City of Byron City Council met March 15.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
1. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Rickard called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by Mayor Rickard
3. ROLL CALL – Aldermen present: Todd Isaacs, Emily Gerdes, Ron Boyer, Jessica Nehring, Michael Gyorkos, Christy Hanlin. Six members present.
Aldermen Absent: Mittzi Fulrath, Zeke Hobbie
PRESENT: Mayor John Rickard
City Clerk Caryn Huber
City Attorney Aaron Szeto
City Administrator Brian Brooks
Police Chief Todd Murray
Engineer Jason Stoll
Citizens Caitlin Vaughan, Pam Kultgen, Bradley Cox
4. REVERENCE PERIOD – Mayor Rickard led the Council in prayer.
5. APPROVAL/AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA – Motion by Alderman Hanlin to approve, as presented, the March 15, 2023, agenda. Seconded by Alderman Isaacs. Roll call vote: Gerdes, AYE; Boyer, AYE; Nehring, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABS 0.
6. MINUTES –
a. February 27, 2023 – City Council Special Meeting Minutes – Motion by Alderman Hanlin to approve, as presented, the February 27, 2023 City Council Special Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Alderman Nehring. Roll call vote: Boyer, ABS; Nehring, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, ABS. Motion passed: AYE, 4; NAY, 0; ABS 2.
b. March 1, 2023 – Regular City Council Meeting Minutes – Motion by Alderman Boyer to approve, as presented, the March 1, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Alderman Hanlin. Roll call vote: Nehring, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE; Boyer, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABS, 0.
7. PUBLIC COMMENT – None
8. TREASURER’S REPORT – Treasurer Huber reported that the February 2023 Treasurer’s Report is in Dropbox. We have two CDs maturing next week. She and Administrator Brooks have reviewed interest rates from Byron Bank, Stillman Bank, the Illinois Treasurer’s Office Illinois Funds, and our Public Funds Money Manager accounts at Byron Bank. The highest interest rate at this time is 4.75% through the Public Fund accounts. We plan on opening two new Public Fund accounts. One will be named General Fund 2. The purpose of the account is to hold funds for long term. Two CDs (one for $302,243.84-3% maturing 3/23 and one for $30,428.81-1% maturing 4/19) will be put into this account. The second account will be named General Fund-Streets. Two CDs (one for $201,495.89-3% maturing 3/23 and one for $503,011.25-1% maturing 5/23) will be put into this account. Two Tort CDs in the amounts of $38,271.25 and $32,514.83 will be transferred into the existing Tort Public Fund Money Manager account. Both of these CDs mature on 5/23 at 1%. All CDs that we are redeeming early will recoup the penalties in 19 days. All changes will be reflected in next month’s Treasurer’s report.
9. LIST OF BILLS – Alderman Isaacs asked if we received the last payment from Constellation in the amount of $80,000. Clerk Huber replied that we had, and Fehr Graham was issued payment in this amount. Alderman Gyorkos motioned to approve the List of Bills dated 03/15/23, in the amount of $188,541.02. Motion seconded by Alderman Isaacs. Roll call vote: Gyorkos, AYE; Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE; Boyer; Nehring, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABS 0.
10. MAYOR’S REPORT – Mayor Rickard reported that he will be reviewing committee assignments. He stated that anyone wishing to serve on a different committee should contact him. • Aldermen should be receiving an email entitled IML Statehouse Briefing. The email received yesterday advised of a hearing on March 16 to discuss increasing the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) to 8% of individual income tax collections and 9.11% of corporate income tax collections in state fiscal year 2024. Current rates are 6.16% of state income tax collections and 6.845% of corporate income tax collections. He urged council members to file a witness slip tonight in support of House Bill 2087.
11. CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT –Administrator Brooks reported that he met with Rick Roberson regarding Cox’s Roost. The reviewing company has approved the framing plans and a permit has been issued for that work. The mechanical plans are being submitted for approval. • He has been working with Alderman Isaacs on the 2023-2024 budget. • He and Clerk Huber met with representatives from the Illinois Secretary of State Mobile Unit. The unit will set up in the Community Room on May 9. They will offer all Secretary of State services with the exception of Real I.D.s. • FOP negotiations have begun. • Fehr Graham has submitted two Community Project Funding grant applications on behalf of the City to Senators Duckworth and Durbin. We are requesting $3,500,000 in federal funds to replace 15 blocks of failing watermain, 70 service connections and 10 fire hydrants. In addition, the request includes 1,000’ of new watermain crossing the Rock River. Fehr Graham, who has donated their services to complete the applications, will also submit the request to Rep. LaHood’s office. • Administrator Brooks has been working on overdue TIF reports. He expects to have them completed within the next month. • Alderman Nehring is chairing the 4th of July Fireworks Committee. The fireworks will be held at the Dragway on July 2. The Dragway is contracting with the fireworks company who they work with regularly. Fundraising will begin. A junior race is scheduled for that day but will be over well before the start of the event.
12. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT – The deed has been recorded for 412 E. 2nd St. and the property will be taken off the tax rolls. The city will sell the property after clean-up efforts.
13. CITY ENGINEER’S REPORT – Bid documents have been prepared for the slurry seal and fabric portion of the 2023 Streets program. Bids should be back next month. The HMA skip patch documents will be prepared next.
14. DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORT – No report.
15. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS REPORT – Administrator Brooks reported for Director Vincer. There was a recent chlorine surge at Well 5 due to an electrical failure. Repairs are being made. Hydrants were flushed and testing reveled that the chlorine is at a safe drinking level. If residents experience a smell or taste of chlorine, they are asked to let the water run for a few minutes in their home to clear the pipes from the main to the home. • Repairs were done to a water service break on Merchant and Lafayette. The repair revealed more water services and valves that will need to be replaced along with sewer structures that are candidates for replacement or lining. Some of the work will need to be completed before the road is resurfaced later this summer. • IEPA is reviewing information for our new discharge permit. They are asking for a review of our ammonia mixing zone and a river mussel survey to determine if any endangered species are affected by our plant outfall. More information will follow from IEPA. • Sewer plant visits have been helpful. Director Vincer recently visited a site that has been running a media process (similar to our preferred design) successfully for over 20 years. They also visited a pump manufacturer.
16. POLICE CHIEF REPORT – During a recent pursuit, a Byron squad car was hit and sustained damages in excess of $5,000. Body work and some decal work will need to be done. The squad was stationary when hit, and the officer was not in the car. A county squad car was also hit as the pursuit went from N. Fox Run Lane into Creekside. The alleged perpetrator has been involved in numerous pursuits prior to this and is currently in jail. • Chief Murray is addressing how to go forward with new FLOCK cameras. The cameras are license plate identifiers. He is in discussions with the school district and the Ogle Co. Sheriff’s Office to determine how they will be used and the best locations for them. • Chief Murray reported that the new police officer will be graduating April 27 from the academy. • The Police Department will be working with a new medicine return company. The new company will pick up the meds and dispose of them. They will also take meds that were not disposed of previously.
17. COMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Community Services – No report.
b. Public Safety – All items covered in Chief Murray’s report.
c. Administrative – No report.
18. CONTINUING BUSINESS
a. Water/Sewer Rate Review – No updates.
b. Comprehensive Plan – Attorney Szeto has written an RFP for the
Comprehensive Plan. It will be published on Friday of this week. Proposals are due May 11.
c. Peru St. ROW Vacation – Attorney Szeto stated that the Administrative Committee is in favor of the ROW vacation with conditions. The conditions include the requirement to develop the land as a parking lot and have it completed by the end of July. The agreement has been submitted to Todd McLester. If he agrees, an ordinance will be prepared for next month’s meeting.
d. Intergovernmental Agreement with Park District –If council has no comments or objections after reviewing the agreement, Administrator Brooks will forward the agreement to the Park District.
19. NEW BUSINESS –
a. Budget Adjustments – A budget adjustment ordinance will be presented at the next meeting for first read. The document will not be in its final form until after the List of Bills is finalized on April 19.
b. Budget – Alderman Isaacs and Administrator Brooks briefly reviewed the proposed budget that is on Dropbox, focusing on the general summary and the streets summary. Administrator Brooks discussed the possibility of using a portion of the street CDs ($500,000) for a down payment on the public works building. Under water and sewer, