The Mt. Vernon City Council met Oct. 3 to consider mold remediation bids.
Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the council:
The Mt. Vernon City Council meets regularly on the first and third Mondays of each month.
City of Mt. Vernon, Illinois
Regular City Council Meeting
Monday, October 3, 2016
7:00 p.m.
MINUTES
The Mt. Vernon City Council held a Regular City Council Meeting on Monday, October 3, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. at the Rolland W. Lewis Community Building, Veterans Park, 800 South 27th Street, Mt. Vernon, IL.
Mayor Mary Jane Chesley called the meeting to order.
The Invocation was given by Rev. Rachel Helgeson of the First Presbyterian Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
ROLL CALL
Roll call showed present: Council Members Dennis McEnaney, Donte Moore, Todd Piper and Mayor Mary Jane Chesley.
Absent: Council Member Jeff May.
PRESENTATION OF JOURNALS
The Journals for the September 19, 2016 Regular City Council Meeting and the September 26, 2016 Special City Council Meeting were presented to Council for any additions, deletions or corrections. Council Member Piper made a motion to approve the Journals as presented. Seconded by Council Member Moore. Yeas: Moore, McEnaney, Piper and Chesley. Absent: May.
APPROVAL OF CONSOLIDATED VOUCHERS FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
The Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable were presented to Council for approval. Council Members asked City Manager, Mary Ellen Bechtel, to clarify the following items: #3 Barry Stephen Dent - $21,350.00 – Downtown TIF reimbursement. Mr. & Mrs. Dent are renovating the apartment building located at 715 Main Street. This is for the façade improvements. They plan to apply for TIF benefits to renovate the interior of the building. #4 Baxmeyer Construction - $185,824.00 – Construction of North 42nd Street from Richview Road to Victoria Avenue. This is the last payment for the road reconstruction. The project is complete and came in about $200,000.00 under budget ($3,005,000.00). #11 J K Trotter and Sons - $102,847.50 – Broadway and Main Street Water Line Phase 2 construction. This water main replacement project is on schedule. #14 Kenneth Hails - $25,400.00 – Demolition of seven properties. Homes are demolished on a first come, first serve basis. Due to budget constraints, Bechtel noted that no further demolition will be done this fiscal year. She also noted that $135,000.00 was budgeted but only about $57,000.00 will be spent this year. #20 Union Metal Corporation - $27,820.00 – Combination traffic poles for South 42nd Street and Veterans Memorial Drive. The traffic lights are installed and operational. #23 Voss Electric - $1,861.16 – Veterans Park memorial lighting to be reimbursed by Veteran’s Association. This is the Veterans’ Memorial located at the entrance to the Park.
Council Member Piper made a motion to approve the Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable in the amount of $1,024,256.19. Seconded by Council Member McEnaney. Yeas: McEnaney, Moore, Piper and Chesley. Absent: May.
City Manager Bechtel presented for Council’s consideration the Bid Results for the City Hall Basement Asbestos and Mold Remediation, as follows: There were five bids received for the base bid and four alternates. Bechtel recommended to accept the base bid and alternate #4 submitted by CENPRO Services in the amount of $53,500.00 with an hourly rate of $115.00 per hour. The following is the breakdown of the scope of work for the base bid and alternates.
BASE BID: Removal of asbestos containing thermal system insulation, select drywall systems and boiler insulation and asbestos contaminated contents from the basement areas within City Hall, beneath Fire Department and in the utilities tunnels.
ALTERNATE #1: Removal of asbestos containing thermal system insulation from the first and second floors within City Hall, Fire Department and other areas in City Hall.
ALTERNATE #2: Demolition, removal of asbestos containing interior boiler insulation and asbestos contaminated contents from the basement boiler room.
ALTERNATE #3: Removal and disposal of asbestos containing thermal systems insulation and asbestos contaminated debris from the City Hall Basement crawl space. ALTERNATE #4: A loaded hourly rate that includes labor, materials, supplies, equipment, insurance, bonding, profit, overhead and disposal for additional work to be determined by the owner.
