City of Mount Carmel City Council met Sept. 5.
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 Tyson Meador, Susan Zimmerman
Also, Present: City Administrative Assistant Ryan Turner
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mayor Judge requested a motion to approve the minutes of the last council meeting.
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Meador seconded to approve the minutes of the meeting held on August 21, 2023. All present voted by roll vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Mayor Judge acknowledged Josh Evans with the Mount Carmel Lions Club, who was seeking council approval to collect donations on Friday, September 22nd and Saturday, September 23rd at the designated intersections for their annual “Tootsie Roll” fundraising event.
Mayor Judge reiterated the council had moved forward with placing liens on the former Long John Silvers and the former AT&T properties for nuisance violations. Mayor Judge reported, through communications with both property managements, over $14,000.00 has now been collected for the yard abatements and both companies have secured landscaping companies to keep the lots managed.
Mayor Judge asked residents to please complete the lead water service line survey and stated the city is having a contest to give a lucky winner one free month of water, if the survey is filled out by September 15th. Mayor Judge stated, if someone marks “unknown” on the survey, the city will have to dig up the water line to determine what type of water line that individual has. Mayor Judge encouraged residents to please go online and complete the survey to help the city with this Illinois EPA requirement.
Mayor Judge reported he had talked with Republic Services today regarding the extension of the trash contract and some changes were made to the contract, per Republic Services request. Mayor Judge stated he has resubmitted the contract with those included changes and he hopes to report back at the next council meeting on the contract extension.
Mayor Judge stated at the next council meeting he will be seeking approval for the forming of the Mount Carmel Pool Foundation, which will be a 501 C3 foundation, so the city may accept donations from the public for the benefit of the pool.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
COMMISSIONER TYSON MEADOR – STREETS, CEMETERIES AND PARKS
Commissioner Meador reported, over the last two weeks, the street department completed Kiddie Land at the park; performed routine maintenance; and a culvert is being installed on Hydraulic Avenue this week.
COMMISSIONER ERIC IKEMIRE – FINANCE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures – See attached agenda with financials.
Commissioner Ikemire thanked the fire department for their prompt response to his residence last week as his carbon dioxide detector was beeping, however thank goodness there was no emergency.
Commissioner Ikemire reported, in the last two weeks, revenues totaled $18,780.00 with expenses totaling $71,620.00 and the city is right on target so far in the fiscal year.
COMMISSIONER TOM MEEKS – WATER AND SEWER
Commissioner Meeks encouraged residents to please complete the water service line survey.
Commissioner Meeks reported the wastewater department continued performing the regular plant maintenance and the water maintenance department performed several locates; did vehicle maintenance; helped pour concrete at the Senior Citizens Center; used the jet truck to clean out sewer mains.
COMMISSIONER SUSAN ZIMMERMAN – FIRE, HEALTH & SAFETY, GARBAGE, CITY HALL AND CIVIL DEFENSE
Commissioner Zimmerman announced the fall trash pick-up will be October 2nd and asked all large items by set out for pick-up by 6:00 am on that Monday, however the items may not be picked up on that day. Commissioner Zimmerman stated Republic Services is requesting that no items be placed in paper bags or cardboard boxes and to please place those smaller items in trash bags or water proof containers. Commissioner Zimmerman reminded that Republic Services will not pick up any construction materials, electronics, televisions, microwaves, refrigerators, stoves and mattresses/ box springs have to wrapped in plastic.
Commissioner Zimmerman stated City Administrative Assistant Turner will be discussing the Foreign Firefighters 2% Tax Board, which needs to be established by the city.
Commissioner Zimmerman reported, over the last two weeks, the fire department has been very busy as they responded to nineteen calls and stated October is Fire Prevention Month.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – RYAN TURNER
City Administrative Assistant Turner announced the airport has a new manager, Mr. Luis Gracia
City Administrative Assistant Turner presented Ordinance 2095 – Foreign Firefighter 2% Tax Board to the council for approval, per the State of Illinois requirements and to waive the second reading of the ordinance. Mayor Judge interjected by stating the foreign firefighter tax pertains to any business that has commercial property insurance with a company outside of the State of Illinois as a separate
two percent tax is collected for fire protection, with those tax monies being managed by the Illinois Municipal League and in turn those monies are sent to the municipality where the business has the insured property. City Administrative Assistant Turner who acknowledged Commissioner Zimmerman, who stated the members of that board will be Captain Elijah Hadra - Chairman, Captain Mark Seaton - Secretary, Fire Chief Frances Speth – Acting Chief, Firefighter Jim Kensler – Assistant Chairman, and Volunteer Firefighter Dru Faulkner - Treasurer.
City Administrative Assistant Turner reported the city’s health insurance contract will be coming up for renewal and the city’s insurance representative has moved to another third-party administrator, however everything should remain the same for the next year except for the name of the administrator. City Administrative Assistant Turner asked council approval to transfer the employee health insurance to Crescent Health Solutions and stated this will be a savings for the city while the coverage for the employees would not change.
CITY ATTORNEY – DEREK MCCULLOUGH
City Attorney McCullough absent.
AIRPORT MANAGER – LUIS GARCIA
Mayor Judge welcomed the newly hired airport manager, Luis Garcia to the meeting.
Airport Manager Garica reported he has been training with Retired Airport Manager Ken Wood to get the airport back in shape again and he gave an overview of the activities over the last two weeks as well as future plans along with information regarding submitted airport grants.
POLICE CHIEF – MIKE MCWILLIAMS
Police Chief McWilliams no report.
FIRE CHIEF – FRANCES SPETH
Fire Chief Speth absent.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR – MIKE GIDCUMB
Public Works Director Gidcumb absent.
BUSINESS MOTIONS
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Zimmerman seconded to adopt Ordinance 2095 to form Foreign Firefighter 2% Tax board. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Zimmerman motioned and Commissioner Meeks seconded to accept the following individuals to the Firefighters 2% Tax Board: Elijah Hadra appointed to Chairman; Mark Seaton to Secretary; Jim Kensler to Assistant Chairman; Dru Faulkner to Treasurer; and Francis Speth to Ex
Officio. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Meador seconded to transfer employee insurance to Crescent Health Solutions for twelve-month term. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Zimmerman 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, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Zimmerman motioned and Commissioner Meador seconded to adjourn the meeting. All present voted Aye by voice vote.
Meeting adjourned at 4:26 pm
https://www.cityofmtcarmel.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/11605/09-05-2023_minutes.pdf
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