McLean County Times

City of Chenoa City Council met Aug. 13.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The Chenoa City Council met in Regular Session on August 13, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Shane, Commissioners Pickett, Lopeman, Hernandez, Attorney Mann, and Treasurer Rowold were in attendance. City Clerk Rhoades was absent. Commissioner Myers resigned effective July 24, 2024.

#5699 Commissioners Pickett and Lopeman moved and seconded the Motion that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of July 9, 2024 and July 23, 2024, the Minutes of the Executive Session of July 9, 2024 and July 2023, 2024 be approved. That the bills and payrolls be allowed, and orders on the Treasurer be drawn in payment of same. The roll call vote was affirmative.

#5700 Commissioners Pickett and Hernandez moved and seconded the Motion to Approve to Sign FGI Professional Services Agreement for Water Main Improvements Contract. The roll call vote was affirmative.

#5701 Commissioners Hernandez and Pickett moved and seconded the Motion to Approve an Ordinance Amending Metal Siding Provisions Under the Chenoa Zoning Code. Ordinance #871. The roll call vote was affirmative with Commissioner Lopmean negative.

#5702 Commissioners Pickett and Herndanez moved and seconded the Motion to Approve to Enter into Executive Session to Discuss the Appointment, Employment, Compensation, Discipline, Performance or Dismissal of Specific Employees of the City of Chenoa - Section 2(c)(1) and Executive Session to Discuss Litigation – Section 2(c)(11) – Pending Probable or Imminent Litigation. The roll call vote was affirmative.

#5703 Commissioners Herndanez and Lopeman moved and seconded the Motion Approve to Return to open Session. The roll call vote was affirmative.

#5704 Commissioners Lopeman and Herndanez moved and seconded the Motion that the council do now adjourn. The roll call vote was affirmative.

IN OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COUNCIL:

Discuss Water Rate Increase

Mayor Shane said they need to raise the average water bill rate to a little over $88.00 per month. We currently are losing about $50,000 a year just running the plant at our current rate. It has been talked about that some people feel the people that use more water should have to pay more for the water. Mayor Shane would like to raise the first 1,000 gallons by $30.00 and then raise per gallon from $0.015 to $0.022. That gives them 293,500 a year which would be 100% of the loan. They have to show they can pay 100% of the loan but he feels they will get the forgiveness approved. Any money they save from principal forgiveness has to stay in the water and sewer. He would see that money paying for about two thirds of the third phase when it comes time for that. He proposes this to be on the next agenda to vote on. Commissioner Lopeman said people are going to want to pay less for the ones who use less and think they should go with the $20.00 flat rate for the first 1,000 and the $0.026 per gallon after that. Attorney Mann asked if this would replace the graduated system of the 2% increase per year. Mayor Shane said that can be discussed but this would raise it now and they will still need that increase in the future as cost still goes up. Treasurer Rowold said it is laid out to have the increase pay off the loan and make up the deficit annually in the water and sewer. Mayor Shane these numbers are based on the last two years of audits. Treasurer Rowold said there is a concern that people will lower their usage which could mean they will not have enough income to pay for the loan. Mayor said that $25.00 a month would cover the loan and the extra $5.00 is to cover the operation costs. This will get phase 1 and 2 done, help pay for the daily deficit and start paying for phase 3. Mayor Shane is leaning toward the $30.00 first 1,000 and $0.022 per gallon after. Commissioner Pickett is leaning towards the $25.00 first 1,000 and $0.024 per gallon after. Commissioner Lopeman is leaning towards the $20.00 first 1,000 and $0.026 per gallon after. Mayor Shane said they could meet in the middle ground and to the $20.00 and bring it to a vote at the next meeting unless someone brings something up and changes their mind before that. They agreed to keep the 2% annual increase there. .

Discuss Sales Tax Increase

Commissioner Lopeman said the council received an email from IML that they could increase the sales tax in quarter percent increments up to 1 percent without putting it on a referendum. He said the person that called him on this said this would be the travelers and people passing through town that would pay this when buying things. He said with staying with what sales tax has brought it the 1% sales tax increase would bring in about another $150,000 per year. He said it could be used for some drainage work and street work along with putting some towards water to help keep the water rates down. Mayor Shane said it has been said they don’t want to raise water rates on the elderly but this would raise their spending money as well. He said this would take the sales tax to 8.25%. It was said there's no way to find out for sure how much sales tax is from people stopping off the interstate. The people that are going to Dollar General and the Pharmacy are not the ones coming off the interstate but a lot of them are the older people in town by a guess but again no way of knowing for sure. Mayor Shane said he has a hard time raising taxes with increases from the Bloomington-Normal Airport and the school.

