Rock Island Today

City of Kewanee City Council met November 13.

Here is the minutes as provided by the council:

The City Council met in Council Chambers at 7:00 pm with the Mayor calling the meeting to order and the following answering to roll call:

                              Andy Koehler                      Council Member 

                              Mike Yaklich                        Council Member 

                             Steve Faber                         Council Member 

                              Steve Looney                      Mayor

News media present was as follows:

Mike Helenthal Star Courier

The Pledge of Allegiance was said.

Mayor Looney asked for a moment of silence for our troops still fighting overseas.

Mayor Looney explained that the next items were placed on the consent agenda and were considered to be routine in nature to be passed as a whole with one vote of the Council. Mayor Looney requested that any member of the Council or the audience wishing to have an item removed from the consent agenda for individual consideration to make the request and the item would be removed and considered following the approval of the remaining consent items. The consent agenda included minutes from the October 23, 2017 Council Meeting, payroll for the pay periods ending October 28 and November 11, 2017 in the amount of $402,326.25, reports from Community Development, Water Audit, Building & Zoning, and Police Department, and a request from the Kewanee YMCA for the use of the City Council Chambers, camera, internet access and Channel 13 airtime for its annual Christmas Auction. The consent agenda was approved on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Faber. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Bills submitted for approval totaling $1,234,604.52 were approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Koehler. Council Member Koehler questioned the payment for cellbrite. City Manager Bradley explained that is was a joint program used by the State's Attorney and the City for the downloading information from cell phones. Council Member Yaklich asked about the TIF payment to SJ Russell. City Clerk Edwards reported that SJ Russell was the entity that build IHMV Credit Union. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Citizen Participation

Mayor Looney and the Council Members accepted the finalist plaque for the Governor's Hometown Award from Etta LaFlora and Anita Blanks of the Sunshine Community Center.

Mayor Looney then asked if anyone wished to speak regarding a non-agenda item. There being no such requests Mayor Looney moved on to new business.

New Business

Kathy Albert, KEDC Director, gave their semi-annual report of activities to the City. She noted business retention, expansion and succession, as well as some special projects like the 2018 Fast Pitch Competition.

Adam Pulley, CPA of Clifton Larsen Allen, presented the results of the recently completed 2017 Fiscal Year End audit, noting that they issued a clean opinion. He gave some highlights of the report. The audit was accepted on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Ordinance #3903 providing for the issuance of not to exceed $291,920 General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2017 of the City of Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois, and for the levy of a direct annual tax sufficient to pay the principal and interest on said bonds was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Koehler. Dave Phillips, financial advisor from Speer Financial, reported the outcome of the bid offering and recommended the approval of the bond. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Ordinance #3904 establishing an Enterprise Zone in the City of Kewanee, Illinois, the City of Galva, Illinois, the City of Geneseo, Illinois, the Village of Atkinson, Illinois, the Village of Annawan, Illinois, the Village of Cambridge, Illinois, the Village of Orion, Illinois, the Village of Woodhull, Illinois, and Henry County, Illinois was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. Mayor Looney and Council Member Yaklich thanked City Manager Bradley for all of his work on this project. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

The minutes of the Zoning Board of Appeals from its meeting held on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 were accepted on a motion made by Council Member Koehler and seconded by Council Member Faber. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Ordinance #3905 granting a variance to St. Peter's Church South Grove Street to allow the replacement of the existing lighted sign with an LED sign was approved on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Faber. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Resolution #5078 authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Azavar for a tax and fee revenue audit was approved on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Faber. City Attorney Raver reported that his requested language had been added to the agreement. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Resolution #5080 authorizing the Fire Department to enter into an agreement with

McKesson/Premier Group Purchasing Organization for cooperative purchasing was approved on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Faber. Council Member Yaklich noted his approval of group purchasing. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed

Council Member Yaklich made a motion to pass Resolution #5081 authorizing the City Manager to execute documents for the renewal of the Health Insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Council Member Faber stated he thought we should table the resolution until the results of the ongoing negotiations between OSF and Blue Cross Blue Shield were known. Council Member Yaklich's motion died for lack of a second.

Ordinance #3906 declaring certain vehicles as excess and providing for the disposal of the same was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. City Manager Bradley explained that the vehicles in question were two crown victorias from the police department. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.

Other Business

Council Member Koehler complimented City Engineer Nobel for his work in reducing the water loss. He also thanked everyone who participated in the Veteran's Day ceremony, noting the presentation from the local students were great.

Council Member Yaklich stated that he was proud to be from a community that honors Veteran's as we do.

Council Member Faber concurred and noted that the ceremony at Wethersfield was also great.

Mayor Looney wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and thanked City staff for all of their work.

Announcements

City Clerk Edwards announced that City Hall offices would be closed on November 23 & 24,

with no other planned changes to the trash collection schedule. The last burn day, weather permitting, would be Wednesday, November 29, for the 2017 fall season. The last day for landscape waste collection for the year would be Monday, December 4, 2017.

There being no further business, Council Member Yaklich moved to adjourn the meeting and Council Member Faber seconded the motion. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays. The meeting adjourned at 7:47 PM.

http://www.cityofkewanee.com/Minutes%2020171113.pdf