Rock Island Today

City of Aledo City Council met Oct. 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

The City Council of the City of Aledo met in Regular Session in the Council Chambers at the Aledo City Hall building. MAYOR HAGLOCH called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. The roll was called, whereupon the following answered present:

Aldermen MICHAEL CHAUSSE, BARRY COOPER, DENNIS DIXON, JAY DOHERTY, ZACH FRICK, JIM HOLMES, CHRIS KOPP, and LINDA SARABASA. Mayor CHRISTOPHER HAGLOCH.

Also present was CHRISTOPHER SULLIVAN, City Administrator & Chief of Police, JUSTIN BLASER, Director of Public Works & Utilities, and JAROD DALE, City Clerk.

The media was represented by Jim Taylor, WRMJ.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

The meeting was opened in prayer by Pastor Luke Dunn, First Baptist Church. Public Comment: No Report.

Communication & Correspondence: No Report.

Requests & Petitions: A Special Event / Parade application was submitted by the Mercer County Veterans of Foreign War’s Post 1571 for the Veterans Day Parade to be held on November 11th, 2021 at 10:45 o’clock a.m.

Public Works Activity Report:

• Streets: Daily checks, tasks, JULIES, and work orders continue. Street patching, clean up downtown and Central Park for all of the Homecoming activities; trimmed trees; clean up tree stumps.

• Gas: JULIE’s; Deliver shut off notices; assist the Water Division; Badger meter training and radio reads; sniff checks, bore new gas service for Rush’s Maytag building.

• Water: JULIE’s; Assist the Gas Division with the Maytag service; two sewer backup investigations; lagoon road work.

• Cemetery: Three (3) Funerals occurred. Fix stones & foundations; mowing; budget work.

• DPW: Attended a pre-bid meeting for both City Hall and the PW Garage project; Burbach Aquatics meeting; Police and Ordinance and Cemetery Committee meeting; Breezy Acres meeting; Water Sewer Lateral Agreement review meeting; multiple building permit applications; pool house repair project; budget work; help in Central Park prep for the Homecoming Dance.

Aledo Police Department Activity Report: ADMINISTRATOR/CHIEF Sullivan reported the Police Department is checking on all possible options to obtain squad cars in the near future. This includes the dealership holding our order for cars, various other dealerships in Illinois, and municipal lease programs through General Motors. If any options become available and appear to be a reasonable way to solve the vehicle shortage, CHIEF will contact the Mayor and Council for guidance.

The Department continues to try to recruit officers for full-time positions and part-time positions. CHIEF has spoken with or met with many of the other agency heads in the area. All of them are experiencing unusually great difficulty in recruiting and maintaining people for officer positions. Some agencies are abandoning extra services that have been traditionally provided to the communities they serve and others are revisiting the ways shifts are scheduled and which shifts are staffed and at what levels

Administrative Report: ADMINISTRATOR Sullivan reported the Mayor and City Staff have been working to develop the 2022 budget for the City of Aledo. This is an ongoing process and have had numerous meetings over the past several months as City Staff tries to work out the details. The Council has scheduled the budget sessions for October 20 and 21, 2021. Copies of the requested/proposed budget should be emailed to the Council by Tuesday evening.

City Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s Report has been marked exhibit “B”, attached hereto and made a part of these minutes.

Mayor’s Report: MAYOR Hagloch reported a Request for Proposal was issued by the City regarding property commonly known as the “Button Building” located at 101 W. Main Street and 105 N. College Avenue, Aledo, IL., property identification number 10-10-17- 444-011. The City received proposals until Friday, October 15th, 2021 at Aledo City Hall until 1:00 p.m. with one (1) proposal received.

Windborn Group, LLC., submitted the only proposal for purchase of the building. MAYOR Hagloch requested a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee meeting be set to discuss the proposal further. The committee to also convene with the Public Property, Streets & Sidewalks Committee as well. The joint committee to meet on Monday, October 25th at 6:00 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

MAYOR provided an update regarding the demolition of the Farmer’s Grain & Coal property in the downtown area. City Staff reported fencing of the property to take place soon and the contractor is now complete with his previous job which was slowing down the timeline for demolition of this particular property. Ameren Illinois has been working to move the power lines with the transfer of the power to be completed later this week.

