City of Mt. Carmel City Council met July 25.
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 July 11, 2022. All present voted by roll vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Mayor Judge acknowledged Danny Kieffer, who was in attendance seeking council approval for the collection of donations at the designated intersections for the Knights of Columbus annual fundraiser event on September 16th and 17th.
Mayor Judge announced the last public swim day for the swimming pool is Sunday, August 14th and the Dog Swim is Monday, August, 15th. Mayor Judge stated the lifeguards will be going back to school and unfortunately the pool cannot remain open any longer.
Mayor Judge stated he had a meeting with the Illinois Department of Transportation and was notified by Congresswoman Mary Miller of a Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, which is for overpasses/underpasses on state routes. Mayor Judge reported the grant has to be applied for by October 5th and is hopeful the federal government will fund the project of constructing an overpass on Walnut Street, which is a state highway.
Mayor Judge reiterated he had emailed the council the study from Burbach Aquatics regarding the city pool and tonight he asked the council for comments regarding that evaluation. After council discussion, Mayor Judge asked council approval for himself and City Administrative Assistant Turner to move forward with a conversation with Burbach Aquatics on the next step for the feasibility of building a new pool and/or smaller aquatic center than was originally purposed.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
COMMISSIONER TOM MEEKS – STREETS, CEMETERIES AND PARKS
Commissioner Meeks stated, in the past two weeks, the street department completed the West Seventh Street sidewalk project; continued mowing; assisted the water department with some projects; continued to cut lowing lying dead limbs from trees; cleaned a ditch on Greenbriar Drive; assisted the brush crew with their route; ground several stumps; fixed a sinkhole in the alley near Twelfth Street.
COMMISSIONER ERIC IKEMIRE – FINANCE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures – See attached agenda with financials.
Commissioner Ikemire reported, over the past two weeks, receipts in the general fund totaled $339,336.00 and expenditures $114,000.00 with most of the receipts being from state income tax, state sales tax, utility tax, state use and replacement tax.
COMMISSIONER JUSTIN DULGAR – WATER AND SEWER
Commissioner Dulgar reported the prep work at the new water treatment plant is coming along nicely. Commissioner Dulgar stated the city is looking into a possible backup connection with the Rural Wabash County Water District for emergencies purposes, only.
Commissioner Dulgar stated the water maintenance department helped Kieffer Brothers run a bypass at the water treatment plant; dug up the water main and put in a one-inch tap on Erin Drive; continued to check the water level at the city pool; diagnosed the issue with the clear well at the water plant; met with Mount Carmel Public Utility to locate water lines for a new gas main; used the jet truck to determine if sink holes were causing a couple of sewer lines to collapse and continually meet with the contractor regarding the new water treatment plant.
Commissioner Dulgar reported the wastewater department pumped and hosed out clarifier number one; completed and submitted results of the routine lab tests; and a drive motor was installed on the chlorine contact tank.
Commissioner Dulgar stated a sewer line has collapsed in the alley next to Big Jon’s restaurant and asked council approval to spend $35,360.00 out of the sewer fund on the sewer line.
Commissioner Dulgar reported over the past seven years an outfall line, an aeration upgrade and a digestor project totaling $3.7 million have been done at the wastewater plant with no rate increases on the water bills. Commissioner Dulgar gave an overview of the sewer fund expenses and stated unfortunately the time has come to increase those rates. Commissioner Dulgar reported he will present the purposed rate increases at the next council meeting for council approval and added there has not been a rate increase for seven years.
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 several calls to include false alarms, construction meetings, medical assists and had training in trauma at the last department meeting.
Commissioner Zimmerman stated testing for volunteer auxiliary firefighters was held last Saturday to help ensure there are enough volunteers to respond to calls especially during the day.
Commissioner Zimmerman reported the brush department is finally caught up and are back on their regular routes.
Commissioner Zimmerman stated the mosquito spraying is still ongoing.
Commissioner Zimmerman addressed Police Chief McWilliams regarding the designated golf cart crossings and any issues with those crossings especially at Cherry Hills Subdivision as she has been contacted by residents concerning a crossing. Police Chief McWilliams stated, unfortunately, there is no good way to get the park from the subdivision and he does not have an answer for the situation at this time. Police Chief McWilliams added it is a private property issue and may come down to the responsibility of the landowners but hopes to have an answer before it gets to that point.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – RYAN TURNER
City Administrative Assistant Turner reported Wabash County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lesley Hipsher has changed her request for the street closures for the Ag Days Festival to include the morning of Tuesday, August 2nd at the intersection of Third and Market Streets, but not to block off Mount Carmel Public Utility during those morning hours.
CITY ATTORNEY – BRADY WALDROP
City Attorney Waldrop no report.
POLICE CHIEF – MIKE MCWILLIAMS
Police Chief McWilliams reiterated a resident, who lives in the 1100 block of Mulberry Street, had asked if additional stop signs could be put up at 11th and Mulberry Streets as he was concerned about safety issues because people speed down Mulberry Street and the police department had conducted a traffic survey at that location. Police Chief McWilliams stated he could not give a recommendation at this time due to the increased traffic flow from the Cherry Street Bridge construction. After discussing the issue, the council decided to wait until Cherry Street reopens and do a reevaluation at that point.
Police Chief McWilliams reported during the past two weeks four applicants were tested as there is a job opening in the department and the staff participated at the Lunch Wagon.
FIRE CHIEF – FRANCES SPETH
Fire Chief Speth no report.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR – MIKE GIDCUMB
Public Works Director Gidcumb reported Huff Sealing will be doing the crack/joint repair on Walnut Street from Eleventh to Thirteenth by next week, weather permitting and asked residents to please do not park in that area when the repair work is being done.
BUSINESS MOTIONS
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Dulgar seconded to explore Phase II of the public pool project. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Ikemire Seconded to fix the sewer line by Big John’s and Mount Carmel Public Utility. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Zimmerman motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the Consent Agenda. The consent agenda approval of the paying of all bills bearing the proper signatures. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Meeks seconded to adjourn the meeting. All present voted Aye by voice vote.
Meeting adjourned at 5:36 pm
https://www.cityofmtcarmel.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/11521/07-25-2022_minutes.pdf
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