Lincoln, Illinois
City Council Committee's Meeting
February 28, 2012
Minutes of the City of Lincoln City Council Committees' Meeting held in the Council Chambers on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.
Those present were Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, Alderman Tibbs, and Alderman Wilmert. Also present were Fire Chief Miller, Street Superintendent Mr. Jackson, Safety and Building Officer Mr. Lebegue, Police Chief Greenslate, City Engineer Mr. Mathon, and EMC Manager Mr. Palmer. Also present were Mayor Snyder, City Clerk Mrs. Gehlbach, City Attorney Mr. Bates, City Treasurer Mr. Conzo, and Recording Secretary Mrs. Riggs.
Mayor Snyder called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. There were nine Aldermen present (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, Alderman Tibbs, and Alderman Wilmert) and one absent (Alderman Busby).
Everyone present recited the Pledge.
The Mayor asked for the Committees' Issues to be Presented:
Police:
Chairman Alderman Hoinacki said he had a petition from Jim Loeffler for the Railsplitter Auto Club for the monthly car cruise in. He asked to have that on the consent agenda.
Grounds, Buildings & Local Improvements:
Chairman Alderman Tibbs said that JoAnn Marlin & Chuck Marlin were present regarding the Civil War Statute along with City Treasurer Mr. Conzo.
Mr. Conzo said that the committee started over two years ago to replace the Civil War Statue. The committee still exists and they need to know what to do with the remaining pieces from 1869 to 2008. Some pieces are stored in the highway department and some in the basement of the courthouse. The head is in a case in the courthouse for viewing. The committee would like to bury them at Postville Park. They would like to purchase a marker where the remains will be buried at no expense to the city. They would like it to be 10 feet west of the poling place. They have spoken with Mr. Jackson and he will help with the excavation if this is approved.
Alderman Tibbs asked to have that on the consent agenda.
Finance, Policy and Procedure:
Chairman Alderman Anderson said the budget meetings will be on March 10 and March 31 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
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City Council Committee's Meeting
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Fire/Water & ESDA:
Chairman Alderman Horn said she did not have a report.
Police:
Chairman Alderman Hoinacki said they had a request from Holy Family Church that the parade they were requesting had already been cancelled.
Sewer Treatment Plant, Sewers and Drainage:
Vice Chairman Alderman Neitzel said she was advised of a project on Palmer Lift Station. They had work that needed to be done in the amount of $38,000.00. With in house labor for about $10,000.00 they put the bar screen in so they didn’t have to use any of the funds for that. They have another project they are working on to complete the heaters and thermostats the heat in the station they are going to give us in house $6,000.00 and there are parts that have to be purchased in the amount of $5,883.43 which she gave them ok to get the parts because it was under $10,000.00. The reason she mentioned it was in the times we have she wanted to give credit to Mr. Palmer for him doing things in house to relieve some of the expense from the sewer budget.
Alderman Neitzel said that Mr. Palmer has told her that he has worked with the fellows at the sewer treatment plant and they haven’t given him any trouble at all and he has enjoyed working with them. Those men came first as city employees and didn’t think they had hired but one or two and they have retained all of their employees.
Alderman Neitzel said Mr. Palmer would like to go out to bid to replace 5 doors three aluminum and two steel and she needed that on the agenda. They are for the sewer plant. They are entry doors.
Mayor Snyder said they had sent of the first batch of ten they sent three water shutoffs today. He said Mrs. Gehlbach would generate a form for the sewer committee that everybody will sign off on those.
Streets and Alleys:
Chairman Alderman Neitzel said Mr. Mathon needed to address the Council then Mr. Jackson needs to address the Council.
Mr. Mathon went over four bridges that he had given a memo on. He asked that Oglesby be permanently closed and removal of the structure. For removal he has an estimate less than $50,000.00. He said State Street is on a Federal Aid Urban Route so it is eligible for federal funding for road and bridge improvements and that is the only that falls in that network. The city gets an allotment every year of about $110,000.00 and those are being accumulated towards the 5th Street Road project.
Mayor Snyder asked about a box culvert bridge being less expensive.
