Carbondale Reporter

City of Carbondale City Council met Jan. 28.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Council Members present:

Councilwoman Jessica Bradshaw, Councilman Jeff Doherty, Councilman Lee Fronabarger, Councilman Tom Grant, Councilwoman Carolin Harvey (arrived at 6:44 p.m.), Councilman Adam Loos, Mayor John M Henry

Meeting called to order at 6:01 PM

1. Preliminaries to the City Council Meeting 

Procedural: 1.1 Roll Call

Procedural: 1.2 Citizens' Comments and Questions

Procedural: 1.3 Council Comments, General Announcements, and Proclamations

Councilwoman Bradshaw encouraged citizens to review Nonviolent Carbondale’s website for Eleven Days of Peace event details which begins February 1.

Councilman Fronabarger announced a special ticket price for the SIU Women's Basketball game against Loyola.

Councilman Loos remarked on his attendance at the Marion Chamber of Commerce’s banquet and expressed appreciation for Carbondale and Marion working cooperatively. He then advised the public of issues arising from the merger exploration between the City and Park District including specific sections of a recent letter from the Park District’s attorney requesting a payment of $150,000 from the City as a stipulation to leasing Turley and Evergreen parks from the City, a statement that there is no procedure to merge the two entities, and indicating that the voters did not completely understand the referendum.

2. Public Hearings and Special Reports

3. Consent Agenda of the City Council

Action (Consent): 3.1 Approval of the Meeting Minutes from the Special City Council Meeting of January 9, 2020, and the Regular Meeting Minutes of January 14, 2020 Resolution: Approve the minutes from the Special City Council meeting of January 9, 2020, and the Regular City Council meeting of January 14, 2020

Action (Consent): 3.2 Approval of Wells Fargo Warrant for the Period Ending 12/31/2019 FY 2020 Warrant # WF 12/2019 in the amount of $131,508.75

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 12/31/2019 totaling $131,508.75 (Exhibit A-01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.3 Approval of Warrant for the Period Ending: 01/10/2020 for the FY 2020 Warrant 1372 in the Total Amount of $1,200,628.47

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 01/10/2020 totaling $1,200,628.47 (Exhibit B-01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.4 Resolution Accepting of a $75,000 Bike Trails (BIKE) Program Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for Property Acquisition for Phase II of the Northwest Bicycle/Pedestrian Trail (OS1901)

Resolution: Adopt a Resolution Accepting of a $75,000 Bike Trails (BIKE) Program Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for Property Acquisition for Phase II of the Northwest Bicycle/Pedestrian Trail (OS1901) (Resolution 2020-R-02;Exhibit C-01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.5 Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Engineering Agreement in the Amount of $49,780.00 to Provide Assistance with Updating the City's Water Mapping Data in the GIS System (WS2003)

Resolution: Approve a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Engineering Agreement in the Amount of $49,780.00 to Provide Assistance with Updating the City's Water Mapping Data in the GIS System (WS2003) (Resolution 2020-R-03;Exhibit D-01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.6 Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Engineering Agreement with RJN Group Inc. in the Amount of $172,350.00 for Continued Work on the City's Sanitary Sewer Inflow and Infiltration Study (SA1301)

Resolution: Approve a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Engineering Agreement with RJN Group Inc. in the Amount of $172,350.00 for Continued Work on the City's Sanitary Sewer Inflow and Infiltration Study (SA1301) (Resolution 2020-R-04;Exhibit E- 01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.7 Ordinance Authorizing a Budget Adjustment to the FY2020 Budget in the Amount of $25,000 to Make Necessary Repairs to the Ultraviolet Disinfection Systems at the Northwest Wastewater Treatment Plant (NWWWTP)

Resolution: Approve an Ordinance authorizing a budget adjustment to the FY2020 budget in the amount of $25,000 to make necessary repairs to the Ultraviolet Disinfection Systems at the NWWWTP (Ordinance 2020-04;Exhibit F-01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.8 Resolution Approving the Submission of a IDNR PARC Grant in the Amount of $152,040 and Obligating Matching Funds in the Amount of $51,160 for the Evergreen Park Accessible Restroom Project

Resolution: Approve a Resolution approving the submission of an IDNR PARC grant in the amount of $152,040 and obligating matching funds in the amount of $51,160 for the Evergreen Park Accessible Restroom project (Resolution 2020-R-05;Exhibit G-01-28-2020)

Action (Consent): 3.9 Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to Resurface Portions of State Route 13 Eastbound (Walnut Street) from Oakland Avenue to Lewis Lane

Resolution: Approve a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to Resurface Portions of State Route 13 Eastbound (Walnut Street) from Oakland Avenue to Lewis Lane (Resolution 2020-R-06;Exhibit H-01-28- 2020)

