City of Mount Carmel City Council met Dec. 30.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
Invocation was given by Becky Reeves.
Mayor Judge brought the city council meeting to order.
Present on Roll Call: Mayor Joe Judge Commissioners - Tom Meeks, Eric Ikemire, Justin Dulgar, Rod Rodriguez
Also, Present: City Administrative Assistant Rudy Witsman, City Attorney Kelli Storckman
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mayor Judge requested a motion to approve the minutes of the last council meeting.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the minutes of the meeting held on December 16th, 2019. All present voted Aye by voice vote.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Mayor Judge acknowledged Don Lloyd, who was attendance expressing his concern that veterans buried in the local cemeteries do not have wreaths placed on their graves at Christmas time. Mr. Lloyd asked council approval to allow the collection of donations at the designated street corners for the “Wreaths Across America Program”. The council gave approval and Mayor Judge advised Mr. Lloyd to get the required paperwork from City Administrative Assistant Rudy Witsman.
Mayor Judge stated he anticipates the announcement for the accepting of the bids for the expansion of the city hall facility to be presented at the next council meeting. Mayor Judge reported the City of Mount Carmel has officially taken over the basement area of the old city hall building, which was formally the Elks Club. Mayor Judge stated there are still items that need to be removed from the facility and eventually the old city hall building will be put up for sale. Mayor Judge added excess inventory and some city vehicles will be sold at an auction sometime next spring.
Mayor Judge announced at the January 13th, 2020 meeting he will be giving the state of the city address by reporting how the city ended in 2019 and what to look forward to in 2020.
Mayor Judge reported he has spoken with management of the local MacDonald’s and the restaurant will be going through an extensive remodel in May of 2020. Mayor Judge stated only the dining room area of the restaurant will be closed for the remodel and the drive-thru will remain open.
Mayor Judge stated beginning January 1st, 2020 more than two hundred fifty Illinois new laws will go into effect. Mayor Judge emphasized that citizens please be aware of them as the State of Illinois has increased fines and fees.
Mayor Judge gave an update on the Mount Carmel swimming pool and stated the pool did finish in the “black” this year, which included the installation of the new roof on the pool house. Mayor Judge reported there was an increase of $2064.25 in the concessions sales over the past year and some new changes will be coming for the pool season this year.
Mayor Judge wished everyone a Happy New Year on behalf of himself and the city commissioners.
Mayor Judge expressed his appreciation to Commissioner Rodriguez for his eight and one-half years of service to the people of the City of Mount Carmel and Wabash County. Mayor Judge presented Commissioner Rodriguez with a gift from himself and the council.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
COMMISSIONER TOM MEEKS – STREETS, CEMETERIES AND PARKS
Commissioner Meeks reported in the last two weeks the street department continued the leaf pickup service as weather permitted; repaired barricades; cleaned and repaired storm sewer intakes; burnt the brush pile, reshaped the ash pile and filled in mudholes at the brush harbor; hauled the old birth and death records from old city hall to new city hall; mulched leaves in the city parks and city properties.
COMMISSIONER ERIC IKEMIRE – FINANCE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures – See attached agenda with financials.
Commissioner Ikemire reported the city is ending the calendar year in good shape. Commissioner Ikemire stated the city has received most of the property tax revenues and the sales tax revenues along with the income tax revenues are showing an increase from prior years.
COMMISSIONER JUSTIN DULGAR – WATER AND SEWER
Commissioner Dulgar reported the wastewater plant’s projects are still ongoing and will be meeting with HLR along with Kieffer Brothers Construction on January 7th.
Commissioner Dulgar stated the outside basins at the water treatment plant will be cleaned as part of the standard routine maintenance; and Bolden Electric will be installing a new transfer switch on the generator at the Oak Street booster station.
Commissioner Dulgar reported the next meeting regarding the proposed water treatment plant with Donahue and Three I Design will be January 17th.
Commissioner Dulgar stated the water maintenance department performed its routine cleaning of the sewer system and had no issues.
Commissioner Dulgar wished everyone a Happy New Year.
COMMISSIONER ROD RODRIGUEZ – FIRE, HEALTH & SAFETY, GARBAGE, CITY HALL AND CIVIL DEFENSE
Commissioner Rodriguez reported in the last two weeks the fire department responded to nine runs.
Commissioner Rodriguez thanked everyone that brought cakes, pies, cookies, etc. to the fire department during the holidays.
