City of Dekalb City Council Committee of the Whole met January 28.
Here is the agenda as provided by the committee:
A. Call to Order and Roll Call
B. Approval of the Agenda
C. Public Participation
D. Considerations
1. Central Business District Refuse Update.
City Manager’s Summary: DeKalb’s Central Business District has a number of enclosed areas or “corrals” that have been established over time for the use of nearby businesses and residential tenants. The “Downtown Central Refuse Program” was specifically intended to serve the 100-399 blocks of East Lincoln Highway, 122 North First Street, 110 and 122 South First Street, 100-135 North Second Street, 102-140 South Second Street, 106-155 North Third Street, and all of Palmer Court.
In the late Spring of 2018, the City requested bids from qualified waste and recycling haulers for both its curbside recycling program and the Downtown refuse collection system. Haulers were invited to propose a maximum monthly price for the Downtown Refuse Collection system. The City Council approved a five-year contract with Lakeshore Recycling Systems that contained a maximum overall monthly revenue as shown on the following table:
Central Business District Collection City’s Cost Per Month
September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2019 $1,600
September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020 $1,640 (+2.5%)
September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021 $1,681 (+2.5%)
September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022 $1,723 (+3%)
September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2023 $1,766 (+2.5%)
Chapter 15, Section 15.10, “Downtown Central Refuse Program,” of the DeKalb Municipal Code permits the waste hauler to “invoice all properties according to the rates in effect at the time of service and all properties will be required to pay for collection services directly to the Contractor.” For a number of years, residents and businesses in the Central Business District have not been invoiced for waste and recycling services afforded them by the various waste enclosures in the Downtown area. To fulfill the City’s obligations in the waste contract, the contractual hauler should be allowed to invoice for its service, at an overall monthly rate that conforms to their bid price.
Because many Downtown businesses and residents have not seen invoices for years, Lakeshore and the Public Works Department staff have held several advertised public meetings. All known businesses and residents in the Downtown Business District were sent certified mailings to invite them to these meetings to describe the downtown refuse program and the likelihood of invoices to come. At each of the two December meetings, only one participant appeared to hear the staff presentation.
Public Works Director Tim Holdeman and the Public Works Department staff have proposed the following monthly, tiered rate system (which was described in the mailings to Downtown businesses and residents):
Tier 1 Restaurant (10) $50
Tier 2 Business Commercial (48) $15
Tier 3 Residential Apartment (76) $5
The numbers in parentheses in the table above are reasonably accurate. A precise inventory of occupied second floor residential units in the Downtown is elusive. At the suggested rates, the City would break even with the inventory assumed here.
City Council Direction is invited on the following questions:
• Does the Council believe that further efforts should be taken to alert Downtown businesses and residents, such as distributing flyers from door to door?
• Are the proposed rates fair?
• If so, shall we charge the monthly fees on the City water bill? If we charge the monthly fees on the water bill, we are more likely to be reimbursed for the LRS monthly charge of $1,600.
City Council direction is recommended.
E. Executive Session Pursuant to 5 ILCS (120/2)
1. Pending or Imminent Litigation as Provided for in 5 ILCS (120/2)(c)(11).
F. Adjournment
https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01282019-1566
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