Mt. Vernon City Council met January 16.
Here is the minutes provided by the Council:
The Mt. Vernon City Council held a Regular City Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rolland W. Lewis Community Building, Veterans Park, 800 South 27th Street, Mt. Vernon, IL.
Mayor John Lewis called the meeting to order.
Pastor Jamie Allen from the Central Christian Church gave the invocation.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Roll Call:
Roll call showed present: Council Member Jeff May, Council Member Donte Moore, Council Member Jim Rippy, Council Member Mike Young, and Mayor John Lewis.
Presentation Of Journals:
The Journal for the January 2, 2018 Regular City Council Meeting was presented to Council for any additions, deletions or corrections.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Journal as presented. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
Visitors/Citizens Requests/Addresses From The Audience:
No comments were heard.
Approval Of Consolidated Vouchers For Accounts Payable:
The Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable were presented to Council for approval. Council Member Jeff May questioned the payment to Drury Development Corporation in the amount of $140,792.75. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel explained that $29,179.88 represents October and November tax (Hotel/Motel, Food & Beverage, Sales) owed at 85% for Panera Bread and Drury Inn and $111,612.87 represents 90% TIF Increments from the 2nd installment of 2016 real estate taxes payable in 2017. Council Member Jim Rippy questioned the payment of $19,553.69 to Drury Development Corporation for Sales Tax Owned for payment of loan. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel explained that it is the Sales Tax part of the payment that Council Member Jeff May asked about. Bechtel stated that the total incentive to Drury is around $5 million.
Council Member Jim Rippy commented that overtime costs are down 4%. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel replied yes, but due to bad weather the overtime costs will rise.
Council Member Donte Moore motioned to approve the Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable in the amount of $1,132,056.30. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
Bids & Quotes:
No bids and quotes were presented.
City Manager:
No report from the City Manager.
City Attorney:
City Attorney David Leggans presented for Second Reading of an Ordinance Annexing Property Located near the Northwest Corner of Interstate 64, Exit 80 having the PIN 11-08-351-02. The petitioning party is Loves Mt. Vernon.
Motion by Council Member Jeff May to adopt Ordinance #2018-01, an Ordinance Annexing Property Located near the Northwest Corner of Interstate 64, Exit 80 having the PIN 11-08-351-02. Second by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
City Attorney David Leggans presented an Ordinance Rezoning Property located at the Northwest Quadrant of State Route 37 and Interstate 64 Exit 80, from AG (General Agriculture) to B-3 (Interchange Business). The petitioning party is Loves Mt. Vernon. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel reported that there were no objectors at the Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting and it was unanimously approved. Alex Flaer, Real Estate Project Manager for Loves, explained that a full- service travel stop is planned with 7 diesel bays, 12 car fueling spots, 82 truck parks, 90 car parks, 5 RV parks, a truck scale, and tire shop. The building size will be around 10,000 to 12,000 square feet. Forty to fifty jobs are projected.
Council Member Jeff May asked if there is analysis on the project sales and diesel taxes. Mr. Flaer said that he would provide some estimates on the tax benefits. The new truck stop will be comparable to the Loves located at the New Baden exit on Interstate 64. Currently, Loves is vetting restaurant partners for a restaurant at this location.
Council Member Jeff May asked if Loves has their own general contractor. Mr. Flaer said that they have a pool of general contractors and they will hire several local subcontractors. Construction is planned to begin in the summer of 2018 with opening in the spring of 2019.
Motion by Council Member Donte Moore to adopt Ordinance #2018-02, an Ordinance Rezoning Property located at the Northwest Quadrant of State Route 37 and Interstate 64 Exit 80, from AG (General Agriculture) to B-3 (Interchange Business). Second by Council Member Jim Rippy. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
City Attorney David Leggans presented for first reading, an Ordinance Declaring Property Surplus.
