City Council Special Meeting Agenda

AGENDA

CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING

FRIDAY, APRIL 28th 2023 at 12:15 pm

· Call to Order

o Pledge of Allegiance

o Roll Call

· Reports and Communications

Mayor Judge

o Commissioner Meeks Streets, Cemeteries and Parks

o Commissioner Ikemire Finance and Senior Citizens

o Commissioner Dulgar Water and Sewer

o Commissioner Zimmerman Fire, Health & Safety, City Hall and Garbage

· Old Business

o Second reading of City Ordinance 2089: 2023-2024 City Budget

· Executive Session

o Discuss Union Employee’s Contract

o Discuss Non-Union Compensation

· Motion to Adjourn

· Liquor Control Meeting-

o El Bernal Restaurant

WGH Listed Again As One Of The Best Places To Work In Illinois

For the fifth straight year, Wabash General Hospital has been named as a Best Places To Work in Illinois. WGH President/CEO Karissa Turner made the announcement at Monday night’s hospital board of directors meeting….

WGH representatives will attend an awards ceremony next month at which time they’ll find out where Wabash General ranked in the Best Places to Work survey. Turner said the results will enable the hospital to improve.

City Officials Considering Business Revitalization Plan

City officials are working with Moran Economic Development in exploring  the creation of a business district in Mt. Carmel. City Clerk Ryan Turner said the proposed business district would run from 10th and Market to 2nd and Walnut and includes parts of Mulberry Street. Moran has told city leaders that an additional sales tax running from a quarter percent to 1% would be used to fund the business district…

If approved, only businesses within the proposed business district would be subject to an increase in the sales tax. Mayor Joe Judge said the proposed area already includes an enterprise zone and TIF district. The business district would be an added asset…

At the city council on May 15th, Moran representatives are expected to provide more details on the proposal before it proceeds.

Indianapolis Man Arrested for Fraud

Gibson County – Tuesday afternoon, April 25, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Indiana State Police and Gibson County Sheriff’s Office responded to Fifth Third Bank in Haubstadt after bank employees suspected a person inside the bank was attempting to withdraw money fraudulently. When troopers and detectives arrived, they identified the suspect as Joshua Cantrell, 40, of Indianapolis. Further investigation revealed Cantrell was allegedly using fraudulent identification and attempting to withdraw funds from an unauthorized account. Cantrell was also in possession of a THC vape cartridge. He was arrested and taken to the Gibson County Jail where he is currently being held on bond.

Arrested and Charges:

  • Joshua Cantrell, 40, Indianapolis, IN

  1. Fraud, Level 6 Felony

  2. Identity Deception, Level 6 Felony

  3. Forgery, Class A Misdemeanor

  4. Possession of Marijuana, Class B Misdemeanor

Investigating Officer: Detective W. Campbell, Indiana State Police

Assisting Officers: Sergeant Detective B. Chandler, Master Trooper M. Finney, and Lieutenant B. Bailey, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agency: Gibson County Sheriff’s Office

IECC Board Reorganizes Following Election

The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 reorganized for the next two years, at the regular meeting, Tuesday, April 25, at Lincoln Trail College, Robinson, IL.

Following adoption of a resolution for the election returns of April 4 th, the oath of office was administered to trustees Brenda Culver, Noble; Gary Carter, Fairfield; and Roger Browning, Mt. Carmel. Trustees Culver and Carter were seated for six-year terms expiring in 2029 and Trustee Browning was seated for the remaining two years of a six-year term expiring in 2025.

The oath of office was also administered to Guadalupe Amicone, who was seated for a one-year term as student member of the Board of Trustees. A student at Lincoln Trail College, she succeeds student trustee Raechel Hnetkovsky.

Trustee Gary Carter was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Trustee Brenda Culver was elected Vice-Chairman. Trustee Barbara Shimer was elected Secretary Pro Tempore.

Ryan Hawkins was re-appointed

District Treasurer. Sonja Music was re-appointed Board Secretary and District Ethics Officer.

All of the officers were elected unanimously.

