No $$ Total on Technicolor Equipment Sale Yet

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Economic Development Coordinator Carrie Ford told the Pinckneyville City Council Monday that Stuart B. Millner Auction Company should have the equipment auction wrapped up by the end of this week. Most of the free-standing equipment has been picked up. Several large pieces that require disconnection will be the last to go.

She said the auctioneers still have not divulged what was made on the equipment sale.

"We'll reconcile with the auction company around July 13," Ford said. Mayor Joe Holder asked Ford to press for at least a gross receipts figure.

Ford added that the auction did stir interest in the building. She is in the process of verifying that the interested parties have the financial capability to purchase and maintain the site.

Mayor Holder said that the real estate taxes on the building are a major stumbling block when trying to find a buyer.

"The people we've spoken to feel that the taxes are excessive," Holder said. He plans to seek redress with the County's Board of Review.

"We're competing with towns that offer five year tax abatements," Ford said. Holder said that he has no authority to offer tax breaks.

In other business, the Council:

-- agreed to allow Perry Pointe Development to use the next four years of TIF payments as collateral on a loan. The borrowed funds will be used to complete infrastructure and road projects at their housing development near Imperial Heights. The agreements does not change the performance requirements for Perry Pointe that, if not met, would allow the city to reclaim the land.

-- heard from Treasurer Rick Reese that the city has $306,000 in available cash and bills of $142,000, leaving a balance of $163,000. The payroll figures for the first six months of 2009 are on par with the figures from the previous year. The only difference is the $47,654 in back pay the city paid this year after reaching an agreement with the Laborer's Union.

-- voted to give full-time non-union management personnel the same holidays, vacation, sick days and clothing allowance that union employees receive. Clerk Fran Thomas, Economic Development Coordinator Carrie Ford, Police Chief John Griffin, Asst. Police Chief Kenny Kelly, Utilities Superintendent Mike Millikin and Street Superintendent Bob Stanton will receive a small clothing allowance of about $230 and holiday pay on Good Friday.

-- layed over a contract with B.H.M.&G. to pay time and materials to replace the gas regulator station near the Junior High School. Dean Park of B.H.M.&G. said the old building can't be saved. It is 40 to 50 years old. Park said that as gas projects go, this is a big deal for the city but is a comparatively small project in the gas industry. He offered three options for contracting the work. The first, to pay time and materials did not have a firm figure attached, but could cost between $73,000 and $100,000. B.H.M.&G. will oversee the work at their regular hourly rate. The price is largely dependent upon steel prices. The estimates were put together in November 2008. Commissioner David Stone said that steel prices have decreased slightly since then. The second option was a contract for a flat fee of $91,200 for B.H.M.&G. to do the work. The third option was to bid the project using the traditional methods. Park said that could cost between $130,000 and $140,000. Stone said that the funds for the project are available in a restricted account set aside for this purpose. City Attorney Roger Seibert said that the Council could waive the bid requirements on the project by a two-thirds vote. The measure passed unanimously.

-- agreed to accept the low bid of $386,532 from E.T. Simonds of Carbondale to install a blacktop roadway in front of Cooper B-Line. City Engineer Gary Fulton said that E.T. Simonds was the only bidder. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) in Marion will not require the project to be re-bid because E.T. Simonds' bid was below the engineer's estimate of $400,000. The project will cost the city nothing and will be paid for through a DCEO grant.

-- approved a contract change of order on the city parking lot project to extend the contract for 31 days. The project is funded by a USDA grant. The parking lot will be built on the west side of McDaniel's Furniture store, which now occupies the former Illinois Fish Farmers' Co-op. Fulton said that the weather delayed the project and there is still water standing on the site of the new parking lot.

-- placed on file for public inspection a contract with Red Dot Construction to complete a water main extension at the Cooper B-Line facility at a price of $51,000. The project is funded by a DCEO grant.

-- approved the purchase of a new police car at a maximum cost of $25,000. The state purchasing program price for a 2009 Crown Victoria with the police package is $20,951. The remainder of the funds will be spent to equip the vehicle with lights, sirens and decals. Commissioner Marty Beltz said that the Police Department's fleet of automobiles is aging. The engine fell apart on one of the cars. The city received between $3,000 and $4,000 for the totaled vehicle. Other vehicles have required major repairs. The city has not purchased a new police vehicle in two years. Beltz said he hopes to receive grant funds to install a camera and a computer at a later date. The cost for the camera and the computer is about $10,000. He also stated that he will most likely ask for approval to purchase a second new vehicle later this year.

-- approved a renewal of the contract with the Perry County Sheriff's Department for dispatch services. The price of the new three-year contract will be $21,960 per year. Commissioner Beltz said that the city had been paying $38,000 a year for dispatch service.

-- placed on file for public inspection a contract with Amanda Hepp to be the new pool manager. Hepp has been the Asst. Manager under Cynthia Heisner, who accepted another job. Hepp will earn $12 per hour.

-- placed on file for public inspection a lease with the Perry-Jackson Child Advocacy Center. The CAC has occupied the house next to the former TUMS facility free of charge for the past several years.