City of Centralia City Council met Sept. 9.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The City Council for Centralia, Illinois met on Monday, September 9, 2019, in the Council Chambers at Centralia City Hall. Mayor Williams called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Williams, Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, and Councilman Marshall
Absent: None
Staff Members Present: Dan Ramey, City Manager; Doug Gruenke, City Attorney; Chief Brian Atchison, Police Department; Rose Aldag- McVey, Economic Development Director; Kala Lambert, Assistant City Manager; Gayla Harting, Community Development Director; Jeff Schwartz, Public Works Director; Chief John Lynch, Fire Department; Bill Agee, City Treasurer; and Kim Enke, City Clerk
PRAYER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Williams led the Pledge of Allegiance and an opening prayer was offered by Vernell Burris.
AMENDMENTS AND/OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
None
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The swearing in ceremony for Part-Time Firefighter Devan Orill was held. Chief Lynch welcomed Firefighter Orrill and discussed his background and vast experience. Firefighter Orrill thanked the City for the opportunity to serve. Mayor Williams welcomed Firefighter Orrill and encouraged other young men to also become involved.
Shirlena Barnes addressed the City Council requesting to hold the 3rd annual trunk or treat for the community at Laura Leake Park on October 24th. She requested that N. Maple by the park be closed off.
Eric Greear addressed the City Council in regards to the proposed trash contract. He asked what the duration of the contract was and City Manager Ramey stated that it is a 5 year contract. Mr. Greear stated that he disagreed with extending the contract. He stated that the contract becomes more valuable to other contractors when the leaf vacuuming service is eliminated from it. He stated that the reason that no one bid 5 years ago was due to it including leaf vacuuming and no one is interested in handling leaf vacuuming. He stated that also due to the City Manager resigning, agreeing to a 5 year contract it is going to handicap the next City Manager. He stated that he felt that it should be bid since the leaf vacuuming portion of the service was removed and suspected that 4-5 people would now bid. He stated there is a 3 month wait to get carts, so it would need to be bid 3 months in advance. He voiced his concern with buying the vacuum trucks from Republic instead of other options including leasing or renting. He stated that it should be bid out this year with a 1 year contract and get local people. He noted he had 31 years in the business.
Vernell Burris stated that he approved of item 9-2 concerning the grant for Intermountain Electronics. He stated it will take the City forward and create jobs as a worthy project. He also discussed the need to raise the rates of sewer, he suggested to consider a 15% increase. He stated that the fund has never been sufficient. Lastly, Mr. Burris discussed the usage of E-cigarettes and vaping by young people. He stated that Michigan has outlawed it and suggested that the City also investigate if it could be outlawed.
CONSENT AGENDA
A Motion was made by Councilman Marshall and seconded by Councilman Sauer to Approve Items 1-4 of the Consent Agenda.
1. Approval Of The Minutes Of The August 26, 2019 Council Meeting
2. Approval Of The Minutes Of The September 3, 2019 Public Hearing - CDBG
3. Approval Of Payrolls And Vouchers In The Amount Of $595,116.85
4. A Resolution Regarding Closed Session Minutes
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried.
REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
None
BIDS
None
ORDINANCES
City Manager Ramey explained that the squad car being considered for sale was bid previously with a minimum set price of $3,700. He stated that Chicago Motors expressed interest to bid and stated that they were willing to give $4,000 but never submitted a formal bid during the bid process. The company has recently spoken to the Chief and now has offered the price of $3,750. He noted that squad cars decrease in value very quickly. He stated that the Chief’s recommendation as well as his is to sell the vehicle for $3,750. He stated that if the Council would like to rebid the vehicle they can, but he was unsure what the company would do. Councilman Sauer clarified that there were no bids received during the bid process. City Manager Ramey confirmed that there were no bids submitted when the minimum bid was set at $3,700. A motion was made by Councilman Jones and seconded by Councilman Sauer to Approve An Ordinance Declaring Certain Property To Be Surplus Property And Authorizing The Sale, Trade, Disposal, Or Donation, Thereof for $3,750.00.
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried
RESOLUTIONS
City Manager Ramey discussed properties and photos submitted for the resolution concerning the dilapidated buildings. He noted photos of burnt homes, roofs collapsed, windows broken and ceilings falling that were included. He stated that it is evident why the properties are being condemned. He recommended the Council provide the approval to assure that they are fixed or ask the attorney to get the court order to demolish them. A motion was made by Councilman Sauer and seconded by Councilman Jones to Approve A Resolution Approving The Recommendation Of The Community Development Department And The Centralia Code Enforcement Department Directing The Demolition Or Repair Of Certain Dangerous And Dilapidated Buildings.
