Vandalia City Council Meeting - February 3, 2025

The Vandalia City Council met Monday, February 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. The agenda included approval of the December 16, 2024 minutes, communications and awards, a public hearing, public comments, city manager appointments, three resolutions, first reading of a planned unit development (PUD) ordinance, and council comments. No official minutes were available for this meeting.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar was used. The agenda listed approval of the December 16, 2024 Council Study Session and Council Meeting minutes, but the raw transcript jumps from the Pledge of Allegiance to Communications, Petitions and Awards and does not record a motion or vote on those minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• An unidentified resident strongly criticized the council for allowing what the speaker called a 240% utility rate increase tied to Ordinance 2235, presented on September 19, 2022. The resident said the mayor had spoken for people on fixed incomes and for the 40% of residents who use only the minimum amount of water.
• The resident questioned spending on a pool and splash pad, $2 million for golf course irrigation, and $20 million for a public works building, calling these items nonessential capital costs rather than enterprise costs. The resident argued the council should table those projects and reserve the money for water and sewer upgrades.
• The resident quoted a council member as saying, 'Our job is to provide services. If we can't do that with 30 million dollars, we all ought to quit.'
• The resident said residents have disapproved the water plan for two years and were ignored, and referenced 87 people who spoke out on water through the community Facebook page, adding that nobody said anything good. The resident urged council members to speak with Amber and Cindy, who had campaigned and talked with thousands of residents, and demanded that costs be rolled back to December 2022 and that the council start with a clean slate in two weeks.
• In response, an official encouraged the resident to attend the water presentation on February 17, after first saying March 17 and correcting the date.
• Barbara Spurgeon of 777 North Edge Drive, Vandalia, urged the council not to stop thinking about the air show and questioned the decision to hold the festival at the recreation center, citing parking and crowd-control problems. The council replied that the chamber of commerce is the organizer of that event.

City Manager's Report, Boards & Commissions Appointments

• The city manager requested approval of Steve Stefanidis to the Board of Zoning Appeals and Steve Ponscheck to the Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council Board. Councilmember Follick moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Dugan. The appointments were approved, and a swearing-in ceremony was held for the new board member.

Resolutions

• 25-R-10: Approved awarding the removal and replacement of certain curbs and sidewalks to Coate Construction LLC at a low bid of $420,930. Bids were publicly opened January 14, 2025; four sets of specifications were issued, and three contractors submitted acceptable bids.
• 25-R-11: Approved awarding the Kenneth Avenue Watermain Replacement Project to Sturm Construction Inc. at a low bid of $550,000. Bids were publicly opened January 14, 2025; eleven sets of specifications were issued, and ten contractors submitted acceptable bids.
• 25-R-12: Approved the purchase of water meters and appurtenances from Buckeye State Pipe & Supply Company Inc. at a cost not to exceed $500,000. The city has ordered about 4,500 of roughly 5,700 water meters in operation. The 2025 capital improvement budget appropriated $500,000 in the water and sanitary sewer funds for the ongoing meter replacement program. Director Borton recommended purchasing more Badger E-Series ultrasonic meters.

Ordinance 25-02 - PUD Preliminary Development Plan, First Reading

• Ordinance 25-02 concerns approval of a PUD preliminary development plan and associated zoning map change for land generally located at 7848 South Brown School Road, requested by Addison Properties for the 'Rival Riverdale subdivision' as transcribed.
• On January 14, 2025, the planning commission voted 3-1 to recommend approval of the creation of the PUD district and voted 3-1 to recommend approval of the preliminary plan.
• Councilmember Follick moved to approve the first reading and to move the ordinance to a second reading at the March 3, 2025 council meeting, when all seven council members would be present. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Lewis and passed.
• During discussion, a council member asked whether any part of the land is in a flood zone; the response was no. Another council member asked whether open space had been offered for dedication; the applicant said city staff told them park dedication was not required, and that no fee-in-lieu discussion had occurred.
• Council members expressed concerns that roads would be inadequate for traffic, access roads would empty onto a highly traveled road, parking would be insufficient and force street parking, the proposed speed limit on one resident road would be reduced to 35 miles per hour, and that deleting only seven houses did not sufficiently change the previous plan. One council member said a traffic study is imperative before moving forward.
• The applicant stated they had not yet selected a traffic engineer, but committed to engaging a third-party traffic engineer for a traffic impact study during the engineering review phase if required by council. The applicant asked council to approve the PUD as-is so the traffic study could proceed, and noted that any conditions could be addressed in the final development plan phase or through changes at second reading.

Council Comments & Adjournment

• Councilmember Dugan moved, seconded by Councilmember Weaver and Vice Mayor Blakesley, to excuse Councilwoman Candace Farce from all of the evening's meetings. The motion passed by voice vote.
• Council members welcomed and thanked the newly appointed board and commission members for their service.
• A council member thanked the public works department for responding to what was described as 14 or 15 water main breaks between December and January, including work in cold weather and beyond regular hours, and for helping minimize boil advisories.
• There were no second-reading ordinances and no emergency ordinances. The meeting was then adjourned.

Key Outcomes

• Approved resolutions 25-R-10, 25-R-11, and 25-R-12.
• Approved the appointments of Steve Stefanidis and Steve Ponscheck to boards and commissions.
• Advanced Ordinance 25-02 to a second reading on March 3, 2025.
• Excused Councilwoman Candace Farce from the evening’s meetings.
• Did not take a recorded action on the December 16, 2024 minutes, according to the raw transcript.