O’Fallon City Council mulls over remote attendance rules, CityFest needs volunteers

Virtual attendance became part of municipal government proceedings once a COVID-19 public health crisis happened statewide in March 2020. The O’Fallon City Council is considering adopting procedures for electronic attendance to fit the times.

On Monday, an ordinance advanced to the Aug. 16 meeting for final approval.

When the coronavirus pandemic began limiting in-person gatherings last year, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order allowed elected officials to attend public meetings remotely.

That executive order has been extended to Aug. 21. However, the city needs to revise its meeting attendance policies to comply with state law and allow remote attendance.

Under the proposed ordinance, elected officials may attend public meetings remotely when sick, out of town on business, or due to acts of God. State law does not allow virtual attendance during vacations or other personal reasons.

Members of the public body may not remotely attend more than 20% of council meetings. But a chairman of a meeting must be present in-person at the meeting.

City Attorney Todd Fleming developed the new ordinance from an Illinois Municipal League model ordinance.

IML is supporting a bill in the General Assembly’s fall veto session to expand virtual attendance, but in the interim, this ordinance would provide allowances for remote attendance if the executive order expires.

City Administrator Walter Denton said the governor’s executive order supersedes the state’s Open Meetings Act.

The state’s Open Meetings Act, amended in 2007, defined a meeting as “any gathering, whether in person or by video or audio conference, telephone call, electronic means (such as, without limitation, electronic email, electronic chat and instant messaging), or other means of contemporaneous interactive communication, of a majority of a quorum of the members of a public body held for the purpose of discussing public business.”

It permitted attendance of members of the public body at public meetings by a means other than physical presence.

O’Fallon needed to conform to its requirements and restrictions and amend existing ordinances, resolutions or policies to include electronic gatherings as a “meeting.”

Emergency Asphalt Work

An emergency asphalt resurfacing project is underway on U.S. 50 near Interstate 64’s Exit 14, which is expected to be completed by the Illinois Department of Transportation in either August or September.

However, IDOT’s roadway jurisdiction and project limits end at the eastbound on-and-off ramps of I-64, which means that would leave out 383 feet in the city’s jurisdiction from being resurfaced. Staff asked if Christ Brothers Asphalt, contracted by IDOT, could do the work at the same time, with the same agreed unit prices and Christ Brothers will honor that. The cost is expected to be $149,675.

The council approved the project, which was not included in the FY22 budget, but is expected to be withdrawn from the Prop S reserves, which will need a budget amendment.

The construction will be conducted at night.

Annexation Agreement

The council advanced an annexation request by petitioners Brian Toennies and Ramona L. Westerheide-Toennies. The Toennies are building a home on 15.43 acres at 209 Bethel Road, which is currently zoned agricultural district in St. Clair County. It will become a rural residential district upon its annexation to O’Fallon.

A public hearing will take place Monday, Aug. 16, during the next council meeting.

CityFest Volunteers

Mayor Herb Roach said the CityFest event — which will take place Friday, Aug. 20, and Saturday, Aug. 21, at the O’Fallon Community Park — could use more volunteers.

Time slots are in two-hour intervals both days. A volunteer orientation open house will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at Katy Cavins for volunteers to pick up their T-shirts and orientation information.

Go to the sign-up link or email OFallonILCityFest@gmail.com with any questions. To sell tickets or check IDs, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040849A4A62AA7F94-city1.

To sell t-shirts, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040849A4A62AA7F94-city2.

To help with the parade, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040849A4A62AA7F94-city.

Waste Management Donations

Feed My Lambs, a program that involves 10 local churches helping to provide lunches during the summer to schoolkids, received a donation of $2,500 from Waste Management during the council meeting.

A representative from the charitable group said they had up to 225 children served before the pandemic and resumed this summer after not being active in 2020. The program is for children in O’Fallon Township High School District 203.

A check for $2,500 was also given to the Early Childhood Development Foundation, which helps provide tuition scholarships for the preschool program in District 90.

“It makes a big impact in a child’s life,” said Superintendent Carrie Hruby.

She explained the foundation raises funds to help people who do not qualify for state assistance but are right below that threshold.

This story was originally published August 3, 2021 at 11:05 AM.