The Harrisburg City Council met Thursday, May 5.
The Harrisburg City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month in the City Council Room at City Hall, 110 E. Locust St.
Here are the minutes of the meeting as provided by Harrisburg:
Harrisburg City Council Meeting
Council Room, City Hall
Harrisburg, Illinois
Regular Meeting
May 5, 2016
6:00 PM
The Harrisburg City Council met on May 5, 2016 at 6:00 pm in the Council Room of City Hall
Harrisburg, Illinois.
Mayor Pro-Tem John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Natalie Miller, Beth Montfort and Richard Harper answering roll call. Mayor Dale Fowler was absent.
Rev. Bobby Gentry from the River of Life United Pentecostal Church led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek stated on the Consent Agenda the Boots have asked that their Request to Relinquish and Petition to Lease be withdrawn from the Consent Agenda.
Commissioner Harper made a motion, seconded by Montfort, to approve the following items under Consent Agenda:
1. Minutes from the Regular Meeting of April 21, 2016.
2. Minutes from the Adjourned Meeting of April 28, 2016.
3. Bill from Skaggs Electric for materials at 25 E. Poplar in the amount of $49.02 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
4. Bill from Skaggs Electric for materials at 25 E. Poplar in the amount of $3.94 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
5. Bill from Bob Barnett Ready-Mix for concrete at 25 E. Poplar in the amount of $395.00 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
6. Bill from Bob Barnett Ready-Mix for concrete at 25 E. Poplar in the amount of $2,802.50 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
7. Bill from Bob Barnett Ready-Mix for concrete at 25 E. Poplar in the amount of $577.50 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
8. Bill from Womack’s Concrete Construction for 25 E. Poplar patio materials in the amount of $18,324.00 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
9. Bill from Terrace Fence for 25 E. Poplar fence in the amount of $2,327.00 to be taken out of TIF Escrow.
10. Bill from Brown & Roberts for Skuta Construction for Dorrisville Watermain in the amount of $114,400.02 to be taken out of DCEO grant.
11. Bill from Brown & Roberts for Dorrisville Watermain C & I in the amount of $9,384.05 to be taken out of DRA grant.
12. Harrisburg Lake:
Lease Renewals:
Charles and Pam Jones - Fourth Addition, Lot 26
Justin Overton - First Addition, Block 1, Lot A
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Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek stated that Attorney Todd Bittle would not be present but because of publishing requirements, the Public Hearing for the consideration of the closing of a portion of Lockwood Street will not be held until the City Council Meeting of May 19 at 5:45 pm.
Jim Brown of Brown & Roberts informed Council of the need for modification to the Dorrisville Watermain project. He reminded Council this project involved an IEPA loan and the infrastructure was part of the oldest in the City. He stated that a long service line needed to be replaced and the actual main line would be eliminated. He stated the project had been bid with a contingency fund which would cover the additional $9,550.00 needed. Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek moved to approve the Change Order for an increase of $9,550.00 from Skuta Construction for the Dorrisville Waterman Rehabilitation. Commissioner Miller seconded. Commissioner Montfort asked for an explanation of the costs of the Change Oder which Brown provided. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Brown stated IDOT has a program for street improvements that requires applications be submitted, such as pedestrian accessibility around the square. There is an 80/20 split and the applications have to be in by June 15. He suggested a committee meet with Mike Roberts to compile a list and cost estimates for the next meeting. Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek moved to authorize Brown & Roberts to compile a list and cost estimates of projects that could be submitted to IDOT for their 2016 Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Miller moved to hire John Fugate, Austin Lowry and Jase Leinenbach for the Street and Alley Department as summer help, pending the passing of a physical and drug test.
Commissioner Harper stated he would also like Ryan Collins’ name to be changed to Street and Alley rather than the Water/Sewer Department because it is not supported with General Fund money like Street and Alley. Commissioner Miller stated he could work anywhere the City wanted him. Commissioner Harper stated he understood that but, if he was to be paid out of Water/Sewer, he should work for Water/Sewer. Commissioner Harper stated he was needed to begin work immediately to get the cemetery ready for Memorial Day. Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek seconded the motion. By roll call vote, Commissioners Miller and Montfort and Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek voted yes. Commissioner Harper voted no. Motion carried.
Commissioner Miller moved to hire Ryan Collins, Bryce Beal, Dawson Brown and Tyler Lightner for the Water/Sewer Department as summer help, pending the passing of a physical and drug test. Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, Commissioners Miller and Montfort and Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek voted yes. Commissioner Harper voted no. Motion carried.
Commissioner Montfort stated the Fire Department had joined with Marion for a training session.
