City Council Meeting Minutes--December 28, 2020

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE STAUNTON CITY COUNCIL, HELD IN THE RALPH & JOSEPHINE OLTMANN COMMUNITY CENTER, 101 W. PEARL ST., STAUNTON, ILLINOIS ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020

I. CALL TO ORDER:

Mayor Craig Neuhaus called the Staunton City Council Meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, December 28, 2020

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Mayor Craig Neuhaus led the Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.

III. ROLL CALL:

Prior to roll call being taken, City Clerk Stiegemeier announced that tonight’s City Council Meeting was being conducted remotely and was being recorded due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

City Clerk Stiegemeier called roll with the following persons:

ATTENDING: Aldermen Rick Johnson, Ryan Machota, John Moore, Jeff, Scanzoni, Mayor Craig Neuhaus, City Clerk Dennis Stiegemeier, City Treasurer Cindy Pirok and Public Works Director Mike Kuethe.

ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE: Aldermen Brooke Wallace, Randy Hanks and Chad Plenske, City Attorney Phil Lading and Police Chief Jeff Doerr.

NOT ATTENDING: Alderman Maria Bodner.

IV. CONSENT AGENDA

Johnson moved, seconded by Scanzoni to approve Consent Agenda with the following items:

Minutes

Regular Meeting – 12/14/2020

Executive Session—12/14/2020

Collector’s Report

Ameren Illinois (Utility Tax)--$16,171.17

MJM Electric Cooperative (Utility Tax)--$207.40

Staunton Area Ambulance Service (Dispatching Fee)--$500.00

State of Illinois (Personal Property Replacement Tax)--$630.13

State of Illinois (Use Tax)--$19,403.10

State of Illinois (Income Tax)--$34,200.36

State of Illinois (Telecommunications Tax)--$5,775.97

State of Illinois (Cannabis Use Tax)--$246.89

State of Illinois (Video Gaming Tax)--$8,157.99

State of Illiinois (Sales Tax)--$52,962.05

State of Illinois (MFT Tax)--$9,556.69

State of Illinois (MFT Renewal Fund)--$6,860.83

M&M Service Company (Sievers Farm Income)--$8,103.29

Applications

None

Claims

December 28, 2020

Business Licenses Issued

Avid Recovery & Towing

Staunton Helping Hands Center (Raffle License)

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Wallace, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Plenske, Moore, Scanzoni.

NAYS: None.

ABSENT: Bodner.

Motion declared carried.

V. GUESTS

VI. CORRESPONDENCE

Alderman Johnson stated that the local Meals on Wheels program is in desperate need of drivers. If anyone would be willing to deliver meals to local residents, please contact Lydia Johnson at 618-315-1725.

VII. TREASURER’S REPORT

Certificates of Deposit recently cashed in at Bank of Hillsboro:

Water Fund--$150,000.00 plus $263.41 interest

Sewer Fund--$100,000.00 plus $175.60 interest

Telecommunications Fund--$150,000.00 plus $263.41 interest

VIII. CITY CLERK’S REPORT

All Certificates of Participation for the 2020 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

must be turned in to the City Clerk’s Office on or before December 31, 2020. This

applies to all City employees and elected officials.

IX. COMMITTEE REPORTS

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY -

Motion by Johnson, seconded by Moore to approve spending up to $25,000.00 for police department remodeling, as budgeted. Prior to the vote a discussion was held regarding this motion. Alderman Hanks felt that the motion was being rushed through and that it should be discussed more at a committee meeting. Alderman Johnson stated that, counting the committee meeting earlier tonight, that would have been the fourth committee meeting that the police remodeling has been discussed. Johnson stated that we are planning to use our own City employees to provide the labor on the job, as the job has been put out for bid, and as of this time no bids have been received. Johnson also stated that he would like to get some building materials purchased and in place so that when time allows for the City workers to begin, there are materials on hand for the project to start. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Johnson, Machota, Moore, Scanzoni. Nayes: Wallace, Hanks. Abstain: Plenske. Absent: Bodner. Motion carried 4 Ayes; 2 Nayes; 1 Abstain.

PARK & CIVIC IMPROVEMENT –

Nothing to report.

FINANCE–

Nothing to report.

WATER-

Motion by Hanks, seconded by Scanzoni to accept low bid from Midwest Municipal Supply for materials for the Caldwell Street water main loop at a cost not to exceed $5,000.00. Midwest Municipal Supply’s original bid amount was for $2,964.87, but the increase in the amount is to allow for potential additional quantities of materials. Public Works Director Kuethe stated that he has a fair amount of materials on hand that are left over from other City jobs, and this will allow the City to use those materials up, which will save the City a substantial amount of money, according to the engineer’s original materials estimate. The other bid received was from Schulte Supply for $3,340.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Hanks, Machota, Plenske, Moore, Scanzoni, Wallace, Johnson. Nayes: None. Absent: Bodner. Motion carried.

STREET / SEWER

Motion by Machota, seconded by Moore to accept proposal from A&A Drilling, Inc. for directional bore in the sewer forced main from Deneen Street to Tubular Steel Road in the amount of $4,200.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Machota, Plenske, Moore, Scanzoni, Wallace, Johnson, Hanks. Nayes: None. Absent: Bodner. Motion carried.

Motion by Machota, seconded by Johnson to pay Invoice #2223 from Nail Land Surveying for Surveying Services related to the proposed lift station area on the east side of Interstate 55 in the amount of $1,400.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Plenske, Moore, Scanzoni, Wallace, Johnson, Hanks, Machota. Nayes: None. Absent: Bodner. Motion carried.

PUBLIC GROUNDS-

Nothing to report.

TOURISM –

Nothing to report.

PERSONNEL –

The minimum wage for four City employees will be increasing from $10.00 per

hour to $11.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2021. This is due to the State of

Illinois minimum wage requirement that goes in to effect that day.

ANNEXATION –

Nothing to report.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES –

ECONOMIC / TIF

Motion by Johnson, seconded by Scanzoni to approve payment to Joe & Jennifer Pratte for 50% of their TIF reimbursement grant in the amount of $10,454.13. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Moore, Scanzoni, Wallace, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Plenske. Nayes: None. Absent: Bodner. Motion carried.

JUDICIARY—

Motion by Johnson, seconded by Moore to approve Ordinance #2100 Granting A Zoning Variance For Real Property Located At 622 Bell Street, Staunton, Illinois. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Scanzoni, Wallace, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Plenske, Moore. Nayes: None. Absent: Bodner. Motion carried.

X. UNFINISHED BUSINESS—

Nothing to report.

XI. NEW BUSINESS-

Alderman Johnson stated that City Clerk Stiegemeier is working on the 2021 Holiday Schedule for the City of Staunton employees. Normally if a holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday is observed on the Friday before. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday is observed on the Monday after. In 2021, Christmas Eve falls on Friday and Christmas Day falls on Saturday, so a decision would need to be made as to what date to observe the Christmas Day holiday, since employees would already be off on the day before (Friday) Christmas Day. This will be discussed futher and brought back to the Council before the 2021 Holiday Schedule is finished.

XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION—

No Executive Session was held.

XIII. MOTIONS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION –

.

No motions were made from Executive Session.

XIV. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business to discuss, Councilmember Scanzoni seconded by Councilmember Johnson to adjourn at 7:17 P.M. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Scanzoni, Bodner, Wallace, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Plenske, Moore. Nayes: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.

Prepared by:

Dennis K. Stiegemeier, City Clerk