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried
ORDINANCES
He stated that many people including the Tourism Commission and Economic Development Director, Rose Aldag- McVey, have been involved with planning for the use of the trolley at various events in Centralia. He stated that they wanted to determine the fee structure for the use of the trolley. He stated that they have proposed $125 for two hours and each hour after that is an additional $100. He stated that there is no alcohol to be involved unless there is permission received from the City Manager’s office. He stated that SCT will be driving and be paid an hourly fee. He stated that the fee structure and policy has been provided that is being proposed. He stated that he expects the community to get a lot of use out of it and the use will grow as time goes on. He noted that it was already used for the Balloon Fest and Veterans Committee Parade. Mayor Williams asked for clarification of the rates. City Manager Ramey stated that the rate would be $125 for the first two hours and $100 for each additional hour. He added that any travel outside of a 35 mile radius, would require that the diesel be paid for in addition to the hourly fee. A motion was made by Councilman Marshall and seconded by Councilman Sauer to Approve An Ordinance Establishing A Fee Structure And Policy For The Periodic Rental Of The Centralia Trolley For Public Use.
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried
RESOLUTIONS
City Manager Ramey explained the CDBG block grant on behalf of Intermountain Electronics. He stated that Intermountain Electronics has been leasing a building in the Industrial Park for about 8 years. He stated that they want to build a 12,000 sq. ft. addition to the building. He stated that they currently employ 18 people but are committing to 45 in the next 4-5 years with 17-18 of them employed within next 2 years. He stated that the State doesn’t provide loans any longer so this is a straight grant. He stated that this is a $1.7 Million project with $450,000 from DCEO. He noted that they will also be adding new cranes, redoing paint booths, and purchasing the building. He stated that this is very good news for Centralia due to the job growth. He encouraged every business to see if they would qualify for this grant. He stated that business owners should contact Rose Aldag-McVey to discuss their projects. He stated that he is requesting the authority to submit the application through the resolution. He stated that there were not any adverse comments during the public hearing held last week. Councilman Jones stated that this is a win-win for the City to keep businesses here. Councilman Marshall expressed that he was happy to see that 17-18 jobs were guaranteed in the next few years. City Manager Ramey stated that it will be a total of 45. He noted that Intermountain Electronics have spoken at the Industrial Commission meetings in the past. He also added that Rose and the staff have been working with the planning commission in Salem to keep the expansion in Centralia. He again reemphasized that every business that is eligible should apply, due to that next year there may be new criteria and rules from the state and he wants everyone that is eligible to take advantage of it.
A motion was made by Councilman Jones and seconded by Councilman Marshall to Approve A Resolution of Support For Intermountain Electronics Application for a State of Illinois Community Development Block Grant.
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried
City Manager Ramey stated that the City has had the contract for many years with CWI. He stated that leaf vacuuming is not a common thing, but as he informed the Council at the last meeting, the cost associated with the City taking over leaf vacuuming will save at least $100,000 a year. He added that instead of having a 16% increase, it will be a 5% increase across the board. He stated that the large corporations own the landfills and he knows that smaller companies could do well, but it is critical to have services and a company that has backup plans to handle any issues. He noted that the City should not consider doing their own lawn waste. He stated that he has checked with other communities around Centralia to compare their costs. He stated that the City has had conversations in the past with Waste Management and they had no interest in the trash collection and definitely are not interested in leaf vacuuming. He had a smaller company that stated that they may be interested in bidding, but he feels that the rates from CWI are very good. He stated that he feels that this is taking a problem away from the next City Manager, but it is a decision for the Council to decide. He stated that the contract ends on September 30th. He reported that Jeff and staff have went to look at the three vehicles for a total of $87,500. He stated that Jeff commented that one vehicle was well worth over $100,000 alone. CWI had no need for them and is giving the City a good price for them. If the City Council chooses to stay with CWI, which is what he recommends, the contract has a 3% increase maximum each year of the contract. He stated that the City Attorney has review it with some changes to section 13 that will take some liability away from the City. He added that they will be posting a bond with the City. He noted that CWI has been a good company to work with. He stated that he has spent hours looking at the possibility of going back into the trash business, but it doesn’t make sense. He stated that he firmly believes that the City should always continue to require the citizens to pay the City for the service. He stated that if they decide to bid it, anything could happen. He stated that he was leery of a smaller company due to them not having back up trucks, extra drivers, enough staff, or the possibility of an increase in prices at the landfill. He stated that all of that would have to be taken into consideration. He stated that he feels that this is the best interest of the City to stay with CWI. Councilman Smith stated that he would like to be able to table this to the next meeting and that was his goal because he still had some questions. He also noted that he is in favor of saving the City money, but he has heard the comments concerning the City not wanting to get into the garbage or leaf business. He added that he can see both sides. He stated that most departments are short staffed and if part-time people are brought on and there are issues, people may need to be pulled from public works or public property. He stated that there are already overtime constraints and he still has some questions regarding how many part-time would be brought on. He stated that he has checked with other municipalities and they don’t want to get into the leaf collection business. He stated that CWI does a good job compared to some of the horror stories other communities have had with companies. He stated that he is concerned with any EPA regulations and the location on