Rock Island Today

City of Aledo City Council met Nov. 1.

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

Public Comment: No Report.

Communication & Correspondence: No Report.

Requests & Petitions: No Report.

Public Works Activity Report:

• Streets: Daily checks, tasks, JULIES, and work orders continue. Repair suck holes and catch basins; clean up tree removal stumps; helped the Park District take down the pool shade tent; assisted the Cemetery with funerals.

• 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; Project coordination; three sewer lateral investigations; jet sewers on SE part of town; Jake was on vacation the past week, CJ did a great job of handling the workload.

• Cemetery: Eight (8) Funerals occurred.

• DPW: Multiple building permits and inspections; budget work; City Hall pre-bid tours (bid opening is 11/2); annexation agreement coordination; office work.

Aledo Police Department Activity Report: ADMINISTRATOR/CHIEF Sullivan reported 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.

The Department has a possible applicant who was recruited by Officer Cliff Adam. He is a retired Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy. He cannot work full-time as he retired on a full pension, but he can work part-time hours. He comes highly recommended, is fully trained and certified, and would require a minimum of field training.

Mills Chevrolet in Decatur, Illinois contacted the Department. New Tahoe squad cars are beginning to be delivered. We are on the waiting list. We placed our first order in the beginning of 2020, we later placed an additional order bringing our total to three (3) squads. We did this toward the end of 2020, because we were advised to get on the waiting list or risk waiting even longer to get squad cars. It is possible all three cars will be available for delivery before the end of the year. There is still no guarantee how many we will receive or when they will available.

The Illinois legislature has mandated a new set of training requirements and updates to all existing mandates. The new training requirements take effect on January 1, 2022. All of our current training courses and curriculum for inhouse training will have to be completely reworked. Each course will have to be resubmitted to the Training Board for review and approval. This will require each training course to be rewritten to include the mandated material. New class syllabi, compete training course materials, course outlines, and requests for review and certification will have to be completed and submitted to ILERTSB through the Mobile Training Unit in Moline.

The new part-time civilian employee in the Department has been working to identify all records containing any reference to cannabis. Each record related to cannabis is then pulled for review. The Department is required to expunge (destroy) every record of cannabis arrests, charges, and adjudications. In order to meet this mandate by the Illinois legislature, every single police report and record every created by, filed by, or received by this Department will have to pulled one at a time and reviewed. The Department generates over 10,000 reports and numerous other records including citations every single year. This is a tedious and extremely time-consuming task.

The Department has filed the first three quarters of National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) statistics with the State of Illinois and the FBI. The new system requires much more detail of each incident be reported. It also requires details for numerous additional types of incidents above and beyond what was required by the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system.

UCR reporting required that each incident in the major categories of crimes against persons and crimes against property be maintained. Those included all of the variations of the following types of crimes, Murder and Attempt Murder, Robbery, Criminal Sexual Assault, Kidnapping, Aggravated battery and Battery, Burglary, Theft, Arson and Motor Vehicle Theft. Also, the disposition of each crime was reported: Adult Arrest, Juvenile Arrest, Unfounded, Victim Uncooperative, Unsolved.

NIBRS requires tracking of 58 different data elements for each crime reported. These include, among other things, the race, sex, age and ethnicity of each victim, suspect and arrestee be gathered. It also requires a myriad of offenses and incidents be tracked, including minor incidents of trespass, disorderly conduct, curfew, ordinance violations, alcohol violations, DUI, loitering. There are now 24 categories of incidents, with 52 group A incident types, 10 group B incident types, and 58 data elements for each. The Department will make its year end statistics available in early January 2022.

Administrative Report: CITY CLERK Dale provided monthly reports related to utility billing and payroll for the month of October. Also, the quarterly reports related to sales tax revenue and building permits were also provided to the Committee of the Whole.

The City social media for November to include: Button Building Sale; NV Permits & MerCo Stickers Ord. Update; Mask Mandate; Daylight Savings; Northside Lofts Development; Veterans day closed; newsletter signup; hiring for (Aledo PD, Utility, Street); Christmas Tree Sales; Thanksgiving; & Shop Small Business Saturday.

The City Clerk’s office has received 9 applications for the Utility Billing Clerk position at Aledo City Hall. Resume & Application submission were accepted until Friday, October 29th. The City Clerk’s office may be extending the time-period to accept applications by 2 or 3 more weeks.

The Clerk’s office has also received 8 applications for the Gas Division Worker position in the Public Works and Utilities Department to date. Resume & Application were accepted until Friday, October 29th. Next steps would be application review and background checks. Once completed, interviews to be set-up.

(Clerks Note: Both application periods for utility billing clerk and gas division worker were extended until Friday, November 12th at 4:30 o’clock p.m.)

The new branding logo to be installed in the City Council Chambers on November 8th.

