City of Sycamore City Council met April 4.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
ROLL CALL
Mayor Braser called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and City Clerk Mary Kalk called the roll. Those Alderpersons present were: Virginia Sherrod, David Stouffer, Chuck Stowe, Alan Bauer, Nancy Copple, Jeff Fischer, Josh Huseman, and Pete Paulsen. City Attorney Keith Foster was also present.
INVOCATION Led by Alderperson Virginia Sherrod
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by The Turning Back Time Car Club
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION
Alderperson Stouffer motioned to approve the agenda and Alderperson Sherrod seconded the motion.
VOICE VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
AUDIENCE TO VISITORS
CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of the Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting of March 21, 2022.
B. Payment of the Bills for April 4, 2022 in the amount of $402,573.81.
MOTION
Alderperson Bauer motioned to approve the Consent Agenda and Alderperson Stowe seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Sherrod, Stouffer, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer. Huseman, and Paulsen voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS
A. A Proclamation Declaring April 2022 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Sycamore, Illinois.
B. A Proclamation Declaring April 2022 as Fair Housing Month in the City of Sycamore, Illinois.
C. A Proclamation Declaring the week of April 10-16, 2022 as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week in the City of Sycamore, Illinois.
Fire Chief Pete Polarek, in conjunction with Police Chief Jim Winters, presented Sergeant Mary Ann Criscione, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, the proclamation as she was representing the city’s 911 tele-communicators.
Sergeant Criscione said that it is an honor and privilege to serve the community of Sycamore and work among the amazing police and fire departments. She wants the citizens of Sycamore to know that they have the best dispatchers answering their calls in some of their darkest moments and that it is their goal every day to live up to the proclamation. She thanked the city.
REPORT OF OFFICERS
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Finance – Alan Bauer said no report
Public Safety – Pete Paulsen – no report
Public Works – Chuck Stowe said no report
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Mayor Braser opened the Public Hearing on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2022-2023 City Budget at 7:10 pm and hearing no comments closed it at 7:10 pm.
ORDINANCES
A. Ordinance No. 2021.33 – An Ordinance Amending Title 3, “Business and License Regulations,” Chapter 3, “Amusements,” Article 3G-2, “Permit Qualifications,” of the City Code of the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading.
City Manager Michael Hall said that this ordinance codifies “Turning Back Time Car Show” to be the last weekend in July.
Michael DeVito thanked all the Council members, Mayor, and Chiefs for considering this ordinance. This car show has been on for 21 years in memoriam of Fizz Ehrler, a town institution. He, Chuck Criswell, and Mike Trittle, have led the group and now Madeline DeVito leads the group.
MOTION
Alderperson Copple motioned to waive First Reading on Ordinance 2021.33 and Alderperson Fischer seconded the motion.
VOICE VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
MOTION
Alderperson Copple motioned to adopt Ordinance 2021.33 and Alderperson Fischer seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Sherrod, Stouffer, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer. Huseman, and Paulsen voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
B. Ordinance No. 2021.34 – An Ordinance Concerning the Adoption of the Combined Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the Fiscal Year 2022-23 in the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First Reading.
City Manager Michael Hall highlighted the organizational chart, and each department’s charts. He reported that the HR/Payroll position was filled with someone internally. The Management Analyst is Jess Lingle and the Assistant Finance Director, Accountant, and Account Clerk positions are advertised on the website. He continued that Finance Director Brien Martin created the new budget book of which the following pages were highlighted.
Pg. 4 Where the Money Comes From
Pg. 67 Fund Descriptions
Pg. 8 Budget Message – Noted was that the revenues are higher than the expenditures and that the Fund Balance is about 63% of the General Fund.
Pg. 10 Budget Assumptions
Pg. 104 Inter-Fund Transfer Schedule
This is the First Reading and Second Reading will be at the April 18th Council meeting giving opportunity for anyone to review and to ask questions.
