South West Illinois News

City of Benton City Council met March 13.

Here is the minutes provided by the Council:

Mayor Kondritz Called The Meeting To Order. Those Present Were Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Commissioner Miller Was Absent.

Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Approve The Minutes Of The February 27, 2017 Benton City Council Meeting. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Approve Ordinance #17-04 Increasing Water Rates. Second By Commissioner Wyant. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Make Payment #2 For The Waste Water Treatment Plant In The Amount Of $440,663.40. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Accept The Employee Resignation Of Steve Shoultz. Second By Commissioner Wyant. Both Commissioners Stated That The Acceptance Of This Resignation Was With Deep Regret. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Wyant Stated That There Would Be A Bid Letting On 03/22/17 At 9 A.M. At The Benton City Hall Located At 1403 South Main For The 2017 Mft Ca-10 Rock. Commissioner Wyant Also Stated That His Entire Department Had Attended Flagging School Recently.

Commissioner Storey Stated That The City Had Been Offered A Donation Of An Ambulance By The City Of West Frankfort, Illinois. Commissioner Storey Stated That This Ambulance Would Be A Backup For Abbott Ambulance Service. Commissioner Storey Also Stated That This Ambulance Would Be Available To City Employees While On Duty At No Charge. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Accept The Donation Of An Ambulance By The City Of West Frankfort, Illinois. Second By Commissioner Baumgarte. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Commissioner Storey Stated That Some Of The Storm Sirens In The City Of Benton Could Be Moved To A Better Location. Commissioner Storey Asked Fire Chief Shane Cockrum To Address The Council Regarding These Sirens. Chief Cockrum Stated That The Storm Sirens We Currently Have Are Designed For Outdoor Notification Only And That There Seems To Be A Problem Alerting Citizens Because Of Updates In Their Homes Making Them More Sound Proof. Chief Cockrum Stated That If We Repositioned Some Sirens On The East Side Of Town, Notification May Be Better. Commissioner Storey Stated That To Move A Storm Siren The Cost Would Be Approximately $8,000.00 And To Purchase A New Storm Siren, The Cost Would Be Approximately $25,000.00. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Table This Item Until A Further Date. Second By Commissioner Baumgarte. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Chief Cockrum Also Stated That He Would Like The Public To Be Aware That If They Purchase A Weather Radio, The Radios Can Be Brought To The Fire Department And Programmed. However, Chief Cockrum Stated He Would Prefer People Did Not Come During A Weather Event To Have Their Radios Programmed. Chief Cockrum Also Stated That In The Case Of A Severe Weather Event, The Benton Community Building Is A Storm Shelter And Will Be Opened For Citizens That Need To Take Cover.

In The Absence Of Commissioner Miller, Attorney Malkovich Presented Monthly Bills To Be Paid In The Amount Of $282,474.97. Commissioner Wyant Made A Motion To Approve These Bills. Second By Commissioner Baumgarte. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Attorney Malkovich Presented Payroll For March 10, 2017 For General Fund In The Amount Of $58,390.22 And For Water And Sewer In The Amount Of $28,702.15 For A Total Payroll Of $87,092.37. Commissioner Wyant Made A Motion To Approve This Payroll. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Attorney Malkovich Presented A Sewer Adjustment For Rodney Mandrell Of 103 Mill Street And For Michael Cody Shockley Of 1006 East Diamond Street. Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Approve These Sewer Adjustments As They Meet The Criteria Set Forth In The Ordinance. Second By Commissioner Wyant. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Attorney Malkovich Stated That There Was A Sewer Adjustment Form Turned In For Alice Blasczcynski, But More Information Will Need To Be Collected To Make A Decision.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Had No Updates For This Council Meeting.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That The Benton Zoning And Planning Commission Annual Report Had Been Submitted To The City Council And Asked For A Motion To Approve This. Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Approve The Benton Zoning And Planning Commission Annual Report. Second By Commissioner Wyant. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That A Variance Was Submitted To The Zoning And Planning Commissioner By Mincon Rockdrills. Mayor Kondritz Asked For A Motion Approving This Variance. Commissioner Storey Made A Motion To Approve The Variance Submitted By Mincon Rockdrills. Second By Commissioner Baumgarte. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That Two (2) Terms Have Expired On The Zoning And Planning Commission.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Appoint Kyle Neal To A One (1) Year Term. Commissioner Wyant Made A Motion To Approve The Appointment Of Kyle Neal To A One (1) Year Term On The Zoning And Planning Commissioner. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Appoint Victor Shockley To A One (1) Year Term. Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Approve The Appointment Of Victor Shockley To A One (1) Year Term. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

Under Miscellaneous Business, Mayor Kondritz Stated That He Would Like To Thank The Emergency Personnel That Helped During The Recent Storm That Passed Through Our Area. Mayor Kondritz Also Stated That If Citizens Have Not Driven By The Sewer Plant, They Should Drive Down Petroff Road And See The Progress That Has Been Made.

No Old Business.

No New Business.

In Matters From The Public Audience, Julie Payne Hubler Asked Questions Regarding The Start Of An Ambulance Service. Mayor Kondritz Stated That An Ambulance Service Had Not Been Approved Yet And It Would Not Be Possible To Provide Actual Answers At This Time. Rocky Morris Also Asked About Equipping An Ambulance. Fire Chief Shane Cockrum Stated That It Would Take $5,000.00 Or Less To Equip An Ambulance.

Commissioner Baumgarte Made A Motion To Adjourn. Second By Commissioner Storey. Vote Was Taken. Yeas: 4. Commissioner Storey, Commissioner Wyant, Commissioner Baumgarte, And Mayor Kondritz. Nays: 0.

6:48 p.m.