City of Mt. Carmel City Council met March 21.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
Mayor Judge brought the City Council meeting to order.
Present on Roll Call: Mayor Joe Judge Commissioners – Tom Meeks, Eric Ikemire, Justin Dulgar, Susan Zimmerman
Also, Present: City Administrative Assistant Ryan Turner, City Attorney Brady Waldrop
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mayor Judge requested a motion to approve the minutes of the last council meeting.
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Dulgar seconded to approve the minutes of the meeting held on March 7, 2022. All present voted by roll vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Mayor Judge stated the weather is shaping up for more rain and asked residents to please keep their storm grates clear of any debris as this will help with street flooding.
Mayor Judge reported this year’s July 4th Fireworks display will be different than in years past as the high school stadium will not be available due to the updates to the football field area. Mayor Judge stated he along with Police Chief McWilliams, Street Department Foreman Mike Hannah and City Administrative Assistant Turner will be creating a plan for parking as well as the viewing of the fireworks along Golden Aces Way.
Mayor Judge affirmed there will be a Fourth of July Parade this year as his family will be working with the Gary Arnold family to continue the tradition of the parade that was started over twenty years ago.
Mayor Judge reported the street sweeper is out and about being used for training purposes with new operators at this time. Mayor Judge stated the goal is to be cleaning all the city streets this spring in the early mornings.
Mayor Judge reiterated the rule that was followed for the restrooms at the ballfields/parks was April opening and November closing. Mayor Judge stated there were a few nice days in March, however if the temperature falls below thirty-two degrees there is a risk of damaging the plumbing in the restrooms. Mayor Judge asked council for approval to continue with the April opening and November closing policy. The council agreed to maintain the same policy and to post signs on the restrooms to make the public better aware.
Mayor Judge addressed the council regarding the extension of the trash contract with Republic Services and the cost to the residents. Mayor Judge stated the contract ends July 31, 2022 and the current fee on the residential water bill for garbage service as well as leaf/brush pick-up is $19.00. Mayor Judge asked for council direction as far as raising that fee due to Republic Services raising its fee to the city. After council discussion, it was decided to extend the contract for year four and five along with keeping the fee at $19.00 at this time, per month on the water bill.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
COMMISSIONER TOM MEEKS – STREETS, CEMETERIES AND PARKS
Commissioner Meeks reported, in the past two weeks, the street department performed maintenance on the street sweeper; continuing working on alleyways; filled several potholes at various locations; continued to clean intakes; installed tracks on the mini-excavator; installed bleachers at the West Fourth Street Ballpark; installed a culvert at Glendale Park; prepped the location and poured a new sidewalk at West Third/Poplar Streets;
COMMISSIONER ERIC IKEMIRE – FINANCE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures – See attached agenda with financials.
Commissioner Ikemire reported the last two weeks, receipts in the general fund totaled $289,466.00 with the majority of the monies coming from sales tax and income tax.
COMMISSIONER JUSTIN DULGAR – WATER AND SEWER
Commissioner Dulgar stated Noah Bell has been cross training at the water treatment plant and Keith Reed has been cross training at the wastewater plant.
Commissioner Dulgar reported the pre-construction meeting for the new water treatment plant was held and Kieffer Brothers Construction should start prepping the site in April.
Commissioner Dulgar reiterated some water meters are not sending a signal for the “drive by” reading system, therefore approximately eighteen-hundred meters are having to be manually read and stated the problem needs to be resolved. Commissioner Dulgar acknowledged Mayor Judge, who stated the city may purchase registers for the meters, which is the device that sends the signal for the “drive-by” system. Commissioner Dulgar along with Mayor Judge presented to the council for discussion the purchase of two thousand registers from the current water meter company for a total of $190,000.00 and stated all the monies for the purchase may be used from the American Recovery Fund (ARPA).
Commissioner Dulgar reported the water treatment plant, wastewater plant and water maintenance departments have all been extremely busy over the past two weeks.
COMMISSIONER SUSAN ZIMMERMAN – FIRE, HEALTH & SAFETY, GARBAGE, CITY HALL AND CIVIL DEFENSE
Commissioner Zimmerman reported during the last two weeks the fire department responded to twelve runs; training was held with Dr. Slater regarding safety practices and the proper procedures in handling individuals in emergency situations; and participated in the Guns and Hoses Event.
Commissioner Zimmerman congratulated the fire department on winning the Guns and Hoses Event. Commissioner Zimmerman thanked everyone who participated and/or attended the event as it was a great success again this year.
Commissioner Zimmerman stated the brush crew has been running its regular route and reminded residents to please be patient if they have a large pile of brush as the crew may have to come back with the backhoe to remove the pile.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – RYAN TURNER
City Administrative Assistant Turner asked people to please stay off the levee and affirmed should the levee be damaged by off-roaders, the city would be responsible for making the costly repairs with that cost being passed along to the violators.
City Administrative Assistant Turner reminded residents to please call city hall if they have problems with their trash not being up, problems with their totes; or any other issue with Republic Services. City Administrative Assistant Turner, overall, stated their staff has been exceptionally good to work with.
City Administrative Assistant Turner reported the brush crew will be picking up leaves that were missed last fall during the regular fall leaf pick-up season due to the leaf machine breaking down. City Administrative Assistant Turner stated a list will be complied and hopefully those leaves will be picked up in the next couple weeks.
City Administrative Assistant Turner stated, with Mike Gidcumb moving to Director of Public Works, the council needs to appoint Heath Reed as the water billing clerk. City Administrative Assistant Turner reported Heath has fulfilled this position for several months, however the council needs to make it “official”.
CITY ATTORNEY – BRADY WALDROP
City Attorney Waldrop reiterated, at the previous meeting, the council approved the moving forward with legal action against the property owned by John Clancy located at 500/502 N. Market Street. City Attorney Waldrop reported part of the process will involve retaining a structural engineer that the city may use to evaluate the structure in moving forward with legalities.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR – MIKE GIDCUMB
Public Works Director Gidcumb absent.
POLICE CHIEF – MIKE MCWILLIAMS
Police Chief McWilliams stated some adjustments were made to the dispatcher schedule for where the manpower is needed the most and to accommodate the highest call volume.
Police Chief McWilliams reported a search warrant was served a few days ago with more two arrests made for the delivery of meth, which is part of the ongoing drug investigations.
FIRE CHIEF – FRANCES SPETH
Fire Chief Speth reminded residents to please bag their leaves and set the bags out with other yard waste for the city brush crew to pick-up or take the yard waste to the city brush harbor and please do not burn the yard waste.
BUSINESS MOTIONS
Commissioner Zimmerman motioned and Commissioner Dulgar seconded to extend Republic Services contract to year four and five; no price increase at this time for consumers. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar, Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to replace water meters that are needing fixed. The cost is to be approximately $190,000.00. Motion is to approve funds from American Recovery Funds. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar, Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to appoint Heath Reed as city billing clerk (water). All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar, Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the Consent Agenda. The consent agenda contained approval of the paying of all bills bearing the proper signatures. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar, Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to go to executive session to discuss machinist contract. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar, Zimmerman voted Aye.
Regular session of the council meeting recessed at 5:36 pm for executive session.
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Zimmerman seconded to exit the executive session at 5:47 pm and return to regular session. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar, Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to adjourn the meeting. All present voted Aye by voice vote.
Meeting adjourned at 5:48 pm
https://www.cityofmtcarmel.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/11512/03-21-22_minutes.pdf
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