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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-13-1995 Clerical Clerical Committee City Council Chambers June 13, 1995 6:30 P.M. Members Present: Larry Sarff, Jerry Bohler, Bob Molleck, Kevin Meade Others Present: Don Edwards, Jim Elson, Clif O'Brien, Mike Elam, Ray McKinney, Joanne Shores, Jim May, Bob DeRenzy, Kayma Duncan, Don Hopper, John Froehling, Harlan Banister, Jim Hartford, Finance Committee Larry Sarff, Chairman The first item was the bids for the air conditioning/heating unit at the wastewater plant. The bids were opened earlier and a recommendation from Bob Anderson was to award the bid to Easley Mechanical in the amount of $6,290.00. A motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Jerry Bohler to award the bid to Easley Mechanical. Harlan Banister explained the time frame for the request for bids and the outline of the job. Voice vote. Motion carried. Bills were discussed next. Larry Sarff stated that the third pay estimate from River City Construction in the amount of $163,551.60 should be added to the list of bills. A motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Jerry Bohler to refer the bills to the City Council for consideration. Voice vote. Motion carried. No further business was discussed and the Finance Committee was adjourned. Negotiations, Grievance and Personnel Committee Kevin Meade, Chairman The first item on the agenda was a presentation from David Shane of the Community Mental Health Center concerning an employee assistance program. Mr. Shane presented an overview of the program. He stated that the cost is $26.00 per employee per year. This includes an evaluation and four sessions for each problem. (stress management, marital problems, grief/loss, etc.) This program includes both the employee and their family members. After the four sessions, if additional assistance is needed, sessions would be billed to the insurance. They also include a referral service for additional counseling. The total based on 103 employees is $2,678.00. Mayor Edwards stated that Proctor has also requested the opportunity to make a presentation to the Committee and they have been scheduled for the next Clerical Committee. The Committee thanked Mr. Shane for his time in making the presentation. No action was taken on the matter at this time. A burning complaint was discussed next. Mayor Edwards stated that he received a letter concerning burning in the city and has written a response letter indicating that burning of leaves is allowed but not garbage. Along that line, Bob DeRenzy stated that there has been some problem with burning brush on the Berardi property, next to Farm King. Don Quick had contacted him concerning the placement of fuel oil on a large pile of brush at the Berardi property. Farm King has voiced their concerns with the possible smoke damage and the proximity of the burning to an LP tank located on their property. Bob stated that he has talked with Farm King's insurance company and the EPA. The EPA has indicated that a permit is needed for this burning. Bob stated he will keep the Committee informed on this matter. Mayor Edwards stated that the city, like other cities, is caught in the middle due to the banning of yard waste in the landfills. Bob DeRenzy stated that there are approximately 3,000 tires at the chips plant in the industrial park. It is his understanding that the tires will be removed after the clean up of the chips is completed. No further business was discussed and the Negotiations, Grievance and Personnel Committee was adjourned. Community and Industrial Development Committee Bob Molleck, Chairman The first item was the LaRoma Pizza update. Bob Molleck stated that a meeting was held on May 24th with Mr. Puleo concerning the payments. Kayma Duncan has informed him that the June HHS payment, January and February revolving loan payments and interest to date on the remaining revolving loan payments have been paid. Mr. Puleo anticipates by the end of the year the company should be back on track with their payments. No action was necessary by the Committee on this matter. The next item was an information request. Kayma Duncan stated she had placed this item on the agenda and requested the matter be discussed in executive session since it concerns personnel. Committee agreed. No further business was discussed and the Community and Industrial Development Committee was adjourned. Legal and Ordinance Committee Jerry Bohler, Chairman The water tap ordinance for West Maple Street was next. It was noted that no new information has been presented and the matter was tabled at this time. 2 The mausoleum was next on the agenda. Jim Elson stated that he has provided a memo on this matter for the Committee's review. Gene Taylor addressed the Committee concerning the matter. He stated that he had done some research and found that approximately $2,463.00 remains in the mausoleum account. He stated that he had talked with Tom Homer at length concerning abandoned cemeteries. Unfortunately there are abandoned cemeteries all over Illinois. Larry Sarff stated that this has been talked about for some time. There are no additional funds available for upkeep and at one time an estimate of $10,000 was needed for a new roof. He stated that it seems to be more of a benefit to accept the mausoleum now rather than accept it 20 years from now when it will be in worse physical shape. Mayor Edwards asked what the annual expense is for the mausoleum and stated that Bob Anderson had estimated the new roof to cost $20,000. He suggested a community project with new trusses and shingles for the roof. Jerry Bohler asked if it would be possible to contact descendants to raise additional funds for a new roof. In response to the question of transfer of the mausoleum to the city, Jim Elson stated that it would be a conveyance of property from the mausoleum association to the city with the city becoming responsible with the acceptance of the deed. Gene Taylor stated there are approximately 60 crypts available out of the original 250 and some have been abandoned. These abandoned crypts could be obtained through good title. Harlan Banister stated that the Greenwood Cemetery budget is not sufficient to operate the cemetery without the city's $25,000 contribution. There are budget problems without adding the mausoleum. Mrs. Esther Sexton addressed the Committee stating her father bought a crypt and thought he would be taken care of. She stated there are very few private mausoleums as they are city owned now. She stated she is willing to give $1,000 to the fund if that will help. She stated that lifetime residents deserve to be taken care of. Kevin Meade stated he sees the Council feels a moral obligation, if not a legal obligation. He stated he would like to see the roof updated. A motion was made by Kevin Meade and seconded by Larry Sarff to accept conveyance of