Gillespie city aldermen discussed issues ranging from stray cats to the creation of new lake lots during the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday night. But it was a discussion focused on the fledgling Illinois Coal Museum that took center stage near the end of the meeting.

Mayor John Hicks defended the museum after a couple of aldermen questioned the amount of money the city is spending on the former United Community Bank building, which houses the museum’s exhibit space. At the request of Ald. Dave Tucker, who chairs the Museum board of directors, consideration of a request for funds was added to the published agenda at the start of the meeting. Two years ago, Tucker said, the city committed to providing $8,000 per year in funding for the museum over a period of three years, for a total of $24,000. The funds were to be provided as matching funds equal to monies raised by the museum through donations and other sources.

Tucker said the museum raised $5,264.91 last year and moved to approve payment of matching funds in that amount for the 2016 calendar year. City Attorney Kevin Polo, however, advised that since the issue was not part of the previously published agenda, any vote on the expenditure of funds should be deferred to March.

“You can discuss something when it is added to the agenda,” Polo said, “but you may not be able to spend money with an amendment to the agenda.” He recommended adding the issue to the agenda for the council’s March meeting. Based on that advice, Tucker withdrew his motion, and Ald. Jim Alderson, who also serves on the museum board, withdrew his second.

While making the request for funding, Tucker noted the board intended to use at least part of the money for ADA-compliant restrooms. He said the board intended to use volunteer labor for the work. That prompted Ald. Steve Kluthe to question whether or not the restroom work would have to be formally bid since the building technically is owned by the city. Ald. Collin Mussatto also noted the work, whether it is done by volunteers or a paid contractor, would have to be done by a licensed plumber to meet building code requirements. That issue also will be placed on the agenda for March.

Kluthe noted that the city is paying upward of $600 a month for utilities at the building and said he is often questioned by his constituents about the city’s involvement with the project. Originally, the city acquired the building with the intent of moving city offices to the upper floor and allowing the lower floor to be used as exhibit space for the Illinois Coal Museum. Utilizing the upper floor, however, will require installation of an elevator for access. In the meantime, the city has expended several thousands of dollars on the building from TIF funds for asbestos and mold abatement.

“I’m not against the museum,” Kluthe said, “but I have people come to me wanting to know who’s paying for this.”

“The building is too big and too expensive for just a museum,” Ald. Janice Weidner said, objecting to the amount of money being spent on the building itself.

Tucker said keeping heat and air conditioning in the building is necessary to preserve the building.

Responding to a follow-up question from Kluthe, Tucker said he didn’t know how many people visited the museum in the past week.

“This is not a high tourist season,” said Mayor Hicks, noting that attendance is likely to increase during the spring and summer months.

Mayor Hicks defended the museum, describing it as an integral part of the city’s efforts to promote tourism in the community.

“I’m all for it,” he said. “If someone came along and wanted to buy the building from us, I guess the museum could be moved to another location.” Whether in its current location or at an alternative location, however, Hicks said the museum is a viable project for the city’s involvement.

Hicks said the Museum board recently heard a presentation by Bill Thomas, who spearheaded efforts to promote Route 66 tourism in his community of Atlanta, located just off Interstate 55 north of Springfield.

“He said we are missing a great opportunity,” Hicks said. A first step, he said, would be to ask Sen. Andy Manar and Rep. Avery Bourne to introduce legislation to designate the museum and the official Illinois Coal Museum. With that designation, the museum would be the “only coal museum on Route 66.”

With the 100th anniversary of Route 66 fast approaching, Hicks said Route 66 tourism is likely to increase dramatically. “We need something here to make them stop and spend money with our restaurants, gas stations and businesses,” he said. A large percentage of Route 66 tourists are European travelers, he said, who are likely to have an affinity for the area because of the large number of European immigrants who settled in around Gillespie because of the presence of coal mines. A coal museum, he argued, is a logical attraction to draw in tourists from other countries.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “We need to expand on it.”

LABOR CONTRACT

The council took under advisement a request for Lake employee Gary Thornhill to join the laborers union—a move that would allow him to occasionally be “loaned” to the Street Department when an additional worker was needed. The discussion followed a 25-minute executive session during which council members discussed personnel issues.

Jim Lafferty, a Street Department employee representing Laborers Union 338, said the union has no objection to the move but the city would be required to merge the Lake Department and Street Department into one entity to allow Thornhill to work for both departments. He said the union is not proposing the measure but is willing to accommodate it if the departments are joined. “

“The union isn’t asking for this. They just said it would be okay if we agree to it and you agree to it,” Lafferty told the council. “You’d have to combine the departments, that’s the only way you can do it.”

