City of Aledo City Council met June 19.
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 on June 19, 2023. MAYOR HAGLOCH called the meeting to order at 6:47 P.M. The roll was called, whereupon the following answered present:
Aldermen MICHAEL CHAUSSE, BARRY COOPER, MARK FRIESE, LINDA SARABASA, and ANDREW WEEKS. Mayor CHRISTOPHER HAGLOCH. Alderman DENNIS DIXON and JAY DOHERTY were excused.
Also present was CINDY PARCHERT, Finance Director, TREVOR FISK, Interim 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 Public Comment
F/Y 2022 Financial Audit Report: Cynthia Parchert, Finance Director, appeared before the Committee of the Whole to present F/Y 2022 Financial Audit Report. Jim Taylor & Dave Gosse, Carpentier, Mitchell, Goddard & Company, LLC were also present to provide additional overview of the audit as well. Mr. Taylor reviewed the Independent Auditor’s Report noting a clean opinion on the financial statements. Also, the report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting and on Compliance of other matters based on an Audit of Financial Statements performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards was briefly reviewed.
Mr. Gosse highlighted on the Board Communications Letter provided to the City Council. There were no concerns to make the City Council aware of with no significant findings and noted as a clean process with the audit. The Memorandum Letter was also reviewed by Mr. Gosse. Carpentier identified no deficiencies in internal controls that they determined to constitute significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. The TIF Compliance Audit report reported as clean on the auditing side of things.
FINANCE DIRECTOR reviewed the governmental activities revenues for F/Y22. Decreases were seen from the prior year regarding “charges and services”, “grants and contributions”, and “other”. There were increases from the prior year regarding “Property Tax” and “Other Local Tax”.
Governmental activities expenses saw a decrease for “general and administrative”, “police”, “street and alley”, “cemetery maintenance”, and “recreation and programs”. Increases in governmental expenses were in “community development” and “retirement and unemployment”.
Communication & Correspondence: No Report.
Requests & Petitions: No Report.
Public Works Activity Report:
• Streets: Daily checks, tasks, JULIE’s, and work orders continue. Rhubarb Prep; clean brush along Sponslers pond and Heritage Woods pond; patch streets; prep for catch basin repairs, work orders; water flowers.
• Gas: Daily checks, tasks, JULIE’s, inspections and finals continue. Remove five services; replacing radio read heads; anode repairs.
• Water: Daily checks, tasks, JULIE’s and work orders continue. Annual lift station pump pull & inspections; read meters; hydrant flushing has started; curb stop repairs; spray missed spots at lagoons.
• Cemetery: (1) funeral occurred. Fix foundations and straighten stones.
• DPW: Utility coordination for the Community Improvements Project; Rhubarb Fest prep; Memorial Day prep; property maintenance code work; summer work list.
Aledo Police Department Activity Report: The Department provided security patrol for the annual Rhubarb Fest, which was held in downtown Aledo on June 2nd and 3rd. Despite the extreme heat and Department staff shortages, 24-hour coverage was provided for the event by Sgt. Adam Baker and Officers Dallas Wakeland and Clifford Adam. They were assisted for a few hours on Friday by Part-time Officer Brian Evins, and Recruit Christian Williams provided the police escort for the Rhubarb Run on Saturday.
Recruit Williams has now completed seven (7) weeks of the Full-Time Basic Police Officer training at Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy in Belleville, Illinois, where he has maintained an Overall Score Percentage of 92.74 and an Overall Grade of “A” after five (5) exams.
The Department has been contacted by an area resident who expressed interest in employment as a police officer for the City of Aledo. Preliminary pre-employment steps have been taken to determine if he will be a good fit for the Department. The criminal background check has been performed and Sgt. Baker received positive job performance comments during his conversations with previous employers. A pre-employment physical and psych evaluation are scheduled for later in June. A slot has been reserved for the applicant to attend Session 151 at the Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy, commencing August 29th, if the applicant’s employment is approved by the Council following completion of the various testing measures.
Administrative Report: CITY CLERK Dale reported a total of 15 resumes/applications were submitted for that position. The Mayor and Finance Director have begun to review those applications. Tentatively, staff hopes to have interviews scheduled in July.
Trevor Fisk has accepted an offer by the Mayor to be the Interim Chief of Police with the Aledo Police Department. Fisk is a retired officer from the city of Moline, IL. He retired as a Captain from their department in 2019. Prior roles in Moline include: Lieutenant, Juvenile Investigations Sergeant, Patrol Sergeant, Criminal Investigations / School Resource Officer / Street Crimes Detective, and Patrol Officer.
An update on the property located at 106 SW 3rd Street regarding their PMC compliance. The hearing on the White / Sierer’s ordinance violations has been continued to next Wednesday, 6/21/23 at the Mercer County Circuit Court. Attorney Timm Higus to work with DPW Blaser to week of 6/18 to prepare for the hearing.
The 2022 Water Quality Report was provided to the Aledo City Council as informational. There were no violations or issues listed within the report for this past year. The report has been posted at https://www.aledoil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/88 on the city’s website. Notification was also sent in each utility bill notifying each customer of the report.
City Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s Reports has been marked exhibit “B”, attached hereto and made a part of these minutes.
Mayor’s Report: MAYOR Hagloch reported city staff met with Morgan Mays & Paul Baele, HDR Engineering to continue discussions related to the Aledo Community Project. The preliminary plans continue to be reviewed and adjustments made in particular the parking lot area in Central Park. This project is part of the RDMS Grant awarded to the City in the amount of $3M.
