City of Sycamore City Council met March 20.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
ROLL CALL
Mayor Braser called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and City Clerk Mary Kalk called the roll. Those Alderpersons present were Pete Paulsen, Chuck Stowe, Alan Bauer, Nancy Copple, Jeff Fischer, and Josh Huseman. Alderpersons Virginia Sherrod and David Stouffer were absent. Attorney Keith Foster was also present.
INVOCATION led by Alderperson Nancy Copple
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE led by Alderperson Nancy Copple
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION
Alderperson Fischer motioned to approve the agenda and Alderperson Copple seconded the motion.
VOICE VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
AUDIENCE TO VISITORS
CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of the Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting of March 6, 2023.
B. Payment of the Bills for March 20, 2023, in the amount of $501,502.75.
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 Paulsen, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer, and Huseman voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS
A. Presentation by Rose Treml, Executive Director of the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce, on Discover Sycamore.
Executive Director Sycamore Chamber of Commerce Rose Treml reported on the shift of destination marketing and how they have shifted their strategy to deliberately align with key visitor assets like Google, Instagram, Twitter, travelogues, online newspapers, and the Discover Sycamore website.
Green Closet Creative owner Darby Dwyer gave a presentation and reported on the Discover Sycamore website.
Public Works Director Matt Anderson updated that on March 17th, there was an issue with the pump shaft at Well #8. They have shut down the well and are getting quotes. He said they will probably have to pull that well and he anticipates bringing this to council on April 3rd.
REPORT OF OFFICERS
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Finance – Alan Bauer – no report
Public Safety – Pete Paulsen – no report
Public Works – Chuck Stowe – no report
PUBLIC HEARINGS
ORDINANCES
A. Ordinance 2022.28 – An Ordinance Amending Title 8, “Water and Sewer,” Chapter 5, “Water and Sewer Rates,” Section 8-5-1, “Water Rates,” of the City Code of the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading.
City Manager Michael Hall said this is bringing the water rates forward from the discussion at the last meeting. He reminded that they used reverse engineering to apply ways to gather those costs for Option #1 – 2 tier, Option #2 – current structure, and Option #3 – flat rate. This ordinance is for Option #1 which was the consensus, so they are looking for guidance and approval.
Alderman Huseman said for Option #1, the average homeowner would have about a $24 per year increase. He said he was asked a few times and when he explained that the cost of chlorine has gone up with inflation as well as the cost of radium removal and that their prices would go up a $1 or $2, the temperament changed. He said he is for Option #1.
Alderperson Copple said she got a lot of calls telling her not to do anything to raise the water rates, but when she explained it that prices have gone up and that it might be $24 to $30 per year, it totally changed their thinking. She agrees on Option #1.
Alderperson Fischer said that he agrees with Option #1 and thinks it is a good option.
Alderman Stowe said that he is fine with it. He certainly liked the flat rate but got talked out of it last week. Alderman Paulsen said Option #1.
Alderman Bauer said Option #1 but there seemed to be a fair amount of support for the flat rate. He asked if this is one-time or if they will visit this every year to make it a steppingstone. His reason for Option #1 is to support the local business and small businesses.
MOTION
Alderperson Fischer motioned to waive First Reading for Ordinance 2022.28 and Alderperson Copple seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Paulsen, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer, and Huseman voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
MOTION
Alderperson Fischer made a motion to approve Ordinance 2022.28 and Alderperson Copple seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Paulsen, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer, and Huseman voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
RESOLUTIONS
A. Resolution No. 930 – A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Sign a Revised Intergovernmental Agreement with the County of DeKalb Relative to the Installation of License Plate Reading Cameras Replacing Resolution 928.
City Manager Michael Hall said that there are a total of five readers of which three were administratively done by the County Engineer and two were supposed to be done by the County. The County said they wanted to look at all five of them, so this is simply a change. They did approve all five last week, so this is the revision of intergovernmental agreement.
MOTION
Alderperson Copple made a motion to approve Resolution 930 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 6-0.
CONSIDERATIONS
A. Consideration of an Administrative Request to Award a Contract to Visu-Sewer of Illinois, LLC in the Amount of $300,141.00 for Completion of the 2023 Sanitary Sewer Lining Project.
Alderman Huseman, for clarity, asked for explanation of the lining project and what it does for the useful life of the sewer.
City Engineer Mark Bushnell said there are two reasons for lining the sewers. The first, in the downtown area, is in order to achieve water and sewer separation, where they are lining the sewers instead of encasing the water main. For the area off of Bethany Road and out by the Foy Addition, they are lining those because of the issues with tree roots.
MOTION
Alderperson Stowe made a motion to approve the Consideration for $300,141.00 to Visu-Sewer and Alderperson Fischer seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Paulsen, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer, and Huseman voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
B. Consideration of an Administrative Request to Award a Contract to Copenhaver Construction of Gilberts, Illinois in the Amount of $2,513,287.00 for the 2023 Watermain Improvements.
City Manager Michael Hall said that this is a 2019 project that was identified by a study that was presented to council in February 2020. This went out to bid with an estimate for a little less than $2 million, but it came in at $2.5 million showing that costs are going up. Funds are available with the Enterprise Funds.
Alderman Huseman said because of the price difference and the expectation specifically pointing out the Enterprise Funds, asked to clarify the fund balance and any impact that will have.
City Manager Michael Hall said there are funds in the water and sewer department. These are Capital Fund expenditures so there is enough money for this to happen which is why the infrastructure fees were created and instituted in 2021.
Public Works Director Matt Anderson said that they will exhaust the infrastructure funds that are currently in balance, then borrow from the sewer fund, and then pay that back with future infrastructure fees funds.
Alderperson Bauer confirmed that borrowing from that fund will not create a flag on the audit as there will be a schedule to pay it back over time.
Alderman Huseman asked if the city’s COVID relief funds, for clarity, have all been allocated and used up. Public Works Director Matt Anderson said the relief funds went to pay for 2022 watermain infrastructure improvement projects.
MOTION
Alderperson Bauer made a motion to approve the Consideration for $2,513,287.00 to Copenhaver Construction and Alderperson Stowe seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Paulsen, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer, and Huseman voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
C. Consideration of a Police Department Recommendation to Purchase a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse from DeKalb Sycamore Chevrolet for $28,447.26.
City Manager Michael Hall said that this is a Capital project for an administrative vehicle. Due to increases in the State bids, they could not afford a new vehicle but found used vehicle as per the agenda.
Alderman Fischer went to look at it. He said it’s a good vehicle and it’s worth it.
MOTION
Alderperson Fischer made a motion to approve the Consideration for $28,447.26 and Alderperson Paulsen seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL VOTE
Mayor Braser called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Paulsen, Stowe, Bauer, Copple, Fischer, and Huseman voted aye. Motion carried 6-0.
APPOINTMENTS
OTHER NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION
Alderperson Stowe motioned to adjourn the meeting at 6:39 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 6-0.
https://www.cityofsycamore.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03202023-141
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