City of Lanark City Council met June 18.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
Lanark City Council met in regular session at the Lanark City Hall at 7:00 p.m. Roll call taken by Kim Hunter, City Clerk, showed Alderpersons present were Lance Leverton, Brad Knutti, Mark Macomber and Jay VanMatre. Absent: Haley Grim and Weston Burkholder. Mayor Ken Viglietta was present and presiding.
Others present were: Donalee Yenney, Treasurer; Denise Bormann, Utilities Clerk; Ed Mitchell, Attorney; and Kim Hunter, City Clerk.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – was led by Alderperson Lance Leverton.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – MOTION- was made by Alderperson Mark Macomber and seconded by Alderperson Brad Knutti to accept the minutes of the June 4, 2019 meeting as presented. Motion carried by 4 aye votes. Absent: Haley Grim and Weston Burkholder.
PUBLIC COMMENTS- None.
EASTLAND GOLF OUTING DONATION – ACTION REQUIRED- MOTION was made by Alderperson Mark Macomber and seconded by Alderperson Jay VanMatre to donate $100.00 to the
Eastland Athletic Boosters for the Cougar Open Golf Outing. Motion carried by 4 aye votes. Absent: Haley Grim and Weston Burkholder.
UTILITY CLERK REPORT – POSSIBLE ACTION- Denise Bormann, Utilities Clerk passed out a Utility Billing Clerk Report of the last fiscal year 2018-2019. We had an actual profit of $7,089.00. She explained the CIP fees based on an average of 692 customers. Based on the 692 customers we collected $2,076.00 per month for CIP fees. Our CIP account balance as of 6/13/19 was $105,630.98. We are billing approximately $52,400.00 per month x 12 equals $628,000.00 per year. We have 98 customers with the Sr. Discount and 90 customers taking the 11 month prepay discount for the 12th month free. She said that we save $594.00 in postage and envelopes with the prepaid customers as they do not get a bill every month as long as they have a credit on their bill. Denise went over the report on what our losses are with having the Sr. Discount and 11th month prepay discount. She also discussed maybe raising fees for shut-off letter fees. The council discussed the report as our City will need to raise our water and sewer rates. She explained why there is a need to raise our water, sewer and garbage rates and what we should be doing to qualify for grants and loans. Denise has had experience with these issues with Shannon. Mayor Ken suggested raising the rates for everyone the same amount. After discussing it with the council, the decision is to raise the sewer rate $4.00 a month, raise the water rate $2.00 a month and raise the CIP $3.00 a month for a total of a $9.00 per month raise on the utility bill. So if you pay $71.00 a month you will pay $80.00 a month now. If you pay $65.00 per month it would be $74.00 a month. The meter rates will increase 10 percent more per month. The Sr. Discounts will stay in place and the 11th month prepay discount will still be in effect also. Ed Mitchell, our attorney will write up two Ordinances for the next meeting on July 2, 2019. The first Ordinance will be for this year’s raises in fees and the second Ordinance for next year’s raises in fees. They talked about doing the same raise in rates for next year for a total of another $9.00 per month and 10 percent raise per month for water meter bills. The council talked about making the increase in effect for September 1, 2019 as it is half way through our fiscal year. Denise will check to see if it is possible to start the September 1st date with regards to Clerkbooks to get it into the system. The council also talked about concerns for the Moring garbage fees and contract. Denise would also like to put a letter in the July billing to let customers know of the increase in fees.
DOWNTOWN EMPTY LOTS STATUS – POSSIBLE ACTION- Brothers are asking for an extension to their July 6th, 2019 deadline. The council decided not to approve an extension. Mayor Ken talked to George Chamberlain, sounds like the Cornerstone is willing to sell. They are in negotiations with him. He wants to get an architect. He would like to attend the July 2, 2019 City Council meeting. Mayor Ken will put him on the agenda for that night.
CHANNEL 4 WHBF LANARK COVERAGE – POSSIBLE ACTION- Mayor Ken said that Shawn Loging from WHBF-TV interviewed a few people last week on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. He read a list of the people he had interviewed. Shawn will start airing the program on Monday through Thursday of next week with a live interview on Friday at Old Settlers Days.