Alderman Huseman said that the way the transfers are now being reported are dramatically different specifically the pension contributions. It looks unlike any other budget they had.
Finance Director Brien Martin said that in the past, the city recorded the pension fund receipts from the county as revenue to the General Fund. They considered it an expense when they transferred the funds creating a bottom line effect of zero. But then they recorded the expense out as a revenue into the pension funds which means they counted the property tax revenue twice. He took what the standards say, that if you don’t keep the money permanently, it’s a transfer. You will see a transfer out of the General Fund into the two pension funds which means that the expense will disappear in the General Fund, back to net zero and you will see the revenue disappear in the pension funds which gets to a net zero. If the auditors want the city to do an entry that makes it appear as revenue and expenses, then it’s an audit adjustment that’s done in the audit piece and not on the city books.
RESOLUTIONS
A. Resolution No. 909 – A Resolution Approving the Purchase of Property Commonly Known as 475 North Cross Street and Part of Lot 1002 on North Cross Street (Pins 06-29-300-036 and 06-29-300-038) in the City of Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois, from the Board of Regents of Regency Universities of the People of the State of Illinois for the Use of Northern Illinois University in the Amount of $151,541.09.
City Manager Michael Hall gave some background that the city is still leasing property from NIU at the Public Works campus. If NIU sold the property to the city, per state law, they would not have been able to keep that revenue as it would go to the State. The State law has now changed so NIU would like to sell the city the property for $151,541.09 opposed to leasing it to us.
Alderman Huseman asked what the expense of the annual lease was.
City Engineer Mark Bushnell said didn’t know off the top but said that over the 30-year period of the lease, this is definitely the cheaper option.
MOTION
Alderperson Stowe motioned to approve Resolution 909 and Alderperson Fischer seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Sherrod, Stouffer, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer. Huseman, and Paulsen voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
CONSIDERATIONS
A. Consideration of an Administrative Recommendation to Award a Contract in the Amount of $510,438.55 to D’Land Construction, LLC of Algonquin, IL for the 2022 Concrete Project.
City Manager Michael Hall said that this is a project for curb, gutter, sidewalks, and sidewalk ramps in the Landahl and Townsend Woods subdivisions as part of the Capital Improvement Projects.
MOTION
Alderperson Huseman motioned to approve the Consideration for $510,438.55 to D’ Land and Alderperson Fischer seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Sherrod, Stouffer, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer. Huseman, and Paulsen voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
B. Consideration of a Recommendation from Public Works to Enter into a Professional Services Agreement with Baxter and Woodman Inc. for Construction Engineering and Layout Services for the Proposed 2022 Watermain and Street Improvement Project.
City Engineer Mark Bushnell said that this is Construction Engineering Services for the watermain project that was awarded at the last meeting. Baxter & Woodman did the design and the city needs their help in having them be on-site full time when the watermain and roadway improvements are being done. They have a qualified staff and their proposal came in well below the industry standard that they were expecting.
MOTION
Alderperson Fischer motioned to approve the Consideration for Baxter & Woodman and Alderperson Fischer seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Sherrod, Stouffer, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer. Huseman, and Paulsen voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
C. Consideration of an Administration Request for a Closed Session to Discuss Pending Litigation under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) and to Discuss the Appointment, Employment, Compensation, Discipline, Performance, or Dismissal of Specific Employees under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1).
MOTION
Alderperson Stouffer motioned to go into Closed Session at 7:30 p.m. and Alderperson Stouffer seconded the motion.
VOICE VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
MOTION
Alderperson Stouffer motioned to return to Open Session at 7:52 p.m. and Alderperson Paulsen seconded the motion.
VOICE VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
OTHER NEW BUSINESS
APPOINTMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION
Alderperson Stowe motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:54 p.m. and Alderperson Paulsen seconded the motion.
VOICE VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. Motion carried 8-0.
https://cityofsycamore.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cc20220404.pdf
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