Mayor’s Report: MAYOR Hagloch reported there has not been a lot of movement on the demolition of the former Farmer’s Grain & Coal property in the downtown area. Specific equipment for the demo has broken down and waiting on a trailer to get the equipment repaired. Ameren Illinois has moved all power-lines to the northside of the property with the old poles moved.

Committee Report: ALD. Sarabasa reported a joint TIF & Public Property, Streets & Sidewalks Committee met on October 25th. The Committee discussed the sale of the Button Building to Windborn Group, LLC and that item has been moved to the City Council for approval. The Committee also reviewed a TIF Application submitted by Perryton, LLC for property located at 114 E. Main Street, Aledo with a request of funds up to $50,000. Project to include architectural design, masonry, and specialty storefront glass windows. The YMCA has requested additional TIF funding from their original development agreement (dated 9/03/19) in the amount of $26,092.70 to cover additional architectural expenses. The committee has tabled that item for now. The Committee also reviewed a proposed City of Aledo Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District Study Area with continued discussions at a later date. Lastly, the Committee held a discussion related to an Economic Development position at Aledo Main Street with that position being funded as full-time. No final recommendation was made.

ALD. Holmes requested a Water, Sewer & Storm Drain Committee be scheduled for Tuesday, November 9th at 6:00 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers to review the Water & Sewer Lateral Repair Program.

REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION

Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,

CONSENT AGENDA

ALD. Chausse requested item “E” on the consent agenda be removed for discussion.

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 18, 2021.

• Approval of Finance Invoice Listing – AP20.

• Approval of 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. (Second Reading)

• Approval 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. (Second Reading)

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.

Motion was made by ALD. Chausse and seconded by ALD. Dixon to approve the Resignation of Kevin Dixon as the Street Maintenance Worker in the Public Works & Utilities Department effective October 29, 2021.

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

ALD. Chausse provided a suggestion when completing an exit interview with an employee that those be conducted by someone outside the City or by a member of the Personnel Committee. The Alderman is looking to make sure the employee who is exiting employment with the City feels comfortable in reporting back during their tenure with the City. The Council voiced interest in creating a policy of who conducts the exit interviews.

DPW Blaser arrived at 6:34 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENT: No Report.

ACTION ITEMS:

ORDINANCE NO. 21, SERIES OF 2021; APPROVING A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT AND THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO WINDBORN GROUP, LLC: (FIRST READING)

Common Address includes: 101 West Main Street and 101, 103 and 105 North College Ave., Aledo, IL

PIN: 10-10-17-444-011

Provided Seller’s corporate authorities approve this Agreement within seven (7) days of its presentation from Buyer (the accepted offer being referred to herein as this “Agreement”), the undersigned Seller agrees to sell and the undersigned Buyer agrees to buy the real property (the “Property”) in the County of Mercer and State of Illinois, for the sum of Five Thousand Five Hundred Fifty Dollars ($5,550.00), subject to the terms herein, payable at closing.

Closing shall take place on or before November 30, 2021 (“Closing Date”), at which time Buyer shall pay the balance due and Seller shall deliver a quitclaim deed conveying merchantable title to the Property to Buyer, subject only to the following: (a) the lien of general taxes not yet due; (b) building, use and occupancy restrictions, conditions and covenants of record, if any; and (c) easements of record, if any.

Buyer acknowledges inspection of the Property and accepts the Property in as-is condition. Seller makes no warranties, expressed or implied.

The Developer shall, as a redevelopment project, construct improvements to the Button Building, including modernizing the interior layout and design and establishing a commercial kitchen and event space on the third floor, with a total cost of not less than $200,000.00 (the “Required Investment Amount”). The Developer shall document the investment in the Button Building and provide written evidence to the City of the expenditure of not less than Required Investment Amount on or before eighteen (18) months after the date the City conveys the Property to the Developer in accordance with Section B-1 (the “Improvement Period”). In the event the Developer fails to invest the Required Investment Amount within the Improvement Period, the Developer shall pay the City two hundred percent (200%) of the difference between the Required Investment Amount and the amount of the Developer’s documented investment in the Button Building as of the expiration of the Improvement Period.

The second reading to be held on Monday, November 15th at 6:30 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

RESOLUTION NO. 31R, SERIES OF 2021; APPROVING DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROGRAM LOAN AGREEMENT FOR PERRYTON, LLC. / WILLIAM J. ALBERTSON IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000.00:

The Property Owner shall, as a redevelopment project, complete a project consisting of roofing and masonry repair work and installation of a new storefront at the Property Owner’s building located at 114 East Main Street, Aledo, Illinois (the “Property”).

