City Council

City Council Regular Meeting November 6, 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, Lester, Bowen, Stunkel, Barker, and Hubler were present. Hobler was absent. Lewey arrived to the meeting at 6:46 p.m. MOMENT OF SILENCE: A moment of silence was held for Neil Clark, former Ward I Alderman for the City of Vandalia and local business owner. A moment of silence was also held for Carolyn Thompson, mother of Robert Thompson, former City of Vandalia Police Department officer and Renee Critcheloe, water billing Clerk for the City of Vandalia. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL Motion was made by Stunkel and MEETING MINUTES DATED seconded by Brosman to approve City OCTOBER 16, 2023: Council meeting minutes dated October 16, 2023. Motion carried. TREASURER’S REPORT: Treasurer’s report for period ending October 31, 2023 was reviewed. No action required. REGULAR BILLS: Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Brosman to approve the regular bills as submitted. Motion carried. SPECIAL BILLS: Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Brosman to approve the special bills as presented: SCIRP/DC in the amount of $2,085.64 for 1  annual fee; Land of Lincoln in the amount of $7,000.00 for sewer vac; ADS Electric Company in the amount of $2,208.00 for traffic pole installation; Milano and Grunloh in the amount of $7,563.75 for engineering fees for ITEP; Ameren Illinois in the amount of $2,509.28 for electric bill; Nick’s Tree Service in the amount of $4,600.00 for tree removal; Land of Lincoln in the amount of $10,285.00 for fire truck; Vandalia Asphalt Service in the amount of $1,666.51 for rock; Montgomery Electric, Inc., in the amount of $9,400.00 for electrical upgrades in the park; Shelley Ledbetter in the amount of $27,350.00 for TIF reimbursement; Justin and Amy Fry in the amount of $45,640.62 for TIF reimbursement; Brenntag Mid-South, Inc., in the amount of $21,068.60 for supplies. Motion carried. STREET LIGHTS AT SOUTH Casey Wilson requested adequate PINE AND SOUTH CYPRESS: street lighting on South Cypress and South Pine Streets. Chief Ray will look into this and report back. PRESENTATION OF THE FY Tricia Elam, CPA with Timmermann and 2023 AUDIT: Company, LTD presented the FY 2023 audit. Details of the various funds were reviewed. Elam stated the City is in good financial shape. Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Brosman to approve the FY 2023 audit as presented. Motion carried. APPROVE OR REJECT GAMING Motion was made by Brosman and APPLICATION FROM PMK, seconded by Barker to approve the LLC D/B/A IRONS: gaming application submitted by LLC, D/B/A Irons. Roll call: Brosman, yea; Bowen, yea; Stunkel, yea; Barker, yea; Hubler, yea; Lewey, yea; Lester, yea. Hobler was absent. Motion carried. 2 DISCHARGE OF ORDINANCE Connor stated there is an ordinance VIOLATION DEBT: violator a few years back who was a minor at the time. He is now an adult who has been sentenced to Illinois Department of Corrections. This case has been prejudgment since 2018. Connor asked Council to discharge this debt. Motion was made by Stunkel and seconded by Hubler to discharge ordinance violation (OV 65) debt. Motion carried. REQUEST FROM DENNIS Motion was made by Lester and GRUBAUGH TO EXTEND seconded by Stunkel to approve the CURRENT TIF APPLICATION request from Dennis Grubaugh to UNTIL APRIL 30, 2024 FOR extend current TIF application until COMPLETION: after April 30, 2024 for completion. Motion carried. APPROVE OR REJECT BIDS Motion was made by Brosman and FOR CURB CUTOUT ON seconded by Lester to approve bid WAGNER STREET: submitted by Mettler Development in the amount of $5,600.00 for the curb cutout at Wagner Street. Motion carried. APPROVE OR REJECT BIDS Motion was made by Barker and FOR MINI EXCAVATOR: seconded by Stunkel to approve bid submitted by Midwest Tractor Supply in the amount of $79,094.00 to purchase a mini excavator. Motion carried. APPROVE OR REJECT BID Motion was made by Lester and FOR FLYGT PUMP REPAIR AT seconded by Brosman to approve bid SEWER PLANT: submitted by Vandevanter Engineering in the amount of $21,594.98 for Flygt pump repair at the sewer plant. Motion carried. ACCEPTANCE OF LAKE Motion was made by Stunkel and COMMITTEE MEETING seconded by Barker to accept the MINUTES DATED OCTOBER 2, Lake Committee meeting minutes dated 2023: October 2, 2023. Motion carried. 