DeKalb Times

City of Sycamore City Council Met April 5.

Here is the agenda provided by the council:

1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

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 March 15, 2021. 

B. Approval of the Closed Session Minutes for the Meetings of 1/19/21, 1/4/21, 11/2/20, 10/5/20, 9/21/20, & 7/20/20.

C. Release of the Closed Session Minutes for the Meeting of 7/20/20.

D. Approval to Destroy the Auditory Tapes from the Closed Session City Council Meetings during the period from 2/18/2019 through 6/16/2019.

E. Payment of the Bills for April 5, 2021.

7. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS 

A. A Proclamation Declaring April 2021 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Sycamore, Illinois.

B. A Proclamation Declaring April 2021 as Fair Housing Month in the City of Sycamore, Illinois.

8. REPORTS OF OFFICERS

9. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES

10. PUBLIC HEARINGS

A. Public Hearing on the Proposed FY2021-22 City Budget.

The Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 extends from May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022. The budget document compiles the numerical and narrative budgets for each General Fund department and each of the City’s capital funds, special funds, and bond funds in one volume for easy reading and reference. Staff have presented each of the budget’s funds at previous City Council meetings that started in January. On March 15th, the full budget document was presented to the Council as a consideration.

Highlights of the budget include:

The General Fund expenditure budget totals $18,136,209. These expenditures are offset by $18,139,021 in anticipated General Fund revenues. The revenues and expenditures reflect pension contributions for fire and police passing through the General Fund. The estimated General Fund operating reserve or starting fund balance as of May 1, 2021 is $8,024,805 or 44.26% of the planned General Fund operating expenditures for FY2022.

The City’s estimated equalized assessed valuation (EAV) for 2020 (payable in 2021) is $486,900,285 which is roughly $18.7 million more than the prior year. The increase in EAV is a combination of a rebound in housing values and an uptick in new construction in residential, commercial and industrial developments.

General Fund operating expenditures continue to be constrained to meet general revenues.

➢  The same level of service and number of personnel are anticipated as were authorized in the FY21 budget.

➢  Personnel expenses (wages, salaries, FICA, Medicare, IMRF, Police and Fire Pension) will again account for over half of the overall General Fund budget (56.44%).

➢  When combined with the cost of insurance coverage (health, life, work comp and liability), employee costs reach 72.74% of the planned General Fund expenditures. Insurance costs are assigned to the General Fund Support budget, which consists of expenditures common to the entire General Fund.

➢  Pension contributions to the Police, Fire and IMRF (with the exception of personnel assigned to the Water and Sewer Funds) pass through or are expended from the General Fund.

Aside from conventional operating expenditures, other significant General Fund expenditures include the following:

➢  Debt service of $367,500 to fund the principal and interest on the 2012 refunding bond ($37,500) and the 2017 refunding bond ($330,000).

➢  An allocation of $218,000 (513-8493) to pay sales tax rebates.

➢  An increase ($131,500) in budgeted health insurance premiums (line items 8474 & 8477), primarily attributed to higher rates.

➢  A reserve transfer of $150,000 to the Employee Benefit Assistance Fund (Fund 23) for accrued leave payouts in the event of the retirement of several senior employees in FY2022.

The City Council has maintained a commitment to capital infrastructure improvements. This commitment honors the deep community concern about failing streets, in particular. The ability to maintain this commitment is also based, in part, on prudent fiscal measures taken in years past to segregate capital funds from operational funds, and to appropriately match such funds with uses that reflect community expectations.

In FY22, the capital improvement program identifies funded items totaling $4,144,500. These expenditures have dedicated sources of revenue and do not involve any tax increases. Highlights of the FY2021-2022 capital program are listed below:

➢  The City’s annual street maintenance program: $2,050,000 (Street Maintenance Fund, Motor Fuel Tax Fund).

➢  Sidewalk removal and replacement in conjunction with Street Maintenance Program: $150,000 (Capital Assistance Fund).

➢  Improvements to Fire Station #1 Living Quarters: $100,000 (Public Buildings Fund). 

➢  Repair/Repaint Water Tower #1: $950,000 (Water Connection Fee Fund).

