City Council

City Council Regular Meeting February 21, 2023 6:30 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag was given by all that were present. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Gottman called the regularly scheduled meeting of the Vandalia City Council to order at 6:30 pm. ROLL CALL: Aldermen Brosman, Lewey, Hobler, Stunkel, Hubler, and Rebbe present. Lester and Barker were absent. MOMENT OF SILENCE: A moment of silence was held for Jack Kreienheder, former owner of Pump and Pantry Gas Station; Nancy Pryor, who was a former member of the TIF Committee and former President of the Fayette County Hospital District Board, and Charlie Garrison, former owner of The Redwood Inn. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL Motion was made by Stunkel and MEETING MINUTES DATED seconded by Hobler to approve the FEBRUARY 6, 2023: City Council meeting minutes dated February 6, 2023. Motion carried. TREASURER’S REPORT: Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Brosman to approve the Treasurer’s report for period ending January 31, 2023 as submitted. REGULAR BILLS: Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Hobler to approve the regular bills as submitted. Motion carried. SPECIAL BILLS: Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Hobler to approve the special bills as submitted: Global Tech System in the amount of $2,176.29 for maintenance to radio; 1  Sloan Implement Company in the amount of $129,545.00 for new skid steer; Ameren Illinois in the amount of $3,571.20 for utility bill; Banner Fire Equipment, Inc., in the amount of $2,433.50 for equipment accessories; Discover Downstate Illinois in the amount of $1,650.00 for advertising and marketing; Compass Minerals in the amount of $22,140.81 for supplies; South Central FS in the amount of $1,623.20 for supplies; Milano and Grunloh in the amount of $3,343.50 for survey and engineering fees; Drew Miller Construction in the amount of $10,000.00 for new cemetery building; Core and Main in the amount of $1,824.96 for supplies; C and C Pumps and Supply in the amount of $7,524.67 for equipment; Brenntag Mid South, Inc., in the amount of $6,369.60 for supplies; Hawkins, Inc., in the amount of $3,517.28 for supplies; Homefield Energy in the amount of $4,477.91 for water plant electric bill; Kaskaskia Springs Water Company in the amount of $1,750.80 for 4.377 million gallons of water; Homefield Energy in the amount of $11,168.33 for sewer plant electric bill. Motion carried. LAKE LOT SALE FIGURES: Danielle Caruso, Treasurer, reviewed the lake lot sale figures handout that was submitted in the packet. Gottman thanked Caruso for all of her hard work on this project. LAKE LOT #701 TRANSFER Motion was made by Stunkel and FROM MERCEDES BEHRENDS, seconded by Hobler to approve Lake BROWNSTOWN, TO TYLER Lot #701 transfer from Mercedes WESTENDORF, BROWNSTOWN: Behrends, Brownstown, to Tyler Westendorf, Brownstown. Motion carried. 2 INFORMATION WITH REGARD Paslay reviewed what surrounding TO DISCUSSION ON communities allow in regard to ALLOWANCE OF CHICKENS IN chickens within City limits. CITY LIMITS: Assistant Chief Bowling stated he feels the biggest complaint would be chickens getting loose in town. Connor said he prefers issuing licenses for chickens. He said the only problem the City will have is if the license is revoked and those chickens are on the premises, who will take possession of those animals. He felt there must be a license fee to offset eventual administrative costs. Brosman stated that he is a no vote regarding allowing chickens in the community. Additional information needs to be gathered and will be discussed at the next meeting. The Planning Commission will need to make a recommendation to the Council. ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND Motion was made by Stunkel and SEWER COMMITTEE MEETING seconded by Hobler to accept Water MINUTES DATED FEBRUARY and Sewer Committee meeting minutes 6, 2023: dated February 6, 2023. Motion carried. ACCEPTANCE OF TOURISM Motion was made by Stunkel and COMMISSION MEETING seconded by Brosman to accept the MINUTES DATED NOVEMBER Tourism Commission meeting minutes 8, 2023: dated November 8, 2022. Motion carried. APPROVE OR REJECT PAY Motion was made by Hobler and ESTIMATE #7 FOR THE seconded by Brosman to approve pay PAYNE/WAGNER STREET estimate #7 for the Payne/Wagner PROJECT - $96,668.86: Street Project - $96,668.86. The motion passed with Alderman Lewey voting no. ORDINANCE 2023-2-21-A: Motion was made by Hobler and AN ORDINANCE AMENDING seconded by Lewey to approve SALARIES FOR FISCAL YEAR Ordinance 2023-2-21-A: An Ordinance MAY 1, 2022 THROUGH Amending Salaries for Fiscal Year APRIL 30, 2023: May 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023. 3  Roll call: Stunkel, yea; Lewey, yea; Brosman, yea; Hubler, yea; Rebbe, yea; Hobler, yea. Lester and Barker were absent. Motion carried. RESOLUTION 2023-2-21-B: Motion was made by Hobler and A RESOLUTION APROVING A seconded by Lewey to approve MEMORANDUM OF Resolution 2023-2-21-B: A Resolution UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN Approving a Memorandum of THE CITY OF VANDALIA AND Understanding Between the City of LABORERS’ LOCAL 1197: Vandalia and Laborers’ Local 1197. Roll call: Hobler, yea; Rebbe, yea; Hubler, yea; Brosman, yea; Lewey, yea; Stunkel, yea. Lester and Barker were absent. Motion carried. RESOLUTION 2023-2-21-C: Motion was made by Stunkel and A RESOLUTION COMMITTING seconded by Lewey to approve FUNDS – UNSEWERED Resolution 2022-2-21-C: A Resolution COMMUNITIES IEPA PERMIT Committing Funds – Unsewered APPLICATION: Communities IEPA Permit Application. Roll call: Hubler, yea; Stunkel, yea; Lewey, yea; Rebbe, yea; Hobler, yea; Brosman, yea. Barker and Lester were absent. Motion carried. RESOLUTION 2023-2-21-D: Motion was made by Stunkel and A RESOLUTION APPROVING A seconded by Lewey to approve DISTRIBUTED ENERGY Resolution 2023-2-21-D: A Resolution RESOURCE AGREEMENT Approving a Distributed Energy BETWEEN THE CITY OF Resource Agreement Between the City VANDALIA, ILLINOIS AND of Vandalia, Illinois, and Voltus, VOLTUS, INC. Inc. Roll call: Rebbe, yea; Stunkel, yea; Brosman, yea; Hobler, yea; Hubler, yea; Lewey, yea. Lester and Barker were absent. Motion carried. ACCEPTANCE OF TIF Motion was made by Brosman and ADVISORY COMMITTEE seconded by Hobler to accept the TIF MEETING MINUTES DATED Advisory Committee Meeting minutes FEBRUARY 8, 2023: dated February 8, 2023. Motion carried. 