CITY OF FULTON
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
FEBRUARY 18, 2008

Mayor Van Zuiden called the meeting to order and directed the clerk to call the roll.  On roll call, Mayor Howard Van Zuiden, Aldermen Charles Dykstra, Gene Field, Merle Sterenberg, Charlie Letcher, Warren Juist, Wes Letcher, Bill Loerop and Ron Roels answered present.  Also in attendance were Randy Balk - City Administrator, Heather Bennett - Chamber/Tourism Director, Bill Shirk - City Attorney, Garry Medema - City Treasurer and Jim Rhoades - Chief of Police.

The pledge of allegiance was recited.

Communication from visitors.  Fulton resident, Gene Poel, expressed his concerns to the council regarding the parking on 4th Street between 11th and 12th Avenue.   He stated that vehicles too long for the angle parking spots make it necessary to drive around them, crossing the center line.  He also said people make illegal u-turns in front of the post office and the intersections downtown are dangerous.   He asked the council to consider changing the parking situation for safety reasons.  Mr. Poel also stated he thinks the public works department has done a good job of snow removal this winter.

Balk said a streetscape committee has been studying the downtown situation and is waiting to hear about the availability of a grant.  If the angle parking were changed to parallel, 9 parking spaces would be lost in the downtown district, according to Rhoades.

Ald. Field moved, seconded by Ald. Sterenberg to approve the minutes of the January 21, 2008 council meeting.  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. Roels to approve the bill list.  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

Ald. Loerop moved, seconded by Ald. Roels to approve the Treasurer's Report.  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to pass Ordinance No. 1366 Adding Territory to the Whiteside County Enterprise Zone (Jo-Carroll Energy 80 megawatt, biomass-fueled, renewable energy center between Thomson and Savanna).  Roll call vote/Ald. Dykstra, Field, Sterenberg, C. Letcher, Juist, W. Letcher and Loerop voted yes/Ald. Roels voted no/motion carried.

Ald. Roels moved, seconded by Ald. Juist to pass Resolution No. 203

For Maintenance of Streets and Highways by Municipality Under the Illinois Highway Code (annual appropriation of Motor Fuel Tax Funds).  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

Ald. Dykstra moved, seconded by Ald. C. Letcher to offer the use of the old Fire Department building to the Gateway Chapter of the Red Cross to operate a blood drive each Tuesday at a cost of $150 per month.  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

City Administrator Balk said he appreciates Gene Poel's comments about the Public Works crew and offered his kudos to the Public Works employees and the Police Department employees as well for handling the extreme winter weather conditions and situations so well.

Heather Bennett highlighted some of the items in her comprehensive Tourism and Chamber quarterly report which was included in the council packets.   Agri-King (new conference center) and Manny's, Too (new banquet facility) have upcoming ribbon cuttings.  The Chamber sponsored Cubs/Cards baseball bus trip on August 9, 2008 is almost completely sold out without even being advertised.  Bennett has received additional training on website management.  The City's website averages 2,300 hits per month with 68% of the visitors coming from search engines. 

The City will have the opportunity to have a Lincoln Highway Mural place on a building at no cost.   The statewide project for 40 murals to be placed in each Illinois community along the Lincoln Highway is funded by a federal grant.  Each mural will have information unique to the community in which it is located. 

The façade grant committee would encourage the City to continue the grant program at the $10,000 level as it has the last 2 years.  There is continued interest in the program and 3 businesses have already inquired about a grant for fiscal year 2008.

Bennett said there is proof that people are reading the City newsletter as 42 utility billing customers have signed up for automatic payments since the 4th City newsletter mailed January 7th offered that service.  Prior to this only about 4 customers per month signed up for automatic withdrawal.  The newsletter is also available on the City's website.

Bennett told the council that new Shop Fulton brochures have been created and she is currently working on a new one for Heritage Canyon.

Ald. Loerop moved, seconded by Ald. Roels to change the Heritage Canyon hours back to daily from April 15th to December 15th (weather permitting).  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried. 

Ald. Sterenberg moved, seconded by Ald. Field to enter executive session to discuss personnel.  Roll call vote/all yes/motion carried.

The council entered executive session at 6:20PM.   Executive session minutes are recorded elsewhere.

The council returned to regular session at 6:45PM and adjourned the meeting until Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 8:00AM.

Minutes recorded by,

Linda Hollis

City Clerk