Lincoln, Illinois
City Council Committee's Meeting
January 26, 2010
Minutes of the City of Lincoln City Council Committees' Meeting held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday, January 26, 2010.
Those present were Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Neitzel, and Alderman Wilmert. Also present were City Street Superintendent Mr. Jackson, Police Chief Erlenbush, EMC Manager Mr. Tackett, Safety and Building Officer Mr. Last, and Fire Chief Hulett. Also present were City Attorney Mr. Bates, Mayor Snyder, City Clerk Mrs. Martinek, and Recording Secretary Mrs. Riggs.
Mayor Snyder called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. City Clerk Mrs. Martinek called the roll call. There were seven Aldermen present (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Neitzel, and Alderman Wilmert), and three absent (Alderman Horn, Alderman Tibbs and Alderman Turner).
A moment of silence for Kenny Molt a retired Lincoln Firefighter who passed away. Everyone present recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor Snyder asked if there was anyone that wanted to address the Council tonight. There was no one.
The Mayor asked for the Committees' Issues to be Presented:
Finance, Policy and Procedure:
Chairman Alderman Anderson said everyone should have a copy of the Police and Procedures Manual. The Clerk has gone through and updated the Alderman’s name on here and everybody should glance through and it is pretty much what we had in the past but there are some things that will have to be cleaned up as we go through this because every time we make adjustments it throws the page numbers and all off. We’ll clean it up a little bit. She asked Mrs. Martinek where she inserted the Sexual Harassment.
Mrs. Martinek said it is right after page 8.
Alderman Anderson said the last couple of pages that you have are potential clauses those are just some things that I would like you to think about. I’m going to have a meeting with Mrs. Martinek over the next month that we can look at where we want to focus on and I will bring that back to you. She asked if it was on the agenda.
Mrs. Martinek said no. Alderman Anderson said she wanted it on the agenda.
Alderman Anderson asked Mr. Bates if Mr. Plotner had talked to him. Mr. Bates said he sent me a copy of an email that he sent to you yesterday but I haven’t talked to him.
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Alderman Anderson said that Mr. Plotner questioned whether the interpretation of that was such that we couldn’t increase the actual total appropriations we could only move it around. With the Resolution can we actually increase the total?
Mr. Bates said it was my understanding that you could increase a particular new amount of money unanticipated amount of money that came in it could be appropriated but you just couldn’t increase it because you needed more than what you had originally thought. I thought we were dealing with an issue where we had some funds come in that were not anticipated funds for a couple of things and the appropriation was going to be changed to account for those items.
Alderman Anderson said we have several instances where we had some funds that came into the budget but we also have some things that have, I don’t know how they weigh each other out. I haven’t done that calculation but there were some areas that we have to increase. The biggest one being the Motor Fuel Tax but those funds would be coming in from Motor Fuel so that would be an issue the money is already there in motor fuel but we would have to increase the appropriations in the budget to be able to move that money over.
Mr. Bates said I didn’t think you could just increase appropriation because you decided you wanted a larger amount than you originally passed. Alderman Anderson said we would have to move amounts around within the appropriations then to be able to. Alderman Busby said I agree with you Mr. Bates you would have to move it around unless you get new money and to move it around you need a 2/3rds vote.
Mr. Bates said correct. I think you can move it around in the same. Like Street and Alley I don’t think you can reduce appropriation and put that in another department. You can move it around in the Street and Alley Department but not from category to category.
Alderman Anderson said with that in mind going back to the Motor Fuel Tax since there is money there that would be coming in. Mr. Bates said that is not unanticipated money was it.
Alderman Anderson said it was not anticipated to move it over. Its spots that are in the motor fuel tax fund.
Mr. Bates said it is funds that were known at the time of appropriations and it is not funds that were unanticipated.
Alderman Anderson said that I don’t know there would have been a balance there that we would have added to through the year. I may have to clarify that with Mr. Mathon because they had indicated that moving those funds we had to have the Resolution for the general budget and then they have to do a Resolution for the motor fuel tax.
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Mr. Jackson said Mr. Mathon was saying that the motor fuel tax is different from the remainder of the budget because it runs off the calendar year and that is why we would have to have a resolution in order to increase. You can do that multiple times if need be.
Mr. Bates said if any part of the fiscal year that corporate authorities may adopt a supplemental appropriation amount not in excess of the aggregate any additional revenue available to the municipality or estimated to be received by the municipality subsequent to the adoption of the annual appropriation ordinance for that fiscal year or before from fund balances available when the annual appropriation ordinance was adopted but which were not appropriated at that time.
