City Council Meeting/Strategic Session - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call the Collinsville City Council meeting for April 28 to order. Roll call.

Seton.

Here.

Houseman. Here. Fuhrman. Here. Green. Here. Stamans.

Here. Would everyone please stand for the invocation given by pastor Dale Barnhurst of the Seventh Day Adventist Church remain standing for the pledge of allegiance.

Our heavenly father, we just want to thank you that you are always there for us. We come to you tonight because we need you to be inside of us to give us the right thinking, the right speaking. We want to be controlled by you and we also ask lord that you would help us to choose you each and every day. Just like Joshua of old, as for me and my house, we will serve the lord. We thank you in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Okay.

First item tonight is the proclamation building safety month.

Designation of May is building safety month. Whereas our city is committed to recognizing that our growth and strength depends on the safety and essential role our homes, buildings, and infrastructure play, both in everyday life and when disasters strike. And whereas our confidence and the resilience of these buildings that make up our community is achieved through the devotion of our vigilant guardians, building safety and fire prevention officials, officials, architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, design professionals, laborers, plumbers, and others in the construction industry who work year round to ensure the safe construction of buildings. And whereas these guardians are dedicated members of the International Code Council, a nonprofit that brings together local, state, territorial, tribal, and federal officials who are experts in the built environment to create and implement the highest quality codes to protect us in the buildings where we live, learn, work, and play. Whereas these modern building codes include safeguards to protect the public from hazards such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, wildland fires, floods, and earthquakes.

And whereas Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council to remind the public about the critical role of our community's largely unknown protectors of public safety, our local code officials who assure us of safe, sustainable, and affordable buildings that are essential to our prosperity. And whereas Built to Last, the theme for the Building Safety Month of twenty twenty six, encourages us all to raise awareness about building safety on a personal, local, and global scale. And whereas each year in observance of Building Safety Month, people all over the world are asked to consider the commitment to improve building safety resilience and economic investment at home and in the community and to acknowledge the essential service provided to all of us by local and state building departments, fire prevention bureaus, and federal agencies in protecting lives and property. Therefore, Jeff Stamen, mayor, City Of Collinsville, Illinois, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2026 as Building Safety Month in the City Of Collinsville. I'd like to get a shout out to our building department.

The work they do, we hear a lot about the first responders, but the work the building officials do protect it before the first responder, protect buildings before the first responders are ever there. So shout out to those guys. They're doing an excellent job. Item.

Next is speakers from the floor.

Speakers may address the council under the terms of ordinance number 4,765. Time is limited to four minutes per speaker. Please refer to the last page of the agenda for specific rules governing input. Anyone on this side of the room that would like to speak? If so, come to the podium and give your name. No one on that side? Anyone on this side that would like to speak. Okay, next item.

Comments and announcements from the mayor.

I have none.

Comments and announcements from council members.

Have done?

No. Nexus City staff.

Thank you, mayor, members of the council. A couple announcements for you this evening. I first have Kimberly Corin, our parks and rec director to come up and talk about some things going on in the park.

Mayor Stammon and members of the council, I would like to bring to your attention that yard of the month voting is now open. We will be getting where we are in that season where it's spring time and all the flowers are blooming. I know my allergies are telling me that there's a lot of pollen out. But please vote for those beautiful yards that you see around town. You can vote by calling the Park and Rec Department or using the online form on our website.

This is a great program that we do that the mayor to honor the art of the month from May through September and then we do a art of the year after that. And then also this time of year, we've got about a month until summer officially officially kicks off with the Memorial Day weekend fireworks celebration. The Aqua Park will open on Saturday the twenty third and then we will have our Memorial Day Firework Festival which we are also doing the I've been working on this word, the semi quintcentennial, the two hundred and fiftieth of the United States. There'll be some of that information as well at the event. We're working on putting on a great firework show as well as live music and lots of great activities.

It's been our kickoff this summer since the parking rec department started. I believe our first one was in 2019. Okay. And oh, I already said it. Aqua Park opens on the twenty third.

If you haven't got your membership passes any day during the office hours at the activity center. And then once the Aqua Park opens on May 23, you can do it either at our office hours or when the aqua park is open. And then, fun thing that happened today, some members of staff here and our mayor statement got to go to the high school and accept a check from the high school Leo Club as a donation for the inclusive play ground that we are going to start building very, very soon. The kids did a raffle fundraiser during the lunch during their lunch period and they raised over $1,300 to go towards the playground. So major thank you to them and kudos to them.

