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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-18-05 City Council Meeting Minutes A regular meeting of the Canton City Council was held on October 18, 2005 in the th Council Chambers at the Historic Depot, 50 North 4 Avenue, Canton, Illinois. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OPENED THE MEETING FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION GIVEN BY CITY CLERK NANCY WHITES. Mayor Heinze asked for roll call at 6:30 p.m. Present – Aldermen Jim Hartford, Joe Berardi, Larry Sarff, Craig West, Les Carl, Kevin Meade, Rick Reed, Eric Schenck. Absent – None. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING OCTOBER 4, 2005. Motion and second by th Aldermen Hartford/West, the minutes of October 4, 2005 be accepted and placed on file. The motion carried by voice vote. MINUTES OF CLERICAL COMMITTEE OCTOBER 11, 2005. Motion and second by Aldermen West/Carl, the minutes of October 11, 2005 be accepted and placed eliminate on file as amended. (Amendment – the printed text relating to opening of bids th Add in for Wastewater Treatment Plant and Water Treatment Plant on October 10. - Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/West, to accept the low bid of Merrell Brothers Inc. for the Water Treatment Plant in the amount of $78,979.45, and refer to council for their consideration.) The motion carried by voice vote. TREASURER’S REPORT. Alderman Carl ask Kathy is she could put on her report the TIF fund. Alderman Hartford ask Kathy if she could put across the top of her report, “Treasurer’s Report.” Kathy mentioned she would do both, and thought both of the suggestions was a good idea. Motion and second by Aldermen Carl/Hartford to approve the Treasurer’s Report. The motion carried by voice vote. BILLS. Motion and second by Aldermen Sarff/Reed, to approve all bills as presented. Discussion. Alderman Carl said he does not want to pay the Street Light bill as 33 lights are out within the City. Alderman Sarff said he did not want to wait another month to pay the bill as only 33 are not working out of 500. Mayor Heinze mentioned that he has talked with a representative from Ameren – CIPS and they say it could take up to 45 days to fix unless they are dangerous intersections. City Treasurer Kathy Luker mentioned that the charge is automatic debit out of the checking account. Alderman Reed commented that if we don’t pay our bill we could have 500 street lights out. Alderman Berardi mentioned that the council has received some 3 different revised copies of the bill list. Alderman Carl mentioned the reason is the bills are coming in after the Finance meeting. Alderman Berardi then ask, since they came in after the meeting should they not be referred to the committee for review? Alderman Carl answered, that is what we’re doing tonight reviewing the bills. Alderman Berardi then ask about the HCH Premium bills. City Treasurer Kathy Luker mentioned the bill was added inadvertently. It is a check the city writes to pay itself. Alderman Berardi continued on with questions about the HCH bill. He made comments to Alderman Carl, and when Alderman Carl wanted Kathy Luker, the City Treasurer to answer, Alderman Berardi mentioned that she does not have the right to make comments here. Alderman Meade/Sarff both agreed that Kathy Luker, City Treasurer does have the right to speak at the meetings. Kathy explained that the bill will never be on the bill list again. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Schenck, Reed, Meade, Carl, West, Sarff, Berardi, Hartford. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. COMMITTEE REPORTS. Finance. Council Action Motion and second by Aldermen Carl/Reed, since no bids were received to go for a Public Auction with Economic Development Director Mark Rothert taking care of the detail work. Discussion. Alderman Hartford asked if the city will have an agreement about the time capsule? Mark Rothert said that it can be noted that the conveyance for 1 City Council meeting 10-18-05 outside use of the building and the inside use would be up to the buyer. Mayor Heinze ask if there would be a dollar limit? Alderman Carl said, no! The restrictions can be given the day of the auction. