City of Pittsfield City Council met Nov. 20.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois, was held on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting was held at the City Council room at 215 North Monroe Street. The following officers were present: Mayor John Hayden, City Clerk Cindy Prentice, and Aldermen Kevin Ketchum, Ed Knight, Paul Lennon, Robert Ritchart, Robert Wilson, Kevin Wombles and Robert Wood.
Absent: Alderman Bill Scheiwe.
Mayor Hayden presided.
Alderman Ketchum moved to approve the minutes of the last regular Council meeting.
Alderman Lennon seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wood (6)
Nay: None (0)
Present:Wombles (1)
The motion carried.
Alderman Wood moved to approve the Treasurer’s Monthly Report for the month of October 2018.
Alderman Ketchum seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Alderman Ritchart moved to approve the variance for Larry W. and Georgia A. Bergman, owners of the property located at 409 South Walnut Street, for placement of a carport which will project beyond the front yard required on the adjacent lot to the rear on a reversed corner lot and leave zero feet (0’) instead of the required ten feet (10’) between an accessory building and a main building.
Alderman Lennon seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Alderman Lennon moved to approve the Tough Mudder at Lake Pittsfield early in May 2019 (definite date to be determined), as requested by Ashley Freesmeyer.
Alderman Ritchart seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Alderman Wood moved to approve Ordinance No. 1617, An Ordinance to Vacate an Alley (Between Lots 2 and 3 of Block 2 of the Original Town, now City of Pittsfield), on its first reading by title only.
Alderman Knight seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Alderman Ritchart moved to suspend the rules and have the second reading of Ordinance No. 1617 (described above) on it second reading.
Alderman Wilson seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Alderman Wood moved to approve Ordinance No. 1617 (described above) on its second reading by title only.
Alderman Wilson seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Mayor Hayden asked the aldermen to consider employee residency guidelines. He thinks we may need to consider extending the limits to continue getting good applicants. Currently employees must live within a mile of the City limits. Employees on on-call standby must respond within 30 minutes.
Mayor Hayden said Chief of Police Kenny Yelliott thinks the Police Chief and Deputy Chief should be required to live within the City limits. Residency requirements could be dictated per job by the Mayor and/or City Council. Further discussion and a vote will be at the next regular City Council meeting.
Alderman Lennon moved to purchase a car from Pikeland Motors at a cost of $2,750.00 to replace the courtesy car at Pittsfield Airport.
Alderman Wombles seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
City Clerk Cindy Prentice read a Statement of Disclosure to City Clerk of Conflict of Interest from Alderman Paul Lennon.
Alderman Ritchart moved to accept the Statement of Disclosure from Alderman Paul Lennon.
Alderman Ketchum seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (6)
Nay:None (0)
Abstain:Lennon (1)
The motion carried.
Mayor Hayden set a Finance Committee meeting for Monday, November 26, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss health insurance renewal. He also set a Water/Wastewater Committee meeting for Monday, November 20, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss potential testing for copper in wastewater, manholes and the west water tower. Alderman Wilson set an Ordinance Committee meeting for Monday,
November 20, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. to discuss the air bnb ordinance, raffle ordinance, and employee residency requirement.
Alderman Lennon said he was approached again regarding reopening the gate at the dam at the lake. People like to walk their dogs, etc. and can’t get through. Mayor Hayden said there has already been discussion on the subject and with trapping at the lake he doesn’t want dogs in there with the possibility of them getting into the traps. It is illegal for people to let their dogs run – they should be walking them on a leash, but he doesn’t want to take a chance. Alderman Knight agreed that he doesn’t want anyone getting into trouble with their dogs but that the City might consider restricting that side of the lake from trapping. The gate will remain closed until next spring.
Alderman Knight reported the Fire Department will be submitting paperwork for a USDA grant for a new fire truck, but USDA is out of money until January 2019.
Alderman Ritchart moved to approve the Finance Committee Report and the Clerk be directed to issue the claims thereon.
Alderman Ketchum seconded the motion.
Roll Call: Yea: Ketchum, Knight, Lennon, Ritchart, Wilson, Wombles, Wood (7)
Nay:None (0)
The motion carried.
Chief of Police Yelliott announced he has an officer who fractured his foot, so he is down to one officer per shift again.
Alderman Knight moved to adjourn this meeting at 6:27 p.m.
https://www.pittsfieldil.org/government/agenda-minutes/minutes-council-meeting-11-20-18
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