City of Dekalb City Council met Dec. 28.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
C. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
D. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
E. PRESENTATIONS
1. Presentation of the 2021 P.R.I.D.E. Awards to Carl Kron, Paul Laino, Nick Newman, and Armor Systems, as Nominated by the Citizens’ Environmental Commission.
City Manager’s Summary: The P.R.I.D.E. (People Responsible for Improving DeKalb’s Environment) Awards recognize local residents, organizations, or businesses that have significantly improved the quality of life in DeKalb through projects, activities, or programs emphasizing resource conservation, energy efficiency, beautification, waste reduction, or similar environmental improvements. Awards recognizing individuals are referred to as Jim Grosklags P.R.I.D.E. Awards in honor of James H. Grosklags, based on his long-term service to the community and his unwavering commitment to improving the environmental quality of DeKalb.
F. APPOINTMENTS
1. Omnibus Approval of Board and Commission Appointments and Reappointments as follows:
▪ Appointment of Kenneth Brown and Aaron Robertson to the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission for a Three-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023;
▪ Appointment of Maria Pena-Graham to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a Five-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2025;
▪ Reappointment of Clare Kron, Steve Honeywell, Rachel Farrell, and Sharon Skala to the Citizens’ Environmental Commission for a Two-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2022;
▪ Reappointment of Tony Chulick to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners for a Three-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023;
▪ Reappointment of Brad Hoey to the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission for a Three-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023;
▪ Reappointment of Jeff Richardson and Vernese Edghill-Walden to the Economic Development Commission for a Three-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023;
▪ Reappointment of Larry Apperson, Nadine Franklin and Lisa King to the Human Relations Commission for a Three-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2023;
▪ Reappointment of Paul Borek and Matt Duffy to the Airport Advisory Board for a Four-Year Term, January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2024; and
▪ Reappointment of Jerry Wright to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a Five-Year Term Beginning January 1, 2021 and Ending December 31, 2025.
G. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Accounts Payable and Payroll through December 28, 2020, in the Amount of $3,026,037.52.
2. Investment and Bank Balance Summary through October 2020.
3. Year-to-Date Revenues and Expenditures through October 2020.
4. Hospitality Recovery Program Update through October 2020.
5. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Report – November 2020.
H. PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Public Hearing: Vacation of an Alley Between Grove Street, S. Fourth Street, Franklin Street, and S. Fifth Street. (Johann DeKalb Suites).
City Manager’s Summary: At the former City Hall site, a public alley that extends from Grove St. to Franklin St. needs to be vacated for the future development of the Johann DeKalb Suites project. The alley is 18 feet wide and 330 feet long. The alley had served as an access drive for the former City Hall site. On the Council-approved site plan for the Johann DeKalb Suites project, it is understood that the alley is an area proposed for a private access drive and parking area. Additionally, the development agreement approved for the site required the submittal of a Plat of Vacation for the alley prior to the issuance of a building permit for the site. Public hearings are required for an alley vacation and this one was publicized in the Daily Chronicle on December 12, 2020.
The only utility in the alley is an 8-inch sanitary sewer line which will remain active as the site is developed. A new sanitary sewer easement will be established on the final plat of subdivision and will cover the existing sewer and provide rights of access for the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District.
The City has maintained the alley as an access drive for the former City Hall and recently sold the abutting property to City Hall Suites, LLC to make way for Johann DeKalb Suites. It will no longer provide a benefit to the City and is needed for the proposed development on the site. The new owner will acquire title to the alley upon its vacation. (Click here for additional information)
I. CONSIDERATIONS
1. Consideration of a Matching Grant to the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District (KWRD) to Relocate the Former DeKalb Clinic Sewer.
City Manager’s Summary: For over ten years, “when” and “how” the former DeKalb Clinic property could be restored to a viable community asset has been a neighborhood question and part of an ongoing Council discussion. The Council’s support on December 14 for the substantial commitment of Safe Passage and its donor base to redevelop the site brings relief and hope for a successful redevelopment that will be a community asset for decades to come.
However, as with every broker and potential buyer over the past ten years, Safe Passage has had to consider a major redevelopment challenge: the anomaly of a neighborhood sanitary sewer trunk line running north and south through the middle of the site. The topic of the potential razing of the structure and the relocation of the sewer line was brought to the DeKalb TIF JRB meeting of April 26, 2019 in the context of how TIF #2 project funds might be responsibly spent before the TIF #2 termination. At that time, the contractor estimate for the combined demolition and sewer relocation was $300,000 with the sewer relocation constituting about $150,000 of the total.