Action was taken to adopt a resolution regarding all rules, regulations, policies, and actions of prior Boards of Trustees.

A resolution was adopted listing the dates, times and locations of regular monthly meetings for the remainder of calendar year 2023. The meetings will continue to be held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:15 p.m., except for the December meeting, which will be held on the second Tuesday. Meeting location will rotate between the four colleges, as follows:

Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College

Tuesday, June 20, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College

Tuesday, July 18, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College

Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College

Tuesday, September 19, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College

Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College

Tuesday, November 21, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College

Tuesday, December 12, 2023, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College

A group of Phi Theta Kappa students presented their college project on the importance of 2 campus housing at Lincoln Trail College. The group presented data they have collected over the past year on this issue.

Board approval was given for revisions to the following policies:

• Substance Abuse Testing for Athletes 500.27 to relocate the procedural portion related to drug testing to the corresponding procedure 500.27.

• Policy 500.5 Credit for Prior Learning with revisions to apply credit to student’s academic record immediately for any approved credit hours accepted for the various methods of prior learning.

• Policy 200.5 (Adoptions, Amendment, and Repeal of Policies) was reassigned as a procedure for the parent Policy 100.1 (Adopting or Changing Policies), resulting in the deletion of Policy 200.5. Appropriate revisions are reflected in the modifications to Policy 100.1.

The Board granted approval for OCC to lease space to ROE #12 to house their ASSIST program from August 1, 2023 through May 31, 2024. The IECC district’s Identity Theft Prevention Program and the Program Status and Report for 2022 were approved. Federal regulations require the district to develop and implement a written identity theft prevention program.

Five affiliation agreements were approved with Kid’s Kingdom Preschool Inc. Day Care Center, Rehabilitation and Performance Institute, Wabash Co. Health Department, Small World Child Development and Select Specialty Hospital.

Activity Fee allocations for 2023-2024 were approved for FCC, LTC, OCC and WVC. The Board adopts the allocation of student activity fees at the colleges each year. The allocation notes what percentage of each dollar will be turned over to an appropriate self-balancing account in the auxiliary fund.

The Board approved the proposal submitted by PMA Securities, LLC to serve as municipal advisor of record for the District for anticipated and upcoming bond issuance.

IMEG, design firm with significant experience working with colleges and universities, was approved by the Board to serve as the engineer of record for the scope of projects outlined in the RFQ for Solar Design dated March 2023.

The Board approved the removal of handbook fees for the following programs: Certified 3 Medical Assistant, Medical Assistant, Massage Therapy, Pharmacy Technician, and Phlebotomy.

A partnership agreement with C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation was approved by the Board. The Board approved a set of transfer pathways for the Meta Majors that were previously approved in February 2023.

Bid committee recommendations were approved for acceptance of the bid received from Martinsville Roofing for a total of $181,145 for the LTC North Campus Roof Replacement; acceptance of the bid received from Homes by Schuetz for a total of $65,900 for the WVC Student Center Roof Replacement; and recommended the rejection of a $465,000 bid from Martin Roofing for the WVC Main Hall Roof Replacement.

Employment was approved for Tina Staley, Early Childhood Instructor effective August 15, 2023; Annie Matthews, Administrative Assistant to Dean of Instruction, OCC, effective May 1, 2023; Arron Brown, Full-time Maintenance Worker, WRC, effective May 1, 2023; Cody Gifford, Full-time Groundskeeper/Custodian, FCC, effective May 1, 2023; Sarah Clodfelter, Administrative Assistant to Dean of Instruction, WVC, effective May 1, 2023.

A change in employment status for David Mullins from Part-time to Full-time Custodian, LTC, effective May 1, 2023; Karissa Anderson from Library Technician to Director of Instructional Support Services, WVC, effective May 1, 2023; and KaRissa Miller from Part-time to Full-time Business & Industry Specialist, FCC, effective May 1, 2023.

