Gloria Sidar

First term Benld Mayor Gloria Sidar resigned her seat at the close of Monday night’s regular meeting of the city council.

Sidar distributed copies of her resignation letter moments before the council adjourned. Many council members seemed stunned by the news and Sidar later confirmed she had not shared her intentions with any of the alderpersons, other than Ald. Jim Kelly, who will serve as Mayor Pro-Tem immediately after Sidar’s resignation becomes effective. Ald. Teressa Tucker’s motion to accept the resignation “with a heavy heart” was seconded by Ald. Jim Tilashalski and was unanimously approved by the council.

Sidar’s resignation becomes effective at the end of business on Friday, Sept. 23.

“This decision was not taken lightly but due to the fact that I have sold my residence at 400 S. Kentucky,” Sidar’s letter stated. “I will no longer be a resident of the city.”

In her letter, Sidar “wholeheartedly” thanked council members “for their support, patience and understanding throughout (her) term as mayor.”

[pullquote]It is my belief that this council has done many positive things for the city and its inhabitants[/pullquote]“It is my belief that this council has done many positive things for the city and its inhabitants,” she wrote.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I’m doing this,” an emotional Sidar told the council. “I think we’ve done a lot in the past few years. We put in a new lift station without having to have outside financial help, we have new businesses moving in and I personally think the town is cleaner. I’m proud of what we’ve done.”

Gina Verticchio, who attended the meeting on behalf of City Attorney Rick Verticchio, said Kelly could call a special meeting soon after Sidar’s resignation becomes effective. At that time, council members can elect a new mayor from among the current alderpersons. Whoever is elected can be appointed as a temporary mayor, in which case he or she would retain aldermanic status and would be empowered to vote on various motions, or be appointed as a permanent mayor to serve the remainder of Sidar’s term, which will end in the spring of 2017. If a permanent mayor is appointed, he or she, would then appoint a community member to take his or her seat on the council, subject to council approval.

Kelly said he would like to move as quickly as possible to call a special meeting, appoint a new mayor and ensure the transition goes smoothly.

Sidar, who previously served as an alderman, was elected mayor on April 9, 2013, defeating challenger Peyton Bernot with 310 votes to Bernot’s 237. She was sworn-in during the May 2013 meeting of the council. Bernot was serving as Ward 3 alderman at the time of Sidar’s election and was re-elected to the seat in 2015.

According to the State Board of Elections website, persons interested running for the Benld Mayor or other offices open for election in 2017 could have begun circulating nominating petitions as of Aug. 30. The filing period for petitions is Nov. 21-28.

Also on Monday night, the council unanimously approved Sidar’s appointment of Terri Koyne to serve as City Clerk following the resignation last month of Nadine Ferrero. Ferrero also was elected in 2013, and Koyne’s appointed term will run until the end Ferrero’s term.

KRAVANYA CREMATORY

Council members unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Benld Zoning Commission to rezone the 300 block of Locust Street from residential use to commercial use. The move paves the way for Kravanya Funeral Homes to apply for permits and licensing to construct a crematory facility that will provide cremation services for both human remains and pets. Anthony Kravanya, who attended the meeting, said the funeral home must have the property rezoned before it can apply for permits from the Environmental Protection Agency and seek licensing from the state Professional Regulation and Licensing agency.

“Right now there is a trend toward cremation,” Kravanya said, “and the closest places are in St. Louis, Alton or Springfield.” Those facilities, like the one proposed in Benld, are located primarily in residential areas, Kravanya said.

Mayor Sidar said she attended the Zoning Board hearing and that Zoning Board members confirmed the facility will produce no smoke and no odors. Ameren Illinois will run dedicated power lines and dedicated gas lines to the facility, it will not cause power surges or otherwise disrupt utility services to other residents.

[pullquote]It will be 97.1 percent ‘green’[/pullquote]“It will be 97.1 percent ‘green’,” Kravanya noted, meaning that emissions from the stack will be virtually carbon free and primarily comprised of vapor.

Once completed, Kravanya expects to have one side of the facility dedicated to cremating human remains, with a separate side offering cremation services for the owners of deceased pets. The side dedicated for human remains will have a viewing room where families can observe the casket entering the crematorium if they wish to watch. Metal prostheses will be recovered and recycled through a certified facility.

Kravanya said the funeral home has owned the lot for several years. He said the decision was made to locate the facility in Benld rather than Gillespie because he lives in Benld and will be the operator of the facility.

Council members also unanimously approved a business license application submitted by Brandy Olroyd, M.A., CCC-SLP, to open a speech therapy clinic in the 200 block of East Central Avenue. Olroyd, who plans to have her business open by Oct. 1, said she already has two clients enrolled and hopes to secure other clients through word of mouth and through advertising. She said her hours will “mostly be weekends and evenings” until she can acquire enough clients to warrant a full-time operation.

POLICE CAR ENGINE

Council members tabled action on replacing the engine in an older police car that currently is inoperable. Police Committee Chair Ald. Mickey Robinson and Ald. Kelly said the committee is leaning toward replacing the engine rather than buying another vehicle. Kelly said Quality Motors, Gillespie, can install a rebuilt engine but is willing to warranty labor only, saying they have not previously worked with the rebuilder who would supply the engine itself. However, Kelly added, it may be that the rebuilder will guarantee the engine.

