City of Sycamore City Council met Oct. 19.
Here is the agenda provided by the council:
Pursuant to Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order No. 2020-07 (COVID-19 Executive Order No. 5), Governor Pritzker has suspended certain rules of the Open Meetings Act – specifically the Executive Order permits remote public meetings. In light of the current COVID-19 public health emergency and the limit on public gatherings, the City Council will conduct the meeting remotely.
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INVOCATION
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
5. AUDIENCE TO VISITORS
In accordance with previously adopted Rules, Public Comments shall be limited to a maximum of thirty minutes per meeting and the public may participate only during the “Public Comment” portion of the meeting. Comments shall not exceed three minutes per speaker unless limited to a shorter duration if numerous people wish to speak. All participants will be required to provide their name and address for the record. No speaker may speak more than once during any meeting unless specifically permitted to do so by the presiding officer. The City encourages that a spokesperson be chosen for individuals wishing to speak about the same subject matter to avoid repetitive presentations. All remarks should be addressed to the City Council as a whole and not to any individual member or employee. In the event speakers pose questions the Council or City staff, they should be aware that those individuals may decline to answer. Each speaker shall maintain civility and decorum. The presiding officer retains the right to stop or remove any speaker who becomes disruptive to the meeting.
6. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of the Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting of October 5, 2020. B. Payment of the Bills for October 19, 2020.
7. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS A. Introduction of the New Sycamore Park District Executive Director Jonelle Bailey.
8. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
9. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS—None
11. ORDINANCES
A. Ordinance No. 2020.12—An Ordinance Approving a Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of Sycamore and the International Association of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police and Lodge #133. First and Second Reading.
A successor collective bargaining agreement between the City of Sycamore and FOP Lodge 133 for the May 1, 2019 through April 30, 2023 was approved in July, with a re-opener for the last two years of the contract focused on wages and insurance. Discussions on the final two years of the agreement commenced shortly after approval of the initial agreement and the parties have arrived at an agreement as follows:
1. Wage increases of 2.50% on May 1, 2021; 2.25% on May 1, 2022.
2. Recognition of the 3A ballistic vest as the vest supplied by the Department.
3. A firearm certification stipend of $1,750 in FY22 and $3,000 in FY23.
4. Wage compression for Sergeants of 16% in FY22 and 16.9% in FY23.
5. A provision that allows the City to hire Illinois certified Police Officers at the wage step that corresponds with their service time, not to exceed step 5.
6. A provision that requires new hires to reimburse the City for educational costs associated with the basic police academy if the officer terminates employment within three years of the date of hire.
7. Other revised language memorializing previous memorandum of understandings and practices concerning insurance.
8. The Agreement expires on April 30, 2023.
Lodge 133 ratified the agreement earlier this month.
City Council approval is recommended.
B. Ordinance No. 2020.13—An Ordinance Authorizing Boundary Modifications to the Area Known as the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone, Boundary Amendment No. 3, in the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading.
CONSERV FS has requested that the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone add approximately 4 acres located south of Route 30 near Waterman. The Company is planning to invest $12-15 million to rebuild and expand its commercial/industrial bulk agricultural fertilizer, chemical mixing plant and storage facilities at their Waterman Service Center located on the southwestern perimeter of the Village of Waterman.
The company plans to retain 15 current jobs at the facilities being rebuilt. Along with this, expansion will create an opportunity for additional staffing upward of 20 jobs as the company moves forward with the completion of all phases of their project. CONSERV indicates that they are on pace to move forward as soon as possible with completion of all phases projected during 2023. They are anticipating the first phase to be completed by the end of July 2021 and operational by the end of August 2021.
CONSERV FS is an agricultural cooperative providing agronomy, grain, fuels, propane, lubricant, agri-finance, turf, crop protection and crop nutrients to farmers as well as fleet owners, landscapers, sport field managers and homeowners. Headquartered in Woodstock, IL, they operate from eighteen locations throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, including six locations in DeKalb County.
The Village of Waterman has annexed the new properties to accommodate the expansion and is supportive of the Boundary Amendment request. As a Designating Unit of Government in the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone, Waterman has supported all previous boundary and incentive amendments. This project would be Waterman’s first Enterprise Zone project.
The DeKalb County Enterprise Zone has a maximum capacity of 15 square miles. Currently, territory totaling 13.97539 square miles is included within the Zone, with capacity available for an additional 655.7504 acres (651.7504 after the proposed project).
Attached for consideration is an Ordinance amending City of Sycamore Enterprise Zone Designating Ordinance by authorizing the boundary amendments as well as an amendment to the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone Intergovernmental Agreement. On August 17, 2020 the Enterprise Zone Advisory Board approved recommending this Boundary Amendment to the Designating Units of Government for approval.