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Hartford, Berardi, Sarff, West, Carl, Meade, Reed, Schenck. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried Motion and second by Aldermen Carl/Berardi, to accept the low bid from Merrell Brothers for removal and disposal of sludge for the Water Treatment Plant in the amount of $84.47 unit with 935 dry tons, total cost of $78,979.45. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Schenck, Reed, Meade, Carl, West, Sarff, Berardi, Hartford. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Motion and second by Aldermen Carl/Sarff, to reject all bids received on October 10, 2005 for removal and disposal of sludge from the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The motion carried by voice vote. Motion and second by Aldermen Carl/Berardi, to allow City Treasurer Kathy Luker to make back payments into the Depreciation Account for funding of a Garbage Truck. Discussion. Alderman Schenck wanted to know if the amount was calculated in arrears? Alderman Carl mentioned that the city’s auditors Hocker & Fitzjarrald have done that research. Roll call. AYES – Aldermen Hartford, Berardi, Sarff, West, Carl, Meade, Reed, Schenck. NAYS – None. 8 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSENT. Motion carried. Legal & Ordinance. Council Action Bid requirement to be amended from $10,000 to $20,000. Alderman Meade mentioned this is help the city attorney as he has to amend the ordinance. Signs on property for change & to review options for neighbors. Alderman Meade said this is for the city attorney. Nelson Building on East Elm Street – report. Alderman Meade reported that Clark Wilson the zoning officer was to contact Phillips & Associates. Alderman Meade said to add this to the next committee meeting agenda as Clark is on vacation. Alderman Berardi ask Alderman Meade, why did you take off the items that Alderman Berardi had placed on your committee agenda? Alderman Meade answered that he approved not putting your list of topics on the agenda for Council discussion under his committee. The items placed on the agenda for Council is what has been recommended by the committee and need further action. Mayor Heinze ask Alderman Berardi why he did not call Alderman Meade to ask about putting items on Alderman Meade’s agenda? Alderman Berardi said he did not have to. Mayor Heinze said he was the one who called Alderman Meade, and the lap top computer was answered at the committee last week. This is embarrassing as we mentioned where the report on it was. Alderman Berardi said he received a call and the report was not there, and you mayor reported it was! Community & Industrial Development. Council Action Alderman Berardi ask Alderman West, if he was ask not to put the following on his agenda? Visit by developers. Alderman West said he was not called. Alderman Berardi said he brought them here and wanted to ask them what they see about this city. Alderman Berardi invited Economic Development Director Mark Rothert, Mayor Rodney Heinze and Rod Ahitow of the Chamber of Commerce to this meeting. After their visit 2 City Council meeting 10-18-05 the developers were very impressed. Mayor Heinze said the right thing to do is to call the aldermen if you want to add items to their agenda. Negotiations, Grievance & Personnel. Council Action Alderman Sarff said he had nothing to report and there were no item’s for discussion listed on the agenda. COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR HEINZE – Water Issue. Mayor Heinze brought up about the raise in the water bills because of the new construction of going to the river and the concerns the citizens have over the cost. Mayor Heinze ask for Water Treatment Plant Supt. Greg Pollitt to give his report. Greg had made up a table of usage to see how the bill goes up from now until 2008. The following is that table – 2-month bill at Old Rate Total Useage Cuft Gallons Old Rate 1200 8,976 D Improvement 6.12 R Garbage 16.00 S Sewer 20.60 W Water 24.20 2-Month Total Bill $66.92 2 Month Bill Total Useage Cuft Gallons May 2005 Rate 1200 8,976 D Improvement 6.12 D Water –05P 14.00 D Sewer –05P 15.18 R Garbage 16.00 S Sewer 19.54 W Water 24.20 2-Month Total Bill $95.04 Sewer increase 14.12 Water Increase 14.00 TOTAL Increase $28.12 42.02% 2-Month Bill Total Useage