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Mr. Mathon said they are a more expensive structure and the reason for that is they are built and formed onsite. The concrete is formed on site. There is a longer time and labor involved in the process. He didn’t remember how long the time frame was from the time they inspected to the bridge failing. If plans were in hand with bidding and construction it would probably be in the neighborhood of 3-4 months.
Mayor Snyder said he thought was something they had to consider with Oglesby Avenue. He said there are implications with the other bridges in planning for the future as well. He asked if Alderman Bacon and Alderman Anderson if they needed to have a public hearing on it, just discussion up here or if they necessitated anything out of the ordinary.
Alderman Anderson said if she bases it on communication she has had from her Ward she would say that it doesn’t require anything out of the ordinary because she hasn’t had any phone calls and gotten one communication and Alderman Horn had one which might be the same individual. Mayor Snyder said he had gotten a letter suggesting they not replace it.
Alderman Bacon said the only communication she had had with any of the residents in her ward they had a suggestion if they were not replacing Oglesby Bridge that the one on Palmer be made smoother. There is a bump when you go up.
Mr. Mathon said they had just received the bi-annual inspection of the city structures and there were items highlighted on three of the structures. It had to do with approaches. He has some plans in mind to address those issues.
Mayor Snyder said they needed to make a decision on closure or replacement sometime in April.
Mr. Mathon said he communicated with Bret Aukamp the County Engineer regarding our bridge inspections and planned work. The county has some items that will be going out for bid over the summer and their thought was if the city was pursuing the removal of the structure they may see more favorable bid numbers if they bid out the same time the county does.
Mr. Jackson said they had Key Equipment out of St. Louis came in to do an inspection of the 1998 Elgin. The Elgin is in need of some repairs at a cost of about $15,000.00. They have gone everything they have listed and bought some of the parts locally and replaced them already and they have knocked that price down to about $11,000.00 not counting labor. They will be sending it off to get it fixed and they cannot afford to buy a new one. He said the Johnston sweeper is at its lifespan also which the Elgin is beyond and there is nothing major usually with the Johnston. With Key equipment doing the work the parts will be 10%, carries a 1 year warranty and they will be down to one sweeper again. There is money in the budget.
Ordinance and Zoning:
Chairman Alderman O’Donohue said he did not have a report.
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Sidewalks, Forestry and Lighting:
Chairman Alderman Armbrust said he did not have a report.
Sanitation/Technology:
Chairman Alderman Wilmert said at the next meeting the Joint Solid Waste will have more dates and they are doing a Vintage Tech old recycling and starting the glass collection as well.
Alderman Wilmert said he visited with Mrs. Gehlbach yesterday and they were able to get excel installed on the server to make the process for the budget easier. He donated the product key to the city so they didn’t have to purchase anything and installation was free as well.
Alderman Wilmert said the HCH file and it is very technical and he will come up with a mock format and there are only two agencies that have done this. One is in Chicago and Springfield.
Insurance:
Chairman Alderman Bacon did not have a report.
Mayor Snyder distributed the FAQ’s on electric aggregation. Mr. Bates said he had made changes to the contract and ICCAN agreed to those changes.
Ms. Lisa Kramer and Mr. Kent Massie were present in regard to the APEX at City Center plan.
Mr. Massie gave a presentation that went with the handout. Mayor Snyder said committee members present were Wayne Cox, Bill Vinyard and Marcia Greenslate.
Mr. Massie said if they had the money it would take 12-24 months to do. Part of is the nature of the site before it was really useful you want to make sure there is some good turf. This is in concept stage but when they get in the design stage. To go through the planning and design process that might take another 6 months to a year to get that together and depending on it going out for bid. Construction wise it would easily be a 12 month process.
Alderman Tibbs asked where they would start first.
Mr. Massie said it would be in phases and he has put it in phases to start with the guts and then each phase could be done but the mound part came out as number 1. It will fit in the context of neighborhood and making sure they were not competing with the school and church and other things. There will be a 12-15 foot change in elevation.
