Mayor Gary W. Manier called a regular scheduled City Council meeting of Monday, May 19, to order at 6:30 p.m. in the meeting room at the Library, 380 N. Wilmor Road. Answering present for Roll Call were Aldermen Todd Clanin, Al Howerter, Dave Dingledine, Jim Newman, Don Brubaker, and Jim Gee. Alderman Bob Brucks was absent. Also present was City Administrator Bob Morris, City Attorney Kenneth L. Black, City Engineer Ken Newman, Controller Joanie Baxter, City Treasurer Bob Gordon, Chief of Police Jim Kuchenbecker, P&D Director Jon Oliphant, Public Services Manager Bill Bimrose and City Clerk Carol Moss.

All present stood for the Pledge of Allegiance. The Agenda was reviewed and stood as presented.

Alderman Brubaker moved and Alderman Clanin seconded to approve the Consent Agenda of May 19, 2008, containing minutes of the May 5, 2008 Council meeting and Bills & Payroll in the amount of $1,341,012.35. On roll call the vote was: Ayes: 6 Newman, Howerter, Gee, Dingledine, Clanin, Brubaker Nays: 0 Motion declared carried.

Mayor Manier publicly thanked Rich Burk, Burk Photography, for his recent donation to the Library of the framed pictures of Washington on the wall directly behind the Mayor.

Audience Comments - Ben Dallas, 612 North Street, told those present that he is a lieutenant at Pontiac Correctional Center and has been an employee of that facility for twenty-one years. He is a member of the Executive Board of ASME Local 494, and he asked the Council to adopt a Resolution protesting the closing of the Pontiac Correctional Center by Governor Blagovich. Mr. Dallas reported there are nine people from Washington employed at the prison, four from the Township, nine from Eureka and one from Deer Creek. Those people all shop in Washington and if those families have to move because of the closing of the facility, those tax dollars will be lost to the community. He went on to tell those present that he serves as a Washington Police Department Auxiliary officer as does one other person. Two firemen will also be affected. Pontiac Correctional Center is the oldest facility in the state but it is the best kept facility. Every building of the facility is utilized, there is no down space. If the facility is closed there will be a trickle down effect because there will be fifty four families in Woodford County alone that will be affected from the communities of Benson, Roanoke, Washburn and Metamora and Eureka, as well as Washington and Deer Creek. He stated that he is not guaranteed a job if the prison closes and said he lives in Washington because his family likes the community. There is not one bit of credible evidence that there will be any savings if the prison is closed. He said that he advocates opening Thompson to ease the burden but not as an alternative to Pontiac.

Mayor Manier stated that it is pretty evident why Pontiac was on the radar screen because Senator Rutherford, who is from Pontiac, brought the recall amendment forward. All agreed they are behind the adoption of the resolution and not for the closing of the prison facility.

Ed Roeder, 302 Candlewood, spoke out about the noise problem coming from American Allied. Tuesday morning Mr. Roeder spoke to the office manager at the facility because the glass in his kitchen rattled that morning when the wheels were dropped while loading the trailers. That day the noise started at about 6:30 a.m. The office manager was very nice saying they have been working with the city for a number of years to address the noise problems. Roeder said he does not know if the facility does anything to attempt to curtail the noise, but said there have been a number of people who have commented about the noise. He said that he has told Kevin Deaney that he could get an attorney involved because this is just blatant disregard of the surrounding neighbors. The wheels are just dropped and let roll into the ones ahead of them. He said he knows that there are residents who live a lot farther away than he does that are bothered by the noise. Chief Kuchenbecker stated that he talked to Mr. Deaney on Friday and the source of the noise has been identified. A new trailer is being used where the wheels cannot be set down to load but have to be dropped in order to load. The company using the trailers has been notified and told that American Allied will not allow any more of those trailers in their lot from that day forward. That was on Friday. Chief Kuchenbecker was assured that there would not be any more noise from the dropping of the wheels. Roeder pointed out that there is still a problem with the moving of the wheels at 2:30 a.m. Everyone who complains is ignored unless it is the Mayor, the Chief of Police or the City Administrator. Chief Kuchenbecker stated that there had been a problem with fans and that problem was curtailed. There was also a problem with a motor that a hood was placed over to deaden the noise. Administrator Morris will follow up.

City Attorney Black read, by title only, second reading of an ordinance establishing a policy of severance pay compensation for City Administrators and Police Chiefs. Alderman Howerter moved and Alderman Newman seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Clanin, Dingledine, Brubaker, Gee, Newman, Howerter 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

City Attorney Black provided second reading, by title only, of an ordinance authorizing the sale, donation &/or disposal of fifty-eight (58) assorted found &/or recovered bicycles as 'surplus property". Alderman Brubaker moved and Alderman Clanin seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Gee, Newman, Howerter, Dingledine, Clanin, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

City Attorney Black read, by title only, first reading of an ordinance authorizing the execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois, and the City of East Peoria, Tazewell County, Illinois, concerning construction of a new sanitary sewer connection. Alderman Gee moved and Alderman Clanin seconded to waive second reading of the ordinance and proceed with adoption. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Howerter, Newman, Dingledine, Brubaker, Clanin, Gee 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

Alderman Clanin moved and Alderman Gee seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Dingledine, Howerter, Brubaker, Newman, Gee, Clanin 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

City Attorney Black read, by title only, a first reading of an ordinance granting a Special Use to allow construction of a commercial storage facility at 704 Catherine Street. The ordinance will be placed on the City Council agenda of June 2 as second reading and for action.

