Rock Island Today

City of Aledo City Council met Aug. 21.

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 August 21, 2023.

MAYOR HAGLOCH called the meeting to order at 6:35 P.M. The roll was called, whereupon the following answered present:

Aldermen BARRY COOPER, DENNIS DIXON, LINDA SARABASA, and ANDREW WEEKS. Mayor CHRISTOPHER HAGLOCH. Alderman JAY DOHERTY and MARK FRIESE were excused.

Also present was MICHAEL CHAUSSE, City Administrator, TREVOR FISK, Interim Chief of Police, JUSTIN BLASER, Director of Public Works & Utilities, LINDSEY DUNN, Aledo Main Street, and JAROD DALE, City Clerk.

The media was represented by Jim Taylor, WRMJ.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Public Comment: No Public Comment.

Communication & Correspondence: Lindsey Dunn, Aledo Main Street, reported a Community Connection meeting to be held Tuesday, September 19th at Aledo Advanced Rehab. Farmer’s Market continues every Thursday from 4:00 – 6:00 pm through September 28th. Aledo Antique Day’s to be held August 26th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. A schedule of events and map were provided to the City Council. The Art Gala to be held on Saturday, September 23rd at 129 E Main Street at 6:30 pm. Aledo Fall Fest to be held on Saturday, October 14th in downtown Aledo. The event to have vendors, kid activities, coffee/donuts/cider and will co-inside with Visit MerCo Ride 17 event.

Requests & Petitions: No Report.

Public Works Activity Report:

• Streets: Daily checks, tasks, JULIE’s, and work orders continue. Tree work, spray weeds for the fall, repaired and re-placed the storm sewer at Blessed by Nature, and mowed. Summer seasonal employees are done for the year.

• Gas: Daily checks, tasks, JULIE’s, inspections and finals continue. Assist all other Divisions with various work and mowing, shut off work orders, start setting gas meters in the Knox alley, install two new serviced, adjust valve boxes at NE2nd Ave project.

• Water: Daily checks, tasks, JULIE’s and work orders continue. The generators at the WTP and well sites were serviced. HS pump #3 was reinstalled last week. The new radios for the lagoons and the new computer for the WTP are currently being programmed and hope to have them installed this week. The weeds around the lagoons were sprayed again for the fall, and the division rebuilt a leaking hydrant along the transmission line, and repaired one water service leak on N. College lane.

• Cemetery: One (1) funeral occurred. Weed eat and mowing.

• DPW: The NE 2nd Ave sidewalk project is complete minus the install of the handrail for the accessible ramp. It is scheduled for Tuesday 8/22. The Knox Alley project is also complete. The next projects on the list is the Sponsler Manor 3rd Addition site development and SE 2nd Avenue Reconstruction design. DPW met with Hutchison Engineering on 8/18 to discuss the process of moving forward and timeline for completion. Staff met Administrator Chausse to review CIP Projects and start preliminary budget timelines.

Aledo Police Department Activity Report: CHIEF Fisk reported Recruit Officer Christian Williams will be graduating from Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy on August 25, 2023. Sgt. Baker and Ofc. Pieper will be attending the graduation. Ofc. Pieper will be Ofc. Williams field training officer upon his return to duty. Ofc. Pieper retired from Galesburg Police Department and was a field training officer there. He is working for the Aledo Police Department part time but has agreed to return temporarily to full time hours to be Ofc. Williams primary field training officer. They will be assigned to 2nd. Shift and begin their training on August 28, 2023.

Officer Steve McGuire worked at the Central Park Grooves (Ten of Soul Band) event at Central Park on August 12, 2023. The event was well attended with various age groups. There were no issues during the event.

First day of school was August 17, 2023. There were some concerns about traffic flow due to construction at Apollo Elementary School. The school district created a traffic flow pattern for drop off/pick up of students for both Apollo Elementary and the Mercer County Jr. High by having traffic directed into the Mercer County Jr. High parking lot. Mercer County Sheriff SRO’s coned the parking lot and directed traffic to assist parents with getting their children to school. Overall, the traffic pattern was a success and the first day of school went well.

Administrative Report:

ADMINISTRATOR Chausse reported it has been a whirlwind of a first week.

ADMINISTRATOR commended all of the staff for making him feel welcome and being very helpful. There is so much information to learn and track. City Clerk Dale has been a great teacher in guiding him in the first week.

Here are some highlights of what the Administrator (and others) have worked on for the past week:

• Instituted and held a department head meeting that will be held on the Wednesday prior to the regularly scheduled council meeting.

• Attended the Community Connection meeting held by Lindsey Dunn.

• Had meetings with Mayor, Interim Police Chief, and Sheriff.

• Discussed the E-Recycling center and how to staff it (an adult and HS FFA members).

• Worked on Solid Waste Management contract and RFP.