Committee Report: ALD. Chausse reported an Ordinance & Police Committee meeting was held on October 12th. The Committee discussed the current liquor license classification for Dancer’s Creek Barn, 702 NW 9th Avenue, Aledo. Also, the Committee discussed an amendment to Chapter 10: Golf Carts & Neighborhood Vehicles, along with, discussions related to park regulations and times when the park can be closed to pedestrians. The Committee also discussed ongoing staffing issues at the Aledo Police Department.

ALD. Frick reported the Cemetery & Cable T.V. Committee met on October 12th, 2021 to discuss allowing headstones in portions of the 7th Addition at the Aledo Cemetery. Current regulations require flat grave markers only. Committee recommended designated sections of the 7th addition to allow headstones while other portions of the 7th to remain grave markers only.

REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION

Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,

CONSENT AGENDA

Motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN FRICK to approve the following consent agenda items:

• Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 04, 2021.

• Approval of Finance Invoice Listing – AP19.

• Approval of Resolution No. 29R, Series of 2021; Approving STS Service Agreement between the City of Aledo, Illinois and ANR Pipeline Company effective April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2025.

• Approval of a Special Event / Street Closure Request – Veterans Day Parade – November 11th, 2021 beginning at 10:45 o’clock a.m.

• Approval of a City Park Ban Notice.

• Approval of the Resignation of Ellie Lower as the Utility Worker in the Public Works & Utilities Department effective October 15, 2021.

A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Chausse, Cooper, Dixon, Doherty, Frick, Holmes, Kopp and Sarabasa. NO: None. Motion carried. 8 yeas, 0 nays.

PUBLIC COMMENT: No Report.

ACTION ITEMS:

ORDINANCE NO. 19, SERIES OF 2021; AMENDING TITLE 8, CHAPTER 3, SECTION 1 OF THE CITY CODE REGARDING THE CLOSING TIME FOR PUBLIC PARKS IN THE CITY OF ALEDO: (FIRST READING)

Section 8-3-1 of the Aledo City Code entitled “Park Rules and Regulations” is hereby amended as follows (additions are indicated by bold/underline and deletions by strikeout):

8-3-1: PARK RULES AND REGULATIONS:

The following rules and regulations shall govern all parks owned and maintained by the City:

(A) No person shall walk, stand or lie upon any portion of any enclosed grounds, public square or park, laid out or appropriated to the cultivation of shrubbery, grass or flowers, or trample upon, pull up, or otherwise injure or destroy any such grass, flowers or shrubbery, or turn loose any horse, cow, ox, ass, mule, sheep, hog or other animal into or upon any such public park or other public grounds owned and controlled by the City, or work or climb upon any fence or railing surrounding such public grounds or any part thereof, or erect any booth or stall thereat without permission from the City authorities.

(B) It shall be the duty of the Superintendent, and he is hereby authorized and required to superintend and control the parks, public squares and grounds owned and improved by the City, to maintain and keep up the fences surrounding the same, and to trim and keep in proper order the trees, walks and shrubbery therein, and perform such other duties as may be required of him by the Mayor and Council.

(C) It shall hereafter be unlawful for any person, except the officials or employees of the City to throw anything into any fountain in any park or public grounds in the City or to wade or walk in or upon said fountains, or to permit dogs or other animals to be in same, and it shall be unlawful for any person, except said officers or employees of the City, to molest, or in any manner disturb the fish swimming in said fountains; or to pick, cut, mangle, trample upon, or in any manner to injure or mutilate any flower, shrub, tree, or ornamental plant of whatsoever kind growing in or upon any park or public ground in the City.

(D) It shall be unlawful for any person to either enter or occupy any part of any premises constituting a City park owned and maintained by the City between the hours of ten o'clock (10:00) P.M. of each day of the week, to six o'clock (6:00) A.M. of the next succeeding day dusk and dawn each day. In the event that any person violates the provision of the foregoing curfew imposed on any and all parks owned and maintained by the City, such person shall be fined pursuant to title 12, "Schedule of Fines", of this Code.

The second reading to be held on Monday, November 1st in the City Council Chambers.

ORDINANCE NO. 20, SERIES OF 2021; AMENDING TITLE 9, CHAPTER 10, SECTION 2 OF THE CITY CODE REGARDING PERMITS FOR OPERATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD VEHICLES AND GOLF CARTS IN THE CITY OF ALEDO: (FIRST READING)

Section 9-10-2 of the Aledo City Code entitled “Permits” is hereby amended as follows (additions are indicated by bold/underline and deletions by strikeout):

9-10-2: PERMITS:

(A) No person shall operate a motorized golf cart or NV without obtaining a permit obtained from the City of Aledo Police Department as provided in this section.

