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 CITY OF MONMOUTH
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Date: August 1, 2011 Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: 100 East Broadway
Monmouth, Illinois
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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 at 7:00 p.m. and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
II. ROLL CALL
City Clerk Susan S. Trevor called the roll and those answering Present were: Aldermen Tim Heatherly, Dave Rutledge, Dave Bates, Bob Wells, Dan Heatherly, and Jaime Godina Absent: Alderman Daw and Alderwoman McNamara Also Present: Mayor Rod Davies, City Administrator Eric Hanson, City Clerk Susan S. Trevor, City Attorney Marcum Spears, Fire Chief John Cratty, Police Chief Brad Zeigler, Building Inspector Jim Conard, Community Development Director Paul Schuytema, EMC Public Works Director Andy Jackson and members of the Press.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – July 18, 2011
A. July 18, 2011 Council Minutes
It was moved by Alderman Bates and seconded by Alderman Godina to approve the minutes of the July 18, 2011 Council Meeting as presented. AYE: Aldermen Tim Heatherly, Rutledge, Bates, Wells, Dan Heatherly, and Godina ABSENT: Alderman Daw and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
IV. PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL
A. Old Business
There was none to consider.
B. New Business
2. Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Bills
It was moved by Alderman Dan Heatherly and seconded by Alderman Tim Heatherly to approve the bills as presented. AYE: Aldermen Rutledge, Bates, Wells, Dan Heatherly, Godina and Tim Heatherly ABSENT: Alderman Daw and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
C. Committee of the Whole Discussion Items
1. Approval of AFSCME Dispatch Union Contract
Administrator Hanson informed the Council that the AFSCME Union Dispatchers have ratified a 3 year contract with the City. It included a 2 ½ % cost-of-living raise per year of the 3 year contract and reduced the amount of comp time allowed. The City felt that it held the line on its cost concerns while offering a fair wage to the Dispatchers. It was moved by Alderman Dan Heatherly and seconded by Alderman Rutledge to approve the new 3 year contract ratified by the AFSCME Dispatchers Union. AYE: Aldermen Bates, Wells, Dan Heatherly, Godina, Tim Heatherly and Rutledge ABSENT: Alderman Daw and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
2. EMC June Report – Andy Jackson
Mr. Jackson updated the Council for the month of June as follows:
Ø The painting of “lane indicators” and “no parking” on the streets is mostly completed
Ø Leander Construction reported that they are close as possible to being on schedule with the Phosphorus Removal Project. Andy believes that they will make the deadline.
Ø The college parking lot on North 11th Street had their last concrete pour today.
Ø Demolition has begun for the M.C. Integrated Learning Center. One of the first priorities will be the re-location of the sewer line.
Ø The utility pole at the pumping station has been moved out of the access area and the electricity has been transferred as of last Wednesday.
In response to Alderman Heatherly’s question with regards to having a pad mount installed versus moving the pole, Mr. Jackson said that the use of a pad mount had been studied, but the cost was much greater than simply moving the pole.
3. Zoning July Report – Jim Conard
Mr. Conard made the following Zoning report:
ü 45 Permits were issued for a dollar value of $382,150, which brings the YTD to 212 for a dollar value of $3,074,897.
ü 32 junk and debris notices were sent in July with 11 properties cleaned, 1 fined, 1 sent to City Attorney and 20 still to be checked. The 32 notices sent in July brings the YTD total to 227.
ü 35 mowing notices were sent with 15 properties being mowed by the owner and 13 mowed by the City which put the mowing expenses for the month of July at $2,300.
ü Clean-Up lien for $1,137.87 was filed against Tammy Oliver.
a. Plan Commission Hearing
Mr. Conard reported that the Plan Commission met on July 25th to consider a zoning change from B-2 to B-3 in order to allow an impound lot at 501 E. Broadway. The zoning change was requested by David Ryner, owner of Ryners Tire and Auto Service located at the above-stated address. After a lengthy discussion a motion was made to disallow the zoning at this location to be changed from B-2 to B-3. The vote was 5 in favor of denying the zoning change and 1 abstention; therefore, the request for a zoning change came to the Council with the recommendation by the Plan Commission to deny the request. It was moved by Alderman Dan Heatherly and seconded by Alderman Rutledge to follow the recommendation of the Plan Commission to deny the request by David Ryner to change the zoning at 501 E. Broadway from B-2 to B-3. AYE: Aldermen Wells, Dan Heatherly, Godina, Tim Heatherly, Rutledge and Bates ABSENT: Alderman Daw and Alderwoman McNamara NAY: none MOTION CARRIED.
b. Property Enhancement Program – Community Development Director Paul Schuytema and Fire Chief John Cratty
Mr. Schuytema gave an overview of the Property Enhancement Program as follows:
Ø City’s goal is to create a long-term, sustainable approach to maintain and enhance our building stock across R1-R3 zoning districts, both rental and owner-occupied.