In the upcoming year, $477,500 in general fund operating departmental capital expenditures are planned from the Capital Assistance Fund and the Sales Tax Distributive Fund. The majority of these capital improvements are recurring vehicle and machinery replacements necessary for departmental operations.

The preliminary budget is on the City’s website at www.cityofsycamore.com, on reserve at the Sycamore Public Library and available for purchase at cost in the City Clerk’s Office. City Council action on the proposed FY21-22 City Budget is recommended on April 19, 2021.

11. ORDINANCES

A. Ordinance 2020.28—An Ordinance Amending Title 5, “Police Regulations,” Chapter 3, “Dogs,” Sections 5-3-1, “Licensing and Rabies Inoculation Requirements; Fees” and 5-3-2, “Tags; Number Restrictions,” and Chapter 3, “Cats,” to Create a New Section 5-3A-1, “Rabies Inoculation Requirements,” of the City Code of the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading.

The City’s Dog Tag program requires all dogs to be licensed by the City with proof of rabies vaccination. Residents are required to pay $5.00 annually per dog for the license. The City’s program was designed to ensure rabies inoculation for dogs within corporate limits. However, both State of Illinois Law (510 ILCS 5 “Animal Control Act”) and DeKalb County Code (Chapter 18 “Dogs and Cats”) require rabies inoculation. In fact, both codes require rabies inoculation for both dogs and cats.

A total of 1,426 tags were purchased in FY20, generating a total of $8,881 in revenue. When factoring staff time, the cost of the tags, printing and postage and other incidentals, the program is designed to generate revenue roughly equal to the cost of administering it. What these figures do not reflect is the inconvenience the program causes residents that come in to purchase the tag each year, nor does it account for the fact that many dog owners do not purchase a City tag. With similar requirements from both the State of Illinois and DeKalb County governments, the City’s dog tag program has become redundant and eliminating the program would benefit residents.

Staff recommends that the City Code be amended to eliminate the dog tag requirements for calendar year 2022, as the majority of the tags for 2021 have been purchased. Additionally, staff is recommending language be added to the City Code to require rabies inoculation for cats to mirror State and County laws and ordinances.

The proposed language changes are as follows (New language in italics):

5-3-1: LICENSING AND RABIES INOCULATION REQUIREMENTS; FEES:

A. Annual License Required; Fee: Every owner of a dog within the city shall annually, by March 15, or upon obtaining possession or ownership of a dog, register and pay five dollars ($5.00) for each dog. Licenses shall be available in the office of the clerk.

A. B. Rabies Inoculation Required: No license shall be accepted for a dog unless a certificate of inoculation for rabies conforming to Illinois statute shall be produced. A serum vaccine antibody titer test demonstrating a rabies immune response shall be accepted in lieu of a certificate of inoculation. (Ord. 2008.72, 1-20-2009). Every owner of a dog four months or more of age, who is a resident of the City, is required to have the animal inoculated against rabies as denoted in the Illinois Animal Control Act.

C. Late Fee: Late registrants shall pay a special application fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) to cover the increased cost of handling delinquencies.

D. Penalties: The penalty for owning a dog which is unlicensed shall be as provided in section 1-4-1 of this code. Within five (5) days of receipt of the notice of a first violation from the police department, however, the city will accept fifteen dollars ($15.00), in addition to the applicable license fee, as a compromise of the owner's alleged violation.

5-3-2: TAGS; NUMBER RESTRICTIONS:

A. Issuance; Replacement Tags: The city shall provide, at the beginning of each license year, such number of tags as may be necessary and of such shape and size as shall be deemed expedient (the shape of said tags being changed each year) and shall have stamped thereon numbers indicating the year for which the fee is paid and deliver one of such tags to each person paying the license fee. In cases of the loss of any such tag, the city, upon application and the payment of two dollars ($2.00) therefor, shall deliver to the person owning the dog for which such lost tag was originally obtained, a replacement of such lost tag.

B. Tags To Be Worn; Penalty:

1. All dogs shall be collared around the neck with the city tag securely fastened thereto. Dogs not so collared and tagged shall be deemed a nuisance and be impounded. (1988 Code §17.202) 2. The penalty for owners of dogs who have license tags but do not have the tag so fastened to their dog shall be subject to penalty as provided in section 1-4-1 of this code.

