that! Alderman Berardi said Kathy Luker is the one requesting it and she is not part of the council. City Attorney John McCarthy said she requested it and the person who was taking the minutes concurred with the request and prepared an amendment prior to there approval. Alderman Berardi said my point is, what is the difference between Kathy Luker’s position and one of the people in the audience? City Attorney John McCarthy answered, Kathy Luker participated in the meeting. Alderman Berardi ask, does it also say in the guidelines for the city clerk of how she is suppose to keep the records? City Attorney John McCarthy said, I have not looked at that, but I would assume she is suppose to take action minutes, but these minutes I’m sure are more extensive than required, but has always been this way. Mayor Heinze said the city clerk takes the minutes, if someone in the audience though there was an error you could talk with her, but she is the city clerk and she does take the minutes. Alderman Berardi ask, she can decide whether to take something out of the minutes, even though they are recorded minutes? City Attorney John McCarthy said, I would not say that, no! Alderman Berardi said, I just want to read the following…”I, Nancy Whites, City Clerk ask City Treasurer Kathy Luker for assistance to write her minutes the next day. Kathy said she did not want any words of what she had said. She wanted to have listed in the minutes she was harassed by Alderman Berardi. Nancy Whites, City Clerk honored her request.” Alderman Berardi said, she honored her request to take out of the minutes what I thought were very valuable for the city when we’re talking about the utility bills. My question is why did you go to Kathy to ask for assistance? City Clerk Nancy Whites answered the question, Kathy is the one making the report. Alderman Berardi, my report and the one of the Decott people’s report you listed some 550 words they presented. Did you talk to any of the Decott people? City Clerk Nancy Whites answered, no, I did not! Alderman Berardi then ask City Attorney John McCarthy, did City Clerk Nancy Whites ask you if she could take these minutes out? John answered, no she didn’t! Alderman Berardi ask, how did you get the minutes for the 3 Council meeting 4-3-07 Decott people? City Clerk Nancy Whites answered she had a copy of their report. Alderman Berardi ask, what kind of copy? City Clerk Nancy Whites said that Steve Guy from Decott handed out a copy that night he was here, and that’s what I used for the report. Alderman Berardi ask if we are being recorded right now? City Clerk Nancy Whites said yes you are! Alderman Berardi then said to Nancy Whites, City Clerk, why would you take off the actual minutes? City Clerk Nancy Whites answered, minutes are all motions and a brief history of what took place. I give you more than that every time I do the minutes. Alderman Berardi said, what my point is anybody could edit the minutes. We have no record of actual minutes, all this is what Kathy gave. City Clerk Nancy Whites said you have minutes in front of you, that’s what came from the tape recorder. Alderman Berardi said, there was mentioned some 17% savings that was not listed. City Clerk Nancy Whites said, you don’t put everything in Alderman Berardi, if we did that would be a transcript. Alderman Berardi, we did on one but not the other. Mayor Heinze said, do you feel what you have there adequately reflects what happened? Alderman Beardi said, I don’t see where she took off the word harassed, and that word was not mentioned anytime in the meeting. City Treasurer Kathy Luker said to Alderman Berardi, she would be glad to take that out if you’d like to apologize to me for last week. Alderman Berardi said, any time I want to ask a public official a question or address them to get information, and they feel like they are being harassed, no way! There is no way anybody gets harassed by being asked a question. When you run for office that’s what you get! Kathy said again, she would remove the word harassed if you will apologize. Aldermen Berardi answered, no, you do not have a choice to have that removed!! Why do you feel you have control of those minutes?!! Mayor Heinze said, are you offering a correction? Alderman Berardi said, to take out the word “harass.” City Attorney John McCarthy said, you have minutes before you, you would have the right to make a motion to amend the minutes, just like any minutes. It would be seconded and voted upon. Motion and second by Aldermen Berardi/Sarff, to take out something that was never mentioned in the minutes. Discussion. Mayor Heinze said, say exactly what you want taken out of the minutes. Alderman Berardi, she wanted to have listed in the minutes she was harassed by Alderman Berardi. Alderman Schenck asked, could someone read to me where the correction 4 Council meeting 4-3-07 would be in the minutes? Mayor Heinze said to Alderman Berardi, you are going to have to tell us specifically where you are in the minutes and what you want scruff. Alderman Berardi said in the actual minutes on page 7 under electric rates, I Nancy Whites, City Clerk etc. Kathy wanted to have listed and I don’t want to have listed. How are we going to go back 6 to 7 months from now knowing what we talked about and the minutes are not accurate. Take the whole paragraph out. Mayor Heinze ask Alderman Sarff, is that your second Larry? Alderman Sarff explained for the record, I’m not saying that Kathy wasn’t harassed, I’m just agreeing this was not part of the minutes. Kathy Luker said, that’s fine, thank you! Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Schenck, Carl, Sarff, West, Hartford, Berardi, NAYS – Aldermen Lewis, Meade. 6 AYES, 2 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Voting on the approval of the March 27, 2007 minutes and addendum as amended. