Regular City Council Meeting
July 7, 2008
The Mt. Vernon City Council met in Regular Session on Monday, July 7, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Building at Veterans Park.
Mayor Mary Jane Chesley called the Regular Meeting to order. Reverend Travis Perry gave the invocation.
The Pledge of Allegiance was given.
Roll call showed present: Council Member Shirilyn Holt, Council Member Mike Walker, Council Member David Wood and Mayor Mary Jane Chesley. Absent: Council Member Mary Burgan.
The journals for the June 12, 2008 City Council Budget Workshop Meeting, the June 16, 2008 Regular City Council Meeting and the June 19, 2008 Special City Council Meeting were presented to Council for any additions, deletions or corrections. Motion by Council Member Shirilyn Holt to approve the journals for the June 12, 2008 City Council Budget Workshop Meeting, the June 16, 2008 Regular City Council Meeting and the June 19, 2008 Special City Council Meeting as presented. Second by Council Member Mike Walker. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood and Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
The Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable for July 2008 in the amount of $ 598,581.28 were presented for Council’s consideration. Motion by Council Member David Wood to approve the Consolidated Vouchers for Accounts Payable for July 2008 in the amount of $ 598,581.28 as presented. Second by Council Member Shirilyn Holt. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood and Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
CITY MANAGER
City Manager Ron Neibert requested an Executive Session to be held following this Regular City Council Meeting to discuss the Sale or Lease of Real Estate.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard presented for Second Reading an Ordinance Regarding the Regulation of Tobacco Products.
City resident Tracy Boss spoke expressing her thanks to the Council for their efforts on the research that has been done and for the possibility of putting this Ordinance into place.
Motion by Council Member David Wood to approve Ordinance 2008-25 Regarding the Regulation of Tobacco Products as presented. Second by Council Member Mike Walker. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood, Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard presented for Council’s consideration First Reading of an Ordinance Imposing a 2-cent per gallon Motor Fuel Tax (Diesel). City Manager Ron Neibert stated that extensive discussions and work sessions were held on this issue. Mayor Chesley asked for comments from Council.
Council Member Mike Walker stated that he felt the Council approved a budget on April 30 and in that budget Council did not discuss any tax increases and therefore he feels Council should abide by that and live with the budget that was approved at the time and if those numbers were not correct then Council was given information that wasn’t proper at the time. He also stated that if he would have known that at the time when the budget was approved that there were going to be tax increases he would have looked at the budget with a more critical eye.
Council Member Wood stated that he wanted to point out to Council Member Walker and everyone else that while Council approved the budget Council spent a great deal of time all through the month of April and even beyond that. He stated that the budget is a tentative budget not necessarily a final budget. City Manger Neibert stated that the budget that was approved on April 30 was the authorized expenditure and can be amended at any time. He also stated that the budget was very clear in that we had a general corporate working fund balance of 3.3 million dollars at the beginning of the fiscal year and that if we had spent those authorized expenditures in the budget we would have had a working fund balance of $745,000.00.
Again, Council Member Walker stated that if prior to April 30 it had been stated that we need a tax increase or we can’t balance our budget he would have looked at this budget a lot more critically. Council Member Wood replied that the budget was looked at a great deal after that date.
Council Member Shirilyn Holt voiced her opinion concerning this issue. She stated that when you see a need and you find a problem you try to fix it. When this was brought to Council’s attention, now we need to remedy it. It’s not that we are going back on anything or not doing what we said we were going to do we are trying to fix a problem. Council Member Holt stated that she would like to hear from the public and she wondered if it was permissible to group 9-B (Ordinance Imposing a 2-cent per gallon Motor Fuel Tax (Diesel), 9-C (Ordinance Regarding Telecommunications Tax Rate Increase) and 9-D (Ordinance Imposing a Food and Beverage Tax) together so when people come up to speak we are talking across the board.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard replied they can be considered together and added that these items are all for First Reading.
