Following a lengthy and sometimes rancorous discussion, Gillespie City Council members voted 5-1 Monday night to restore two stop signs on Chestnut and South streets where the roadways intersect on the city’s  southwest side.

Council members debated the issue for nearly 20 minutes after resident Adam Muir appeared before the council to ask the city to replace stop signs that recently were removed.

“It’s a dangerous intersection,” Muir noted. “It took years to get stop signs put up and two months later, they come down.”

Three months ago, on a motion by Ald. Bob Fritz, the council voted 5-1 to remove stop signs at the intersection and install a yield sign on Chestnut. Several months prior to that action, the council had voted to make the intersection a three-way stop for safety reasons.

“I don’t care what anyone says,” Mayor Landon Pettit said Monday night, “it’s a dangerous intersection.” Pettit said the intersection’s unusual configuration and increased traffic on South Street make the intersection hazardous for motorists. Chestnut meets South Street at an angle of about 45 degrees. Moreover, according to Pettit, South Street is carrying increased traffic since the construction of the BenGil Elementary School.

“Everybody south of Gillespie uses that street to get to the school,” he said.

When the issue came up for discussion during the council’s regular order of business, the council engaged in a boisterous, 20-minute debate, deciding ultimately to restore two of the three stop signs and eliminate the yield sign. City Attorney Rick Verticchio was directed to prepare an ordinance for consideration at the council’s next meeting calling for stop signs to control westbound traffic on Chestnut and southbound traffic on South. 

Legally enforceable stop signs are required to be on the right side of the roadway. Because of the angle of the intersection, however, the city may add a second “courtesy” sign on the left side of Chestnut Street.

The council originally made the intersection a three-way stop in response to concerns coming from a senior citizens housing development on Chestnut. Residents said they had issues with backing out of their driveways because of the oblique nature of the intersection.

“If we put stop signs there, people have to realize they can’t park trucks in front of the stop sign,” Ald. Janet Odell-Mueller noted. “That kind of defeats for the purpose of having them.”

City Treasurer Russell “Rusty” Federicks, who has no vote on the council, agreed, saying residents parking vehicles on the Chestnut Street right-of-way is “what makes it a dangerous intersection.” Fredericks also questioned why the council would reverse its previous decision simply because one resident complained. “I can’t believe there hasn’t been been an engineering study done,” Fredericks added.

Pettit said the council previously has justified stop signs on the basis of traffic accidents at a particular intersection. When the Chestnut/South intersection was deemed a three-way stop, Police Chief Jared DePoppe had confirmed there had been enough vehicular crashes to warrant the stop signs, according to Pettit.

Ald. Fritz moved to “put all three (stop signs) back and be done with it,” but his motion died for lack of a second.

A vote to place stop signs on Chestnut and on the south side of South Street was approved with Ald. Odell-Mueller voting “no.” Verticchio is expected to prepare a proposed ordinance for final council action next month.

TRASH CONTRACTS

Council members voted 4-2 to direct Verticchio to write semi-exclusive contracts between the city and two trash hauling firms. While giving DC Waste and Recycling and Republic Services exclusive rights to operate in the city, the contracts also will obligate the companies to provide annual city-wide clean-up programs. 

Under the arrangement, consumers can still choose which waste hauler they want to use. Base prices are standardized between the two, though each of them have slightly different formulae for senior citizen discounts.

Brian Demming of DC Waste and Recycling asked about the possibility of adding a clause authorizing a fuel surcharge if fuel prices go over $5 but agreed to forego the consideration when Mark Starr of Republic Services told the council his company neither wants nor needs a surcharge provision. 

“Our prices are our prices,” Starr said. “That’s our commitment to the city.”

“If what happened in the Middle East didn’t happen and gas was still under $3, would you be asking for this?” Mayor Pettit asked Demming.

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“Absolutely not,” Demming replied, after which he agreed to honor the original agreement without a surcharge provision for fuel.

While neither company will have a surcharge provision under the new contract, both companies will have an option to renegotiate with the city to add a fuel charge before the five-year contracts expire.

“I don’t blame them for wanting to do this,” Ald. Odell-Mueller commented. “I wouldn’t want to have to pay it either.”

Brought to a vote, Verticchio was directed to write the contracts with Ald. Odell-Mueller and Ald. Dona Rauzi voting “no.”

The semi-exclusive agreement has been under discussion for several months and was the focus of a “town haul” meeting earlier this month. 

FORMER POLICE DEPARTMENT BUILDING

After opening bids, the council agreed to sell the former Police Department Building at 109 W. Pine St. to Tom Bauer of Gillespie for $51,000. Bauer was the sole bidder for the surplus real estate.

In his letter to the city, Bauer said he plans to use the building to open a drive-through coffee shop. Gillespie currently has no drive-through coffee service, he said, adding that it will provide a needed service for residents and visitors while contributing to the local economy.

STREETSCAPE

By unanimous vote, the council approved a Change Order for the ongoing Steetscape project on Macoupin Street that will reduce the total contract by $273,238. Mayor Pettit said the decrease represents items previously removed from the project scope that were not yet reflected in the contract. 

“It’s stuff we’d already taken out,” Pettit said.

The change order reduces the total contract from about $4.3 million to approximately $3.9 million.

Also regarding the Streetscape project, the council approved payment of Pay Estimate 7 in the amount of $202,940 to Stutz Excavating, the general contractor for the project. 

BUSINESS LICENSE

Following a brief presentation by Kelley Hatlee, the council approved a business license for Beatnik Books, opening soon at 314 South Macoupin. Hatlee said he plans to sell new books from the store and also offer space for art exhibits and music performances. Additionally, he asked permission to place a small structure between his building and a neighboring building to accept donations of non-perishable food.

Hatlee also plans to approach the Zoning Board to seek a variance regarding maintaining a ground-floor residence in the business district.

Council members voted to approve a special use permit recommended by the Zoning Board to allow Paige Stoddard to operate a small pop-up stand to offer baked goods at 1410 S. Madison St. Stoddard told the council that she has cottage food license to be able to sell such items from her home.

EXPENDITURES

On a motion by Ald. Rauzi, the council voted unanimously to purchase a new pick-up truck for use as a police patrol vehicle. Police Chief DePoppe said the $50,000 price tag will include the light bar and other police equipment. It may be late summer or early fall before the dealer can fulfill the order, meaning the city may be able to defer the expenditure to next fiscal year.

Council members voted to pay about $5,900 in bills from Bauer Electric for work done on the new police department headquarters and Big Brick Park.

Additionally, the council approved payment of $73,000 to Fueling Growth for grant administration in connection with the Streetscape project. The payment will come from a USDA Rural Development grant the city secured for the project.

On a motion by Ald. Bill Hayes, the council approved an expenditure of $2,000 to replace and expand an outdated security camera system at the city’s water treatment plant. Carpani Computers will provide and install the new cameras.

On a motion by Ald. Rauzi, the council agreed to provide Class 3 safety vests and pants for water and sewer employees.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

No action followed a 20-minute executive session to discuss real estate and potential litigation.

OTHER ACTION

In other action, the council:

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•Accepted a Proposal to Furnish Materials and Approval of Award, a technical measure allowing the city to use $1,100 in Motor Fuel Tax funds to Emmons Tree Service, Carlinville, for tree trimming.

•Approved a Certificate of Authority by Vote, another technical measure that will allow the city to purchase road salt for the Street Department.

• Agreed to donate $150 to the Gillespie High School Post Prom Committee.

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