Rockford Sun

City of South Beloit City Council Met Nov. 2.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

CALL TO ORDER: ROLL CALL:

Present & answering to roll call were Commissioners Adleman, Fitzgerald, Hedrington, Morse, and Mayor Rehl.

City Attorney Roxanne Sosnowski was present

City Clerk Tracy Patrick recorded the minutes

Department Heads in attendance:

Police Chief Adam Truman

Fire Chief Administrator Dan Zerfass

Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Jeff Reininger

5:00 pm, Council Chambers, City Hall by Mayor Rehl.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Led by Mayor Rehl and recited by all members present.

INVOCATION:

Mayor Rehl asked for a moment of silence.

APPROVE AGENDA:

Commissioner Fitzgerald made a motion to approve the agenda second by Commissioner Adleman. Voice vote carried the motion.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

None.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1-3. Commissioner Morse made a motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Council Meeting held on October 19, 2020, the minutes of the Special Council Meeting held on October 12, 2020, and the minutes of the Special Council Meeting held on October 26, 2020. Commissioner Hedrington second the motion. Voice vote carried the motion.

REPORT OF OFFICERS:

1. Finance:

Commissioner Adleman made a motion to approve the claims to be paid from October 17-30, 2020 in the amount of $ 1,407,884.38. Commissioner Fitzgerald second the motion. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

2. Attorney Report:

3. Commissioner’s Report:

Accounts & Finance-Commissioner Tom Fitzgerald

Health & Public Safety-Commissioner Brian Hedrington Streets & Public Improvement-Commissioner Ryan Adleman Public Properties-Commissioner Ken Morse

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

1. Discussion and/or Motion Items:

a. Commissioner Morse made a motion to approve Resolution 6114 approving the purchase of flower pots for Blackhawk Blvd from T2 Site Amenities at a cost not to exceed $13,923.00.

Commissioner Hedrington second the motion. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

b. Commissioner Morse made a motion to approve Resolution 6115 approving the purchase of benches and trash receptacles for Blackhawk Blvd from KirbyBuilt Sales at a cost not to exceed $19,389.60. Commissioner Hedrington second the motion. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

NEW BUSINESS:

a. From the Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting held on October 21, 2020 a positive recommendation was given regarding a Special Use Permit. Commissioner Morse made a motion to approve Ordinance 2562 approving a Special Use Permit to allow for a Church in the Residential Multi-Family (RM) Zoning District for 5896 Prairie Hill Road, South Beloit, Illinois. Commissioner Adleman second the motion. Applicant, Robert Reed was present. Council discussed 2 different proposals for the sewer connection: one for 300 feet, and the other for 500 feet. The recommendation from the ZBA as well as WWTP Superintendent, Jeff Reininger was 500 feet. Mr. Reed asked Council to consider 300 feet for the sewer connection for cost purposes. Mr. Reed explained this would take the line to the building and still allow homes on the north side of the street to the west side of the property as a compromise. Zoning Official, Jessica Roberts said the 500 feet requirement is listed as a condition of the approval. Church Engineer Consultant, Mark Rice asked if the 300 feet could be approved as written, but with a timeframe and reserve an easement for any new connection to have the right of access. Attorney Sosnowski advised the condition of the 500 feet sewer connection would need to bemet for the use to occur. Council’s determination was to approve the Special Use Permit withthe 500 feet requirement. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

b. From the Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting held on October 21, 2020 a positive recommendation was given regarding a Special Use Permit. Commissioner Hedrington made a motion to approve Ordinance 2563 approving a Special Use Permit to allow for a Contractors Equipment Rental Yard in the Commercial General (CG) Zoning District for 1019 Gardner Street, South Beloit, Illinois. Commissioner Morse second the motion. Applicant, James Flister was present. Council discussed the business operating prior to approval of the Special Use Permit. Mr. Flister said he was not operating now, but misunderstood and believed he was able to operate. Commissioner Hedrington said he does not understand why there would be a need for 2 similar businesses to be located within a block of each other. Commissioner Adleman said he is not in favor of approving the SUP due to the operations occurring, and signage being put up prior to approval and believes there is limited area to park due to the flood zone. Commissioner Adleman added he has concerns there will be additional time and expense on the City to ensure the SUP is followed. Commissioner Fitzgerald spoke about the outside storage and believes all businesses should be treated the same. Attorney Sosnowski was asked to compare the proposed SUP conditions to the conditions that were approved for 904 Gardner Street when their SUP for U-Haul’s was approved. Attorney Sosnowki’s comparison was almost word for word. Council asked Zoning Official, Jessica Roberts if there was a difference between the 2 location. Ms. Roberts said the site at this location is much larger compared to 904 Gardner. Mr. Flitster said he operates a similar business at his Janesville location and feels like he has experience and would like to bring something to the community. Roll call vote showed 3 ayes and 2 nays by Commissioners Adleman and Hedrington.