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. COMMITTEE REPORTS. Public Safety & Traffic. Council Action None. Informational. Alderman Schenck said he handed out a set of amendments to the Liquor Ordinance, there are 12 action related items. The ordinance is listed on the agenda later on in the meeting. Streets & Garbage. Council Action Motion and second by Aldermen Lewis/Schenck, to approve the enhanced entrance to Blessings at 74 North Main Street. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Berardi, Hartford, West, Sarff, Meade, Carl, Schenck, Lewis. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. 5 Council meeting 4-3-07 Motion and second by Aldermen Lewis/Schenck, to have the SRPED Partnership to make guidelines for other businesses around the square so we don’t have a congruent look. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. Lake, Buildings & Grounds. Council Action None. Public Works, Water & Sewer. Council Action Filter Value ReplacementMotion . and second by Aldermen Hartford/West, to approve the purchase of 12” valves and one 6” valve on filters at the water plant from Frabimor Equipment & Controls at a total cost for the valves would be $13,167.00, and paid from the Capitol Improvement account. Roll call. Aldermen Lewis, Schenck, Carl, Meade, Sarff, West, Hartford, Berardi. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Purchase of Amperometric Titrator. Motion and second by Aldermen Hartford/Sarff, to approve the purchase of a Amperometric Titrator for the Water Plant that measures amount of chlorine in the water and eliminates the trace interferences that will give false readings from Thomas Scientific, at the price of $2,037.92, and paid from Capitol Improvement. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Berardi, Hartford, West, Sarff, Meade, Carl, Schenck, Lewis. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR HEINZE. Snow Removal. December lst was a significant snowfall in Canton of 13 ½ inches. Tony Rolando called the Public Works Secretary Nancy Mackey and told her there might be some state money available to off-set the cost. Public Works Director Clif O’Brien and Nancy Mackey went to Peoria on 6 Council meeting 4-3-07 how to receive the funding. Thanks to Chris Helle who also coordinate this and the city received $28,470.20. Several times public works on other occasions have done things in-house. Most of us know this, and we appreciate this works. Thanks to Clif and Nancy and everyone who worked on this. Liquor Commission recommendation for Geppetto’s Class B license. Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/Berardi, to allow a Class B Supper Club license to Geppetto’s at 47 South Main Street, as recommended by the Liquor Commission. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Lewis, Schenck, Carl, Meade, Sarff, West, Hartford, Berardi. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Utility Source. Mayor Heinze referred this issue to the Finance Committee and for the committee to bring references to the council meeting. OLD BUSINESS: ORDINANCE – PROVIDING FOR A NO PARKING SIGN AT THE 100 BLOCK OF LAWRENCE DRIVE. Second reading, read by title. Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/West, to send the ordinance back to the Legal & Ordinance Committee and invite the residents to come to the meeting. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. ORDINANCE – AMENDING SECTION 5-4-5 (FIRE DEPARTMENT FOREIGN INSURANCE BOARD; ELECTION; OFFICERS; DUTIES;).Motion Second reading, read by title. and second by Aldermen Carl/Sarff, the ordinance be placed on its passage. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Berardi, Hartford, West, Sarff, Meade, Carl, Schenck, Lewis. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Ordinance being #1902. NEW BUSINESS: ORDINANCE – ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR ALL CORPORATE PURPOSES OF THE CITY OF CANTON, IN LIEU OF AN APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 7 Council meeting 4-3-07 BEGINNING MAY 1, 2007 AND ENDING APRIL 30, 2008. First reading, read by title. ORDINANCE – AMENDING SECTION 3-1-20 (LICENSES: CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS) OF THE CANTON MUNICIPAL CODE. First reading, read by title. ORDINANCE – AMENDED LIQUOR ORDINANCE. First reading, Motion read by title. and second by Aldermen Schenck/West, to refer the ordinance to Interim City Attorney John McCarthy to incorporate into the ordinance the 12 amendments from the March 16 memo of City Attorney Chrissie Peterson. Discussion. Alderman Meade suggested the ordinance could go to the Legal & Ordinance Committee next week, and the final ordinance would go to the next council meeting. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. EXECUTIVE SESSION – NEGOTIATIONS, GRIEVANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE – TO DISCUSS POLICE AND PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTS. Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/West, to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing Police and Public Works contract. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. th Alderman Sarff announced an executive session for April 4 at 6:00 p.m. th for Police Contract at the Historic Depot, 50 North 4 Avenue, Canton, Illinois. The regular scheduled council meeting convened for executive session at 7:09 p.m. The regular scheduled council meeting reconvened in open session at 7:40 p.m. Adjournment. Motion and second by Aldermen Hartford/Sarff, to adjourn. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. The council meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. 8 Council meeting 4-3-07 _____________________________, Nancy Whites, City Clerk APPROVED: _________________________________, Rodney W. Heinze, Mayor 9