Members of the Benld City Council discuss the city’s audit.

Members of the Benld City Council discussed the possibility of hosting a soap box derby in the city and learned of possible mine subsidence damage at the Benld City Hall complex during the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday night. It was the annual city audit, however, that dominated the discussion, consuming more than 90 minutes (including an hour in executive session) of the meeting.

Margot Holt, an auditor with Scheffel Boyle, Certified Public Accountants, presented the annual audit, which is required by law. In a 30-minute presentation, Holt offered a page-by-page review of the document, which is now available for public inspection at Benld City Hall. The audit portrays the city’s financial condition as of April 30–the end of the last fiscal year. Holt told council members the auditors gave the city a “clear opinion,” offering no findings and no recommendations regarding the city’s accounting procedures.

[pullquote]Holt indicated the document indicates the some of the city’s financial reports, which in the past have been on an accrual basis, have been converted to a cash basis or modified cash basis[/pullquote]Holt indicated the document indicates the some of the city’s financial reports, which in the past have been on an accrual basis, have been converted to a cash basis or modified cash basis, primarily because city officials believed the cash basis of accounting provided a more fair picture of the city’s actual financial condition.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Holt said. “We just have to let the reader know.” Persons who might want to compare the current audit with past audits, for example, would find that beginning balances for some funds for fiscal 2014 do not match ending balances from fiscal 2013 because of the change in accounting procedures. Holt said auditors had to convert closing balances reported on an accrual basis to cash basis balances as a starting point for the 2014 audit.

While the council ultimately voted unanimously to accept the audit, the vote did not take place until after the council entered into an hour-long executive session on a motion by Ald. Peyton Bernot, seconded by Ald. Teressa Tucker. Mayor Gloria Sidar told The BenGil Post that while the audit technically might not qualify for executive session discussions under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the close-door session was warranted because some to the discussion veered into areas of personnel. She also said past practice of the council has been to discuss the audit in executive session. Both Holt and Gina Verticchio, representing Vericchio & Verticchio Law Office, remained in the room for the executive discussion.

SOAP BOX DERBY

The council authorized Mayor Sidar to contact the State of Illinois to learn whether or not the city can temporarily close a section for Illinois Route 138 for a tentatively proposed soap box derby. Illinois Route 138 carries Central Avenue through the downtown section of the city.

Ron Presnell, speaking as a private citizen, presented the idea of a soap box derby to the council, saying it would provide a wholesome activity for area youths in the summer. He suggested local businesses might “sponsor” individual entries. No date has been suggested for the proposed event, which would involve youngsters racing gravity-powered, home-constructed vehicles.

“That’s the most positive thing I’ve heard in a long time,” Sidar said.

[pullquote]I’d like to see it made an annual event[/pullquote]Speaking with The BenGil Post, Presnell said the derby would be “good, wholesome fun” for area youths.

“I looked at this hill (on Central Avenue) and thought that would make a nice place for a soap box derby,” he said. “I’d like to see it made an annual event, not just a one-time thing. It’s something where girls and boys can compete on an equal basis.” Presnell said there is a significant amount of interest in the sport nationwide with websites devoted to soap box derby discussions. Kits are available for building soap box derby vehicles, he said. There are no other soap box derbies in the immediate area.

If the city gets authorization to close the highway for the event, Presnell said, there will be plenty of room for vendors, such as arts and crafts.

MINE SUBSIDENCE

Council members learned that mine subsidence damage, which started in the southeast section of the city, may have migrated as far as City Hall on Central Avenue. Mayor Sidar reported that damage recently reported at City Hall and the adjacent Civic Center has not been confirmed to be from mine subsidence, but she and other city officials suspect mine subsidence that has plagued the city in recent months will be determined to be the cause.

“It almost makes me sick to my stomach to have to talk about this,” she said. She said she and city office workers have noticed the damage in recent weeks. In addition to new cracks appearing in exterior walls, Sidar said the floor in the council chambers and office area is buckled and both doors to the facility have become skewed and difficult to lock.

The city’s insurance adjustor examined the property last Thursday, according to Sidar.

[pullquote]He said in his opinion, it looks like mine subsidence[/pullquote]”Hold onto your hats,” said Ald. Jim Kelly, who chairs the City Property Committee. “He is going to contact the mine subsidence people, but he said in his opinion, and it was just his opinion, it looks like mine subsidence. We will what to see what they (Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund) have to say, but it looks like the subsidence is moving north and east.”

In a related matter, Mayor Sidar reported that she has acquired a map on CD that shows underground mining activity as well has underground utilities owned by Ameren-Illinois for Benld. She said she plans to copy the disk and make it available at City Hall and at the Benld Public Library for citizens to view and assess whether or not their properties are susceptible to mine subsidence damage.

“This town is here because of the mine,” Kelly said, adding there is little the city can do, short of backfilling abandoned mine shafts, to stop the damage.

Given the uncertainty about possible ongoing damage at the city complex, Mayor Sidar recommended tabling action on two bids for replacing the roof at the roof at the Benld Nutrition Center.

“If anyone contacts any of you,” Sidar told the aldermen, “and says, ‘I think I have mine subsidence,’ tell them to contact their insurance company. Don’t wait. Call your insurance company and they will contact the Mine Subsidence Department to find out if it is mine subsidence.”

