Council Minutes
 
 

COMMITTEE OFTHE WHOLE MEETING

Lincoln City Hall, Council Chambers

700 Broadway Street I Lincoln, Illinois

Tuesday, Sept.25, 2018

The Committee of the Whole Meeting of the City Council of Lincoln was called to order by Mayor Seth Goodman at 7 p.m., with proper notice given. City Clerk Peggy Bateman took roll.

Present:

Alderman Steve Parrott Alderman Tracy Welch Alderman Ron Fleshman Alderwoman Michelle Bauer Alderman Ron Keller Alderwoman Heidi Browne Alderman Jeff Hoinacki Alderman Dayne Dalpoas

Staff Present:

City Administrator Elizabeth Kavelman City Clerk Peggy Bateman

Treasurer Chuck Conze

Fire Chief Mark Miller

Police Chief Paul Adams

Building and Safety Officer Wes Woodhall Streets Superintendent Walt Landers Shawn Wright, Veolia Water Technologies

Absent:

City Attorney Blinn Bates

Presiding:

Mayor Seth Goodman

Public Comment:

Mayor Goodman called upon citizens registered to speak. Mr. Greg Haji Patel to talk about the city's Class B-Tavern (video gaming) Licenses. He wanted to ask the council if the city could get another Class B-Tavern License. He wants to put up a building near Thorntons and have video gaming there. He said this would impact truck drivers who come in and out of town. He talked about the economic impact to the city. He said truckers are doing nothing while waiting so many hours before driving again. He said this would add to the property tax base for the county as well. It could go up by as much as

$6,000-$8,000. He also has a wedding hall near the area too.

Alderman Welch wanted to know what the business side of things would be. Mr. Patel said it would be a bar with pool tables, tv's-a tavern. Drivers could hang out for as long or as little as they'd like. He said truck stop revenue for gaming is a big draw. He said look at Dixie, Becks, and Thorntons.

Alderman Keller wanted to know what his timeframe would be. He said he already has a proposal from

the Morton Building. He's also talked with Ameren Illinois. He wanted to first pursue options with the city.

City Administrator Elizabeth Kavelman said as of right now, the last license had been promised. He said he proposes opening up this to three different licenses, turning the current structure into one license. He said Qik-n-EZ for one is using a license, although they do not have a tavern. He then talked about the 60-40% breakdown.

Mr. Greg Haji Patel also wanted to talk about a pool tournament. He said a state league wants to bring a tournament to the city. They want a free venue, 12 hotel rooms for three nights . . . he said they've gotten this in the past from other cities. He brought up the idea of using some of the Hotel/Motel Tax to cover these expenses. He said this would be something big that would come to the city. Mr. Patel thinks it would be around $10-15,000. This would include a welcome dinner and potentially involve downtown businesses.

He said it's going to happen, but someone is picking up the cost. He said he doesn't know how the group will come up with sponsorships. Alderwoman Bauer wanted clarification on what venue would be able to hold the full pool tournament. Alderman Fleshman wanted to confirm what he was asking. Mr. Patel wants funding for the event and venue. He said it is not his event, he is competing against the City of Joliet. Alderman Welch encouraged Mr. Patel to go to the Logan County Tourism Board and bring this request. He wanted to know if the hotels offered to pay for the costs of the rooms, and he wanted to know if Mr. Patel was willing to waive costs to some extent as well-as much as other

businesses waive their costs. He said he wanted to present the case. He wanted to know if there was a body for someone to call, other than the Logan County Tourism Board.

Alderman Welch said word on the street is that CAPCIL is taking on an economic development stance in the community. He wanted to know if Mr. Patel has reached out to them.