Council Member McEnaney made a motion to approve the City Manager’s recommendation to accept the bid submitted
by CENPRO Services, of Madison, IL, in the amount of $53,500.00 with an hourly rate of $115.00 for the City Hall Basement Asbestos and Mold Remediation. Seconded by Council Member Piper. Yeas: McEnaney, Moore, Piper and
Chesley. Absent: May.
CITY MANAGER
City Engineer Brad Ruble presented the Capital Projects Report:
City Attorney David Leggans presented for Council’s consideration the First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Article 1, Section 1.3, Subparagraph (k) of the Mt. Vernon Revised Code of Ordinances Establishing Rules for Public Participation. Bechtel noted that the public participation agenda item will be moved up on the agenda thereby allowing citizens to address the Council earlier in the meeting rather than at the end of the meeting. She summarized the proposed Ordinance:
(a) Public Participation. Public Participation shall be permitted during the following portions of an open meeting of the City Council:
(1) Public Forum
(2) Public Hearing
(3) Invited Speakers
(b) Any person who seeks to address the members of the City Council at any Regular Monthly Meeting of the City Council will be permitted to speak on any matter listed on the Agenda or on any other matter directly relevant to the business of the City of Mt. Vernon. Any person who seeks to address the members of the City Council at any Special Meeting or Workshop Meeting of the City Council will be permitted to speak only on the specific matter listed on the Agenda for the meeting.
(c) Persons desiring to address the City Council during a Public Forum shall do so in compliance with the following requirements:
? Persons desiring to speak during a Public Forum of a Regular Council Meeting shall be permitted to speak immediately after "Approval of the Journal for the Preceding Meeting".
? Each person wishing to speak during the Public Participation portion of a meeting shall sign a Speaker's List at the meeting prior the start of the meeting and shall provide his or her name and the topic(s) to be discussed.
? Prior to speaking, each person who has signed the Speaker's List must be recognized by the Mayor or by the designee of the Mayor.
? Prior to speaking, each speaker, if physically able, shall stand at the designated podium and shall state his or her name for the record.
? Public comments during the Public Participation portion of a meeting shall be limited to three (3) minutes per person and to thirty (30) total minutes per meeting for all speakers, unless extended by consent of a majority of
the City Council members present at the meeting.
? Whenever any group of persons wishes to address the Council on the same subject matter, it shall be in order for
the Mayor to encourage that a spokesperson be chosen from the group to address the Council.
? Speakers shall address their comments only to the entire City Council and not to an individual Council Member or
the Mayor, nor to the City Manager or a staff member, nor to the audience.
? Neither the Mayor, a Council Member, City Manager, nor other City Official shall have any obligation to respond to any comment or question of any speaker.
? After a verbal warning, a person who refuses to comply with the provisions of this Ordinance regarding public participation may be directed to cease speaking and to leave the podium, and may also be asked to leave the meeting room; a person may be physically removed if the person fails to comply with a request if such failure interrupts, disturbs, or disrupts the orderly conduct of business during the meeting.
? Public Hearing. The rules applicable to the Public Forum shall generally apply to public hearings, except that public comments shall be limited to the matter subject of the Agenda for the public hearing and the time limitations for public participation shall not be restricted to thirty (30) minutes but shall be for such periods of time as determined necessary by the City Council to permit a reasonable full and fair opportunity for public participation.
FIRST READING
City Attorney Leggans presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution Approving Correcting an Omission of a Parcel Number in the Mt. Vernon Downtown Redevelopment Plan. Bechtel advised that Southern Illinois Tile & Carpet located at 513 S. 10 th Street (parcel number 07-32-107-008) was not initially identified by taxing authorities as being situated within the Mt. Vernon Downtown Tax Increment Financing District (because it did not appear upon the Parcel I.D. List) and was therefore not assigned a base valuation. The base valuation for said property is the valuation of said property as of the tax year 2006 ($74,520.00). Southern Illinois Tile & Carpet wishes to apply for TIF benefits.