City Council approval is recommended.
12. RESOLUTIONS
A. Resolution No. 843—A Resolution Declaring Wednesday, October 21, 2020 through Sunday, October 25, 2020 as Pumpkin Festival Weekend in the City of Sycamore, Illinois.
Pumpkinfest has been an annual tradition in the Sycamore community for 59 years. Each year it brings together DeKalb County non-profit groups that plan events for the community in celebration of fall. It kicks off with a cake cutting ceremony and the placement of decorated pumpkins on the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn. Throughout the week, various other events occur including a pie eating contest, a carnival, craft fair, a race and ends with a parade through downtown. Sycamore is filled with thousands of visitors as well, shopping and patronizing our restaurants during these events.
Due to COVID-19, Pumpkinfest will not take place in the same manner as it historically has, yet the City would still like to recognize this important tradition in Sycamore. In addition, this resolution encourages residents to participate in modified Pumpkinfest events or celebrate with friends and family while following the guidance of health officials.
City Council approval is recommended.
13. CONSIDERATIONS
A. Consideration of the City of Sycamore’s Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2019-2020, Including the Independent Auditor’s Report.
This summer, an audit team led by Jennifer Martinson from Lauterbach and Amen conducted fieldwork for the City’s annual independent audit. The firm reviewed the City’s financials and accounting controls with no findings reported. Noteworthy features of the audited financial statements and the independent auditors report include:
• As of April 30, 2020, the General Fund cash reserve increased to $7,251,132 on a modified accrual basis. The fund balance represents 40.89% of the general operating expenditures in FY21. This ratio is consistent with the City’s policy of maintaining at least 3-4 months of reserves (with a target of five months given the City’s reliance on sales taxes; which are more volatile).
•Water Fund operating revenues increased by $130,310, resulting in a total of $2.85 million. In FY2020, the second of nine scheduled water rate structure modifications passed by the City Council in FY2015 went into effect. These structure changes are designed to reduce the number of tiers from seven to two over the course of ten years.
•The Sewer Fund had an increase in operating revenues of $59,890 and finished the year with a fund balance of $3.92 million. As a result of lower than anticipated project costs for the Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion, rates were lowered by 3.5% for FY2020.
•The City’s Fire and Police Pension Funds experienced net fund balance decreases of $514,228 combined. The Police Pension Fund had an approximate investment loss of 1.70% while the Fire Pension had a loss of 2.10%. Investment income, employee contributions and an actuarially required City contribution fund the plans. Investment returns help reduce the amount the City is required to contribute each year. The total fund balances at the end of FY20 were $14,260,546 for the Police Pension Fund and $15,068,247 for the Fire Pension Fund.
• As of the end of FY2020, the City had drawn $11,660,235 on a loan from the IEPA for the Wastewater Treatment Plant project. Total outstanding debt is $18.64 million, including $3.77 million in general obligation debt and $14.87 million in IEPA loans. The City has no plans for general obligation borrowing in the near future.
•In FY2020, the City invested over $1.28 million in streets and sidewalks within the community. Dedicated revenue sources are identified as part of the City’s annual street maintenance program as the Council remains committed to investing in infrastructure.
•The financial statements are presented as a Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). In this format, the standard financials and budget-to-actuals are provided with additional information about the City in the introductory section and a statistical section toward the end of the document to show a historical comparison. This marks the third year the report is presented in this fashion. The reports for the three previous years were awarded the Government Finance Officer Association’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.
Jennifer Martinson, a Principal at Lauterbach and Amen, will present the report and be available to answer and questions.
City Council approval is recommended.
B. Consideration of an Implementation Plan for Water System Infrastructure Improvements.
The Water Fund is an Enterprise Fund that is self-supporting as revenue from user fees serve as the principal funding source for the operations of the City’s water system. The fund also pays the debt service utilized for capital improvements or repairs to the City’s wells, two elevated water storage tanks, and 115 miles of water main. The City removes radium from the water as required by the IEPA and charges a fee commensurate to the cost. No property taxes are used to support the water system or operations.
Over $700,000 per year from the Water Fund is spent on radium removal to meet IEPA requirements. This is on top of millions of dollars that have been invested in equipment required for the filtering process. In addition to these investments the City has allocated approximately $250,000 in the Water Fund budget each year for maintenance on wells, towers, hydrants and valves in the system. In summer of 2019, staff began preparations for planned improvements to water main taking into account main breaks, water quality and fire flows, which resulted in a water master plan and discussion centered on a dedicated revenue source for capital improvements.
On October 5th the City Council renewed the discussion regarding a dedicated revenue source for capital infrastructure improvements in the water system. While more discussion is needed, feedback from Council members seemed to indicate direction toward a base $5.00 per month infrastructure fee.