Motion by Council Member Donte Moore to suspend the rules on voting on an Ordinance. Second by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
Motion by Council Member Donte Moore to adopt Ordinance #2018-03, an Ordinance Declaring Property Surplus. Second by Council Member Jeff May. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
City Attorney David Leggans presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution Approving an Agreement with Henry, Meisenheimer, & Gende Inc. for South 42nd Street Right Turn Lane Construction. City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel explained that the design work is complete. The turn lane was postponed for a later date, but now with the construction of a new gas station and Culver’s, the turn lane is necessary. She stated that 95% of the engineering work is done and paid for. This agreement would finalize the plans to prepare the project for construction bid. The cost will not exceed $30,600. Council Member Jim Rippy recommended that the City prepare a list of qualified bidders to ensure that any future awards be based on bids. Bechtel agreed, but that method works better when the project is about complete.
Motion by Council Member Mike Young to approve the Resolution Approving an Agreement with Henry, Meisenheimer, & Gende Inc. for South 42nd Street Right Turn Lane Construction. Second by Council Member Donte Moore. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
Mayor:
Mayor John Lewis introduced Police Chief Chris Deichman to present the Officer of the Year Award. Chief Deichman explained that every year the Awards and Policy Committee nominates an Officer of the Year and this year, all the Captains and Sergeants nominated Detective Justin Haney. Haney was the lead investigator in the January 20, 2017 murder of Deondre Jackson. This murder was solved and ended in twelve arrests. He was the lead investigator in the July 8, 2017 homicide of Carlos Johnson. This was solved in the first hour after it was called in. In addition, Haney was assigned 197 criminal cases throughout the year. Detective Haney thanked his wife, fellow officers, and the States Attorney’s Office.
Mayor John Lewis reported on the December statistics from the Public Utilities, Fire, and Police Departments. The Police Department responded to 1,660 total events. The Detective Division was assigned 60 new cases, cleared 8 cases with arrests, referred 18 cases to the States Attorney, and processed one crime scene. The K-9 Units were deployed 9 times and the Tactical Unit was deployed for 2 callouts and 1 high risk search warrant. The Fire Department responded to 287 alarms which includes 239 EMS calls. The Fire Inspection Department conducted 86 - 10A inspections, 6 facility inspections and held one public education seminar. The Public Utilities Department repaired 24 water leaks and handled 14 sewer incidents.
Mayor John Lewis introduced Ray Botch to give an update on the Public Utilities Committee. Council Member Jim Rippy thanked Mr. Botch, City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel, Jonathan Younger, Matt Fauss, and Brad Ruble for their serious significant work on the City’s water and sewer problems.
Mr. Botch read the 2017 Public Utilities Committee Year End Report. The report follows:
2017 Year End Report - Updated January 14, 2018 Public Utilities Committee
In May 2017, Mayor John Lewis appointed Councilmen May and Rippy, City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel and myself to the Public Utilities Committee. We were directed to bring Mt. Vernon's Water and Sewer System into the 21st Century using transparency. Our first recommendation was to repeal the $10 to $25 monthly meter tax and replace it with a much fairer 1% Home Rule Sales Tax. The meter tax is now repealed!
There were obvious needed improvements such as the Water Storage Tanks and Lift Station #14. Rather than jump immediately into any patch work fixes, the Committee wanted the whole Utility System studied to guarantee that all the pieces fit together. The Committee would then come up with a Comprehensive Improvement Plan.
To accomplish this goal the City Council authorized the following studies:
1. A Water Modeling Study to determine how the Opdyke, L/N, Times Square Mall and Eagle Court Water Storage Tanks could better interact with one another. Currently, the Time Square Mall Tank only fills to 3/4 full. The study determined that by installing a SCADA System, and new Telemetry Equipment the problem would be resolved. "A Supervisory Control Acquisition Data (SCADA) System” is a control system architecture that uses computers, networked communications and graphic user interfaces for high level process supervisory management." Bids will be sent out during this month.
2. A Sewer Inspection, Cleaning and Televising Study of all the sanitary sewers in the City. This is costly, so it will be undertaken over a period of years. The City has let studies for the problem areas in Central Mt. Vernon and Summersville.
