City of Decatur City Council met October 1.

By Angelica Saylo Pilo

Oct 31, 2018

City of Decatur City Council met Oct. 1.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

On Monday, October 1, 2018, the City Council of the City of Decatur, Illinois, met in Regular Meeting at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers, One Gary K. Anderson Plaza, Decatur, Illinois.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe presided, together with her being Council members Pat McDaniel, Dana Ray, Bill Faber, Lisa Gregory, David Horn and Chuck Kuhle were present. Seven members present. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared a quorum present.

Interim City Manager Billy Tyus attended the meeting as well. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe called for Appearance of Citizens.

Shannon Wright and Eldon Burg shared their experiences with the City of Decatur Administrative Court.

Gregory Smith asked for the City to consider yearly rental property inspections due to a situation he was having with his landlord.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe called for approval of the minutes.

The minutes of the September 17, 2018 Council meeting were presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the minutes be approved as written; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray, and on call of the roll, Council members Pat McDaniel, Dana Ray, Bill Faber, Lisa Gregory, David Horn, Chuck Kuhle and Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe voted aye. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared the motion carried.

This being the time set aside for Unfinished Business and there being none, Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe called for New Business.

Interim City Manager Billy Tyus provided an update on the City’s budget and responded to Council members’ comments and questions.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe presented Stephen Decatur medallions to fifteen students from Seevetal, Germany who were participating in the Sister Cities Exchange program.

Chairman Jaci Osborne with Sister Cities shared that Sister Cities is taking applications for the high school exchange program and information is available on their website.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe welcomed Decatur Leadership Institute students to the Council meeting.

R2018-126 Resolution Regarding Temporary Closure of Certain Downtown Sidewalks - Decatur Celebration, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Producer/Director Lori Sturgill with the Decatur Celebration responded to Council members’ questions regarding the Decatur Celebration.

Councilwoman Lisa Gregory recommended to designate one of the gate entrances as handicapped accessible.

Upon call of the roll, Council members Dana Ray, Bill Faber, Lisa Gregory, David Horn, Chuck Kuhle and Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe voted aye. Councilman Pat McDaniel voted nay. Six ayes, one nay. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared the motion carried.

2018-51 Ordinance Appropriating Additional Monies for the Purpose of Defraying the Expenses for Certain Funds of the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2018, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Ordinance do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Finance Director Gregg Zientara responded to Council members’ questions regarding City funds.

Upon call of the roll, Council members Pat McDaniel, Dana Ray, Bill Faber, Lisa Gregory, David Horn, Chuck Kuhle and Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe voted aye. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared the motion carried.

R2018-127 Resolution Authorizing Local Agency Agreement for Federal Participation with the State of Illinois for the Improvement of Brush College Road over Faries Parkway and the Norfolk Southern Railroad Tracks, City Project 2009-33 Section 09-00933-01-BR, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Public Works Director Matt Newell responded to questions from council members regarding properties that still need to be purchased and the relocation of utilities for the Brush College Road project.

R2018-128 Resolution to Appropriate Motor Fuel Tax Funds to Pay the City's Portion of Engineering Design Services to Improve the Brush College / Faries Parkway Grade Separation by Municipality Under the Illinois Highway Code, City Project 2009-33, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

R2018-129 Resolution to Approve a Professional Engineering Services Agreement with AECOM Technical Services Inc. for Brush College / Faries Parkway Grade Separation, City Project 2009-33, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

R2018-130 Resolution to Approve Preliminary Engineering Services Agreement for Federal Participation for Design Services to Improve the Brush College / Faries Parkway Grade Separation by Municipality Under the Illinois Highway Code City Project 2009-33 Section No. 09-00933-01-BR, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

R2018-131 Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with Steve's Trucking Inc., for Demolition of Library Annex 444 East Main Street, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Neighborhood Services Administrator Susan Kretsinger responded to questions from Council member Chuck Kuhle regarding bids for plumbing costs on the Library Annex building.