Action (Consent): 3.10 An Ordinance Adding Projects to the FY2020 Five Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to Apply for Various Grants

Resolution: Approve an Ordinance Adding Projects to the FY2020 Five Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to Apply for Various Grants (Ordinance 2020-05;Exhibit I-01-28- 2020)

Action (Consent): 3.11 Approval of Consent Agenda Items

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

City Council members inquired about item 3.8 with regard to expenditures, ownership, the condition of the current restrooms at Evergreen Park, location of the new facilities, whether they would be open all year, whether additional lighting would be included, whether solar panels could be added, who will be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance, whether this might qualify for a disadvantaged community grant, and whether the sewer/water was being billed. They further inquired about item 3.4, seeking an explanation of the BIKE program grant, the schedule for Phase I, and the type of work to be done on the greenway path from item 10.

Don Monty inquired about item 3.6, what the total cost to date has been, how close are we to being done with the project, and identification of any specific projects which need to be done or completed.

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

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Jessica Bradshaw.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

4. General Business of the City Council

Action: 4.1 Ordinances Amending Title 18 Chapter 12 of the Carbondale Revised Code by Establishing Sections 16 and 17 for Downtown Employee Parking and Resident Parking Permits and an Ordinance Amending the Types of Vehicles for Which a Senior Citizen Parking Permit May be Issued Pursuant to Title Eighteen Chapter Twelve Section 12

Council Discussion, Questions, Comments: Comparison with Marion’s parking; that the rationale for parking fees is no longer valid; utilizing TIF revenues for the building and maintenance of lots; additional parking planned for the multimodal center; returning to free parking; inquiring about whether the employee or employer would obtain the permits from City Hall; how to make the process easier for students; question about the amendment to the senior citizen parking permits; questions and comments regarding residency for the resident parking permit; whether the fee for resident permits would be prorated; if permits could be used with electric golf cars; whether permits can be purchased online; expressing favor of issuing the resident permit for 365 days instead of for a calendar year; in favor of 365-day permit for residents; remarks about residency and who is a resident; provide a handout which delineates all of the options; inquiring about what portion of parking fees goes to salaries versus maintenance of lots; whether there was sufficient support for free parking; and individual Council member’s input regarding support for the options.

Meghan Cole spoke in favor of returning to free parking, on behalf of the downtown employees, and commented that the pricing seems arbitrary.

Rachel Cristaudo inquired about the price difference between the downtown employee and resident passes.

MOTION: Approve an Ordinance amending Title Eighteen Chapter Twelve Section 12 as it relates to the types of vehicles for which a Senior Citizen Parking Permit may be utilized

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Tom Grant.

Motion Carries

Yea: Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Adam Loos, John M Henry (Ordinance 2020-06; Exhibit J-01-28-2020)

MOTION: Approve an Ordinance Establishing a Resident Parking Permit with an amendment to paragraph K to change the issuance to a 365 day permit as opposed to a calendar year permit.

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Jessica Bradshaw.

Motion Carries

Yea: Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Adam Loos, John M Henry (Ordinance 2020-07; Exhibit K-01-28-2020)

MOTION: Approve an Ordinance Establishing a Downtown Employee Parking Permit with an amendment to lower the rate to $2.50 per month

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Lee Fronabarger.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Adam Loos, John M Henry (Ordinance 2020-08; Exhibit K-01-28-2020)

Discussion: 4.2 Council Discussion Regarding the Potential Renaming of a City Street to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King

Council Comments and Questions: Streets suggested by the Council included Mill Street, Jackson Street, Wall Street, North Wall Street, Grand Avenue, Oakland Avenue, and Sycamore Street. The question of whether to make the name change honorary or absolute was weighed. Additional requests were to narrow the number of streets and conduct surveys of those streets, to place an informal poll for the public on the narrowed list, to give consideration to the ramifications of changing the street name, to change the name of Jackson Street regardless of what street was chosen, to poll the local branch of the NAACP, to choose a street of which Dr. King would be proud, and when narrowing the list to provide a rationale to the public for each option.

Anne Gaylord noted the presence of millstones on SIU Campus near Mill Street, referred to the number of apartments on various suggested streets, and responded to a Council inquiry.

Don Monty commented on the number of changes a business or person would make due to a change in street name, noted the most recent streets which were renamed, and encouraged surveying those that reside on the street.

Amber (no last name given) asked the City Council to consider the costs for residents in changing an address.

5. Executive Session

6. Adjournment of the City Council Meeting

Procedural: 6.1 Adjourn meeting

There being no further business to come before the public body, the meeting was declared adjourned at 7:40 p.m.

http://ci.carbondale.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01282020-1139