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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-02-08 Canton City Council Meeting MinutesA regular meeting of the Canton City Council was held on January 2, 2008 in Council Chambers at the Historic Depot, 50 North 4th Avenue. Canton, Illinois. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OPENED THE MEETING FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION GIVEN BY CITY CLERK NANCY WHITES. Mayor Rodney W. Heinze asked for roll call at 6:30 p.m. Present - Aldermen Eric Schenck, Larry Sarff, Craig West, David Nidiffer, Kevin Meade, Jason Strandberg, Sonya Lewis. Absent -Joe Berardi. Others in attendance was -Mayor Rodney W. Heinze, City Clerk Nancy Whites, City Treasurer Kathy Luker, City Attorney Chrissie Peterson, Public Works Director Cliff O'Brien, Police Chief Jeffery Fritz, Fire Chief Bonnie Cremer, Water Treatment Supt. Greg Pollitt, System Maintenance Supt. Bill Terry, Video Services by Joe Ginger. In the audience was News Media of John Froehling from Daily Ledger, Denise Bankes from Democrat, Mark Bixler from WBYS. MINUTES OF DECEMBER 18, 2007 COUNCIL MEETING. Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/Nidiffer, the minutes of December 18, 2007 be accepted and placed on file. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. COMMITTEE REPORTS: Public Safety & Traffic. Fire Report from November. Fire Chief Bonnie Cremer highlighted her report by the following - • Fire Alarms decreased by 20.7% while EMS alarms increased by 10.9% compared to our responses in November 2006. • Canton suffered a significant fire loss with the Feasters Fire on November 7th. An engineer from Maurer-Stitz Inc. was requested to evaluate the buildings structural damage from the fire. Timbers which supported the exterior walls of the building were destroyed by the fire. • Large equipment was brought in by the building owner insurance company because the building was damaged extensively by the fire. Page l of 5 COUNCIL MEETING January 2, 2008 • Assistant Chief Richard Grove established incident command at the Feasters fire. The incident went smoothly under the incident command system and the coordinated efforts of those assisting us. We do not deal with fires of this magnitude very often and it takes the assistance from every City department of successfully extinguish such a large fire. Regardless of the roll in the fire incident the department appreciation goes out to everyone involved. • On November 3rd and 4th I attended a Training the Training Officer Class at the State Fire Marshall Office in Springfield. • On November 3rd, Lieutenant Tony Plumer attended a National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) class at Rushville Fire Department. The class was on the use of the Fire House Program which is used to document all our incidents. • Investigator Jay Smith attended a Basic Defensive Handgun Class in Galesburg. This was the first significant firearm training class Smith has taken since his certification as an Arson Investigator through the Office of the State Fire Marshall in 2000. • Firefighter Robert Moravek completed a Child Safety Seat Technician Class in Peoria. Firefighter Scott Roos completed a re-certification class for Child Safety Seat Technician so the department now has two firefighters who are qualified to install child safety seats. • The rear drive east of the fire station was replaced. City crews removed the existing material before a contractor spread and compacted rock in the area. Reinforced concrete was then poured in the 478 square yard area. Community & Industrial Development. Crawford/Alley Vacation 102 East Elm Street. • Alderman David Nidiffer said, an old alley was discovered that apparently runs east-west on that block. The City records have been searched and cannot find any evidence that the alley was ever vacated. Page 2 of 5 COUNCIL MEETING January 2, 2008 Alderman Nidiffer mentioned that this technically needs to be cleaned up. • MOTION - by Aldermen Nidiffer/Sarff, to vacate alley and make sure all agrees with State Statute rules and regulations, and bring to appropriate meeting. Discussion. City Attorney Chrissie Peterson explained the public notice and an ordinance will come later. Roll call. AYES -Aldermen Lewis, Strandberg, Meade, Nidiffer, West, Sarff, Schenck. NAYS -None. 7 AYES, 0 NAYS, 1 ABSENT. Motion carried. MAYOR'S COMMUNICATION - • Good News. Mayor Heinze said he had no good news to report at this time. Water Department Clerk Position. • Mayor Heinze mentioned that a very good employee Connie Glad will be retiring on January 15, 2008. • Aldermen Sarff wants to have someone already employed in Public Works to cross train part time in the water department in the clerk position, with the mayor and city staff making the selection, and come back later for a proposal. • Public Works Director Cliff O'Brien gave an update as to what time of the month each transaction is performed such as billing, late billing, shut offs, read outs and sending out mailings of dead meters. Fire Works. • Mayor Heinze ask the council for their input on how to handle the fireworks fund raising for 2008. The City has had to pay some of the amounts as last year the cost was $11,000. The city does not want to do it this year. • Alderman Sarff suggested that the Community Development/Chamber of Commerce handle this fireworks fund raising. Page 3 of 5 COUNCIL MEETING January 2, 2008 OLD BUSINESS: None. NEW BUSINESS: None. EXECUTIVE SESSION -FOR NEGOTIATIONS, GRIEVANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS - A GRIEVANCE, AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH PUBLIC WORKS. • Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/West, to go into executive session to discuss -Negotiations with Public Works and a Grievance. Roll call. AYES -Aldermen Schenck, Sarff, West, Nidiffer, Meade, Strandberg, Lewis. NAYS -None. 7 AYES, 0 NAYS, 1 ABSENT. Motion carried. ALSO - EXECUTIVE SESSION -FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH PUBLIC WORKS AT 121 WEST ELM, AT BRUCE BEAUS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE COUNCIL MEETING. • Alderman Sarff reported that this executive session will not be held due to a death in the family of ASFCME Negotiator Dave Smith. Could be rescheduled for January 23rd, but not positive at this time. • There will be an executive session on January 8, 2008 Negotiations, Grievance & Personnel Committee to discuss - Grievance, Negotiations and Possible Litigation. The regular scheduled council meeting convened in executive session at 6:50 p.m. Page 4 of 5 COUNCIL MEETING January 2, 2008 The regular scheduled council meeting reconvened in to open session at 7:29 p.m. to adjourn. Adjournment: Motion and second by Aldermen Meade/Sarff, to adjourn. The motion carried by voice vote, and was unanimous. The regular scheduled council meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Nancy Whites, City Clerk APPROVED: Rodney W. Heinze, Mayor Page 5 of 5