Police Department collected $1,250 in ordinance violations in August

Brad Probst with AtlasGroup updated the council on what the company has to offer city employees. “We are a broker for work site, employee elective benefits,” he stated.

The City of Gillespie gave IDOT the final payment for the bridge project on Monday, September 10. “We need to get this signed and sent off, so we can get our money and pay him,” Hicks explained. The amount to be paid $80,782.86 and the money should come back to the City in 2-3 months. The motion was approved 7-0.

Harold Valerio then questioned the council in regards to the new water rates for out of town customers.

The council also upgraded copy machines in the City Clerk’s office for the same price as they are paying now. It is made available to them through Watt’s, which the city has a contract with. It would still be $155 per month with up to 60,000 copies or print per year.

Dave Tucker brought up the point that the new water bills are going to be printed with the new copier, so the city might have to increase the copies. It would cost $0.15 each sheet after the 60,000 is reached. The council was going to talk to the secretaries about it.

The last issue brought up during the council meeting was the trees planted on the boulevard on West Walnut Street. Steve Kluthe said he has been trying to contact the family for the past couple weeks and will continue to do so. City Attorney Kevin Polo said there is an ordinance against planting streets that close to the road.

Eventually what will happen, Kluthe said, is the trees will grow out and you won’t be able to see around the corner. “We have been stuck with cutting down the trees on the boulevard and I don’t think we need any more,” Mayor Hicks added. Kluthe is going to continue and try and contact the resident owner.

Chief of Police Jared DePoppe brought his monthly police report before the council. He explained the court fines were a little late this month, so he was unable to add those in. The police department did bring in $1,250 in ordinance violations in the month of August and $760 in towing and impound fees.

Dave Link explains he needs dirt on the property on Macoupin Street.

Committee Reports

Dave Tucker questioned whether the council would like to table the idea of “Global Connect” or go forth with it. Global Connect’s voice messaging system would allow the City to reach thousands of contacts with a personalized message within minutes. Global Connect is the leading provider of web-based voice messaging without any capital outlay.

Since the system is web-based, there are no set-up fees, no expensive hardware or software to buy, no maintenance costs, no minimum usage requirements, no training or service fees, and no recording costs. The city would simply conduct their voice messaging campaign at any time, from any location – only a telephone or a web-enabled computer is required.

The council decided to table it for the time being.

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Steve Kluthe updated the council on squad cars. He said the highest mileage on the fleet is on the 2007 Chevy Impala with 150,000 miles. From January to date, repairs for the four cars in the fleet have cost around $4,500 for repairs. With three cars having 150k, 140k, and 125k miles on them, they are going to start looking for replacements. “That’s where we are now and it isn’t going to get better,” Steve closed.

Jerry Doliger notified the council that all the rock for the roads is hauled in and they are going to start oiling and chipping in the near future. He also noted the Windell Hopper has a license and he is going to be spraying Gillespie and East Gillespie in the next couple weeks.

Doliger also said the bike trail needs sealed before “we lose it.”

Janice Weidner questioned “if the clock was ticking for Lumpy” on his downtown buildings yet. Kevin Polo explained that the deed just got revised Friday, so it should close this week. Once, the city puts the dirt in and gets a ditch cut, they should be done. “Then, he has a year?” Weidner questioned. The council was going to check if the year is from the contract signature or the deed handover.

Chief of Police Jared DePoppe brought his monthly police report before the council.

Public Recognition

Brad Probst with AtlasGroup updated the council on what the company has to offer city employees. “We are a broker for work site, employee elective benefits,” he started. He made it clear that they are not health care or retirement. They simply pay cash if something happens to them during a time of need.

“It’s my job to see what is best for the City and their employees,” Probst added. The program is employee elected and has no cost to the city whatsoever. The city gets to expand their current benefit package at no cost.

Typically, employees use the money for co-pays, deductibles, mortgage, rent, food, gas, and anything else that does not go away. AtlasGroup currently works with Virden, Girard, and in the process of working with Jacksonville.

The council decided to let the employees contact Brad when they would like more information. It was passed on to the department heads to pass along to the employees.

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Harold Valerio then questioned the council in regards to the new water rates for out of town customers. “Individuals outside of the corporate limits of the City of Gillespie shall, in addition to the set rates above, be charged the same as a user inside the corporate limits plus 50%,” Mayor Hicks read. Valerio was unaware of increase.

He then went on to say that his neighbor and he have a reduced rate after signing a contract with the city after they put in a new water line. “In years past it has been a percentage increase,” Valerio explained. “Which is fine, but now it sounds like a fixed rate for everyone.” City attorney Kevin Polo said the contract was dated back to June 1988, but there is nothing in the agreement regarding the water rates.

Valerio explained the rates were a “gentleman’s agreement.” They came later after the contract and there was nothing in writing as he recalls. Their rate stuck as it was at the reduced amount, until now. His main issue was his rate is increasing more than anyone else’s. Before, it was always increased on a percentage increase so he still got his reduced rate. Now, everyone is it at the same level due to simplicity reasons, Hicks added.

To get the reduced rate, Valerio said they gave the City the water line and the new customers. Valerio and his neighbor collected tap ons, but haven’t collected near enough to even pay for the water line. The council agreed to keep the rates the same; they were trying to get rid of the differentials.

Dave Link requested dirt from the council. “We agreed you would come back and put dirt in once it settled,” he opened. He went on to say there are voids underneath the sidewalks and he catches all the rain in his basement after it rains. He said it needs to be built up for the water to run over the sidewalk.

Dan Fisher explained the property falls to the front. Fisher clarified that Link wants dirt brought in and he would like it to be shaped so the water does not run toward the sidewalk. Link explained there is a storm drain in the back so they can shape the ground to run back there, cut a swale in, or install a lift station for him.

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