City Attorney Kevin Polo (left) swearing appointed Colin Mussatto to finish Ottersburg’s term.

The 24-year-old grandson of long-time Wilsonville Mayor Jim Mussatto was sworn in and seated Monday night to replace the late Gus Ottersburg as Ward 4 alderman on the Gillespie City Council. Early in the council’s regular monthly meeting, Mayor John Hicks introduced Colin Mussatto as his choice to finish Ottersburg’s term, which expires in 2017.

Mussatto’s appointment was ratified unanimously on a motion by Ald. Jerry Dolliger, seconded by Ald. Janice Weidner. Immediately after Mussatto was approved, he was sworn in by City Attorney Kevin Polo and seated. Prior to seating Mussatto, Treasurer Dan Fisher asked to take Ottersburg’s former seat at the head of the council table opposite the Mayor, surrendering his former seat on the south side of the table to Mussatto.

Among Mussatto’s first actions as a council member was to join Weidner in voting “no” to a series of six resolutions authorizing expenditures from the city’s Tax Increment Finance fund to pay bills associated with rehabilitating the former United Community Bank building on Macoupin Street at Chestnut for use by the Illinois Coal Mining Heritage Museum.

[pullquote]I want to see if I can follow his lead[/pullquote]A life-long resident of Gillespie, Mussatto is a graduate of Gillespie High School and is employed by R.P. Lumber Co. in Litchfield. He is a grandson of the late Jim Mussatto, who served for many years as Mayor of Wilsonville. Mussatto said his grandfather’s legacy was one of the reasons he decided to accept the appointment.

“I want to see if I can follow his lead,” Mussatto said.

The vacancy on the council was created by the death of Ottersburg, 65, on Friday, March 4, shortly over two years into the four-year term to which he was elected in 2013.

ILLINOIS COAL MINING MUSEUM AT GILLESPIE

In other action Monday night, the council focused on work being done at the former UCB building to make it environmentally safe to house the Illinois Coal Mining Heritage Museum and narrowly approved the transfer of more than $1,700 in funds earmarked for museum from the city coffers to the museum itself. The council also discussed bids that are expected to be received on Thursday for environmental abatement work at the building. Monday night’s meeting was continued, rather than adjourned, to 6 p.m., Thursday, so council members can consider those anticipated bids without having to call a special meeting for that purpose.

City Treasurer Fisher recommended transferring $1,711.59 remaining from a $4,000 appropriation approved by the council for the Coal Museum project when the Coal Museum Committee was still organized under the auspices of the city. The planning committee has since been abolished and its members appointed to the board of directors for the not-for-profit museum. Fisher said the city originally appropriated a total of $8,000–$4,000 for the first year and $4,000 for the second year–for the museum project. Out of the first year’s appropriation, the city approved expenditures of $2,288.41, leaving a balance of $1,711.59.

Fisher pointed out that committee members “have done a lot of work on the building,” and he recommended transferring the funds to the board of directors.

Brought to a vote, the measure was approved with Weidner and Mussatto voting no.

City Attorney Polo then advised that two of the council members who voted in favor of the measure–Ald. James Alderson and Ald. Dave Tucker–sit on the museum board and should abstain from voting on a measure to essentially transfer funds to an entity for which they serve on the board. On Polo’s recommendation, the council then rescinded the action and voted on the measure a second time.

Brought to a vote a second time, Alderson and Tucker abstained, Weidner and Mussatto voted no, and Ald. Frank Barrett, Roger Dively and Jerry Dallier voted yes. Mayor Hicks joined in the vote, casting an affirmative vote, approving the measure by a vote of 4-2. Ald. Steve Kluthe was absent.

Later in the meeting, Weidner and Mussatto also opposed resolutions authorizing the expenditure of $750 from the city’s TIF Fund to EnviroLife Consultants for inspecting for mold and asbestos at the UCB building, a $300 bill for preparing bidding specifications for contractors to bid on the abatement project, and two bills totaling $1,875 for Flowers Sanitation to haul debris removed from the building. Ald. Dolliger joined Weidner and Mussatto in voting against using TIF funds for the Flowers Sanitation bill.

Weidner and Mussatto also voted against a resolution to use TIF funds to pay a $3,200 plumbing bill for work done to prepare the former Grandone Building in the 100 block of West Pine Street for occupancy by the Gillespie Police Department.

SEWER WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY

The council directed City Attorney Polo to prepare a draft contract for property owners to sign when city workers are summoned to work on defective sewer lines associated with private properties. Ald. Dolliger reported that city workers went to a residence on South Street after property owned Robert Brown complained at last month’s meeting of the council to complain about water backing up into his basement after heavy rains. At the time, Brown insisted the cause of the back-ups was a problem with the city’s sewer main.

