Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-13-1994 Clerical Clerical Committee City Council Chambers December 13, 1994 6:30 P.M. Members Present: Larry Sarff, Bob Molleck, Jerry Bohler, Kevin Meade Others Present: Don Edwards, Jim Elson, Clif O'Brien, Mike Elam, Chet Phillips, Ray McKinney, Gary Orwig, Jim May, Bob DeRenzy, Kayma Duncan, Don Hopper, John Froehling, Harlan Banister, Linda Woods, Dick Coay Finance Committee Larry Sarff, Chairman The first item was a request from Bob DeRenzy for the purchase of a defibrillator for the fire department. The cost of the defibrillator is $5,200.00. Bob stated that this was included in the budget. The training will be approximately ten hours per person and will be provided by the ambulance service. Discussion. A motion was made by Jerry Bohler and seconded by Kevin Meade recommending purchase of the equipment. Discussion. The question of increased liability for the city if this equipment is purchased was discussed. Bob was instructed to check with the city's insurance carrier. Voice vote. Motion carried. The next item was the construction of the handicap ramps along the state highways. Mayor Edwards informed the Committee that he did not have any additional information but these should be scheduled for next spring. No action was necessary by the Committee at this time. The bids for the lift station improvements at the industrial park were next. A motion was made by Jerry Bohler and seconded by Bob Molleck to open the bids. Voice vote. Motion carried. The results of the bid opening are contained on the attached sheet. A motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Jerry Bohler to refer the bids to the staff for review and recommendation at the next City Council meeting. Voice vote. Motion carried. Mike Elam requested permission to purchase ten bullet proof vests for the department. He stated the vests have five year warranties on them and the present vests will expire in August 1995. He stated that 17 are needed, ten of which he would like to purchase now and the remaining seven to be purchased during the next fiscal year. Prices were obtained from two companies; Point Blank at $332.00 each, and U.S. Armor at $360.00 each. Mike requested permission to purchase from either company. A motion was made by Kevin Meade and seconded by Bob Molleck recommending approval of the purchase of bullet proof vests from either company. Voice vote. Motion carried. 1 ~°v 'v~d' The railroad leases were next. Harlan Banister stated that he has not been able to talk with the TP&W representative but anticipates talking to him after the first of the year. No action was taken by the Committee. Bills were discussed next. A motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Kevin Meade to refer the bills to the City Council. Voice vote. Motion carried. At this time members of the UAW requested permission to speak to the committee. Ray Gulley, international representative from Detroit, requested permission to have a tape produced by the UAW aired on the local access channel 3. The tape explains how the union was formed and the plight of the union. Jim Letty addressed the Committee stating the the tape represents the entire picture to the entire community. The strike effects the community and this tape is educational in that it tells both sides. Jim Lippert stated that the tape does not cover just this situation but the origin of unions and its goals. The tape is presently being shown in Peoria, East Peoria, Bloomington, Pekin and Morton. Harry Steck stated that there are a number of people who may enjoy watching the tape to learn more about the situation. Harold Rose stated he would like to have the city view the tape before airing and hoped the city would give an unbiased view. Ray Gulley stated the tape is approximately 28 minutes in length and would be more than happy to leave the tape for preview. Mayor Edwards stated that Mike Conklin, who operates the channel for the city, is here. The local access channel is for educational and governmental use. Mike referred the request from the UAW to the City Council for consideration. Mayor Edwards stated he is not personally opposed to showing the tape one time. Jim Letty stated that usually the tape is aired one night per week for a total of four times per month. There are two tapes and they are alternated. Mike Conklin stated he had talked with TCI in Macomb and was informed that there is no reason why it can't be shown. A vote of the Council can make the channel limited access. Jim Elson stated he would like to review the franchise agreement with TCI before advising the Committee. Kevin Meade stated that this channel is a government and educational channel. He agrees that to preview the tape may be biased and he would like to have a legal opinion on the airing of the tape. Jim Letty stated he talked with TCI and they do not have a system to run the tape as Canton does. He likes to see the information on the cable tv and felt that this effects many people - it's the jobs of may people in this community. They