3 ACCEPTANCE OF PERSONNEL, Motion was made by Stunkel and FINANCE AND INSURANCE seconded by Hubler to accept COMMITTEE MEETING Personnel, Finance and Insurance MINUTES DATED OCTOBER 9, Committee meeting minutes dated 2023: October 9, 2023. Motion carried. ORDINANCE 2023-11-6-A: Motion was made by Lester and AN ORDINANCE OF VACATION seconded by Brosman to approve AFFECTING THE RIGHT OF Ordinance 2023-11-6-A: An Ordinance WAY KNOWN AS MADISON of Vacation Affecting the Right of STREET BETWEEN ADAMS Way Known as Madison Street Between STREET AND COOK STREET Adams Street and Cook Street in the IN THE CITY OF VANDALIA: City of Vandalia. Roll call: Barker, yea; Hubler, yea; Stunkel, yea; Lewey, yea; Bowen, yea; Lester, yea; Brosman, yea. Hobler was absent. Motion carried. APPROVE OR REJECT Motion was made by Lester and MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS TO seconded by Stunkel to approve the PLANNING COMMISSION AND appointment of Dennis Grubaugh to ZONING BOARD OF the Planning Commission and Michael ADJUSTMENTS: Davis to the Zoning Board of Adjustments. Motion carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Lee Beckman will report at the next Council meeting. MAYOR’S REPORT: Gottman noted in the Council packet a letter from Sparklight regarding their negotiations with a few local TV channels. A running list of properties that have been demolished will be provided to the Council members. Gottman said he has been working with a developer on properties in town. Gottman noted that American Legion Post 95 is going to remain a post. Bruce Braswell will be the new Commander. Paslay reported that Wreaths Across America reached out to her to be the local coordinator. She will speak with the organization representative tomorrow. She will have more details at the next meeting. Gottman said Hy-Vee has not made a decision yet 4  regarding the County Market building. He will be attending the National League of Cities from November 16 through November 18. Gottman also noted that he will be showing the Purina property to an interested individual next week. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT: Connor reported the City is continuing to demolish houses. Connor stated in two weeks he will hopefully have a better version of the City’s ordinance regarding inoperable vehicles. There is now judgment on 633 S. Fifth Street. The City will now move on to 625 S. Fifth Street. Court with Mr. Keiser has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 7. IML has put out a model ordinance regarding Paid Leave for All Workers Act. He hopes to have a draft of the model in front of the Council by the November 20 meeting. CITY CLERK’S REPORT: Nothing to report. CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S Paslay reported a Career Fair will REPORT: be held in March 2024. She reported that she received the final paperwork from Connor today regarding Safe Routes to School. SAFETY CODE OFFICIAL Report provided in previous meeting REPORT: packet. STANDING COMMITTEE Barker stated Street crew is busy REPORTS: with fiberoptic work being done throughout the City. The Christmas decorations downtown have been completed. Ray read a letter from Dr. Jennifer Garrison regarding the School Resource Officer, Officer Brian Roedl. The letter expressed appreciation for Officer Roedl. Lester said Andy Vaughan contacted him regarding termite damage at the Interpretive Center. Lester has reached out to Cearlock Pest 5  Control. Gottman asked Lester to look at the gazebo and arbor at Lincoln Park. Stunkel reported a Lake lot Lessee has relinquished their Lake lot back to the City. Paslay and Gottman will look at hiring Lake Manager/Host over the winter. Hubler stated he was impressed with the turnout at Downtown Trick or Treat. Gottman said the crowd was big for the Halloween Parade. OTC is Friday, November 10 and November 11. Festival of Trees is Friday, November 17 at 8th Day Venue. The Fireman’s Ball will be held on November 25, 2023. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND Hubler thanked the Police CONCERNS: Department, EMS and especially Officer Jake Etcheson for their good work handling a serious automobile accident involving Hubler’s wife. COUNCIL MOVES INTO Gottman announced Council would be EXECUTIVE SESSION AT moving into Executive Session. 7:50 P.M.: Motion was made by Brosman and seconded by Stunkel to move into Executive Session at 7:50 p.m. under 5 ILCS 120/2 for the sale of land. Roll call: Brosman; yea; Lewey, yea; Stunkel, yea; Bowen, yea; Hubler, yea; Lester, yea; Barker, yea. Hobler was absent. Motion carried. EXECUTIVE SESSION ENDS Executive Session ends at 8:17 p.m. AT 8:17 P.M. REGULAR SESSION Mayor Gottman reconvened the regular RECONVENED AT 8:19 P.M. Council meeting at 8:19 p.m. with a roll call: Bowen, yea; Lewey, yea; Barker, yea; Hubler, yea; Lester, yea; Stunkel, yea; Brosman, yea. Hobler was absent. Motion carried. 6 ADJOURNMENT: There was nothing to report out of Executive Session. Motion was made by Lewey and seconded by Hubler to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 p.m. Motion carried. _________________________________ City Clerk 7