SE Illinois News

Harrisburg City Council met March 15.

Here is the minutes provided by the Council:

The Harrisburg City Council met on March 15, 2018 at 6:00 pm in the Council Room, City Hall, Harrisburg, Illinois.

Mayor John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Natalie Miller, Beth Montfort, Richard Harper and Mike Weirauch answering roll call.

Pastor Jerry Wells from the Dorrisville Social Brethren Church led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor McPeek announced the new KFC was now open and it was the largest in North America.

Mayor McPeek stated the litter in Harrisburg was awful and asked all citizens to please work together to keep the City clean.

Commissioner Harper made a motion to approve the following items under the Consent Agenda:

1. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 1, 2018.

2. Bill from Ray O’Herron Inc. for equipment for L. Leverett in the amount of $47.10 to be taken out of Council Contingency.

3. Bill from Ray O’Herron Inc. for equipment for L. Leverett in the amount of $222.19 to be taken out of Council Contingency.

Commissioner Weirauch seconded. By roll call vote, Commissioners Miller, Harper and Weirauch and Mayor McPeek voted yes. Commissioner Montfort abstained. Motion carried.

Commissioner Harper moved to authorize the Mayor to sign the McClure Engineering Agreement for Professional Services to perform the Harrisburg Asbestos Containing Materials Survey at the old junior high at 124 South Webster for $11,688.00 to be paid out of TIF. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Mayor McPeek stated the Saline County Detention lease agreement was for the space the Police Department has at the Sheriff’s Department. Commissioner Weirauch stated he and Superintendent Rick Brown had been discussing remodeling the old fire station in City Hall. He believed a materials list and cost estimate for that remodel would be less than one year’s rent. Commissioner Montfort stated the current rate is $3,000.00 per month and the lease listed yearly increases of $3,250.00, $3,500.00 and $3,750.00 per month. She stated it would definitely give them more room and working with Chief Morris would be a good idea. Commissioner Weirauch stated that even if the Police only used half of the space, it would be more room that what they have now. He wanted to work with Chief Morris and come up with a plan for the remodel. He stated it would bring them back to where they belong and give them something to call their own. He stated it would give them some added pride and save the taxpayers $36,000.00 a year. Mayor McPeek stated that Elizabeth Woodworth was worried about Genealogy moving. Commissioner Weirauch stated he didn’t want to boot them out and that’s why he was talking about only using half of the space.

Commissioner Harper stated it would be a work in progress and couldn’t happen right now. He continued that during the process, they needed a place to operate out of and renewing the lease would do that. He stated the lease has a 30 day notice of termination for either party.

Commissioner Weirauch stated they weren’t talking about starting next week and Superintendent Brown stated that, with his busy summer season coming up, his men would not have much extra time. Commissioner Montfort suggested a one year contract. Commissioner Harper stated that with the 30 day notice clause, it didn’t matter.

Commissioner Miller stated she had had plans drawn up by John Baker for use of that space and Commissioner Weirauch stated they were not going to spend a quarter million dollars.

Commissioner Montfort stated that Chief Morris was looking into grants. She stated the Illinois State Police do most of their work out of their cars and she was looking into that type of equipment to allow the Police to be more efficient.

Commissioner Weirauch stated he was not opposed to a one year contract but a three year contract scared him. Attorney Todd Bittle stated he had looked at the contract briefly so he could not know if the 30 day clause was iron clad. Commissioner Weirauch stated that, if that clause was iron clad, he would be ok with signing the agreement. Commissioner Harper read from the lease: Either party shall have the option of terminating this lease agreement with a thirty (30) days written notice to the other party. Attorney Bittle was instructed to review the agreement and report at the next meeting.

Mayor McPeek stated the Central Dispatch Agreement was currently $180,000.00 a year with the next three years increasing to $187,500.00, $195,000.00 and $202,500.00. He stated that was a lot of money and he just wanted the City to be treated fairly. Commissioner Montfort stated the County pays $120,000.00 and 911 pays $110,000.00 but the Harrisburg taxpayers pay $180,000.00. She believed the City was being taxed with no say and paying the most. She shared that she had attended a 911 meeting and, after asking why the other towns did not pay into 911, was told “you can’t get blood out of turnip”. She stated that whether a town pays or not they still get 911 service and 911 calls still have to be dispatched.

Commissioner Harper stated the agreement calls for the City to pay $187,500.00 but, since the City has half of the EAV in the County, that means Harrisburg is paying half of the County’s $120,000.00 or $60,000.00 and the City pays for about half of the 911 charges so that’s half of the $110,000.00. In reality, the City taxpayers are paying $295,000.00. Commissioner Weirauch stated that seemed lopsided. Commissioner Montfort stated she was meeting with the County tomorrow and would indicate that was way too much money. Mayor McPeek stated he realized the City had to pay something. Commissioner Weirauch stated Gallatin County pays Eldorado $18,000.00 a year for their dispatch and Shawneetown and Fire EMS also pays Eldorado. Commissioner Montfort asked where the initial dollar amount came from. Mayor McPeek stated that when the new jail was built and the City moved out of City Hall, there was some sort of agreement that some of the displaced employees would go to work for the County and the City would cover their salaries. Commissioner Montfort asked what Council thought would be a fair figure and suggested the cost of one dispatcher or $30,000.00. Mayor McPeek suggested $102,000.00 to $104,000.00. Commissioner Harper stated $100,000.00 would not be unreasonable for all the City’s Police and Fire calls as well as ambulance calls. Mayor McPeek read a list of all the types of calls that are handled by 911. Commissioner Harper stated that they also handle water/sewer calls over the weekend and at night as well as the dog catcher. Commissioner Miller stated they also contact Superintendent Brown with issues such as flooded streets. Superintendent Brown stated he gets ten to twelve calls a year. Superintendent Hefner stated he gets about ten a week.

