Rock Island Today

City of Aledo City Council met March 3.

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 March 03, 2025. MAYOR HAGLOCH called the meeting to order at 6:39 P.M. The roll was called, whereupon the following answered present:

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

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.

The media was represented by Jim Taylor, WRMJ.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Public Comment: No Report.

Communication & Correspondence: No Report.

Requests & Petitions: Rita Williams, Mercer County Agricultural Society, appeared before the Committee of the whole to request City Sponsorship for the Mercer County Fair this year and waiver of the July Utility Bill. The request was heard to assist in funding again in the amount of $2,000.00 plus payment by the City of the utilities for the month of July.

Highlights also included recent fairgrounds improvements: Exposition Building restrooms; Jaycee stand improvements; new sidewalk to Secretary’s office; new walkway to Pumpkin House; new trees planted; new sound system; new track lighting; Secretary office landscaping; new entranceway to Secretary’s office; new roof on Secretary’s office & concrete restroom; and, resided Snack Shack.

Projects include: additional Secretary’s office & Exposition Hall landscaping; new infield Announcer Booth; additional concrete in Hog Barn; and, additional sponsorship seating in the Grandstand.

Public Works Activity Report: DPW Blaser noted no report was provided for the City Council at the meeting. DPW did note that Frontier Communications is currently submitting permitting for an underground project and have begun in the NE Quadrant. It is anticipated that the project will take two (2) months for the entire town to lay new fiber optic capabilities for the provider.

Aledo Police Department Activity Report: CHIEF Fisk reported Lt. Adam Baker is completing his final two weeks of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command being held in Peoria, Illinois. He is set to graduate on March 14, 2025.

Sergeant Pieper, Investigator Kenney, Officer Brown and Officer Jaime are attending training (Active Threat – High Risk Operations) through Mobile Team IV in Monmouth, IL on March 03-04, 2025. The focus of this 16-hour training is to provide officers with the knowledge, specialized tactical skills sets and strategic understanding to be able to manage and perform three critical high-risk patrol functions: building searches, felony traffic stops and arrest team tactics.

Ofc. Jaydon Brown is completing Phase 3 (Shadow Phase) of his Field Training Program. He is scheduled to be released on solo patrol effective March 21, 2025.

Ofc. Jade Ford has developed a program called, “Trust the Process”. The meaning of the program’s name surrounds having faith in life’s journey, even when the destination is unclear or the path seems challenging. She has been working with several at risk youths in our community to focus them on positivity, responsibility, self-awareness and working on their family relationships.

CHIEF Fisk recognized the extra effort she has been putting into this to make a difference in her community and has issued her a Letter of Commendation. The letter was read aloud to the CITY COUNCIL with Ofc. Ford present.

Parks & Recreation Report: PRD Blaser reported the following:

Youth Athletics –

● Last game this Saturday, March 1st.

● Covered practices on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays.

● Plan on going to watch Cash and Weston March 15th in Champaign.

Baseball / Softball –

● Registration is open for Spring Baseball. Closes March 21st.

● All Registration going through YMCA online system.

● New Field Foul Poles ordered. Being Made by Cokels. Custom Aledo Homemade pole.

● Getting old field ready for High School to start practicing on it Monday, March 3rd.

● Communicated with potential sponsorship for Spring Baseball.

Parks & Maintenance – Will be starting to prepare parks and field for spring.

Administrative Report:

ADMINISTRATOR Chausse reported on an overview of highlights of what the Administrator (and others) have worked on since the last council meeting:

• Attended the Main Street Community Connections Meeting.

• Met with Laurie Benson of the Aledo Civic Center Authority. Purpose of the meeting was how the ACCA can help the City and the City help them. Mayor, and City Clerk were also in attendance.

• Met with Chuck Dulcie of Mangeri Electric of Galesburg to discuss EV charging stations. Mayor and DPW were also in attendance.

• Mayor, City Clerk, DPW and myself met with Karl Bredberg to discuss the transfer of the Neighborhood Vehicle Path to the City.

• Spoke with Smith’s Meats (Steve and Susan Smith) concerning their ownership of the old Casey’s property and spoke with them about possible TIF assistance.

• Mayor and Administrator met with representatives from GrowthCorp (one’s trying to develop Northside Lofts) to discuss a Homebuyer’s Assistance Program.

• Had meeting with Sarah Brown and Erica Hajny of the MC YMCA.

• Met with Troy Blaser – P&R Director.

• City Clerk and I met with Vortex concerning the new Aquatic Center plans.

• Sat in on four interviews with candidates for the Police Chief’s Administrative Assistant (Chief, Lt. Baker, City Clerk on committee).

ADMINISTRATOR highlighted that the new Bark Park in Aledo has not yet opened and asks residents to hold off on using the facility our driving out to the site until later this spring. Currently, the neighborhood vehicle pathway is the only amenity that is open for use.

Mayor’s Report: No Report.

Committee Report: ALD. Cooper reported a Public Property, Streets & Sidewalks Committee meeting was held on February 24th. The Committee discussed the upcoming SW/NW 9th Avenue Shared Use Pathway project; the SW 6th Street Safe Routes to School project; and, the NW Quadrant Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) project.

To schedule a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Committee meeting on Monday, March 24th at 6:00 o’clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The Committee to discuss a TIF application submitted by Smith’s Meats and to discuss the advertising / pricing and incentives for the lots in Sponsler’s Manor Third Addition – Phase 1.

REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION

Following the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,

CONSENT AGENDA

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

• Approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 18, 2025.

• Approval of Finance: Invoice Listing – AP04.

• Approval of Ordinance No. 06, Series of 2025; Approving Official Zoning Map for 2025. (Second Reading)

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:

RESOLUTION NO. 08R, SERIES OF 2025; APPROVING THE COUNTRYVIEW VILLAS PRELIMINARY AND FINAL PLAT:

MBX2, LLC, as owner of part of Outlot 3 of Hidden Valley Subdivision in the City of Aledo, Mercer County, Illinois (the “Property”), previously submitted the Preliminary Plat for approval, which such Preliminary Plat was approved by the City Council by Resolution No. 04R, Series of 2024 on February 16, 2024. Total tract acreage – 6.14 acres.

MBX2, LLC (“Owner”) has now submitted a final plat of the Property. Given that more than one year has passed since approval of the Preliminary Plat, the Owner has re submitted the Preliminary Plat, along with the Final Plat, for City Council approval.

Motion was made by ALD. COOPER and seconded by ALD. SARABASA to approve Resolution No. 08R, Series of 2025; Approving the Countryview Villas Preliminary and Final Plat as presented. A Roll call vote was recorded as follows:

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

OLD BUSINESS: ALD. Cooper noted that he has noticed that political signage is being placed within city right-of-way this spring along with realtor signage in right-of-way in the NE quadrant of Aledo as well. It was noted that signage must be placed behind city right of-way.

ALD. Sarabasa inquired if the City would be able to provide a status update regarding Albertson properties construction projects being worked on the downtown business district area. MAYOR Hagloch reported he recently attended a tour of the Aledo Opera House and plans are to open in April, 2025. Other projects to include this year the Button Building completion, the old hardware store upper-story living renovation, and the Little Cooper building. Albertson also plans to repair the backwall of 112 East Main Street that is now exposed after the demolition of 105 SE 2nd Street last year.

NEW BUSINESS: No Report.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, motion was made by ALDERMAN DIXON and seconded by ALDERMAN WEEKS that the meeting be adjourned. A Unanimous voice vote followed in agreement. Meeting was adjourned at 6:46 P.M.

https://www.aledoil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03032025-447