Mayor Snyder said they could sell off the old parking lot. It is about 200 feet wide. They will have to get an appraisal of the parking lot. He asked to have the endorsement of the concept plan to be on the agenda.
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Alderman Tibbs asked to have it on the agenda.
Mrs. Greenslate said she was 100% behind this. They had a diverse group. They wanted non traditional to perpetuate the feeling of health and wellness at that site. She was very excited about this.
Mayor Snyder said they had 8 year old Tate Mourning to Bill & Jean Gossett on the committee. He commended Mr. Massie for the job they did.
Mr. Cox said one of the biggest misconceptions that the city is going to pay for this park and it is his understanding that a majority of this is coming from grants and citizens.
Mayor Snyder said this will be a pay as you go and he has had a lot of people who want to write a check. He thought the city has been able to spruce up the city. It is something they need to do for the community now and for its future.
Mr. Lebegue said after the last session he got together a memorandum to plug into the existing code. He will work with Mr. Bill Bates and Mr. Blinn Bates. He gave a presentation on houses that were dilapidated and unlivable.
Addresses of houses were:
1020 Broadway Street, 1320 Broadway Street, 1622 Broadway, 1621 Broadway, 122 N. Sherman St., 124 N. Sherman Street, 128 N. Sherman Street, 1504 N. Kankakee Street, 1514 N. Kankakee Street, 602 N. Jefferson, and 815 N. Sangamon Street.
Mr. Bates reiterated to them that the changes are not going to be successful until money is allocated to tear them down and the demolition and the liens are not getting anything done. This is just leverage and the only remedy is to tear them down and that takes money.
Mr. Lebegue said the smaller ones are probably $6,000.00 to $12,000.00. Alderman Tibbs said if they were given the property could the fire department use them as practice areas. Fire Chief Miller said that is harder in town and there are provisions about how close they are to other homes, schools, churches and you have to have an asbestos has to be removed. Mr. Bates said when they did the quick take they had someone that wanted to give them property but it had 5 liens on it.
Alderman O’Donohue asked to have that on the agenda to approve Mr. Lebegue’s changes.
Mayor Snyder said he and Mr. Lebegue had a meeting with three waste haulers for the city wide cleanup.
Mayor Snyder said the downtown grant they are moving forward.
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Mayor Snyder said the committee consists of Alderman Neitzel, David Lanterman, Patrick Doolin, Barb Blackburn, Bob Neal and himself. The committee feels they should engage Prairie Engineers so Lisa and Darrin will be their project managers to oversee consultants. They will put together some information to guide them through the steps. They have to get the dollars expended by the end of 2013. They will be establishing some other committees for other pieces.
Alderman Anderson said I move to go into Executive Session under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) to discuss personnel and Alderman Horn seconded it. City Clerk Mrs. Gehlbach called the roll call. There were nine yeas (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, Alderman Tibbs, and Alderman Wilmert), zero nays, and one absent (Alderman Busby); motion carried. The meeting adjourned to Executive Session at 8:27 p.m.
The meeting returned to regular Session at 8:46 p.m. City Clerk Mrs. Gehlbach called the roll call. There were nine present (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, Alderman Tibbs, and Alderman Wilmert), zero nays, and one absent (Alderman Busby); motion carried. Also present were Mayor Snyder, City Clerk Mrs. Gehlbach, City Attorney Mr. Bates, and Recording Secretary Mrs. Riggs.
Mayor Snyder said they would put on the agenda the acceptance of Doris Anderson’s resignation letter. He also asked to have on the agenda to hire a full time employee.
Alderman Anderson said Alderman Busby came home Friday.
Alderman Neitzel made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Alderman Hoinacki seconded it. There were eight yeas (Alderman Anderson, Alderman Armbrust, Alderman Bacon, Alderman Hoinacki, Alderman Horn, Alderman Neitzel, Alderman O’Donohue, and Alderman Tibbs), zero nays, and two absent (Alderman Busby and Alderman Wilmert); motion carried.
The City of Lincoln Committee’s as a Whole Meeting adjourned at 8:48 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Risa Riggs
Recording Secretary
City of Lincoln