Metro East Sun

City of Belleville City Council met June 3

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Gregory called this meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 

City Clerk Gain Meyer called roll. Members present on roll call: Alderperson Whitaker, Alderperson Schneider, Alderperson Duco, Alderperson Randle, Alderperson Ferguson, Alderperson Anthony, Alderperson Ovian, Alderperson Schaefer, Alderperson Stiehl, Alderperson Rothweiler, Alderperson Elmore, Alderperson Weygandt, Alderperson Sullivan, Alderperson Osthoff. 

Excused: Alderperson Eros, Alderperson Dintelman 

ROLL CALL DEPARTMENT HEADS 

City Clerk Gain Meyer called roll of Department Heads: City Treasurer, Sarah Biermann; Police Chief, Matt Eiskant; Deputy Fire Chief Curt Lougeay; Finance Director, Jamie Maitret; Director of Public Works, Jason Poole; Director of Wastewater, Randy Smith; Library Director, Leander Spearman; City Engineer, Scott Saeger; Director of Health, Housing & Building, Scott Tyler; Director of Human Resources, William Clay; Director of Maintenance, Mike Schaefer. 

Excused: Fire Chief, Stephanie Mills; Director of IT, Ty Buckner; Director of Economic Development, Planning & Zoning, Clifford Cross. 

None. 

PLEDGE 

PUBLIC HEARING 

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 

David Orlet: 9 Juanita Place. We have a house down the street from us that has been condemned by the city, I believe maybe two years ago and I would just like to know what the rules are or what the City's responsibilities is and what the homeowner's responsibilities is on a home that has been condemned because it has been vacant for twenty-five years and it is falling apart and there is graffiti being sprayed on part of it. 

Mayor Gregory: Scott, would you like to address that - Scott is our Director of Housing. 

City Clerk Gain Meyer: You should really discuss that after the meeting. 

Christine Blanquart: 26 East Main Street. I own Blanquart's Vintage Market and I just wanted to, there is an item on the agenda this evening for a request to close off some streets for an event to expand the Indie Market, it has been an event in downtown for the last several years on High Street and the promoter is here and she is on the agenda for you guys to consider expanding it and I just wanted, 

if you haven't been to the Indie Market I just wanted to give you a few seconds and tell you a little bit about it. Some of our other small business owners (inaudible) are in support of it as well to expand. 

The first time I went to the Indie Market I was there as a shopper and it was like thirty steps from the front door of my business, I wanted to be a vendor, I signed up and have been a vendor for the last two events, it is well organized. The next (inaudible) shop and never even told me it was there the night before. It is an evening event, it is juried she just doesn't let anybody come but it would be like a vintage artist in your event down Main Street. I really hope you consider approving that with the street closures because (inaudible) another event that is something that Belleville needs and is missing that other towns and cities have. 

Andrea Powell: Circa Boutique and Gifts and also Belle City Fitness. I am also coming here to support the extension of her event from what I have seen on, well recently I have seen a couple of options that they might have, the option of going down High Street maybe a little bit farther down, but there is also an option to come down Jackson Street and that would be at the corner of Main where my business is at Main and Jackson and you know the event is very successful, there is a lot of social media attention, marketing and it is just the kind of level of artist and artisan that bring kind of a fun vibe kind of similar to the products that they sell in my shop and that quality. Bringing that and that crowd (inaudible) that is really a fun thing that is going to transfer over to some shops and drinking afterwards, I really think it highlights our neighborhood and (inaudible) last couple of years people who may not have come to Belleville in that (inaudible) anyway I am here to support. 

PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS & APPOINTMENTS 

Mayor Gregory recognized the character word of the month "fairness" meaning playing by the rules, being open-minded and not taking advantage. 

Mayor Gregory recommended the reappointment of Timberly Hund, Linda Weisenstein and Molly McKenzie to serve a 1-year term on the Historic Preservation Commission. 

Alderperson Schaefer made a motion second by Alderperson Elmore to approve the reappointment. 

All members present voted aye. 

Motion carries. 

Mayor Gregory recommended the reappointment of Tim Gregowicz to serve a 3-year term on the Planning Commission. 

Alderperson Rothweiler made a motion second by Alderperson Weygandt to approve the reappointment. 

All members present voted aye. 

Motion carries. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES 

Alderperson Stiehl made a motion second by Alderperson Schaefer to approve the City Council Meeting Minutes and the Executive Minutes of May 20, 2024. 

All members voted aye. 

Motion carries. 

CLAIMS, PAYROLL AND DISBURSEMENTS 

Alderperson Whitaker made a motion second by Alderperson Ferguson to approve claims and disbursements in the amount of $2,001,384.17 and payroll in the amount of $1,060,019.46. 

Members voting aye on roll call: Whitaker, Schneider, Duco, Randle, Ferguson, Anthony, Ovian, Schaefer, Stiehl, Rothweiler, Elmore, Weygandt, Sullivan, Osthoff. (14) 

Motion carries. 