3. The City has also let a contract to clean the four inflow pipes at the Sewer Treatment Plant.
4. An Acoustic Leak Survey, which will find our underground leaks. It is also hoped it will identify any unmapped water mains. We are waiting for our Contractor to return the signed contact. It has been reported, that the City is losing $400,000 a year in unbilled water. The acoustic water study and the installation of the Automatic Read Water Meters should reduce the lost water.
5. The City has received the bids for the Water Meters. Currently, the City has the same meter reading system as in the 1970's. Most communities went to Automatic Read Meters over 20 years ago. We received 8 bids. At our Committee Meeting in January, we narrowed our search to two Water Meter Contractors. Committee Members will visit two cities that are using the meters we are seeking. After the visits to the two communities, we will invite the two Meter Companies to meet with the Committee to finalize our recommendation to the City Council. A 5-Year, Short-Term Bank Loan will finance the meters.
6. The City is in the process of bidding the preparation of a Sewer Facilities Plan and a Water Project Plan. These Plans are necessary before the City can apply for low interest rate IEPA Loans. The Staff is preparing Specifications for the Eagle Court Water Tank Improvements. We should go to bid in early February.
7. The Engineering for the Opdyke Tower improvements has been completed. We are waiting on the completion of the IEPA Water Project Study. This will allow us to finance the Opdyke Tower with a low interest rate IEPA Loan.
8. This morning, we met with Heneghan and Associates to review the Lift Station #14 Preliminary Engineering Report. Final Report due February 2nd. The Study recommends building a new Lift Station with an outside 12'x8'x25' deep well. It will include three (3) 2500 gallon per minute (gpm) submersible pumps with an option to add an additional 2500 (gpm) in the future. Currently, Lift Station #14 has two (2) 1500 (gpm) pumps. The Lift Station will have a separate Electrical/Control Building with an emergency generator or a standby diesel pump automatically activated during power outages.
9. We have a Phase 1, Five-Year Financial Plan to pay for our improvements. The Plan includes: Pay-As-You-Go
- SCADA/Telemetry - $400,000
- Acoustic Leak Survey/Pipe Condition Study - $600,000
- Sewer Leak Survey/ Pipe Condition Study - $1,000,000
- Water Modeling Study - $30,000
- Sewer Lining - $800,000
- Eagle Court Tank Reconditioning - $700,000
- Bethel Lift Station Upgrade - $100,000
Short Term Financing
- Water Meters - $3,200,000
IEPA Low Interest Loan Program
- Lift Station #14 and Force Main - $3,220,000
- Opdyke Water Tower Reconditioning - $900,000
- Maple Street and Wagner Road Lift Stations - $2,500,000
- L/N Tower - $1,825,000
- Sewer Main Lining and Replacement - $6,400,000
- Water Main Replacement including 34.8 miles of 2" and 4" Mains - $6,000,000.
We have had a full plate and could not accomplished what we did without the help of:
- Finance Director Merle Hollman
- City Engineer Brad Ruble
- Public Works Director Matt Fauss
- Assistant Public Utilities Director Jonathan Younger
- Assistant City Manager Nathan McKenna
- City Clerk Mary Jo Pemberton for excellent Meeting Minutes
Council Member Jeff May stated that the City is very fortunate that Ray Botch undertook this very complex project. Without his time and expertise, the project would not be as professionally handled and advanced.
Mayor John Lewis announced that he would give the State of the City Address at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 11:30 am at the DoubleTree Inn.
City Council:
Council Member Jim Rippy reported on the 7th Street Reopening Project. He reported that the project is on hold, but the project will continue as the citizens of Mt. Vernon want 7th Street to be open.
Visitors/Citizens Requests/Addresses From The Audience:
No comments were heard from the public.
Executive Session:
No Executive Session was held.
Adjournment:
Council Member Jeff May motioned to adjourn. Seconded by Council Member Mike Young. Yeas: May, Moore, Rippy, Young, and Lewis.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m.
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