Rock Island Today

Rock Island County Public Works and Facilities Committee met April 7.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

1. Call Meeting to Order:

Chairman Larry Burns called the Public Works and Facilities meeting to order at 8:31am

Members in Attendance: Larry Burns, Dave Adams, Rich Morthland, Tim Foster, Bob Westpfahl, Chuck Layer

Also Present: Richard Brunk, Matt Miller, Amanda Van Daele, Greg Thorpe, Jim Grafton, Jared VanTieghem, Jim Nelson, Josh Boudi, Anthony Neve (Sandpiper), Jacob Fenskie (Sandpiper), Jeff Holland (IIIFFC), Andy Waevaert (IIIFFC), Cory Bergfeld (IBEW Local 145), Brad Long (Laborers Local 309), Karl Drapeaux (IUOE Local 150), Jeff Deppe (Laborers Local 309).

2. Public Comment: None

3. Approval of March 10th Public Works & Facilities Minutes:

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster

via voice vote

Motion carried

4. Reports to Committee:

Director Greg Thorpe gave a report from Zoning & Building. ZB Director Thorpe noted the County 86 total receipts for a total net revenue of $15,239.24 estimated value $740,000.00 compared to last year for the similar amount of work but had $120,000.00 in revenue was $15M for a commercial project. Year to date that puts a little behind where we were last year we are still at 44% of the projected Revenue. We had Zoning Board of Appeals March 16thish. We had our MPDS renewal that was submitted to the EPA

Motion to approve: Dave Adams Second: Chuck Layer

via voice vote

Motion carried

GIS Director Josh Boudi reported on looking at new permit software with the Zoning and Building Director that we are about done with and it is pretty impressive. $25,069.00 were the GIS fees collected in the month of March by the recorder. That is a positive move there, we are hoping for around $30,000.00 per month. We are also working with the Highway Department scanning the Highway ROW’s.

Motion to approve: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster

via voice vote

Motion carried

County Engineer Matt Miller gave a Highway Department Report. Mr. Miller reported that wasn’t very much going on at this time due to soft ROW’s. County Engineer Miller referred to the work with GIS on the ROW’s, we had an overall agreement with Hutchison Engineering for a lot of different Engineering work

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Rich Morthland

via voice vote

Motion carried

Rock Island County Public Works & Facilities Committee

Chairman Larry Burns

Minutes from April 7 2025 Committee Meeting

County Administrator Jim Grafton gave a report. Mr. Grafton gave a report that the Animal Care & Control. We shut down the Facility down to the Public from April 21st to April 25th so they can basically gut the HVAC system and install some carpeting, painting and organizing. Mr. Grafton informed the Committee that last week they met with Johnson Controls and we are looking at a more technical tune up, once in the spring and once in the fall. The operation of this building is linked to a computer system so we will have a technical update so those systems are monitored and kept current so we don’t let someone in there and start tinkering around and the next thing you know we have things falling apart. Mr. Grafton told the Committee that they have a coordinator selected for fleet. Four applicants for that position and we interviewed 7 for the position of mechanic were interviewed our goal is to hire at least 2 possibly 3 mechanics. Fleet services will be in operation by the 28th of this month.

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster/Chuck Layer

via voice vote

Motion carried

County Board Chairman Richard Brunk let the Committee know that he and County Administrator Grafton will meet with a representative of the Rock Island Preservation Society tomorrow. There has been an interest expressed in landmarking this building. That is something that will go before the City Council at some point. There are some questions that Mr. Grafton and I have regarding what we need to do moving forward. Obviously there have been some modifications already made to the building that have impacted the exterior esthetics such as the window are not original, the roofing is not original. So, the question is where that takes the County in the future.

5. Zoning Board of Appeals Cases

RZ-25-104 Christopher & Karen McManus R1 to Se-2 ED

SU-25-101 Sandpiper Solar Project Com Solar Energy Facility CR

Motion to approve: Richard Morthland Second: Bob Westpfahl

Discussion: Mr. Morthland noted that some people don’t want to do this but I feel that we need to progress and I support this project. Committee Member Dave Adams asked representatives of Sandpiper if they were going to use tax incentives on this. They answered that had not decided on this yet.

via voice vote

Motion carried

6. Consider Bids from Highway related to Township Seal Coat

Mr. Miller explained that there were 4 Township commissioners that did not want to use the lowest bid and they chose to go with the second lowest bid. For Moline Township Langman Construction was selected; for Buffalo Prairie Porter Brothers was selected; for Pue Creek Valley was selected at $48,124.35; Coe Township Valley was selected at $48,453.50; Cordova Porter Brothers was selected; Drury Porter Brothers was selected; Edgington Langman was selected; Hampton Valley was selected; $86,981.20; Zuma was selected at $33,729.65. We did have another bid for the Bituminous oil for Rural Township and that was Illinois Road Contractors. $79,750.00

Rock Island County Public Works & Facilities Committee

Chairman Larry Burns

Minutes from April 7 2025 Committee Meeting

Dave Adams made a motion to approve the sealcoat bids and remove the oil until we get further evaluation from Civil Division Second: Tim Foster via voice vote

Motion carried

7. Consider change order to seal basement floor in county Office Building in the amount of $78,471.00 Mr. Grafton explained that due to asbestos in the floor of the County Building it will be cheaper to to just seal the Floor with a colored epoxy at a cost of $48,771.00.

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Rich Morthland

via voice vote

Motion carried

8. Consider Highway purchase of a 22’ tilt bed trailer in the amount of $17,965.81 Highway Engineer Miller explained that since they have need for the trailer used in two different applications they need an additional trailer to save time and transportation costs. Martin was the middle bid at $17,965.81-- Rexco was at $15,242.11 and Mississippi Truck and $21,384.75 Trailer. The reason I am choosing Martin over Rexco is the service at Rexco is lacking.

Motion: Rich Morthland Second: Tim Foster Discussion: Dave Adams noted that Rexco had a trade in value of $3500.00 the others did not. Mr. Miller answered that original when Jake went out for the bids we had a trailer that he said we would be able to trade in. We will actually sell that trailer on Public Surplus. That is the only bid they did that on which is why it is a $15,000 bid.

via voice vote

Motion carried

9. Closed Session: None

10. No action necessary for Closed Session

11. Committee Member opportunity for Comment.

13. Motion to adjourn

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Rest of Committee via voice vote

Motion carried

Meeting was adjourned at 8:57 am

https://www.rockislandcountyil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/1868?fileID=1983