City of Byron Council met March 6.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
1. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Pro Tem Alderman Christy Hanlin called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by Alderman Hanlin
3. ROLL CALL – Aldermen present: *Todd Isaacs, Emily Gerdes, Mittzi Fulrath, Dan Reilly, Michael Gyorkos, Christy Hanlin. Absent: Mayor Rickard, Andy Gramer. Six members present by Roll Call Vote. Quorum established.
* - denotes start of the roll call vote
PRESENT: City Clerk Caryn Huber
City Attorney Kim Krahenbuhl
City Engineer Jason Stoll
Chief of Police Todd Murray
Citizens Pam Kultgen, Hannah Feldhaus, Gwen Wilde
4. REVERENCE PERIOD – Alderman Hanlin led the Council in prayer.
5. APPROVAL/AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA – Motion by Alderman Isaacs to approve, as presented, the March 6, 2019, Agenda, seconded by Alderman Gerdes. Roll call vote: Gerdes, AYE; Fulrath, AYE; Reilly, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABS 0.
6. MINUTES –
a. February 20, 2019, Regular Council Meeting Minutes – Motion made by Alderman Reilly to approve, as presented, the February 20, 2019, Regular Council minutes, seconded by Alderman Fulrath. Roll call vote: Fulrath, AYE; Reilly, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE. Motion passed: AYE 6; NAY 0; ABSTAIN 0.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT – Two people signed up for Public Comment. Hannah Feldhaus and Gwen Wilde proposed that City Council modify the Ordinance that bans residents from raising chickens. They have circulated a petition and have 120 signatures from an online petition and 10 handwritten signatures. Alderman Hanlin explained that the process from here will be that the Mayor will assign the topic to a committee and, after research and discussion, the committee will make a recommendation to Council. Alderman Reilly, as Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, received a copy of the petition. Attorney Krahenbuhl added that the subdivisions also have their own covenants and restrictions which the city cannot override.
8. TREASURER’S REPORT – No report.
9. LIST OF BILLS - The tentative bills for the City of Byron were presented to the Council for discussion. Motion made by Alderman Isaacs to approve the payment of bills dated March 6, 2019, in the amount of $75,436.84. Motion seconded by Alderman Fulrath. Roll call vote: Reilly, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE; Fulrath, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABSTAIN, 0.
10. MAYOR’S REPORT – Second Chance Tavern and Weezy’s Bar and Grill have requested they be allowed to open at 5am during the upcoming Exelon outage from April 8 – April 27, 2019. The Mayor and Chief Murray have reviewed the request and given their approval. Alderman Hanlin added that this approval does extend to other establishments as well.
11. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT – No report
12. CITY ENGINEER’S PROJECT STATUS – Engineer Stoll reported that he spoke with a contact at William Charles, and they are planning to begin making repairs and filling potholes on 3rd Street in April. As soon as the asphalt plants open in late April/early May, they will finish paving the road. ● Alderman Fulrath will discuss the 2019 Street Repair proposal during committee reports. ● Bids for the downtown parking lot have been prepared and sent out. They hope to receive and review those in April. ● Alderman Reilly asked about sidewalks that run from the main sidewalk to the curb on 3rd Street. Many, if not all, were ripped up during construction. Engineer Stoll will take a look at this, although he said their policy is not to replace these sidewalks.
13. REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – No report
14. COMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Community Services – The committee continued discussion on Commercial Property Standards, and has several recommendations further in the agenda.
b. Public Safety – Chief Murray reported that department hiring issues will be discussed at the next Public Safety committee meeting on 3/20. ● He and the Mayor will be meeting with Liquor License holders next week and asked anyone with concerns to contact him. ● Alderman Isaacs asked if any agreement has been made with the school yet regarding the hiring of the School Resource Officer. Chief Murray said there is no formal agreement yet, but he would like to proceed with hiring at least two police officers in anticipation of this, and to maintain the status quo. We will be losing one officer, and possibly two in the near future.
c. Administrative – Alderman Hanlin reported that they held a committee meeting tonight and discussed the Entre Computer proposal. They attempted to get a second bid from a company called Impact, however, Impact will charge $3,000 just to evaluate the system and give a bid on upgrading the equipment. Impact said they also work with other municipalities, but refused to say which ones after being asked by Chief Murray. The committee recommends approval of the Entre Computer proposal, which has been adjusted after the new year to a new total of $29,115.68. ● The committee also discussed unmetered and unbilled water accounts within the city limits. They will be speaking with Aaron about getting these accounts metered in an effort to reduce our 25% water loss.
15. CONTINUING BUSINESS –
a. School Resource Officer/School agreement – Nothing new.
b. Intergovernmental Agreement with Byron Township – An agreement has been proposed to the Byron Township. They have not taken action on this yet.
c. Entre Computer Proposal – A recommendation has been made by
committee to accept the Entre Computer Proposal in the amount of $29,115.68. Motion seconded by Mike Gyorkos. Roll call vote: Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE; Fulrath, AYE; Reilly, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABSTAIN, 0. Alderman Isaacs added that some of this payment will be made this fiscal year, and some next fiscal year.
d. WEX Fuel Card – Alderman Hanlin reminded Council that this was discussed last meeting – it is a fuel card available through a program from the State of Illinois. The price of gas will essentially remain the same as the gas we currently get from Blake Oil, but the program enables us to track the gas being used in each vehicle since each vehicle will have its’ own identifying number. Motion by Alderman Gyorkos to begin using the WEX Fuel Card for city vehicles, seconded by Alderman Hanlin. Roll call vote: Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE; Fulrath, AYE; Reilly, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABSTAIN, 0.
e. Palmgren Zoning Amendment – Attorney Krahenbuhl distributed copies of Ordinance 2018-9 amending zoning classification for property at tax parcels 05-29-401-024 and 05-29-404-001 created from the split of Lot 9 of Jackson Knolls Subdivision. The zoning change was approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals and by Council at the last meeting, and this is the ordinance to formally make the change. Alderman Reilly motioned to approve Ordinance 2018-9, seconded by Alderman Gerdes. Roll call vote: Gerdes, AYE; Fulrath, AYE; Reilly, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABSTAIN, 0.
f. Police Officer Reimbursement Program – Chief Murray will provide, on Dropbox, an agreement for officer reimbursement should the Council agree to buyout the new officer’s contract.
16. NEW BUSINESS –
a. Mrozek TIF Application – Ken Mrozek submitted a TIF Application for new awnings for his building on 2nd Street. The Administrative Committee is reviewing.
b. 2019 Street Projects – The Community Services Committee is recommending that Council approve 2019 Street Projects in the amount of $626,023.41. The recommendation will be voted on at the next meeting.
17. COUNCIL TALK – Alderman Gerdes asked how to access the current ordinance regarding chickens. Alderman Gyorkos added that Channel 13 had contacted him for comment earlier in the day.
18. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a. Section 2(c)11 – Pending, probable or imminent litigation
b. Section 2(c)1 – Personnel
c. Section 2(c)(5)(6) – Purchase/Sale of City Owned Real Property
d. Section 2(c)(21) – Review/Approval of Closed Meeting Minutes
e. Section 2(c)(2) – Collective Bargaining Negotiations
Alderman Hanlin advised there was no need for an Executive Session.
19. COMMUNICATION
a. Next Regular City Council Meeting – Wednesday, March 20, 2019 @ 6:30 pm.
Alderman Hanlin adjourned the City Council meeting at 6:55 p.m.
https://www.cityofbyron.com/vertical/sites/%7B67304C08-5FC3-4329-8F07-4786D33EE040%7D/uploads/Minutes_-_2019-03-06-Approved.pdf
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