City of Columbia Committee of the Whole met Aug. 12.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Ebersohl called the Committee of the Whole committee meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois to order at 7:00 P.M.
Upon Roll Call, the following members were:
Present: Committee Members - Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Roessler, Huch, Holtkamp, and Martens. Mayor Hutchinson was also present.
Absent: Alderman Riddle
Quorum Present.
Administrative Staff Present: City Clerk Wes Hoeffken, Interim City Administrator Al Hudzik, City Attorney Terry Bruckert, Accounting Manager/City Treasurer Linda Sharp, Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey, EMS Chief Kim Lamprecht, Chief of Police Jerry Paul, Deputy Chief of Police Jason Donjon, and Assistant City Engineer Tim Ahrens,
Chairman Ebersohl stated the meeting was called for the following purposes: (1) Approval of Minutes from the July 22, 2019 Committee of the Whole Meeting; (2) Approval of Minutes from the July 8, 2019 Committee of the Whole Executive Session Meeting; (3) Approval of Minutes from the July 22, 2019 Committee of the whole Executive Session Meeting; (4) Police Department Staffing; (5) IMRF Participation for Elected Officials; (6) Monroe Street Water Main Replacement Material Bids; (7) Mississippi River Transmission Staging Request; (8) 3 Briarhill Lane Storm Sewer Easement; (9) Palmer Road One Way;(10) Parade Route Detours; (11) Resolution in Support of Designating Cahokia Mounds as a National Historical Park; (12) Inclusive Play Equipment - Columbia Rotary Club Donation; (13) PLAY Commission Discussion; (14) Oak Street Building Discussion; (15) Other Items to be Considered; (16) Public Comments; and (17) Executive Session - 5 ILCS 120/2(c).
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JULY 22, 2019 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING
MOTION:
It was moved by Alderman Martens and seconded by Alderman Roessler to approve the minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, July 22, 2019. Upon roll call vote, Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Roessler, Huch, Holtkamp, and Martens voted yea. MOTION CARRIED.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JULY 8, 2019 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING
MOTION:
It was moved by Alderman Martens and seconded by Alderman Holtkamp to approve the minutes of the Executive Session of the Committee of the Whole Meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, July 8, 2019. Upon roll call vote, Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Roessler, Huch, Holtkamp, and Martens voted yea. MOTION CARRIED.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JULY 22, 2019 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING
MOTION:
It was moved by Alderman Holtkamp and seconded by Alderman Niemietz to approve the minutes of the Executive Session of the Committee of the Whole Meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, July 22, 2019. Upon roll call vote, Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Roessler, Huch, Holtkamp, and Martens voted yea. MOTION CARRIED.
POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFFING
Police Chief Jerry Paul addressed the Committee concerning police department staffing. He explained the police department needs a minimum of eight officers to cover patrol duties, and in the past they have had as many as twelve. He also stated that an officer recently resigned, and an officer is on FMLA leave due to a health condition and will be returning to work on light duty. Due to these circumstances Chief Paul asked if he could start the process to hire another officer now rather than waiting until January 2020.
It was the consensus of the Committee to allow Chief Paul to start the hiring process now.
VI. IMRF PARTICIPATION FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Interim City Administrator Al Hudzik informed the Committee that the IMRF Board passed Resolution 2019-05-09(d) pertaining to changes in the certification for elected and appointed officials to participate in IMRF. He explained that in 2017 the IMRF Board passed a resolution requiring certification every two years, but that the passage of Resolution 2019-05-09(d) changed the requirements for certification, and therefore, no resolution need be adopted by the City Council this year as was originally anticipated. Mr. Hudzik stated that he called the IMRF legal department and received confirmation that the City no longer had to pass a certification resolution every two years
VII. MONROE STREET WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT MATERIAL BIDS
Assistant City Engineer Tim Ahrens stated that three bids were received for the materials for the Monroe Street Water Main Replacement project. Mr. Ahrens said DOPW will replace the water main using city employees, and that Midwest Municipal Supply submitted the low bid for the materials.
VIII. MISSISSIPPI RIVER TRANSMISSION STAGING REQUEST
Assistant City Engineer Tim Ahrens reported to the Committee that Enable Midstream Partners "Mississippi River Transmission” approached him requesting City approval to set up a staging area for some upcoming maintenance on their gas lines just south of Admiral Trost Park, Mr. Ahrens said Enable would like to store material and equipment on City property just south of the City's bulk water station for a few weeks.