Today, Safe Passage has completed the demolition at its sole expense and has done so responsibly by segregating and grinding the “clean” masonry rubble for constructive re-use. The excavation is “open” and the sewer line is readily accessible. To promote the expedient and cost-effective relocation of the neighborhood sewer so the construction of the new Safe Passage facility can proceed, the engineering staffs of the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District and the City of DeKalb have worked for weeks on various concepts which in turn have been discussed with the Safe Passage staff and architect of record. To accommodate the public purpose of relocating the sewer which cannot remain in place and meet current standards for pipe access and protection, the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District (KWRD) has proposed a three way cost-sharing plan with equal shares from the three most-interested parties. The revised relocation plan (see attached) would re-route the neighborhood sewer – which serves 15 properties in addition to 217 Franklin Street – westward toward Second Street, then south within an easement on the Safe Passage property to another KWRD main in Franklin Street. Safe Passage has to dedicate two easements: one from the manhole in the north central part of their site west toward Second Street, and another along the private side of the Second Street sidewalk southward to the Franklin Street right-of-way. This has impacted the Safe Passage site planning and the positioning of their landscaping and off-street parking.
The estimated cost of the neighborhood sewer relocation has been reduced from $150,000 to $75,000 because of Safe Passage’s willingness to dedicate portions of their property to unbuildable easements. This has in turn relieved the necessity of tearing up public infrastructure such as the Second Street sidewalk and portions of Second Street. The proposal is to split the $75,000 cost in three equal shares: $25,000 from Safe Passage; $25,000 from the KWRD, and $25,000 from the City.
The City will reap several benefits from this collaboration. First, the City will be spared a seriously patched Second Street not unlike portions of S. First Street and Taylor Street west of First Street, which would raise the street maintenance cost over time.
Second, the grant support will expedite the next steps in the development of the site at 217 Franklin. With the basement area excavated and open, now is the ideal time to proceed with the relocation. Safe Passage is in the first phases of its fundraising campaign and would otherwise fill the excavation hole until it is ready to proceed with its construction project.
The City Manager recommends Council support for this cooperative endeavor with a one-time allocation of up to $25,000 from the Capital Projects Fund (400-00-00- 83900). The City Manager does not recommend the use of TIF funds. (Click here for additional information)
J. RESOLUTIONS
1. Resolution 2020-131 Authorizing Human Services Agreements with Local Social Service Agencies for Human Services Funding Beginning January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.
City Manager’s Summary: During the FY 2021 budget process, $150,000 was included in the Community Development Department budget for Human Services Funding (HSF). Since 1998, the City has awarded HSF grants as a means of supporting local non-profit agencies that provide essential social services for the most vulnerable individuals and families in the community. In its first year (FY1998), HSF grants totaled $184,000. The largest distribution of HSF grants occurred in FY2008 and FY 2009. Thirteen recipient agencies received a total of $211,900 in each of those years. Since that time, the total amount distributed has remained at or near $150,000.
Applications were recently provided to the social service agencies that received funding in FY2020. Additionally, the application process was open to qualified not-for profit agencies across the community. The application was posted on the City’s website and a press release was issued to all local media. The application information was also posted on the City’s Facebook page. A total of sixteen applications were received. Fifteen applications were received from agencies funded in 2020. Two new agencies also applied. The overall requests totaled $204,500.
Grantees have traditionally been considered in reference to the following priorities:
1. Providers of services that help meet basic emergency needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter;
2. Providers of services that are preventative in nature and promote the highest degree of self-support, self-care, and self-help; and
3. Providers of services that seek to enhance the quality of life of persons whose basic needs are already met, with priority given to services that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents.
Targeted populations include, but are not limited to, individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; individuals who have substance abuse or mental health conditions; victims of domestic and/or sexual violence; abused and neglected children; older adults; individuals with disabilities; at-risk children and youth, and households with low- to moderate-income.
