City of Mount Carmel City Council met Oct. 16.
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, City Attorney Derek McCullough
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 October 2, 2023. All present voted by roll vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the executive minutes from June 26, 2023. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Meeks seconded to approve the executive minutes from August 21, 2023. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Commissioner Meador motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve executive minutes from September 18, 2023. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS
Mayor Judge acknowledged Kyle Peach, who was seeking council approval to collect donations at the designated intersections for the Wabash Valley College FRESH Program in November. Mr. Peach gave an overview of the “Food Resources to Erase Student Hunger Program”, which is ran by the student senate. The council approved the request and advised Mr. Peach to confer with City Administrative Assistant Turner on the date for the fundraiser.
Mayor Judge acknowledged Terry Beckerman with Market Street MTC, who gave an overview of a new lighting project at Merchants Park with an estimated cost of $12,000.00 and asked council approval for the completion of the project, as the funds have already been raised to pay for the expense.
Mayor Judge reported the Division Street Sidewalk Project is slowly moving forward as the city has been waiting on information from the State of Illinois.
Mayor Judge asked residents to please do not put leaves out for pick-up by the curb unless they are bagged until the leaf collection time is announced in November.
Mayor Judge reported the former Long John Silvers property is going up for absolute auction, which is owned by a management company in California and added that the City of Mount Carmel does not own the property. Mayor Judge stated the online auction is November 13th through the 15th with a starting bid of $1.00.
Mayor Judge stated he attended sessions in Chicago and he met with a developer, who provided him with a GAP analysis on the spending in Mount Carmel as well as a target area. Mayor Judge gave an overview of the analysis and stated he was provided with some very interesting information.
Mayor Judge welcomed the newly hired city police officer, Sean Sager.
Mayor Judge reiterated the council had approved the authorization to negotiate the purchase of the rescue truck for the fire department. Mayor Judge stated the purchase of the truck will be finalized later this week for the amount of $127,000.00.
COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
COMMISSIONER TYSON MEADOR – STREETS, CEMETERIES AND PARKS
Commissioner Meador reported, over the last two weeks, the street department has been doing a lot of concrete work throughout town; assisted the water maintenance department with two water main breaks; finished the work on an up-rooted stump on Fourth Street; and replaced a few street signs.
COMMISSIONER ERIC IKEMIRE – FINANCE AND SENIOR CITIZENS
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures – See attached agenda with financials.
Commissioner Ikemire reported receipts for the past two weeks were $138,413.00 and expenses were $110,918.00.
COMMISSIONER TOM MEEKS – WATER AND SEWER
Commissioner Meeks stated the water maintenance department repaired a water leak from a fire hydrant near the Super 8 Motel on outer West Ninth Street and flushed hydrants throughout Mount Carmel.
Commissioner Meeks reported the water treatment plant managed the water levels in the water towers due to high consumption during the drought and issued a boil order for the area near the Super 8 Motel because the water system had to be shut down for the repairs from that leak.
Commissioner Meeks stated the wastewater department finished the third quarter sludge; pressed forty-four ton of dry sludge; fixed the valve on the storm bypass tank and jetted out that same bypass tank to ensure there was a good flow through the pipe.
COMMISSIONER SUSAN ZIMMERMAN – FIRE, HEALTH & SAFETY, GARBAGE, CITY HALL AND CIVIL DEFENSE
Commissioner Zimmerman reported the fire department kept very busy last week with Fire Prevention Week; conducted multiple tours; held public relation events; conducted fire drills at all the local schools; responded to seven calls; and continued the yearly hose testing
Commissioner Zimmerman reiterated last week was the Fall Pick-Up Week for garbage and overall, it went well. Commissioner Zimmerman reminded that construction building material will not be picked up by Republic Services.
Commissioner Zimmerman reiterated the city will be transitioning to the leaf program but that has not started yet and emphasized that residents should not be putting loose leaves out for pick-up.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – RYAN TURNER
City Administrative Assistant Turner reported Resolution 700 - Participation in the State of Illinois Federal Surplus Program is contained within the consent agenda and is required due to changes made by the federal government.
City Administrative Assistant Turner stated, beginning at 8:00 am in the morning, residents in the Alder Road as well as Bona Terra Drive area will have their water off while a leaking hydrant is being repaired.
CITY ATTORNEY – DEREK MCCULLOUGH
City Attorney McCullough reiterated the process of obtaining demolition orders on various properties has been ongoing for several months; one of the orders came through today and he anticipates a few more will be coming through the “pipe line” in the near future.
AIRPORT MANAGER – LUIS GARCIA
Airport Manager Garica reported all is well at the airport and maintenance of equipment is ongoing.
POLICE CHIEF – MIKE MCWILLIAMS
Police Chief McWilliams reiterated Sean Sager started with the department today; he is from Edwards County and has been in law enforcement for approximately ten years while also serving in military duty.
Police Chief McWilliams stated the department has been going to the area schools for public relations with the students and will be conducting active shooter protocols, as required by law.
FIRE CHIEF – FRANCES SPETH
Fire Chief Speth absent.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR – MIKE GIDCUMB
Public Works Director Gidcumb reiterated the work at West Third and Division Streets will start as soon as the permit goes through.
NEW BUSINESS
Mayor Judge stated he had invited Wabash County E.M.A. to attend the council meetings as they do so much for the City of Mount Carmel and introduced Rhonda Banks, who was in attendance this evening for Coordinator Mark Majors. Ms. Banks reported the department has been doing traffic control for the high school football games; and working on establishing emergency shelters.
OLD BUSINESS
Mayor Judge reported, he did communicate again with Republic Services regarding the city’s garbage contract and has nothing to report at this time.
BUSINESS MOTIONS
Commissioner Meador motioned and Commissioner Ikemire seconded to approve the Consent Agenda. The consent agenda contained approval of Ordinance 2096 – Vacating a portion of Erin Drive – Second Reading; Approval of Resolution 700 – participation in the State of Illinois Federal Surplus Program; and 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 Ikemire seconded to move to Executive Session. All present voted by roll call vote. Commissioner Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Regular session of the council meeting recessed at 4:25 pm for executive session
Commissioner Meeks motioned and Commissioner Meador seconded to exit executive session. All present voted by roll vote. Commissioners Meeks, Ikemire, Meador and Zimmerman voted Aye.
Executive session ended at 4:39 pm. Regular session resumed with all council members present
Commissioner Ikemire motioned and Commissioner Meador seconded to adjourn the meeting. All present voted Aye by voice vote.
Meeting adjourned at 4:40 pm
https://www.cityofmtcarmel.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/11608/10-16-2023_minutes.pdf
Alerts Sign-up