Carbondale Reporter

City of Carbondale City Council met March 26.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Local Liquor Control Commission and Regular City Council Meeting March 26, 2024

Council Members present

Councilmember Ginger Rye Sanders, Councilmember Jeff Doherty, Councilmember LaCaje Hill, Councilmember Clare Killman, Councilmember Adam Loos, Councilmember Nancy Maxwell, and Mayor Carolin Harvey

Meeting called to order at 6:10 PM

5. Preliminaries to the City Council Meeting

Procedural: 5.1 Roll Call

Procedural: 5.2 Citizens' Comments and Questions

Individuals addressing the City Council included Sandy Litecky, Marsha Cascio-Hale, James Cooper, Jr., Emily Caminiti, Jacob Minkus, Jonathan Caraker, Susan Pearlman, Chaya Rice, Dean Amley, and Jane Adams.

Procedural: 5.3 Council Comments, General Announcements, and Proclamations Councilmember Loos remarked on the behavior exhibited during public comments.

Councilmember Hill announced a birthday/fundraiser event to be held at the Civic Center on April 12. He then remarked upon comments and posts calling into question the character of the members of the City Council and the impact that those comments and behaviors are likely to have.

Councilmember Killman noted differing opinions on the role of the City Council relating to the events in Gaza, called for respect for one another and careful thought before speaking, and asked City Staff to draft resolution language addressing concerns of the whole community.

Councilmember Rye Sanders thanked Councilmember Killman for her remarks, noted her concerns for flooding in the northeast, and commented on disparity in CIP funds and contracts for underserved communities.

Procedural: 5.4 Proclamation for Week of the Young Child

Yolanda Dean accepted the proclamation and announced a celebration and activities at Attucks Park on April 6.

6. Public Hearings and Special Reports

7. Consent Agenda of the City Council

Action (Consent): 7.1 Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of March 12, 2024 Resolution: Approve the meeting minutes from the regular City Council meeting of March 12, 2024

Action (Consent): 7.2 Approval of Warrant for the Period Ending: 03/15/2024 for the FY 2024 Warrant 1481 in the Total Amount of $1,727,724.42

Resolution: Accept the following report of payments made for the period ended: 03/15/2024 totaling $1,727,724.42 (Exhibit A-04-01-2024)

Action (Consent): 7.3 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): 7.4 Approve the Purchase of Rock Salt through the State of Illinois Joint Purchasing Program for FY2025

Resolution: Approve the purchase of Rock Salt through the State of Illinois Joint Purchasing Program for FY2025.

Action (Consent): 7.5 Award of Contract for Sanitary Sewer Lining Program to Skuta Construction of Marion, Illinois in the Amount of $435,425

Resolution: Award a Contract for Sanitary Sewer Lining Program to Skuta Construction of Marion, Illinois in the Amount of $435,425

Action: 7.6 Award of Contract for the Replacement of Metal Roofing at the City of Carbondale’s Cedar Lake Office to Clover Roofing of Murphysboro, Illinois in the Amount of $26,845

Resolution: Award a Contract for the Replacement of Metal Roofing at the City of Carbondale’s Cedar Lake Office to Clover Roofing of Murphysboro, Illinois in the Amount of $26,845

Pulled by L. Hill

Action (Consent): 7.7 Resolution Permitting the Mayor to Enter into a Severance Agreement with Gary Williams

Resolution: Adopt the Resolutions permitting the Mayor to Enter into a severance agreement with Gary Williams and enter into an agreement with Stan Reno to serve as the Interim City Manager. (Resolution 2024-R-12; Exhibit B-04-01-2024)

Action (Consent): 7.8 Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Enter into an Agreement with Stan Reno to Serve as Interim City Manager

Resolution: Approve a resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with Stan Reno to serve as Interim City Manager. (Resolution 2024-R-13; Exhibit C-04-01-2024)

Action (Consent): 7.9 Approval of Consent Agenda Items

Resolution: Approve all Consent Agenda items not pulled for separate consideration Elius Reed inquired about whether the City Manager was a Non-Bargaining Unit Employee. MOTION: Approve all Consent Agenda items not pulled for separate consideration

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Jeff Doherty.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Ginger Rye Sanders, Jeff Doherty, LaCaje Hill, Adam Loos, Nancy Maxwell, Carolin Harvey

Abstain: Clare Killman

Action: 7.6 Award of Contract for the Replacement of Metal Roofing at the City of Carbondale’s Cedar Lake Office to Clover Roofing of Murphysboro, Illinois in the Amount of $26,845

Council questions and comments included concern about the bidding process; asked about why Clover Roofing had been selected; Councilmembers being unable to locate the building in question; expressing a desire to go tour the building and see the leaks in question; suggestions to defer action until the subsequent meeting or to possibly rebid the project; being unclear about the purpose of the postponement; remarks and comments about winning bids not employing minority employees or DBE-owned companies being selected for the bids; expressing concern that changes to rules on bidding preferences being conducted generally, and not in response to a specific contract; and indicated their personal preferences on whether to act on this contract tonight or at a future meeting. Christi Green, Purchasing and Risk Management Specialist, again reviewed the bidding process. There was a point of order regarding the appropriate motion to be made in order to defer action until a date and time certain.

Connor Sullivan commented on starting to actually award contracts to minority contractors instead of discussing it.