We couldn't be more happy to have their participation in the project and we're looking forward to getting this thing in the ground. Thank you.

Thanks, Kimberly.

Next, can I have Jamie Lane, our director of Gateway Convention Center to talk about some events coming up at Gateway?

Good evening, mayor and members of the council. The first event is the empty bowl, which is an annual soup lunch fundraiser that benefits the council food pantry. It's on Wednesday, May 6 from eleven to two. And it the event features dozens of soups from local restaurants and organizations. There's desserts. There's music. There's raffles, an auction. It all is in to support the families in needs. All the proceeds go to the council food pantry. The tickets are 15 if you get them in advance and $20 at the door.

And later in the month of May, we have Dinosaur Adventure, which has been a great client that is returning. There are life-sized dinosaurs at this event, lots of kids activities. So it's a very family friendly event. The hours will be Saturday nine to eight and Sunday nine to seven. The tickets

start about $30 and go up from there.

Sundaydinosauradventure.com is where you can purchase the tickets or you can go to gatewaycenter.com to the calendar page to get more info. Nine And

that's it.

Great. Thanks, Jamie. Mayor Council, one last announcement. This coming weekend starting on Friday, May 1 from 8AM to eight 2PM and then on Saturday, May 2 from eight 8AM to 3PM. We're going to do our yard waste drop off down at the Streets Department. That's at 850 South Morrison Avenue. This is a good opportunity if anybody did miss the yard waste pickup. We did in conjunction with the township here last week. It's a good opportunity to be able to drop off any additional yard waste you might have. We do require proof of residency for that event. We look forward to anybody that comes down to drop off any kind of yard waste they have. That's all we have for staff comments.

I would like to comment on the empty bowl. My wife actually is working on the committee. The food pantry's taken that over and they're kind of bringing it back to what it used to be. There's not as much hype going on. It's just really concentrating on the reason for the empty bowls. So if you've been there before and been able to sit at the table and the music's playing so loud and things, but it's going to be back to the original intent. So I forward to this year being a good year for it.

Next item is the consent agenda. Item one, motion to approve payment of bills for the period ending 04/17/2026 in the amount of $1,000,737 $1,000,737,100. Let me try that again. Wow. $1,737,168.77.

Item number two, motion to approve payroll for the period ending 04/10/2026 in the amount of $869,125.93. Item three, motion to approve minutes of the 04/14/2026 council meeting. Item number four is the ordinance authorizing the mayor or city manager to enter into an Illinois workers' compensation settlement agreement for Adam Killian. And item number five is the ordinance authorizing the mayor or city manager to enter into an Illinois workers' compensation settlement agreement for Frank Arnold.

Is there any items in the consent agenda that you would like to remove and vote on separately? If not, I have a motion to approve. So moved. Second. Motion by Green, second by Furman. Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Houseman. Yes. Furman. Yes. Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes.

Next under new business item one ordinance increasing the 2026 expenditure budget in the forfeit seizure fund and the capital improvement fund.

Good evening, mayor and members of the council. Before you this evening is an ordinance appropriating twenty twenty six expenditures related to operational adjustments that have arisen in the past month. Specifically, the ordinance includes three appropriation. First, within the forfeit seized fund and appropriation of $70,000.00 to cover expenses from the DOJ component office of community Oriented Policing Services grant for training that will be reimbursed once we expend the funds. Second, within the capital improvement fund, an appropriation of 25,790 and 45¢ within the Department of Public Works for equipment purchase to be reimbursed by Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Grant.

Third, also within the capital improvement fund, an appropriation of $9,000.00 from fund balance to bond the installation of the all abilities playground equipment in Glidden Park and ensure the proper completion of this critical project. In total, the ordinance appropriates one hundred and four thousand seven hundred and ninety dollars and forty five cents across these two funds. Again, these expenditures are supported by available funding sources and are consistent with operational objectives and mission assurance for the three departments receiving funds. Staff is recommending approval of this ordinance. I'm happy to answer any questions that you have.

I was a little slow on the uptake there, but presenting was Tim Lando, our new finance director. So I want to make sure everybody knew who you are.

Thanks, Barry.

Okay. Any questions or comments? Being none, motion to approve.

So moved. Second.

Motion by Furman, second by Seaton. Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Houseman. Yes. Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes.

