City Council Meeting Minutes--September 12, 2022

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, SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

I. CALL TO ORDER:

Mayor Craig Neuhaus called the Staunton City Council Meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, September 12, 2022

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Mayor Craig Neuhaus led the Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.

III. ROLL CALL:

City Clerk Stiegemeier called roll with the following persons:

ATTENDING: Aldermen David Manning, David Dias, Rick Johnson, Ryan Machota, John Moore and Terry Tipler, Mayor Craig Neuhaus, City Clerk Dennis Stiegemeier, City Treasurer Cindy Pirok, City Attorney Phil Lading, Public Works Director Mike Kuethe and Police Chief Jeff Doerr.

ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE: Alderman Randy Hanks.

NOT ATTENDING: Alderman Chad Plenske.

IV. CONSENT AGENDA

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

Minutes

Regular Meeting – 08/22/2022

Collector’s Report

Staunton Police Department (Ordinance Violations)--$200.00

Staunton Police Department (Reports)--$25.00

Jersey County Circuit Clerk (FTA Warrant Fee)--$30.00

Southwestern Electric Cooperative (Utility Tax)--$916.84

M.J.M. Electric Cooperative (Utility Tax)--$327.50

Staunton Super 8 Motel (Hotel/Motel Tax)--$2,350.86

Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (Fine Disbursement)--$693.85

Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (Arrest Agency Fee)--$250.00

Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (Police Vehicle Fund)--$.50

Macoupin County Circuit Clerk (E-Citation Fee)--$12.00

State of Illinois (Sales Tax)--$67,563.73

State of Illinois (MFT Tax)--$9,313.45

State of Illinois (MFT Renewal Fund)--$7,523.25

Applications

Robert Hermanns (Part Time Yard Waste Attendant / Crossing Guard)

Griffin Prange (Street Department)

Monthly Reports

Distributed by City Clerk’s Office

Claims

September 12, 2022

Business Licenses Issued

Staunton High School Volleyball (Raffle License)

Concordia Hall / Queen of Hearts (Raffle License)

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning.

NAYS: None.

ABSENT: Plenske.

Motion declared carried.

V. GUESTS

No guests were present to speak.

VI. CORRESPONDENCE

Received an email from Darren Windau requesting to use the South Water Tower Park on September 15, 2022 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. for a Cub Scout open house. Mr. Windau is asking to have the park rental fee waived.

Received a request from Brian Johnston to close Orchard Lane on October 15, 2022, from 2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. for a neighborhood block party. Mr. Johnston is also asking to use city barricades for the event.

Received a letter of resignation from Street Department Employee Bart Yakos. Bart’s letter is dated September 9, 2022 and his last day of employment will be September 30, 2022.

VII. TREASURER’S REPORT

Certificates of Deposit recently purchased at Bank of Hillsboro for 9 months at 1.61%:

Civic Improvement Fund - $75,000.00

Infrastructure Fund - $100,000.00

General Fund - $150,000.00

Telecommunications Fund - $200,000.00

Sewer Fund - $175,000.00

Water Fund - $100,000.00

VIII. CITY CLERK’S REPORT

All duck blinds, except blind #4, had been registered prior to the September 1st deadline

IX. COMMITTEE REPORTS

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY -

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to grant request from Brian Johnston to close Orchard Lane on October 15, 2022 from 2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. for a neighborhood block party. Mr. Johnston is also asking to use city barricades for the event. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Quote #50554 from Williams Office Products for new office furniture for the police department in the amount of $2,292.45. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson. Nayes: Hanks. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried 6 Ayes; 1 Naye.

