City of Kewanee City Council met Nov. 13.
Here is the minutes 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
Steve Faber Council Member
Chris Colomer Council Member
Michael Yaklich Council Member
Steve Looney Mayor
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 October 22, 2018 Council Meeting, payroll for the pay period ending October 27 and November 10, 2018 in the amount of $403,149.77, reports from the Community Development and Water Loss and a request from the YMCA to use the Council Chambers on November 30 and December 1 for their annual charity Christmas Auction. The consent agenda items were approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Bills submitted for approval totaling $604,263.06 were approved on a motion made by Council Member Colomer and seconded by Council Member Faber. Council Member Yaklich received confirmation that the work of County Line Services was in conjunction with the work on the annual street program. 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
Ordinance #3945 providing for the issuance of General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2018 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 Colomer and seconded by Council Member Faber. City Manager Bradley noted that this is an ongoing double barrel bond issued annually. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Ordinance #3946 authorizing the City Manager to execute a Tax Increment Financing Agreement with NAPA Auto Parts for their remodel and store opening project was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. City Manager Bradley noted that there was nothing new since the last meeting’s discussion. Council Member Yaklich noted the extensive renovation and increment that would be generated. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Ordinance #3947 authorizing the City Manager to execute a Tax Increment Financing Agreement with The Broken Chimney Inc. d/b/a The Station was denied on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Colomer. City Manager Bradley noted that the improvements proposed would not generate a lot of increment. Council Member Yaklich noted he was against the TIF application because the TIF is not for arbitrary remodeling. Mayor Looney confirmed, for the benefit of Council Member Koehler, that the applicants were no longer associated with Dale Matthews and this was a completely different venture. Andrew Speck, owner of the Station, explained the need for the funding. Roll call showed 1 aye, 4 nays with Council Member Colomer casting the affirmative vote. The motion failed.
Ordinance #3948 providing for a STOP sign on Mission Drive at its intersection with Midland Drive by amending Schedule I, STOP Intersections, of Chapter 77 Traffic Schedules, of Title 7 Traffic Code of the Kewanee City Code was approved on a motion made by Council Member Colomer and seconded by Council Member Yaklich. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Resolution #5130 awarding the demolition of 117 E Seventh Street to Dana Construction was approved on a motion made by Council Member Faber and seconded by Council Member Koehler. City Attorney Raver confirmed that this was a fast track agreement. He also noted that the judicial agreement was amended to have more teeth, as well. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
Resolution #5131 authorizing the City Manager to execute a side letter of agreement with AFSCME Council 31, Local 764 was tabled awaiting more information on a motion made by Council Member Yaklich and seconded by Council Member Colomer. Roll call showed 5 ayes, no nays. The motion passed.
City Engineer Nobel reviewed the status of a broken pipe in the south water tower with a review of the repair being made and an estimated project length.
A review of the Administration of the Incentive Programs was given by City Manager Bradley.
Council Member Yaklich noted that he had requested specific information regarding the Targeted Minor Home Repair Program. City Manager Bradley reported, at Council Member Yaklich’s request that the program was administered by Community Development Director Edwards and City Manager Bradley, the homeowner has to qualify by HUD low to moderate income guidelines and be in the targeted area, and the repairs had to fit in the scope of the program. A listing of all of the beneficiaries of the program was provided to the Council, with the homeowners contacting contractors for a minimum of two bids for the project. City Manager Bradley further noted that the intent of the program is to serve as a catalyst to improve the neighborhood. City staff has leveraged funds with those raised through Rebuilding Together Henry County as well as with grant and low interest loan programs available through the USDA.
A discussion regarding the transfer station summer hours was held. City Manager Bradley noted that Operations Manager Johnson had some reservation about staff burnout. Council Member Faber noted that the suggestion is only 8 hours per month. Council Member Yaklich noted that the concept was to provide accessibility to residents in Kewanee. After a brief discussion, Council Members provided a consensus to have summer Saturday hours on the second and fourth Saturdays in April, May, June, July, August, and September. They also requested that the summer hours be posted on the Transfer Station gate.
OTHER BUSINESS
Council Member Koehler noted that he was looking forward to the YMCA Auction and that he had went through Northeast Park to see the Christmas Decorations.
Council Member Yaklich stated that he was proud of the schools presentation at the Veterans Day ceremony. Council Member Koehler noted his appreciation of the goody bags from the Wethersfield FCA for the Veterans.
Council Member Faber agreed that all of the programs he attended for Veterans Day were good programs.
Council Member Colomer thanked all Veterans for their service, noting that it is impressive the way we support our vets. He also commented on his participation in the most recent City Wide Cleanup and how quickly the lines went down.
Mayor Looney noted that the lines went down quickly due to the number of volunteers. He also reported that 322 visitors attended the cleanup event, with more than 69,000 pound of trash. He also announced that the other STOP sign requests had been reviewed but were not recommended by staff. Berrien Park was placed on a trash collection rotation for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as well as an extra trash can being placed in the park. The Audit plan requested was not complete and would be available at the next meeting or the first meeting in December.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Clerk Edwards announced that City Hall offices would be closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23, in observance of Thanksgiving. Thursday’s trash collection would be moved to Saturday, with no other changes to the trash collection schedule. The last day for the season’s landscape waste collection would be Monday, December 3, 2018.
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 8:04 PM.
http://www.cityofkewanee.com/COUNCIL%20MEETING%2018-21.pdf
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