Jacksonville City Council Met Jan. 11.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The Jacksonville City Council Meeting was called to order at 6:21 p.m. by Mayor Andy Ezard. The meeting was publicly announced by posting and by written notice to the local newspaper and radio stations.
ROLL CALL: The following answered present: Aldermen Brandon Adams, Mike Bartlett, Don Cook, Jeff Hopkins, Jeff Lonergan, Lori Large Oldenettel, Aaron Scott, Steve Warmowski, Eren Williams; Mayor Andy Ezard; City Attorney Dan Beard; City Clerk Skip Bradshaw. Absent from the meeting was Alderman Mike Wankel. A quorum was declared.
MINUTES: Ald. Adams requested two corrections: Page 4, Public Comment, last paragraph, Ald. Adams removed “Dave (last name unknown)” and added “Gabe Cathers”; Page 9, Old Business, third line, Ald. Adams removed “by making a motion” from his statement and added “but does not think that a motion is needed”. CC Bradshaw pointed out that due to the fact that the meeting was held via telephone, many comments and statements were inaudible. Motion was made by Adams, seconded by Hopkins, to approve the December 14, 2020 Minutes as amended. By voice vote, motion carried.
PETITIONS: No discussion.
COMMUNICATIONS: No discussion.
CLAIMS: Motion was made by Cook, seconded by Lonergan, to pay claims when funds are available. By voice vote, motion carried.
MAYOR’S REPORT:
1. Resolution confirming Mayor’s reappointment of Edward Jackson to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, of the City of Jacksonville, Illinois (term expires December 31, 2023). Motion was made by Oldenettel, seconded by Scott, to accept the Mayor’s reappointment. CA Beard read the resolution as proposed.
2021-R-001 Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois, that a Resolution CONFIRMING MAYOR’S REAPPOINTMENT OF EDWARD JACKSON TO THE BOARD OF FIRE AND POLICE COMMISSION (Term expiring December 31, 2023), is hereby approved.
Mayor Ezard asked for discussion. Ald. Warmowski asked when the report will be scheduled on how the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners operate and make their decisions, and who sits on the Board. Ald. Hopkins feels that is inappropriate to ask that of the Board. CA Beard clarified that the Board of Fire and Police Commission is completely separate and apart from anything that the Council does other than make appointments to that Board, and is supposed to be non-partisan and non-partial, not relying on the City. Any explanation regarding the Board’s decisions would fall to the Fire Chief, CA Beard or Mayor Ezard. Mayor Ezard advised that Edward Jackson, Chris McMinn and Mark Grounds are on the Board and are available any time via telephone or email to discuss their decisions. Ald. Hopkins wants to ensure that the Council does not give the impression that it governs that Board as they are free to make their own decisions without Council consent.
2. Reappointment of Brad Cors and John Heyer to the Plan Commission, term expires December 31, 2023. Motion was made by Cook, seconded by Scott, to accept the Mayor’s reappointments. By voice vote, motion carried.
3. Reappointment of John Clancy and Kyla Hurt to the Heritage Cultural Center Board, term expires January 1, 2025.
4. Appointment of Nick Little to the Heritage Cultural Center Board, term expires January 1, 2025. Motion was made by Williams, seconded by Adams, to accept the Mayor’s reappointments and new appointment (Items #3&4). By voice vote, motion carried.
5. Appointment of Tim Plogger and Tom Mueller to the Electrical Commission, term expires June 30, 2021.
6. Reappointment of Gary Hickox, Brad Cors, Adam Craddock and Ike Howe to the Electrical Commission, term expires June 30, 2021. Motion was made by Lonergan, seconded by Scott, to accept the Mayor’s appointments and reappointments (Items #5&6). By voice vote, motion carried.
7. Resolution authorizing the waiver of fees for the first six months of certain liquor license classifications. Motion was made by Oldenettel, seconded by Bartlett, to accept the resolution. CA Beard read the resolution as proposed.
2021-R-002 Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois, that a Resolution AUTHORIZING THE WAIVER OF FEES FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF CERTAIN LIQUOR LICENSE CLASSIFICATIONS (Class C, CC, CV, D, DD, E, EE, P, Club, Bowling Alley, Fairgrounds-Fair Board, Fairgrounds-Speedway, Golf Course, Banquet Hall and Plaza 2021 liquor licenses), is hereby approved.
Mayor Ezard asked for discussion and there was none.
ROLL CALL: 7 Yeas; 2 Present; 0 Nays; 1 Absent (Wankel)
Motion carried 7-2-0-1.