It was the consensus of the Committee to allow Enable Midstream Partners' staging request as long as a certificate of insurance naming the City as an additional insured” in a sufficient amount is received.
3 BRIARHILL LANE STORM SEWER EASEMENT
City Engineer Tim Ahrens updated the Committee regarding a needed storm sewer easement at 3 Briarhill Lane. Mr. Ahrens stated the City has completed the extension of the storm sewer. Now that the work is complete, there needs to be an easement approved in order to do any future work needed and/or maintenance on the storm sewer line.
PALMER ROAD ONE WAY
Assistant City Engineer Tim Ahrens addressed the Committee regarding Palmer Road. Mr. Ahrens reviewed the memo Chris Smith wrote stating the Council had previously mentioned having Palmer Road be one-way from west to east. The memo also indicated that a portion of the roadway was under the jurisdiction of Road District 5 so changing Palmer Road to one-way would also need the Road District's approval. City staff plans to meet with County and Road District personnel to discuss this issue.
PARADE ROUTE DETOURS
Chairman Ebersohl stated he brought this matter up a few weeks ago to see if we needed to make any alterations. There was a brief discussion and all in attendance agreed to have no parking on the west side of Metter from Locust to McKee, no parking on the south side of McKee from Metter to Briegel, and no parking on the west side of Briegel from McKee to Lepp during the hours of 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Saturday, August 17th to ensure that emergency vehicles can get through.
XII. RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF DESIGNATING CAHOKIA MOUNDS AS A NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey informed the Committee of a meeting recently held with Heartland Conservancy regarding Cahokia Mounds. Heartland Conservancy asked for the City's support of designating Cahokia Mounds as a National Historical park in the form of a resolution. Mr. Dunakey stated that U.S. Representative Bost and U.S. Senator Durbin each submitted bills in their respective legislative chambers that call for creating the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park. Mr. Dunakey said Heartland Conservancy provided the wording for the resolution and he wanted to give the Committee a chance to review it before it was presented at a Council meeting.
XIII. INCLUSIVE PLAY EQUIPMENT - COLUMBIA ROTARY CLUB DONATION
Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey reviewed the memo he included in the meeting packet. Mr. Dunakey explained that earlier this year, he discussed with the Committee that members of the Columbia Rotary Club approached him about donating funds for a wheelchair swing for Bolm-Schuhkraft Park. As Mr. Dunakey was obtaining a quote from All Inclusive Rec, the sales representative encouraged him to investigate other equipment options, noting reported injuries from the use of wheelchair swings. The sales representative recommended a surface spinner, which is safer and doesn't require a fence around it. Mr. Dunakey explained the cost difference between the wheelchair swing and the surface spinner.
Mr. Dunakey asked if there was any opposition to substituting the surface spinner for the wheelchair swing. There was none.
XIV. PLAY COMMISSION DISCUSSION
Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey brought before the Committee an issue regarding the PLAY Commission. Mr. Dunakey recently discovered that the PLAY Commission was not established by City ordinance and is not included in the Municipal Code. The PLAY Commission was formed by Resolution in 2009, and the resolution limits the commission's duties. Mr. Dunakey recommends establishing the PLAY Commission as the official advisory board to the City Council for all matters related to parks and recreation by ordinance, thereby incorporating PLAY Commission language into Title 2 of the Municipal Code; bylaws would then have to be adopted to outline the duties, responsibilities and operating procedures of the commission.
XV. OAK STREET BUILDING DISCUSSION
Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey started the Oak Street building discussion. Mr. Dunakey was approached by the tenant of the Oak Street building about purchasing the property. There was a brief discussion concerning a few options that the City has with this property, which include:
Leave it the way it is Renovate
Sell as is
• Demolish and use as Main Street parking or an expansion of City parking
Mr. Dunakey stated the current lease expires November 2020 and the City can look further into its options between now and then.
XVI. OTHER ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED
There were none.
XVII. PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
XVIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION - 5 ILCS 120/2(c)
Chairman Ebersohl inquired if there was a need to go into Executive Session. There was none.
XIX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION:
It was moved by Alderman Niemietz and seconded by Alderman Agne to adjourn the Committee of the Whole committee meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, August 12, 2019 at 8:15 P.M. Upon Roll Call vote, Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Roessler, Huch, Holtkamp, and Martens voted yea. MOTION CARRIED.
https://www.columbiaillinois.com/DocumentCenter/View/10683/2019-08-12-Committee-minutes
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