Carbondale Reporter

City of Carbondale City Council Met Feb. 9.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Council Members present

Councilmember Jeff Doherty, Councilmember Lee Fronabarger, Councilmember Tom Grant, Councilmember Carolin Harvey, Councilmember Adam Loos, Councilmember Jessica Bradshaw, and 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

M Stalls asked if there was a target date for when meetings would be non-virtual.

Kayla Estes-Romero indicated that she was in support of the petition in opposition of a police satellite office in the Eurma C. Hayes Center.

Nicholas Smaligo commented on the petition demonstrating that there are many people not in favor of the Eurma C Hayes police substation, that the community is not of one mind on this matter, and suggested back payments to the Eurma C. Hayes Center for funds which had been redirected to the police budget. He also inquired about when there would be discussion about budget priorities.

Rodney Morris remarked on the potential for building conflict with, and his opposition to, placing the police in the Eurma C Hayes center; he noted that the Eurma C Hayes Board may be requesting it, but the decision is up to the City Council.

Margaret Henry indicated she was not in support of placing police substation in the Eurma C Hayes Center, noting rates of incarceration, and asked why this location was chosen.

Mayor Henry stated that the City does not own the Eurma C Hayes Center, and that the City was approached by Mr. Wills. He noted that the petition included names, not signatures.

Councilmember Doherty remarked that the City Council has not taken action based on this proposal.

Councilmember Fronabarger noted that only 567 listed in the petition had a Carbondale address and asked if City Staff has documentation that those funds received were moved to the police department.

City Manager Williams stated that this idea has been talked about for years and the prior Board Director brought it up in 2018.

Councilmember Grant noted that this discussion has gone on since at least 1996 and was intended to improve response time.

Procedural: 1.3 Council Comments, General Announcements, and ProclamationsCouncilmember Grant commended the City’s efforts to pursue a mental health crisis response team.

Councilmember Loos followed up to a citizen question about when the City would be resuming in-person meetings. It was suggested to wait until Phase 5 or at least until the vaccine is more broadly distributed.

City Manager Williams introduced SIU Senior Diamoneek Green, who is interning in the City Manager's office.

Mayor Henry proclaimed February 2021 as National Black History Month in the City of Carbondale.

2. Public Hearings and Special Reports

3. Consent Agenda of the City Council

Action (Consent): 3.1 Minutes from the Regular City Council Meeting of January 26, 2021

Resolution: Approve the minutes from the Regular City Council Meeting of January 26, 2021

Action (Consent): 3.2 Approval of Warrant for the Period Ending: 01/22/2021 for the FY 2021 Warrant 1399 in the Total Amount of $1,492,590

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 01/22/2021 totaling $1,492,590 (Exhibit A-02-09-2021)

Action (Consent): 3.3 Approval of Wells Fargo Warrant for the Period Ending 12/31/2020 FY 2021 Warrant # WF 12/2020 in the amount of $118,372.43

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 12/31/2020 totaling $118,372.43 (Exhibit B-02-09-2021)

Action (Consent): 3.4 Acceptance of Approved Meeting Minutes from Boards, Commissions, and Committees

Resolution: Accept the approved meeting minutes from Boards, Commissions, and Committees and place them on file

Action (Consent): 3.5 Approval of Consent Agenda Items

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

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

Motion by Carolin Harvey, second by Lee Fronabarger. Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

4. General Business of the City Council

Action: 4.1 City Council Discussion and Approval Remaining Balances of FY21 Community Agency Funding Requests

Councilmembers agreed with Staff’s assessment with regard to recommended amounts, offered their own suggestions about allocation, inquired about pass-through funding from Carbondale Community Arts, and indicated that providing the full $148,000 to Tourism was not affordable. City Manager Williams indicated that the African American Museum did receive the pass- through funds.

MOTION: Approve the Community Agency Funding requests in the following amounts: Main Street $10,000, Carbondale Community Arts $7,500, Tourism $7,500.

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Tom Grant.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

Action: 4.2 City Council Discussion and Approval of an Extended COVID-19 Leave Benefit

Council inquired about whether there were any federal proposals in relation to the leave, expressed their support for extending the leave, questions about when the next vaccination tier would be entered, which staff have been vaccinated,

MOTION: Approve a benefit to extend COVID leave as proposed by Staff

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

Action: 4.3 Ordinance Amending Title Seven, Chapter Fourteen, Paragraph One of the Carbondale Revised Code by Increasing the Municipal Cannabis Retailers’ OccupationTax Rate to Three Percent

City Council asked Staff if the 3% is needed, noted that the percentage could be rolled back, and remarked on the increased obligation for parks and recreation.

Taliq Montgomery asked why one business should be singled out to fill gaps in the budget.

MOTION: Adopt an Ordinance amending Title Seven, Chapter Fourteen, Paragraph One of the Carbondale Revised Code by increasing municipal cannabis retailers' occupation tax rate to three percent.

Motion by Lee Fronabarger, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Jeff Doherty, Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, John M Henry (Exhibit C-02-09-2021; Ordinance 2021-02)

5. Executive Session

Action: 5.1 Vote to Enter into Executive Session to Discuss Collective Negotiating Matters Between the Public Body and Its Employees or Their Representatives, or Deliberations Concerning Salary Schedules for One or More Classes of Employees and Litigation

Enter Into Executive Session to Discuss Collective Negotiating Matters Between the Public Body and Its Employees or Their Representatives, or Deliberations Concerning Salary Schedules for One or More Classes of Employees, Litigation, and to Conduct the Semi- annual Review of Executive Meeting Minutes as Permitted by 5 ILCS 120(c)(2), (c)(11), and (c)(21)

Motion by Tom Grant, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Jeff Doherty, Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, John M Henry (Open Session recessed at 7:05 p.m.)

Action: 5.2 Motion to Reenter Open SessionMOTION: Return to Open Session

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Lee Fronabarger.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Jeff Doherty, Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, John M Henry (Open Session resumed at 8:16 p.m.)

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 8:18 p.m.

http://explorecarbondale.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02092021-1306