At the end of discussion the roll call for Item #1 was taken.
ROLL CALL: 9 Yeas; 0 Nays; 1 Absent (Wankel)
Motion to approve Item #1 carried 9-0-1.
CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT:
1. First reading of an ordinance amending the Jacksonville Municipal Code, Chapter 3 Alcoholic Beverages, Article II Retail Sale, Division 2 Licenses, Section 3-64; Location, change of location, limitations on number issued-decrease Class A, AA, B, BB, C, CC, Club and Bowling Alley licenses by one, total 45 (closure of J.P. Convenience Store) and decrease Class D, DD, E, EE and BY licenses by two, total 15 (closure of Ponderosa and Lira’s Italian Restaurant). Motion was made by Adams, seconded by Scott, to accept the first reading of the ordinance. CA Beard read the ordinance as proposed.
2021-O-001 Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois, that an Ordinance AMENDING THE JACKSONVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE, CHAPTER 3 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, ARTICLE II RETAIL SALE, DIVISION 2 LICENSES, SECTION 3-64 LOCATION; CHANGE OF LOCATION; LIMITATIONS ON NUMBER ISSUED (Decrease Class A, AA, B, BB, C, CC, Club and Bowling Alley licenses by one, total 45 and Decrease Class D, DD, E, EE and BH licenses by two, total 15), is hereby approved.
Mayor Ezard asked for discussion and there was none.
ROLL CALL: 9 Yeas; 0 Nays; 1 Absent (Wankel)
Motion carried 9-0-1.
CITY CLERK’S REPORT:
1. Community Development Department Report – December 31, 2020
2. City Clerk’s Cash Receipts Report – December 31, 2020
3. City Clerk’s General Fund – Budget Report – December 31, 2020
4. City Clerk’s General Fund – Revenue Analysis Report – December 31, 2020 5. Resolution approving membership in the Illinois Municipal League Risk Management Association and authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental cooperation contract. Motion was made by Scott, seconded by Oldenettel, to accept the resolution. CA Beard read the resolution as proposed.
2021-R-003 Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois, that a Resolution APPROVING MEMBERSHIP IN THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE RISK MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION CONTRACT (for insurance coverage), is hereby approved.
Mayor Ezard asked for discussion. CC Bradshaw advised that there is no membership fee to join this association but doing so will save the City nearly $100,000 annually.
ROLL CALL: 9 Yeas; 0 Nays; 1 Absent (Wankel)
Motion carried 9-0-1.
PUBLIC COMMENT: No discussion.
CONSENT AGENDA
CONSENT AGENDA: (Items addressed under the Consent Agenda are routine or are brought forward at the direction of the Council and are enacted with one motion. If discussions were desired, that item would be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately under the Committee Reports.)
FINANCE/IT/PERSONNEL:
1. City Treasurer’s Report – November 30, 2020. City Treasurer Ron Smiljanich’s report for November 30, 2020, in which totals for cash receipts, cash disbursements, investments, and balances for all City bank and investment accounts were given.
2021-R-004 Resolution AUTHORIZING VARIOUS PAYMENTS FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR CERTAIN IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS - $19,983.33
(Municipal Emergency Services - $14,488.33; R S Trailer Sales - $5,495)
2021-R-005 Resolution AUTHORIZING PAYMENTS FROM THE GENERAL FUND FOR SERVICES RENDERED - $1,347
(Bellatti, Fay, Bellatti & Beard, LLP - $1,066.50 (City Attorney); Bellatti, Fay, Bellatti & Beard, LLP - $280.50 (Administrative Adjudication – Asst. City Attorney)
PARKS & LAKES: No discussion.
PLANNING & PUBLIC WORKS:
2021-R-006 Resolution APPROVING CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER #1 FOR THE NEW ROOF AND REPAIRS TO MASSEY VIEW BOOSTER PUMP BUILDING, FIRE STATION #2 AND THE OLD ELECTRICAL BUILDING – (Net decrease of $5,071.21)
2021-R-007 Resolution AUTHORIZING WAIVER OF ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS; AND ACCEPTING PROPOSAL FOR DEMOLITION OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 347 SANDUSKY – (Rawlings Excavating – Not to exceed $7,850)
PUBLIC PROTECTION: No discussion.
SPECIAL STUDIES: No discussion.