“I would be the fourth guy if you have a water main break, storm damage to clean up or something like that,” Thornhill told the council.

“It’s going to save a lot of headaches,” said Dale Demkey of the Street Department. “It would let him help us when we need it and let us help him when he needs it.”

Mayor Hicks, however, suggested the move would not totally resolve the city’s shortage of personnel. The city, for example, needs a water meter reader but since those duties fall under the Water Department, Thornhill would be unable to assume those duties.

Ald. Kluthe also worried about possible pitfalls with union restrictions.

“We would have to have an idea of what his duties would be so we don’t have problems with grievances,” Kluthe said.

Hicks said he would want to meet with the union steward to hammer out details and come up with a formal proposal to present to the council for approval at a later date.

ENTERPRISE ZONE

Following a brief presentation by Macoupin County Enterprise Zone Administrator Mary Beth Bellm, the council voted unanimously to add a half-acre lot in the 700 block of West Main Street in Carlinville to the County’s Enterprise Zone. Gillespie is a partner in the Enterprise Zone, along with the City of Carlinville and the County of Macoupin. Bellm said Baron and Suzanne Stayton of Carlinville plan to build a 2,000-square-foot office building on the site to house a physical therapy clinic. Participation in the Enterprise Zone means the owners will receive a refund on sales tax paid on building materials, plus a tiered refund on property taxes, according to Bellm. She said the Staytons are aware that the original Enterprise Zone authorization will expire in four years and may not be renewed.

With the approval of Gillespie, Carlinville and the Macoupin County Board, the amendment to add the property to the Enterprise Zone will go to the state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for final approval.

Bellm also noted that a new addition planned by Dave Link for his Lumpy’s bar and restaurant business on Macoupin Street also would qualify for Enterprise Zone benefits if he chooses to complete paperwork to participate. Link told the council about his plans to build an addition onto the south side of his building earlier in the meeting. Specifically, he asked the council if a metal-fronted addition would be in compliance with the city’s zoning ordinance. Mayor Hicks told Link he believed the ordinance generally required a brick facade but a metal facade may be an option. He asked Link to consult with the Zoning Board.

STRAY CATS

Council members directed the Chief of Police to contact the County Animal Control Agency about dealing with a population of stray cats in the 200 block of South Macoupin Street. Link appeared before the council to complain about large numbers of stray cats congregating behind his business. He said he counted as many as 18 cats, ranging from kittens to adults congregating on top of dumpsters behind his bar and restaurant. Two women in the community, he said, are feeding the cats, and he said cats may be using the former Area News building on Chestnut Street for breeding a shelter.

“I’d appreciate it if I could get some help,” Link said.

In addition to having police contact Animal Control, City Attorney Polo was directed to draft a letter to the current owner of the Area News building to address weeds and other issues on the property.

WATER BILL

The council took no action on adjusting a water bill contested by Dan and Brenda Smith, claiming such an adjustment would go against city policy and past practice. Dan Smith told the council that the couple was billed for 14,900 gallons of usage in October even though the house was unoccupied for 19 days. The following month, November, the couple was billed for 13,900 gallons of usage.

“We use 3,500 gallons a month,” Smith said. He said he contacted the City Clerk’s office about the excessive bills and was told not to pay them because there was “a problem” with the billing. He said there were no leaking toilets or other leaks in the house in October and November, and no leaks in the water line between the water meter and the house. In November, the city replaced the water meter at Smith’s request and reported usage went down to 4,000 gallons for December. “That tells me it was a bad meter.”

“We have this happen a lot,” Mayor Hicks said. He said water to the house was shut off to change the meter. When the water was turned back on, the water pressure could have resolved a toilet leak the Smiths were not aware of, according to Hicks. “It doesn’t mean the meter was bad.”

Hicks said there is no way for the city to prove the meter was overcharging the Smiths, and Brenda Smith said city officials told her that faulty meters “never read over, they always read under or not at all.”

“Well,” Hicks said, “that goes along with what I said.”

“Just forget it,” Brenda Smith snapped. “I’ll pay it tomorrow.”

“There is no way to prove it one way or another,” said Ald. Kluthe, recommending no action on the issue. “They say they’re going to pay it anyway. We have to to comply with our rules.”

EQUIPMENT

The council referred to committee three bids for the purchase of a truck and truck chassis for the Street Department. Demkey presented the bids to the council, saying the Street Department would prefer to buy Freightliner equipment. The amount of the bids were not discussed in detail, but apparently range in the neighborhood of $132,000 for a dump truck and up to $84,000 for a chassis on which to mount an existing truck body. Demkey said an existing truck needs to be equipped with a tandem-axle chassis in order to pull the city’s backhoe trailer. Committee members presumably will make a formal recommendation in March to the council in March.