C. Removal Of Tag Or Collar: No person shall, without the authority of the owner, remove the dog tag or collar to which the tag is attached from any dog or entice any properly tagged dog into any enclosure for the purpose of taking off its collar or tag.

D. Exemptions: The license provisions of this chapter do not apply to dogs owned by nonresidents passing through the city nor to dogs brought into the city for exhibition at any dog show, and nothing therein provided shall require an owner to procure a license for a dog less than one hundred twenty (120) days old (4 months).

A. E. Number Restrictions: It shall be unlawful for more than three (3) dogs to be kept on a lot or premises located in a residentially zoned area after which dogs have become four (4) months old. (Ord. 2005.78, 1-3-2006)

5-3A-1: RABIES INOCULATION REQUIREMENTS:

A. Rabies Inoculation Required: Every owner of a cat four months or more of age, who is a resident of the City, is required to have the animal inoculated against rabies as denoted in the Illinois Animal Control Act.

• The new section 5-3A-1.A moves the previous section to 5-3A-1.A to 5-3A-1.B and moves the other sections down one letter.

These changes would be effective for the 2022 licensing program and an adjustment will be made to the FY2022 budget to reflect the expected reduction in revenue.

City Council approval is recommended.

B. Ordinance 2020.29—An Ordinance Concerning the Adoption of the Combined Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the Fiscal Year 2021-22 in the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First Reading.

Ordinance 2020.29 formally adopts the FY22 budget. This ordinance is presented on first reading only. The budget is on the City’s website at www.cityofsycamore.com, on reserve at the Sycamore Public Library and available for purchase at cost in the City Clerk’s Office. City Council action on the proposed FY22 City Budget will occur on April 19, 2021.

C. Ordinance 2020.30—An Ordinance Amending Title 1, “Administration,” Chapter 10, “Personnel Rules,” of the City Code of the City of Sycamore to Authorize Non-Elective Positions for the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First Reading.

Coincident with the adoption of the fiscal year budget, the Council establishes the employees in its budget by adopting a new list of appointments. The attached ordinance accomplishes this purpose.

This ordinance is presented on first reading only with action to be taken on April 19, 2021.

D. Ordinance 2020.31—An Ordinance Establishing Offices and Fixing the Compensation of Certain Appointed Officers of the City of Sycamore, Illinois, County of DeKalb, State of Illinois for the Fiscal Year Commencing on the First Day of May 2021 and Ending on the Thirtieth Day of April, 2022. First Reading.

The FY22 City Budget assumes certain levels of compensation for exempt employees, which include management positions and a number of part-time positions. The attached ordinance displays these levels of compensation and related benefits.

This ordinance is presented on first reading only with action to be taken on April 19, 2021.

12. RESOLUTIONS

A. Resolution 861—A Resolution Confirming the Creation of an Additional Class VG License.

In September 2017, the Council voted to establish a new class VG liquor license aimed at addressing video gaming cafés that were not contemplated when video gaming was first allowed in 2012. The action moved the current four class B license holders that were operating as video gaming cafés to the new license and put a cap on the number of licenses at four. Consistent with class B licenses, Council can approve additional licenses by a 3/4ths vote of the corporate authorities.

City Code 3-2-7-A11: Class VG; Video Gaming Cafe: A maximum of four (4) for the first 17,500 in population. Thereafter, one Class VG license shall be authorized for each 4,375 in population. By a three- fourths (3/4) vote of the Corporate Authorities, the proration of licenses by population may be waived to accommodate an application for a new video gaming license.

In recent months, the Liquor Commissioner and City staff have fielded a number of inquiries from establishments looking to bring new restaurants or bars to Sycamore. The creation of an additional Class VG would open up a Class B licenses for a business looking to come to Sycamore.

The Council considered the request on March 15th and provided staff direction to bring back an action item.

City Council approval is recommended.

13. CONSIDERATIONS

A. Consideration of the FY21-22 Downtown Façade and Gateway Improvement Program.

In June 2004, the City established the Downtown Façade Improvement Program to provide matching grant assistance for façade improvements made to buildings in the City’s downtown business district (defined in the City’s Unified Development Ordinance, Chapter 5, Section 5.1.1). The focus of the program is to preserve the overall appearance and historic architecture of Sycamore’s downtown.