Mr. Bill Hubbard of Apple Mart came forward to talk about Class B-Tavern (video gaming) Licenses as well. He said he's looking to add on to their existing building. He discussed different security concerns and scanners that he's considering for this add-on. He talked about scanning licenses and badges-in order to prevent people who are underage from entering the facility. He said there is a lot invested in a convenient store channel. He said in 2020, the station will need to put chip readers in dispensers. He said it helps the business draw more attention to it, and to give the presentation everyone would like to see at their gas stations. He said the main thing he wants to ensure is that the site is highly secure, and that there is a camera system there. He said he wanted to make sure they meet the criteria of the ordinance.

City Administrator Kavelman said, and again you're asking for a Class B-Tavern License, and we gave away our last one. So you will be waiting. He said, "Sure.N Alderman Fleshman wanted to ensure that Mr. Hubbard was aware of the 60-40% revenue split.

Mr. Kevin Bateman wanted to discuss Campus View Drive and the proposed ordinance. He said he has been doing more research on his street, to determine if it is a city street. He said some county workers have been evaluating it as well-city streets vs. non-city streets. He said he emailed the city attorney.He said the attorney believes it is an ownership issue, not an annexation. He included a copy of the state statute, in the packet that he passed around to the council. He said in June 1976, the Campus View Drive properties were annexed into the City of Lincoln. He said he didn't know what further action the council needed to take, other than to raise their hands and say this was a mistake by state statute. He said when streets were annexed in, they became a city street-based on state statute.

He said he believes Campus View Drive has and always has been a city street since June 1976. He asked if anyone had any questions. There were none.

Mrs.Wanda Lee Rohlfs came forward next and wanted to discuss the strategic planning study and a set of emails she had access to via a FOIA request. She mentioned a letter to the editor that she had written, it focused on things she believes the city needs to be focusing on. She said she is a constituent of Ward 3. She said one if her aldermen wrote an email to another alderman, via the city's email account-referencing Mrs. Rohlfs.

She said the content of the emailwas belittling and very condescending, and in accurate-and she said the use of the city's emailfor this purpose, to send these comments is disturbing.She said she did not think it was appropriate for her alderman to refer to her in this manner. She said the whole emailwas disturbing for her and she is wondering about this particular alderman's code of ethics. There being no further public participation, Mayor Goodman moved down to other agenda items.

Bid award for curb and sidewalk project and additional targets:

Streets Superintendent Walt Landers talked about bids-the bid period opened on Sept. 13. He listed off the bids and their estimates. He said one bid came from Kinny Contractors, Inc. that's the company that did the city sidewalk project last year. He said this is who they would like to go with again with a not-to-exceed price. The item will be placed on the agenda.

Discussion Regarding the Sewerage Treatment Plant Manager Shawn Wright's Needto Purchase Equipment Items Totaling $19,400:

Mr. Shawn Wright mentioned what equipment he needs for the plant. He said the item he is requesting is a critical item. Alderwoman Bauer asked Treasurer Chuck Conze to talk about the budget-he said when his predecessor was here, the two of them reviewed line items in the budget. This conversation covered sewer equipment, a truck, etc. He also had in his notes-Mr. Manhole. He said he's assuming there won't be enough money left in the line item to purchase Mr. Manhole.

Mr. Wright said please don't be afraid to reach out to me. Treasurer Conze said there would be around

$46,000 left in the line item, but that the blower would take that amount down. Adlerman Hoinacki wanted to clarify that Mr. Manhole is a piece of equipment. Alderwoman Bauer wanted to ensure everyone was aware of how costs would impact the budget, before the council would take a vote.

Alderman Fleshman wanted Mr. Wright to inform the council how he would bring information forward­ going forward. This would happen once things get switched to his accounting software. He said we won't be chasing our tail toward the end of the year-where they are at vs. the actual budget. The information will be there. The item will be placed on the agenda.

Further Discussion of Requestby City of Lincoln Liquor Commission to expand/add three more Class B-Tavern Licenses for video gaming to its allowable number, to now equal 15total:

City Administrator Kavelman said we're back to this again.She said we now have 12 licenses filled, the last one being with Thornton's, and she then said we got the two requests that came in tonight.