Ø What we need: tools and processes to enforce building maintenance, life safety for occupants, compliance with existing zoning and land-use planning
Ø Tools and processes we need in place:
§ An effective means to monitor and enforce minimum building maintenance.
§ A process to deal with existing non-conforming multi-family dwelling units and to stop the bleeding of single-family to multi-family conversion.
§ A means to inspect rental units to ensure code compliance.
§ An approach that utilizes minimal ordinance changes.
§ An approach that strives for compliance, not punishment.
Ø Means to accomplish the City’s goal:
§ Add the International Property Maintenance Code to the enforceable codes for the City of Monmouth.
§ Create a “special exception” in our zoning ordinances that will allow for existing non-conforming multi-family dwellings in R1 and R2, and require those to conform to R3 zoning regulations.
§ Not allow new non-conforming multi-family dwellings.
§ Require each rental property to be registered with the city with a “local agent” if they are not local.
§ Require each rental unit to be inspected for compliance with the City’s adopted codes
§ Allow renters to request to see the inspection certificate of any rental unit.
§ Provide an education program for landlords regarding codes and compliance as well as other “best practice” rental procedures.
§ Create a small suite of online tools to manage and document registrations, rental inspections, etc.
§ Put in place funding to assist financially-challenged property owners of owner-occupied homes to be able to be in compliance with the property maintenance code along with engaging volunteer groups to provide some of the labor to help owners achieve compliance.
This is a work session to explore all the aspects of implementing such a property maintenance program according to Administrator Hanson and therefore, he asked Fire Chief Cratty to further explain what other communities have experienced when they passed a property maintenance program and didn’t provide the tools with which to enforce the program.
Chief Cratty said that in 1999 the previous community that he worked in had the same housing issues that Monmouth is facing. That community adopted the Fire Safety Code, but it turned out to not be sufficient. The basic fire safety code enforcements don’t cover everything such as electrical or plumbing violations of the structure. More is needed and therefore the International Property Maintenance Code was first developed and published in 1998 with the latest edition being put out in 2006. The IPMC takes a view of the entire structure not specific areas. The IPMC also has requirements in it to protect the landlord as well as the tenant. Chief Cratty said that during the process of developing a property enhancement program for the City that other communities were studied to try to avoid their mistakes and to determine their successes with regards to property maintenance, rental inspections and zoning requirements.
Mayor Davies said that the intent of the above presentation was to give the Council a general overview of the property enhancement program, but that it would be important for Council members to go over more specifics of the program with staff members. Consensus of the Council seemed to be that the City is headed in the right direction, but concerns were voiced as to the adequacy of staff to enforce the program. Administrator Hanson said that there have been 70 commercial inspections conducted in the last 3 months and he felt that the City had adequate staff in place to implement and manage the Property Enhancement Program. He also said that there are some short term goals to accomplish, but that the City still needs a longer term approach. According to Administrator Hanson, the most important thing that the Council should do is to keep asking questions and to support the program. He also thanked the staff for all their diligence with researching and putting together this program.
V. OTHER BUSINESS
A. City Administrator’s Report
Administrator Hanson thanked Senator Sullivan for holding a town meeting at City Hall and all his dedicated efforts to get the State to finally release to the City the $900,000 which included the appropriation of $750,000 for the Phosphorus Removal Project and the Emergency CDAP grant of $150,000 for the repairing of the sewer under the railroad tracks on South Sunnylane.
Administrator Hanson urged everyone to attend the Strategic Planning Meeting that is to be held at Monmouth College on Wednesday from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. This meeting is an opportunity for Monmouth citizens to offer input for development of the City’s downtown area. It is hoped that information gained from this meeting can be used to help determine what some of the City’s economic drivers might be.
B. Citizen Inquiries
There were no inquiries, but Alderman Wells expressed his appreciation to the Monmouth Police Department for the success of their Citizen’s Police Academy concept and how well it was carried out.
VI. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Alderman Dan Heatherly and seconded by Alderman Tim Heatherly to adjourn the meeting at 8:12 p.m. MOTION CARRIED by unanimous voice vote with the exception of Alderman Daw and Alderwoman McNamara, who were absent.
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Mayor Rod Davies City Clerk Susan S. Trevor
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