Dolliger said workers surveilled the line with a video camera and found the city’s main to be free and clear. However, further investigation revealed that the connecting line from Brown’s house to the main was clogged with roots. According to Dolliger, city workers dug up the private line, removed the roots and reburied it. Generally, homeowners are financially responsible for private sewer lines connecting to the sewer main, while the city is responsible for the main itself.

[pullquote]I think we need to charge him something[/pullquote]“I think we need to charge him something,” Dolliger said, but admitted he had not advised Brown he would be responsible for the cost of the repair.

The council took no immediate action on assessing a fee for the work done at the Brown residence, but directed Polo to write a contract for homeowner’s to sign before such work is conducted in the future.

“We have to be consistent,” City Treasurer Fisher said. “On cases like this, we probably should draw up a contract for them to sign.”

The contract should spell out the property owner’s responsibility for private sewer lines, Fisher said, “requiring the property owner to pay the city or hire a private contractor for work on their own line.” In addition, the contract would include provisions allowing city workers to enter onto private property in the event the property owner chooses to have them do the work.

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SURPLUS PROPERTY BIDS

After some hesitation, the council voted to accept high bids for several pieces of equipment that had previously been declared surplus by the council.

Mayor John Hicks (right) introduced Colin Mussatto as his choice to finish Ottersburg’s term.

A total of six individuals submitted bids for various pieces of equipment. Steve Spencer was the high bidder for a John Deere tractor equipped with a backhoe loader and a Massey Ferguson tractor with a bid totaling $4,406. Larry Norville was high bidder for a welder with a bid of $349.49, and Donald Harbison submitted a bid totaling $50 for a trash pump and generator.

Initially, Public Works Chair Dolliger suggested deferring action until the council’s continued session on Thursday night, noting he was at fault for two quotes for trade-in value on some of the equipment that did not make the deadline for submitting bids. He moved to reject all bids but later withdrew his motion when Mayor Hicks pointed out the bids in hand amounted to more money than any of the trade-in values. Dolliger also reported that a used zero-turn diesel 60-inch mower is available for purchase for $7,000 at Nail Equipment and that he would like to put the approximately $5,000 resulting from the sale of surplus equipment toward purchasing that piece of equipment. Polo pointed out, however, that no action could be taken toward authorizing that purchase because it was not part of the agenda for the meeting.

RECYCLING EQUIPMENT LEASE

Following up on previous action by the council, the council voted unanimously to approve the language of a lease agreement to lease the city’s recycling bins to the Illinois Valley Economic Development Corp for one year for $1 per year. IVEDC’s rehabilitation program for disabled adults plans to use the equipment for a project for its clients. Clients will provide curbside drop-off for recyclable materials during the day at the Walnut Street Gardens facility. During the evening, the bins will be accessible across the street at the IVEDC rehabilitation center.

Also, following up on previous action, the council formally approved an ordinance regarding housing inspections for rental properties. After receiving input from local landlords, the council revised the ordinance to waive the requirement for annual inspections if the landlord can provide documentation that the property is continuously occupied by the same tenants. In such instances, an inspection will be required before new tenants move in after the previous tenants vacate the premises. The ordinance approved Monday night includes a revision to require a “current” utility bill as proof of residency. An older version required a utility bill from the previous 30 days. The newly approved ordinance also includes an exclusion for mobile home parks that are subject to inspection by the state.

Mayor Hicks reported to the council that the Macoupin County Housing Authority has plans to raze public housing units located on Gillespie Street at South Street because the units no longer meet current Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. The units currently are vacant, according to Hicks. He said MCHA asked that the city provide a letter of support for the project so the agency can proceed with the demolition.

LAKE LOT LEASES

Council members approved a lake lot lease transfer for Lot No. 401, which is accessible only by boat, to Jim and Misty Woodson. Also approved was a lake lot lease transfer for No. 1 Old Pumphouse Road to Gregory and Karen Carr. Both lots will be part-time residences only.

In a related matter, the council heard complaints from lake resident Angela Faulkner who objected to the level of maintenance in the area of her residence on Pumphouse Road. She said a roadway to her residence is starting to erode down the hillside and that vacant lots in the area are not being mowed. Her concerns were referred to the Lake Committee.

In other action, the council:

• Agreed to pay a $136,769 bill to Baxmeyer Construction for work done on replacing two culverts in the city.
• Agreed to hire Fleming & Tawfall, CPAs, to perform the city’s annual audit at a cost not to exceed $11,500.
• Agreed to donate $100 to the Gillespie High School Post Prom event.
• Agreed to pay $200 in dues to continue membership in the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway Association.
• Agreed to purchase a replacement clarifier for the city’s water treatment plant at a cost of $2,241. Ald. Dave Tucker noted that repairing the old unit would have cost $2,159.
• Agreed to pay the city building inspector approximately $500 for building inspections performed last year. Future payments will be based on an hourly wage.

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