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CITY OF MONMOUTH
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
JULY 16, 2007
I. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Rod Davies called the meeting to order in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 East Broadway, Monmouth, Illinois at 7:00 p.m. and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
II. ROLL CALL
Present: Aldermen Dan Burgland, Dave Rutledge, Dave Giles, Dave Smith, Bob Wells, Dan Heatherly, Rod Themanson, and Alderwoman Vicki McNamara Also Present: Mayor Rod Davies, City Clerk Susan S. Trevor, City Attorney Marcum Spears, Fire Chief Jim Conard, Police Chief Brad Zeigler, EMC Public Works Director Andy Jackson, Cemetery/Zoning Administrator Chuck Talley, and members of the Press.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
It was moved by Alderman Themanson and seconded by Alderman Wells to approve the minutes of the July 2 nd meeting as presented. AYE: Aldermen Burgland, Rutledge, Giles, Smith, Wells, Heatherly, Themanson, and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
IV. PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL
A. Old Business
There was none to be presented.
B. New Business
There was none to be presented.
V. COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Public Works – Chairman Dave Smith
1. Report on Sewer Televising
Chairman Smith asked Andy Jackson, EMC Public Works Director, to give a report on the results of the televising of the main interceptor sewer beginning in the parking lot of Strom Center. Mr. Jackson reported that Roto-Rooter did the work and charged by the foot. They provided the City with a written report in addition to a DVD of the complete television of the sewer. The good news is that the 100- year- old brick section of the sewer is in very good shape. Some of the clay intake pipes have cracks in them. The section of the sewer that was constructed of stone is not in as good shape as the brick sections. Mr. Jackson has the DVD in his office and it is available for anyone to come in to view.
B. Public Safety – Chairman Dan Burgland
No report.
C. Community Development – Chairman Dave Giles
1. Approval of Minutes – July 2, 2007
It was moved by Alderwoman McNamara and seconded by Alderman Rutledge to approve the minutes as presented. MOTION CARRIED by unanimous voice vote.
2. Zoning Personnel Ad Discussion
Mr. Talley, Zoning Administrator, reported that he had received 14 applications. He has reviewed them and selected someone if the Council approves the hiring of a part-time person for the Zoning Department. It was moved by Alderwoman McNamara and seconded by Alderman Rutledge to authorize Mr. Talley to hire a part-time employee for the Zoning Department. AYE: Aldermen Giles, Smith, Wells, Heatherly, Themanson, Burgland, Rutledge, and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
D. Finance/Audit – Chairman Dan Heatherly
1. Approval of Bills
It was moved by Alderwoman McNamara and seconded by Alderman Rutledge to approve the bills as presented. AYE: Aldermen Smith, Wells, Heatherly, Themanson, Burgland, Rutledge, Giles, and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
2. Public Safety Building Financing and Bid Discussion
Chairman Heatherly gave a brief background with regards to the proposed Public Safety Building. Initially Johnson Builders from Galesburg were approached to provide a design for the City. According to Chairman Heatherly, that particular design estimate was a guaranteed $2.8 million. The next step was asking the Council to approve engineering firms and architects, which with the new design raised the price to $4.4 million (the amount of the lowest bid). Also, according to Chairman Heatherly, at the last meeting the Finance Committee was asked to come up with an amount that the City could afford. Chairman Heatherlysaid that he reviewed figures with the City Accounts Manager, Kathy Johnson, and then met with Mayor Davies to review again all the budget figures. Chairman Heatherly and the Mayor determined that $3 million was the amount that the City could afford. Chairman Heatherly then asked if there were questions or comments from the Council. Alderman Giles commented that if the 2% Telecommunications Tax was bringing in approximately $100,000 that he figured that a 4% increase, which would then be a 6% Telecommunications Tax, would bring the total revenue from that increased tax to $300,000 average for a year. Chairman Heatherly explained that the actual average amount brought in for the 8 to 9 months that the City has been collecting the increased Telecommunications Tax is around $230,000. According to Chairman Heatherly, 2/3 of the $230,000 is the amount that the Council voted to augment the Police and Fire Pension Funds and is currently being deposited in these funds. The rest of the Telecommunications Tax increase was to go towards funding the new Public Safety Building; however, the Council changed their tax levy and moved $100,000 out of the Corporate Fund to put towards the un-funded obligation to bring the City up to the 80% level that they voted to do. This obligation for the City is not temporary, but is a permanent obligation. In addition, Chairman Heatherly explained that the General Corporate Property Tax Levy has been decreasing each year, and if that trend continues, the money has to come from somewhere. With the money that is put into the Police and Fire Pension Funds, around $50,000 is left to put towards a new Public Safety Building.