• Worked with city attorney concerning retirement incentive, Neighborhood Vehicle path, and Solid Waste Management RFP.

• Spoke with MWI concerning continued violations of waste dumping in the city.

• Revised police wage levels correcting an issue with duplicate levels.

• Spoke with Casey’s Corporate concerning old Casey’s site.

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 provided an updated 2023 – 2025 appointment list to each of the Council members.

Committee Report:

REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION

Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,

CONSENT AGENDA

Motion was made by ALDERMAN DIXON and seconded by ALDERMAN COOPER to approve the following consent agenda items:

• Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of August 07, 2023.

• Approval of Finance: Invoice Listing – AP15.

• Approval of Consent of Carmen Ruh for Ward I Alderman in the City of Aledo (Vacancy).

• Approval of Consent of Noel Bush for Ward III Alderman in the City of Aledo (Vacancy of Michael Chausse).

• Approval of Resolution No. 20R, Series of 2023; Approving Sale of 709-713 SW 3rd Street.

• Approval of Resolution No. 21R, Series of 2023; Approving Sale of 706 NW 5th Avenue.

A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Cooper, Dixon, Doherty, Sarabasa, and Weeks.

NO: None. Motion carried. 4 yeas, 0 nays.

SWEARING-IN CEREMONY – CARMEN RUH & NOEL BUSH: CITY CLERK Dale administered the oath of office to Carmen Ruh (Ward I Alderman) and Noel Bush (Ward III Alderman).

The roll was called, whereupon the following answered present:

Aldermen NOEL BUSH, BARRY COOPER, DENNIS DIXON, CARMEN RUH, LINDA SARABASA, and ANDREW WEEKS. Mayor CHRISTOPHER HAGLOCH. Alderman JAY DOHERTY and MARK FRIESE were excused.

Also present was MICHAEL CHAUSSE, City Administrator, TREVOR FISK, Interim Chief of Police, JUSTIN BLASER, Director of Public Works & Utilities, and JAROD DALE, City Clerk.

PUBLIC COMMENT: No Report.

ACTION ITEMS:

ORDINANCE NO. 19, SERIES OF 2023; AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF ALEDO AND 309 HOMES, LLC: (SECOND READING)

Included within the TIF District are two (2) vacant commercial lots (PIN 10-10-16-319-004 at 212 SE 13th Ave. Ct., and PIN 10-10-16-319-005 at 206 SE 13th Ave. Ct.) which the Developer intends to acquire and construct a new commercial/general merchandise retail facility on the Property, based in part on the availability of certain TIF incentives offered by the City to the Developer.

The Developer requested that incentives for the Project be provided by the City from incremental increases in real estate taxes of the City that are generated by the Property and the City agreed to such incentives. The Parties have agreed that the City shall reimburse the Developer by segregating within the Aledo Downtown-2022 TIF District Special Tax Allocation Fund: Seventy-Five Percent (75%) of the annual incremental increase in real estate tax revenues derived from the Developer’s Project for reimbursement of the Developer’s Estimated TIF Eligible Project Costs as set forth in Exhibit “2” attached hereto. Such reimbursement shall commence with the tax year 2024 payable 2025 real estate tax increment generated by the Project, and shall continue for the remaining life of the TIF District, tax year 2045 payable 2046, or upon the Developer receiving the maximum reimbursement amount of Three Hundred Fifty Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($350,000.00).

Motion was made by ALD. SARABASA and seconded by ALD. WEEKS to adopt Ordinance No. 19, Series of 2023; An Ordinance Approving and Authorizing the Execution of a Redevelopment Agreement by and between the City of Aledo and 309 Homes, LLC as presented. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: Bush, Cooper, Dixon, Ruh, Sarabasa, and Weeks.

NAYS: None. Motion carried. 6 yeas, 0 nays.

OLD BUSINESS: ALD. Weeks inquired on the status of the waste yard after the discussion at the last meeting.

MAYOR Hagloch reported there has been discussions to begin charging tree companies for commercial use due to the number of large bulk items on the waste yard site. ALD. Weeks noted most surrounding city’s do not allow commercial use.

NEW BUSINESS: Discussion regarding a Residential Solid Waste / Recycling Collection Agreement – Request for Proposal:

ADMINISTRATOR Chausse reported the city inquired with LRS in July on an extension on garbage/recycling services for residential. The City originally requested a two-year extension on the current contract but LRS submitted a five-year renewal at rates not acceptable to the city.

ADMINISTRATOR noted staff requests that the City issue an RFP for a potential new service contract. The current contract will expire on 12/31/23.

ADMINISTRATOR reported to possibly consider including four-plex properties into a new contract.

CITY COUNCIL to let the City Staff know within two weeks if any of the Aldermen would like additional language within the request for proposal.

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 6:50 P.M.

https://www.aledoil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08212023-376