City of East Dubuque City Council met Dec. 3.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
1. 18-1201 Call to Order – Acting Mayor: Alderman Arling, Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman, Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand
2. 18-1202 Speakers from the Floor- None noted.
NEW BUSINESS:
3. 18-1203
Discussion and Possible Action to Appoint Interim City Manager for the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Acting Mayor Robey ROLL CALL
• Alderman Robey: Went through the process of talked and met with Loras Herrig from Bellevue and he agreed to come on board as an at will employee.
o Loras Herrig: Has been serving on the council in Bellevue for many years as an Alderman as well as the Mayor. Became the city administrator in 1998. Would love the opportunity to serve as the interim City Manager.
o Alderman Robey recommend that the council approve Mr. Herrig to serve as City Manager. This position would be as an at will employee.
• Motion made by Alderman Degenhardt, seconded by Alderman Vanostrand, four ayes, 2 nays, motion carries. ROLL CALL: Alderman Arling (nay), Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman (nay), Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand
Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement Between
The City of Freeport, the County of Stephenson, the City of East Dubuque, the Village of Hanover, the Village of Lena, and the County of Jo Daviess / Acting Mayor Robey,
Lisa McCarthy ROLL CALL
• Alderman Robey: Gary Wuinn and Lisa McCarthy are here to give information
o Lisa McCarthy: Congratulations to Mayor Robey and New city Manager Loras; and the new City Hall building. The city of ED is currently in an Enterprise zone. Had been working with the previous City Manager to get ED in the Zone. The current zoning expires on December 31st 2020. There is a criteria that needs to be met in order to qualify as an Ezone. We have had much success with this Ezoning for attracting new business. Looking to have the council to approve the intergovernmental agreement.
o Alderman Arling: Where is the current E-Zone? What is the process for potential business owners to operate within the Ezone?
▪ Lisa: The current Ezone was at the fertilizer plant.
As part of the application process, they talk to the current business owners about their long term plans and the state looks at this information. Have already spoke to some of the businesses, and the outlook of expansion is substantial. The benefits include tax breaks along with many others depending on the nature of the business. East Dubuque is currently in the Ezone and this would be an expansion to the Zone.
▪ Alderman Robey: You need our signature as a council to continue the application process? Yes
▪ Lisa: There is a fee for the enterprise zone at one half percent that is given partially back to the municipality and the rest goes to the Ezone for administration costs and marketing.
▪ Alderman Arling: Would we have to pay the half percent if we as a municipality built a new building in the Ezone? No, not as a municipality.
▪ Gary: There are 8 zones available and 40 applicants. Every unit of government we are working with is facing the same challenges with lower budgets. We have to inventory every vacant building in JoDaviess and Stephenson Counties. If you decide in the future that you do not want to continue, it can be done.
▪ Alderman Arling: Could we change the area that the Ezone would be part of? Yes, but when you are looking at the downtown properties, the cost will far outweigh the cost of new construction in a different part of the area. Are the new businesses that may come in, obligated to use the Ezone? No.
▪ Alderman Haavner: Could this be used in a residential housing development? Yes, this has been done in other Ezones, but the city sponsored it.
▪ Lisa: IEI property, north of the fertilizer plant and the downtown area.
• Motion made by Alderman Vanostrand to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Freeport, the County of Stephenson, the City of East Dubuque, the Village of Hanover, the Village of Lena, and the County of Jo Daviess, seconded by Alderman Digman, five ayes, one nay; motion carries. ROLL CALL: Alderman Arling (Nay), Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman, Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand.
5. 18-1205 Discussion and Possible Action to Pass an Ordinance Establishing an Enterprise Zone Within the City of East Dubuque, Illinois / Acting Mayor Robey ROLL CALL
• Alderman Robey, this is the ordinance that corresponds with the previous agenda item. Part of the process.
• Motion made by Alderman Degenhardt to Pass an Ordinance Establishing an Enterprise Zone within the City of East Dubuque, Illinois, seconded by Alderman Robey, Five ayes, one nay, motion carries. ROLL CALL: Alderman Arling (nay), Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman, Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand
6. 18-1206 Discussion and Possible Action to Pass Resolution of Taxing District and Authorize Mayor to Complete Application Certification / Acting Mayor ROLL CALL
• Motion made by Alderman Vanostrand to Pass Resolution of Taxing District and Authorize Mayor to Complete Application Certification, seconded by Alderman Digman, Five ayes, one nay, motion carries. ROLL CALL: Alderman Arling (Nay), Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman, Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand
7. 18-1207 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Insurance Proposal for the City of East Dubuque, Illinois for the 2019 Calendar Year with (Agent) / Acting Mayor Robey ROLL CALL
• Joan Mai, City Treasurer: IMLA, Korkill, Gallagher and Trident were contacted. The totals were quite different for each one. Please take a look at this closely.