UTILITY:
2021-R-008 Resolution AUTHORIZING VARIOUS PAYMENTS FROM THE WATERWORKS & SEWERAGE PROJECTS FUND FOR CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS - $290,665.78
(Treasurer, State of Illinois - $280,937.50; Benton & Associates, Inc. - $1,675.75; Benton & Associates, Inc. – 1,837.55; Benton & Associates, Inc. – $2,567.50; Benton & Associates, Inc. - $882.50; Benton & Associates, Inc. - $2,764.98)
2021-R-009 Resolution AUTHORIZING PROPOSAL WITH HANFLAND PAINTING CONTRACTORS, LLC RE: MASSEY VIEW STANDPIPE TANK PAINTING PROJECT – (Not to exceed $394,400)
Motion was made by Oldenettel, seconded by Lonergan, to accept the Consent Agenda. Mayor Ezard asked for discussion or if there were any items to be pulled from the Consent Agenda for further discussion and there were none.
ROLL CALL: 9 Yeas; 0 Nays; 1 Absent (Wankel)
Motion carried 9-0-1.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
FINANCE/IT/PERSONNEL: No discussion.
PARKS & LAKES: No discussion.
PLANNING & PUBLIC WORKS:
PUBLIC PROTECTION: No discussion.
SPECIAL STUDIES: No discussion.
UTILITY: No discussion.
OLD BUSINESS:
Ald. Adams asked for confirmation that he was correct when stating that a motion was not needed to have the feasibility study done regarding homelessness. CA Beard will look into the original plan to see what it actually says regarding the study and report back at the next meeting.
Ald. Adams had questions regarding line item dollar amounts throughout the 2021 Budget and are outlined as follows:
♦ Why is the City underfunding the Golf Course $30,000 – CC Bradshaw advised Ald. Adams to contact his office to discuss the budget
♦ Why do several line items now have a zero budget as opposed to 2020 – CC Bradshaw explained that it is due to the new insurance policy now being paid in one lump sum as opposed to splitting the cost between different departments
♦ Motion was made by Adams to transfer funds equal to the 2020 Budget out of the General Fund to Park Maintenance, which is $40,000, as opposed to allocating zero dollars in the 2021 Budget – CC Bradshaw again advised Ald. Adams to contact his office to discuss the matter
♦ Motion was made by Adams to transfer funds equal to the 2020 Budget out of the General Fund to Park Supplies in the amount of $30,000. CA Beard advised Ald. Adams that there can be no motions made on items that are not listed on the agenda and suggested that he touch base with CC Bradshaw to discuss the matter.
♦ With the 2020 Budget requests the Jacksonville Fire Department fill station was not funded and he feels it should be
♦ The Jacksonville Fire Department concrete repair for $2,800 should be paid for out of the General Fund
♦ Playground equipment for $15,000; Security Cameras for $25,000; Trees for $75,000 should all be paid for out of the General Fund
♦ He would like to see a motion to transfer no more than the $74,500 out of the General Fund to purchase body cameras and make that purchase if and when grant funding becomes available.
Ald. Warmowski feels that with the current economy situation, any budget item that is expended by 90% or more should be presented to the Council under the Mayor’s Report for discussion. He is in favor of reducing spending this year to compensate for the reduction in revenue caused by the pandemic. Ald. Adams agrees.
Ald. Oldenettel suggested that because the Aldermen receive the budget and expense reports monthly, any discrepancies or concerns should be reported to, or discussed with, the Department Head or CC Bradshaw. She understands the sentiment that the City needs to be financially responsible, but at the same time, the City puts a lot of faith in the Department Heads to ensure their departments stay within the budget. She commended the Department Heads for reducing their 2021 Budgets by $550,000. In referring to Ald. Adams’ requests to deplete the General Fund reserves, she feels that having funds in reserve is a good thing because no one knows what the future holds.
Ald. Cook feels the City should applaud the efforts of the Department Heads to operate within their budgets. He does not feel the Department Heads should have to explain their budget expenditures line by line. He agrees with Ald. Oldenettel that the money needs to stay in reserves as much as possible.
Ald. Warmowski explained that he did not say that the individual Department Head had to come to explain their spending, he was just asking for a report when spending hits 90%, and since funding is 100% plus 10% contingency, that’s why he chose the 90% number because 90% is pretty much what the anticipated budget is, plus the 10% contingency. Ald. Cook encouraged him to review the expenditure reports every month. He also clarified that the 10% contingency is called the Appropriations Budget.
