DeKalb Times

City of Sandwich City Council met June 5.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Robinson called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.

Roll call was taken:

Present: Mayor Robinson, City Clerk Ii, Aldermen Redden & Surratt & EMA Director Ciciora

Present via WebEx teleconference call: Aldermen Chmielewski, Dell, Killey, Kelleher & Kreinbrink; City Attorney Harrill, Department of Public Works Horak; Building Official Steffens & Chief Bianchi

Absent: City Treasurer Webber

Audience Comments: WSPY correspondent, Jim Wyman, question why approval of a contractor for the Hall Street Lift Station was not on the agenda for approval, and requested status. Response was last week, the Council a more detailed proposal from both contractors. The City has not yet received the revised proposals.

Consent Agenda: Motion made by Alderman Surratt, and seconded by Alderman Dell, to adopt the Consent Agenda. Aye: Aldermen Chmielewski, Dell, Kelleher, Killey, Kreinbrink, Redden, Robinson & Surratt Nay:0 Motion carried 8:0

a. Approval of Regular Council Meeting Minutes of May 26, 2020 b. Approval of Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting Minutes of June 1, 2020 c. Approval of May bills totaling $ 98,732.70

Mayor Robinson, in referencing the peaceful protest held last Friday against police brutality and for human equality, thanked the following who assisted the City: Sandwich, Somonauk and Plano police departments, DeKalb and Kendall County Sheriff’s Department, Illinois State Police, Sandwich Fire Department, Sandwich EMA and the City of Sandwich Public Works Department. Protestors were numbered at 150-200 people.

Foster, Buick, Conklin & Lundgren Law Group: No report

City Clerk Ii : No report

City Treasurer: Absent

City of Sandwich, Illinois City Hall Annex •128 East Railroad Street

Regular Council Meeting June 8th, 2020 @ 7:00 PM

Regular Council Meeting June 8, 2020

Director of Public Works / City Engineer: No report

Chief Bianchi: No report

EMA Director Ciciora advised of high winds and heavy rain expected in the next 24-48 hours resulting from tropical storm Cristobal. Ciciora cautioned bars and restaurants that are serving outdoors to take extra precaution with tents and table umbrellas.

Aldermen Reports:

Alderman Kelleher questioned the status of the Southwest Fox Valley Cable & Telecommunications Consortium that the City is participant as well as Plano. North Aurora has withdrawn; Yorkville and Waubonsee have recently filed notice that they will leaving the consortium. Plano will be discussing withdrawing at their current meeting. The City has budgeted $40,000.00 for the consortium. Mayor Robinson will contact Director Mike Rennels to gather more information as to the stability of the consortium and provide a report next week.

Alderman Kreinbrink inquired on the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) contract updates. Mayor Robinson and Alderman Dell met a couple of weeks ago and are gathering more information to be presented at the union talks. Alderman Dell said the matter would best be discussed in Executive Session, but the restrictions placed on meetings has made it near impossible to meet.

He also asked the grant status from State Representative Tom Demmer. Mayor Robinson anticipates it will be awhile before funds are received and had no further information to share after being notified on May 26th that the City was a recipient of a $250,000.00 grant.

Pertaining to a grant application under ReBuild Illinois, Alderman Kreinbrink questioned the status of the grant application to the State of Illinois on the public safety building. Mike Nelson, Community Officer, has been assisting Engineer Horak in obtaining and submitting missing documentation to the grant writer.

Directed at Engineer Horak, Alderman Krienbrink inquired if contact had been made with under the DeKalb County cooperative agreement for roadway striping, patching and seal coating. Engineer Horak said he has not contacted the County but noted that such projects are usually lined up at the beginning of the year. He had received a phone call from the contractor as to the crack sealing but has not made contact yet. Alderman Kreinbrink expressed that he hoped the City can participate at the same prices asking that contact be made within the next two weeks. Engineer Horak said he try to make contact regarding these specific projects.

Alderman Kreinbrink also asked the status on the Gletty Road cleanup fearing the City will be unable to meet the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) deadline at the end of the month. Mayor Robinson said details are being finalized as discussed in closed session. Alderman Kreinbrink countered saying one option is on the table but the other option was to get quotes. Further, he felt that by not getting quotes, and allowing the other option to forward, Alderman Kreinbrink was not in favor. Adding that he had spoken with Engineer Horak a number of times, Engineer Horak should get quotes to screen the pile adding that the City is losing time by not getting prices. Alderman Kreinbrink said if the City is not arbitrarily getting the prices, he finds it negligent. He said he has started the leg work with Engineer Horak, names have been given and everything seems to fall on deaf ears knowing he can save the City some money. He further indicated he does not care which option the City chooses but each option must be 100% evaluated and voted upon. Expressing that he had previously prepared RSP’s (Request for Proposals) for the auditor and IT support for the City, Alderman Kreinbrink said he can start getting quotes on this project if the Engineer is too busy. “Option A” needed to be researched and has been done. He felt “Option B” has become stagnant, and there is a need to validate “Option A” saying the only way is by obtaining a cost comparison with “Option B” to see what the means and extremes are.

Alderman Redden, commenting on the April financial report prepared by Lauterbach & Amen, was pleased to see the General Fund end with fiscal year with a $52,000.00 surplus. It was noted that this marks the first surplus in over 5 years. Capital Reserves also increased over the fiscal year by $337,813.00. All departments were underbudget except for the Police Department that was 7% over expended due to, in part, underbudgeting FICA. Because of the pandemic and forced lockdowns, the next 3 months will reflect the financial impact on the City’s coffers.

Alderman Surratt stressed the importance of not blowing mown grass cuttings onto roadways. Apart from the safety issue and the potential to block roadway drainage, it is also illegal according to Illinois law and the City’s Municipal Code.

Announcements: The next Finance Committee Meeting will be held on Monday, June 15th, following the Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting.

Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Council, motion made by Alderman Redden and seconded by Alderman Surratt to adjourn the Regular Council meeting at 7:36 PM. Motion carried unanimously by viva voce vote.

http://www.sandwich.il.us/MINUTES/rc060820.pdf