Coverage courtesy of Jeremy Smith for WROY/WRUL/TOC (The Original Company) News
The Grayville City Council started a busy Monday night with a Police Committee Meeting at 6:00 P.M. prior to the Council’s Regular Session Meeting. On the agenda was a brief executive session regarding the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of employees of the Police Department. No action or recommendation came from that Committee Executive Session.
Moving to Regular Session, the Treasurer’s Report shows $1,089,946.99 in the Restricted Account; $918,375.83 in the Investment Account; and $179,074.09 in Cash Available for Operations; for a total of $2,187,396.91. The Council approved the purchase order for work on the water tower to be done by McGuire Iron at a cost of $87,503.
In recognition of visitors, Dennis Lee addressed the Council regarding previous complaints about feral cats, stating he had trapped one and left it on the steps of City Hall only to find out the City released it. The Mayor has set a meeting for Tuesday to address the issue.
The Utility Manager reports Wiggs Excavating has begun work on the water main project west of the ramp at the high school, and is slated to start boring on Tuesday, April 27. He also reports the city has torn down a structure at the #3 water well and capped it; and the sewer jet pump went out and had to be sent to Newburg, IN for repair.
The City Attorney reported, for clarity over a concern from a previous meeting regarding when the Mayor votes, the IL Municipal Code states “The Mayor votes on all issues.” Also, the City Attorney stated that there had been a misunderstanding between himself and David Muncie at a prior meeting. He had said Mr. Muncie could appeal to the city council the denial of a request for zoning map changes. However, Mr. Muncie had not made the original request, and the ordinance reads “The final approval of zoning map changes rests with the City Council,” therefore this isn’t a stated appeal process.
Commissioner Jordan reports $545.02 in oil income, and Commissioner James reports that the reduced speed sign has been installed coming into town, and the city is in the process of purchasing solar stop lights to place at the 4-way stop.
The Mayor reminded everyone that the spring cleanup will take place on Monday, May 3rd, and that Sunrise Sanitation has placed a limit of no larger than a four-foot by four-foot pile per citizen.
The Council then met in Executive Session to discuss collective negotiation matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees. In Executive Session Action, it was decided the City Clerk and City Attorney will develop and continue with negotiations for possible sale of a piece of property in the I-64 Plaza; and the Mayor will start the application and interview process for the position of Chief of Police and at least one additional City Patrolman.
In Old Business the 2nd reading of Ordinance No. 912 Amendment to Golf Cart Ordinance was table pending needed changes. John Stockton addressed the Council prior to the vote on the Generator Service Contract to state that the recent five-hour power outage proved the value of having someone close by to service the generator. Mr. Stockton also voiced his opinion that the current generator, although 30 years-old had very few hours of usage on it, amounting to only a few hundred hours; recommending the city continue to use it instead of purchasing new. Commissioner Baldwin motioned to keep the old generator and move it to the new location of the Police Department, the vote would pass 3-2 with Commissioner Jordan and Mayor Thompson voting no. The Council would vote to enter into an agreement with Sims Electric (ASCA) for the city to keep the old generator and hold responsibility for laying the concrete slap, running gas line, and moving the generator to its new location; Commissioner Baldwin would be the lone vote against. The Council then unanimously voted to enter a service contract with ASCA for $2023.93, minus well #5.
Also in Old Business, the Council approved a new contract with Clearwave, in which the city will eliminate one unneeded fiber line and increase bandwidth to City Hall while extending the contract and saving around $200 per month. And the first reading of Ordinance No. 913 Update to Traffic Schedule passed, it now moves on to a 2nd reading.
In New Business the Council approved the update to FY 2021 budget. The expense side of the budget has been closed and no further expenses will be scheduled for 2021. In General Funds Preliminary Budget, the city proposed $1,084,575 and has spent $935,777.50 year-to-date, or 86% of the budget. In Special Funds the proposed budget was $396,002 and has spent year-to-date $304,767.59, or 77%. The proposed budget for Utilities was 2,225,070 and year-to-date the city has spent $1,509,290.82 (86%). The total proposed funds were $3,705,845 with the city spending $2,749,835.91 or 74% year-to-date. It was reported that expenses are down this year due to COVID requiring expenses to be amended or adjusted. Revenue will be reported next week.
Regarding approval of water and sewer rate increases, Commissioner Howell reported a rate increase of 3%. This will raise the In City rate for minimum usage from $13.590 with a per 1000 gallon passed minimum rate of $5.400, to a rate of $13.998 with a per 1000 gallon passed minimum rate of $5.562. The Out of City Rate will raise from $20.389 per minimum usage with a per 1000 gallon above minimum rate of $8.100, to minimum usage $20.997 and the per 1000 above minimum $8.343. The city sewer fee for in city will increase from $13.190 to $14.327 for minimum usage, and from $5.300 to $5.459 per additional 100 gallons. Out of City sewer will see an increase of $21.496 from $20.870 at minimum usage, and the additional 100-gallon fees will raise from $7.950 to $8.189. Bulk water will raise from $1.06 per 100 gallons to $1.092.
The Council also approved the starting of advertisement for the position of Pool Manager, the 1st reading of Ordinance No. 914 Setting Dates, Times, and Places for Meetings to continue on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the Month (it now moves to a 2nd reading), and the Council approved the bid for Gas Liability Insurance Policy through First Insurance at a cost of $7,411.
The Grayville City Council is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, April 29 at 11:00 A.M. for a Special City Council Meeting for Collective Bargaining Committee.
The next regular session Grayville City Council meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday, May 11 at 7:00 P.M. at the Grayville City Hall.