City Attorney Black read a resolution, by title only, authorizing the execution of an employment agreement extension and modification between the City of Washington and Robert A. Morris. Alderman Howerter moved and Alderman Dingledine seconded to adopt the resolution as read. If adopted the contract will extend until April 30, 2010, there will be a 3.8% increase in salary, and termination notice by employee will be reduced from 60 days to 30 days. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Brubaker, Clanin, Newman, Gee, Dingledine, Howerter 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

City Attorney Black read, by title only, a resolution authorizing the execution of an employment agreement extension and modification between the City of Washington and James W. Kuchenbecker. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Brubaker seconded to adopt the resolution as read. If adopted the contract will extend until April 30, 201and there will be an increase in salary. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Howerter, Clanin, Newman, Gee, Brubaker, Dingledine 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

City Attorney Black read, by title only, a resolution opposing the closing of the Pontiac Correctional Facility. Alderman Clanin moved and Alderman Brubaker seconded to adopt the resolution as presented. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Gee, Howerter, Newman, Dingledine, Brubaker, Clanin 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

Mayor Manier requested Council approval of his appointment of Tom Brecklin to the City of Washington Planning Commission. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Newman seconded to concur with the Mayor's appointment of Tom Brecklin to the Planning Commission. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Clanin, Brubaker, Howerter, Gee, Newman, Dingledine 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

Mayor Manier reported that tomorrow evening the City of East Peoria Council will adopt their budget, and as he understands, there is no funding in that budget for the extension of Summit. He asked City Administrator Morris to fax a letter to East Peoria requesting that the road be extended. Alderman Newman said that extension of Summit is very important because it will open that entire area up, He said he definitely supports the extension of Summit, and all of the other aldermen agreed that extension of Summit will definitely benefit the entire area. Alderman Brubaker could not understand why something has not been done before. Mayor Manier encouraged anyone interested to attend the East Peoria City Council tomorrow evening.

City Administrator Morris reported that the City's contract with Integrys Energy expires with the last meter read date in May, 2008. Bids will be received next week and he requested that this Council meeting of May 19, 2008 be continued to Wednesday, May 28, 2008. The reason for this is because the bids are only good for a 24-hour period and adjust daily. Bids are being sought for both long term and short term time periods.

City Engineer Newman requested Council approval of a change order to the 2008 Street Maintenance Program whereby S. Main St., from just south of the bridge to Guth Road be substituted for the work scheduled on N. Wilmor and portions of Newcastle. Sufficient budget funds are available. Alderman Newman moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to approve the change order as requested. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Dingledine, Brubaker, Gee, Clanin, Howerter, Newman 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

City Engineer Newman requested Council approval of a change order to extend the Court Drive channel work 150' into the property immediately north of the planned work. Estimated cost to do this is $6800, and there is approximately $10,000 unobligated funding in the project account. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to authorize the change order as requested. On roll call the vote was: Ayes: 6 Newman, Gee, Brubaker, Clanin, Howerter, Dingledine Nays: 0 Motion declared carried. City Engineer Newman requested Council approval of a cost sharing proposal with Washington Township, in an amount not to exceed $28,000, for the re-paving of Cruger Road west of North Cummings Lane under jurisdiction of the City. The work will be done under the Township contract, and there are sufficient funds to cover the expenses. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to approve the cost sharing proposal as requested. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Brubaker, Newman, Clanin, Gee, Howerter, Dingledine 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

Aldermen's Comments - Alderman Dingledine said that the grass is growing and the property owners next to Taco Bell and between McDonalds and Dollar General need to be reminded that they have to mow the grass. He said he wishes that these property owners were more prudent regarding this matter.

At 7:09 p.m. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Gee seconded to move into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing pending or probable litigation pursuant to 5ILCS 120/2(c)(11) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, and pursuant to the City Council's right to discuss litigation alternatives with the City Attorney based on Attorney/Client privilege. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Brubaker, Clanin, Howerter, Newman, Gee, Dingledine 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

At 8:04 p.m. the Council returned to regular session and Alderman Clanin moved and Alderman Brubaker seconded to continue this meeting of May 19, 2008 to Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall to review bids for long term and short term contract electricity. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 6 Howerter, Dingledine, Newman, Gee, Brubaker, Clanin 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

The continued City Council meeting of May 19, 2008 convened at 4:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at City Hall. Present were Aldermen Brubaker, Clanin, Brucks, Dingledine, Gee, Howerter and Newman, City Administrator Morris, Controller Baxter, City Clerk Moss, a representative of AmerenCilco and Steve Stein of the Peoria Journal.

Administrator Morris went over short and long term energy bids. Eight vendors submitted bids and the bid deadline was noon today. The Council discussed pros and cons of going with short term prices and long term prices and decided on the five month short term bid of Integrys Energy. Alderman Gee moved and Alderman Clanin seconded to accept the electric energy bid of Integrys Energy for a five month term ending in December, 2008. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Newman, Howerter, Brucks, Dingledine, Clanin, Gee, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried

There was no additional business and at 4:27 p.m. Alderman Dingledine moved and Alderman Brucks seconded to adjourn. 
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.