STANDING COMMITTEES AND BOARDS – POSSIBLE ACTION- Alderperson Brad Knutti said he had stopped at the water tower, he said a lot of progress is getting done. He said it will be five to six weeks to finish it depending on the weather. Mayor Ken said Rosemary Flikkema of the Park Board had said that more mulch was needed at the City Park. We may need to bridge a loan to the Park Board. Pea gravel and road rock were donated by Rosemary’s son as fill for parts of the new playground area. There will also be some sodding to do at the park, this could be from $700 to $1,000, the owner said he would give us a discount.
EXECUTIVE SESSION – Employment, Compensation, Real Estate – None.
REPORTS – EMPLOYEES, ATTORNEY, CLERK, TREASURER, ALDERPERSONS AND MAYOR – Ed Mitchell, Attorney passed out tax levy information for Lanark Corp. and the Lanark Library and explained it and the amounts. He would like for the 105 Percent Resolution Tax Levy Ordinance to be on the next agenda. He also discussed an update on the Hake lawsuit regarding FOIA requests. Mayor Ken brought up that Ed Schreiner may sue. He feels that he has not been protected from the nuisance issues that he brought to the attention of the city council three different times. Ken said he would follow up on Dan Kruse’s issue also. Alderperson Mark Macomber asked if the water main break has been settled with the insurance company from this last winter, Mayor Ken said we have not been paid. He told the council maybe we should look into other insurance companies.
Kim Hunter, City Clerk read a letter from the Arbor Day Foundation saying that we are a Tree City again. Being a Tree City qualities us for obtaining grants. The Tree Board was a big part of getting this back, Lonnie Prowant, Derek Carroll and Renee Krick get 95 percent of the credit for this. When we get the awards we will get a picture of them and a news release. Kim also said that Donalee Yenney and her went to a Newly Elected Officials Workshop in Rockford.
Donalee Yenney, Treasurer passed out her Profit and Loss Budget vs Actual for May 2019, she went over it with the council. She took off the cap on the checking account. She also talked about the Newly Elected Officials Workshop in Rockford and what we learned. She will also be attending a training which will be about the Illinois Tax Website. Ken and Donalee will also be attending a training on Illinois Funds and E-pay. Matt Magill will be getting her the grass in the street Ordinance so that we can get it printed and cut and put into this billing.
Jay VanMatre, Alderperson said he has been talking to Matt Magill about animal ordinances and fines and he will need to get it to Ed Mitchell. Said he would like to get it on agenda for July 16th.
Lance Leverton, Alderperson said he would like to go to a CIP meeting, Brad said it would be in the Fall. Lance also would like everyone to have their Project Plans to him before December. Lance said he will get FEMA training at the end of July.
Ken Viglietta, Mayor said he will be going to a Mayors Association meeting in Milledgeville tomorrow night. They will be discussing aging police departments. He will report back to the next council meeting. He said that an SRO officer was terminated at the end of the school year and they will need to hire a new one. The contract was for two part time officers for 18 months. The council discussed the situation and their thoughts. Ken said that Matt Magill has been heavily involved for four months with working on a CIS program which is a computer system for the police department and the squad cars. It will tell where the police officers are in their vehicles. It will also create less paperwork also. He would like Matt to explain the system to the council. Ken said in regards to the Hazard Mitigation Planning meetings, Greg Miller came to the city hall today with paperwork that will need to be filled out for making up the second class that was missed three weeks ago by our city representatives. We did not get credit for this missed meeting, we have to make it up by doing the paperwork he brought and a two hour program or we won’t qualify for grants. Sometime after the 4th of July he will be here to do a Disaster Preparedness two hour table top program designed just for us. Ken explained the Code Red Program that Greg Miller was talking about when he was here also. The TIF committee is now the TIF Board.
ADJOURNMENT – MOTION-was made by Alderperson Lance Leverton and seconded by Alderperson Mark Macomber to adjourn at 9:27 p.m. Motion carried by 4 aye votes. Absent: Haley Grim and Weston Burkholder.
https://lanarkil.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/City-Council-Minutes-06-18-2019-.pdf
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