The City's payment on a $1 million loan would be $56,000 per year with an additional $2 million taken out of the Capital Reserve Fund, according to Chairman Heatherly. If that $2 million would be withdrawn, it would leave the City with a very tight budget. It was not very long ago that Well #9 went out and the City needs to have enough money to address emergency situations such as the failure of Well #9.
Alderwoman McNamara explained that she read the last two years of minutes and in so doing found that it was reflected in the minutes that the vote was 8-0 to hire Randolph and Associates Engineering firm and in 2006 it was also stated in the minutes that the cost would be around $3.5 to $3.7 million and was then decided that $150,000 was to go towards a new Public Safety Building and to make up the City's un-funded obligation to the Police and Fire Pension Funds. Chairman Heatherly replied that the City had all ready been receiving $100,000 from the existing 2% tax and it was only the increase of 4% tax that was to go towards a new Public Safety Building along with shoring up the Police and Fire Pension Funds. Mayor Davies further explained that the increase appears as if will raise $136,400 of which $100,000 would replace the money withdrawn from the General Fund and that would leave $36 to $39,000 to service the debt on a new Public Safety Building. In the Mayor's opinion, since the bids came in at $4.4 million for a new Public Safety Building, even with the 4.5% rate on a loan through the USDA, it would leave the City budget very tight. Mayor Davies further explained that if could also leave the City short in the case of an unforeseen major expenditure and would certainly limit the City on other projects that they might be able to do. In addition, the Mayor explained that it is possible for the City to look at the amount that would be needed to continue shoring up the City's un-funded obligation to the Police and Fire Pension Funds in October, but that he didn't foresee the amounts changing drastically.
Alderman Giles asked what the next steps would be to move forward on this issue. Chairman Heatherly stated that although he hated to waste the approximately $238,000 all ready spent on the current design, he could not see building a $4.4 million dollar building and wants the building re-designed and re-bid for what the City can afford. City Attorney Spears commented that the City could waive formal bidding requirements by a 2/3 vote, which would be 6 votes, of the entire Council of 8 members.
It was moved by Alderman Wells and seconded by Alderman Giles to accept the low bid of $4.4 million from Frye Builders. During discussion on the motion a number of different views were expressed again as to using the telecommunications tax that is all ready being collected and also that costs were going to continue to rise the longer construction was delayed. Chairman Heatherly recognized Tim Bresahan from the audience to come to the podium. Mr. Bresahanmade the following points:
1) Use $2 million in reserve to fully fund the Police and Fire Pensions.
2) Slow process down and not spend anything over the $3 million figure .
3) Utilize existing buildings in the area.
Chairman Heatherly called for a Roll Call Vote. AYE: Alderman Wells, Alderwoman McNamara, Alderman Burgland, and Alderman Giles NAY: Alderman Heatherly, Alderman Rutledge, and Alderman Smith PASS: Alderman Themanson MOTION CARRIED.
VI. ORDINANCES
A. 1 st Reading
1. 07-019 – Granting Variance – 600 N. Main St. (Walgreens) Business Sign
2. 07-020 – Granting Variance – 322 N. D Street Garage Addition
It was moved by Alderman Heatherly and seconded by Alderman Themanson to approve Ordinances 07-019 and 07-020 as presented. AYE: Alderwoman McNamara, Aldermen Heatherly, Themanson, Burgland, Rutledge, Giles, Smith, and Wells NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Alderman Heatherly and seconded by Alderman Burgland to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m. MOTION CARRIED by unanimous voice vote.
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