East Central Reporter

City of Flora City Council met June 3.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

OPENING CEREMONIES

Mayor Rick Slaughter called the Regular Council Meeting of the City of Flora to order and City Clerk Becky Burgess called roll. Present were Mayor Rick Slaughter, Commissioner Linda Spicer, Commissioner Jeremy Henderson, Commissioner Phil Wiley and Commissioner Jim Fehrenbacher.

Others in attendance were City Attorney Bob Coble, Chief of Police Guye Durre, City Administrator/Economic Development Director Mike Stanford, City Clerk Becky Burgess, Building and Zoning Official Chad Bayles and Superintendent of Public Services Toby Rinehart. Two media representatives and a few guests were also in attendance.

Mayor Rick Slaughter led the Pledge of Allegiance and Commissioner Phil Wiley offered the Invocation.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

On behalf of the Flora Chamber of Commerce, Anna Rounds requested permission to use Charley Brown Memorial Park for a July 4th celebration.

A MOTION TO ALLOW THE FLORA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO USE CHARLEY BROWN MEMORIAL PARK ON JULY 4, 2024, WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILEY; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SPICER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR THE JUNE 3, 2024, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF FLORA WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SPICER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILEY.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

CONSENT AGENDA

The following items were listed under the Consent Agenda:

APPROVE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 20, 2024

APPROVE SCHEDULE OF BILLS FOR MAY 14, 2024 THROUGH MAY 28, 2024

A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER FEHRENBACHER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILEY.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

REGULAR BUSINESS

Mayor Rick Slaughter took time to thank Mayor Pro Tem Linda Spicer for filling in for him at the last Council meeting. Slaughter then thanked the City crews for all the cleanup work after the major storm last week. He reminded residents to place the limbs and branches at their curbs and they will be picked up within the next few weeks.

Slaughter requested a motion for reappointments to the library board.

A MOTION TO REAPPOINT KAREN BRISCOE, JON AKERS AND REBECCA STOCKE TO THE FLORA PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES (TERM TO EXPIRE MAY 2027) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SPICER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILEY.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

Commissioner Linda Spicer expressed her appreciation for all of the work by City employees after the storm. Spicer also thanked Anna Rounds, Flora Chamber of Commerce Director, for her dedication with scheduling ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new businesses.

Commissioner Phil Wiley also thanked the City employees, as well as all of the residents in the community that came together to help clean-up. He noted that it was so good to see everyone helping others in need after the storm.

Commissioner Jim Fehrenbacher echoed the same thoughts regarding cleanup with the recent storm

City Administrator/Economic Development Director Mike Stanford allowed Lee Beckman to address Council on the various grants that Milano & Grunloh Engineers are completing for the City. Beckman gave a brief update on each of the grants that are currently being pursued and noted that the City just received word of being awarded the Safe Routes to School grant in the amount of $250,000.00. Following his presentation, Stanford presented several items for Council's consideration.

A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 24-3349, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF THE CITY TENNIS COURTS BY THE FLORA COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT #35 (3-YEAR LEASE) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SPICER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILEY.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

June 3, 2024

A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 24-3350, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THE USE OF THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES BY THE CITY OF FLORA, ILLINOIS (3-YEAR LEASE) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER FEHRENBACHER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILEY.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 24-3351, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE TENNIS COURT RESURFACING (GENERAL ACRYLICS - $59,500.00) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILEY; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SPICER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE NO 24-3352, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE BASKETBALL COURT AND TENNIS COURT PARKING LOT ($68,941.50 FOR BOTH PARKING LOTS) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILEY; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEHRENBACHER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

Stanford noted that work on the pickleball courts is moving right along, as well as the work on the ADA sidewalk crossways on North Main Street. Following completion of the sidewalks, the resurfacing of the road will begin.

The last item that Stanford announced was that the cleaning and painting on the Industrial Water Tower will begin soon.

Building and Zoning Official Chad Bayles requested permission to seek bids.

A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SEEKING OF BIDS FOR A NEW CITY TRUCK FOR THE BUILDING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILEY; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SPICER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

Bayles concluded by noting that the guys did an outstanding job on the storm cleanup.

Superintendent of Public Services Toby Rinehart presented two items for Council to consider.

A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 24-3353, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A BID TO CONVERT A 2000 INTERNATIONAL TRUCK (WOODY'S MUNICIPAL SUPPLY IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,545.00) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SPICER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEHRENBACHER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 24-3354, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AGREEMENT AND EXTENSION WITH CLEAN UNIFORM COMPANY FOR SUPPLYING AND CLEANING OF EMPLOYEE UNIFORMS (NOT TO EXCEED BUDGETED AMOUNT OF $22,300.00) WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILEY; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FEHRENBACHER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

CLOSED SESSION

Mayor Slaughter requested a motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to (c)(1):

5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity.

AT APPROXIMATELY 4:48 P.M., COMMISSIONER WILEY MADE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SPICER.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

OPEN SESSION

At approximately 4:57 p.m., Council entered back into Open Session.

Mayor Rick Slaughter requested a motion to hire Kim Adair as new City Treasurer and noted that she will not want the City's health insurance.

A MOTION TO HIRE KIM ADAIR AS CITY TREASURER, WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF JUNE 17, 2024 AND A SALARY OF $65,000.00 PER YEAR, PLUS BENEFITS, WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SPICER; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILEY.

➤ Vote: Yes - Slaughter, Spicer, Henderson, Wiley, Fehrenbacher

No - None

Abstain - None; Absent - None

Stanford took the time to update Council regarding the issues on the parking lot at the prospective new Police Department. Tony Luttrell won the bid for the parking lot and there is an issue with two sections of the finished concrete. On these two sections, the concrete cured too quickly due to weather conditions, which in turn produced some cracks. The concrete was tested and it tested well above the breaking point, which means the concrete is good, but the surface has some cracks and imperfections.

Luttrell agreed to forfeit his 5% retention fee, which will be approximately $8,500.00. The City will also require a 3-year guarantee on the concrete, rather than the 1-year guarantee that was established initially. The City will accept the work "as is" because we did not pay for concrete, unless City Council wants to consider other options. There were further suggestions.

ADJOURN

At approximately 5:04 p.m. with no further business to discuss, Mayor Slaughter requested a motion to adjourn.

COMMISSIONER FEHRENBACHER MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN; SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SPICER. COUNCIL MEMBERS CONCURRED AND MAYOR SLAUGHTER DECLARED SAID MEETING ADJOURNED.

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