Item number two, ordinance to authorize an agreement between the city of Collinsville and Johnson Consulting in relation to the Gateway Convention Center.

Presentation by Gateway director, Jamie Link.

Good evening, mayor and members of the council. Today tonight, I have an ordinance to authorize a contract with Johnson Consulting for an operational audit and an economic and fiscal impact analysis for Gateway Convention center. This study is intended to build upon prior strategic planning efforts and its purpose will be to support the center's continued improvement. It will assess the current performance and benchmark the facility against comparable venues. Johnson Consulting is a nationally recognized firm specializing in convention hospitality and event venue consulting.

They have experience conducting similar studies throughout The US. And their proposed cost for the study is $70,000 with an estimated time frame for completion of twelve to fourteen weeks. The study will evaluate the center's performance through a comprehensive review of current and historical management and operations. They'll analyze demand strategies, financial performance, marketing, pricing, and organizational structure. The study will include a market analysis, peer bench marking, and recommendations to enhance the operations performance and management.

At the conclusion, the study will provide demand and financial projections along with an implementation plan. Johnson consultant will let consulting will identify opportunities to enhance operations and long term stability. The results will provide a strategic road map to guide future decision making. The staff and I are recommending approval. And with that, I will take your questions.

I might add that one of the reasons that Johnson's were used originally and have done a study in the interim too. So they're very familiar. So it's a big advantage to use a consulting company that is familiar with it. Any comments or questions? Being none, have a motion to approve.

So moved. Second.

Motion by Constance Seaton, second by Houseman.

Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Houseman.

Yes.

Fuhrman. Yes. Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes.

Thank you. Item number three is a resolution appropriating the local agency share of funding and authorize the mayor to sign a local agency funding agreement with IDOT for the Summit Avenue reconstruction project.

Presidential by Public Works Director Troy Turner.

Thank you, Mayor and members of the council. You guys know that we've already awarded the contract for this project. As part of the project we also got a $1,300,000 grant from the state of Illinois. To be able to use that money, have to go through and do another local public agency funding agreement even though we've already done one. So this allows us to use that state money on this project for construction and construction engineering.

This kind of just gives you an outline of the total project cost is about $2,500,000 largely covered by grant money. And then the grant that you can see here shows where all the grants are coming to. And then the local agency portion is right around $160,000 We will be getting reimbursement from Madison County and Metro East Parks District. So the reimbursements we get from each one of those will help offset previous preliminary engineering costs that we have on the project helping reduce our total cost.

Did I go too far?

Sorry. Sorry.

So here is the last one with this. And so with that staff's recommending approval to enter into a local public agency funding agreement with IDOT so that we can utilize that $1,300,000 to help cover our costs.

We're all thrilled that that's only happening.

Yes. And just happy to see extra money coming in to help cover the costs.

Any comments or questions for Troy? Being none, motion to approve. So moved.

Second.

Motion by Green, second by Furman. Roll call.

Seton.

Yes.

Houseman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes. Thank you.

Item number four is a resolution appropriating the local agency share of funding and authorizing the mayor to sign a local agency funding agreement with IDOT for the Clay Street Shared Use Path Project.

Presentation by associate engineer Isaiah McNeese.

Thank you mayor and members of council. Similar to the last slide, this is just entering asking council to approve the entering of a local agency funding agreement with IDOT for the Clay Street shared use path project. Not the current project we're working on but this is a future project. And you know this just allows us to use the grant funding that we have received and it covers the majority of the preliminary preliminary engineering costs in 01/4000 and leaves about 40,000 left for the city to pay for. And like I said before, just executing this is required for the city to utilize the federal funding.

Happy to answer any questions you have.

Is there any comments or questions for Isaiah? Being none, motion to approve. So moved. Motion by Houseman, seconded by Green. Roll call.

Seton. Yes. Houseman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen. Yes. Item number five is a resolution authorizing the use of MFT funds for preliminary engineering services for the Clay Street Shared Use Path Project.

Isaiah again.

Thank you mayor and members of council again. This is just asking to this resolution is just asking council to approve on an authorization to use the motor fuel tax to cover the rest of the preliminary preliminary engineering costs for the Clay Street shared use path project which would be $40,000 And we're staff is recommending the approval and I can answer any questions if you have any.

Questions or comments? What's the projected, I know this is engineering, what's the projected construction on that?

I think it's on the last one. Yeah, the project cost is $1,000,200 in total.