Discuss and Vote to Sign FGI Professional Services Agreement for Water Main Improvements Mayor Shane said we are already in the process and asked if the council had any concerns with the agreement. No issues or concerns were brought up.

Discuss and Vote on an Ordinance Amending Metal Siding Provisions Under the Chenoa Zoning Code

Mayor Shane said they have been working on it for a while now and the Zoning Board recommended it to the council. There were no questions or concerns.

Discuss House City Owns Regarding Asbestos Abatement or Selling Property Commissioner Lopeman said after the last meeting he went back to get a hard estimate which came down from the ballpark of $8,000. Their official estimate is $6,900 to do it. He said it would take a few days to get done. Inside buildings it is common to have the job monitored but outside like this house is sully not monitored. Commissioner Lopeman said it would be up to the council if they would like to pay for it to go to bid or just have this company do it and if they would like to pay to have it monitored. He has not had the company get back to him on the estimate of the demo of the house. If they renovate or demo the house they have to do an abatement. Attorney Mann said if they decided to sell it would have to go to bid. Commissioner Pickett said she would like to see the house gone as it is an eye sore. Attorney Mann said you can not condiem your own property so they need to fix it to use it or get rid of it.

Comments from the Floor

Les Roberts asked if the City has tax on the hotel. Mayor Shane said yes and they just raised it as much as they could. He asked if anyone has called the EPA regarding the asbestos to find out what they can and can't do. Commissioner Lopeman said no they have just gone through the company they got the quotes from.

Melissa Cooper said they had something come up and will need to move the collection at the 4 way stop to the second weekend in October. The council did not see an issue with that. She said she was approached by someone who has been going around town telling people that the liner in the water tower has lead in it. Mayor Shane said there is no liner in the tower and the tower was just redone. The City also tests water per the EPA all the time and the one service that was over the limit and that line has already been replaced. She asked about the update on the container. Mayor Shane said that will need to go on the next agenda with an agreement.

Sally Decker said there have been people that are wanting to get together to raise money for the swimming pool. Mayor Shane said they would take any donations to get the necessary repairs and updates done which will be a minimum of $150,000.

Liz Easely said the parks and Silliman Pond look great and gave kudos to the one taking care of them and doing all the work.

Attorney's Comments

None

Treasurer’s Comments

Treasurer Rowold gave a summary of the deficit and surplus of each account. The General Fund has already given the Swimming Pool $40,000.

Commissioner’s Comments

Commissioner Pickett

None

Commissioner Hernandez said they have driven around town to identify unsafe homes and tall grass. 7 They have sent 7 letters to get the process of cleaning up started. He asked if anyone sees others to let him know. The police department is handling the junk cars. The repairs that have been done at the pool have made a big difference.The pool was using 256,700 gallons July 2023 and this July it was 88,200.

Commissioner Lopeman said he has had a request for a while now for a sign as you come into town for a state wrestler winner Hoselton. The State will provide at their cost signs for IESA, ISHA, and FFA sanctioned events. There has also been an Eagle Scout sign requested which would be up to the City. The State does not want signs up for more than a year and if there is not another sign to replace it the post also must come down. They had a tree on Fuller between Grant and Sheridan that has been dead for awhile and he finally got aloud of Ameren to take down and our guys finished taking it down after Ameren was done. The manlift is back and working well. He said back when the 4th of July was moving from the grass lot to the street for the street dance the City offered to pay for generators for them. The Committee sent an invoice to the City and Dave wants more detail on them and who they were rented from. He said 4th of July has already paid this bill and he doesn't think we ask other companies where they buy their material at. Commissioner Lopeman did not feel more details were needed and that it does not matter who the generators were rented from. It was said that it should be discussed in closed session. Commissioner Lopeman said since the last meeting they went over the list of things he had not got done he wanted to go over the list of other things that have not been done.

https://www.chenoail.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif6431/f/minutes/8_13_24.pdf