Commissioner Montfort stated she wanted to remind the citizens there was a skateboarding ordinance and skateboarding was not allowed uptown.
Commissioner Montfort moved to accept the Merit Board’s recommendation of Matthew Forrester for a position in the Police Department with a stating date of June 1, 2016. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
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Commissioner Montfort asked Nick Keltner to step forward to be sworn in as a Police Officer. Keltner was sworn in by City Clerk Sally Wofford.
Commissioner Montfort stated she wanted to consider the golf cart ordinance and get some public input regarding it. Her concerns were safety issues such as seatbelts, children as passengers, windshields and the limited number of legal road crossings. She also wanted clarification on the definition of all-terrain vehicles and recreational off-highway vehicles. Citizen Michael Bryant stated that the side-by-sides had seatbelts and he also wanted everyone safe. Commissioner Miller stated everyone would still have to follow State laws. Bryant clarified that the vehicle would have to be inspected by the Police. Mayor-Pro-Tem McPeek stated applicants would pay the City Clerk and then go to the Police for their permit and decal. Commissioner Harper noted that under Section 4-C language talks about “safe to operate” and wondered who has the say about safety. Citizen Erin Lake stated that the safety issues were like those for cars and that, just like on cars, things were always going wrong and they have to be maintained properly. Commissioner Miller moved to pass Ordinance #1702 An Ordinance Authorizing the Operation of Non-highway Vehicles on Streets Under the Jurisdiction of the City of Harrisburg. Mayor-Pro-Tem McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, Commissioner Miller and Mayor-Pro-Tem McPeek voted yes. Commissioners Montfort and Harper voted no. The motion did not carry for lack of a majority.
Citizen Josh Goematt asked to speak and stated that 4-wheelers can’t have seatbelts but side-besides and golf carts could. He stated the same State laws would apply. Citizen Jason Quinn, General Manager for Outlaw Motorsports, stated that he wanted Council to consider issues besides the safety issues. His business was working with the Forestry Department to create environments for the off road vehicles use and plans were for poker runs that would be a tourism benefit. He stated the side-by-sides that his business sold all have seatbelts and 4-wheelers were single passenger only. He stated that golf carts should not be hard to have seatbelts installed. He stated that all would make for easier travel and are used more for just riding purposes. He stated what he sold were extremely safe, well made and serviced regularly. He stated that junk cars create more problems. Commissioner Harper wondered if the vehicles could be inspected at his shop. Quinn stated the vehicles that he sold had warranties and he could speak for the condition of them. Commissioner Harper wondered that, if the Police says a vehicle is safe, what the City’s responsibility would be. Quinn stated this type of ordinance had done good things at other communities and actually promoted self-policing because those who abided by the laws wanted to make sure that everyone did the same. Mayor-Pro-Tem McPeek asked if the ordinance should be rescinded and seatbelts added. City Clerk Wofford stated that, since the motion did not pass, there was nothing to rescind.
Commissioner Harper stated that several late notices for non-payment of leases had been sent. Superintendent Kelly Hefner presented Council with a spreadsheet with possible water rate increases in response to the letter from Saline Valley Conservancy District. Their notice of a 30¢ per thousand rate increase effective May 20 had not been received until after the budget had been passed. Superintendent Hefner stated that the various water districts had been notified of the pass through rate increase. He asked Council for direction in establishing new minimum rates taking into account the annual COL increase and the Saline Valley increase and asking that Attorney Bittle prepare the ordinances for the next Council meeting. He also asked that the new rate be started June 1 rather than July 1 to prevent a $10,000.00 loss for June since the Saline Valley increase was to take effect on May 20. Mayor-Pro-Tem moved to instruct Attorney Bittle to prepare the ordinances to increase the minimum bill to $43.50. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek moved to adjourn to Executive Session for Personnel. Commissioner Harper stated he wanted to also discuss Collective Bargaining in Executive Session because it was on a previously posted Agenda. Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek stated, since it was not on the Agenda at the meeting, he would not allow the subject to be discussed. Commissioner Harper strongly objected to that procedure citing the fact that he had seen it posted on the Agenda that was sent out initially and on another one and he had issues he needed to discuss. Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek stated again he would not allow it to be discussed. Commissioner Harper again strongly objected.
Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Adjourned: 6:48 pm
Reconvened: 8:25 pm
Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek presided over the reconvened meeting with Commissioners Natalie Miller, Beth Montfort and Richard Harper answering roll call. Mayor Dale Fowler was absent.
Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek stated there was no action to be taken on Personnel.
Mayor Pro-Tem McPeek moved to adjourn. Commissioner Montfort seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Adjourned 8:26 pm
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