NUISANCE ABATEMENT

Ald. Jim Tilashalski reported that he attended a court hearing to secure a nuisance abatement order against property located in the 600 block of East Central Avenue which ended with a favorable ruling for the city. “We have the go-ahead to move immediately,” he said.

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“The first thing we have to do is seal it,” said Mayor Sidar. She said several members of the council had not seen photos of the interior taken by city police which showed “trash in there that was anywhere from two to three feet deep.”

“As bad as we thought the exterior was, the outside was the Taj Mahal compared to the inside,” she said.

Along with sealing the building to preclude vermin, city workers will clear debris from the exterior and file a lien against the property for the cost of the abatement.

“When it’s all said and done, we are probably going to end up with that property,” Tilashalski said.

BUILD BENLD UNHAPPY ABOUT CIVIC CENTER CONDITION

The council referred to the Properties Committee the issue of whether or not to refund a $100 rental fee paid by Build Benld for use of the Civic Center for a Senior Citizens holiday dinner. A letter from the group complained that the Civic Center was not satisfactorily cleaned prior to the dinner, but Sidar and Kelly both said the current janitorial worker typically does a good job of cleaning the facility and that any complaints should have been directed to city officials immediately.

“This letter was written in the heat of the moment,” Kelly said. “You spend five paragraphs criticizing and ask us to do something in the last paragraph.”

Sidar said a committee meeting involving representatives from Build Benld would be the appropriate venue to discuss the issue and make a recommendation to the council.

Tilashalski commented that he has long held the opinion that civic organizations should not have to pay rent for the facility, but pay for clean-up only. Sidar pointed out, however, that only $25 for the $100 fee is earmarked for rent, with the remaining $75 allocated for clean-up.

Bernot voiced his opinion that use of the facility should be free for government entities and non-profit organizations.

“I think we have to be very careful that we don’t open up a can a worms,” Kelly countered.

CITY AUTHORIZES INSURANCE PREMIUM PAYMENT

On a motion by Ald. Bernot, the council authorized a premium payment to Bliss/McKnight Insurance for workers compensation, property and liability coverage for the coming year. Bernot said he had received an unsolicited bid from the Illinois Municipal League pool insurance program with a premium that would have been $6,900 less for the year.

“My recommendation is that since this was an unsolicited bid, I’m afraid of it,” Bernot said. He said the city had IML insurance in the past and opted for another carrier which IML’s premiums became excessive, reaching upward of $54,000 for the year. Bliss/McKnight’s current annual premium is $42,800. Bernot also said he had concerns about the nature of pool coverage. In the event of a widespread disaster, such as an earthquake, the pool could run out of money before being able to honor its coverage obligations to all stakeholders.

With concerns about possible mine subsidence damage issues, Bernot said, “it’s a bad time to switch” companies.

Both Bernot and Sidar said they plan to bid insurance coverage next year for 2017 coverage.

OTHER ACTION ITEMS

In other action, the council authorized the purchase of 10 new water meters with antenna for remote billing at a cost of $195 each. Ald. Kelly said three meters currently are defective and the Water Department has been required to estimate water bills for those residences for the past few months. The cost of a complete new meter, he noted, actually is less than the cost of replacing the computer module and antenna alone.

Council members also supported Kelly’s proposal to raise the water and sewer deposit fee from $200 to $300 for rental tenants in the city of Benld. Kelly said other communities in the area have either raised their deposit fee or are considering an increase to cover their cost in the event a tenant moves out without paying their final bill.  A formal ordinance is likely to be voted upon in January to take effect in February.

The council approved payment of a $5,333 bill to Jen Mechanical, Alton, for a new 5,000 BTU furnace for the Benld Nutrition Center. Last month, the council gave Mayor Sidar power to act on replacing the furnace on an emergency basis. Sidar said the Jen Mechanical was actually the higher of two bids submitted but the lower bid was for a smaller furnace. Based on the BTU capacity, she said, the bids were identical and she opted for the higher capacity furnace.

On Mayor Sidar’s recommendation, the council approved the appointment of former Police Chief Kurt Kozak as Police Sergeant. Sidar said that in the past, the Police Department has had one person designated as sergeant to act in the capacity of police chief in the event the police chief is absent or incapacitated. The sergeant position does not otherwise have supervisory duties, nor does it involve work assignments or other administrative duties.

The council approved a total bid of $1,500 for the removal of three trees from city property, contingent upon verification that two trees in the 200 block of West Walnut Street are actually on city property and not residential property.

An initial negotiating session with Local 338 of Laborers International was set for 4 p.m., Jan. 6. The city will be represented by the Mayor, Bernot and Kelly. Workers will be represented by designated individuals from the maintenance and police departments. Both units recently voted to be represented by the union.

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Mayor Sidar reported that the city has received a signed lease from the U.S. Postal Service to rent one-half of the Police Department facility to provide postal services to Benld residents. The Postal Service will pay an annual lease of $3,300 per year.

Meeting dates for the upcoming year were approved for 6 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. Also approved were committee meeting dates and times.

Council members also approved closing city offices at noon on Christmas Eve and approved end-of-the year bonuses of $100 for eight full-time employees and $50 for three part-time employees.

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