The following table details the 14 agencies recommended for funding, the amount of FY 2020 HSF funding (if received), and staff’s recommendation for a FY 2021 funding amount.
| Agency | Program Description | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | |
| Funding
Provided | Funding
Requested | Recommended
Funding | ||
| Adventure Works of DeKalb County, Inc. | Adventure-based therapy for at- risk children/youth. | $10,000 | $12,000 | $10,000 |
| Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) | Advocates for abused/neglected children in the justice system. | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C) | Advocates for quality, affordable, accessible childcare. | $19,000 | $19,000 | $19,000 |
| DeKalb County Community Gardens | Fresh and healthy food access for food insecure and low-income populations | $5,000 | $7,000 | $6,000 |
| DeKalb County Youth Services Bureau | Youth and family counseling along with substance abuse early intervention. | $24,000 | $30,000 | $25,000 |
| Elder Care Services | Assists low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities to maintain independence. | $9,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 |
| Family Service Agency of DeKalb County | Club 55 - Programs and activities for senior citizens. | $10,000 | $12,500 | $10,000 |
| Fox Valley Community Services | Funding to open an Adult Day Care Center. | New Applicant | $10,000 | $5,000 |
| Hope Haven | Emergency food and shelter for homeless individuals and families with children. | $7,000 | $7,000 | $8,000 |
| Kishwaukee YMCA – Camp Power | Summer camp for at-risk children at University Village | $11,000 | $13,000 | $11,000 |
| Nguzo Saba Men’s Club | Summer basketball and mentoring program. | $5,000 | $6,000 | $5,000 |
| RAMP | Employment services for people with disabilities | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Safe Passage
| Services for victims of domestic and sexual violence. | $10,000 | $15,000 | $11,000 |
| Voluntary Action Center | Funding for nutrition services for the elderly and people with disabilities through the Meals-On- Wheels Program. | $28,000 | $28,000 | $20,000 |
| TOTAL | $150,000 | |||
2. Resolution 2020-132 Approving a Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the City of DeKalb and the DeKalb International Association of Firefighters Local 1236 from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2024.
City Manager’s Summary: The City’s present collective bargaining contract with the DeKalb International Association of Firefighters, Local 1236 expires on December 31, 2020. The expiring contract covered the period July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2020.
Negotiations between IAFF Local 1236 and City representatives formally began in late September but the groundwork for a collaborative approach to identify and work through issues toward consensus was laid in January and February 2020 in the very successful negotiations with FOP Lodge #115. During the interest-based bargaining embraced in the FOP negotiations no punches were pulled, all of the City’s financials were laid bare for open and creative discussion, and both parties suspended the “us” versus “them” mentality that had often dominated labor negotiations in DeKalb. A hybrid of this negotiation method guided the joint conversations involving IAFF Local 1236, AFSCME Local 813, FOP Lodge 115, and the City Manager’s office in March and April of 2020. As business constraints imposed by Gubernatorial orders to confront the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the City’s general revenue sources, IAFF Local 1236 opened the conversation about the prospect of a wage freeze in 2021 as the DeKalb business community and the City budget recovered from dramatic drops in sales revenue. Local 1236 equally bore the responsibility for tough budget cuts that were outlined in detail during the Committee of the Whole meeting on May 11.
Local 1236 has also leveraged IAFF’s substantial organizational influence at the regional and state levels to help the City secure needed revenue in 2020. Local 1236 worked with the Fire administration to resolve issues which had slowed the filing of electronic patient care reports and delayed ambulance billing, resulting in the return of over $1 million in a timely fashion in August. In addition, Local 1236 uncovered a source of supplemental general revenue for ambulance services to cover the gap between the City’s billable time under Medicaid regulations and the actual cost of the Fire department’s patient transports. The supplemental funding from the Ground Emergency Medical Transportation (GEMT) program supervised by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services should generate approximately $350,000 to $400,000 in new annual revenues in FY2021.
As formal negotiations began in September, several key issues were jointly identified by both the City and Local 1236 as top priorities for negotiation. Those issues and the related contract revisions are detailed below. A redlined version of the contract is appended for the Council’s review.
Staffing levels. This issue was singularly important throughout the negotiations. To understand its importance and relationship to all other issues, one needs to have a starting reference point. The DeKalb Fire Department presently employs 48 union firefighters including 32 Firefighter/Paramedics, 10 Lieutenants (including a Fire Prevention Lieutenant), 3 Captains, and 3 Battalion Chiefs. Not counting the Fire Prevention Lieutenant assigned to rooming house and life safety inspections, the department has 2 operational shifts with 16 personnel and 1 shift with 15 personnel.