Alderman Anderson said that will apply to motor fuel tax. Mr. Bates said that would apply to the motor fuel if there are funds available that were not appropriated at the time or funds came in after it was appropriated.
Alderman Anderson said we don’t need to worry about that line item but the others I will have to make sure we had marked the funds within that budget category that we can move those around. We do have this on the agenda for Monday, don’t we?
Mr. Bates said the other topic is at any time the corporate authority by 2/3rds vote of all its members not 2/3rds of those present. They can make transfers within any department or other separate agency of any municipal government on sums of money appropriated for one corporate object or purpose to another corporate object or purpose. I see that as moving around in the same department but not department to department.
Alderman Anderson said I will have to do some calculations before Monday and then I will have an updated one for Monday but I will leave it on the agenda for Monday. Mr. Bates said do you have it on the agenda for a supplemental appropriation because I have not written anything. Alderman Anderson said that will what it will ultimately be but I think. Mr. Bates said Monday you will vote on what you want me to do then I will do it.
Alderman Anderson said that is all that I have for finance.
Mayor Snyder said do you want to take any questions on the Policy and Procedure Manual or are we just going to adopt it as it is then tweak it as we go along.
Alderman Anderson said we are going to continue to work on this. What I would like to do is get it voted on so that we actually have one that is at least half way up to date and then make any changes as we go because we are going to be making further changes as we go.
Mayor Snyder said just let me mention three. It is below where it says 2 what you can expect from the city. It is about four or five pages salaries it says salaries of new employees are reviewed six months after employment and then thereafter at least on at least a six month basis.
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Mayor Snyder said is that at least the first year or how long are we reviewing every six months.
Alderman Anderson said I didn’t bring my work copy. It is my understanding that they are supposed to be doing annual reviews.
Mayor Snyder said it says right before everyone must be considered for salary reviews once each year in April and then it says salaries for each new employee is six months after appointment thereafter at least six months. Alderman Busby said that is for non union employees and that is taken care of before the first of the year. Mr. Bates said they are reviewed each six months and then they are reviewed annually. Alderman Anderson said that should be clarified.
Mayor Snyder said next page on vacation days. It says Vacation days cannot be used in increments less than 1 working day but here is the sentence that I mentioned that no one shall be entitled to five single working days in a calendar year.
Alderman Bacon said does that mean just taking one vacation day at a time rather than consecutive like five in a row. It’s really not clear what it means.
Mayor Snyder said it makes it sound like that no one can work more than five days a year. One other thing and I mentioned to Mr. Bates about this on the list of holidays. We’ve got Good Friday listed and while I am certainly in support of everyone acknowledging that day I don’t know.
Mr. Bates said I don’t think we can do that as an official because the city doesn’t recognize. Mayor Snyder asked Mr. Bates to look into that. Mr. Bates said he would make some inquiries. Alderman Anderson said what do our union contracts say? Mr. Bates said I don’t know. Mr. Jackson said Streets and Alleys gets it off. Alderman Anderson said I bet they all do. Mr. Bates said Street and Alleys recognize the City schedule and he thought the police contract just has 5 holidays.
Fire/Water & ESDA:
Vice Chairman Alderman Busby said he did not have a report.
Grounds, Buildings and Local Improvements:
Vice Chairman Alderman Anderson said she would like to put on the agenda the approval to go out for bids for janitorial services.
Sewer Treatment Plant, Sewers and Drainage:
Chairman Alderman Busby said he did not have a report.
Police:
Chairman Alderman Hoinacki said he did not have a report.
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Ordinance and Zoning:
Chairman Alderman Neitzel said the only thing she has is a resolution authorizing a portion of Illinois Department of Transportation letter of intent Contract no. 72B38. I am sure we want that on the agenda. Do you want to read it this evening?
Alderman Busby said I would like it read next Monday night because we are on the air and I have had a few telephone calls and a lot of people are upset with our vote. Alderman Neitzel said yes they are.
Mayor Snyder said if I could just share some information Mr. Mathon contacted IDOT with regard to the whole matter and IDOT’s response basically was you asked for it, if you don’t want it we’ll take it out. They didn’t seem, I shared the email with Mr. Bates and they didn’t seem from their standpoint that it would cause any great issues with them. I did ask Mr. Mathon what type of light it was supposed to be and it was his understanding that it’s the type of light that would allow traffic to go up and down 5th Street basically it would be green up and down 5th Street but then there would be video whether it is lasers I’m not quite sure what it is. It’s not the magnetic strips in the ground when you pull up it triggers the light to go red it is actually some type of video system.
