Rockford Sun

City of Carlyle City Council met Aug. 10.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

The Carlyle City Council was called to order by Mayor Judy Smith, at 7:00 p.m. at the Case Halstead Library, 550 6th Street, Carlyle, IL.

The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Aldermen present were Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, and Michael Jansen. Alderman Logan Speiser was absent.

City employees present were Chief of Police Mark Pingsterhaus, City Administrator Andy Brackett, City Attorney Joe Heiligenstein, Dave Miller, and City Clerk Rita Jurgensmeyer.

present were Matt Wilson, Russell Bittle, Rachel Bittle, and Kelly Ross.

A motion was made by Alderman Scott Diekemper and was seconded by Alderman John Hodapp to approve the minutes from the July 27, 2020 regular meeting. The motion was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, and Michael Jansen. Nay: none.

Director of Finance Alderman Don Perez explained that there was no Treasurer’s Report tonight due to City Treasurer Chad Holthaus being out of town.

Alderman Don Perez made a motion to approve the payment of the claims against the city. The motion was seconded by Alderman Kent Newkirk and approved unanimously by roll call vote. Aye: Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, John Hodapp, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, and Kent Newkirk. Nay: none.

City Administrator Andy Brackett spoke for Joe Behrman, Street and Alley Department. He said that the street oiling was completed.

The Park Department will be having a movie in the park on August 29th. The State of Illinois changed the guidelines for youth sports again, but they are still able to have a youth soccer program following the guidelines.

Dave Miller reported for the Electric Department. They got Sunny Tut from the Travel Plaza finished this week.

Mayor Judy Smith reported that school will be starting soon and she has asked the Street Department to make sure the streets are clear of tree limbs and debris to make sure the visibility is good at the intersections for buses and anyone using them to get to the schools.

City Administrator Andy Brackett explained that they are moving on to the next step of the aquatic facility planning following the evaluation of the pool. They requested that a committee be made consisting of community members. Per city code 1-2-3 special committees may be appointed by the Mayor, subject to advice and consent from the City Council. They have come up with a list of names to be on the Pool Committee. They are Nicole Weh, Nancy Nave, Doris Elling, Jason McIntosh, Bruce Hilmes, Kerrick Rahm, and Shannon Petrea as City Council Liaison.

Alderman Don Perez made a motion to approve the pool committee appointees. Alderman Scott Diekemper seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously by roll call vote. Aye: Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, Kent Newkirk, and Shannon Petrea. Nay: none.

City Administrator Andy Brackett explained that they received a revolving loan fund application from Bittle Automotive. It has gone through the Economic Development Committee and they approved it to go to the City Council. An ordinance has been created. The loan is for $50,000.00 over a five-year period with 3% interest rate. Andy Brackett said that $250,000.00 for loans has been budgeted. Per the EDC’s recommendation they recommend that Russell Bittle and Rachel Bittle each sign for it individually. He said this loan is different due to the fact they are renting a building that the city owns.

Alderman Don Perez made a motion to approve the ordinance for a $50,000.00 loan to Russell and Rachel Bittle, Bittle Automotive Inc. for a five-year term at 3% interest. Alderman Scott Diekemper seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously by roll call vote. Aye: Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Mike Jansen, Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, and Scott Diekemper. Nay: none.

City Administrator Andy Brackett explained that the Finance Committee had a meeting reviewing the RFPs that were received for the Park and Recreation Master Plan/Sports Complex Feasibility Study. The Committee recommended awarding the park and recreation master plan to Planning Design Studio out of St. Louis. They had the lowest cost and they have done a lot of work in southern Illinois and the metro east area.

Alderman Jeremy Weh made a motion to approve the RFP from Planning Design Studio. The motion was seconded by Alderman John Hodapp and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, and Don Perez. Nay: none.

City Administrator Andy Brackett explained that at the same Finance Committee meeting they discussed the firms that submitted RFQs for the capital improvement plan. He explained that with the RFQs they must go on qualifications. They need to decide which firm is most qualified and then they will go into negotiations with that firm. The Finance Committee recommended MSA Professional Services. Andy Brackett then told the Council that he did explain to the Finance Committee the experience that H.M.G. has with the City of Carlyle as it has worked with the City for the last 50 years. He feels that all the firms that submitted RFQs are qualified.

City Attorney Joe Heiligenstein said that the Council must select a preference and number the RFQs first through third and then at that point they would need to reach out to the first choice and try to reach an agreement with them. If that does not occur, they would reach out to the second choice. The Council must decide on the rankings with consideration to the proposals received. He said that an RFQ is different than an RFP. With an RFP you can just accept the lowest bidder.

Mayor Judy Smith said that since the Finance Committee meeting, she has reviewed all the RFQs received again. H.M.G. has done so much in the City of Carlyle as well as many neighboring municipalities. She also said that over the time she has been affiliated with the City the calls to them with questions were many and the City was never charged for them. She said everyone is saying that a fresh set of eyes is good, but she goes back to how much history H.M.G. has with the City. She feels that the City has a good relationship with H.M.G., and she would like that all to be considered.

Alderman John Hodapp made a motion to accept the Finance Committee’s recommendation to go with MSA Professional Services as the first choice, Civil Design as the second choice, and H.M.G as the third choice. Alderman Don Perez seconded the motion, and it was approved unanimously by roll call vote. Aye: Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, and John Hodapp. Nay: none.

At 7:18 p.m. a motion was made by Alderman Don Perez to go into executive session to review executive session minutes. The motion was seconded by Alderman John Hodapp and was approved unanimously by roll call vote. Aye: Michael Jansen, Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, John Hodapp, and Jeremy Weh. Nay: none.

At 7:23 p.m. the Council returned to open session. A motion was made by Alderman Kent Newkirk to approve the executive session minutes from February 10, 2020 and June 8, 2020. The motion was seconded by Alderman Jeremy Weh and it was unanimously approved by voice vote. Aye: Shannon Petrea, Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, and Kent Newkirk. Nay: none.

A motion was made by Alderman John Hodapp to open the executive session minutes from December 9, 2019, January 13, 2020 and February 10, 2020 and to leave all the other executive session minutes closed. The motion was seconded by Alderman Scott Diekemper, and it was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Scott Diekemper, Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, Kent Newkirk, and Shannon Petrea. Nay: none.

At 7:25 p.m. a motion to adjourn was made by Alderman Don Perez. The motion was seconded by Alderman Jeremy Weh and was unanimously approved by roll call vote. Aye: Don Perez, John Hodapp, Jeremy Weh, Michael Jansen, Kent Newkirk, Shannon Petrea, and Scott Diekemper. Nay: none.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/carlyle/Board.nsf/Public