City of Aledo City Council met Aug. 3.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The City Council of the City of Aledo met in Regular Session in the Community Room at the Aledo Fire Station building. MAYOR PRO-TEM CHAUSSE called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. The roll was called, whereupon the following answered present:
Aldermen ILA BERTRAND, MICHAEL CHAUSSE, BARRY COOPER, DENNIS DIXON, JIM HOLMES, CHRIS KOPP, and LINDA SARABASA. Mayor CHRISTOPHER HAGLOCH was excused. Alderman TERRY BEWLEY was excused.
Also present was JAROD DALE, City Clerk.
The media was represented by Jim Taylor, WRMJ.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
Public Comment: No Report.
Communication & Correspondence: No Report.
Requests & Petitions: No Report.
Public Works Activity Report:
Streets: Patch streets with patch machine; vacuumed streets; and complete work orders.
Water: JULIE’s and finals. Water Superintendent has passed his Class “C” Water exam; monthly distribution samples; mowing & weed eating; building maintenance; and dirt-work at valve repair sites.
Gas: JULIE’s; removed gas service at 303 NE 2nd Street; work on catalytic heater at the border station; work on 2021 surveys with USDI; work on anodes; assist the W/S Division with valve and sewer inspections.
Cemetery: One (1) funeral occurred. Mowing and weed-eating and foundation repairs.
DPW: Trees were cleared at the new baseball diamond site; two (2) new exterior doors were ordered for the Mercer County Senior Citizens Center; attended the pre-construction meeting for the 2020 Street Resurfacing project to begin on 8/10; building inspections; met with contractor regarding demolition of property at 303 NE 2nd Street, Aledo.
Aledo Police Department Activity Report: The Police Department is preparing to assist the Mercer County School District as it transitions back to a limited version of classroom instruction. Officer Brock will be stationed at the High School and operating under the School Resource Officer contract the City has with the District.
The Department is short one (1) full-time officer position and needs to hire an officer as soon as possible. The last advertisement for applications did not generate any applicants eligible for employment in law enforcement. Our manpower shortage is compounded by two (2) part-time officers; one having resigned to take a full-time position with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, and the other having filled the last full-time opening for this Department. The Department has one (1) full-time officer and three (3) part-time officer openings.
The CHIEF is attempting to secure seats in the upcoming September Basic Police Officer Academy Class. However, this leaves us with little to no time to recruit, background check, and hire an officer or officers in time to attend the academy session.
Administration Report: CITY CLERK Dale provided the monthly payroll and utility billing information for the month of July, 2020.
CITY CLERK reported a total of 487 cemetery donation request cards were mailed out in late spring, 2020. To date, a total of 127 donations, in the amount of $8,445.00, has been donated to the Cemetery Endowment Fund.
CITY CLERK has been working with the two (2) new hires for the positions of Gas Worker & Water/WasteWater Worker in preparation for their official commencement date of 8/3. Both individuals have completed appropriate paperwork and finalized pre- employment testing.
CITY CLERK has been working with the CITY ATTORNEY to finalize a closing date related to the sale of property to Skinner Landscaping Inc. Documents were prepared and closing was held the morning of 8/3. The final plat was also recorded with the Mercer County Recorder of Deeds office.
Mayor’s Report: MAYOR PRO-TEM Chausse reported he would be signing a letter of support related to the request submitted by Mark Bieri. The request is to support a Non- Highway Ordinance in the County related to utility task vehicle, side by side vehicles or recreational off-highway vehicles. The CITY COUNCIL noted they would also sign the letter of support to be drafted to the Mercer County Board.
Committee Report: MAYOR PRO-TEM Chausse reported the Ordinance & Police Committee met on July 29, 2020. The Committee reviewed a quote to purchase body cameras and discussed police department staffing issues. Also, the Committee reviewed the purchase of GPS capabilities for squad vehicles.
ALD. Sarabasa reported the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee met on July 29, 2020. The Committee reviewed a TIF Application submitted by Dr. Timothy Arbet, Mercer County Family Eye Care, for property located 106 S. College Avenue, Aledo. Also, the TIF Committee reviewed Community Branding & Identity proposals with a recommendation to be forwarded to the City Council for the selection of Haven Creative out of Waxhaw, NC.
REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION
Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,
ACTION ITEMS
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN HOLMES to approve the meeting minutes of July 20, 2020 as presented. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Bertrand, Chausse, Cooper, Holmes, Kopp and Sarabasa. NO: None. ABSTAIN: Dixon. Motion carried. 6 yeas, 0 nays, 1 abstention.
PUBLIC COMMENT: No Report.
FINANCE: INVOICE LIST:
Motion was made by ALDERMAN DIXON and seconded by ALDERMAN SARABASA that the Invoice Listing, which has been marked Exhibit “B”, attached hereto and made a part of these minutes, be authorized and checks issued. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Chausse, Cooper, Dixon, Holmes, Kopp, Sarabasa, and Bertrand. NO: None. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.