The following is a recap of the steps taken since mid-2019:
June 2019: The City of Sycamore selected a local consultant to complete a Water Master Plan. The goal of this document was to provide an inventory of existing improvements and evaluate the capacity of the system against existing and future needs. The study uses this information to provide recommendations for future improvements to meet capacity and regulatory requirements. The Water Master Plan was completed in December 2019 and outlined the recommended priority improvements. The project ranking is based on a scoring matrix using ten weighted criteria, including fire protection, break frequency, effect on water quality and water main age. The seven priority projects that impact water age have a total estimated cost of $11,253,321. It is possible that all of these projects are implemented, however each year the system will be reviewed and the projects most beneficial to the system will be prioritized. This process would be similar to the City’s street maintenance program, which is reviewed and prioritized each year.
February 2020: During budget preparation, the City Council discussed a capital infrastructure fee for residential users that would generate approximately $350,000 to be used to begin addressing these projects and future main replacement. The fee would increase on a sliding scale based on the size of the water meter. The rationale behind the amount of the proposed fee was that it would allow for the replacement of 1,000 linear feet of main and corresponding appurtenances per year. The Council indicated support for the dedicated capital fee and the commitment to investing in the water infrastructure. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, the Council deferred implementation of the capital infrastructure fee as residents and businesses wrestled with the impacts of the virus.
September 2020: The City Council’s Public Works Committee convened in response to complaints of water smell and taste. The purpose of the workshop was to provide the public and committee members with an overview of the water distribution system, the water master plan and main replacement plan. It was also intended to outline the operational and testing procedures the City completes as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).
October 2020: The City Council renewed the discussion regarding a dedicated revenue source for water infrastructure improvements.
The table below approximates the level of fee required to fund these seven projects utilizing low interest loan funding through the IEPA, what monthly fee would be needed to do roughly half of the projects, and the percentage of projects that can be accomplished at 1,000 linear feet of water main replacement per year. By borrowing from the IEPA the City could expedite the completion of these projects which primarily include sections of watermain requiring upsizing. The City constantly investigates alternative construction methods and coordination with other infrastructure improvements to complete projects in a more cost-effective manner.
| Total Per Year | $352,666.05 | $502,666.05 | $690,166.05 |
| Per Month Fee | $3.53 | $5.03 | $6.90 |
| Cost of Priority Projects | $11,253,321.00 | $11,253,321.00 | $11,253,321.00 |
| Percent of Priority Projects | 52.0% | 73.3% | 100.0% |
Several other key projects were identified during the water master planning process that need to be completed on schedule to maintain the overall integrity of the water system. These improvements, along with required maintenance and operating needs compete for existing funding sources from user fees, radium removal fees and connection fees. These projects are listed chronologically below:
• 2020: Inspect Tower #1 Coating & Structural Integrity
• 2020: Return Well #7 to Service in Emergency Standby
• 2021: Recoating Tower #1
• 2023: Well #7 Treatment Facility – WRT System or HMO System
• 2024: Begin Treatment System Evaluation & Design (WRT Contract Expires 2027)
• 2024 – 2027: Radium Removal Improvements – Maintain WRT or HMO System
• 2028 – 2039: Distribution System Projects
• 2040: Construct Tower #3
Without a dedicated revenue source for capital infrastructure, infrastructure replacement will have to compete with other capital and operating priorities such as the recent main replacement on Park Avenue and Ellen Street.
City Council direction is recommended.
C. Consideration of a Public Works Presentation Regarding Water Safety and Compliance.
The City of Sycamore complies with all EPA sampling and testing standards. The results of tests confirm that the City of Sycamore water meets or exceeds all EPA drinking water requirements and is safe for consumption.
Residents have brought forward concerns at recent public meetings regarding lead in the drinking water. This consideration is designed to outline EPA standards and testing criteria, demonstrate the City’s compliance, provide information as to the sources of lead in the drinking water and address other concerns brought forth in previous meetings.
In July, the City performed EPA required lead and copper testing and the 90th % value of the community was 5.16 ppb, which is below the Action Level (15ppb) as mandated by the EPA. These tests are required to follow EPA guidelines and are conducted as follows:
• Samples were a first draw, cold water that is not softened.
• The IEPA requires samples to be taken from a faucet or fixture that is used regularly. These samples included homes with varying types of plumbing including lead services.
• 100% of the samples taken had less than the IEPA allowable limit of 15 ppb.
• 73% of the samples had a value of less than 2 ppb less which the IEPA identifies as no detect.
• The IEPA testing procedures indicate samples should only be taken from frequently used fixtures. Outside fixtures and small sample specimens can lead to inaccurate results.