  • The city has 12 licenses allowed at the present time and 11 are solidly filled to date with one very solid inquiry and two speculative inquiries
    • Also to cap the total number of allowed video gaming machines within the city to 120. We now have 113

Alderman Fleshman wanted to know how many licenses are subject to the 60-40% split She said all of them are subject to the 60-40% split, expect for those that were grandfathered in before March 17, 2015. She said the ones that are grandfathered in have to do nothing. He wanted to know what that number was. She began to count them. She said there are six that are not grandfathered in, the next one from Thorntons would make seven, not grandfathered in. He said, so we should expect seven reports.He said so we should expect seven reports then. She said,"Yes." Alderwoman Bauer said there are seven-that have to meet that 60-40% by April. City Administrator Kavelman said they will have to meet the standards by April, providing receipts from the previous calendar year.Licenses would be issued before May, before the start of the calendar year.

Six currently, by April 1, will have to submit documentation showing 60-40% split. Alderman Parrott wanted to know if the documentation came forward from last year.She said one, possibly might have been on the line. She said other thanthat we'll be back on target. He wanted to know who the liquor commissioner was prior, before two years ago, she saidit would have been Mayor Marty Neitzel and Mayor Keith Snyder before that-that was when the ordinance first went through. He said it seems like it's been very, poorly managed in the previous years.She said we did not inherit the information. He would vote no, at this point for sure, untilthere is better management and record keeping of the 60-40% split documentation and records. He then wanted her to explain the 60-40% split. It's 60% of other sales, other than gaming.She said this is a rather new ordinance, it came into effect in March 2015.

She said one individual was likely dropped accidentally.

Alderman Welch said he goes back to the 60-40% split on the sale of stuff. He said the 60% does not apply to the Class B License Tavern License, she said it is 60%. He said when he looks at the Class B, it references the percent on alcohol sales. She said Class B is a Tavern License, and Class C is a Restaurant License. He wanted clarity on the percentages. He said the request on the agenda is to raise this to 15 licenses. He wanted to knowif raising this to three more, will be enough.Orif there will be three more requests coming in in a year or two ...

She said thereinlies her request to the city attorney-to move some licenses over.Alderwoman Bauer said she would like to see that proposal, before voting on it. She said we need to be very clear on the ordinances and understand the full breadth of all the licenses before adding more. She said we still have more language to discuss. She said she did not know if we need to recreate or add to the

licenses, if the issue is with the language. Alderwoman Browne asked what the date on the ordinance read. . .Alderman Welch said the website is dated at 2006-on the Sterling Codifiers website. He said people look at our rules and the way we governor our community-and they look at our website.

Alderwoman Browne said we don't want to eliminate other businesses that could come to town, by strictly voting "no." She said we shouldn't be too hasty on this. Alderwoman Browne wanted to table this and discuss it at the next Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Alderwoman Bauer said she will also email the city attorney. Alderman Parrott wanted to know why there is a set number of licenses. He said it could be to keep competition down, and to keep businesses from coming in and out. He said there must be a reason why we have a set number, he saidif not, open it up.City Administrator saidit was set back under Mayor Snyder's administration. Alderman Welch said we can appeal that. He also said the 60-40% split is unfair to new businesses. The item will be tabled for two weeks. It will be revisited at that time.

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Proclamations INickelodeon Worldwide Day of Play Proclamation inWhich Sept. 29, 2018,will celebrate the 15th Annual Worldwide Day of Play:

Mayor Goodman read the proclamation and proclaimed the day, Worldwide Day of Play. The item will be placed on the consent agenda.

