Carbondale Reporter

City of Carbondale City Council met June 11.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

A Local Liquor Control Commission meeting immediately preceded this meeting

Council Members present

Councilman Lee Fronabarger, Councilman Tom Grant, Councilwoman Carolin Harvey, Councilman Adam Loos, Councilwoman Jessica Bradshaw, Councilman Jeff Doherty, and Mayor John M Henry

Meeting called to order at 6:37:00 PM

5. Preliminaries to the City Council Meeting 

Procedural: 5.1 Roll Call

Procedural: 5.2 Citizens' Comments and Questions

Barry Spehn restated his remarks to the City Council that he made at the prior City Council meeting regarding not supporting the Mayor.

Jerrold Hennrich commented on the community response to the search for a missing child.

Ginger Rye also commented on the community response to the search for a missing child and announced upcoming events hosted by the Women for Change.

Procedural: 5.3 Council Comments, General Announcements, and Proclamations

Councilman Loos expressed appreciation for Staff's response and community response in searching for the missing girl. He then commented on his feelings regarding obstruction and the impact on conducting the public business.

Councilman Fronabarger recognized the accomplishments and excellence of the Carbondale Community High School music program and announced that the Sustainability Commission is seeking citizen input via survey forms on a Sustainability Action Plan.

Councilwoman Bradshaw announced the events occurring during Celebrate 618 occurring during the course of the week.

City Manager announced that the EPA will hold a public meeting tomorrow on Wednesday regarding the Koppers site. Further, he referenced the recent shooting at Virginia Beach, among others, which illustrate why the City has implemented security measures at City Hall. The City Manager noted that a metal detector would be used at future Council meeting, noting the shooting at Kirkwood, Missouri and the usage of such measures at other local government meetings.

Councilman Loos announced that the City Council would hold a retreat on Wednesday, which is open to the public; further, he commented about his feelings on gun control and safety measures.

6. Public Hearings and Special Reports

Discussion: 6.1 Discussion of Traffic Calming Options for North Wall Street

Councilmembers commended Staff for the report. They further indicated which traffic calming measures in the report that they supported, what alternative measures not considered in the report they would like to include, commented on extending speed limit reductions throughout Carbondale, shared their opinions on which measures would or would not be effective, and requested that further speed studies be conducted once these measures were implemented.

Valerie Muhammad commented on the City’s seeming opposition to speed bumps, the problems she has noted on Wall Street with speeding drivers, the need for improved lighting, issues with loud music, and a desire to see Attucks Park close earlier.

M Stalls noted that there is also an issue with speeding on Robert A Stalls, inquired why properties were not smoothed and cleaned up after the Oak Street reconstruction, remarked that the contractors who worked on Oak Street lacked diversity, and raised a long standing issue of potholes on Gum Street.

7. Consent Agenda of the City Council

Action (Consent): 7.1 Approval of Minutes from the Regular City Council Meeting of May 28, 2019

Resolution: Approve the minutes from the regular City Council meeting of May 28, 2019

Action (Consent): 7.2 Approval of Warrant for the Period Ending: 05/31/2019 for the combined FY 2019 and FY 2020 Warrant 1356 in the Total Amount of $2,598,477.09

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 05/31/2019 totaling $2,598,477.09 (Exhibit A-06-11-2019)

Action (Consent): 7.3 Approval of Wells Fargo Warrant for the Period Ending 04/30/2019 FY 2019 Warrant # WF 04/2019 in the amount of $268,551.16

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 04/30/2019 totaling $268,551.16 (Exhibit B-06-11-2019)

Action (Consent): 7.4 Appointments and Reappointments to Boards and Commissions Resolution: Council is requested to concur with the Mayor's recommended appointments and reappointments to Boards and Commissions - the appointment of Anita Brown as HRC Chair was not acted upon

Action (Consent): 7.5 Award of Contract for CIP Project ST1801 West Freeman Street (Oakland Avenue to Glenview Drive) to E.T. Simonds Construction Company of Carbondale, Illinois in the Amount of $313,834.49

Resolution: Award of Contract for the West Freeman Street Resurfacing (Oakland Avenue to Glenview Drive) (CIP No. ST1801) to E.T. Simonds Construction Company of Carbondale, Illinois in the Amount of $313,834.49

Action (Consent): 7.6 Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract to Purchase the Econolodge Motel Located at 801 East Main Street Utilizing Funds Obtained Through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Flood Hazard Mitigation Program Resolution: Adopt the Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract to purchase the Econolodge Motel located at 801 East Main Street (Resolution 2019-R-36; Exhibit C-06-11-2019)

Action (Consent): 7.7 Approve Purchase of Crosswalk Lights and Signs for Upgrading Crosswalks on Wall Street in the Amount of $42,331.08 from Tapco of Brown Deer, WI Resolution: Approve the Purchase of Crosswalk Lights and Signs for Upgrading Crosswalks on Wall Street in the Amount of $42,331.08 from Tapco of Brown Deer, WI

Action (Consent): 7.8 Approval of Consent Agenda Items

Resolution: Approve all Consent Agenda items not pulled for separate consideration

Don Monty shared an observation about item 7.6, noting that improvements were needed to the building next door.

MOTION: Approve all Consent Agenda items not pulled for separate consideration

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, John M Henry

8. General Business of the City Council

Discussion: 8.1 Discussion on Permitting Food Trucks and Food Carts to Operate Throughout the City Upon Public Property and Parking Lots

Note from Clerk: This subject has been previously discussed by the City Council members, but there was not sufficient support expressed for any particular measure that would allow Staff to bring back an Ordinance to amend the Title. This agenda item is intended to provide feedback to Staff on the principal topics by way of Council consensus in order to draft such an Ordinance.

Distance Restrictions:

There were four Council members who were not in favor of making changes to allow food truck sales upon public parking spaces and lots. Three Council members expressed an interest in pursuing either allowing sales without distance restrictions or allowing sales with a minimum distance restriction.

Valerie Muhammad concurred with Councilman Loos.

Parking/Fees:

As there wasn’t sufficient support for expanding food truck sales to parking lots or metered parking spots, there was no discussion regarding this item.

Criminal History:

Not all Councilmembers provided feedback on this item. Those who commented indicated that they were in favor of loosening the restrictions, and prohibiting the issuance of license to those found guilty of crimes which suggest the applicant might cheat people and those convicted of crimes of a sexual nature.

City Manager Williams suggested looking at the chronic nuisance Ordinance as a model. 

9. Executive Session

None

10. Adjournment of the City Council Meeting

Procedural: 10.1 Adjourn meeting

There being no further business to come before the public body, the meeting was declared adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

https://www.explorecarbondale.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06112019-875