RESOLUTION NO. 29R, SERIES OF 2020; APPROVING DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROGRAM LOAN AGREEMENT FOR LAN, LTD / TIMOTHY P. ARBET / CHRISTOPHER F. LEAR:
Motion was made by ALDERMAN BERTRAND and seconded by ALDERMAN KOPP to approve Resolution No. 29R, Series of 2020; Approving Downtown Revitalization Program Loan Agreement for LAN, LTD / Timothy P. Arbet / Christopher F. Lear for property located at 106 S College Avenue, Aledo, Il., 61231; the City shall reimburse the property owner one-half of the actual costs incurred by the Property Owner for the replacement of building façade and architect fees in the form of a loan in an amount not to exceed $40,812.50. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Cooper, Dixon, Holmes, Kopp, Sarabasa, Bertrand, and Chausse. NO: None. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.
RESOLUTION NO. 30R, SERIES OF 2020; APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ALEDO CIVIC CENTER AUTHORITY BOARD:
Motion was made by ALDERMAN DIXON and seconded by ALDERMAN HOLMES to approve Resolution No. 30R, Series of 2020; A Resolution Approving the Appointment of the Aledo Civic Center Authority Board as presented. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Dixon, Holmes, Kopp, Sarabasa, Bertrand, Chausse, and Cooper. NO: None. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.
MOTION APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF REVEAL MEDIA BODY WORN CAMERA SYSTEM FOR THE ALEDO POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Motion was made by ALDERMAN SARABASA and seconded by ALDERMAN BERTRAND to approve the purchase of Reveal Media Body Worn Camera System for the Aledo Police Department in the amount of $6,300.00. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Holmes, Kopp, Sarabasa, Bertrand, Chausse, Cooper, and Dixon. NO: None. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.
MOTION AUTHORIZING CITY STAFF TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH HAVEN CREATIVE FOR COMMUNITY BRANDING AND IMAGING:
Motion was made by ALDERMAN CHAUSSE and seconded by ALDERMAN BERTRAND to authorize City Staff to negotiate an Agreement with Haven Creative, 400 E. South Main St., Suite 7, Waxhaw, NC 28173, for Community Branding & Imaging. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Sarabasa, Bertrand, Chausse, Cooper, Dixon and Holmes. NO: None. PRESENT: Kopp. Motion carried. 6 yeas, 0 nays, 1 present.
MOTION APPROVING A CASH FARM LEASE AGREEMENT AMENDMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF ALEDO AND RICK GILLESPIE:
The parties entered into a Cash Farm Lease dated December 10, 2018 for 20 tillable acres of property located in Progress Park, City of Aledo, Illinois.
The description of the leased property in Paragraph A and “Exhibit A” is hereby amended to reflect that the leased property shall consist of approximately 14 acres of tillable property described as follows:
Lots Eleven (11), Twelve (12), and Thirteen (13), and the undeveloped SE 8th Street right-of-way lying east of the east right-of-way line of SE 22nd Avenue all in Progress Park Second Addition to the City of Aledo, situated in County of Mercer and State of Illinois.
The rent payment due by Lessee to Lessor on November 1, 2020 shall be reduced to reflect the reduction in acreage, with annual rent fixed at $200.00 per acre. Beginning with the November 1, 2020 installment of rent, the new annual rental amount shall be $2,800.00 instead of $4,000.00, with each installment fixed at $1,400.00.
Motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN CHAUSSE to approve a Cash Farm Lease Agreement Amendment between the City of Aledo and Rick Gillespie as presented. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Sarabasa, Bertrand, Chausse, Cooper, Dixon, Holmes, and Kopp. NO: None. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS: No Report.
OLD BUSINESS: No Report.
NEW BUSINESS: ALD. Sarabasa inquired if the Rt. 67 Billboard that was promote Aledo in August was put up yet. City Staff reported due to a timing issue, suggested or discussed edits to the billboard were not able to be finalized with a redesign due to a timing issue. The billboard had to be finalized by 7/17 and there would have been no time for the designer to generate a different design. No further discussion followed.
ALD. Kopp reported he has received a couple of complaints related to burning of grass near or on the property located at 1302 NE 3rd Avenue, Aledo. ALD. Bertrand reported there have been discussions with DPW Blaser related to this issue and the item was forwarded to LT. Seefeld. ALD. Bertrand suggested a follow-up be had with LT. Seefeld to resolve the issue. Part of the issue is the fresh grass that is being burnt, where the ordinance talks about “dry” grass and this could be considered a nuisance.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN DIXON that the meeting be adjourned. A Unanimous voice vote followed in agreement. Meeting was adjourned at 6:45 P.M.
http://aledoil.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08032020-237
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