Upgrading of City Radio's to Starcom System:

Fire Chief Mark Miller said he sent information on potential upgrades for radio services for the city. He said the department's communication efforts have been hampered by technology. He is looking at trying to get into a radio system that eliminates a lot of the infrastructure that they currently have now, and go to a system that is more up to date and has more capabilities. Police Chief Paul Adams said some buildings in town are not conducive for radio communication, however, the Starcom Radios work. He said the current radio system is not compatible with other areas. He said we're behind the times on this. He said the Logan County Sheriff's Department already has their radios funded.They want around 27 radios, it would cost around $180,000. There is a lease option through MOTOROLA.

Alderman Keller said if he remembered right, he thought he heard that fees would be reduced in the first year? Chief Miller said you have to be on the system and utilizing it. The user fee includes maintenance.There are options to choose a comprehensive option as well.There is a three year maintenance agreement with the radios. Alderwoman Bauer said what is the ask of the council-is it just to be aware.

Chief Miller said it is a big dollar project coming down the channel for us. He said with the MOTOROLA lease you do not have to make a payment in the first year, except for the user feeds. They'd then pay,

$47,500 a year for seven years-that's around $332,500. He said we'd like to get this program rolling. He said he opened an Assistance to Firefighters Grant to purchase these, but he said, it's a grant so it's no guarantee.

Alderman Keller asked if there is any technology coming out. Users can add GPS, there is a WiFi option that could roll out in the next year or two. There is also software and MOTOROLA partners with hundreds of certified partners. There is Bluetooth capabilities etc. Maybe push to talk technology with photos. There would be options down the road. STARCOM has been around since 2007-2008, there are about 55,000 users on the system currently.

Chief Miller said the technology they are also considering replacing is the breathing apparatus. Their current apparatus is 15 years old. The masks they'd like to get could integrate with these radios. It would clear up communications and background noise. MOTOROLA maintains the system.

Extension of time for street closure for 3rd Friday's Downtown Llncoln on Sept. 21, 2018:

Alderman Bauer said to place it on the consent agenda.

Announcements:

Mayor Goodman asked if anyone had any announcements.

  • Alderman Fleshman said there is a 1.2 million a year mandate for 22 years. He said it has been proposed that the residential rate be tied to water usage, and a tiered base rate based on that usage. He said another proposal is the use a sewage pocket, create an average off of three months, and bring it into the system to create and average. He said there are about 1,700 residents that the city could not create a pocket for. He said they could be implemented into a

5   I COW I Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018

tier. He called this a sewer pocket and tiered system.Alderwoman Bauer asked that this be brought back in front of the council once he has more information. It would create an average rate and allow the city clerk's office to look at this one time a year and not chase after the numbers every month.Alderman Keller also said the council needs to decide what to do with vacant properties. If they need to be put in a tier as well.

  • Police Chief Adams said hotdogs will be given away on Saturday, from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. for the drug take back program. People can bring their expired or unused medications in exchange for a free hotdog.
  • Superintendent Landers said oil and chip projects are complete. Mill and overlay is set to start tomorrow, Sept. 26. New asphalt will be laid on Thursday, Sept. 27. He said city staff will be working on a sidewalk project on Logan St. in the 300 block. He's asking drivers to be patient and follow the road work signage.
  • Mayor Goodman thanked the 3ro Fridays Downtown Lincoln Committee.Alderman Welch said the last event was chilly, but good. It got dark at 8 p.m. and people started thinning out. He wanted to apologize, saying there was an issue with the inflatables, but that the group was short on volunteers that night. He received feedback that it got a little rough inside the inflatables. He said the group can use all the help they can get. He said the committee will do better next year.
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Adjournment:

There being no further discussion to come before the council, Alderwoman Bauer motioned to adjourn, seconded by Alderman Dalpoas. Mayor Goodman adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m.

Upcoming Meetings:

Regular City Council IMonday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m. Committee of the Whole ITuesday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted By:

Alex Williams,Recording Secretary

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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

Information is available on the following sites:
Logan County Current Statistics

Memorial Health System  - Includes daily statistics for MHS and a COVID-19 Risk Screening

Local Business Resources
Logan County Department of Public Health
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

 

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