Council Member McEnaney made a motion to approve a Resolution Approving Correcting an Omission of a Parcel Number in the Mt. Vernon Downtown Redevelopment Plan. Seconded by Council Member Moore. Yeas: McEnaney, Moore, Piper and Chesley. Absent: May.
City Attorney Leggans presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution Approving an Agreement with Phoenix Investments Inc. Concerning Property having PIN 07-32-109-005 commonly known as Park Plaza. Bechtel stated that for many years the City has been in litigation with the owner of Park Plaza because of the dangerous and dilapidated condition of the buildings. The City’s goal was to bring the property up to code or for the owner to demolish the structure. In lieu of further court proceedings, the owner, Phoenix Investments Inc., proposed to transfer ownership of the property to the City of Mt. Vernon at no cost to the owner. City Attorney Leggans noted that Park Plaza is the only asset owned by the corporation, Phoenix Investments Inc. The City will become landlord to the United States Postal Service whose office is located on the property. The City intends to demolish the structure except for the Post Office Building
Council Member Piper made a motion to approve a Resolution Approving an Agreement with Phoenix Investments Inc. Concerning Property having PIN 07-32-109-005 commonly known as Park Plaza. Seconded by Council Member McEnaney. Yeas: McEnaney, Moore, Piper and Chesley. Absent: May.
MAYOR
Mayor Chesley thanked all of the workers, volunteers and community for the success of the Fall Festival in spite of the rain.
CITY COUNCIL
No business was presented.
VISITORS/CITIZENS REQUESTS/ADDRESSES FROM THE AUDIENCE
James Rippy expressed agreement to some of the proposed Public Participation Ordinance and concerns on other portions.
Rev. James Gordon spoke regarding his concerns about the lack of new housing in Southtown.
Rev. Erie Patton voiced her concern for the need for housing and jobs in Southtown.
Debbie Jackowitz, of Crosswalk Community Action Agency, appeared to describe the Community Development Block Grant recently applied for including Mt. Vernon. These grants help assist low-income homeowners to fix their homes and bring them up to code at no cost to the homeowner. CDAP (Community Development Assistance Program) Grants are federally funded (Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity), but must be applied for by each community. Residents complete a survey which is used as the determining factor asto which neighborhoods are eligible to apply. The first housing grant written for the City of Mt. Vernon by CCAA was in 2002. Grants were also written in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2016 with all of the grants covering property located in Southtown except for one. Also, Mrs. Jackowitz is writing a grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority which will assist low-income homeowners to fix their homes at no cost to the homeowner. These recipients will be selected using the “shotgun” method meaning it will not be necessary for the home to be located in a target area or specific neighborhood. In addition, homeowners may be eligible for the weatherization program that is available through Crosswalk by calling their office at 618-937-3581.
Mike Young stated that he grew up in the neighborhood around 25th Street and Perkins and feels concern for the decline in the homes located in Southtown.
Jere Shaw questioned the need for two wide sidewalks running south of Walmart, wide sidewalks running alongside Richview Road but no sidewalks in areas of the City where they are needed. He expressed his concern about the increase in water rates and meter fees, and called for a referendum on the water issue.
Hortin Petties voiced his concern for the need for jobs and job training for residents of Southtown and asked Mrs. Jackowitz for clarification on the home repair grants.
Ray Botch opined that the City should spend some of the excess 2012 bond money to replace water storage tanks and begin the acoustic leak survey and implement a stopgap plan by stalling, for one year, the implementation of the increase in water fees and the meter fees. He called for a debate with Mayor Chesley on WMIX radio.
John Menke stated his concerns about the proposed Public Participation Ordinance.
Kevin Fradelos stated his concern with the proposed Public Participation Ordinance. He also urged the City to bring more industry and jobs to Southtown.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
No Executive Session was requested.
ADJOURNMENT
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