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Home My WebLink About05-06-08 Canton City Council Meeting _1st Mtg_ The Canton City Council met Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council th Chambers, 50 North 4 Avenue, Canton, Illinois for their regular meeting. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed with prayer given by City Clerk Nancy Whites. Present – Mayor Rodney W. Heinze, City Clerk Nancy Whites, City Treasurer Kathy Luker, City Attorney Chrissie Peterson, Police Chief Jeff Fritz, Fire Chief Bonnie Cremer, Public Works Director Cliff O’Brien, City Engineer/Zoning Officer Keith Plavec, Wastewater Treatment Plant Supt. Joe Carruthers, Water Treatment Plant Supt. Greg Pollitt, SRPED Executive Director Mark Rothert, Street Supt. George Spahn, Video Services by Joe Ginger. In the audience – Brenda Rothert, Gerald Martin, Jim Hartford, Animal Control Officer Dustin Pollitt, Chet Phillips, Steve Joachim, Denis Crawford, William Whiteman, Joe Davis, Dan LaKemper, several others, news media of John Froehling from the Ledger, Mark Bixler from WBYS, Wendy Martin from the Democrat. Mayor Heinze called the meeting to order at 6;30 p.m. Aldermen answering roll call – Eric Schenck, Joe Berardi, Larry Sarff, Craig West, David Nidffer, Kevin Meade, Jason Strandberg, Sonya Lewis. Alderman absent was none. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON APRIL 15, 2008. Alderman West made the motion to accept the minutes of the Council meeting on April 15, 2008. Was duly seconded by Alderman Sarff. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. MINUTES OF MECHANICAL COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON APRIL 22, 2008. Alderman Lewis made the motion to accept the minutes of the Mechanical Committee meeting on April 22, 2008. Was duly seconded by Alderman Strandberg. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. MINUTES OF APRIL 22, 2008 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON APRIL 22, 2008. Alderman Sarff made the motion to accept the minutes of the Special Council meeting on April 22, 2008. Was duly seconded by Alderman West. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. COMMITTEE REPORTS: Public Safety & Traffic. Council Action None. Streets & Garbage. Council Action None. Lake, Building & Grounds. Council Action None. Public Works, Water & Sewer. Council Ash Street Phase 2 and 3 Bid results. Alderman Strandberg made the motion to approve Stark Excavating low bid of $459,038.60. Was duly seconded by Alderman Meade. Discussion. Alderman Strandberg mentioned the Engineer’s Estimate was $512,363.75. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Lewis, Strandberg, Meade, Nidiffer, West, Sarff, Berardi, Schenck. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. 2008 MFT Maintenance Program. Alderman Strandberg made the motion to accept the amount of MFT Funds for the Maintenance Program of $212,356.00. Was duly seconded by Alderman Sarff. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Schenck Berardi, Sarff, West, Nidiffer, Meade, Strandberg, Lewis. Avenue C Sanitary/Storm Sewer Pay Request #3. Alderman Strandberg made the motion to accept the pay request of #3 from Laverdiere Construction, Inc. in the amount of $111,546.49. Was duly seconded by Alderman Sarff. (This is paid from Grant Funds.) Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Lewis, Strandberg, Meade, Nidiffer, West, Sarff, Berardi, Schenck. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Canton Clearwell Pay Request. Alderman Strandberg made the motion to accept the pay request from Leander Construction, Inc. for Finished Water Storage Facility in the amount of $18,863.10. Was duly seconded by Alderman Schenck. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Schenck, Berardi, Sarff, West, Nidiffer, Meade, Strandberg, Lewis. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Larry A’s Pizza for outdoor area. Alderman Strandberg made the motion to accept Larry A’s Pizza to continue her outdoor café on the sidewalk. Was duly seconded by Alderman West. Discussion. Alderman Strandberg said that the Public Works, Water & Sewer committee allowed this. The City Attorney Chrissie Peterson also recommended the action. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Lewis, Strandberg, Meade, Nidiffer, West, Sarff, Berardi, Schenck. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR HEINZE. Good News. Mayor Rodney W. Heinze mentioned his concluding remarks that he wanted to make. He said he spent the last three years of his life in Canton being the mayor and working part-time at the ambulance service. The things you do last you remember the most. I want to share things what I’ll remember most about Canton. I feel like there is a resurgent of pride in the City. The center of Canton has always been Jones Park. Frank and his wife Minnie Bowton worked up there picking up garbage, twigs, sticks and etc. They both did a great job. Recently council named a park custodian of Carol Kohler who has volunteers in the summer working in the park and it looks great. This pride has expended into industry here in Canton. The Jones Park looks relaxing. Versace building looks sharp with two apartments upstairs. Randolph building is just about ready to be restored. The Opera House already restored. Dennis Crawford building is being added on to. IH closing was a dark day in Canton. Then the fire came to the buildings. Court Yard Estates opened recently across from IH. Other things are starting to move forward. I have appreciation for the fire department, as they are light years ahead since I was there some ten years ago. They started the Wellness Program. They are in great shape. The Public Works department, I have a special