Mount Vernon council approves rezoning, tightens rules for homeless facilities and notifies water partners of rate change

The Mount Vernon City Council on Feb. 21, 2023 approved a package of land-use, utility and procurement actions and heard a progress update on the city’s new police facility.

City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel introduced Jacob Sanabia, project manager with Holland Construction, who told the council the new police facility’s projected completion date is June 22, 2023. Council members asked questions about the schedule and reviewed a progress book that included schedules, a contingency log and construction photos.

In land-use votes, the council unanimously approved an ordinance to annex 1009 N. 13th Street at the request of KEB Ventures LLC and approved rezoning 2602 Brownsville Road from R-1 to R-M2 despite objections at the public hearing. Walter Nadolski objected, raising a publication typo and saying a house had been "buried on the lot." City Attorney David Leggans replied that the burial claim would not affect zoning and said city engineering and inspection would inspect the property. Donald Heck, the petitioning party, also spoke in favor of the rezoning. Council Member Ray Botch moved to approve the rezoning and the motion carried on a unanimous vote.

The council also approved a change-of-use in a planned unit development at 42nd and Broadway to allow a drive-through coffee shop (7 Brews). John Schebaum, civil engineer with Buescher Frankenberg Associates, answered questions from council members prior to the vote.

In a notable policy change, the council adopted amendments to the city code governing residential facilities for homeless persons that, as described by staff, permit Life Boat Alliance to provide on-site counseling to some former clients and add a requirement that a homeless shelter not be located within 1,000 feet of another homeless shelter. City Attorney David Leggans presented the ordinance and City Manager Bechtel said staff recommended approval; the ordinance passed unanimously.

On utilities and finance, the council approved a resolution amending the city’s water supply contract with the Rend Lake Conservancy District (RLCD), changing the city’s approach from projecting rate increases over five years to adopting annual increases so the city can respond to year-to-year cost changes for chemicals, supplies and personnel. Bechtel said the city budgeted $2,150,652 for water purchases; staff estimated a 5% increase from RLCD would add about $107,532.60 if purchase quantities remain the same. The council then approved a related resolution to notify partner water districts and villages that the city proposes raising rates by 0.13 cents per 1,000 gallons (stated in the meeting as about 4.63%). The city said it will adjust the charge if RLCD’s final increase differs from the projection.

The council approved multiple event-related street closures for the Homebrewers Festival, the United Way Food Truck Festival, Fall Fest and downtown Christmas activities; approved an annual bad-debt accounting reclassification for certain water accounts to be submitted to the State of Illinois collection program; and authorized an agreement with Satori Enterprises LLC (formerly AGE) for acquisition and consulting services related to the city’s residential aggregation and power-supply activities. The council also adopted resolutions authorizing the city manager to sign electric service agreements for municipal locations and a power supply agreement for residents; the transcript contains inconsistent dates about contract end-dates (staff said the residential aggregation contract will end in December 2023, while a later segment references a different year), and staff noted that competitive offers for municipal power can require quick acceptance.

All motions and ordinances recorded in the minutes passed on unanimous recorded votes: Council Members Ray Botch, Joe Gliosci, Donte Moore, Mike Young and Mayor John Lewis voted "yea" on each listed item.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. after routine business.