City of Sullivan City Council met Nov. 28.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
1. The City Council of the City of Sullivan, Illinois, met in regular session on Monday, November 28, at 6:00 p.m. at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, 2 West Water Street, Sullivan. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Richard Glazebrook. A roll call was taken.
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - present
Commissioner Mike Fowler - present
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - present
Commissioner Doug Booker - present
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - present
2. Mayor Glazebrook asked if there were any comments from the public.
A citizen asked if the transformer purchased for Agri-Fab was new. He then stated that the quote says the transformer is reconditioned, but the memorandum of understanding states that it is new.
Roger Tice provided the Council with a letter from Samantha Dipple and addressed his concerns with the proposed zoning ordinance. The ordinance changes the buildings from multiple use to single use, restricts residential living on the first floor and imposes a living space to store front ratio. The marketability of the buildings is reduced when they are restricted to commercial use. This causes an issue for the owners if they want to sell. Some of the best maintained and more attractive buildings on the square are those that are being used as residences. Mr. Tice stated that the proposed zoning ordinance will discourage people from maintaining the buildings. The owners won't want to invest in the property if its value is decreased because of the zoning change. The changes to the ordinance will make it hard for the property owners to decide whether or not they should invest in the maintenance of the buildings with reduced marketability. This will lead to serious problems as the owners won't have an incentive to maintain something they will lose money on.
Verna Tice added that she has asked if their building could be included in the list of addresses that would be grandfathered in and was told it could be considered. She believes it is unfair that some of the downtown would be grandfathered in, but not all of it.
Bob Elder explained that he read the current zoning ordinance and it states that any changes must go through the zoning board of appeals.
Clerks Note: Commissioner Fowler stepped out of the meeting at 6:11 p.m. and returned at 6:13 p.m.
3. Mayor Glazebrook read the items in the consent agenda:
• Approval of minutes of the regular meeting held November 14, 2022 Approval of claims except those in TIF funds, Buxton Garden Farms and the Revitalization Grant for Commissioner Fowler
• Approval of Treasurer's Report for October 2022
Approval of Resolution 22-Q - A resolution authorizing the destruction of audio or video recordings of closed meeting sessions
A motion was made by Commissioner Sherwood and seconded by Commissioner Booker to accept the consent agenda. Upon a roll call being taken, the results were as follows:
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - yea
Commissioner Doug Booker - yea
Commissioner Mike Fowler - yea
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - yea
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - yea
and the motion was declared carried by omnibus vote.
4. A motion was made by Commissioner Woodworth and seconded by Commissioner Fowler to approve the claim for Buxton's Garden Farms. Upon a roll call being taken, the results were as follows:
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - yea
Commissioner Mike Fowler - yea
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - abstain
Commissioner Doug Booker - yea
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - yea
and the motion was declared carried.
5. A motion was made by Commissioner Sherwood and seconded by Commissioner Booker to approve the TIF claims and the Revitalization Grant for Commissioner Fowler. Commissioner Fowler explained that he had a trailer that burnt and had submitted the expenses for the Revitalization Grant. Upon a roll call being taken, the results were as follows:
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - yea
Commissioner Doug Booker - yea
Commissioner Mike Fowler - abstain
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - yea
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - yea
and the motion was declared carried.
6. Commissioner Sherwood announced that the Christmas lights are up at the Park. She thanked the Park and Street Departments for their help with this.
The Civic Center has swim lessons available for booking online. The pool will be closed until 2:00 p.m. on December 10th for a Sullivan Blue Dolphin swim meet. The wading pool is now open and the pickleball league meets on Thursday evenings. from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is currently an evening maintenance position open for the Civic Center.
Treasurer Golden is finishing up the audit. The audit firm will present at the December 12th meeting.
