DeKalb Times

City of Dekalb City Council Met Feb. 8.

Here is the agenda provided by the council:

The City Council of DeKalb, Illinois held a Regular City Council meeting in the Yusunas Meeting Room of the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak Street, DeKalb, Illinois.

A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.

City Clerk Lynn Fazekas (attending remotely) called the roll, and the following members of City Council were present: Aldermen Carolyn Morris, Bill Finucane (attending remotely), Tracy Smith, Greg Perkins, Scott McAdams, Mike Verbic, Tony Faivre, and Mayor Jerry Smith.

Staff present included: City Manager Bill Nicklas and City Attorney John Donahue. B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES Mayor Smith led the Pledge.

C. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Mayor Smith asked for additions and deletions to the agenda.

MOTION

Alderman Verbic moved to remove item J.1. (Resolution 2021-010) from the agenda. Alderman McAdams seconded.

Alderman Morris said she requested the resolution to be revisited because Council had voted it down. She called it unusual not to explain “no” votes and felt there might be value in a discussion.

VOTE

Motion to remove item was defeated 3-4 on roll call vote. Aye: Perkins, McAdams, Verbic. Nay: Morris, Finucane, Smith, Faivre.

MOTION

Alderman Finucane moved to approve the agenda as presented. Morris seconded. 

VOTE

Motion carried 7-1 on roll call vote. Aye: Finucane, Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Faivre, Morris, Mayor Smith. Nay: Verbic. Mayor Smith declared the agenda passed as presented.

D. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

J.J. Wett participated remotely. He commented that homelessness is on the rise due to the pandemic and related events such as job loss. Mr. Wett said over the weekend he took a report that five people had braved brutally cold temperatures unsheltered, and he suggested a plan to coordinate not-for-profit organizations to assist.

E. PRESENTATIONS

There were none.

F. APPOINTMENTS

There were none.

G. CONSENT AGENDA

1. Minutes of the January 25, 2021 Regular City Council Meeting. 2. Minutes of the October 30, 2020 Joint Review Board Meeting.

3. Accounts Payable and Payroll through February 8, 2021 in the Amount of $2,311,115.00.

Mayor Smith read each item of the consent agenda.

MOTION

Alderman Perkins moved to approve the consent agenda. Alderman Morris seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Verbic, Faivre, Morris, Finucane, Mayor Smith. Nay: none. Mayor Smith declared the consent agenda passed.

H. PUBLIC HEARINGS

There were none.

I. CONSIDERATIONS

There were none.

J. RESOLUTIONS

1. Resolution 2021-010 Approving a Laundromat Liquor License for South 4th Street Mega Laundromat, LLC, Located at 1387 S. Fourth Street, with Supplemental Licensure for Video Gaming.

Mayor Smith read the resolution by title only.

MOTION

Alderman Morris moved to reconsider the resolution. Alderman Finucane seconded.

Members of the public Mike Larson, Mike Embrey, Dwayne Brown, John Nelson, and Todd Hanson each spoke in support of the resolution.

Sarah Whiting, representing the petitioner, presented a Power Point of the proposal.

Jim Mason, petitioner, said because the grocer Sullivan’s had had a liquor license on the same site, he had not expected there to be a problem getting one.

Alderman McAdams said his neighborhood hates the idea of alcohol near their school.

Alderman Morris said having more video gaming establishments tends to harm the broader community from an economic standpoint.

Alderman Finucane named other establishments that are near schools in the same wards. Alderman Faivre said he opposed gaming and wanted to support what the ward wants.

Alderman Perkins said the school district’s opposition to the establishment was the largest factor in his decision to oppose.

VOTE

Motion to reconsider was defeated 2-5 on roll call vote. Aye: Finucane, Smith. Nay: Perkins, McAdams, Verbic, Faivre, Morris.

2. Resolution 2021-013 Authorizing an Addendum for Engineering Services with Fehr Graham & Associates, LLC for the 2021 General Street Maintenance Program as Part of the 2019 Three-Year Services Agreement, with a Fee for FY2021 Not to Exceed $135,000.