The department has three stations and offers 24/7 service, 365 days a year. Firefighters work 24-hour shifts followed by forty-eight (48) hours off-duty (excluding overtime call-backs and back-filling). Allowing for the fact that on any shift day, members may be off on sick leave, vacation, or other paid leave, the contract has long maintained a minimum shift staffing. The current minimum staffing is shown below:
| Station Staffing | Minimum Personnel |
| Station 1 | |
| Shift Commander | 1 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Ambulance | 2 |
| Total | 5 |
| Station 2 | |
| Engine | 2 |
| Ambulance | 2 |
| Total | 4 |
| Station 3 | |
| Engine | 2 |
| Ambulance | 2 |
| Total | 4 |
| Year | EMS Calls | Non-EMS Calls | Total |
| 2019 | 5,121 | 1,547 | 6,668 |
| 2018 | 4,648 | 1,434 | 6,082 |
| 2017 | 4,138 | 1,434 | 5,572 |
| 2016 | 4,150 | 1,336 | 5,486 |
| 2015 | 4,056 | 1,380 | 5,436 |
| 2014 | 3,945 | 1,380 | 5,325 |
| 2013 | 3,871 | 1,338 | 5,209 |
| 2012 | 3,835 | 1,370 | 5,205 |
| 2011 | 3,787 | 1,309 | 5,096 |
| 2010 | 3,668 | 1,296 | 4,964 |
As calls increase, the department must increasingly call off-duty members to return to work on overtime to maintain essential staffing on front-line apparatus. In 2017, the overtime costs associated with such backfilling along with emergency recalls for large-scale incidents was $365,334. That number will likely exceed $1.3 million in 2020. This trend has not been offset by the very sophisticated mutual aid arrangements between DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland, Genoa, Malta and other local fire departments for large-scale incidents. The reason is fundamental: the department has to continue to provide EMS and suppression services for the next ambulance or fire call even if its entire complement of firefighters is fully committed to a major fire event or multiple, simultaneous ambulance calls.
The staffing and overtime implications were aggravated by the reduction in personnel to balance the City’s General Fund in 2019 and 2020. For all of 2020, the overall department strength has been 48 (not including the chief and deputy chief). The authorized department strength in 2017 was 53. It should be noted that at the present minimum staffing, the department falls short of the staffing standard set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) – the American fire profession’s standard
setting body. The NFPA standard is 4 personnel on each fire company: one driver/engineer, two firefighters for task work, and one officer (supervisor). As indicated in the station staffing chart above, the DeKalb department regularly runs only two persons per engine on the assumption that the two firefighter/paramedics assigned to the accompanying ambulance will provide adequate personnel to suppress a fire and perform essential tasks (e.g., search and rescue, hose deployment, ventilation, etc.). This strategy is undone when either the ambulance is committed to an EMS call at the time of the fire or, upon arriving at the scene, one or more injured persons require paramedic attention. The arriving engine company is then left with just two personnel to operate the fire engine until mutual aid companies or recalled firefighters arrive, which can take up to 30 minutes. The NFPA standard is echoed in the applicable OSHA “Two-in, Two Out” rule.
The proposed contract offers a gradual, long-term path to remedy the staffing shortage. The staffing upgrade will proceed over a four-year period as shown in the following table:
Assistive services, including hearing assistance devices, available upon request.
| FY2017 – FY2024 | ||||||||
| FY2017
(Actual) | FY2018
(Actual) | FY2019
(Actual) | Current
2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | |
| 1.25% | 2.50% | 2.50% | 2.50% | 0% | 2% | 2.50% | 2.50% | |
| Current Salaries Total | 4,768,920 | 4,831,292 | 4,901,225 | 4,816,739 | 4,936,488 | 5,249,418 | 5,611,278 | 5,905,310 |
| Overtime Estimates | 365,334 | 426,142 | 680,837 | 1,072,657 | 988,841 | 800,000 | 650,000 | 500,000 |
| FICA/Medicare (1.45%) | 74,447 | 76,233 | 80,940 | 80,901 | 80,901 | 87,717 | 90,789 | 92,877 |
| Longevity | 44,346 | 44,346 | 44,346 | 44,346 | 44,346 | 46,000 | 47,500 | 49,000 |
| Wellness--115 Trust Contribution | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 51,620 | 52,652 | 53,968 | 55,318 |
| Clothing Allowance | 41,600 | 41,600 | 41,600 | 38,466 | 40,800 | 43,200 | 45,600 | 47,200 |
| PEHP | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,625 | - | - | - | - |
| 457(B) $2,000 Match | - | - | - | - | 45,000 | 54,000 | 63,000 | 72,000 |
| Total | 5,326,447 | 5,451,413 | 5,780,748 | 6,085,534 | 6,187,996 | 6,332,986 | 6,562,135 | 6,721,705 |
| Total Staffing | 53 | 53 | 50 | 48 | 52 | 55 | 58 | 60 |
| Minimum Station Staffing | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Insurance Cost Per Employee | 16,608 | 18,319 | 19,637 | 19,932 | 21,487 | 22,755 | 24,097 | 25,519 |
| Insurance Total Employer Cost | 880,218 | 970,881 | 981,872 | 956,736 | 1,082,223 | 1,251,510 | 1,397,641 | 1,531,140 |
| Total Cost Per Labor Hour | 56.30 | 58.26 | 65.03 | 70.54 | 67.22 | 66.30 | 65.98 | 66.13 |
| Total Cost Per Service Call | 1,114 | 1,056 | 1,014 | 1,118 | 1,085 | 1,068 | 1,076 | 1,058 |
▪ Local 1236 has agreed to no cost-of-living increase for 2021. In 2022, a COLA of 2% is proposed. In 2023 and 2024 a COLA of 2.5% is proposed.