would have access to all the information. This tape educates everyone. He agrees that if Cat has a comparable tape, they should be allowed to air it as well. Larry Sarff stated it is not just the UAW and Cat, the committee needs to find out the legalities. What about other organizations who may want to air a tape on the local access channel. Harry Steck stated he would like to have the legal ends taken care of, but the tape is aired on TCI in other communities. Kevin Meade stated that the decision to be made is not based on the opinion of the UAW or Cat, but on the use of the 2 local access channel. Local access channel is different from public access. Bob Molleck made a motion, seconded by Kevin Meade, to turn the matter over to the city attorney to investigate the franchise agreement with TCI. Discussion. Mayor Edwards stated if it is legal, Mike will be instructed to run the tape. Jerry Bohler suggested that if it is determined to be legal, he feels the city should notify the union in advance. Larry Sarff stated that if the city has the right to determine the use of channel, he would hate to lose that right to use the channel for government use. Jerry Bohler asked if the attorney would check with other communities to see under what circumstances the tapes were run. Committee agreed. Voice vote. Motion carried. The use of the 2% foreign fire tax funds were next. Mayor Edwards stated that this is money collected from companies outside Illinois which goes directly to the fire department. They have decided to purchase dress uniforms with the funds, which is not life saving purposes. Mayor Edwards stated that the firemen receive a clothing allowance and this seems to be a duplication. Jim Elson stated that he talked with an attorney of the Illinois Municipal League and based on his opinion the statute provides for the spending of the funds for the "maintenance, use and benefit of the department" Does the department mean the firefighters or a structured form of the Mayor, Council, department heads and firefighters. Another section of the statute prohibits the use of the funds for "social or personal benefit thereof". Jim stated he recommends the decision be made by the City Council by recommendation of the fire chief. Mayor Edwards stated he would like the firemen to bring a legal opinion to the city. George Meacham stated that new state statute has been passed in the last three weeks changing the word "tax" to "fee". George stated the union can provide a legal opinion on the matter. No action was taken by the Committee on this matter. Ray McKinney informed the Committee that parts are needed for the slaker. These will come from Wallace and Tiernan in the amount of $1280.00. A motion was made by Kevin Meade and seconded by Jerry Bohler to approve the expenditure. Voice vote. Motion carried. Harlan Banister informed the Committee that local financing for the sewer treatment plant improvements, a bar screen and a building for the water plant clarifiers have been arranged. $1.8 million, arranged through a bond issue, is needed for the project. He stated he would like permission to hire Kurt Froelich at a cost of $1,800.00 to handle the papers necessary for the bond issue. The bonds will be paid from water and sewer revenue without an increase in rates. A motion was made by Jerry Bohler and seconded by Bob Molleck. Voice vote. Motion carried. When asked about the sewer project for the north end, Mayor Edwards stated he hopes to make an announcement before Christmas. He stated a press release will be issued on the matter. 3 Chet Phillips stated he had had a request for the city to rebid the used vehicles they have. These were bid previously. The Committee discussed the matter and a motion was made by Jerry Bohler and seconded by Bob Molleck to rebid the used vehicles owned by the city. Voice vote. Motion carried. No further business was discussed and the Finance Committee was adjourned. Negotiations, Grievance and Personnel Committee Bob Molleck, Chairman The first item of discussion was a recommendation from the insurance committee. Clark Wilson, chairman, addressed the committee concerning the denial of Mutual Medical to pay a claim for a hearing test. He stated the test was ordered by a medical doctor to determine ear damage. The bill was $437.00 and the insurance committee is recommending that the bill be paid. A motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Kevin Meade to have the insurance company pay the bill for the hearing test. Voice vote. Motion carried. Mayor Edwards stated he has been informed that the insurance company will pay for in patient surgery performed in a hospital but not necessary pay for the same surgery done in a doctor's office. He stated that this should be looked into due to the fact that more out patient surgeries can be performed now. The problem seems to be in the manner that the doctor's office bills for the procedure. It appears that if the bill were itemized, it may not be a problem. Clark Wilson stated that this is one duty of the insurance committee, to