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Home My WebLink About02-03-2026 Canton City Council Regular Meeting Minutes CANTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Historic Depot-Donald E. Edwards Way th 50 North 4 Avenue, Canton, Il 61520 A regular meeting of the Canton City Council was held on February 3, 2026 (6:30pm) at the th Historic Depot located at 50 North 4 Avenue Canton Illinois. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE: Mayor Kent McDowell, City Clerk Andi Smith-Walters, Acting City Treasurer Paula Grigsby, Police Chief Corey Miller, and Public Utilities Manager Joe Carruthers. OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE: City Attorney Chris Jump and Comptroller Beka Shultz. MEDIA IN ATTENDANCE: Fulton Democrat MEETING CALLED TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OPENED THE MEETING INVOCATION – Mayor Kent McDowell ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA: There were no additions/deletions/corrections to the agenda. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: There were no public comments made. MAYORAL COMMUNICATIONS/REQUESTED ACTION: RESOLUTION APPOINTING CHIEF OF POLICE AND APPROVING AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH POLICE CHIEF. Mayor McDowell formerly appointed Corey Miller as the new Police Chief and gave him the Oath of Office. Motion and second were made by Alderpersons Nelson/Lovell for approval of a resolution appointing Chief of Police and approving an employment agreement with Police Chief. ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin The motion carried. CITY CLERK COMMUNICATIONS/REQUESTED ACTION: City Clerk, Andi Smith-Walters had nothing to communicate. DEPARTMENT HEAD COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS: Acting City Treasurer, Paula Grigsby – ORDINANCE APPOINTING ANDREW FAHRENBRUCH AS DEPUTY TREASURER AND ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF DEPUTY TREASURER. Fahrenbruch was appointed and given the Oath of Office. Motion and second were made by Alderpersons Nelson/Hale for approval of an ordinance appointing Andrew Fahrenbruch as Deputy Treasurer and establishing the office of Deputy Treasurer. ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin The motion carried. Police Chief, Corey Miller – No communications. Fire Chief, Scott Roos – Absent. Public Utilities Manager, Joe Carruthers – No communications. CONSENT AGENDA: APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES HELD JANUARY 20, 2026. BILL LIST DISBURSEMENT REPORT TREASURER’S REPORT PUBLIC WORKS REPORT POLICE REPORT FIRE REPORT Motion and second were made by Alderpersons Hale/Ketcham to approve the consent agenda. ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin The motion carried. COMMITTEE REPORTS: PUBLIC SAFETY AND LEGAL ALDERPERSON JUSTIN NELSON, CHAIR Alderperson Nelson had nothing on the agenda but raised a public safety concern regarding a water main break and associated boil order on Sycamore, affecting nearby residents and a school. Public Utilities Manager, Joe Carruthers, confirmed that water samples had been taken that day and that the boil order was expected to be lifted the following day pending results. REGULATORY AND POLICY ALDERPERSON ANGELA HALE, CHAIR COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALDERPERSON JOHN LOVELL, CHAIR Alderperson Lovell presented communications from Economic Developer Cole McDaniel, who was absent but had submitted a written report. The discussion centered on two city-owned downtown properties: the Odd Fellows building and the Cardosi building. Regarding the Odd Fellows building, Lovell noted that McDaniel had suggested a professional structural assessment of the building, which prompted an extended council discussion. Several alderman questioned the value of further spending on the property, given that the city had already invested a substantial amount. Alderperson Grimm asked pointedly whether an assessment would lead to any different course of action and questioned whether the council had reached a point of no return on the building. Alderperson Lovell noted that while remediation costs were unknown, they could range widely from a few hundred thousand dollars to well over a million, and that a relatively modest assessment could help determine whether the building is worth marketing or should be demolished. Lovell also noted that demolition itself could cost close to $1,000,000. Carruthers provided operational context, noting that he and City Engineer Keith Plavec had walked every inch of the building with mold remediation specialists and construction firms, and that the basement had been deemed entirely off-limits due to mold. He confirmed the city had previously spent funds on roof repairs, joint stabilization, and other emergency maintenance. He noted that his past approach had been to offer the assessment only when a serious prospective buyer emerged, but that no such buyer had ever materialized. The Mayor expressed strong personal opposition to demolishing the building, citing its historical and architectural significance to the downtown block. Several alderman agreed that demolition should be a last resort, with Grimm suggesting a committee be formed to evaluate options short of demolition. Nelson suggested the council ask Plavec to provide a cost estimate for demolition so that all options could be placed on the table. Lovell agreed and noted that McDaniel should be given the opportunity to actively market the property before any irreversible decisions are made. No formal action was taken, and the consensus was to consult with Keith Plavec for further assessment options and demolition cost estimates, and to revisit the matter at an upcoming meeting. ORDINANCE TO PROPOSE THE APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AND ESTABLISH A DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE CANTON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT NO.1. This ordinance proposes an amendment to the BDD redevelopment plan boundaries and a public hearing to be held February 17, 2026, at 5:45pm. Motion and second were made by Alderpersons Lovell/Nelson for approval of an ordinance to propose the approval of an amendment to the Business Development District redevelopment plan and establish a date for a public hearing for the second amendment to the Canton Business Development District No 1. ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin The motion carried. RESOLUTION APPROVING A BDD SCORING MATRIX. This is to formerly adopt a BDD scoring matrix developed by economic developer Cole McDaniel. City Attorney Chris Jump noted that the packet contained a summary of the matrix but that a fully developed resolution document had not yet been finalized. Jump requested that the council generally approve the concept so that McDaniel could begin marketing it with a more formal resolution to be brought forward at the February 17 meeting. Motion and second were made by Alderpersons Lovell/Nelson for approval of a resolution approving a BDD scoring matrix. ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin The motion carried. PUBLIC WORKS ALDERPERSON GREG GOSSETT, CHAIR DISCUSS ETCG PHASE 2 GRANT APPROVAL LETTER. Public Utilities Manager Joe Carruthers, presented the ETCG Phase 2 Grant approval letter, which the council had received in their packets. The city was awarded approximately $70,000 in grant funding toward a $135,000 project to install decorative lighting on the historic downtown water tower, which dates to approximately 1918-1919. Carruthers noted that the water tower is in good structural condition, with a new isolation valve installed in 2025, and that downtown stakeholders had been consulted and expressed strong enthusiasm for the beautification project. Carruthers also noted that grant funds were expected to begin mid-March to April, and that since he would no longer be with the city at that time, he had already transitioned management of the grant to Carol, whose name had been registered with the granting agency. He brought the item forward at this meeting to ensure the council was fully informed before the transition. FINANCE ALDERPERSON ANDRA CHAMBERLIN, CHAIR IT AND CYBERSECURITY ALDERPERSON DAVE PICKEL, CHAIR LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT ALDERPERSON RALPH GRIMM, CHAIR PROPERTY ALDERPERSON PATRICK KETCHAM, CHAIR EXECUTIVE SESSION/CLOSED MEETING ADJOURNMENT Motion and second were made by Alderpersons Nelson/Gossett to adjourn. ROLL CALL Yes No Absent Alderperson Gossett x Alderperson Pickel x Alderperson Ketcham x Alderperson Hale x Alderperson Grimm x Alderperson Lovell x Alderperson Nelson x Alderperson x Chamberlin The motion carried. _________________________________________________________________ Andi Smith-Walters, City Clerk _________________________________________________________________ Kent McDowell, Mayor