appreciation for Public Works. If you don’t have fresh water you are in a mess. Ambulance Service has top notch people and equipment. Wellness Program for the City has started, going great. People coming back to Canton, two young people here City Attorney Chrissie Peterson and Alderman Jason Standberg. Chris Walters came back. We have said young kids are not good. Those I know are very good. John Luker who is Kathy Luker’s son is a genius. This was told to Rod by Michell Nebergall as she wanted a reference from the mayor to attend Pharmacy school. She works some 30 hours a week to bring income to her family, and she was named valedictorian. I had two goals when I became mayor. I did not want to have two standards, one in church and one in the mayor’s office. When I first became mayor, what should I be doing? Should I be doing something? I can encourage people, I thought! I encouraged Kathy Luker to run for the treasurer’s office and the record speaks for itself on her. The audited Reserve balance five years ago was $6,700,040.00. A year ago the account was well over $3 million. This is the highest Reserve in the last eleven years. The second highest Reserve was last year at 2 million. The third highest Reserve was when Pat Wright was the treasurer, at $1,800,700.00. Have a couple of things to be proud of – have given good service to the people of Canton. We have cut taxes, and we are leaving with $2 million in the bank more that when we came in three years ago. If I would have any bragging rights that’s something we can be proud of. The wastewater treatment plant took a job in house and saved the city $200,000. I appreciate what they do. The last three years I have served the honorable people in Canton and have served with honorable city employees and elected officials. What Canton people are – last December Lisa Hays and Kim Garren was driving down North Main Street. It was sleeting, raining and 25 degrees. Don Tracy was lying on the sidewalk by Walgreens and could not get up as he had a broken leg. Lisa and Kim stopped and put their coats over him to protect him from the rain. Four weeks ago driving home there was a man standing in the road waving down anyone who passed by. I thought maybe someone was hurt in the house. So, I stopped, he wanted a ride up town to meet his daughter. I ask him some questions, but I did not feel comfortable putting him in my car and taking him downtown. I went home, came back, here is city employee Ron Robinson who is stopped, the man was getting in the city truck. I was looking for an excuse not to help the man. Ron Robinson was looking for an excuse to help him. It was great! It has been a pleasure to work with all of you. Mayor Rodney W. Heinze. Railroad Update by Dan LaKemper (Keokuk Junction Railway). This is just for information. Dan said Keokuk Railway has purchased the E.W. Line that is the spur for the Ameren property. And we purchased the Peoria to LaHarpe line 4 years ago. We have done substantial repairs. With Burlington, Northern & Santa Fe we have reached an agreement with them. We tried to have a two year lease from Farmington to Vermont, but Ameren objected. We are negotiating with BN&F to buy the line starting from Dunfermline on the wide track, and go to Highway 78 to Farmington, where the line ends. We have a good working relationship with them, and we are a small company and have ideas to expand the business. When the agreement is concluded we have to reinstall the connection of crossings and are asking that at that time we would like for the City of Canton to join with us and assist in getting reinstallation of that crossing. Kekoku Railway offers a direct connection to Peoria. Dan said he appreciated Rod’s courtesy over the three years Rod was mayor. Alderman Sarff asked about the time line for the agreement to be finalized and also what happens if this is not approved by the State of Illinois? Dan said he does not know the time table, as it involves the State of Illinois. Second question – Dan said he hoped the deal would be signed this month. Once we have the agreement it has to be presented to Transportation Board for their approval. If the State of Illinois is unable to fund it will have to work out something else. Alderman Schenck said to Dan, there is a lot of interest and support of your line. What are your plans to Farmington? Dan answered, hoping to get some business in Farmington. Want to have some kind of tourist attraction out of the depot during the Spoon River Drive. Alderman Schenck ask Dan if he would be storing cars? Dan answered that could be a possibility that we would have to sometimes. OLD BUSINESS: ORDINANCE – AMENDING TITLE 8, SECTION 1 RELATING TO GARBAGE DISPOSAL. Second reading, read by title. Alderman Sarff made the motion the ordinance be placed on its passage. Was duly seconded by Alderman Strandberg. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Schenck, Berardi, Sarff, West, Nidiffer, Meade, Strandberg, Lewis. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Ordinance being #1930. TH ORDINANCE – VACATING AN ALLEY RUNNING EAST-WEST ALONG SIDE 8 AVENUE BETWEEN ASH STREET AND SPRUCE STREET. Second reading, read by title. Alderman Strandberg made the motion that the ordinance be placed on its passage. Was duly seconded by Alderman Lewis. Roll call. Aldermen Lewis, Strandberg, Meade, Nidiffer, West, Sarff, Berardi, Schenck. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Ordinance being #1931. SINE-DIE. Alderman Sarff made the motion to Sine & Die this portion of the council meeting. Was duly seconded by Alderman Strandberg. Voice vote, motion carried unanimously. ___________________________________, Nancy Whites, City Clerk APPROVED: _______________________________, Rodney W. Heinze, Mayor