“The Treasurer isn’t here tonight so we can’t even talk about whether we can afford this or not,” Mayor Hicks said.

The council unanimously approved an expenditure of up to $400 to buy a truck-mounted toolbox and a leaf blower for the Lake Department. Ald. Frank Barrett noted a brush hog owned by the Lake Department also would need to be replaced in the near future.

On a motion by Ald. Kluthe, the council voted 6-2 to reject bids from Mike Maedge and Tyler Link to buy a surplus step van. Maedge offered a bid of $215 while Link offered a bid of $218.98. Kluthe said the city would realize more cash from selling the vehicle for scrap, but Ald. Mussatto disagreed.

“This is cash in hand,” he said. “Scrap metal is low right now.”

Brought to a vote, Mussatto and Dianna Brickey cast the dissenting votes.

No bids were received for a surplus chassis and snowplow that also had been declared surplus property and offered for sale.

On a motion by Ald. Jerry Dolliger, the council agreed to buy an extended 60-month/3,000-hour warranty for the city’s backhoe at a cost of $2,644.

LAKE LOTS

The council referred to committee the issue of creating new lots on Gillespie Lake to lease to campers and part-time residents. Ald. Barrett said the city created several new lots in 2015 but that all of the lots that were accessible by road have been leased. He recommended creating several new lots, including seven that would be accessible from Spanish Needle Road. Mayor Hicks asked the Lake Committee to develop a proposal to present to the council for formal action at a later date.

On motions by Barrett, the council agreed to lease Lot No. 13 on Stump Lane at the New Lake to Jeffrey Carpunky, and lease Lot No. 428 to John Weitzel. Lot No. 428 is a camping lot adjacent to a lot with a cabin that already is under lease to Weitzel.

GOATS

Resident Clinton Sanders appeared briefly before the council apparently to once again argue for the city to drop ordinance citations against him for keeping pygmy goats on his property on the city’s southeast side. Sanders “congratulated” the city for dropping three of the multiple citations against him and noted that going to court is going to “take a lot of Mr. (City Attorney) Polo’s time.” A bench trial is scheduled Feb. 23 in Macoupin County Circuit Court.

“It’s on the calendar,” Polo said. “I’ll cover it.”

Sanders also complained that a neighbor also is keeping a single pygmy goat but yet has not been cited by the city.

“How come they’re not getting the same treatment?” Sanders asked. “I’m not trying to stir it up but I think that animal could be taken better care of.”

“We’ll have the police check it out,” Hicks told Sanders. “What’s good for you is good for everybody.” Regarding the treatment of the goat, Hicks said the city would have Macoupin County Animal Control check on the animal.

MONTGOMERY STREET PROPERTY

Ald. Kluthe said he had checked on a residence on Montgomery Street regarding complaints about discarded tires and other trash.

“I issued a warning and took photo documentation,” he said. “They have five days to clean it up.” He said the trash includes tires, mattresses and vehicles with expired registrations. He said he is considering contacting the Public Health Department to investigate the residence and may consult with Polo about having the occupants removed from the home. He also expressed concerns about the welfare of small children living at the residence and said he may contact DCFS to do a welfare check.

CULVERTS

The council discussed but took no action on a recommendation by Mayor Hicks to revise or draft an ordinance regarding culverts through city-maintained ditches. Hicks said past practice has been for the city to provide labor if the resident paid for the culvert to replace failing culverts. The problem, he said, is that occasionally a neighboring property owner may refuse the offer to replace his culvert, meaning storm water continues to back up in the area. He proposed an ordinance giving the city to remove failed culverts if the property owner declines to replace it.

A six- to eight-foot culvert costs about $170, according to Demkey. Kluthe suggested that cost could be added to a property owner’s water bill in $10 increments over a period of time.

OTHER ACTION

In other action:

• City Attorney Polo agreed to write a wage resolution giving non-union employees the same wage increase that was approved for union employees. The resolution will be made retroactive to the last union contract.
• The council discussed but did not act upon a proposal to buy an AED for the Police Department. Police cars are equipped with AEDs, but not the Police Department building. Ald. Kluthe said city library and lake employees have been certified to use AEDs and he recommended requiring police dispatchers to also be certified. Mayor Hicks said the city might be able to use proceeds from a Workers Compensation grant to buy the equipment.
• The council discussed but did not act on a proposal to reseal the Benld-Gillespie Bike Trail, contingent upon the City of Benld covering half of the cost.
• Council members voted unanimously to enter into a $1,630.33 annual maintenance contract to maintain city generators. Hicks said the cost last year was $1,519.
• Council members approved an ordinance to place two-way stop signs on Rice Street at Spruce Street.

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