The project renderings were displayed during the Aledo Rhubarb Festival and will also be available for view and comments during the Mercer County Fair, July 11 – 15. The Mercer County Historical Society has offered to allow the City to utilize some of their space during the fair at their booth. MAYOR invited each Council member to assist in covering shifts during the fair to talk about the project with residents. City Staff to work with the Mayor to generate talking points to help the Council to better familiarize themselves with current plans for the project. MAYOR suggested 4-hour blocks could be covered by COUNCIL & encouraged members to sign-up during those dates of the fair. The booth to be located in the Merchants building.
Committee Report: No Report.
A Public Property, Streets & Sidewalks Committee meeting to be held on Monday, June 26, 2023 at 6:00 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION
Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,
CONSENT AGENDA
Motion was made by ALDERMAN CHAUSSE and seconded by ALDERMAN FRIESE to approve the following consent agenda items:
• Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 06, 2023.
• Approval of Finance: Invoice Listing – AP11
• Approval of Ordinance No. 17, Series of 2023; Changing the Zoning Classification of Certain Real Property located at 702 NW 9th Avenue, in the City of Aledo, Mercer County, Illinois; changed from “R-2 Residential District” to “B-1 Commercial District”. (Second Reading)
• Approval of Hiring of Christian Aldinger as the Water / WasteWater Superintendent in the Public Works & Utilities Department effective June 20, 2023.
• Approval of the Hiring of Steven McGuire as a Part-time Aledo Police Officer effective June 20, 2023.
A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Chausse, Cooper, Friese, Sarabasa, and Weeks. NO: None. Motion carried. 5 yeas, 0 nays.
PUBLIC COMMENT: No Report.
ACTION ITEMS:
ORDINANCE NO. 18, SERIES OF 2023; APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING CITY USE OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING FUNDS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY: (FIRST READING)
In April of 2021 the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 08, Series of 2021, approving a Development Agreement for Property located in Sponsler Manor, Third Addition. The Development Agreement was between the City and Matthew & Elissa Dowis with an agreement for the City to install water, sewer and gas mains to facilitate the development of the Property. And, the City was to accept conveyance of real property consisting of the lake, dam and portions of the shoreline of the lake.
Due to inflation and costs of construction materials, the Developer has not begun the development of residential lots on the property. This was to be completed in three phases with Phase 1 – lots fronting on NE 7th Avenue and 12th Street (Lots 15 – 25).
Phase 2 – lots fronting on NE 13th Street (Lots 26 – 40)
Phase 3 – lots fronting NE 7th Avenue, NE 13th Street and NE 6th Avenue (Lots 41 – 55).
Pursuant to Section 5/11-74.4-4(c) of the TIF Act, the City is authorized within a redevelopment project area to acquire by purchase, donation, lease or eminent domain; own, convey, lease, mortgage or dispose of land and other property, real or personal, or rights or interests therein, and grant or acquire licenses, easements and options with respect thereto, all in the manner and at such price the municipality determines is reasonably necessary to achieve the objectives of the redevelopment plan and project.
City shall acquire the Subject Property for a purchase price not to exceed Two Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($215,000.00) and may reimburse itself for the cost of doing so from the real estate tax increment revenues generated by the TIF District as such revenues become available.
That certain real property located on NE 6th Avenue, NE 7th Avenue, NE 12th Street and NE 13th Street in Aledo, Illinois, which property is legally described as follows:
Legal Description: Lots 15 through 55, and Lot 58, all in Sponsler Manor Third Addition to the City of Aledo, in the Count of Mercer and State of Illinois.
A second reading to be held on Monday, July 03, 2023 at 6:30 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
MOTION APPROVING THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT OF INTERIM CHIEF OF POLICE, TREVOR FISK EFFECTIVE JUNE 20, 2023:
The term of this Agreement shall be for the period from the 20th day of June, 2023 until such time as the Mayor and City Council act to appoint a new Police Chief, or otherwise remove the Employee from the office of Interim Police Chief, and in no case later than the expiration of the term of office of the Mayor holding office as of the date of execution of this Agreement.
Motion was made by ALDERMAN CHAUSSE and seconded by ALDERMAN COOPER to approve employment contract of Interim Chief of Police Trevor Fisk as presented. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:
YES: Cooper, Friese, Sarabasa, Weeks, and Chausse. NO: None. Motion carried. 5 yeas, 0 nays.
OLD BUSINESS: No Report.
NEW BUSINESS: ALD. Chausse inquired if the City should discuss a potential burn ban with the Aledo Fire Protection District. CITY CLERK reported if a temporary burn ban was put into place in Aledo the MAYOR would need to enact that particular ban.
MAYOR noted the region is not in a severe but moderate drought. MAYOR to monitor and consult with Aledo Fire Chief, Tony Myers.
ALD. Friese inquired on the payrate increase for part-time Aledo Police Officers. CITY CLERK to brief newly interim CHIEF Fisk on the discussion’s the Ordinance & Police Committee recommended recently and the item can be brought to full City Council in July.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, motion was made by ALDERMAN SARABASA and seconded by ALDERMAN WEEKS that the meeting be adjourned. A Unanimous voice vote followed in agreement. Meeting was adjourned at 6:59 P.M.
https://www.aledoil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06192023-368
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