Resignation ratifications were approved for Autumn Hoalt, Full-time Custodian, LTC, effective May 1, 2023; Allison Stephens, TRIO Upward Bound Counselor, OCC, effective April 17, 2023; Bobbi Hart-Walka, Student Services Specialist, OCC, effective April 18, 2023; Tonda Brayfield, Allied Health Program Facilitator, OCC, effective April 4, 2023; and Brad Logsdon, Physical Sciences Instructor, LTC, effective May 12, 2023.

Retirement ratifications were approved for Debbie Hosselton, Student Services Specialist, OCC, effective June 30, 2023; Tayna Smith, TRIO Academic Counselor, WVC, effective June 1, 2023; and Lona Peavler, Payroll Coordinator, District Office, effective November 1, 2023.

Next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, May 16, at 6:15 p.m. at Olney Central College, Olney

Lane restrictions and ramp closure planned for U.S. 41

VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane restrictions for U.S. 41 over Pigeon Creek and Diamond Avenue as well as a ramp closure from Diamond Avenue to U.S. 41 northbound.

Beginning on or around Tuesday, May 2, contractors will begin bridge work on US 41 in Evansville. Work will be done on both the south and northbound bridges located over Diamond Avenue as well as the northbound bridge over Pigeon Creek. These bridges will be receiving bridge deck overlays. During construction, the northbound on-ramp from Diamond Avenue to U.S. 41 northbound will be closed.

During bridge deck overlay operations, one lane will be worked on per bridge at a time. Once work is complete on the closed lane, the restrictions will change to the other lane.

The northbound on-ramp from Diamond Avenue to U.S. 41 will be closed to allow for work on the northbound Pigeon Creek bridge. The official detour for this ramp closure is U.S. 41 southbound to The Llyod Expressway to U.S. 41 northbound.

All work is expected to last through the beginning of July, depending on the weather.

INDOT urges drivers to slow down and stay alert near crews.

Improvements Underway On Main And Delaware Streets In Fairfield

EFFINGHAM – The Illinois Department of Transportation announces a resurfacing project on U.S. 45/Illinois 15 through Fairfield, on eastbound Delaware Street from Southwest Seventh Street to Southeast Ninth Street and westbound Main Street from Southeast Ninth Street to just west of Market Street, beginning yesterday.

In addition to resurfacing, other improvements for this $6.9 million project include upgraded traffic signals and sidewalk ramps at various intersections. One lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction with traffic control signs, arrow boards and barricades directing traffic. Benefits from this project include a smoother driving surface and safer intersections. The project is expected to be completed by mid-summer 2024.

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 2,500 miles of highway and nearly 10 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Three of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $8.6 billion of improvements statewide on 4,422 miles of highway, 412 bridges, and 621 additional safety improvements.

For more information on IDOT projects, click here. For IDOT District 7 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict7 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

City Says Summer Road Work To Actually Be Done In The Summer

In the last few years, Mt. Carmel’s summer street maintenance program has been more like the fall street maintenance program. Work seemed to be done later in September, many times when the weather had already begun to cool off. But this year, city leaders are vowing a return to having the road work done in the summer, when the hot weather will help improve results. City engineer Dave Dallas says crack and joint sealing should begin just after school ends next month. And, Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group is scheduled to do the chip and seal work the week of July 11th. Those dates are tentative depending on the weather.

Judge Urging Residents To Complete Water Line Survey

Mt. Carmel City officials are continuing to urge water customers to visit the city’s website and complete the lead water line survey. Mayor Joe Judge says it benefits all parties to complete the state mandated survey on line instead of a city employee showing up at your house…

A $40,000 grant was obtained to help pay for an individual to conduct the lead water line survey this summer.

The survey can be found here: https://www.cityofmtcarmel.com/publicworks/webform/water-service-line-material-survey

Financial Outlook Positive As City Heads Into Final Week Of Fiscal Year

With less than a week left in the city of Mt. Carmel’s fiscal year, city finances are in good shape according to finance commissioner Eric Ikemire…

Ikemire said that while sales tax receipts are down almost $117,000, it has been more than offset by the replacement tax bringing more than twice as much than was budgeted bringing in more than $250,000 than was anticipated. The city council will hold a special meeting at noon Friday to officially adopt the FY 2023-24 city budget.