Bidding Requirements Waived For Security Cameras
By Jake Leonard
With no public comments and limited remarks from members of the city council and city staff, the Collinsville City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 8 was limited to nearly 23 minutes.
Kimberly Caughran was invited to speak to the council by Mayor John Miller about the 2022 season of the Collinsville Baseball and Softball League. Registration is currently open and will continue to accept registrations through April 15. Parents wishing to register their child ages five through eighth grade can contact the Collinsville Parks and Recreation department at (618) 346-7529.
The council motioned to approve payment of bills for the period concluding January 29 in the amount of $1,886,441.83. Additionally, they would motion to approve payroll for the period ending January 21 in the amount of $780,953.50.
There were two separate resolutions appointing Amanda Guntrum to the Collinsville Fire Pension Board, as well as the Collinsville Police Pension Board. The Fire Pension Board appointment is for a non-expiring term of time. The Police Pension Board appointment is to fill a vacancy term set to end in May 2023.
In addition to meeting minutes from the January 25 meeting, all items were approved via the consent agenda.
City IT Director Sean Seckler presented an ordinance before the council seeking waiver of the sealed bid requirements for projects over $30,000 due to concerns relating to security. The waiver request will also allow city staff to directly solicit proposals from contractors to replace the security camera system at the Collinsville Aqua Park and Activity Center.
IT staff gathered technical specifications with the intent to secure a new security camera system in time for the 2022 season, citing limitations with their current system.
$75,000 was previously budgeted for the project leading up to completion by the start of the 2022 swimming season.
The only other item in new business came from Deputy City Manager Derek Jackson, seeking approval of a resolution adopting a policy for city website and social media usage policy. The ordinance formally establishes a policy regarding city usage of its website and city-managed social media.
Specified in this policy involves the disabling of all comments to all social media pages managed by the City of Collinsville, rather using social media as a forum of issuing public service announcements. Previously, all city-managed social media platforms previously allowed the public to comment on their posts.
The disabling of comments was recommended as the Records Management division of the Illinois State Archives considers comments as a matter of public record under the state’s Local Records Act subject to scrutiny under the Freedom of Information Act. All comments would be required to be retained on all city social media platforms for a period no less than three years.
Additionally, there were policies relating to the administration and utilization of the city’s website, as well as required content and content restrictions.
The policy would require information to be placed on the website, including but not limited to contact information and address of City Hall, names of elected and appointed officials, the city’s FOIA officer, all city departments, and an organizational chart.
It also will prohibit any promotion, endorsement, or advertisement for any private businesses, any materials or content with intent to serve as a political forum, lottery or raffle information, religious programming (excluding Christmas and holiday music), leud materials or language, trademarked or copywritten materials, and any programming prohibited by federal, Illinois state, Madison County, or Collinsville city laws.
The ordinance and resolution were both approved before adjourning for the evening. The Collinsville City Council will reconvene at 6:30 p.m. on February 22.