Mr. Jackson said it picks you up half a block away and then it picks you up again when you get to the intersection and it is a camera basically. It’s a relay and directs the traffic direction.
Alderman Neitzel said I think we should have tabled it. I wish that we would have done that. I think that would have been better to get more information.
Mayor Snyder said this resolution says we’re ok with everything except for the light. Mr. Bates said this resolution I changed last week when I got back this particular resolution says to approve everything in the letter except that portion of the light at 5th and College. Mayor Snyder said could the other resolution be brought up could it be on the agenda as well. Mr. Bates said yeah if there is some thought you may want to go the other way with it then we ought to keep it, put the original resolution on. Mayor Snyder said we could have both on the agenda. Mr. Bates said yes sir. Alderman Neitzel said I like that idea. Mayor Snyder said other discussion on that.
Alderman Wilmert said I got the opposite feedback that Alderman Busby did I got calls saying thank you for the vote that you guys took. I don’t know is this something to put on the agenda it is under your purview isn’t it.
Alderman Neitzel said we have both of them on the agenda. Alderman Wilmert said it started out with the one that we took pains to change specifically put on the agenda and now we’re just going too summarily put the old one back on and I don’t know that it is the right thing to do. Alderman Neitzel said we just asked the attorney here is the thing.
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Alderman Wilmert said that’s great that it’s a legal thing to do but as much as the vote was taken and it was said to put it on without that to turn right around and put the other one right back on again seems to go against the very purpose to have a vote. It is under your committee.
Alderman Neitzel said here is my feedback ok. The people from 4th, 3rd and 2nd streets are the ones that want it. They can’t get across but the ones on your side they can go to 8th Street and go that way but the people where I am at over at 4th and 3rd they have to go down Kickapoo and go up Kickapoo Street and that is the only way they can go to get away from it unless they take a different road.
Alderman Wilmert said most people do they know that time of day but again it was something about that it wasn’t anything magical about that particular corner. I don’t know what kind of feedback you’ve gotten Alderman Bacon. You’re going to encounter that same kind of traffic no matter what and 5th Street is a busy street. The feedback was that there would be better places to put it than right there up by the school or down by the credit union or wherever. That the money would be better spent to reallocate it. You might put it on the agenda that’s fine.
Mayor Snyder said I don’t think we have the ability to pick which corner because I think it was engineered for that corner. I mean we can go yes or no but I don’t know that we can say instead of 5th and College we want it at 5th and Pine or whatever.
Mr. Jackson said when they do the study that involves all the traffic counts. They actually have the traffic count for it. Union might be the next one but there is nothing on the route that would have it.
Alderman Armbrust said I am questioning whether there would be one of the streets besides of College that could carry the traffic that it carries because of its size. A lot of those others are pretty small and narrow streets in town. Find one that goes through and make it.
Alderman Wilmert said for clarification my ward does extend to First Street. Alderman Neitzel said I know. Alderman Wilmert said when you said your side I am talking about from everybody in that area. Alderman Neitzel said the calls that you have gotten I bet they were on the other side of the street towards 8th instead of the ones that on 5th going to 4th.
Alderman Busby said one of the calls that I got was from one of the individuals that drives the mini bus with children on it and it goes through that intersection probably 8 times a day and he says in the morning and the afternoon it is very dangerous for him to try and pull onto 5th Street.
Mayor Snyder said is there any other information that we could gather before Monday. Alderman Busby said I wonder if the Chief could get an accident count at that intersection. Police Chief Erlenbush said I don’t think that’s been a lot.
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Alderman Wilmert said that would be good to know because I hear a lot of lip service about how dangerous that corner is and how many accidents and I would like to know if the numbers actually back that up.
Alderman Neitzel said what seems to be the reason why.
Alderman Wilmert said it is more of a reason of why to as opposed to why not. To block a major artery of traffic to spend the money on a road project as opposed to that it’s general sense of raised eyebrows why would you put it that intersection kind of response. Everybody is familiar with the fact that it can be inconvenient there at times but that alone didn’t seem to be enough to convince them that is was necessary to go to that expense or to redo it certainly the property owners down there don’t want it so I just don’t support it. One because my constituents having the feedback that I have gotten in a short time that we could conduct that unscientific pole that they didn’t want it plus the feedback I have gotten and I know if Alderman Horn were here that she would concur. I think to summarily put that in my opinion to summarily put that back on the agenda would be a mistake.