Commissioner Rodriguez stated the Shop with a Cop/Fireman event was a great success as a total of seventy-five children were assisted this year. Commissioner Rodriguez thanked everyone that donated and commended Firefighter Mark Seaton for all his efforts throughout the years with the event. Commissioner Rodriguez reiterated all the proceeds from the Wabash Valley College Wicked Wheels event are donated to the shopping program. Commissioner Rodriguez emphasized how wonderful the event is for the area children.
Commissioner Rodriguez thanked City Administrative Assistant Rudy Witsman for his help throughout the years and he also thanked Former Mayor Bill Hudson. Commissioner Rodriguez expressed his appreciation to the Mayor Judge and city council for their assistance while he served as commissioner.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – RUDY WITSMAN
City Administrative Assistant Witsman announced city hall will be closing at noon on Tuesday, December 31st for New Year’s Eve and be closed all day on Wednesday, January 1st for New Year’s Day.
City Administrative Assistant Witsman reported the bids packets for the mowing of the city’s cemeteries will be available at city hall tomorrow for anyone or any entity interested in bidding on the mowing of the cemeteries.
City Administrative Assistant Witsman stated the Greater Wabash Fire Protection District recently contacted Commissioner Rodriguez and Fire Chief Speth to discuss the possibility of combining their district with the Mount Carmel Fire Department as a section of their territory that lies next to the Mount Carmel city limits is covered by the city’s fire department. City Administrative Assistant Witsman reported Mayor Judge, Commissioner Rodriguez, Fire Chief Speth and himself met with the fire district trustees and came to a tentative agreement; whereby, the Mount Carmel Fire Department will be responsible for the fire coverage for the entire Greater Wabash Fire Protection District. City Administrative Assistant Witsman stated the Mount Carmel Department will lease the district’s fire department building as well as their vehicles and the volunteer fireman will function as volunteer fireman under the Mount Carmel Fire Department. City Administrative Assistant Witsman reported the tax money generated by the tax levy for the fire district will be divided between the fire district and the Mount Carmel Fire Department to help offset the fire departments’ expenses. City Administrative Assistant Witsman stated the fire district trucks and equipment will continue to be housed at the current fire station in Keensburg and the Keensburg Village Government will continue to hold their meetings at the fire station. City Administrative Assistant Witsman reported City Attorney Storckman is working on the final agreement, which will be presented to the city council and the fire district trustees in the very near future. City Administrative Assistant Witsman stated this is a combination of two government entities forming one entity to try to be more efficient and to also provide more manpower.
CITY ATTORNEY – KELLI STORCKMAN
City Attorney Storckman no report.
CITY INSPECTOR – MIKE GIDCUMB
City Inspector Gidcumb absent.
STREET DEPARTMENT SUPERINTENDENT – DAVE EASTER
Street Department Superintendent Dave Easter no report.
POLICE CHIEF – RYAN TURNER
Police Chief Turner thanked Commissioner Rodriguez for helpfulness to the police department throughout his years of service to the City of Mount Carmel.
FIRE CHIEF – FRANCES SPETH
Fire Chief Speth presented Commissioner Rodriguez with a plaque honoring his years of service to the Mount Carmel Fire Department, the City of Mount Carmel and the citizens of Wabash County.
Fire Chief Speth stated Fire Captain Glen Markle is retiring at the end of January. Fire Chief Speth reported the Police/Fire Commissioner conducted testing in October and as of January 2nd, Elijah Hadra has been hired as a full-time firefighter. Fire Chief Speth stated Elijah will attending training for eight to twelve weeks. Mayor Judge and the council congratulated Elijah on being hired as a firefighter for the City of Mount Carmel.
BUSINESS MOTIONS
Mayor Judge and the Council approved the consent agenda, as presented in the agenda dated December 30th, 2019. The consent agenda included the paying of all bills bearing the proper signatures
NEW BUSINESS
City Administrative Assistant Witsman stated it is his pleasure as City Clerk to the City of Mount Carmel to swear in Chandler Madden as the replacement for Commissioner Rod Rodriguez. City Administrative Assistant Witsman reported Mr. Rodriguez’s resignation is effective, December 31st. Chandler Madden was sworn in as the Commissioner of Fire, Health and Safety, Garbage, City Hall building and Civil Defense, effective January 1st, 2020.
Meeting adjourned at 5:25 p.m.
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