The Harrisburg City Council met Oct. 6 to complete the sale of property.
Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the council:
Harrisburg City Council Meeting
Council Room, City Hall
Harrisburg, Illinois
Regular Meeting
October 6, 2016
6:00 PM
The Harrisburg City Council met on October 6, 2016 at 6:00 pm in the Council Room of City Hall
Harrisburg, Illinois.
Mayor Dale Fowler presided over the meeting with Commissioners John McPeek, Natalie Miller, Beth
Montfort and Richard Harper answering roll call.
Pastor Christine Cunningham from the First United Methodist Church led the group in prayer and the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioner McPeek made a motion to approve the following items under Consent Agenda:
1. Minutes from the Regular Meeting of September 15, 2016.
2. Minutes from the Special Meeting of September 22, 2016.
3. Check Register and Warrant Report for the month of September 2016.
4. Bill from Brown & Roberts for Dorrisville Watermain C & I in the amount of $3,139.12 to be
taken out of IEPA loan.
5. Bill from America’s Parking Remarking for pavement marking in the amount of $9,195.45 to be
taken out of MFT.
Commissioner Harper seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Attorney Todd Bittle stated a Public Hearing had been held prior to Council Meeting to hear any
comments or objections to the closing of an alley for Ronnie & Christy Hughes and Joan Johnson. He
stated there had been an objection voiced by a property owner to the north of the alley whose concern
was drainage for her property. Commissioner Miller stated she was tabling the issue until she had time
to consider different options.
Attorney Bittle stated he had prepared the ordinance to complete the sale of property at 1008 Oglesby
and 517 Beggs that Council had accepted bids on at the last meeting. Commissioner Harper moved to
pass Ordinance 1719 an Ordinance Authorizing the Sale of Certain Surplus Real Estate Owned by The
City of Harrisburg. Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Attorney Bittle asked that Council authorize the Mayor to sign the deeds for the above properties.
Commissioner Harper moved to authorize the Mayor to sign the deeds for 1008 Oglesby and 517 Beggs.
Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Miller asked Jim Brown of Brown & Roberts to explain the grant applications he was
considering. Brown stated the Harrisburg Medical Center was making plans for an expansion which
would involve some public street improvements. He had met with Commissioner Miller, Mayor Fowler
and Rodney Smith from HMC to discuss the need for improvements at some intersections and a
modification of Woolcott Street. He was aware of some grants that might be available from EDA and
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IDOT. He stated there were certain easements that had been acquired from individuals and, if the City
proceeds with the project, those easements would be granted to the City. Mayor Fowler stated the
expansion would generate 30-40 new jobs. Mayor Fowler moved to authorize Brown & Roberts to apply
for the infrastructure grant from IDOT. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes.
Motion carried.
Mayor Fowler moved to authorize Regional Planning to apply for an infrastructure grant from EDA.
Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Harper questioned if the Mayor had the authority to make motions. He considered it a
point of order. Mayor Fowler stated he did have the authority and Commissioner McPeek stated
previous Mayors had done so.
Commissioner Miller moved to allow the Shawnee Marathon to hang a banner from October 14 through
24. Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Miller moved to allow SIC to hang a banner for the Heritage Festival being held
November 5 and 6. Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Miller stated the Leaf and Limb Pickup would resume on October 17.
Commissioner Montfort asked Police Officer Mathew Forrester to step forward and introduced him to
Council. She stated he had graduated from the Academy on September 15 and Chief Johnson had
attended the ceremony. Officer Forrester was sworn in by City Clerk Sally Wofford.
Commissioner Montfort stated that she wanted Council to consider charging a towing fee similar to
Murphysboro for additional revenue. She stated she would research the procedure and inform Council of
her findings.
Commissioner Montfort reminded the public that Trick or Treat would be on Monday, October 31 from
5:00 to 8:00.
Commissioner Montfort reminded the public that the Scare on the Square would be on Thursday,
October 27 from 4:00 to 8:00.
Commissioner Montfort stated that Fire Chief John Gunning was not present but would speak about the
ISO ratings at another meeting.
Commissioner Montfort listed some equipment that had been donated by the Village of River Forest
Fire Department and stated the last donations had been installed in the trucks. She stated she was happy
to see that the upstate Department was willing to share.
Commissioner Harper stated the Fall Clean Up would continue through October 15 and explained again
the details for it.
Commissioner Harper stated one bid had been received for the property at Cummins Subdivision. He
opened a bid from Ben Teston of Pinoy Construction in the amount of $10,200.00 for Lot 5 at Cummins
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Subdivision. He stated the property would be sold “as is” and it would be quite expensive for the City to
put the lot back to an otherwise saleable condition. He moved to accept the bid Commissioner McPeek
seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Harper stated a bid had been received for property that had been advertised some time
ago but had remained unsold. He opened a bid from Diane Taborn for 711 West Elm in the amount of
$350.00. He stated selling these properties meant it got them back on the tax rolls and the City did not
have to maintain them. Commissioner Harper moved to accept the bid. Commissioner Miller seconded.
By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Harper moved to authorize Attorney Bittle to prepare the ordinances, P-Taxes and deeds
for both properties. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Mayor Fowler asked Jim Brown to speak to the Pankey Branch Detention Basin Agenda item. Brown
stated that the project involved property owned by the Hart family which is managed by Bob Keiscoms.
He stated it involved both sides of Pankey Branch. The project was needed because there was not
enough storage area to drain properly and it would help manage the amount of debris that now ended up
at the Sewer Plant. Buying the property would allow the City to create a dry impoundment on the east
side and use that material on the west side to elevate other Hart property. Phase I of the project had been
a 100% grant from IEMA that allowed for the design, all the necessary sign-offs to be acquired and
plans to be submitted to IDNR. Phase II would be the actual purchase of property and construction. A
letter needs to be submitted to Rusty Tanton for the Phase Two application. He understood that there
would be a universal grant from FEMA/IEMA that would match the City’s 20% portion of the IDNR
grant for the $1.2 million project. If an application is submitted and the grant does not come through,
then the City would make a decision whether or not to back out of the project. Mayor Fowler stated it
would be a flood control benefit and would develop some commercial property. Commissioner Harper
stated previously there had been a lot of debris but Brown had worked with Keiscoms to set up a crop
rotation that had helped with the debris problem. Mayor Fowler moved to approve Brown & Roberts to
proceed with the Pankey Branch Detention Basin Phase II application. Commissioner McPeek seconded.
By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Mayor Fowler asked for Citizen Comments and noted that David Nave would address Council at
another meeting.
Debbie Austin stated a portion of her property was in the Flood Plain and believed that closing the street
and alley would take her out of the Flood Plain. She also presented questions as to the tabling of the
closing of the alley and what the requestors would do in the future. Commissioner Miller reminded her
that she and Superintendent Brown would be looking into different options. Austin stated she wanted to
be included with the discussion. Commissioner Miller stated she would do that.
Mayor Fowler moved to adjourn to Executive Session for Possible Litigation, Collective Bargaining and
Personnel. Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Adjourned: 6:28 pm
Reconvened: 6:43 pm
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Mayor Fowler presided over the reconvened meeting with Commissioners John McPeek, Natalie Miller,
Beth Montfort and Richard Harper answering roll call.
Mayor Fowler stated there was no action to be taken on Possible Litigation, Collective Bargaining or
Personnel.
Mayor Fowler moved to adjourn. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes.
Motion carried.
Adjourned: 6:44 pm
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