The question was when's construction going to take place for this phase, Isaiah?

Oh, when?

Yeah.

Oh, okay. Twenty like twenty twenty eight, 2029.

Okay.

It's around there.

Any other questions or comments? Being on motion to approve.

So moved.

Guys sound so much alike. So who wants that seat?

Oh yes, mine. It wasn't Donovan's.

Okay. Motion by Seaton, second by Green.

Sure.

Okay. All right. That's good. You guys sound so much alike. I

don't know how to take

that. I

know how to take that.

Think he meant these two. I don't know. No.

These two. Oh, my gosh.

It wasn't about you. Okay. Motion. Let's go back

on track.

Roll call.

Seton.

Yes.

Houseman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes.

Item number six. Ordinance authorizing change order in the amount of $91,726.30 to the contract with Stutz Excavating for the McDonnell Lake Road, Horseshoe Lake Road reconstruction project.

Isaiah McNeese again. Thank you, mayor and council members again. Yes, so the Horseshoe Lake Road and McDonough Lake Road project is finished but with that came some extra incurred costs and so an extra 90,000 was at or we're posing an extra 90,000 being added to the contract because of some of the changes which include changing the pavement from asphalt to concrete to accommodate for some utility, delays, additional aggregate that we needed to put in temporary roads to provide access to adjacent businesses. We changed the traffic control patterns and how it was laid out in the before the project even started and then additional cement that was needed for to account for the soil type when we modified the soil for the sub base. And so the total project budget was $2,500,000 and it was awarded about $2,500,000 from or the contract that Stutz won was about $2,500,000 as well.

And so we're just asking for the change order or for the cost of the contract to be raised about $26,000,000 to adjust for the changes that were needed during construction. And then the differences between the funding, the CIP funding, and the construction cost will be relocated from the Schneider Creek project. And so I'm happy to answer any questions that you have.

Where the project ends now, where the concrete ends now, that additional work that's being done, is that all on Dayton Freight?

Yes, sir. So that's kind of phase two of the project and that's Dayton Freight is paying for that portion. We're still kind of we're not overseeing it, but we still have to like inspect the different things that they install. But we don't pay for any of that portion anymore.

Okay, good. Any other questions or comments? Well, it looks great. I mean it's finished out. It was down there the other day.

I tried my best.

Any other comments or questions? Motion to approve. So moved. Okay. Motion by Houseman, second by Seton, not Green. Roll call.

Seton. Yes. Houseman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes. Thank you.

Item number seven, resolution authorizing the adoption of the Willoughby Farm Master Plan.

Presentation given by Parks Director Kimberly Corin.

May your statement and members of the council? Presentation not given by an engineer. Before you tonight is a resolution formalizing the adoption of the Willoughby Farm Master Plan. Jordan Wilkerson from the Lawrence Group was here the other night to go over the plan. Based on some of the feedback, there is the new image up there that changes phases three and five. It reverses their order based on feedback from that meeting. And so that will be added to the additional plan that you heard and that you have had the chance to review attached to this agenda and the one on April 14. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer. If not, staff recommends approval of the resolution for the adoption of the master plan at Willoughby Farm.

Questions or comments? No. To approve. So moved.

I'll second.

Motion by Fuhrman, second by Green. Roll call.

Seton. Yes. Houseman.

Yes.

Fuhrman. Yes. Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes. Thank you.

Item number eight, ordinance declaring property surplus and authorizing conveyance to Starnes property, East Johnson Street.

Presentation given by committee development director, Travis Taylor. Thank you,

mayor and members of council. Tonight, we're bringing forward a request to authorize a transfer of surplus property from the city of council to Starnes Properties LLC. The subject property you see here outlined is a property gifted to the city in 2020 and at no cost to the city. We assumed ownership of that property. Staff has evaluated this property.

We find the property to have little to no public use. In fact, potentially even negative value as we are currently maintaining the property. And the adjacent property owner Starnes Properties, which currently owns the master auto business as well as the adjacent vacant lot. They've expressed some interest in that lot as it may allow them to create a more consolidated and marketable piece of property for future development. So staff is proposing that we did this to Starnes Properties LLC in hopes that they can lure in some future development in that corner. We are reserving easements for utilities on this property with that transfer and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Any questions or comments for Travis? No. Okay, I have a motion to approve. So move. Second. Motion by Houseman, second by Seton. Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Houseman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes. Item

number nine is the ordinance authorizing expenditure of Northeast Business District funds for the improvements at 1497 Vandalia Street.

