City of Mt. Carmel City Council met Oct. 3.
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 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 Zimmerman seconded to approve the minutes of the meeting held on September 19th, 2022. All present voted by roll vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Mayor Judge acknowledged Robert Marshall, who was attendance seeking council approval to hold an outdoor and indoor Halloween Party along with a first-year anniversary party for his store at 411 N. Market Street. Mr. Marshall asked approval to rope off four of the parking places in front of the store on Saturday, October 29th from 5:00 pm to midnight in order to accommodate everyone attending the festivities.
Mayor Judge acknowledged Dylan Woods, who is the owner of Studio-D & D’z Kut’z located at 518 N. Market Street and presented to the council a new concept of offering beer or wine at his business while getting a haircut. Mr. Woods stated the drinks will be sold to paying customers that are getting a haircut or getting their nails done, etc. and not for carry out. Mr. Woods continued by stating he is
seeking a Class B Liquor License for serving cliental at his business, with a two-drink maximum. Mayor Judge stated the request will be presented at the Liquor Control Meeting following the regular session council meeting.
Mayor Judge acknowledged City Attorney Brady Waldrop regarding the request from Mike Hocking for the placement of a storage container on his property at 222 W. Seventh Street. City Attorney Waldrop reported it is his understanding that Mr. Hocking is fixing the container up as to where it will look like a different kind of structure than what it starts out as. City Attorney Waldrop stated as long as the structure is not something that is prohibited under the city’s ordinance then there should not be a problem with the placement of the container. The council agreed to the placement as long as it is in a timely manner, weather permitting and Mr. Hocking will have to submit a building permit with a proposed finish date.
Mayor Judge announced the trick or treat hours for Halloween are October 30th and 31st from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
Mayor Judge stated the purchase of a new bucket truck was budgeted in the Capital Improvement Fund and one was purchased in Buffalo, New York in the amount of $69.500.00. Mayor Judge added the truck has been delivered and will be a nice addition to the city’s fleet.
Mayor Judge reported he has spoken with the Illinois Department of Transportation and hopefully by next week the move to the next step for an overpass feasibility study for Walnut Street as well as Third Street will be done.
Mayor Judge asked residents to please go with their children when they use the restrooms at the city park as all kinds of foreign objects are being thrown into the toilets. Mayor Judge reminded residents there are cameras outside the restrooms so he is aware of who the violators are and asked that individuals to please help keep the restrooms nice.
Mayor Judge reiterated at the last council meeting Commissioner Dulgar presented a quote for a sludge press for the wastewater plant in the amount of $12,709.00, which was not a budgeted item. Mayor Judge reported, after investigating the issue with the sludge press and contacting the manufacturing company, seal kit packages for the press will be purchased instead in the amount of $544.20 to alleviate the issue.
Mayor Judge reported repair costs for the Cherry Hills Subdivision entrance that was demolished by the accident in April has been turned into the insurance company, Geico, and it could take up to four weeks before any work can be done to fix the entrance.
Mayor Judge stated he is very please to announce that Cherry Street will reopen to traffic tomorrow, Tuesday, October 4th. Mayor Judge reported the east side of the street will be done with the gutters and the west side will have orange barrels up while that guttering is being finished over the next few days.
Mayor Judge reported he has also been in contact with IDOT regarding Ninth Street and was told the repaving as well as all the ADA surfaces work should start next summer. Mayor Judge added the State of Illinois will make all the Ninth Street sidewalks ADA compliant on the state side only and none of the approaches to any of the city’s side streets will be done. Mayor Judge stated the construction costs with engineering fees for the approaches to the side streets; traffic signal improvements for lights that do not face a state route; and the sidewalk approaches is $4.43 million with the final portion for city being $88,200.00. Mayor Judge reported this expense will be added to the fiscal budget next year, which is an MFT eligible expense and the monies will not have to be taken out of the general fund.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
COMMISSIONER TOM MEEKS – STREETS, CEMETERIES AND PARKS
Commissioner Meeks thanked Mayor Judge for his research and the locating of the bucket truck for the street department.
Commissioner Meeks presented to the council the estimated costs for the repairing of street department’s front-end loader in the amount of $12,835.00.
Commissioner Meeks reported, in the past two weeks, the street department rebuilt the turbine and the lining inside the leaf machine; filled several potholes in alleys and streets; continued mowing city properties; continued working at West Third and Division Streets, where the water/sewer line was replaced; poured concrete at several locations; cleaned out a culvert at Twelfth and Market Streets; and installed a flashing school zone light at Thirteenth and Chestnut Streets.
Commissioner Meeks reminded residents to please do not put their leaves in street as they will plug up the intakes and could accumulate causing the storm sewer drains to clog up as well.
COMMISSIONER ERIC IKEMIRE – FINANCE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures – See attached agenda with financials.
