Southern Illinois News

City of Metropolis City Council met Jan. 27.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The regular meeting of the City Council, City of Metropolis, Illinois was held at 7:00 p.m. on  Monday, January 27th, 2025, in Council Chambers of City Hall at 106 West 5th Street, Metropolis, Illinois.  Upon roll call the following Council members were present: Alderwoman Michele Longworth, Aldermen  Chuck Short, Dylan Chambers, Brian Anderson, Darryl Neill, Al Wagner, Jeremy Holley, Chad Lewis,  Corporate Counsel Andrew Leonard, Mayor Don Canada, City Clerk Jan Adams and concerned citizens of  Metropolis.  

ROLL CALL:  

Anderson Present 

Longworth Present  

Chambers Present 

Neill Present 

Holley Present 

Short Present  

Lewis Present 

Wagner Present    

Moved by Alderman Darryl Neill and second by Alderwomen Dylan Chambers to approve the  minutes of the previous meeting held meeting on 1-13-2025 as presented. 

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea  

CITIZENS REQUEST:  

MAYOR’S REPORT:  

Moved by Alderman Jeremy Holley and second by Alderman Al Wagner to hire summer help for  Street Department  

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea  

Moved by Alderwoman Michele Longworth and second by Alderman Dylan Chambers to accept  entering into an agreement with Pyrotechnico Fireworks, Inc. for fireworks display on Saturday, July 5th,  2025 

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea  

Moved by Alderman Darrell Neill and second by Alderman Brian Anderson to approve road  closure on Front Street from Metropolis Street to Frelinghuysen for Saturday, July 5, 2025, to host the  Fourth of July fireworks 

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

Moved by Alderman Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Al Wagner to hire City Pool staff  MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

Moved by Alderman Jeremy Holley and second by Alderman Chad Lewis to approve payment to  Crockett Howard Properties for a completed Business Improvement Grant project at 104 West 7th St for  a new exterior door for $2,187.50 

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

Chad Murray Zoning & Planning Administrator brought the following motion out of the Planning  Commission. BLOC has a craft grower license and requested approval of a co-locate for  cannabis-infused products. This allows them to manufacture infused gummies and distribute  the product to other BLOC locations. Once redistributed, they can sell them. This will create  about a dozen new jobs. This approval is per the ordinance 2019-28 that was adopted  December 23rd, 2019.  

Moved by Alderman Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Dylan Chambers to pass the  approval of a co-locate for cannabis-infused products to BLOC Dispensary per Ordinance  2019-28 adopted on December 23, 2019 

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea Longworth Yea  Chambers Yea Neill Yea Holley Yea Short Yea  Lewis Yea Wagner Yea 

Chad Murray also gave an explanation on the following two motions. He stated the motion is a  text amendment to allow for Solar Energy Farms as a special non-residential accessory use  within the Industrial or Agricultural zoning districts. The special use permit for solar farms will  ensure the use will be safe, operate as intended, and create standards for interconnection, as  well as ensure the use does not cause materially adverse issues for the surrounding property  owners. He added by being a special land use permit the solar farm would be the sole purpose  of the property and requires a review process including a public hearing, prior to council  approval.  

Moved by Alderman Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Jermey Holley to Adopt an  Ordinance Amending the City Code to Permit Solar Energy Farms as a Special Principal Non residential Use Within the Agricultural and Industrial Zoning Districts 2025-04 MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

The amended ordinance allows only governmental entities to be eligible for ground mounted  solar energy systems in any zoning district and only by special use permit. The approved  governmental entities will enter an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City and must  obtain a special use permit, abide by all stipulations of the permit and abide by all supplemental  regulations in the City Code.  

Moved by Alderman Darryl Neill and second by Alderman Dylan Chambers to Adopt an  Ordinance Amending the City Code to Permit Governmental Entities to be Eligible for Ground Mounted Solar Energy Systems as a Special Accessory Use in any Zoning District 2025-05 MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

CORPORATE COUNSEL:  

Two bids received for 1017 Simmons Street.  

Poco Solutions, Ashley Carlson, bid $850  

David Mckee was awarded the property with the highest bid in the amount of $1,000   

Moved by Alderman Chuck Short and second by Alderman Brian Anderson to Adopt  Ordinance Authorizing Sale of Municipally Owned Real Estate at 1017 Simmons Street  2025-06  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

Moved by Alderman Dylan Chambers and second by Alderman Al Wagner to Adopt an  Ordinance Approving a Redevelopment Agreement by And Between City of Metropolis and  Jones Building LLC 2025-07  

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

Moved by Alderman Chad Lewis and second by Alderman Al Wagner to Adopt  Ordinance Approving a Redevelopment Agreement by And Between City of Metropolis and  D.C. Management, LLC And Darren Tockstein and Corey Bowman 

2025-08  

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

DEPARTMENT HEADS:  

OLD BUSINESS:  

NEW BUSINESS:  

MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS:  

Alderman Lewis wanted to thank all the city employees for the great job they did taking care of  any and all the issues that occurred during the inclement weather as well as all the water  breaks. Several people have reached out and have heard nothing but positive feedback from  everyone.  

Mayor Canada stated that Eastland Life Church opened its gym as a warming center the during  the recent cold snap. There were around nine people who used the facility.   

FINANCIAL REPORT:  

Moved by Alderwoman Michele Longworth and second by Alderman Jeremy Holley to  approve the Finance Report be received and approved and that the orders be drawn on the  Treasurer for the different amounts mentioned therein and that the Mayor and the City Clerk  be authorized to make necessary arrangements for payment of current Salaries, Payroll and  Contract bills. 

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

Moved by Alderman Jeremy Holley and second by Alderman Dylan Chambers to  approve the Finance Report be received and approved and that the orders be drawn on the  Treasurer for the different amounts mentioned therein and that the Mayor and the City Clerk  be authorized to make necessary arrangements for payment of miscellaneous bills.  MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

 Moved by Alderwoman Michele Longworth and seconded by Dylan Chambers to  adjourn. TIME: 7:17  

MOTION CARRIED:  

Anderson Yea     Longworth Yea  

Chambers Yea    Neill Yea 

Holley Yea           Short Yea  

Lewis Yea            Wagner Yea 

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