City Council

CITY COUNCIL Regular Meeting May 15, 2017 7:30 P.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag was given by all present. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Gottman called the regularly scheduled meeting of the Vandalia City Council to order at 7:30 P.M. ROLL CALL: Aldermen present were: Barker, B. John Clark, Hubler, Rebbe, Lester, Hobler, Stunkel and Crawford. MOMENT OF SILENCE: A moment of silence was observed for businesswoman Patsy Schutz. She began employment at Burtschi Brothers Title Co. immediately following high school graduation in 1949 and has been the owner of the company since 1989. MINUTES: A motion was made by B. John Clark and seconded by Crawford approving the minutes from the May 1, 2017 meeting as presented. Motion carried. REGULAR BILLS: A motion was made by Hobler and seconded by B. John Clark approving the regular bills as presented. Motion carried. SPECIAL BILLS: A motion was made by Stunkel and seconded B. John Clark approving the Special Bills as presented: Online Solutions in the amount of $1,800.00 for annual support; Southern Illinois Criminal in the amount of $1,520.00 for criminal justice training; Ameren Illinois in the amount of $3,575.86 for street lights; Vandalia Asphalt in 1  the amount of $2,903.94 for patch mix; Austin Holdings Group in the amount of $80,000.00 for a TIF reimbursement; HD Supply Waterworks in the amount of $1,529.16 for Powerseal; Centraz Industries in the amount of $3,060.00 for sewer solvent; Brenntag Mid South, Inc. in the amount of $9,498.69 for chemicals; Direct Energy in the amount of $18,049.08 for electric; Kaskaskia Springs Water in the amount of $2,176.40 for 5,411 Vandevanter Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $28,129.08 for pump repairs; Motion carried. AUTHORIZATION TO REPAIR PUMP A motion was made by Barker and AT TERMINAL LIFT STATION: seconded by Crawford, authorizing to $11,708.63 repair the pump at Terminal Lift Station in the amount of $11,708.63. This is a budgeted item. Motion carried. DISCUSSION ON RECYCLING: Kim Taylor of FAYCO was present at the council meeting for discussion on the recycling programs. Kim suggested doing a small survey which would be available to the residents to get input on a proposed monthly surcharge of $1.25 being added to residents’ water bills. Mayor Gottman asked the aldermen if they had received any feedback in regards to the recycling. Alderwoman Crawford and Alderman Stunkel said they both received several calls against the idea of an added fee. Alderman Lester and Alderman B. John Clark also received calls against the recycling. B. John Clark said, while he would like to see the program continue, the 2  residents of his ward who have contacted him have been against the idea. Mayor Gottman said that he received calls and talked with people and it was about fifty fifty. Mayor Gottman said the survey will give them the feedback they need. The council will wait for the results of the survey before taking any action. VANDALIA RAILROAD MUSEUM William Howard with the Vandalia FOUNDATION: Railroad Museum Foundation spoke to the council requesting a long term loan agreement with the city’s caboose. The foundation is hoping to restore the caboose to its original red, update the wood finish, appropriate style lettering and finding a good spot to move the caboose. The council members suggested placing the caboose at the tourism office near the interstate once the restoration is complete. Howard told the council that the city has a very historic caboose there. It has significant history value. There are not many left like it, less than five. The caboose was built in 1941. Mayor Gottman suggested moving forward with the restoration. He said, it is a project that he thinks would be very worthwhile in doing. Mayor Gottman asked the Building & Grounds Committee work with LaTisha Paslay, City Administrator and the city attorney in putting together an agreement for a long term loan. The agreement will be brought back to the council at the June 5th meeting. 3 APPROVE OR REJECT BIDS FOR A motion was made by B. John Clark and VEHICLE LEASE: seconded by Crawford to go with the low bid from Hosick Motors, Inc. for a 2017 Patriot Sport FWD in the amount of $298.00 per month. Motion carried. The city also received bids from Arthur Young, Inc. TRANSFERRING OF LAKE LOT A motion was made by Hobler and #125 FROM SCOTT WORKMAN, seconded by Stunkel approving the VANDALIA TO CORY WILLMS, transfer of Lake Lot #125 from Scott BROWNSTOWN, IL: Workman, Vandalia to Cory Willms, Brownstown, IL. All necessary fees have been paid. Motion carried. ORDINANCE #2017-5-15-A: A motion was made by Hubler and seconded AMENDING CHAPTER 15.04.020 by B. John Clark approving Ordinance BUILDING PERMITS AND FEES OF #2017-5-15-A, Amending Chapter 15.04.020 THE VANDALIA MUNICIPAL CODE Building Permits and Fees Of The Vandalia Municipal Code. Pursuant to 225 ILCS 335/5. Titled Illinois Roofing Industries Licensing Act, a building permit to a roofing contractor may not be issued unless that contractor has provided sufficient proof of current licensure as a roofing contractor by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and any insurance certification requested by the Building Inspector. No person shall perform work on any roof within the City of Vandalia without having been issued a permit therefore, regardless of ownership, pursuant to this code. Roll call: Hobler, yea; Hubler, yea; B. John Clark, yea; Lester, yea; Rebbe, yea; Crawford, nay; Barker, yea; Stunkel, nay; Motion carried. 6 yea & 2 nay. 4 MAYORS REPORT Mayor Gottman said that he and LaTisha Paslay will be traveling to Chicago on Tuesday for a meeting with a TIF attorney. Mayor Gottman announced that there will be a blood drive at the Vandalia Moose Lodge on Tuesday, May 16th from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Mayor Gottman encouraged everyone to attend Vandalia Day at Busch Stadium on Sunday, June 25th to show support for the Vandalia Vandals. CITY ADMINISTRATOR: Paslay reported that she has been working on the budget for 2017-2018. Her intentions are to get a draft of the budget to each department head for review. STANDING COMMITTEES: B. John Clark publicly announced that Randolph Street is back open. Mayor Gottman asked that Paslay call Westendorf Construction to see when he plans on putting the new roof on the Tourist Information Building. Mayor Gottman said that he has met with two land owners in our community that has interest on parcels of their property. NEW DIRECTION FOR TOURISM: Mayor Gottman said that while the city tourism duties were a part of the economic development, he would like to see those separated because of the city’s focus on tourism. Mayor Gottman said that we really need to be looking strongly at the direction we want to go with tourism. 5  Mayor Gottman felt that we need a Board of Directors that would look at all the finances and also a committee underneath that would be taking care of the festivals. Mayor Gottman told the council, at this time the Tourist Information sets up there empty. Someone is there a few days a week. We have people pulling off of the interstate to an empty tourist information center, which is not good. The focus is to get them downtown and have them stay overnight. Mayor Gottman felt that he or she could be that person to help us do that. It would have to be completely funded by the restricted monies. AUDIENCE: Jerry Swarm commented that he spoke with a couple individuals today in regard to the recycling. Swarm asked them, if they would consider paying $1.25 a month to recycle and they said yes, absolutely. Swarm agreed with Mayor Gottman on reorganizing the tourism commission. It is the second largest industry in the state. Dennis Grubaugh said that he did not go along with the added increase on the water bill. We have multiple water bills that would be $1.25 per bill. Our tenants do not use the recycling. It would add up to a lot over a period of a year. ADJOURNMENT: A motion was made by B. John Clark and seconded by Hubler to adjourn. Motion carried. _______________ CITY CLERK 6 7 8 9 10 11 12