the mausoleum with the stipulation the association attempt to raise the additional funds for a new roof and to have the city take the mausoleum over from there. Gene Taylor stated he thought the association could raise the $10,000. Clif O'Brien stated that if the association can come up with the money for material, he would provide the labor to put the new roof on the mausoleum on a Saturday. Voice vote. Motion carried. Mayor Edwards stated he had received a letter from a citizen, which will remain nameless, concerning the possibility of having the city conduct housing inspections. He stated that he had provided a copy of a list Peoria uses to inspect property. Jim Elson stated that the city has some authority to do these now. Mayor Edwards stated he did not want to become a police state and the city can not afford to put on a full time inspector. He stated that the city would also need a process of issuing tickets and going to court over these tickets. Larry Sarff stated that in his ward the complaints are 3 usually on the same houses. He stated that on a single instance, if the homeowner is reminded, things usually get cleaned up. Mayor Edwards asked the Committee to review the matter, think about it, and discuss it further at the next meeting. Committee agreed. The possibility of making Avenue A two way traffic was next. Mayor Edwards stated that he has received information from IDOT informing him that they have no objections in making this two way traffic and minimum changes to the lights would be required. Mayor Edwards reminded the Committee there is still parking on the east side of Avenue A which would have to be removed. No action was taken at this time. Mike Elam addressed the Committee concerning a stop sign at the corner of White Court and Walnut Street. He recommended the placement of the sign on the northwest corner and a yellow no parking stripe be painted on the curb on the northeast and northwest corners of this intersection. A motion was made by Larry Sarff and seconded by Bob Molleck to have an ordinance drawn in accordance to Mike Elam's recommendation. Voice vote. Motion carried. A request for the va~ requested the vacation Village Square. It utilities are in this and seconded by Larry Council for approval. ration of an easement was next. Ed Hislope for the easement between Lot 22 and Lot 23 in has been researched and appears that no easement. A motion was made by Bob Molleck Sarff that an ordinance be sent to the City Voice vote. Motion carried. Underage sales of over the counter drugs and possession of tobacco products was next. This was a request from the organization "Together We Can", requesting the city's consideration. Mayor Edwards suggested the request be referred to enforcement personnel to review with recommendations to be brought back to the Committee. Committee agreed. The next item concerning ESDA. He stated he had invited members of the city and county ESDA as well as Tuffy Wright, Chairman of the County Board. He stated he would like a discussion of the coordination of efforts between the two agencies. He noted that the city receives $3500 from taxes and last year the expenses were $3,300. Gene Burchett, County Director, stated that the siren was blown when he felt it was not yet necessary. The warning was for southern Illinois at the time of the blowing. The prison then had a siting and the siren was blown again. He stated that some people think there is an all clear siren and there is not a signal for an all clear. This has happened on two occasions. He stated that the credibility of the siren could be lost by multiple blowings. He stated the solution may be that there should be radio communications between the city and the county agencies to coordinate. He stated that the county has an on going program of weather spotting and have had good cooperation with volunteer fire departments and other county agencies. Phil Fleming stated that the county has not had 4 '11rr' ~' direct communications with the city in the last six months eventhough the capability of communiications is available on several frequencies. Howard Williams stated that the county has granted the city permission to use the 025 frequency and will be testing the sirens with the county, He stated the sirens were blown when Canton was named in the warning. Ed Reed stated that during the incidents mentioned he was the senior officer and it is and continues to be the policy of the city ESDA to work with all agencies. He explained the process used in determining the use of the siren. He stated there is not a signal for the all clear eventhough some citizens still believe that an all clear signal exists. He stated that the city's equipment is antiquated and needs updated. Discussion followed. Kevin Meade stated that if the equipment is outdated, the information needs to be presented to the Committee with options for updating. Mayor Edwards stated he has talked with Tuffy Wright and they agree service to the public is their function. He would like to see the Committee look into this further, look at the budget and look at updating equipment. He stated that both agencies are serving the same people. Bob Molleck stated that it bothers him because two agencies are doing the same job. In talking with Springfield, the County is accredited while the city is not. He stated that they need to look at what is best for the public and maybe the need for two agencies is not necessary. He stated the two agencies are across the street from each other and doing the same activities. Mike Elam stated he works with both agencies. Bob DeRenzy stated he also works with both agencies and maybe the need to have them all in one building is the answer. Mike Elam stated that public safety is public safety regardless whether you are a cop, fireman, etc. Mayor Edwards stated he would like to see the city and county work together and follow up on this situation. Mayor Edwards addressed the Committee concerning the downtown sidewalk program. He stated the TIF has approximately $60,000 and he would like the Committee to consider a chime in the downtown area. He stated he has information on the chimes, which costs $20,000 for each post and information on a clock which costs $8,000. He stated that the chimes would be less susceptible to vandalism. This matter was tabled to the next meeting. On the Feaster/Kumer matter, Jim Elson stated he is waiting on a legal opinion from the Illinois Municipal League. Mayor Edwards stated that he has received a bill for the city's BOCA membership. He stated that he will bring the matter to the City Council with more information. At this time a motion was made by Bob Molleck and seconded by Jerry Bohler to adjourn in executive session for the purpose of personnel. Voice vote. Motion carried. The Committee reconvened in open session. No further business was discussed and the Committee was adjourned. Kayma Duncan - Committee Secretary