Interim City Manager Billy Tyus answered Councilman David Horn’s questions regarding the local bidder ordinance.

R2018-132 Resolution Authorizing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnership Fund (HOME) Allocations, Expenditures and Adoption of the FY 2018-19 Annual Action Plan, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Resolution do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Interim City Manager Billy Tyus responded to questions from Councilman David Horn regarding the extent that the funds can be used for the City’s revitalization efforts.

2018-52 Ordinance to Repeal City Code, Chapter 73, Offenses, Definitions and Unlawful Solicitation, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Ordinance do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Councilwoman Lisa Gregory commented that she would be voting no against the ordinance and understands it could have serious legal ramifications.

John Phillips wanted assurance that the City would not weaken trespassing laws.

Mirinda Rothrock, Chamber of Commerce President stated that she would continue to educate the community on ways to handle panhandling and that the Chamber of Commerce endorses the ordinance as it stands.

Upon call of the roll, Council members Pat McDaniel, Dana Ray, Bill Faber, David Horn, Chuck Kuhle and Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe voted aye. Councilwoman Lisa Gregory votes nay. Six ayes, one nay. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared the motion carried.

2018-53 Ordinance Providing for the Addition of a Portion of Brush College Road to the Municipal Street System of the City of Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Ordinance do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

2018-54 Ordinance Providing for the Addition of East Faries Parkway in its Entirety to the Municipal Street System of the City of Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, was presented. Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the Ordinance do pass; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe called for Consent Calendar Items A through D and asked if any Council member wished to have an item removed from the Consent Calendar. Council did not request to have any items removed. The Clerk read Items A through D:

A. Receiving and Filing of Minutes of Boards and Commissions

B. R2018-133ResolutionApprovingReappointment-CivilServiceCommission C. 2018-55 Amended Ordinance Authorizing a Lift Station Easement and Access Agreement Between the City of Decatur and Clifford Mason

D. 2018-56 Ordinance Authorizing Utility Easement Agreement between the City of Decatur and Central Illinois Bank, as Trustee Under Trust No. 90-5069

Councilman Pat McDaniel moved Items A through D be approved by Omnibus Vote; seconded by Councilwoman Dana Ray, and on call of the roll Pat McDaniel, Dana Ray, Bill Faber, Lisa Gregory, David Horn, Chuck Kuhle and Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe voted aye. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared the motion carried.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe called for Other Business.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe announced that the last “Citywide Cleanup” will be held at the Decatur Public Library Parking Lot on October 11 from 2pm-6pm.

Councilwoman Lisa Gregory reported that she attended the America in Bloom Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky. Decatur was among 42 participants and won the People’s Choice Award, Outstanding YouTube Video Award, and the Best Use of Social Media Award; the awards yielded $3,000 that will be applied to future America in Bloom efforts in Decatur. In Decatur’s population bracket, Decatur was recognized for landscape bed efforts.

Councilman David Horn commented that he would like to see the number of houses on the current demolition list go down from 120 to 80 by the end of this year and have a sustained program for demolitions going forward. Councilman David Horn mentioned the Decatur Herald and Review article related to Lake Decatur dredging that suggested its costing the City 2.7 million dollars to store increased sediment and about 2.2 million dollars to pay for idle dredging operations and asked if staff could comment on what options the City has in place to make sure the City is not paying for these types of expenses.

Interim City Manager Billy Tyus stated that he would be hesitant to comment because of the ongoing conversations with the contractors involved and that as of now there has been no dollar amount related to what’s being claimed and documents are still being reviewed.

Councilman Pat McDaniel moved the regular Council meeting be adjourned; seconded by Councilwoman Lisa Gregory. All were in favor by voicing no objections.

Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe declared the regular Council meeting adjourned at 6:50pm.

https://www.decaturil.gov/mayor-and-council/council-meetings/

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