City of Kewanee City Council met Aug. 13.
Here is the minutes provided by the Council:
The City Council met in Council Chambers at 6:00 PM with the Mayor calling the meeting to order and the following answering to roll call:
Andy Koehler Council Member
Steve Faber Council Member
Chris Colomer Council Member
Michael Yaklich Council Member
Steve Looney Mayor
Council Member Colomer made a motion to adjourn to executive session pursuant to Section 2 (c) (1) of the Open Meetings Act to discuss personnel and Section 2 (c)(2) to discuss collective bargaining. Council Member Faber seconded the motion. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
The executive session was adjourned at 6:46 PM on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Mayor Looney called the regular Council Meeting to order at 7 PM, stating that the Council was reconvening following a closed session pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the Open Meetings Act to discuss personnel and Section 2(c)(2) to discuss collective bargaining.
News media present was as follows:
Mike Helenthal Star Courier
Shawn Kernan WKEI
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 July 23, 2018 Council Meeting, payroll for the pay period ending August 4, 2018 in the amount of $206,50036, reports from Bock Inc. and the Police Department, a request from Step Ladder Tutoring to conduct Tag Days on Friday, August 31, 2018 and Saturday, September 1, 2018 from 10 am to 2 pm, a request from the Kewanee High School Class of 1988 for the closure of Cottage Street from Commercial to First Street for parking cars during their class reunion, and a request from Relay for Life to hold tag days on Saturday, August 25 from 9 am to 12 pm. The consent agenda items were approved on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Bills submitted for approval totaling $815,017.57 were approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Council Member Koehler questioned the purchase from Galva Iron & Metal. Grounds Maintenance Manager Newton noted that the material was purchased to make brackets for the trailer that would be used to transport the mini-excavator recently purchased. Council Member Koehler also questioned the payout for sick time for retiring firefighter Gillespie. City Manager Bradley reported that the sick payout was in exchange for a contractual obligation regarding insurance that was approved in the last contract. Council Member Yaklich inquired about the PEHP payment. City Manager Bradley explained that PEHP was an acronym for Post-Employment Health Plan that was approved in the most recent contract with the fire department. Council Member Yaklich noted a finance charge from Moore Tires. City Manager Bradley stated that he would research the reason for the late fee. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
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
The minutes from the Zoning Board of Appeals from its meeting on July 25, 2018 were accepted on a motion made by Council Member Colomer and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Ordinance #3938 granting James Wiggin, 311 Fifth Avenue, a variance of seven feet for the maximum allowable height of an accessory structure was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Koehler. Council Member Yaklich noted that there were no objectors at the Board of Appeals Meeting. Roll call showed 4 ayes, no nays, with Council Member Faber abstaining as he was a neighbor to the requestor. The motion passed.
The minutes from the Plan Commission from its meeting on July 26, 2018 were accepted on a motion made by Council Member Colomer and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Ordinance #3939 granting a special use permit to Chelsea O’Connor for a spray tan salon at 233 West Division Street was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Council Member Yaklich noted his attendance at the Plan Commission meeting and further stated that the Plan Commission was very thorough. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Resolution #5122 authorizing the use of the public alley and parking area in the 200 block of West Second Street by Hype Inc. d/b/a Cerno’s Bar & Grill in conjunction with Hog Days was approved on a motion made by Council Member Colomer and seconded by Council Member Faber. It was noted that this was the recurring location. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Ordinance #3940 awarding the demolition of 1022 North East Street to Dana construction was approved on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Council Member Yaklich agreed that the demolitions were needed, but also noted that we should commend people for fixing up properties. City Manager Bradley agreed that both programs were needed. Council Member Yaklich noted the grant programs available for both programs, as well. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Resolution #5123 appointing members to the Plan Commission was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Council Member Yaklich stated his concerns with one of the candidates and an ongoing zoning issue. City Manager Bradley suggested that when individuals become a member of a commission they tend to gain a better understanding of requirements; further suggesting that the Council consider if the individual has the ability to serve on the Commission. Council Member Koehler noted that it was great to have a young person step forward to serve the community. He was confident that the zoning issue would be temporary. The remaining Council Members and the Mayor agreed that it was good to have a person that volunteered. Roll call showed 4 ayes, 1 nay, with Council Member Yaklich casting the dissenting vote. The motion passed.
OTHER BUSINESS
Council Member Faber requested the information regarding the cost of opening the Transfer Station a couple of Saturdays each month. He reported that he has seen a significant number of people get out to the Transfer Station and turn around while he has been volunteering at the Animal Control Facility. Operations Manager Johnson noted that two years prior the service was being underutilized so they shortened the time frame of offering Saturdays. City Manager Bradley agreed that we could open it up two Saturdays a month through September to see if it would be better utilized.
Council Member Colomer noted excessively tall weeds along the railroad near the Kent Street crossing. City Manager Bradley reported that staff had been in contact with Burlington Northern without much success. Council Member Colomer then noted that the kids would be returning to school, so to be more cautious when traveling.
Council Member Faber asked if there were any programs being planned for anti-bullying. Police Chief Ainley reported that the Police Department was working with the Henry County Mental Health Alliance to institute an anti-bullying program, but the program was in its very early stages.
Council Member Koehler noted that the parking lot near the high school would have a north exit and may be ready prior to the first football game. He commended the City Engineer for his work with the school on the project.
Council Member Yaklich noted that the newly paved streets would be painted soon, suggesting that it would be an opportune time to establish a bike lane if possible on some of the roads. City Manager Bradley reported on his review of the situation with City Engineer Nobel, noting concerns about narrowing streets and lack of connectivity to other areas that would be suitable for bike lanes.
Mayor Looney also encouraged extra vigilance while traveling due to the schools reconvening. ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Clerk Edwards announced that there would be no bulk brush collection between August 23 and September 6, 2018 while City crews would be busy preparing for Hog Days. Bulk Brush was collected on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Residents were urged to plan accordingly to avoid brush piles during Hog Days. She also announced that City Hall offices would be closed on Monday, September 3, in observance of Labor Day. There would be no landscape waste collection that week, with no other planned changes to the trash collection schedule.
There being no further business, Council Member Faber moved to adjourn the meeting and Council Member Colomer seconded the motion. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The meeting adjourned at 7:48 PM.
http://www.cityofkewanee.com/COUNCIL%20MEETING%2018-15.pdf
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