Rock Island Today

City of Aledo City Council met Jan. 6.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION

Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,

CONSENT AGENDA

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

• Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of December 16, 2024.

• Approval of Finance: Invoice Listing – AP24EOY.

• Approval of an Agreement for Pest Control Services between Environmental Services Pest Control and City of Aledo – January 1, 2025 thru December 31, 2026.

A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Cooper, Dixon, Doherty, Friese, Ruh, Sarabasa, and Weeks. NO: None. Motion

carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.

PUBLIC COMMENT: No Report.

ACTION ITEMS:

ORDINANCE NO. 22, SERIES OF 2024; ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 17 TO TITLE 3 OF THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF ALEDO, FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPOSING A HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOM RENTING TAX. (SECOND READING) 

The City is authorized under the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/8-3-14a.) to impose a hotel and motel room use tax. The proposed Ordinance imposing a hotel/motel tax within the City establishes an 5% tax on overnight rentals at hotels/motels/short-term rentals (the maximum tax allowed by statute related to non-home rule communities). The tax is to be collected by the operator of the hotel/motel/short-term rental and remitted to the City on a monthly basis. The taxes levied pursuant to this Section will begin on April 1, 2025. 

Motion was made by ALDERMAN WEEKS and seconded by ALDERMAN FRIESE to adopt Ordinance No. 22, Series of 2024; Adding a new Chapter 17 to Title 3 of the City Code of the City of Aledo, for the Purpose of Imposing a Hotel and Motel Room Renting Tax. A Roll Call vote was recorded as follows: 

YES: Dixon, Doherty, Friese, Ruh, Weeks, and Cooper. NO: None. PRESENT: Sarabasa. Motion carried. 6 yeas, 0 nays, 1 present.

ORDINANCE NO. 01, SERIES OF 2025; APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO CELL TOWER LEASE AGREEMENT. (FIRST READING)

The City of Aledo, Illinois, hereby gives notice that at the regular City Council meeting occurring on January 21, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at Aledo City Hall located at 120 N College Ave., Aledo, Illinois, it will consider the adoption of an ordinance pursuant to 65 ILCS 5/11-76-2 approving an amendment of an existing lease dated April 23, 2009. The lease is between the City of Aledo, as landlord, and Graincomm III, LLC, as tenant, for the purpose of operating and maintaining communications facilities and uses incidental thereto, including such buildings as are necessary to house telecommunications and broadcast equipment, including generator(s), antenna structures and towers of a sufficient height. The amendment to the lease will provide for, among other things, six (6) additional five (5) year renewal terms. Said real estate is located at 110 S.E. 3rd Avenue, Aledo, Illinois, Illinois, and bearing Mercer County, Illinois parcel identification number 10- 10-17-455-020.

A second reading to be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 beginning at 6:30 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

ORDINANCE NO. 02, SERIES OF 2025; ADOPTION OF THE 2025 ALEDO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ALEDO. (FIRST READING)

ADMINISTRATOR Chausse reported the City of Aledo is updating the city’s comprehensive plan that was last adopted in 2001. Bi-State Regional Commission has been working with the city in this process. Comprehensive plan work included coordination with City Staff, the Zoning Commission and the City Council in obtaining public input, goals and objectives, assessing existing conditions, determining existing and future land use and developing strategies for implementation. One of the main goals of the plan is to highlight current land usage in and around the city for future land use.

A second reading to be held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 beginning at 6:30 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

RESOLUTION NO. 01R, SERIES OF 2025; APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH CEMIFY FOR CEMETERY MAPPING & MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE:

As part of the FY 2025 Capital Improvement Plan Budget, the City Council approved a Cemetery Mapping System Project. One of two proposals submitted to the Cemetery and Cable TV Committee was a proposal from Cemify for cemetery GIS mapping and management software services in the amount of $11,550 plus annual subscription fees in the amount of $959.

Motion was made by ALD. SARABASA and seconded by ALD. WEEKS to approve Resolution No. 01R, Series of 2025; Approving an Agreement with Cemify for Cemetery Mapping & Management software in the amount of $11,550.00 plus annual subscription fees in the amount of $959. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Doherty, Friese, Ruh, Sarabasa, Weeks, Cooper, and Dixon. NO: None. Motion carried. 7 yeas, 0 nays.

OLD BUSINESS:

Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between REACH Strategies and the City of Aledo for $50,000.00 for Financial Assistance for Electric Vehicle or EV Infrastructure:

MAYOR has asked the CITY ATTORNEY if he may re-introduce the item to council since it was a tie vote and not all the council were present. The memo provided from MH&T states that the item can be re-introduced to the council for their consideration with the Mayor having the authority to do so.

REACH (an AMEREN affiliated group) contacted me to assist in the undertaking of efforts to provide beneficial electrification services to Ameren Illinois Company ("Ameren Illinois" or "AIC") customers – the City of Aledo. REACH seeks to engage with local communities to assist Ameren in providing individualized electrification consultation plans for those communities throughout their service area and provide financial assistance to certain communities to implement certain aspects of Electric Vehicle or EV Infrastructure plans. The City of Aledo is a community within AIC’s service area who is planning for and implementing transportation electrification improvements.

The city is researching three (3) possible EV projects:

1. An EV squad car for the Police Department. Chevrolet is introducing an EV Blazer in 2026 that is specifically designed as a squad car.

2. An EV light duty pick-up truck for the Public Works Department. 3. EV charging station(s) placed at sites within the City of Aledo.

Motion was made by ALD. WEEKS and seconded by ALD. RUH to approve a Memorandum of Understanding between REACH Strategies and the City of Aledo for $50,000.00 for Financial Assistance for Electrical Vehicle or EV Infrastructure as re presented. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:

YES: Friese, Ruh, Sarabasa, Weeks, and Cooper. NO: Dixon and Doherty. Motion carried. 5 yeas, 2 nays.

Minutes of the Regular City Council Session – January 06, 2025

NEW BUSINESS: ALD. Friese suggested the City be planning what the revenue dollars would be utilized for related to the ordinance passed this evening for the Hotel / Motel Room Renting tax. It was emphasized that the City have a goal as to what those dollars will be utilized for before the funds are received.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, motion was made by ALDERMAN COOPER and seconded by ALDERMAN DIXON that the meeting be adjourned. A Unanimous voice vote followed in agreement. Meeting was adjourned at 7:00 P.M.

https://www.aledoil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01062025-438