City of Princeton City Council met Sept. 16.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Quiram. Upon roll call, the following answered present, constituting a quorum: Council Members Ray Swanson, Ray Mabry, Hector Gomez, and Jerry Neumann. All present at the meeting offered the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Andrew Sims offered information on the favorable safety record of ultra light aircraft to educate the City Council, in advance of consideration of a vote on an ordinance restricting these aircraft from city parks and properties.
MOTION # 1: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that the printed copy of the minutes for the Regular Meeting of September 3, 2019, be approved,
VOTE #1
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried.
MOTION # 2: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that the printed copy of the minutes for the Special Meeting of September 3, 2019, be approved.
VOTE #2
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried.
MOTION # 3: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that the bills and payrolls of the Department of Public Affairs and Department of Accounts and Finance, the Department of Streets and Public Improvements, the Department of Public Health and Safety, and the Department of Utilities and Public Properties, be allowed and paid.
VOTE #3
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried.
MOTION # 4: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Ordinance 0-19-017 authorizing a sale of Lot 11 in the Princeton Technology Park to JCOO Properties, LLC, be approved.
VOTE #4
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Mabry abstained. Motion declared carried.
MOTION # 5: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Ordinance 0-19-018 authorizing annexation of property to the City of Princeton, be approved.
VOTE # 5
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Mabry abstained. Motion declared carried.
MOTION # 6: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Ordinance 0-19-019 Rezoning Property from Residential R-1A to Residential R-3, be approved to Second Reading.
VOTE # 6
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Mabry abstained. Motion declared carried.
MOTION #7: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Ordinance 0-19-020 revising City Code to prohibit manned aircraft on public grounds, be approved to Second Reading,
VOTE #7
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried.
MOTION #8: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that the suspension of the requirement of Second Reading for Ordinance 0-19-021, imposing a municipal cannabis retail occupation tax, be approved.
VOTE #8
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Gomez voted Nay. Motion declared carried.
MOTION#9: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Ordinance 0-19-021, imposing a municipal cannabis
retail occupation tax, be approved.
VOTE #9
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Mabry and Gomez voted Nay. Motion declared carried.
MOTION #10: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Resolution R-19-031, authorizing GovHr USA to commence a search for City Manager, be approved
VOTE # 10
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried.
MOTION #11: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that Resolution R-19-032 authorizing the 3-yr. lease of a city building to Steve Keutzer, be approved.
VOTE # 11
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried.
CITY MANAGER REPORT: Rachel Skaggs reviewed financial data to date, indicating revenue exceeding expenses. She also mentioned that sales tax revenue has shown its most favorable gain in six years. Lastly, she reviewed the Police and Fire Pension Reports showing satisfactory balances for this point in time.
MAYOR REPORT: Mayor Quiram initiated a discussion on the allowing marijuana dispensaries in the city, pursuant to the recently enacted Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act by the Illinois Legislature. He reviewed the expected timeline of establishing a marijuana dispensary in the city. Neumann explained his position of not preventing a dispensary in the city, citing his duty to evaluate both sides of an issue and making decisions based on consensus of the majority. Swanson concurred that his experiences with comments from the public indicated that there is a majority in favor of allowing a dispensary. Mabry asked for clarification of the timeline of hurdles in place before all the elements are finally in place. Quiram reviewed the Plan Commission schedule of October 8 to determine the allowed location of a dispensary, followed by council action on October 21st Mabry also commented how the public comments he had received are negative toward marijuana; which was puzzling in view of the comments that other council members have received in favor of a dispensary.
OLD BUSINESS: None.
NEW BUSINESS: Mabry mentioned that he took a field trip to a Geneseo council meeting and noticed they had opened their meeting with prayer. Mabry offered that prayer might be considered at Princeton.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Andrew Sims offered to provide any additional information that the council would need in order to be fully informed on the issue of allowing ultra-light aircraft in public park areas.
Geraldine Woodlief asked if the council members who are basing their "no opposition" to marijuana on a large social media poll, then if the non-social media, "opposing" citizens got together in numbers larger than the social media poll, would that mean that the council members would change their opinions? She did not want a response to that question. She also did not want to smell marijuana smoke.
MOTION # 12: Neumann (2nd Swanson) that the Regular Meeting be adjourned. The next Regular Meeting of the City Council was scheduled for Monday, October 7, 2019, 7:00 p.m, at City Hall.
VOTE # 12
ROLL CALL VOTE: Council Members Swanson, Mabry, Gomez, Neumann, and Mayor Quiram voted Aye. Motion declared carried. Adjournment at 7:39 p.m.
https://www.princeton-il.com/forms/meetings/1/M-09-16-2019.pdf
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