Mayor Mary Jane Chesley said that the budget was hit especially hit hard this year due to two major upcoming projects, including the City’s $1.2 million share to the interchange and $868,000.00 for the sewer treatment plant. She said that as we went through the budget there were areas that were hit hard and she wasn’t aware of some of this at the time they approved the budget.
Mayor Chesley asked for public comment at this time.
Rick Heck of 1925 S. 8th Street stated that recently he read in the newspaper that all of the faults of the City right now are from the previous Council. He said that when he was a member of the Council the City had $800,000.00 in the bank. When he left office from the last election there was $2.8 million in the bank. He feels that the three proposed taxes will only hurt local families and force diesel truck drivers to look elsewhere for cheaper fuel.
Mayor Chesley asked for comments from Council. Hearing none she asked if anyone else would like to comment.
Tracy Boss stated that while she understands that it is very trying right now on the economy. She feels that our community has a lot to offer and it seems to her that we are not able to offer any of it because we don’t have the resources and it is almost in her opinion if we could just bite that bullet a little bit for a short time to get that long term gain and bring in better businesses and bring in a higher income base here in this community it will balance out. She stated that if her family doesn’t do what they have to do to make this community the best that it can be it’s not going to become that and we are going to continue to be a low-income community as Mr. Heck said.
Council Member Mike Walker stated that he understands having been in the truck stop business and fighting for years with the State of Missouri. They would keep their motor fuel taxes low and they made it up in volume and they tried to stress that to Springfield. If you keep your taxes low you will make it up in volume but Springfield always took the attitude if we need more revenue let’s up the motor fuel tax so there was a big spread. Every month Missouri would outsell them probably two to one in diesel by keeping the taxes low. So, what you do make up in volume by keeping your taxes low can sometimes bring you in as much money if not more.
Mayor Chesley asked for further comments. Hearing none she stated that items 9-B, 9-C & 9-D would stand at First Reading.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution to Approve an Assignment of a Lake Miller Lease from Gertrude Freidinger to Gertrude Freidinger Trust. Motion by Council Member Shirilyn Holt to Approve an Assignment of a Lake Miller Lease from Gertrude Freidinger to Gertrude Freidinger Trust. Second by Council Member David Wood. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood, Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution of Support for the Application to Illinois Housing Development Authority for the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Funds for a Housing Rehabilitation Grant. Motion by Council Member Mike Walker to Approve the Resolution of Support for the Application to Illinois Housing Development Authority for the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Funds for a Housing Rehabilitation Grant. Second by Council Member David Wood. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood, Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution Approving Agreement with Local #738 International Association of Firefighters AFL-CIO. Motion by Council Member Shirilyn Holt to Approve the Resolution Approving Agreement with Local #738 International Association of Firefighters AFL-CIO. Second by Council Member Mike Walker. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood, Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
Corporation Counsel Bill Howard presented for Council’s consideration a Resolution Requesting Authorization from the Illinois Department of Transportation for Temporary Closure of Certain Streets on October 18, 2008 for the Southern Illinois Harvest Festival Parade. Derrick Quitsch spoke briefly about the newly formed Festival. Motion by Council Member David Wood to Approve the Resolution Requesting Authorization from the Illinois Department of Transportation for Temporary Closure of Certain Streets on October 18, 2008 for the Southern Illinois Harvest Festival Parade. Second by Council Member Shirilyn Holt. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood, Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
Mayor Chesley extended a happy birthday to Council Member David Wood and Council Member Mary Burgan whose birthdays will be July 14.
Bobby Farris asked questions on the proposed Motor Fuel Tax on diesel.
Motion by Council Member David Wood to go into Executive Session to Discuss Sale or Lease of Real Estate. Second by Council Member Shirilyn Holt. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood and Chesley. Absent: Burgan.
Council returned to open session following the Executive Session at 8:00 p.m. Motion by Council Member Shirilyn Holt to adjourn this Regular City Council Meeting. Second by Council Member David Wood. Yeas: Holt, Walker, Wood and Chesley. Absent: Burgan.