Superintendent Hefner stated he was on the County Board the last time the Agreement was negotiated. He recalled that originally, when the City eliminated its dispatch, the County absorbed those five employees and the fee was to cover their wages and benefits, but the fee was much lower then. Commissioner Montfort stated there needs to be some type of formula. She stated she would go to the meeting and inform them that the City was not wanting to pay $180,000.00 and would ask for a counter offer to bring back to Council.

Chief Morris stated the City’s call volume was very high and the cost of setting up a City dispatch would also be high but he agreed that the fee should be reasonable. He stated the City calls were probably triple of the County’s and he had also switched calls to the Police Department after hours to them also. He stated they definitely did their job and he also understood that, when the City moved over there, the fee was to compensate for City employees. He stated the other towns have a very small call volume.

Commissioner Montfort will report at the next meeting the results of her meeting tomorrow.

Matt Tosh from Brown & Roberts presented the New Sewage Treatment Plant Agreement. He stated it was for the preliminary planning at a cost of $42,500.00. Additional charges for soil borings, probably by Holcomb Foundation out of Carbondale, would be an estimated additional cost of $5,000.00. Commissioner Harper verified the Agreement would be for a new plant, out of the flood plain and, hopefully, would keep the odor out of the town. Tosh stated different sites would be considered and the current location, because of being in the flood plain and the odor issue, could be excluded from the planning if Council wished and other sites would be considered.

Plant Supervisor Bobby Brown stated that moving the plant had been talked about by previous Councils but the City was approaching a narrow window because the permit would be up for renewal soon. He stated he had been doing some special testing and it was going to come that back that the City was going to have to disinfect. He stated that, if the City does not do something now, the cost would be between $500,000.00 and $700,000.00 at the current location to disinfect there and then, if the plant were moved, that expense would be wasted because it could not be relocated, in fact it would be building the plant twice. He stated that, if the plant is going to move, the City should get on the ball so additional money would not have to be spent on the current location.

Tosh stated the construction phase was probably four or five years out, funding options would be applying for grants and with a cost of 12-15 million dollars, at today’s prices, with the expectation of increases over five or six years. The agreement would establish some estimates for the Council to get funding. Commissioner Harper stated the agreement would put in the City in a direction it needed to go and help alleviate the problem with the IEPA. Mayor McPeek stated the project would be an item of discussion for the Infrastructure Committee he wanted to form and would discuss later.

Commissioner Harper stated the lab expenses, just chemicals, in 2015/2016 were $42,701.00, 2016/2017 were $51,049.00 and 2017/2018 were $66,878.00 which was a 57% increase in the cost of chemicals alone and with the more IEPA restrictions, the more costly it will become. Mayor McPeek stated he has a meeting scheduled in June or July with someone from the EPA but he already knew there would be three recommendations: chlorine, ultra violet or a new plant. He stated the City should have been working on the project ten years ago.

Commissioner Weirauch inquired about another possible location and the “old round house” location on North Veterans Drive was mentioned. Tosh stated he believed that was possibly the primary one because it would be next to the lagoons with a pumping station already in place.

Commissioner Harper questioned the Professional Rate Schedule Attachment II of the contract. He wanted clarification about the minimum phone 1⁄2 hour charge and the Direct Salary times 2.8. Tosh stated that was based on a Rural Development Agreement but could be changed to 1⁄4 hour and was typical of previous engineering agreements. He explained that the 2.8 was for any engineering services not covered under Design. Commissioner Harper moved to pass Resolution 18-0315A with the change on Attachment II to 1⁄4 hour. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Mike Roberts of Brown & Roberts presented the 2018 MFT Maintenance Cost Estimate in the amount of $209,407.33. Commissioner Harper moved to accept the Estimate. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Commissioner Harper moved to pass Resolution 18-0315B a Resolution for Maintenance Under the Illinois Highway Code with a commitment of $220,000.00 from the City. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Commissioner Harper moved to enter into the Maintenance Engineering to be Performed by a Consulting Engineer. Commissioner Weirauch seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Mayor McPeek moved to appoint the following to an Infrastructure Committee: Joe Kennedy, Rick Lane, Susan Howton, Dave Clemmons, Michael Tison and Bethany Shaw. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Attorney Todd Bittle stated he had been approached for amendments to the Taxicab Chapter 20. He referred to the copy in Council’s packets, in particular 20-7 stating the restriction about convicted of a felony. Chief Morris distributed copies of Marion and Carbondale’s codes. Mayor McPeek explained that a recent applicant was denied a City license as a result of the background check performed by Chief Morris. Commissioner Montfort clarified that a license could not be issued to a felon and Mayor McPeek explained the recent applicant was asking for an exemption. Attorney Bittle stated that Carbondale allowed a license for certain felonies if they were old enough or of a certain group, but every community was different with some ignoring felonies that occurred more than five year or ten years ago. Mayor McPeek asked Council to review the different codes and consider any possible amendments in order to respond to the recent applicant.