REPORTS 

Alderperson Rothweiler made a motion second by Alderperson Schaefer to approve Treasurer Report - April 2024 and a motion to approve Statement of Cash and Investments Report - April 2024 

All members present voted aye. 

Motion carries 

ORAL REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES, SPECIAL COMMITTEES AND ANY OTHER ORAL REPORTS FROM THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OR STAFF 

ADMINISTRATION 

Alderperson Elmore made a motion second by Alderperson Randle to approve amended Fee Schedule FY 2024-2025 

Alderperson Elmore: I going to make the motion with an amendment on this particular one, it is on page 127 in your packets, it is pretty deep in there, it is a $200 increase in what we have been doing for many years and we talked about that in ordinance and I am going to make an amendment to the motion to make it $300. We have already been doing $200 here for a little bit but this is the - - - 

City Clerk Gain Meyer: Alderperson Elmore is this for the Solicitors? 

Alderperson Elmore: Yes. 

City Clerk Gain Meyer: That is actually in an ordinance, not all of these fees are by ordinance, so we need to just, we need to redo the ordinance on that. This is amending it to conform with what we just amended to the $200 so we will have to come back through ordinance and increase it to $300.

Alderperson Elmore: Great, and if you are wondering why it is just us, as Jenny will say, she just issued a bunch of permits and they still didn't blink an eye and they have become incredible nuisance, they are knocking on doors with no soliciting signs, they are allowed to do this up until 9:00 p.m. which is very unsafe for residents and with todays gun laws it could be unsafe for the solicitor. I just feel like we have to do everything that we can, we have not been able to find a better reason in Ordinance other than to hit them in the pocketbook and that is what this is, I wish there was another way but this has become dangerous to our residents, I feel. That is my motion to come back to the next meeting. 

City Clerk Gain Meyer: The motion will be for the fee schedule as presented and we will address the ordinance at the next meeting. 

Alderperson Elmore: And I firmly believe that in the near future there will be an ordinance will be discussing a fine increase for the violators. 

Members voting aye on roll call: Schneider, Duco, Randle, Ferguson, Anthony, Ovian, Schaefer, Stiehl, Rothweiler, Elmore, Weygandt, Sullivan, Osthoff, Whitaker. (14) 

Motion carries. 

Alderperson Ferguson made a motion second by Alderperson Schaefer to approve the following: 

Motion to amended Committee and Commission Calendar for 2024 

Motion to approve and City Attorney to prepare an Intergovernmental Agreement with St. Clair County for joint use of CodeRed Emergency Notification System 

Members voting aye on roll call: Duco, Randle, Ferguson, Anthony, Ovian, Schaefer, Stiehl, Rothweiler, Elmore, Weygandt, Sullivan, Osthoff, Whitaker, Schneider. (14) 

Motion carries. 

COMMUNICATIONS 

BELLEVILLE INDIE MARKET - 08/24/2024 

Request from Belleville Indie Market to have their event Saturday, August 24, 2025 (Rain Date: Sunday, August 25, 2024), 6:00pm to 0:00pm. Street closure request: 12:00pm to 11:59pm, South High Street to East Washington, North High Street to parking lot entrances and East Main Street from 159 (east side) to Jackson Street (west side). Additional City services: picnic tables, trash toters, “No Parking" signage, food trucks 

LAW DAY RUN - 05/03/2025 

Request from St. Clair County Bar Association and Belleville Running Club to hold the Law Day Run, Saturday, May 3, 2025, 9:00am to 12:00pm. Street closure request: North High Street from Main Street to include East "A" Street to North Jackson, 8:30am to 1:00pm. "No Parking" on High Street from East "D" Street to McKinley, on Abend Street and municipal lot behind Lincoln Theatre after 1:00am on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Additional City services requested: toters, barricades, picnic tables, folding tables, and Police Personnel 

RUMMAGEPALOOZA – 10/19/2024 

Request from Tapestry of Community Offerings (TOCO) to host Rummagepalooza 2024, Saturday, October 19, 2024 (date change from June 1, 2024), 10:00am to 4:00pm 

Alderperson Ferguson made a motion second by Alderperson Stiehl to approve the Communications as read. 

All members present voted aye. 

Motion carries. 

None. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

MISCELLANEOUS & NEW BUSINESS 

Alderperson Ferguson made a motion second by Alderperson Schaefer to pay the Motor Fuel Claims in the Amount of $30,813.78. 

Members voting aye on roll call: Randle, Ferguson, Anthony, Ovian, Schaefer, Stiehl, Rothweiler, Elmore, Weygandt, Sullivan, Osthoff, Whitaker, Schneider, Duco. (14) 

Motion carries. 

ADJOURNMENT 

Alderperson Randle made a motion second by Alderperson Schaefer to adjourn at 7:15 p.m. 

All members present voted aye. 

Motion carries. 

https://www.belleville.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06032024-3253