• Alderman Robey: Not looking for a decision tonight. Would like the Council to look into these bids and table.
• Aaron Golden of IMLA: East Dubuque was in the program in or around 2012.
• Alderman Arling Are these projections based on the current building? Aaron: Yes
and no. Some of the numbers we believe are undervalued. We are taking the current insurance schedules and looking to do an “apples to apples” type quotation, if things were to move forward, we would send an agent out for a formal evaluation to get a more realistic insight to the value. These rates will change after the assessment. Looking at historical data, the numbers could be lower due to the amount of time they look back on the history -for instance- workman’s comp. There was a significant loss a little over five years ago, and the current carrier could be looking at this to recoup some of the costs, as our company would not look at this as it was not something that was ever something that was paid out by our company. There is no coverage that is lacking in the proposal. As far as flood coverage, would possibly look into another provider on the City’s behalf. This can be worked through. There is current flood insurance, but there are many exclusions.
• Motion made by Alderman Arling to Approve IMLA’s proposal and proceed with their offer, seconded by Alderman Vanostrand, 6 ayes, motion carries. ROLL CALL: Alderman Arling, Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman, Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand
8. 18-1208 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve All Liquor and City Licenses of Various Classes for Calendar Year January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 with Completed Applications / Acting Mayor Robey
• Motion made by Alderman Arling to Approve All Liquor and City Licenses of Various Classes for Calendar Year January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 with Completed Applications, seconded by Alderman Degenhardt, 6 ayes, motion carries.
9. 18-1209 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Purchase of Bullet Proof Vests and Dash Camera Through DRA Grant for East Dubuque Police Department / Acting Mayor Robey
• Chief O’Connell: The grant has to be closed out in the next few weeks; we can buy it now and install it later. The department has plenty of funds in the restricted funds to cover the remainder of the monies that the grant won’t cover.
• Motion made by Alderman Degenhardt to Approve Purchase of Bullet Proof Vests and Dash Camera Through DRA Grant for East Dubuque Police Department, seconded by Alderman Vanostrand, 6 ayes, motion carries. ROLL CALL: Alderman Arling, Alderman Degenhardt, Alderman Digman, Alderman Haavner, Alderman Robey, Alderman Vanostrand
COUNCIL & COMMITTEE REPORTS:
10. 18-1210 Staff Reports: Acting Mayor Report, Alderman Report
• Mayor Report: Thank you to Loras for coming on board and giving us a hand.
• Alderman Report:
o Alderman Arling:
▪ Agrees with John about the process, not the faith. Looking at the committee representatives, should have an Alderman from each ward on each committee.
o Alderman Degenhardt:
▪ Thank you everyone that helped with the Christmas decorations.
o Alderman Digman:
▪ Thank you Loras. Wanted to let you know that the problem with this is the process of the situation, not the faith in your abilities.
o Alderman Haavner: ▪ None
o Alderman Vanostrand:
▪ Thank you to Loras.
Committee Reports: Ordinance, Budget, Local Improvements, Planning, Civil Service, and Utilities Committee
• None
11. 18-1211 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 11-5-2018, City Council Minutes 11-19-2018, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning, and Correspondence)
• Motion made by Alderman Arling to Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 11- 5-2018, City Council Minutes 11-19-2018, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning, and Correspondence), seconded by Alderman Digman, six ayes, motion carries.
12. 18-1212 Executive Session: Personnel Section 2(c)(1) Employee Hiring, Firing, Compensation, Discipline and Performance, Purchase or Lease of Real Estate Section 2(c)(5), Deliberations of Quasi-Adjudicative Bodies Section 2(c)(4)
• No Executive Session.
13. 18-1213 Any Action to be Taken from Discussion in Executive Session
14. 18-1214 Adjourn
• Motion Degenhardt to adjourn at 6:58 p.m. made by Alderman, Seconded by Alderman Vanostrand, six ayes, motion carries. Adjourned.
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