(B) Permits shall be granted for a period of one year and may be renewed annually on January 1st of each year.

(C) The annual cost of a permit is pursuant to title 13, "Schedule Of Fees", of this Code, to cover the costs of implementing and maintaining this chapter, and shall be paid to the City of Aledo by the applicant. Insurance coverage shall be verified as in effect by the Police Department when issuing or renewing a permit.

(D) After completion of the application and payment of the requisite fee, the applicant shall present the golf cart or NV to the Chief of Police, or his designee, for an inspection to determine whether the golf cart or NV may be operated on a City street. If the applicant and golf cart or NV are qualified under the terms and conditions of this chapter a license permit shall be issued to the applicant which must be kept on/in the vehicle at all times.

(E) The Police Department shall issue a sticker as visible proof of compliance, which shall be valid until December 31 of the year of registration, and which must be visibly displayed on the back passenger side or "slow moving" emblem located at the rear of the golf cart or NV at all times.

(F) Golf cart or NV owners must complete a permit application form, which may be obtained from the City of Aledo Police Department. The completed forms will be maintained by the City of Aledo Police Department.

(G) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9-10-2, persons who have obtained permits from Visit MerCo or other municipalities shall be authorized to operate golf carts or NVs within the City of Aledo in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, providing that all such vehicles are equipped with a sticker on the rear of the vehicle as visible proof of compliance with Mercer County or such other municipality’s ordinances.

The second reading to be held on Monday, November 1st in the City Council Chambers.

RESOLUTION NO. 30R, SERIES OF 2021; APPROVING AMENDMENT TO DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROGRAM LOAN AGREEMENT FOR 110 S. COLLEGE AVENUE, LLC / LOUIS E. POWELL:

The City and 110 S College, LLC, an Illinois limited liability company, and Louis E. Powell (the “Developer”), entered into a Downtown Revitalization Program Loan Agreement relating to a portion of the Redevelopment Project Area located at 110 South College Avenue in Aledo, Illinois (the “Property”) pursuant to which the Developer is to complete a three-phase project on the Property consisting of the replacement of roofing and windows and masonry repairs (Phase I), HVAC and electrical upgrades (Phase II), and plumbing improvements with installation of fire suppression/sprinklers (Phase III), and the Developer is to receive reimbursement for one-half of the costs of such improvements (not to exceed $50,000 per Phase) for each Project Phase in accordance with the Revitalization Program. The original agreement was approved October 5, 2020.

The Property Owner has experienced cost overruns on Phase I of the Project, and has requested to utilize loan funds for Phase I and to defer the work for Phase II and Phase III of the Project.

The City shall reimburse the Property Owner one-half of the actual costs incurred by the Property Owner for the Project in the form of a loan in an amount not to exceed $150,000.00. The amount of the loan shall thereafter be forgiven at the rate of $2,500.00 per month for each month that the Property is owned by the Property Owner and meets all of the requirements of the Revitalization Program (exclusive of the loan amount limit of $50,000), as set forth in the Downtown Revitalization Program Guide – 2020.

Motion was made by ALDERMAN FRICK and seconded by ALDERMAN SARABASA to approve Resolution No. 30R, Series of 2021; Approving Amendment to Downtown Revitalization Program Loan Agreement for 110 S College Avenue, LLC / Louis E. Powell. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Cooper, Dixon, Doherty, Frick, Holmes, Kopp, Sarabasa, and Chausse. NO: None. Motion carried. 8 yeas, 0 nays.

OLD BUSINESS:

ALD. Chausse inquired on the status of the Aledo Fireworks Display for 2022. ADMINISTRATOR Sullivan reported the July 4th, 2022 date has been locked in with the city planning to have a bigger display next year. Plans will also be to have the fireworks display begin at 9:30 p.m. instead of 9:00 p.m.

ALD. Frick inquired if City Staff completed employee exit interviews. CITY CLERK Dale reported the City does complete these exit interviews. CITY CLERK noted, the Mayor, City Administrator, the specific Department Head and the Personnel Committee Chairman are aware of these interviews with copies of the completed interview provided to each individual. CITY COUNCIL discussed concerns related to employee’s leaving and current pay scales for City Staff. ADMINISTRATOR Sullivan reported this will be discussed further during budget sessions. Administrative staff union negotiations continue as well.

NEW BUSINESS: No Report.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN SARABASA 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/_10182021-292