Shattuc Road to dump them. He stated that he still has questions and a lot of people have contacted him that are concerned with the City getting into the leaf collection business. City Manager Ramey stated that he felt that he had discussed this in detail at the previous meeting but had heard of any of these concerns that he may have had an opportunity to answer before the meeting. City Manager Ramey stated that if the leaves are spread on property of less than 20 tons per acre there is not a permit required. He added that it is not like sticks or bags which is different. He stated that he has looked as using the property on Shattuc Road and has also looked at city owned property. He stated that last year there were 284 trucks which equates to approximately 1000 tons if they were completely full. He reiterated that there is not an EPA issue and it has been investigated. He stated that $1.50- $2.00 is a lot of money. He stated that they will hire part-time employees. He explained that Salem, which also picks up leaves, hires 6 part time employees each year but they don’t have the type of equipment that Centralia will have and they have to rake them up. He stated that Mt. Vernon does not have leaf vacuuming. He stated that many residents still request no burning and there is a compromise between burning and leaf pick up. He stated that he urged the Council to continue to try to allow some burning due to the large amounts of trees in the community. He stated that CWI has met with staff and the City Manager to answer questions and provide the City with the information on the maintenance of the vehicles. He stated that the easy way out would be to stay out of the vacuuming business, but he wants to continue to be able to provide the service and save $100,000 as well as keep the rates down as much as possible. Councilman Sauer discussed the proposed rate of $20.49 that was negotiated down to $18.69. He asked how those rates compare to other cities such as Mt. Vernon, Carlyle, and Salem. City Manager Ramey stated that Mt. Vernon is higher than that but they don’t have leaf vacuuming, but instead have recycling. He stated that currently Centralia is approximately $17 and Mt. Vernon’s is approximately $19 per month. He stated that the new rate would be $15.55 plus the leaf vacuuming rate which will be passed at the next meeting by City Ordinance which brings the rate to $18.69 per month. Councilman Smith suggested that the population of Mt. Vernon would be a factor. Councilman Marshall stated that the rate appears to be per customer. City Manager Ramey explained that every 6 months the number of residents that are being billed for water changes and depending on the amount being billed the amount can go up or down. He noted that the lake residents do not pay for leaf vacuuming. Councilman Sauer asked what would happen on September 30th if it were to be bid since it wouldn’t be able to be rebid by September 30th. City Manager Ramey stated that it would not be able to be bid in time. He stated that if he would have had that request at the last council meeting that may have been possible. He stated that the numbers negotiated were not the numbers the company requested initially but ultimately they understand that it is the Council’s decision. He added that some small towns will have the City staff pick up trash or earn fare workers but the size of Centralia doesn’t not allow for that. Councilman Marshall stated that the City is handling the leaf vacuuming for less than the proposed rate. He stated that if they are not coming down from $4.75 and the City can do it for $3.14, which is an automatic savings with an additional employee. City Manager Ramey stated that it will be a $100,000 savings and also cover expenses. Councilman Jones stated that with the City doing the collection, the City will have the flexibility over the time frame of the collection of leaves. Councilman Sauer stated that CWI has done a great job and he agrees that Centralia is too big of a community to use a small company that doesn’t have back up trucks or a landfill of their own. He recalled his disappointment of having only one bid 4 years ago due to including leaf vacuuming. He stated that he wish it would have been bid earlier to see if any other companies would bid without leaf vacuuming. He stated that he doesn’t have all of the details of the other communities but their rates are higher or comparable. He stated that he believes it is a good idea to have the city collect the leaves but the proof will be when it is rebid at some point to see what the competition is. He stated that he doesn’t like going with small unproven companies. He stated that he is aware that some companies will offer recycling but are not recycling the items collected, they are collecting in the recycling bins but taking it to the landfill because it is cheaper. He definitely doesn’t want the City to go in that direction. A motion was made by Councilman Sauer and seconded by Councilman Jones to Approve A Resolution Approving a Contract With CWI of Illinois for the Provision of Garbage, Refuse and Yard Waste Collection Services for the City of Centralia and Waiving the Bidding For the Purchase of Leaf Vacuuming Equipment.
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried
OTHER BUSINESS
None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
REPORTS
Councilman Smith thanked the Marion County Coalition for their presentation at Fairview Park. He stated that it was well attended and he was impressed with their presentation. He noted that it is unfortunate that this has to be dealt with, but they do a great job.
Councilman Sauer reported that the search committee has presented 7 finalists to the City Council. He stated that this Tuesday and Thursday the City Council will be doing phone interviews with the candidates. He stated that later they will be doing some background checks and narrowing it to a smaller number of candidates that can be brought to the City with the intention to narrow it down from there.
Mayor Williams stated that he appreciates Shirlena Barnes efforts to continue the trunk or treat event for the community. He also commended the Pray Centralia event, stated that he would like to see more church involvement and even more attendance to bring the city closer together.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Councilman Marshall and seconded by Councilman Smith to Adjourn the meeting to Closed session under 5ILCS 120/2(C)(1) The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity; under 5ILCS 120/2(C)(2) The collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees; and under 5ILCS 120/2(C)(11) Litigation, when an action against, affecting or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent.
Ayes: Councilman Jones, Councilman Smith, Councilman Sauer, Councilman Marshall, and Mayor Williams
Nays: None
A majority of the Council voting aye, the motion carried, and the meeting was adjourned at 6:54 p.m.
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