Mayor Snyder called on Alderman Armbrust.
Alderman Armbrust said I am not doubting what Alderman Wilmert is telling us but I think we lose track taking care of our wards in taking care of what might be better for the whole community. While we're all elected from a particular we are also elected as part of a group to govern this community. There were time spent getting this thing engineered. I realize with Alderman Wilmert being new on the Council to a point it popped up quick but it has been a process for I am thinking for possibly four years to make this happen and with the budget for the state is going I am a little concerned we did not get a bad reaction to that I understand that but we have spent some time on engineering and we're just pulling the handle and flushing, that bothers me. It also bothers me that should we change our mind or the community speak to us even more, one way or the other we would pay many times the value of this thing doing it ourselves, if the state says it is your project now those stoplights out on Route 10 were high dollar things, I mean $100,000.00 or more.
Alderman Wilmert said the poll was city wide not just my ward. Mayor Snyder said if I understand this correctly 20% of the cost of that traffic signal is being split between the state and us and that 20% cost is $40,000.00. The full cost would be $200,000.00. Alderman Armbrust said Goody's was $135,000.00.
Alderman Busby said some of the last ones were more than that. He said Dave do you know whether those people were from around the country club area calling you that they don't want to stop.
Alderman Wilmert said no. Alderman Busby said were they your constituents.
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Alderman Wilmert said yes, the phone calls I got. The emails I got were from people that don't live in Lincoln any more someone who was in favor of it. The rest I don’t have right in front of me but I'm also going off the city wide poll that came down from the side of foregoing this for now and not putting the stoplight there. I don't know how many people are physically in that ward or how many were in Alderman Armbrust's ward and Alderman Neitzel's ward or from all over. It wasn't a whole lot of time and there were only about 630 responses.
Mr. Bates said procedurally Alderman Wilmert I don't know if it sounds like it is a foregoing conclusion that the revised Resolution is going to pass if there is nothing else on the agenda there is no action that can be taken.
Alderman Bacon said my concern at putting a light at Fifth and College that is a narrow part of the street of Fifth Street. If you have traffic stopped East and West at a stoplight if it's on Fifth Street and you have an emergency vehicle that needs to get through there they aren't going to have much room to get through there if any to get through that. Now farther down it widens out but on the one section there it is two lanes. Maybe the Fire Chief or Police Chief can tell me if I am right on that or not but how would you get a fire truck or an ambulance through there if you've got traffic stopped and the street blocked and even trying to get around the intersection.
Police Chief Erlenbush said I don't think it will be a problem with the squad car at all. Fire Chief Hulett said intersections are always a concern.
Alderman Neitzel said the traffic is always stopped for a funeral procession that people on both sides and there is a procession going through. The thing I didn't understand was that it was traffic, if there is no traffic coming east and west the stop lights stay green.
Alderman Wilmert said until one car comes up you could have a whole rush hour thing on Fifth Street and then one car comes up and rather than choose a time to come in everything stops for everyone to let the one car in. That's the kind of thing when you think it through a little bit some of the people were telling me. It is not a tangible thing necessarily other than the money spent to have to do it.
Mr. Jackson said besides being on the camera they are on a timer also. I can get you the exact time but if there is nobody on 5th Street and say the light is green for College and a car drives up 5th Street gets the priority since it is the state route it runs the longest time cycle. The moment one car pulls up on 5th it is going to delay that timing because 5th is the priority road then it will click on that one and it doesn’t run near the amount of time that 5th does though. If anybody wants those times I can get them or if you want the traffic count I can get those for you.
Alderman Wilmert said I think it's going to come down where we're going to need those matrix because we are getting feelings on both sides. We need the accident figures and Mr. Jackson's figures and have it all out there and get the best then open it up.
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Mayor Snyder said Mr. Jackson does the state route always take. Mr. Jackson said priority. Mr. Bates said that is true on Keokuk and North Logan. Mr. Jackson said yes. Mr. Bates said when you are going North South on Logan you can't hardly get through that but one or two cars. Mr. Jackson said the only place it doesn’t apply is downtown and College and Woodlawn because that's the old protector. Alderman Armbrust said Union Street is about 4 seconds. Mr. Jackson said he could email that information to everybody.
