City of Chester City Council met July 3.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
CALL TO ORDER
The City Council of Chester, Illinois, met in regular session on Monday, July 3, 2023, in the Municipal Building, 1330 Swanwick Street. Mayor Page called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present:
Alderman Alex Moore
Alderman Danny Valleroy
Alderman Bob Buckham
Alderman Bryce Hill
Alderman Randy Dudenbostel
Alderman Robert Platt
Alderman Don Berry
Alderman James Maes
Absent: None
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
READING OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Alderman Maes moved to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting and to approve them as prepared by the city clerk. Alderman Dudenbostel seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Buckham, Maes, Valleroy, Berry, Platt, Moore, Dudenbostel. Nays: None. Absent: None. Alderman Hill abstained. Motion carried.
Alderman Maes moved to approve minutes of Executive Session held on June 19, 2023, as prepared by the city clerk. Alderman Dudenbostel seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Buckham, Maes, Valleroy, Berry, Platt, Moore, Dudenbostel. Nays: None. Absent: None. Alderman Hill abstained. Motion carried.
CORRESPONDENCE
Monthly Superintendent Reports
Memo on an upcoming Water/Sewer Committee Meeting
REPORTS
City Clerk:
The city clerk presented three applications for raffle licenses for the Knights of Columbus
Council #3790 and an application for the Mississippi Valley Art Guild. Alderman Dudenbostel moved to issue the raffle licenses and waive the fidelity bond required of the raffle managers. Alderman Maes seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Maes, Hill, Moore, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Cemetery & Finance Committee (Chairman Platt):
The Cemetery and Finance Committee met this evening at 5:30 p.m. to review city bills, and found them to be in order for payment. Chairman Platt moved to approve payment of bills, subject to audit. Alderman Dudenbostel seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Maes, Hill, Moore, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Chairman Platt moved to approve the June report of the Evergreen Cemetery Clerk as presented. Alderman Berry seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Maes, Berry, Hill, Moore, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Economic Development, Chamber & Beautification Committee (Chairman Hill):
Chairman Hill provided a brief update on a few events the Beautification/Tourism Commission is planning during the 2023 Fall Festival. Secondly, Alderman Hill will be contacting the boy scouts regarding the need for additional flags.
DEPARTMENT HEADS
Chief of Police (Bobby Helmers):
Chief Helmers advised the department responded to 538 calls for service in June. Secondly, Chief Helmers stated Officer Tison Holley will graduating the part-time academy on July 8th.
PUBLIC COMMENT
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
986 State Street – Handicap Parking:
Alderman Berry advised Craig Mitchell has requested a handicap parking spot in front of 986 State Street. In a previous streets and alleys committee meeting, City Engineer Harold Sheffer advised a handicap parking spot must meet ADA standards. A handicap parking spot at this location will not meet ADA standards. Secondly, the request needs to be submitted to IDOT since State Street is a state highway. Alderman Maes noted Scott Conder inquired about additional parking in this area for his new business. Alderman Berry moved to table this item. Alderman Maes seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Maes, Hill, Moore, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Monroe Randolph Transit District – Go Local Program:
After an inquire from Alderman Dudenbostel, Mark Beare from Monroe Randolph Transit District stated they have provided over 1,000 rides to Chester residents last year. The Go Local Program provides residents with half-price ($3) fares for trips within Chester’s city limits. Currently, the program is a demand response program. The program is partly funded by State and Federal grants. Alderman Hill moved to approve participate in the Go Local Program. Alderman Valleroy seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Moore, Maes, Dudenbostel, Hill, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Real Estate Agreement:
Attorney Jason Coffey presented a real estate agreement with Ames Construction for the use of the city’s property located adjacent to the south right-of-way of Missouri State Route 51 in Perry County, Missouri. Alderman Dudenbostel’s motion was seconded by Alderman Berry.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Moore, Maes, Hill, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Library Board:
Alderman Maes moved to approve Dainelle Powell as a Library Board member. Alderman Moore seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Moore, Maes, Hill, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Park & Recreation Board:
Alderman Valleroy moved to approve Jeremy Hargis as a Park & Recreation Board member. Alderman Moore seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Moore, Maes, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt, Hill. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Executive Session – Minutes:
Alderman Platt moved to determine that minutes of previous Executive Sessions are still confidential and should not be made available to the public. Alderman Dudenbostel seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Moore, Maes, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt, Hill. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Executive Session – Verbatim Records:
Alderman Platt moved to destroy all verbatim records of Executive Sessions. Alderman Maes seconded the motion.
UPON ROLL CALL: Ayes: Aldermen Valleroy, Berry, Moore, Maes, Dudenbostel, Buckham, Platt, Hill. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
Alderman Hill moved to discipline Mayor Page by expulsion for a minimum of one council meeting. Alderman Hill alleged that Mayor Page used unprofessional, vulgar and threating behavior towards him. Attorney Coffey requested Alderman Hill provide a state statute or city code which allows an alderman to expel a mayor from a council meeting. Alderman Hill sited Subsection DD of Section 1-2-11 of the Chester Code of Ordinances. Attorney Coffey read Subsection DD or Section 1-2-11 of the Chester Code of Ordinances to the city council. Attorney Coffey stated the mayor can not be expel by Alderman Hill. Attorney Coffey continued by stating Alderman Hill can speak his mind which was done tonight; however, Alderman Hill has no statutory authority to expel the mayor.
ADJOURNMENT
At 6:30 p.m., Alderman Maes moved to adjourn the meeting. Alderman Buckham seconded the motion. VOTE: Ayes: Aldermen Platt, Berry, Hill, Moore, Maes, Dudenbostel, Valleroy, Buckham. Nays: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
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