▪ A dramatic reduction in annual overtime. The overtime projection in the table above for the last two years of the contract is probably overstated. As the overtime drops, the City’s cost per labor hour and service call will drop as well.
▪ Reduction in health insurance premiums. Negotiated changes to the City’s health plan structure can reduce the City’s annual premiums without diminished benefits. The City has not tested the market since it joined a risk pool in 2008. The goal is to work collaboratively with Local 1236 and the City’s other bargaining groups and non bargaining employees to achieve a 20% reduction in basic premiums, with subsequent revisions to the collective bargaining agreements after further individual negotiations with each local.
From a longer-term perspective, economic development and the career-type jobs it brings can lift general revenues while generating ripple effects in the local economy. The expansion of DeKalb’s commercial and industrial tax base is promising but not automatic. Such growth requires a dedicated collaboration across public and private sectors based on financial prudence and outstanding service. The trends of recent years indicate that public service demands will increase, not decrease. As a result, the City government must stay focused on new construction that can reasonably sustain the workforce needed to meet those service demands, whether in emergency services, crime prevention and community support services, or public works.
The proposed Fire contract offers a bold design built on a unique labor-management collaboration over multiple years. The former method of adversarial and competitive engagement will not remedy the structural problems in the current staffing and service delivery model of the Fire department. City Council approval is recommended.
(Click here for additional information)
3. Resolution 2020-133 Authorizing the Approval of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIPS) For Federal Fiscal Years 2022 – 2026 at the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport.
City Manager’s Summary: The development of the Airport’s ground facilities and runways has been heavily subsidized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Aeronautics (IDOT_DOA) for decades. Because such valuable state and federal grant monies are limited and there is much competition at all levels for access to such funds, the FAA and IDOT
DOA require that each applicant submit five-year plans with detailed project budgets for FAA and IDOT-DOA approval. On the basis of such multi-year plans, the state and federal agencies make annual commitments based on evolving funding priorities at those higher levels.
Airport Manager Renee Riani and the Airport Advisory Board request City Council approval of the 2022-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport (see attached). The projects on the proposed 2022-2026 Airport TIP have been developed in consultation with Doug Klonowski of the consulting firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, and were discussed by Airport Advisory Board chair Bob Owens and Renee Riani in a virtual meeting with FAA and IDOT-DOA staff in mid
October. After internal discussion by the FAA and IDOT-DOA staffs, the following projects are included on the DeKalb TIP:
▪ FY2017 Funded: Replace Visual Navigational Aids. Replace existing Visual Approach Slope Indicator’s (VASI) on runway ends 2, 20, and 27 with Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI). This project should start during the winter/spring of 2021 and is funded as follows: 90% Federal, 5% State, and 5% Local.
▪ FY2020 Funded: Overlay Runway 2-20. IDOT determined that the runway cracking and environmental distresses currently exhibited by the runway pavement are beyond normal maintenance and should be rehabilitated. The runway was constructed in 1998 and has exceeded its design life. Any impact to the runway’s serviceability will adversely affect the economic viability of the airport and region. This project will start in the summer of 2021 and is Federally funded through the 2020 CARES Act, with a local share not to exceed $7,000.
▪ FY2021 Funded: Rehabilitate Taxiway C. After similar pavement evaluation IDOT determined that the taxiway cracking has put the pavement beyond normal maintenance. This rehabilitation project will be started in 2022 and will be funded as follows: 90% Federal, 5% State, and 5% Local.