Attorney Bittle referred to the Saline Valley letter in Council packet that outlined Raleigh’s recent request to Saline Valley to become a direct customer. He stated Saline Valley has a contract with Harrisburg that says they will not try to take the City’s customers. The Illinois River Conservancy Act says suppliers are obligated to supply to those who ask. Saline Valley is asking permission to sell to the City’s customers. He compared it to a similar letter about Liberty/Ledford which resulted in litigation. He stated the City has a contract with Saline Valley, is making money off of Raleigh and, if they are willing to talk, that should happen. Attorney Bittle was instructed to send a letter to Raleigh to talk.

Commissioner Miller reminded the public about Spring Clean Up from April 2 to April 9 but not on Sunday.

Commissioner Montfort referred to the purchase agreement in Council packet for a rescue truck that had previously been discussed. The agreement is for a used truck to replace a 47 year old vehicle. Commissioner Montfort moved to enter into the Agreement with B & P Apparatus for 10% down with the balance to possibly be covered by a note. Commissioner Harper stated he did not believe this motion was in the best interest for the City of Harrisburg. He stated previous discussion was for a later date. Commissioner Montfort stated that previously she had been told to wait till the end of the year and this truck had been found that could be used by both the Fire and Police Department. She outlined all the benefits of the truck and finally stated she did not think she could put a price on saving someone’s life. Commissioner Weirauch seconded. Commissioner Miller asked where the money was coming from and was told that it was coming out of the Fire Department fund. Commissioner Harper stated it was coming out of General Fund and Mayor McPeek added that everything except Water and Sewer comes out of General Fund. Commissioner Miller asked if it would affect other departments and Commissioner Harper stated that it would. Commissioner Montfort restated the 10% down and a note could be obtained for the balance. Commissioner Harper stated it was not a good idea for the City to start taking out notes. Commissioner Weirauch stated it was not a good idea for the City to spend $40,000.00 on a water study either. By roll call vote, Commissioners Montfort and Weirauch and Mayor McPeek voted yes. Commissioners Miller and Harper voted no. Motion carried.

Commissioner Montfort introduced Melissa Sims for an update on the opioid lawsuit the City is participating in. She stated that the standard complaint she had distributed to the City was for both distributors and manufacturers and will be filed in Ohio. A gag order had been filed to prevent the lawyers from talking about it. She stated she would also be asking for abatement money for any future opioid issues because even with a settlement, the addiction would still be there.

Commissioner Montfort stated she had some issues to discuss in Executive Session but, in Open Session, she wanted to remind everyone there is Social Media Policy but it was not being enforced. She did not think the City could move forward if employees were bashing the City on social media.

Commissioner Montfort apologized for not being able to attend the last two meetings. She stated she had been told before she left there was not going to be anything major to vote on and there was nothing in her packet about the $40,000.00 water study. She stated she would have liked to review the contract and asked if it had been bid. Commissioner Harper stated there had been no bids but he had asked for credentials and asked if Chief Gunning had asked for bids on the rescue truck. Mayor McPeek stated they went by who was qualified. Commissioner Harper stated they had asked for qualifications from those who were interested. He stated that engineering services do not have to be bid out and asked if Commissioner Montfort thought they should bid out all of Brown & Roberts work. Commissioner Montfort restated that if there is something to vote on, that it should be in the packet so it can be reviewed and discussed before voting.

Commissioner Weirauch wanted to report that as of today Public Property had received $37,700.00 since May 1, 2017 for the opening and closing of graves.

Commissioner Miller thanked Street and Alley employees and the Police for their work during the recent snow event.

Chief Morris stated he wanted to tell the Genealogy Society he was not going to throw them out but he is looking for a different place to house his Department. He is also looking for a place to house them at the same no charge. He also stated he and Superintendent Brown had discussed assisting in any move. He stated he was going to work with them.

Commissioner Harper moved to adjourn to Executive Session to discuss Personnel. Commissioner Weirauch seconded. By roll call vote, Commissioners Montfort, Harper and Weirauch and Mayor McPeek voted yes. Commissioner Miller voted no. Motion carried.

Adjourned: 7:08 pm

Reconvened: 7:23 pm

Mayor John McPeek presided over the reconvened meeting with Commissioners Natalie Miller, Beth Montfort, Richard Harper and Mike Weirauch answering roll call.

Mayor McPeek stated there was no action to be taken on Personnel.

Commissioner Harper moved to adjourn. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.

Adjourned 7:24 pm.

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