Commissioner Sherwood stated that on November 18th, some Council members authorized a large amount of significant raises. She was held to that standard and at that time the Council agreed that significant raises would be discussed in the same manner. Neither Commissioner Sherwood nor Treasurer Golden was contacted to see if the raises were realistic for the departments. The Treasurer cannot do her job because there are Commissioners that refuse to speak with her or hear her out. If the raises had been discussed with the Treasurer, or at a Council level, a plan could have been implemented and a wage scale could have been created. Mayor Glazebrook, Commissioner Fowler and Commissioner Sherwood are now left to decide what they should do with their departments that didn't receive the raises that they rightfully deserve, but fall outside what is appropriated for the budget year. She is concerned about the Police, the Civic Center, the Park, the Library, the Clerk, the Utility Clerks and the Electric Plant and what is going to be best for them and how their wages can be adjusted appropriately. The amount of raises is not the issue or concern at this point, there are further issues that the Council needs to work through and address.
7. Commissioner Fowler explained that an MOU between the City and Agri- Fab would be discussed this evening. The City would like to move s transformer from Agri-Fab to another location. Agri-fab is in agreement with the move as long as the transformer is replaced. He was contacted by Princeton regarding the transformer that the City is purchasing to replace the 2500 KVA they provided to the City. The representative from Princeton has informed the City that they want a new transformer and will not accept one that is rebuilt. Commissioner Fowler stated that the average price of electricity for Illinois residents was 17.08 in September, which is the highest price ever reported. A meeting is being set up with BHMG to discuss an upgrade to the electrical system and a substation. He talked about the jobs that will be created by the growth of the industrial park and thanked Mayor Glazebrook for his involvement in that project.
8. Commissioner Woodworth reported that the Distribution Crew repaired a leak near Courtyard Estates, have been working on equipment and getting equipment and buildings ready for winter. The two main pumps for the sewer plant have been repaired and put back into operation. The lime silo for the Water Treatment Plant poses a possible delay and could push the project completion date back to October 2023. The contractor has found another supplier that can have a silo onsite by April, which would still meet the July 2022 completion date. This would create an additional cost of $38,000, of which the contractor is willing to contribute $12,000 to $15,000. Commissioner Woodworth authorized the contractor to move forward on the order.
9. Commissioner Booker reported that the Street Department has taken all of the flags down and returned them to the Electric Department, loaded rock, helped the Park Department with Christmas lights, have been working on equipment, changed parking signs on Park Street, cut a ditch, swept streets, picked up trash on the square and did yard waste bag pick-up.
10. Mayor Glazebrook recapped what the council has done over the past few years. The City has been awarded at least two million dollars in grants within the last 2 years. Commissioner Sherwood got new Christmas lights and displays for the park, completed a riprap project on the island in Wyman Lake, worked with Laurrie Minor on a grant for Tabor Park, secured the splash pad and new basketball, pickleball and tennis courts, fixed and repaired many projects at the Civic Center. Commissioner Fowler was able to stop electric system blips by trimming trees, implemented a replacement program for poles, has an energy program to help businesses in town, and replaced the cabinets at the Electric Plant. Commissioner Woodworth has been working on the new Water Plant Project, secured a grant to replace the old water lines on Main Street and has made upgrades to the Sewer Plant. Numerous JULIE locates were completed and departments worked on correcting problems during the boring projects around town. Commissioner Booker found a collapse tile to help remove the water from Eastview, fixed Corey and Chad Avenue, replaced the sidewalks on Harrison and Jefferson Streets, Van Buren Street is going to be repaired and resurfaced, the alleys south of the square are going to be fixed, IDOT is going to start replacing sidewalks on Route 32, and had a ditch cleaned out south of town. The Gas Department has put in new lines, repaired valves and have implemented more current technology and safety equipment. The Cemetery installed a new fence, planted trees in the Cemetery and around town, started a nursery, completed the landscaping at the pavilion, installed an irrigation system for the landscaping, watered the flowers on the square and mow around town. He then thanked the Police Department for keeping the City safe.
11. A motion was made by Commissioner Fowler and seconded by Commissioner Booker to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between Agri- Fab and the City of Sullivan. Commissioner Fowler explained that Agri-Fab is required by their vendors to have a second transformer on site in case something happens. Upon a roll call being taken, the results were as follows:
Commissioner Mike Fowler - yea
Commissioner Doug Booker - yea
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - yea
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - yea
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - yea
and the motion was declared carried.
