Carbondale Reporter

City of Carbondale City Council Met Feb. 24.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Council Members present

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

Meeting called to order at 6:03 PM

1. Preliminaries to the City Council Meeting 

Procedural: 1.1 Roll Call

Procedural: 1.2 Citizens' Comments and Questions

Sandy Litecky announced the upcoming Neighborhood Alliance annual meeting and instructions to attend remotely.

Ron Deedrick, Local Government Affairs Director of Illinois REALTORS, expressed his hope that the proposed Ordinance for agenda item 4.3 would be limited in scope and remarked it was unusual.

Procedural: 1.3 Council Comments, General Announcements, and Proclamations

Councilmember Doherty inquired about who Mr. Deedrick represented.

Councilmember Grant noted that his social media account had been hacked.

Councilmember Fronabarger expressed his gratitude for Public Works staff in clearing roads during the heavy snowfalls.

Mayor Henry concurred with Mr. Fronabarger and noted Public Safety staff had more work to do as well, in assisting the public.

2. Public Hearings and Special Reports

3. Consent Agenda of the City Council

Action (Consent): 3.1 Minutes from the City Council Meeting of February 9, 2021

Resolution: Accept the minutes from the Regular City Council Meeting of February 9, 2021

Action (Consent): 3.2 Approval of Warrant for the Period Ending: 02/05/2021 for the FY 2021 Warrant 1400 in the Total Amount of $586,793.58

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 02/05/2021 totaling $586,793.58 (Exhibit A-02-23-2021)

Action (Consent): 3.3 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): 3.4 Purchase of SCADA Equipment Upgrades for the Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant (WW1703) from Vandevanter Engineering in the Amount of $152,583.11

Resolution: Approve the Purchase of SCADA Equipment Upgrades for the Southeast Wastewater Treatment Plant (WW1703) from Vandevanter Engineering in the Amount of $152,583.11

Action (Consent): 3.5 Approve the Purchase of a Vehicle Bay Exhaust System for Fire Station #1 on East College Street in the Amount of $56,900.00

Resolution: Approve the Purchase of a Vehicle Exhaust System for Fire Station #1 on East College Street in the Amount of $56,900.00

Action: 3.6 Resolution of Affirmation of the NAACP 10 Shared PrinciplesPulled by J. Henry

Action (Consent): 3.7 Approval of Consent Agenda Items

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

Council inquired about the existing air filtration system for Fire Station 1. City Manager Williams and Public Works Director Henry responded to the question.

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

Motion by Lee Fronabarger, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

Action: 3.6 Resolution of Affirmation of the NAACP 10 Shared Principles

Mayor Henry read the Resolution in its entirety. It was noted that the presentation of this

Resolution would occur at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday at the Public Safety Center. 

MOTION: Approve the Resolution Affirming the 10 Shared Principles

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, John M Henry (Resolution 2021-R-04; Exhibit B-02-23-2021)

4. General Business of the City Council

Action: 4.1 Ordinance Authorizing the City Manager to Adopt a Labor Agreement Between the City of Carbondale and International Association of Firefighters Local No. 1961 for Fiscal Years 2022, 2023, and 2024

MOTION: Approve an Ordinance authorizing the City Manager to adopt a labor agreement between the City of Carbondale and International Association of Firefighters Local No. 1961 for fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2024

Motion by Lee Fronabarger, second by Tom Grant.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, John M Henry (Ordinance 2021-03; Exhibit C-02-23-2021)

Action: 4.2 Ordinance Allowing On-Street Parking on the North Side of Old West Main Street in the 1500 and 1600 Blocks

Council members discussed the safety of placing parking spaces at this location, namely visibility for pedestrians and drivers, whether there are IDOT standards for this instance, recommending striping for the parking lanes, if additional spaces could be configured on the parking lot near Kids Korner, how much narrower the traffic lanes would be with placement of parking on the street, what the speed limit is currently, suggested pursuing off-street parking options, assessing the interest for acquiring property for parking outside of an open meeting, whether the City has the authority to lower the speed limit, and whether the proposed locations were far enough west to not interfere with traffic near the SIU Credit Union.

Public Works Director Henry and City Manager Williams responded to Council questions.

MOTION: Approve an Ordinance allowing on-street parking on the north side of Old West Main Street in the 1500 and 1600 blocks.

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Carolin Harvey.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

Nay: Jeff Doherty (Ordinance 2021-04; Exhibit D -02-23-2021)

Action: 4.3 Ordinance Amending Title One, Chapter Thirteen, Paragraph Seven of the Carbondale Revised Code as it Relates to the Purchase of Real Estate

Council expressed concerns about authorizing the purchase of real estate under the City Manager's spending authority; recommended setting guidelines for staff for such purchases, should the Ordinance receive support; suggested notifying the City Council prior to executing the purchase; asked if the City's purchase price is for the lien price; the amount of time between notification about the availability of property and need to act upon the sale; asked what other cities utilize this authority; asked for an explanation of the nature of the sale and process; and a suggestion to draft reasons for when the city might acquire property through tax sale in general and then consider action at another meeting.

There was a consensus to draft guidelines for using this authorization first and then bringing the Ordinance back for action.

5. Executive Session

Action: 5.1 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

MOTION: 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 as Permitted by 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2)

Motion by Carolin Harvey, second by Lee Fronabarger.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty, John M Henry (Open session Recessed at 7:07 p.m.)

Action: 5.2 Motion to Reenter Open Session

MOTION: Return to Open Session

Motion by Tom Grant, second by Jessica Bradshaw.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty

Not Present at Vote: Lee Fronabarger, John M Henry (Open Session Resumed at 8:19 p.m.)

Action: 5.3 Action to Declare if the Need for Confidentiality Still Exists in Whole or in Part for Closing Meeting Minutes and Authorizing the Destruction of Audio Recordings for Closed Meetings Conducted More Than 18 Months Ago

MOTION: Declare the need for confidentiality exists, in whole or in part, for Closed Meeting Minutes from March 17, 1998, through February 25, 2020, except for the meetings of April 10, 2018 and April 23, 2019, and authorizing the destruction of audio recordings of all Closed Meetings that were conducted more than 18 months ago for which minutes have been approved and no appeals have been filed with the Public Access Counselor or Circuit Court

Motion by Tom Grant, second by Adam Loos.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Lee Fronabarger, Tom Grant, Carolin Harvey, Adam Loos, Jessica Bradshaw, Jeff Doherty Not Present at Vote: John M Henry

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 8:23 p.m.

https://explorecarbondale.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02232021-1328