Residation be given by assistant city manager Jessica Sharp.

Thank you, Mayor Stamen, members of the council. The ordinance before you is to award a Northeast Business District grant to Northgate Animal Hospital located at 1497 Vandalia Street. This project may seem a little familiar. We actually did award a grant to this same property last year for very similar improvements. Unfortunately, the applicant was not able to complete that project in the time required for the grant and so that award has been revoked.

And they did reapply this year with some new bids and some new proposals. As you recall the Northeast Business District was created in 2008. This grant program was started in July 2024. So it's actually our third round of grant applications that we have come in. Northgate Animal Hospital is proposing to remove and replace their existing pylon sign

and then

also remove and replace the window clings that they have on display in the front windows of their store. Clinic I should say. So here's the existing conditions. And here are a few proposals. They did submit several different signed proposals.

Of course, whatever they do will have to comply with building code but there are a few variations here. Then here are some proposed window coverings. So the total cost of the improvements is close to $43,000 this time and staff is recommending the 50% award which is $21,429.53 If you have any questions, I'm happy to answer those.

Any questions or comments?

No, just happy to see businesses take advantage of that and then do the improvements.

Right. Being none, a motion to approve.

So moved. Second.

Motion by Green, second by Furman. Roll call. Seton.

Yes.

Houseman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes.

Item number 10 is a resolution in support of the Municipal Housing Authority.

Presentation will be given by city manager, Derrick Jackson.

Yeah. Thank you, mayor, members of the council. The final item before you this evening is a resolution. It's related to advocacy. We were asked by the Illinois Municipal League who is a advocate of ours, and they're sending this out to all municipalities in the state of Illinois to pass a resolution in support of municipal housing authority.

And the reason they're asking us to do that is that in February during the governor's state of the state address, he rolled out some provisions, what he's calling the Build Illinois Housing proposal. And what that does, essentially, has statewide mandates related to zoning and, again, preemptive of local zoning control. Buried within the language of these variety of House and Senate bills includes increases to density requirements, accessory dwelling units, reduced parking minimums, and state controlled standards. There's also other items that are included like third party review, as well as state formulated impact fees. Basically the resolution affirms the city's position that we support local control for landings decisions and zoning decisions.

That's why we have a zoning ordinance. And further, it affirms the importance of local decision making based on community needs, infrastructure, and input. And that's very important too as we're actively going through a comprehensive plan update right now. Get a lot of input from the city, from our residents on where certain developments should go. That's why we have the future land use map. And that's kind of the scary part of some of this language in here. It allows for dense multifamily developments and things like that to go into established single family neighborhoods. So IML has asked all municipalities to pass something similar to this. We intend to formally communicate the city's position with our state policymakers. We've already shared our position on this with Senator Harris and Representative Stewart.

This is just a formal act to kind of support the rest of the municipalities. And if approved we'll send this to the IML to join their efforts. With that I'd be more happy to answer any questions or concerns the council has.

I'd just like to add at the Southwestern Elmer Mayor's Conference last Thursday It was unanimous support of the resolution that we'd be forwarding on. Illinois Municipal League and I think most cities have always felt like we need to maintain control of our own zoning ordinances locally. And we don't need the state to override some of those things that they've already got into recently. There was some issues with solar panels that they've restricted the ability for the city to regulate solar panel placement. Counties

as well. What's that? Counties as well.

Okay. And so it's kind of a creep of state regulations, Maybe something that's real popular up in the Chicago area might not be so much here. So I think it's important that the local municipalities stand strong on this and let our legislators know. So any other questions or comments? Motion to approve. So moved. Second. Motion by Seaton, second by Houseman. Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Houseman. Yes. Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen?

Yes. Thank you.

Next is closed session.

I have a motion to enter into closed session to discuss in accordance with five ILCS 100 twentytwo c two e. Number one, appointment, employment, compensation, discipline or performance of employees. And number 11, pending or threatened or imminent litigation. Motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion by Green, second by Furman. Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Hausman.

Yes.

Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen. Yes. Last is adjournment.

We have a motion to adjourn. So move. Second. Motion by Houseman, seconded by Seaton. Roll call.

Seaton.

Yes.

Houseman. Yes. Furman.

Yes.

Green. Yes. Stamen.

Yes. City Council meeting for 04/28/2026 is adjourned.