Ald. Hopkins agrees that any concerns regarding the budget need to be brought to the Department Head’s attention. For personal reasons, Ald. Hopkins stated the following: “This is kind of a personal issue maybe at this level, I’m not going to speak for the entire Council. But every time we get to Old Business we seem to be hit with an onslaught of a bunch of items because somebody wants to bring them to the attention, or have a sound bite. I appreciate the fact that you’re worried about the budget Ald. Adams, but you’re suggesting money go to Parks and Lakes, to maybe first responders, or the Fire Department. Did you think of getting ahold of the Committee or maybe the Department Head, saying why didn’t you have any money put into this fund or allocated, maybe they didn’t want the funds, or they weren’t going to spend it. I appreciate the fact that you’re looking at it and you want to match last year’s budget, but maybe there’s a reason those funds weren’t there. Instead of coming at the end of the Council meeting and blindsiding individuals and other Council members with all your numbers, that we don’t have in front of us because you have them in front of you, that you like to read to everybody so that you can have a sound bite, seems more political than it is anything else to me. Now that’s a personal statement. If you want to bring it up, please, we’ve mentioned this before, get ahold of the Committee, talk to the Committee, and then let’s bring it up at Council under a Committee title. If there’s issues (inaudible) and they need more money, then let’s have that under Parks and Lakes, instead of at the end of a meeting, old business, so you can have a sound bite.”
Ald. Warmowski stated the following: “If I could say another, Ald. Adams, I do commend him for all the interest he has in the budget. Also, there are no Finance Committee Meetings, the individual Committees aren’t meeting now because of COVID-19, so I don’t see that there’s any other forum for him to bring this up. The other issue is that the budget (inaudible) the whole Council level, so this is an appropriate time.”
In response to Ald. Warmowski, Ald. Hopkins stated the following: “If I felt, Steve, if you bring that up then (inaudible) going to speak. If I thought there was an issue that Parks and Lakes wasn’t getting funding, then I would have got a hold of Lori Oldenettel and said, hey, this is under your Committee, why wasn’t there any funding here. Email, maybe call her, that way it would’ve been brought up on that agenda item instead of waiting until the end of the meeting to throw out a whole bunch of numbers that nobody has in front of us. Ald. Adams, I’m sorry.”
Ald. Adams stated the following: “I believe this governing body is supposed to address the Chair and I did address the Chair, I asked if that was appropriate to talk about the budget of 2020 and 2021, and the requests, and you gave permission for that. I went over the numbers. The Parks and Lakes numbers of $30,000, I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but the 2020 spent was like $19,000. So it was $10,000
under budget last year, and I expect if it did the same this year, that that’s what had happened. This (inaudible) was just to talk about the zero dollars that were funded in the 2021 Budget and requests that I just (inaudible) to me that funded out of the General Fund since we’re at 10.55 months of reserves. Thank you.”
Ald. Oldenettel stated the following: “It is my recollection that your Department Heads were directed to reduce their spending at the end of the last fiscal year to save money in the event, we don’t know what’s going on with COVID-19, so that’s why the Department Heads spent less money last year (inaudible).”
NEW BUSINESS:
Ald. Adams requested permission to read a statement from Rep. LaHood addressed to him regarding an update following events that unfolded this week in Washington D.C. “The rioting that occurred at the U. S. Capitol, which led to the loss of life, was one of the most shameful events I have seen. It was a terrible day for our country and democracy. The actions taken by the rioters go against everything we stand for as American’s. We are a nation of law and order. Make no mistake, this type of activity cannot be tolerated.
Those who are responsible for the violence must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Ald. Adams would like to see the City make a resolution to censure those who conspired or directly participated in the insurrection on the Capitol on January 6th. Ald. Warmowski asked if that could be done now, or something that the City Attorney has to draft. CA Beard explained that if it is going to be done, its something he will need time to take a look at, but it depends on how the rest of the Council feels about the matter. He feels that everyone in attendance agrees with the sentiments of Congressman LaHood, but he also feels that in the normal course of this Council’s business, it is not advisable to get involved in national politics and censure people who did something in Washington, D.C. But it is up to the Council to decide, and he’ll prepare a resolution at the Council’s direction. Ald. Hopkins supports CA Beard in that it is not the Council’s position to make a statement. Ald. Adams added that the insurrection has not happened in American history by American’s ever, and he thinks this is a time that every governing body around the United States should be making a statement denouncing those actions. CA Beard advised that the Council will be in violation of the Open Meetings Ace for taking action on any item not listed on the Agenda. So if the Council desires to make that resolution, then he will need time to prepare it for the next meeting. Ald. Adams feels it needs to be simple and to the point.
ADJOURNMENT: With no further discussion motion was made by Hopkins, seconded by Lonergan, to adjourn the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
http://cms6.revize.com/revize/jacksonvilleil/Council%20Minutes%2001.11.21.pdf
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