4 ORDINANCE 2023-2-21-E: Lorin Kirk reviewed her plans for AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY the building she has purchased at OF VANDALIA, FAYETTE 730 and 740 Orchard Street. She is COUNTY, ILLINOIS, requesting 25% of the total project, AUTHORIZING TAX including acquisition costs for a INCREMENT FINANCING total of $70,329.25 which is what ASSISTANCE IN CONNECTION the TIF Advisory Committee WITH A REDEVELOPMENT recommended. Motion was made by PROJECT: Hobler and seconded by Stunkel to approve Ordinance 2023-2-21-E: An Ordinance of the City of Vandalia, Fayette County, Illinois, Authorizing Tax Increment Financing Assistance in Connection with a Redevelopment Project. Roll call: Brosman, nay; Hubler, yea; Rebbe, yea; Hobler, yea; Lewey, yea; Stunkel, yea. Lester and Barker were absent. Motion carried. OSAGE NATION RESPONSE Lee Beckman reviewed the Osage LETTER: Nation Response Letter that was included in the packet. APPROVE OR REJECT Motion was made by Stunkel and ENGINEERING AGREEMENT seconded by Lewey to accept the WITH SCI ENGINEERING FOR Engineering Agreement with SCI THE SURVEY REQUESTED BY Engineering for the Survey Requested OSAGE NATION: by Osage Nation. Roll call: Brosman, yea; Rebbe, yea; Hobler, yea; Stunkel, yea; Lewey, yea; Hubler, yea. Barker and Lester were absent. Motion carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Lee Beckman from Milano & Grunloh Engineering updated the Council on ongoing/pending City projects. Gottman would like to schedule a Water and Sewer Committee meeting regarding the new water plant and a Work Session with the entire Council after that. Beckman will email Paslay information on the 319 Grant. Gottman asked Beckman for a breakdown of the engineering 5  projects for meetings he will be attending with State of Illinois delegates in March. MAYOR’S REPORT: Gottman reported that he would like Connor to start working on the sale of 5 lots that the City owns or has acquired. There were no objections. Mario’s Pizza is hosting open interviews the rest of this week. Vandalia Correctional Center has 540+ inmates. Gottman reported on the Special Tourism meeting held today. He stated that the Tourism Information Center needs a lot of renovation. He said the future is digital. He has put a committee together to look at marketing options along with Discover Downstate Illinois representatives and a marketing contractor. The recommendations of the committee will be brought to City Council. There were no objections. He has directed Huhn to compile a list of follow up items from each Council meeting. Gottman said he has made contact with IDOT to look at the current lighting downtown and get their feedback. Handouts were reviewed. CITY CLERK REPORT: Nothing to report. CITY ADMINISTRATOR Nothing to report. REPORT: SAFETY CODE OFFICIAL: Report provided in packet. STANDING COMMITTEES: Filer stated that he and Bruce Boaz attended water classes in Effingham today. He reported that the first survey deadline for lead lines is April 2023. Final lead line survey is due in 2024. Gottman thanked the Police Department for their work in the recent incident at the Vandalia Junior High. Stunkel stated they are 6  in need of Lake employees. He noted that he would like to see the Lake Patrol have an increase in hourly pay. Stunkel said he would like to have a representative from the Personnel Committee present during the hiring process. The Lake positions will be advertised in next week’s paper. The next Lake committee meeting is April 3, 2023 at 4 p.m. Stunkel would like to see the camping spots at the marina be more organized. Gottman said letters went out to the Lake residents which will be revised and a new letter will be sent out. Lewey said that Logan Frailey was hired at the garage. Ted Miller is the new Working Foreman at the garage. Discussion was held regarding opening up the lake lots for those who didn’t purchase their lot the last round. This will be looked at in 2 to 3 months. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT: Connor reported he is working with IDROP on old Ordinance violations. He also provided an update on the old hotel building downtown. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND Dennis Grubaugh addressed the CONCERNS: Council. He asked what the status is of getting concrete at Third and Gallatin Streets. Grubaugh said he will level that lot back up to make it usable. He also stated more and more water is coming through the South wall in the buildings he owns at 515 W. Gallatin (which is the worst) and 513 W. Gallatin. He states somewhere water is getting in. Gottman asked Filer to contact Lee Beckman and get his opinion. 7  Motion was made by Hubler and ADJOURNMENT: seconded by Lewey to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:13 p.m. __________________________________ City Clerk 8