Commissioner Ikemire stated the last two weeks were fairly quiet with receipts totaled $25,000.00 and expenditures of $115,00.00. Commissioner Ikemire noted the garbage fund has approximately $150,000.00 with $40,000.00 of payables.
Commissioner Ikemire reiterated financing proposals from local banks were submitted for the repair work at West Third and Division Streets. Commissioner Ikemire stated originally $800,000.00 was the estimated repair costs with First-Mid Bank proposing a ten-year term fixed rate followed by a twenty-year amortization while the other banks only proposed a five-year fixed rate term and now the total costs for financing is $900,000.00.
COMMISSIONER JUSTIN DULGAR – WATER AND SEWER
Commissioner Dulgar reported the clarifier and the sediments basins were drained as well as disinfected this week at the water treatment plant and Lead Operator Keith Reed has been working on lead/copper samples for IEPA along with collecting data at the sample sites
Commissioner Dulgar stated the water maintenance department connected the water lines back to all the residents along Division Street from Third to Fifth Streets; met with Fire Chief Speth to take pressure readings from the fire hydrants for insurance certifications; met with plumbers to discuss a sanitary sewer that was being worked on to ensure no damage was done to a nearby water line; used the jet truck to clean out a sanitary sewer; and helped the wastewater department grease all lift stations.
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; attended meetings and training. Commissioner Zimmerman stated October 9th through the 15th is Fire Prevention Week and this year’s slogan is “Fire Won’t Wait – Plan Your Escape”. Commissioner Zimmerman added, during that week, the fire department has many tours scheduled; will be going the local schools to provide the children with fire safety information; and an open house at the fire station will be held on Sunday, October 9th from 2:00 pm to 4:00pm.
Commissioner Zimmerman reiterated at the March 21st council meeting the extension of the contract with Republic Services was approved for year four and five with the understanding of an increased contract price, however no price increase was implemented at that time. Commissioner Zimmerman reported the city can no longer absorb the price increase therefore, she is proposing an increase of seventy -five cents to the $19.00 charged on the water bill for trash service for the remainder of year four and for year five an additional fifty cent increase to reflect the charge of $20.25. Commissioner Zimmerman stated the city does not want to implement the increases, unfortunately, with increasing costs they are forced to and she will present the increases at the next council meeting for approval.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – RYAN TURNER
Public Works Director Gidcumb reported for City Administrative Assistant Turner who was absent.
Public Works Director Gidcumb stated the second reading of the vacating of the alley in the nine hundred block of West Ninth Street, which is in the consent agenda, has been postponed. Public Works Director Gidcumb reported contained within the consent agenda is the accepting of bids for the property located at 131 N. Chestnut Street and the bids should be submitted on October 17th by 3:00 pm.
CITY ATTORNEY – BRADY WALDROP
City Attorney Waldrop announced he has been appointed to the position of Lawrence County States Attorney starting on December 1st and he will be resigning as city attorney at that time. City Attorney Waldrop stated he has enjoyed working with the city. The council congratulated Brady and wished him the best of luck at his new position.
POLICE CHIEF – MIKE MCWILLIAMS
Police Chief McWilliams reported he along with Mayor Judge visited the residents of HollyBrook today and they will be visiting the residents at Oakview on Thursday; McDonalds will be hosting “Coffee with a Cop” from 8:00 am to 10:00 am on Wednesday, October 12.
Police Chief McWilliams stated the footballs games having been going extremely well with no major issues and thanked WEMA for helping with the parking by donating their time as well as their resources.
FIRE CHIEF – FRANCES SPETH
Fire Chief Speth reiterated next week is Fire Prevention Week and reminded citizens to check smoke detectors; plan the escape from your house in the event of a fire as well as a meeting place for everyone that lives in the residence.
Fire Chief Speth reported the apparatuses are pump tested every year and four of the five so far have been tested with very minimal issues; ISO was in Mount Carmel on September 22nd to rate 911, the water department as well as the fire department to determine the classifications for insurance purposes.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR – MIKE GIDCUMB
Public Works Director Gidcumb stated the fog seal is starting on Wednesday and Thursday for the areas that were already chip/sealed.
BUSINESS MOTIONS
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the Hocking storage container building permit with roof and siding. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, and Dulgar voted Aye. Commissioner Zimmerman voted Nay.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Zimmerman seconded to approve First-Mid $900,000.00 loan for Division Street Sewer Project. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Dulgar and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Dulgar motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the Consent Agenda. The consent agenda contained the accepting of bids for the sale of 131 N. Chestnut Street and 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 Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Zimmerman seconded to adjourn the meeting. All present voted Aye by voice vote.
Regular session of the council meeting ended for Liquor Control Commission at 5:48 pm. Meeting adjourned at 5:50 pm
https://www.cityofmtcarmel.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/11526/10-03-2022_minutes.pdf
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