▪ FY2022: Acquire Fuel Truck. In order to efficiently refuel aircraft, the airport is seeking to add a new fuel truck to its current fleet of equipment. The current fleet is inadequate and does not provide a reliable piece of equipment to efficiently refuel aircraft. This piece of equipment will enhance and expedite the airport’s refueling operations significantly. This project will be funded as follows: 90% State, and 10% Local.
▪ FY2022: Remove and Replace a Portion of the Aircraft Parking Apron. The apron pavement has a PCI value of between 56 and 67 in accordance with the inspection conducted in 2017. The pavement is showing distress such as alligator cracking, longitudinal cracking, and transverse cracking normal for a pavement of this age. Additionally, the apron is experiencing increased charter aircraft use due to the proximity of Northern Illinois University and its associated sporting events. This project will be funded as follows: 90% Federal, 5% State, and 5% Local.
The Council will note that some projects on the TIP were initially slated for earlier fiscal years, but the long and competitive process for airport funding typically leads to a gap in time between the affirmation of a multi-year plan by higher government authorities and the actual bidding and construction. City Council approval of the Airport TIP plan for 2022-2026 is recommended. (Click here for additional information)
K. ORDINANCES – SECOND READING
None.
L. ORDINANCES – FIRST READING
1. Ordinance 2020-078 Vacating an Alley Between Grove Street, S. Fourth Street, Franklin Street, and S. Fifth Street. (Johann DeKalb Suites).
City Manager’s Summary: As described in the Public Hearing portion of this agenda, at the former City Hall site a public alley extends from Grove Street to Franklin Street and needs to be vacated for the future development of the Johann DeKalb Suites project. The alley is 18 feet wide and 330 feet long. The alley had served as an access drive for the former City Hall site. On the Council-approved site plan for the Johann DeKalb Suites project, it is understood that the alley is an area proposed for a private access drive and parking area. Additionally, the approved development agreement for the site required the submittal of a Plat of Vacation for the alley prior to the issuance of a building permit for the site.
The only utility in the alley is an 8-inch sanitary sewer line which will remain active as the site is developed. A new sanitary sewer easement will be established on the final plat of subdivision and will cover the existing sewer and provide rights of access for the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District.
City Council approval on first and second reading is recommended. (Click here for additional information)
2. Ordinance 2020-079 Amending Chapter 2 “City Council” by Deleting Section 2.06 “Committee of the Whole Meetings”, and Approving the 2021 Schedule of Meetings.
City Manager’s Summary: The Municipal Code (Section 2.04, a) requires the Council to annually approve a meeting schedule outlining regular and other meetings to comply with the Open Meetings Act. With this in mind, Ald. Verbic thoughtfully and proactively suggested that the Council consider its order of meetings at the December 14 regular meeting. At that meeting, the Council specifically discussed the value of Committee of the Whole meetings which have historically been scheduled to consider “matters which require a presentation and/or upon which discussion is anticipated,” in the words of the Municipal Code (Section 2.06). Several Council members pointed out that the public is sometimes confused about the difference between a Committee of the Whole meeting and a regular Council meeting. In addition, it was pointed out that the Council has dutifully considered many presentations and topics requiring lengthier background information on regular meeting agendas in recent years. Further, as the public has come forward with unique concerns, the Council has not been reluctant to call special meetings to address pressing issues of broad community interest. This was the case as the Council considered COVID impacts on local business in March 2020 and FY2021 budget priorities in August and November 2020.
At the end of the Council’s discussion on December 14, there appeared to be a consensus about the following:
a) Committee of the Whole meetings might be eliminated from the annual “Schedule of Meetings,” which must be published before the end of this calendar year.
b) The Council should invite items for “Consideration” arising from City neighborhoods and businesses, and eventually move them forward to action agendas as the Council deems useful;
c) The Council should consider joint meetings with the policymaking boards of other local taxing bodies when community interest demands alignment and collaboration; and
d) The Council should dedicate at least one special meeting a year for the purpose of “planning and visioning.” The planned update of the DeKalb comprehensive land use plan will certainly provide one opportunity for such a special workshop in 2021.
City Council direction is recommended. (Click here for additional information)
M. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Council Member Reports
2. City Clerk Report
3. City Manager Report
N. EXECUTIVE SESSION
None.
O. ADJOURNMENT
https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_12282020-1940
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