MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BENTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MONDAY, MAY 10, 2010 AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE BENTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 500 WEST MAIN STREET, BENTON, ILLINOIS.
MAYOR KRAFT CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. THOSE PRESENT WERE COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE, COMMISSIONER WYANT, COMMISSIONER MILLER, COMMISSIONER WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER MADE THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING OF AND APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING AT 7:00 ON APRIL 26 AS PRESENTED. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WYANT REPORTED THAT LIPE AND ASSOCIATES WILL SOON SET UP THE MFT OIL AND CHIP PROGRAM FOR THIS SUMMER.
COMMISSIONER MILLER WELCOMED LANCE CHARLSON TO HIS FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING AS CHIEF OF POLICE AND ANNOUNCED THAT A PUBLIC RECEPTION WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 17, FROM 5:00 TO 7:00 AT CITY HALL TO WELCOME CHARLSON AND EXPRESS APPRECIATION TO FORMER CHIEF MIKE O’NEILL FOR HIS SERVICE.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER STATED THAT THE MEETING WILL NEED TO BE CONTINUED UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 14, AT 8:30 IN ORDER TO PAY MONTHLY BILLS. WEBSTER PRESENTED AND MADE THE MOTION TO RETURN UNPAID A BILL FROM NATHAN REED ON WEST DIVISION STREET, WHO ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES PAID TO TAP ON TO WEST CITY’S SEWER SERVICE AND BE REMOVED FROM THE CITY OF BENTON’S SERVICE. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER PRESENTED PAYROLL PAYABLE APRIL 30 FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $47,870.46; THE WATER AND SEWER FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,102.07; AND CROSSING GUARDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $158.85. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER PRESENTED AND MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE SEWER ADJUSTMENT APPLICATIONS FOR ELIZABETH LOLLIS AT 412 WEST WEBSTER STREET AND WILMA REED AT 401 SOUTH WILSON STREET. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0. COMMISSIONER WEBSTER PRESENTED AND MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE SEWER ADJUSTMENT APPLICATIONS FOR POOLS FOR MICHELLE GULLEY AT 208 NORTH 7TH STREET AND DWAYNE KIRKMAN AT 1315 WHISPER WAY. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER REPORTED THAT STREET DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE SCOTT SKINNER IS HOSPITALIZED AND HAS APPLIED FOR BENEFITS UNDER THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT AND MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE TO GRANT THE BENEFITS. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER STATED THAT THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT POLICY NOW REQUIRES THE COUNCIL TO GIVE PERMISSION TO GRANT THE LEAVE WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF THE APPLICATION BEING TURNED IN. IN SOME CASES THIS WOULD REQUIRE A SPECIAL MEETING TO BE CALLED. COMMISSIONER WEBSTER MADE THE MOTION FOR ATTORNEY MALKOVICH TO AMEND THE FMLA ORDINANCE TO MORE APPROPRIATE WORDING OF THIS REQUIREMENT. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WEBSTER REPORTED THAT EWING NORTHERN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT HAS SENT A LETTER REQUESTING PAYMENT DUE TO A LAW THAT STATES THAT IF A MUNICIPALITY ANNEXES PROPERTY THAT IS SERVED BY A FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, THE MUNICIPALITY MUST COMPENSATE THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS AFTER ANNEXATION ON A SLIDING SCALE TO REPLACE PROPERTY TAXES LOST BY SAID FIRE DISTRICT. THEY ENCLOSED A LIST OF 28 PARCELS ANNEXED BY THE CITY SINCE 1999 AND THE AMOUNT DUE ON EACH. COMMISSIONER WEBSTER VERIFIED THE CALCULATIONS AND ATTORNEY MALKOVICH HAS RESEARCHED THIS LAW AND AGREES THAT PAYMENT IS DUE. COMMISSIONER WEBSTER MADE THE MOTION TO PAY EWING NORTHERN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT A TOTAL OF $4,055.22. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
MAYOR KRAFT REPORTED THAT A MISUNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN DISCOVERED REGARDING MOWING RESPONSIBILITIES. THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS MOWING CITY PROPERTY, BUT ARE UNABLE TO HANDLE THE WILL-CALL PROPERTIES THAT ARE POSTED BY THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR. MAYOR KRAFT STATED THAT IT IS TOO LATE IN THE YEAR TO BEGIN THE BIDDING PROCESS AND REQUESTED A MOTION ALLOW THE MOWING TO BE PROVIDED AS IT HAS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS BY L & L LAWN SERVICE ON WILL-CALL MOWING ONLY. COMMISSIONER WEBSTER MADE THE MOTION TO CONTINUE TO HIRE L & L LAWN SERVICE FOR MOWING OF WILL-CALL PROPERTIES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
UNDER OLD BUSINESS, COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE MADE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT A QUOTE FROM JEFF WIGGS EXCAVATING IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,000.00 TO MOVE THE WATER LINE ON NORTH DUQUOIN STREET AS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WYANT. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, THE COUNCIL APPROVED TO HIRE A TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE FOR THE WATER DEPARTMENT WHILE AN EMPLOYEE WAS ON WORKERS COMPENSATION, BUT HE HAS SINCE RETURNED TO WORK. BECAUSE THE STREET DEPARTMENT IS NOW SHORTHANDED, COMMISSIONER WYANT MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE TO HIRE JIMMY WELLS TO A 120-DAY TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT TO THE STREET DEPARTMENT PER UNION CONTRACT, PRIMARILY FOR MOWING DUTIES, PROVIDING HE PASSES ALL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED BY FIT FOR WORK INCLUDING PASSING A DRUG TEST. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BAUMGARTE. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
COMMISSIONER WYANT MADE THE MOTION TO CONTINUE THE REGULAR SESSION UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 14, AT 8:30. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WEBSTER. VOTE WAS TAKEN: YEAS: 5. COMMISSIONERS BAUMGARTE, WYANT, MILLER, WEBSTER AND MAYOR KRAFT. NAYS: 0.
TIME:
Laura Auten, City Clerk