c. From the Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting held on October 21, 2020 a positive recommendation was given regarding a Special Use Permit. Commissioner Fitzgerald made a motion to approve Ordinance 2564 approving a Special Use Permit to allow for a Pawn Shop in the Commercial Retail (CR) Zoning District for 440 Gardner Street, South Beloit, Illinois. Commissioner Adleman second the motion. Applicant, Jason Vandiver was present. Commissioner Morse said he did not like the idea of a Pawn Shop being located on Gardner Street due to the City trying to improve the image of its main entrance streets, and believes a Pawn Shop has a bad sound to it. Commissioner Morse said the current business has outside storage issues as well. Commissioner Fitzgerald said he does not have an issue with a PawnShop and believes it’s a better alternative than a year-round rummage sale. Commissioner Adleman agreed with Commissioner Fitzgerald and asked what improvements have been done to the building in the past 7 years. Mr. Vandiver explained his father is the owner of the building, and the lease was kept with the current tenant, however; the owners are looking forward to improving the parking lot and building exterior. Commissioner Fitzgerald said a Pawn Shop would require security and there would be no outside storage allowed. Attorney Sosnowski reviewed the conditions of the SUP. Zoning Official, Jessica Roberts added the parking lot repairs were noted in the conditions of the SUP. Council discussed the location as well as phone calls that have been received from adjacent property owners who are not in favor of a Pawn Shop at that location. Mr. Vandiver spoke about their other location in Rockford regarding how it operates as well as the improvements that have been done to the building there. Mr. Vandiver explained what a pawn is and said that 75-80 percent of sales are in jewelry. All staff will have some degree of gemology certification. Mr. Vandiver provided information regarding how the business is regulated for a Pawn Shop and said they use the Leads online database. Mr. Vandiver said this store, if approved, would look similar to the current store in Rockford, and improvements to the building will be made. The current tenant will be given a 6-month notice for closing their business. Roll call vote showed 3 ayes and 2 nays by Commissioners Hedrington and Morse.

d. Commissioner Morse made a motion to approve Ordinance 2565 approving an amendment to the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan/Map. Commissioner Adleman second the motion. Zoning Official, Jessica Roberts explained the change was made awhile ago, however; the change did not get memorialized as an ordinance. It was discovered when looking at previous ordinances that the change had not been made. The map change is along the I-90 corridor that originally was shown as residential. The Zoning Board of Appeals previously recommended approval to change as a Commercial/Industrial flex as a future land use in 2018. It is unknown why the recommendation never made it to the Council for final approval at that time. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

e. Commissioner Morse made a motion to approve Ordinance 2566 temporarily providing a 50 percent reduction for fees for the 2021 Annual Liquor License for Class AA – Bar Restaurant and Class A – Bar Only Establishments. Commissioner Hedrington second the motion. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

f. Commissioner Adleman made a motion to approve Ordinance 2567 amending Ordinance of the City of South Beloit Chapter 106 to impose an Administrative Fee for the initiation of the collection process to recover past due sewer accounts. Commissioner Hedrington second the motion. City Clerk, Tracy Patrick explained to Council the purpose is to be able to recoup charges from the City Attorney’s office for accounts that are sent to the City Attorney’s office for collection process. Attorney Sosnowski said staff is trying to be more strategic in collection efforts from habitual owners who have outstanding debt from nonpayment of sewer/garbage bills. Staff time has increased in the collection process. This would allow the City to recoup some expenses back for the collection process. This would also allow a judge to grant a request for fees for reimbursement from collection cases that proceed to court. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

g. Commissioner Fitzgerald made a motion to approve Resolution 6173 authorizing the twenty sixth IEPA Loan Disbursement request in the amount of $358,348.02. Commissioner Adleman second the motion. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

h. Commissioner Adleman made a motion to approve Resolution 6174 approving pay applicationNumber 1 regarding the City’s MFT Street Project, City Hall Parking Lot Project, and the City’s Fire Department Parking Lot Project. Commissioner Hedrington second the motion. Roll call vote showed 5 ayes.

i. Council discussed keeping streets and storm water drains clear of leaves, garbage, and debris. Mayor Rehl said Council members have received phone calls regarding flooding on Northwestern Avenue. WWTP Superintendent, Jeff Reininger expressed concern regarding the storm sewer that goes in to the river, as well as the storm sewers being plugged up with garbage and debris from residents and the garbage trucks when garbage blows out of the trucks. Residents are sweeping and burning leaves in the streets which causes issues with the storm sewer and flooding. Mr. Reininger said the street sweeper is not meant to pick up leaves to the extent that residents are depositing into the streets, only dirt and debris. Commissioner Adleman said he would like to be proactive and positive in getting the City and its residents all involved in assisting to keep the storm sewers clean. Commissioner Adleman would like theCity to send out an annual letter to residents reminding them the storm sewer is everyone’s responsibility to keep clear and that leaves in the streets are prohibited. Commissioner Morse said the Beautify website could post an adopt a gutter campaign to get residents involved.Mayor Rehl said it’s imperative to have and maintain clean storm sewers for the new sewer plant. Mr. Reininger said the City’s MS4 permit requires regular cleaning and maintenance of the storm sewers. Not keeping them clean can be more costly to the City as well as fines that could be imposed on the City from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Fire Chief Zerfass announced that open burning would be extended 2 additional weeks.

MISCELLANEOUS LICENSES:

1. RLE’s:

a. Stephanie Beasley-Viking Lanes

Commissioner Hedrington made a motion to approve the license second by Commissioner Fitzgerald. Voice vote carried the motion.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

At 6:17 pm on a motion made by Commissioner Morse second by Commissioner Hedrington. The purpose for Executive Session is to:

1. Discuss the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees as provided by 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

2. Discuss Collective negotiation matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives, or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees as provided by 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(2) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION:

At 6:43 pm.

ROLL CALL:

Roll call showed all members present at onset of the meeting.

ORDER OF BUSINESS:

None

ADJOURN:

At 6:43 pm on a motion made by Commissioner Hedrington second by Commissioner Fitzgerald. Voice vote carried the motion.

https://southbeloit.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/11-2-20-Regular-Council-Meeting.pdf