Council talks about a switch to angle parking, violations

Now that the streetscape has improved the appearance of Vandalia’s downtown business district, one alderman said the city should consider action to make it more convenient for downtown shoppers.
But, Mayor Rick Gottman said, the city might not even be able to consider that action.
“I suggest that we begin a conversation on parking downtown,” Alderman Andy Lester said at Monday’s city council meeting.
“I would like to see us at least discuss … getting rid of parallel parking,” Lester said.
“I think it would encourage more people to come downtown,” he said.
Lester said that a lot of people don’t like parallel parking, and that he believes that a switch to angle parking would provide more parking spaces in front of each store.
Gottman told Lester that he has already contacted the Illinois Department of Transportation about parking along Gallatin Street, and is waiting to hear back from them.
“What I’m hearing is that a lot of width is needed (on Gallatin) because it is an old state highway,” the mayor said.
Lester’s suggestion led to a general discussion about downtown parking, specifically about individuals who park along Gallatin Street for extended periods of time.
“The biggest complaint I hear,” Gottman said, “is about business owners who park in front of their businesses, and their employees who park in front of their businesses.”
Lester said he had a business owner complain about that situation. “He was pretty upset about it,” Lester said.
Gottman initially asked Eason to have city officers walk a beat downtown to enforce the two-hour parking restriction on Gallatin Street.
He later rescinded that request after aldermen agreed that more discussion is needed on parking laws in the downtown business district.
Alderman Mike Hobler said he has a problem with a two-hour restriction because it can negatively impact some downtown businesses, particularly restaurants.
Hobler said that events such as wedding rehearsal dinners and other parties could cause some patrons being in a restaurant for more than two hours.
Also mentioned were those individuals at bars in the downtown district.
“We’re liable to hurt some businesses more than help them,” Hobler said. “There has to be some discretion.”
In response, Gottman said, “That’s a good point.”
During the discussion, city officials conceded that they are unsure about what areas of the downtown have parking restrictions.
At the recommendation of City Attorney Jack Johnston, the council agreed to pull together and discuss all of the ordinances that govern downtown parking before considering any changes to them.
Also at Monday’s meeting, Alderman Terry Beesley, chairman of the council’s water and sewer committee, reported that a representative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will look over the area of the city’s raw water intake on the Kaskaskia River.
Beesley said that representative will assess the situation once the river level drops.
The alternative, he said, is to have a formal analysis performed, which would be costly to the city.
In other action:
• The council approved a TIF agreement with Will Baldock for improvements that Baldock plans to make at the northeast corner of Fourth and Orchard streets.
Through the agreement, Baldock will be reimbursed 70 percent of the new property tax funds his improvements will generate, with the agreement covering 10 years.
Baldock’s plans for the property that formerly housed a Star service station include the construction of a 2,400-square-foot building for his limousine business.
• The council approved the purchase of a turbidity analyzer for the city’s water plant. The city is paying Hach Co. of Loveland, Colo., $7,816 for the piece of equipment.
• The council approved the purchase of a pump for the lagoon lift station at the city’s wastewater treatment. The pump is being purchased from Vandevanter Engineering of St. Louis for $7,222.54, and Beesley said the city will also have to spend a little more than $1,000 for some replacement parts for the pump system.
The purchase price of the pump does not include installation. Vandevanter will bill the city for that work as a service call.
• B. John Clark, chairman of the streets committee, reported that he has received complaints about speeding on Sunset Drive.
Eason has been asked to have his officers increase patrols in that area.
• The council agreed to continue its relationship with Buxton Co., a Texas-based company that has been providing the city with economic development reports.
The one-year agreement calls for the city to pay Buxton $15,000. The information provided by the firm includes data about commercial businesses that are looking to expand, as well as a variety of demographics.
Gottman said that as the city works to recruit commercial businesses, data generated by Buxton is vitally important.
“We really need to get our data updated,” Gottman said, adding that when asked to provide such information recently, the city could only give outdated data. “It was embarrassing.”
• The council approved a pay estimate of $6,567.26 to Mettler Development of Highland, the general contractor for the streetscape improvements in the 700 block of West Gallatin Street.
Gottman noted that the city now owes $4,002.36 on the $352,320.76 project.
• The council accepted the low bid of $204,400 from Quality Assured Industrial Coatings of Alton for the rehabilitation and repainting of the Thrill Hill water tower.
Scott Hunt of Hurst-Roche noted that while QAIC has not been in business for a long time, its workers have many years of experience.
He said that QAIC is a spin-off of another, long-time firm doing this type of work.
Because the company is relatively new, Hunt recommended that the on-site inspection by an H-R representative be increased from the standard two days a week – as provided by H-R’s contract with the city – to three or four days a week.
The cost of the increased inspections, Hunt said, will not exceed the difference between the bids of QAIC and the second-lowest bidder.
The bid of QAIC included an alternate bid of $16,000 for an upgrade to a paint system that has a 15-year warranty.
• The council approved an ordinance amendment that allows for the use of polyethylene pipe for water connections “so long as the outside diameter (of the pipe) is equivalent to the outside diameter of three-quarter inch copper service pipe or 1-inch copper service pipe.”
• The council approved an ordinance amendment requiring a $500 bond for demolitions. A bond of $1,500 is required when water service connections are under a hard-surface street.
• The council agreed to sell a Marathon sign through the Flowers family’s eBay store on Gallatin Street.
Gottman said the city obtained the sign when purchasing the Tri-County Petroleum property just south of the city garage, and that it has heard from a number of individuals who are interested in buying the sign.