Cuft Gallons May 2006Rate 12008976 D Improvement 6.12 D Water-05 P 23.84 D Sewer-05 P 20.58 R Garbage 16.00 S Sewer 19.54 W Water 24.20 2-Month total bill $110.28 Sewer increase 5.40 Water increase 9.84 3 City Council meeting 10-18-05 Total increase $15.24 16.04% May 2007 Total Usage Cuft Gallons Rate 1200 8976 D Improvement 6.12 D Water-05 P 32.00 D Sewer-05 P 25.98 R Garbage 16.00 S Sewer 19.54 W Water 24.20 2-Month Total Bill $123.84 Sewer Increase 5.40 Water Increase 8.16 Total Increase 13.56 12.30% May 2008 Total Useage Cuft Gallons Rate 1200 8976 D Improvement 6.12 D Water-05 P 37.28 D Sewer-05 P 30.06 R Garbage 16.00 S Sewer 19.54 W Water 24.20 2-Month Total Bill $133.20 Sewer increase 4.08 Water increase 5.28 TOTAL Increase $9.36 7.56% Total Sewer increase $29.00 Total Water increase $37.28 Total increase $66.28 99.04% Mayor Heinze mentioned who is to blame for all of this? Nobody! There has been no major rebuilding program since the water plant was built in 1937. Mayor Heinze mentioned that 240 communities that were survey 38% have raised their water fees, and 90% of the communities are raising their water rates. Alderman West ask for an explanation of line items on the water bill. Greg Pollitt, Supt of the Water Plant gave the following – D Improvement , since 2000 we have been paying for the 2001 project that consisted of th rehab of the water tower, new water mains on East Chestnut to 11 Avenue, replaced all water meters in the city and rebuilt all water filters at the Water Plant. It is mandated by the IEPA for this information to be a separate line item on the bills. Alderman West asked how much longer will this be a line item? Greg said it is a 20 year line item, and we have 18 years to go. D Water-05-P represents the 2005 water project. This is the water plant side of the project. This is collected to repay the bond issue for the water improvement project. D Sewer-05 P is debt retirement amount of the bill that is being paid to pay the bond issue of the sewer projects. R Garbage is the cost to operate. S Sewer is the standard operation or maintenance of the bill for the sewer system, water system & water projects, and the meter department. Alderman West stated that if you take the amount of the Garbage off of the bill, the water portion has gone up 50% not 20%! Greg Pollitt said that is very possible. The example 4 City Council meeting 10-18-05 he has given represents a citizen of Canton customer billed every 2 months. It is difficult to give them an exact figure but we can give them a range when a customer wants to know how much the bill went up. Alderman Berardi ask Alderman Carl, when the Ethanol Plant begins to pay and how much? Alderman Carl said the amount is $.87 cents per cubic feet of water. Like we charge them $1.42 and give them credit back, that comes to the Ethanol Plant paying $.87 cents. Mayor Heinze said they are paying for the water line. Alderman Meade mentioned that what our concerns are on the bonds as it appears by the law we have to charge $1.25 for every dollar debt we have. We need to make sure we have enough money to pay back that debt. And hope we can review this later to make sure we’re not over charging. Level of Lake. Mayor Heinze said the lake level is down to 65 inches. The Wells will be turned on beginning November 1, 2005. OLD BUSINESS: Alderman Carl ask for the Liquor Commission to not issue any more permits for “Beer Garden License.” Alderman Carl said the neighbors hear music pass 11:00 p.m. Mayor Heinze said he was looking into this. Police Chief Don Edwards mentioned the music will echo, and how do you tell the establishment your music is too loud, when this council endorses it! Mayor Heinze said he would consider this for the Liquor Commission. NEW BUSINESS: ORDINANCE – PROVIDING FOR STOP SIGNS FOR TRAFFIC BOTH NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND ON SOUTH AVENUE F, AT WEST CHESTNUT STREET. First reading, read by title. Alderman Meade said Avenue F is north not south. Adjournment. Motion and second by Aldermen Hartford/Reed, to adjourn. The motion carried by voice vote. The regular scheduled council meeting adjourned at 8:39 p.m. ______________________________ Nancy Whites, City Clerk APPROVED: _______________________________ Rodney W. Heinze, Mayor 5