make recommendations to change the policy of the insurance company. He stated that the committee is made up of representatives of all the departments and management and is a very good committee. The anniversary date for George Meacham was next. Bob DeRenzy stated there seems to be a disagreement between George Meacham and Nancy Whites on the date of his anniversary. George was originally hired on 4-18-67, went on disability on 4-15-86 (at which time he was paid all sick, personal and vacation time), and returned to work on 12-10-87. George then waited until 12-10-88 to accrue vacation time. George feels that his anniversary date is 12-10. Discussion followed. A motion was made by Larry Sarff to establish 12-10 as the anniversary date for George Meacham. Seconded by Kevin Meade. Voice vote. Motion carried. No further business was discussed and the Negotiations, Grievance and Personnel Committee was adjourned. Community and Industrial Development Committee Kevin Meade, Chairman 4 The first item on the agenda was the possibility of a development proposal for a city lot. Mayor Edwards stated that there is a person interested in placing a development on a city owned lot. The surrounding lots are presently zoned R-4 and the city owned lot would have to be rezoned. The area is approximately 80'x200' on Van Buren Court. Discussion. A motion was made by Kevin Meade and Larry Sarff to advertise for written proposals for development of the city owned property between 2nd Avenue and Van Buren and between East Pine and East Walnut Street. Voice vote. Motion carried. The Committee discussed three other lots presently owned by the city. They are 818 Anderson Place, 486 West Locust Street and the property at the southwest corner of 5th Avenue and Chestnut Street. A motion was made by Larry Sarff and seconded by Bob Molleck to advertise these three lots for cash bid. Voice vote. Motion carried. Mayor Edwards informed the Committee he had received a letter from the county board of appeals concerning a rezoning request from Mike Hitchcock of the property south of Canton. Presently The Barn restaurant is on this property. He has petitioned to rezone the property to light industrial for a scrap yard. Discussion. Mayor Edwards will send a letter to the county informing them the city has no objections to the rezoning. No further business was discussed and the Community and Industrial Development Committee was adjourned. Legal and Ordinance Committee Jerry Bohler, Chairman The requirement of junk yards to have fences was next. Jim Elson stated he has not found any requirement for screening of junk yards. He stated there is no specific ordinance in place which provides for this type of fencing. Discussion followed on the possibility of having an ordinance for the fencing and a provision to establish a compliance date for present facilities. A motion was made by Larry Sarff and seconded by Kevin Meade to have the city attorney draw up an ordinance for fencing for review. Voice vote. Motion carried. The matter of gas stations dumping remediation waters into the sewer system was next. Harlan Banister stated they had received suggested changes to the ordinances to provide for charges to dump the waters into the sewer system which were recommended by Crawford, Murphy & Tilly. Chet Phillips stated he would like to have some comparisons of alternative costs for the gas stations. Jerry Bohler stated he would like to have the costs set so the it would not have to be routinely increased. Larry Sarff stated that at this point, the committee is working with estimates, which could be less or could be more. Bob Molleck stated that these businesses are doing business 5 in our town and the costs should not run them out of town. A motion was made by Kevin Meade and seconded by Bob Molleck to accept CMT's recommendation of the ordinance changes and the three cent per gallon charge. Voice vote. Motion carried. Building permit forms were next. Mayor Edwards stated that the zoning officer, Tracie Skaggs, has made some minor changes to the building permit form and is asking for approval of the new forms. A motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Kevin Meade to approve the new form. Voice vote. Motion carried. James Elson provided an update on the status of the condemnation proceedings for various properties in the city. No action was necessary on this update. Chet Phillips addressed a problem with litter along North Main Street across from the high school/Hy-Vee property. Larry Sarff stated that the litter had been picked up by city personnel but this woulld be an on-going problem. No action was taken on this matter by the Committee. At this time a motion was made by Larry Sarff and seconded by Kevin Meade to convene in executive session for the purpose of threatened, pending and/or imminent litigation. Voice vote. Motion carried. Executive session minutes are on file for review. The Committee reconvened in open session. No further business was discussed and the Committee was adjourned. Kayma Duncan - Committee Secretary 6