Police Chief Erlenbush said I am reasonably confident and we were asked to do this about a year ago and I don't believe there were any accidents before that. There could have been some since that time and I will be glad to check that. If there are accidents it's not very many.
Alderman Neitzel said I just want to say I don't care if we have the light or if we don't have the light I just want to make the right decision for what's best for the city.
Streets and Alleys:
Vice Chairman Alderman Armbrust said he did not have a report.
Sidewalks, Forestry and Lighting:
Chairman Alderman Armbrust said he did not have a report.
Sanitation/Technology:
Chairman Alderman Wilmert said the funding for the broadband project they are dolling out some more money and we still have not received a rejection letter or a congratulations either way but just in case there is a round 2 that you can apply for and we are getting the committee together I believe it is next week. Just in case we don't get round 1 we will be ready for round 2.
Mayor Snyder said I don't believe anybody from Illinois has been awarded any money.
Insurance:
Chairman Alderman Bacon said she did not have a report.
Police:
Chairman Alderman Hoinacki said he had a petition from Railsplitter Auto Club. Mayor Snyder said it was a petition to block off some streets on the 4th Saturday of every month from April through September. Alderman Busby said they do this every year.
Mayor Snyder said I was wondering and maybe you can let me know if this is a bad idea. Right now in the Building and Safety office if there are things that somebody is requesting a change you know a code or waiver requirement they are required to notify the neighbors that their requested change is going to happen. I wondered if on these downtown street blockages if we maybe ought to consider maybe a process whereby the petitioner would let the affected businesses know.
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Mayor Snyder said we have requested to block the streets on these dates and the Council is going to consider it on this night so if any of the business owners have any concerns they could come and voice those to us. Would that be a good thing or bad thing? I have gotten some, for various downtown street blockages I have gotten some statements back to me that the business owners would have liked to have known that it was being discussed at the Council meeting. Now obviously we don't hide anything but it's not everybody and their brother actually pay attention to what is on our agenda I am not saying to oppose this in any way.
Mr. Jackson said it would save my men from getting rears chewed out when we are blocking the street. Mr. Bates said maybe you can solicit Main Street to be a liaison or something like that to alert all the downtown businesses. Mayor Snyder said would you like me to approach Main Street with that and see what their thoughts are. Alderman Neitzel said you can probably talk to Roger Matson. Mr. Jackson said Mrs. Rohlfs was back.
Mr. Loeffler said we have been doing this for six year and Main Street has come on board with us and they give us discounts to all the stores for the streets to be blocked off. At first we had some stores that weren't real happy with us but last couple of years everybody seems happy.
Mayor Snyder said I didn't say this was a bad thing I just said as a process and procedure but that is good to know.
Alderman Hoinacki asked City Clerk Mrs. Martinek to read the Petition. City Clerk Mrs. Martinek read the petition. Alderman Hoinacki asked to have this on the agenda. Fire Chief Hulett said last year we had a concern with closing Broadway.
Mr. Loeffler said we don't block off Broadway we just park on both sides. We never block Broadway.
Mayor Snyder said Saturday was round two of our Economic Summit. We had a very nice crowd. We had between 30-35 people there and great discussion about the book Caught in the Middle. I passed out to you tonight an email that I got from the author of that book. He is actually going to be in Decatur on April 13 which is a workshop meeting night. If there is interest in going perhaps we could make an adjustment to that schedule. It was good discussion about that book. We also had Dolan Dalpaos who had a session on strategic planning and I made his power point presentation available to you. I think folks left there energized and excited about possibilities. The book if you've read it brings out some things that could be a bit depressing but I think people were excited about what we can do here in Lincoln. I have some articles that were made available if any of you want them. We have planned future meetings for the spring, summer and fall and we are going to make this a quarterly event. I had folks write down the names of at least ten people they would like to see there and I have hundreds of names of people to pursue that they would like to see involved in this process and hopefully it can continue and grow bigger. It was just a very good morning.
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Mayor Snyder said Alderman Horn was there and we had four county board members there and that was encouraging.
Alderman Busby made a motion to adjourn and Alderman Wilmert seconded it. There were seven yeas (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Busby, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Neitzel, and Alderman Wilmert), zero nays, and three absent Alderman Horn, Alderman Tibbs, and Alderman Turner); motion carried.
The City of Lincoln Committee’s as a Whole Meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Risa Riggs
Recording Secretary
City of Lincoln