The City’s samples are collected by 30 different residents at different locations who are all provided the following letter outlining the sampling procedures:
Questions have been raised as to why compliance sampling would continue to meet or exceed EPA standards while residents have conducted tests that suggest lead levels beyond 15ppb. The EPA website sheds some light on why this could happen as it outlines how lead gets in the drinking water using the following “infographic” and information:
Lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials that contain lead corrode, especially where the water has high acidity or low mineral content that corrodes pipes and fixtures. The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes, faucets, and fixtures. In homes with lead pipes that connect the home to the water main, also known as lead services lines, these pipes are typically the most significant source of lead in the water. Lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986. Among homes without lead service lines, the most common problem is with brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder. (from EPA website: https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water).
Residents have sampled their own water and have reported higher lead levels than the City sampling, which is a serious concern. The City understands, however, that there are several components (as outlined above) within the system where lead can get into drinking water. Furthermore, the City has submitted a grant application to the IEPA in an effort to secure funding to help facilitate the replacement of privately-owned service lines. Per section 8-2-6 of the Municipal Code, property owners are responsible for the water service line and all internal plumbing materials, fixtures and connections. The City has a list of materials (where known) used for private service lines and encourages residents to replace lead lines when possible. Click on the link below to see the material used in your water service line: https://cityofsycamore.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Service Material-Inventory-20200629.pdf
As noted above, the City of Sycamore complies with all EPA sampling and testing standards. However, not all testing is done the same. As reported in the Daily Chronicle, Kim Biggs, a spokesman for the Illinois EPA noted, “The samples in these documents were taken from outside spigots, which are likely made from brass,” and goes on to explain, “Those types of fixtures often times can cause elevated lead levels in water samples. Compliance samples for lead and copper should be taken from the cold-water kitchen tap or bathroom tap, where water is consumed.”
Residents have also questioned compliance in Sycamore Schools, citing a report from 2017 where the district had tests that exceeded the allowable limits for lead in drinking water. Some of the samples collected initially tested over the allowable limits, however this was attributed to internal plumbing. Many other samples had “no detect” levels making it infeasible for the lead to be in the source water as all samples would have shown some level of lead detection.
According to the Sycamore School District’s Director of Building and Grounds, during the fall of 2017, District 427 worked with Aires Consulting, a division of Gallagher Bassett Services Inc. to test drinking water throughout the District for student and staff safety and to comply with Illinois law. As a result of the findings, Sycamore Community School District identified lead-containing plumbing from reports, scheduled flushing, and replaced fixtures as needed and is now in compliance.
It is important to note that even newer building plumbing components can contain lead. The 1986 EPA rule deemed lead free as 8% content or less. It was not until 2014 that lead free was reduced to 0.25% or less. Therefore, it is possible to have up to 8% lead content in fixtures in newer schools, homes and businesses.
The City takes water safety very seriously and has provided the information above to help residents understand the system, testing requirements, understand how service lines, fixtures and faucets can impact their water and address concerns that have been raised at recent public meetings. A page within the City’s Public Works website was created to provide more information regarding lead and copper regulations, links to the City’s current and past test results, and identification of the City and property owner responsibilities. The web page can be found at: https://cityofsycamore.com/public works/water-quality-testing-and-reporting/.
Public Works Director Fred Busse, Assistant Public Works Directors Matt Anderson and Jake Keck and City Engineer Mark Bushnell will present the information and address any City Council questions.
D. Consideration of a Police Department Recommendation to Purchase Body-Worn Cameras from WatchGuard in the Amount of $57,530 Based on the Most Recent State of Illinois Purchasing Price.
In September of 2019, the Police Department began exploring video camera systems to replace an aged and failing in-car camera system. Included was research into the eventual adoption of body worn cameras. Subsequent to the successful implementation of the WatchGuard in-car video system in August of 2020, the Department is seeking to enhance video evidence capability and build on existing transparency through the implementation of body-worn cameras.
In order to integrate body-worn cameras into the existing in-car camera data storage server and video evidence management system, the Police Department requested a quote for a body-worn camera system through WatchGuard. Although the State of Illinois contract with WatchGuard expired on April 14, 2020, WatchGuard is willing to honor the State contract price for body-worn cameras. Included in the proposed system is twenty (20) body cameras, mounting brackets, charging stations, software and licensing, and five-year warranties. Two quotes were requested from WatchGuard, one which utilizes the newly installed server-based storage and the other with a cloud-based storage system.
| WatchGuard Quotes | |||
| Storage System | Quote | Annual cost in years 2-5 | Estimated annual cost in year 6+ |
| Server Based | $57,530 | $0 | $1,500 |
| Cloud Based | $68,910 | $15,460 | $15,460 |
City Council approval is recommended.
14. OTHER NEW BUSINESS
15. APPOINTMENTS
16. ADJOURNMENT
https://cityofsycamore.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20201019CC.pdf
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