Elius Reed commented on the minority business enterprise plan with regard to contractors being certified with IDOT. He further remarked on two diversity officers working on the SIMMS project and no minority workers.

MOTION: Motion to postpone to April 9, 2024

Motion by Ginger Rye Sanders, second by LaCaje Hill.

Motion Fails

Yea: Ginger Rye Sanders, LaCaje Hill, Nancy Maxwell

Nay: Jeff Doherty, Clare Killman, Adam Loos, Carolin Harvey

MOTION: Award a Contract for the Replacement of Metal Roofing at the City of Carbondale’s Cedar Lake Office to Clover Roofing of Murphysboro, Illinois in the Amount of $26,845

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Jeff Doherty.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Jeff Doherty, Clare Killman, Adam Loos, Carolin Harvey

Nay: Ginger Rye Sanders, LaCaje Hill, Nancy Maxwell

8. General Business of the City Council

Action: 8.1 Ordinance Adopting a Labor Agreement Between the City of Carbondale, Illinois and Local No. 160 United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the Unites States and Canada, AFL-CIO for Fiscal Years 2025, 2026, 2027. 2028, and 2029

There were City Council questions about the number of minorities in the union, the probationary period, and the testing process.

MOTION: Approve an Ordinance Adopting a Labor Agreement Between the City of Carbondale, Illinois and Local No. 160 United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the Unites States and Canada, AFL-CIO for fiscal years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029.

Motion by Jeff Doherty, second by Clare Killman.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Ginger Rye Sanders, Jeff Doherty, LaCaje Hill, Clare Killman, Adam Loos, Nancy Maxwell, Carolin Harvey (Ordinance 2024-08; Exhibit D-04-01-2024)

Action: 8.2 Resolution Adopting a Sanitary Sewer Backflow Device Reimbursement Program

City Council asked why the program applies only to owner-occupied properties; commented on the various City grant programs that are only available to owner-occupied properties; suggested including a similar requirement for landlords to install a backflow device as part of the rental properties ordinances being developed; and suggested a change that would allow for approval with an invoice being presented by the plumber who will perform the improvement.

Rodney Morris indicated that he was thankful for the solution, but asked how those who cannot afford such a repair pay for it in order to receive the reimbursement.

Justin Zurlinden suggested opening up the program to both landlords and home-owners.

MOTION: Approve a Resolution Adopting a Sanitary Sewer Backflow Device Reimbursement Program

Motion by Adam Loos, second by Jeff Doherty.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Ginger Rye Sanders, Jeff Doherty, LaCaje Hill, Clare Killman, Adam Loos, Nancy Maxwell, Carolin Harvey (Resolution 2024-R-14; Exhibit E-04-01-2024)

Action: 8.3 Resolution Establishing a Working Committee to Draft and Present Various Ordinances Involving Residential Rental Properties

The Council asked who selects, offered an amendment to provide for two councilmembers in committee, suggested to widely publish the request for interested candidates to submit their letter of interest to the Mayor, discussed the appropriate size for the committee and the inclusion of identified interested parties, and remarked on concern about the impact of a too large body might have. Several amendments to the motion were suggested. It was noted that there is no actual voting by the committee; rather, the goal is to arrive at consensus.

Doy Gorton advocated for more than two landlords and the general expansion of the committee; he rebutted staff's comments.

Ron Deedrick asked about the time period for name submission, proposed a timeframe for the committee to meet, and inquired whether meetings would be subject to the same OMA requirements.

Dawn Roberts commented on her dismay at the condition of the housing stock in the city, her excitement about the proposed changes, and advocated for a larger group.

MOTION: Adopt a Resolution establishing a working committee to draft and present various ordinances involving residential rental housing, with an amendment to the Resolution to provide for eleven voting members, two councilmembers, four landlords, four tenants, and one resident at-large, and two ex-officio staff present as support.

Motion by Clare Killman, second by LaCaje Hill.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Ginger Rye Sanders, Jeff Doherty, LaCaje Hill, Clare Killman, Adam Loos, Nancy Maxwell, Carolin Harvey (Resolution 2024-R-15; Exhibit F-04-01-2024)

Discussion: 8.4 City Council Discussion Regarding the Process to Search for a Permanent City Manager

City Council asked to have the process options outlined; those options were identified in the memorandum drafted by Councilmember Doherty. Councilmembers expressed their preferences, including proceeding with the national search and allowing the process to run concurrently; expressing preferences to hire a consultant to conduct the search; keeping options open and receiving the maximum inputs that will help with the determination; noting favor for an in-house search; concurrence to conduct a national search; a suggestion to wait to conduct the search for three months; commented that a candidate may be regional; and commented that with no pool for comparison, how will the council know if they are satisfied.

Elius Reed inquired about the job description and educational requirements, as well as asked about the resignation of a prior employee.

James Cooper, Jr. asked if Chief Stan Reno would be applying for the permanent position.

Mayor Harvey noted that this was City Manager Gary Williams’ last City Council meeting and expressed her gratitude for his service and offered best wishes to him in the future.

9. Executive Session

Due to the late hour, the City Council declined to enter into Executive Session.

10. Adjournment of the City Council Meeting

Procedural: 10.1 Adjourn meeting

There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was declared adjourned at 8:51 p.m.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/coc/Board.nsf/files/D3XSGA6FF4F6/$file/Regular%20City%20Council%20Meeting%20Minutes%2026%20March%202024.pdf