12. Human Resource Director Nakayla Swisher provided the Council with information for the City's 2023 health insurance renewal. The City currently has a plan with Health Alliance. Ms. Swisher explained that several employees have voiced their dissatisfaction with the current plan. The quote to continue the current coverage comes at an increase in the monthly premium.
A quote was also received from BlueCross BlueShield and came in lower than that of Health Alliance. The only difference between the two plans is that Health Alliance maxes out at two family members and BCBS maxes out at three. The deductible for a family would max out at $750 with BCBS and $500 with Health Alliance. The monthly premium for BCBS option #1 is $92,838, which results in an annual increase of $98,480 from the current plan.
The deductible for the second option from BCBS increases to $500 for an individual or a maximum of $1,500 for a family. The in-network insurance is 10%, which is lower than the current plan. The out-of-pocket maximum increases to $1,500 for an individual and $4,500 for a family. This plan offers the same copays as BCBS option #1. The monthly premium for option #2 is $91,861, which results in an annual increase of $88,836 from the current plan.
The third option with BCBS is the same plan that the City had in 2021. This plan is very similar to option #1. Options #1 & #2 from BCBS offer a smaller network and option #3 provides a nationwide network. One complaint received from employees was that they would like more options in where they can get services. There is an employee that is looking for coverage with a specialized facility such as Mayo Clinic or Barnes. The City's current plan doesn't offer coverage for those facilities, nor does BCBS option 1 or 2. Care at those specialized facility would be out-of-network unless the City went with option #3.
If the City chooses to switch from Health Alliance to BCBS, employees will no longer have coverage with Springfield Clinic, Effingham Hospital or Riverside Hospital.
Linda Huber suggested putting two options into place. For example choosing BCBS option #1 with a $250 deductible and allowing the employee to buy-up to the broader network.
A decision needs to be made at the next Council meeting. Commissioner Sherwood asked Ms. Swisher to put some plans together and present the Council with some scenarios. She also asked that the options be presented with a 50% contribution towards dependent coverage. Danielle Finn suggested going with the buy-up option, as it will lessen the risk of a larger increase next year. BCBS does offer a blue card for retirees. The card holders can call the number on the card for an out-of-state provider if they need care while out of state. The most common complaint about Health Alliance is that it is not true insurance, but managed care with a limited network.
13. Mayor Glazebrook stated that over the next few years trees will need to be trimmed again, trees will need to be removed from Tabor Park, the Civic Center will need to be addressed, and sidewalks for Patterson Road and the Tabeling project need to be looked at. The City needs to look at expanding the Electric Plant and putting in a new substation, implementing a more vigorous sidewalk replacement program, look at infrastructure for the subdivisions, create a trail from Tabor Park down to Water Street along the creek, and look at how to make the industrial park more truck accessible. He thanked Tabeling, Will Bates, the Bernius family, Zac Horn, Agri-Fab, Hydro-Gear, Peterson, the Amish furniture store and the other businesses that have come to the community. He then thanked Ted Walk, Laurrie Minor and the Economic Development Group for what they have done. Mayor Glazebrook announced that he will not be running for Mayor due to health reasons.
14. A motion was made by Commissioner Booker and seconded by Commissioner Woodworth to go into closed session at 7:08 p.m. to discuss minutes of meetings lawfully closed (5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(21). Upon a roll call being taken, the results were as follows:
Commissioner Doug Booker - yea
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - yea
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - yea
Commissioner Mike Fowler - yea
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - yea
and the motion was declared carried.
15. The meeting was reconvened at 7:25p.m.
16. A motion was made by Commissioner Booker and seconded by Commissioner Woodworth to adjourn the meeting. Upon a roll call being taken, the results were as follows:
Commissioner Doug Booker - yea
Commissioner Chuck Woodworth - yea
Commissioner Abbey Sherwood - yea
Commissioner Mike Fowler - yea
Mayor Richard Glazebrook - yea
and the motion was declared carried and the meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
http://cms6.revize.com/revize/sullivanil/November%2028,%202022%20Minutes.pdf
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