In FY18 the program was expanded to include the gateways to the downtown as the Comprehensive Plan identified improving the gateway areas as a priority, especially coming into the historic downtown. For the purposes of this program the gateway area is defined as properties that front Route 64 from Airport Road to Peace Road and those along North Main Street from Route 64 to the Kishwaukee River.

The Gateway Program is similar to the Downtown Program with small differences. For example, gateway projects are eligible to include landscape improvements. Residential properties are excluded from the gateway program but may be eligible in the downtown district. Due to limited funding, projects will be considered on a competitive basis as the FY22 budget anticipates three downtown façade grants and one gateway improvement grant. Projects may receive partial funding in order to maximize the overall impact of the grant funds.

Qualified applicants may be eligible for a matching grant of up to $5,000. Examples of eligible improvements include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Removal of incompatible facades and appurtenances;

• Restoration of historic façade materials;

• Restoration of historic buildings in accordance with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation;

• Painting;

• Tuckpointing;

• Repair or replacement of exterior windows and doors, including storm doors and windows;

• Repair or replacement of appurtenances such as railings, stairs;

• Installation of handicap accessible entrances;

• Building cleaning using approved preservation-based methods;

• Landscaping (for Gateway Program only).

The application provisions are as follows:

• A priority application period beginning in April and ending on May 31, 2021. 

• A priority will be placed on permanent improvements.

• Applications received after the respective deadlines will be considered on a case-by case basis if funding is available.

Either a property owner or a business owner in a leased unit may apply for this program. However, the property owner must sign the application form, and grant consent for the tenant to pursue funding for the property as well as the proposed work to occur at the property.

In the case of one building owner with multiple tenants or storefronts, a determination as to the eligibility of any or all tenancies will be made on the merits of the proposal.

An individual property owner or tenant may only receive funding for one project during a two year cycle. More than one project may be approved for a particular building over time, but not within a two-year period. The availability of funding is annually dependent on the Council’s authorization of capital spending for such purposes.

Each application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Architectural Review Committee and this committee will make recommendations to the City Council for their approval.

The goal of this program in FY22 is to provide a unified appearance to the downtown business district and inject a catalyst into the gateway areas, while aiming to preserve the existing architectural styles, look and feel of Sycamore. To reach this objective, it is not expected that buildings will be made to look the same; rather, the program promotes the aesthetic and historic appeal of the downtown and gateway areas. COVID-19 had an impact on many businesses, including several small downtown businesses. This program may prove beneficial as new businesses make permanent exterior improvements when filling vacant spaces.

City Council approval is recommended.

B. Consideration to approve a Change Order to Leander Construction for the Sycamore Wastewater Treatment Plant for two items related to construction totaling $2,499.96

During the recent construction of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, there is one deductive and one added cost item. These include additional seeding to be completed by WWTP landscape contractor and a deductive change order, which will be used to allocate funds for additional costs incurred by the consulting engineer. These items are under the spending threshold of the City Manager; however, these are brought to the City Council to promote transparency and provide information on actual construction costs.

The City’s storage facility was completed this past winter with restoration scheduled for this spring. In lieu of completing this restoration work in house, staff recommends that this work is combined with the WWTP restoration work. Doing so will allow City staff to complete a storm sewer project resulting in a larger cost savings to the City. It will also provide a uniform finished project across the Public Works Campus. This work will be directly paid using WWTP funds.

Delays caused by the Contractor and their equipment supplier resulted in additional time from the consulting engineer. Since this was outside of the City’s and consultant’s control, these costs will be borne by the contractor. Therefore, a deductive change order for these costs will reduce the payment to the contractor, and these funds will be used to reimburse the City’s consultant.

The following is a list of each item within the corresponding change order number and cost.

COR   Item Description                      Amount 

#24    Restoration                        $ 19,958.07 

#5      Consultant Charges          $ -17,458.11

Total                                               $ 2,499.96

These costs have been reviewed and recommended for payment by both the consulting engineer and public works staff members. Therefore, staff recommends this work is included as part of Leander Construction’s scope of work and paid according to the previous breakdown totaling $2,499.96.

City Council Approval is Recommended.

14. APPOINTMENTS

15. OTHER NEW BUSINESS

16. ADJOURNMENT

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