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Terri Koyne being sworn in as City Clerk by Gina Verticchio.

Ald. Tucker indicated she would not support buying a rebuild engine unless it was covered by a warranty, and suggested doing further research to find out if the rebuilt engine would be guaranteed and contacting other mechanics to find out what their cost would be for obtaining and installing a rebuilt engine. Ald. Tilashalski said he would not be supportive of buying a replacement vehicle because the vehicles within the city’s price range have more than 100,000 miles on their odometers.

“I’m concerned, as the mayor is, about the costs involved with our vehicles and the bad luck we’ve had with them,” Tilashalski said.

Mayor Sidar said the sidelined car has 160,000 miles on it. “It has a new transmission and a new front end,” she said. “About the only thing it doesn’t have is a new engine. It’s practicality been rebuilt, and we are not in a position to afford a new one.”

Ultimately, the council referred the issue back to committee with the expectation the committee will return next month with additional information.

CHICKEN ORDINANCE

The council voted unanimously to adopt an amended ordinance that will allow residents to raise a limited number of chickens within the city limits, while banning roosters. The amendment is attached to an ordinance that previously banned all livestock, including chickens and other fowl, horses, donkeys, pigs, cattle, goats and sheep. In addition to lifting the restriction on chickens the amendment sets out provisions requiring the owners of chickens to keep no more than six hens per household.

The chicken coop and chicken run must be located behind the residence at least 25 feet from the house and five feet from the rear property line. The facilities must be maintained so that no odor can be detected from the property lines. Chicken manure can be composted so long as it doesn’t create an odor. If manure is not composted, it must be removed weekly. The prohibition on roosters is primarily because of the noise a raucous rooster can create.

PROPERTY ACTION

City alderpersons took no action on a request from realtor Roy Burch of JICTB, Inc., Champaign, to waive nearly $3,000 in liens the city has against a residence in the 400 block of South Hardroad. Mayor Sidar said Burch has repeatedly contacted the city since August asking to waive the liens, but has so far declined to appear before the council. Sidar said Burch has told her that he has a buyer for the property but the sale will not be completed if the liens are not abated.

“Basically, what he is saying is that if we don’t waive these liens, he’s going to lose the buyer,” Sidar said, and the city will be stuck with property. She added the buyer would be buying contract-for-deed and Burch’s company doesn’t want to risk more money if the buyer is unable to fulfill the contract.

Verticchio said Burch’s approach sounds somewhat like a threat.

“You want to find out what other liens are on the property,” Verticchio said. “There’s no need for you to release your liens if the others aren’t being released.”

Tilashalski agreed. “For me to make a good decision, I would want more information. There are additional liens besides the City of Benld’s.”

Council members also concurred with a letter prepared by Rick Verticchio responding to a proposal from Robert McClain under which McClain would have cleaned-up several nuisance properties in various locations, used some of the salvaged materials to rehabilitate some of the properties and disposed of unusable debris. McClain had offered to do the work at a cost of $1,500 to the city. Verticchio’s letter noted that such a project would require an open bidding process and only properties for which the city has acquired title or has obtained a court order for nuisance abatement could be involved. Additionally, the letter indicates the contractor would have to document that unsalvageable debris was going to a certified landfill, and the houses to be rehabilitated would have to specifically delineate in the contract. Verticchio also suggested that including four residences in a single contract could be confusing since each of the houses might be subject to separate court orders, suggesting separate contracts for each of the properties.

McClain, who was provided with a copy of the letter, said he would revisit his proposal and try to submit a proposal addressing the attorney’s concerns.

Gina Verticchio also reported to the council that Verticchio’s office has been unable to locate the owners of two properties against which the city is pursuing nuisance actions, and that the owner of a third property is deceased. Consequently, the city will use public notices to notify the owners of its intentions to seek court orders to abate the properties.

SOLICITATIONS & OTHER ACTION

The council tabled requests for donations from the Gillespian high school yearbook committee and the Shop Local First organization, citing restrictions on making charitable donations with public funds.

“It’s illegal for us to donate money from our General Fund,” Ald. Bernot noted.

In action, the council:

• Accepted the resignation of Terry Wargo from the city’s Zoning Commission and approved Mayor Sidar’s appointment of John Balzraine to replace him.
• Agreed to close the first block of South Main Street and the alley behind the Public Library from First Street to Fourth Street for a Trunk or Treat event sponsored by the library on Sunday, Oct. 30. The event is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.; the streets will be closed from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to allow time for set-up and removal.
• Tabled action on renegotiating contracts with Sawyerville and Mr. Clare to provide police protection in those communities.
• Heard a report from Ald. Kelly indicating that some city streets will be oiled and chipped on Sept. 26 with a rain date of Sept. 27. The project will include oiling and chipping in the City Cemetery where the Italian-American Club recently paid for rock and labor to improve streets.
• Approved Mayor Sidars reappointment of Cindy Saracco and Bev Gibson, and appointment of Gerri Bayse to the Frank Bertetti Benld Public Library Board.

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