Mayor Smith read the resolution by title only.

MOTION

Alderman Faivre moved to approve the resolution. Alderman McAdams seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: McAdams, Verbic, Faivre, Morris, Finucane, Smith, Perkins, Mayor Smith. Nay: none. Mayor Smith declared the resolution passed.

3. Resolution 2021-014 Authorizing a Strong Communities Program Grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority in the amount of $100,000 for Reimbursement of City Expenditures Related to the Demolition of Three Condemned Residential Properties.

Mayor Smith read the resolution by title only.

MOTION

Alderman Verbic moved to approve the resolution. Alderman Perkins seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: Verbic, Faivre, Morris, Finucane, Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Mayor Smith. Nay: none. Mayor Smith declared the resolution passed.

Mayor Smith obtained the consensus of Council to treat Resolutions, 4, 5, and 6, as follows, in omnibus fashion.

4. Resolution 2021-015 Authorizing the Addition of the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) Deferred Compensation Plan as an Employee Benefit (457(b) Plan).

5. Resolution 2021-016 Relating to the Transfer of the Nationwide PEHP-Z Contract to the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA) Retiree Healthcare Funding Plan and Trust (501c9).

6. Resolution 2021-017 Relating to a Retirement Healthcare Funding Plan (115 Trust).

Mayor Smith read each of the three resolutions by title only.

City Manager Nicklas noted the changes reflect new vendors for existing programs.

MOTION

Alderman Finucane moved to vote on Resolutions 4, 5, and 6 in omnibus fashion. Alderman McAdams seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: Faivre, Morris, Finucane, Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Verbic, Mayor Smith. Nay: none.

MOTION

Alderman Verbic moved to pass the omnibus package of resolutions. Alderman Perkins seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: Morris, Finucane, Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Verbic, Faivre, Mayor Smith. Nay: none. Mayor Smith declared the resolutions approved.

7. Resolution 2021-018 Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation for Capital Funding from the Rebuild Illinois Capital Grant Program from February 8, 2021 through November 30, 2021 in an Amount Not to Exceed $5,000,000.

Mayor Smith read the resolution by title only.

MOTION

Alderman Finucane moved to approve the resolution. Alderman McAdams seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: Finucane, Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Verbic, Faivre, Morris, Mayor Smith. Nay: none. Mayor Smith declared the resolution passed.

K. ORDINANCES – SECOND READING

There were none.

L. ORDINANCES – FIRST READING

There were none.

M. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

1. Council Member Reports

Alderman Morris reported an effort involving individuals and churches in her ward to put up homeless people in hotels during the extreme winter weather. She remarked that the only overnight shelter space available is in Sycamore.

Alderman Finucane said he attended the meeting remotely due to COVID. He reminded people to take precautions and announced he would receive the vaccine the next day.

Mayor Smith announced he and his wife had received COVID vaccinations.

Alderman Smith said he is receiving calls about people not moving cars for the plows or shoveling sidewalks.

Alderman Verbic thanked residents in his ward who are clearing snow and moving cars. 2. City Clerk Report

City Clerk Fazekas made no report.

3. City Manager Report

City Manager Nicklas announced the snow plowing strategy planned for that evening.

Mr. Nicklas also asked Council for permission to exceed his spending authority to replace the failing de-icer at the airport with a good used one for $25,000. Mayor Smith declared consensus on that permission after hearing no objections to it.

N. EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO 5 ILCS (120/2)

No executive session was authorized during this meeting.

O. ADJOURNMENT

MOTION

Alderman Faivre moved to adjourn at 7:14 p.m. Alderman McAdams seconded.

VOTE

Motion carried 8-0 on roll call vote. Aye: Smith, Perkins, McAdams, Verbic, Faivre, Morris, Finucane, Mayor Smith. Nay: none. The mayor declared adjournment at 7:14 p.m.

https://www.cityofdekalb.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02082021-1959