Upon the Property Owner’s completion of the Project in compliance with this Agreement, the City shall reimburse the Property Owner one-half of the actual costs incurred by the Property Owner for roofing and masonry repair work, installation of a new storefront and architectural design work in the form of a loan in an amount not to exceed $50,000.00. The amount of the loan shall thereafter be forgiven at the rate of $833.33 per month for each month that the Property is owned by the Property Owner and meets all of the requirements of the Revitalization Program as set forth in the Downtown Revitalization Program Guide – 2020

Motion was made by ALDERMAN SARABASA and seconded by ALDERMAN DIXON to approve Resolution No. 31R, Series of 2021; Approving Downtown Revitalization Program Loan Agreement for Perryton, LLC / William J. Albertson, for property located at 114 E. Main Street, Aledo, IL., in the amount of $50,000.00. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Dixon, Doherty, Holmes, Kopp, Sarabasa, Chausse, and Cooper. NO: None. ABSTAIN: Frick. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays, 1 abstention.

RESOLUTION NO. 32R, SERIES OF 2021; APPROVING PROPOSAL FOR REPLACEMENT OF HIGH SERVICE FLOW METER IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,695.00:

Motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN FRICK to approve Resolution No. 32R, Series of 2021; Approving Proposal for Replacement of High Service Flow Meter in the amount of $17,695.00 by Britton Electronics & Automation, Inc., 290 Derby Street, Pekin, IL., 61554. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

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

RESOLUTION NO. 33R, SERIES OF 2021; APPROVING A PROPOSAL FOR WATER MAIN AND HYDRANT WORK ON N.W. 2ND AVENUE AND S.E. 2ND AVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF $16,600.00:

Motion was made by ALDERMAN COOPER and seconded by ALDERMAN FRICK to approve Resolution No. 33R, Series of 2021; Approving a Proposal for Water Main and Hydrant Work on N.W. 2nd Avenue and S.E. 2nd Avenue in the amount of $16,600.00, by Laverdiere Construction, Co., 4055 W. Jackson Street, Macomb, IL., 61455. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

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

RESOLUTION NO. 34R, SERIES OF 2021; APPROVING A PROPOSAL FOR INSTALLATION OF A FENCE AT THE SOUTH LAGOON IN THE AMOUNT OF $13,500.00:

Motion was made by ALDERMAN DIXON and seconded by ALDERMAN HOLMES to approve Resolution No. 34R, Series of 2021; Approving a Proposal for Installation of a Fence at the South Lagoon in the amount of $13,500.00, from Lovewell Commercial Fence & Rail, 21060 Holden Drive, Davenport, IA., 52806. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

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

OLD BUSINESS:

ALD. Frick requested an update regarding the SXS pathway to Walmart. MAYOR Hagloch reported Rex Johnson spoke with the other investors of Green Development and three (3) options were laid out. Those options being: The City offer $10,000 for the parcel, $7,500 or split at $5,000. MAYOR reported to Mr. Johnson that they can sit on the property and the City will look at other properties.

It was inquired by ALD. Chausse if the investors did not want the pathway going through that area? MAYOR noted he did not believe that was the issue. CITY COUNCIL noted the area of the E. Main Extension is tentatively included in a potential new TIF District Boundary map and could be a possibility. ALD. Frick reported the particular parcel the City was looking to make an offer on is a liability for the investors and with increased traffic, that would improve the property there.

ALD. Chausse inquired if the City should approach Community Bible Fellowship Church to see if there are any other options located at that property for options. ALD. Frick noted you would have to cross at Auto Zone and would be an awkward place to cross with traffic. No further discussion followed.

ALD. Frick requested the Aledo Fireworks Display for 2022 be listed under old business to continue discussions at future meetings until finalized. CITY CLERK Dale noted the request.

NEW BUSINESS:

ALD. Doherty reported Elliott Septic recently had been dumping at the South Lagoon and inquired on regulations related to those types of businesses doing so. CITY CLERK reported the City does charge companies for those types of services. DPW reported signage needs to be reposted after the fencing project was completed at the S. Lagoon.

ALD. Chausse inquired if Jackson Disposal has notified the City yet regarding the sale of the business. MAYOR reported the business was sold to Lakeshore Recycling Systems, LLC., of Morton Grove, IL. As far as operations go, Jackson Disposal continues, with the billing being sent to Chicago. The current Aledo contract is in year 3 out of a 5-year term. LRS will continue to honor the contract.

ALD. Sarabasa reported sidewalk repairs are needed near the end of North College Avenue. Pieces of the sidewalk have been missing for a while. DPW Blaser noted the issue and to report to Street Superintendent Salmon. Tentative plans were to get this issue filled soon.

ALD. Sarabasa inquired on the current code compliance issue for property located at 104 – 108 SE 3rd Street, Aledo, IL. DPW Blaser reported he has been working with the tenant at that property and Mr. White and the property owner will be in-attendance on Wednesday at a Code Hearing. The City has been trying to work with the tenant/owner for months on getting this particular property cleared up of the junk and debris.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, motion was made by ALDERMAN KOPP and seconded by ALDERMAN HOLMES that the meeting be adjourned. A Unanimous voice vote followed in agreement. Meeting was adjourned at 6:55 P.M.

http://aledoil.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11012021-294