PARK & CIVIC IMPROVEMENT –

Motion by Tipler, seconded by Moore to grant request from Darren Windau to host a Cub Scout open house at the South Water Tower Park on September 15, 2022 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M, with the park rental fee being waived. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

FINANCE–

Motion by Moore, seconded by Manning to approve engineering on the Route 4 / Alco sewer main extension project in the amount of $42,000.00, to be paid from line item 56.45.862.0. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Moore, seconded by Manning to approve construction on the Route 4 / Alco sewer main extension project in the amount of $131,000.00, to be paid from line item 56.45.862.1. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Moore, seconded by Johnson to approve engineering on the East Main Street sewer project in the amount of $42,000.00, to be paid from line item 56.45.863.0. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Moore, seconded by Tipler to approve engineering on the North Street bridge project in the amount of $45,000.00, to be paid from line item 56.45.864.0. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Moore, seconded by Johnson to approve Quote #32444 from Illini Tech to set up Multi-Factor Authentication for City of Staunton, Public Works and Water Department in the amount of $1,000.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Moore, seconded by Johnson to approve Quote #32477 from Illini Tech for Solid State Drives with USB Cables and on-site labor to perform backup restoration and documentation in the amount of $2,520.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

WATER-

Motion by Moore, seconded by Johnson to approve engineering on the North Easton Street water main extension project in the amount of $4,500.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Moore, seconded by Johnson to approve construction on the North Easton Street water main extension project, not to exceed $12,000.00. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

STREET / SEWER

Nothing to report.

PUBLIC GROUNDS-

Nothing to report.

TOURISM –

Motion by Tipler, seconded by Moore to close the following streets for the upcoming Strassenfest:

Main Street from Wood Street to Union Street on Saturday, September 17, 2022

from 6:00 A.M. to 11:59 P.M.;

Elm Street from the Associated Bank entrance going north to Duda Garden on

Friday, September 16, 2022 from 7:00 A.M. until Monday, September 19, 2022 at

10:00 A.M.

At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

PERSONNEL –

Nothing to report.

ANNEXATION –

Nothing to report.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES –

Economic TIF

Motion by Moore, seconded by Tipler to reimburse Bart & Patty Brauer 75% of the completed expenses as outlined in the the TIF Redevelopment Agreement, for a total of $4,230.00 (75% of $5,640.00). At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

JUDICIARY—

Prior to the next motion, Alderman Johnson stated that he remained opposed to both

the $50,000.00 price tag as well as the process used to establish the sale price. He

still contends an appraisal and an offer of fair market value be made for the property

that will be demolished at an additional cost to the City.

Motion by Manning, seconded by Moore to approve Ordinance #2172 Authorizing An Agreement For The Purchase of Certain Property. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias. Nayes: Johnson, Hanks. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried 5 Ayes; 2 Nayes.

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Ordinance #2173 Approving A Charity Roadblock By The Elbon Shrine Club To Conduct Their Newspaper Drive At The Intersection Of Main And Route 4 And Main And Union (October 15, 2022). At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Machota, Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Motion by Manning, seconded by Dias to approve Ordinance #2174 Approving A Charity Roadblock By The Staunton Knights Of Columbus To Conduct Their Annual Tootsie Roll Drive At The Intersection Of Main And Route 4 And Main And Union (September 17, 2022). At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

1st reading of Ordinance #2175 Approving An Intergovernmental Agreement Between The City Of Staunton And Staunton Township Regarding A Portion Of West Frontage Road

Motion by Manning, seconded by Tipler to approve Resolution #2022-18 Authorizing The City Of Staunton, Illinois To Apply For An OSLAD Grant (Open Space Land Acquisition & Development). At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Moore, Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

X. UNFINISHED BUSINESS—

Sometime back, the City had approved the interest rate for a construction loan for the

Gensing Creek drainage project. In the meantime, the bid has expired, so the City will

be in the process of getting interest rate bids again for the loan. This is a part of the

condition of Rural Development Bonds, which requires interim financing.

XI. NEW BUSINESS-

Over the coming month, City Officials will be walking door to door in Ward 3 collecting Grant survey information. The state requires a minimum 80% response rate to qualify for the grant. Please help the City qualify for grants by answering your door and providing the very limited information requested.

In addition a City Official is visiting different areas across Staunton collecting applications for Home Repair Grants. If you have questions or wish to fill out an application please call City Hall for Dennis Stiegemeier 618-635-2233 or Rick Johnson at 618-407-2358.

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 Manning, seconded by Councilmember Tipler to adjourn at 7:18 P.M. At Roll Call Vote – Ayes: Tipler, Manning, Dias, Johnson, Hanks, Machota, Moore. Nayes: None. Absent: Plenske. Motion carried.

Prepared by:

Dennis K. Stiegemeier, City Clerk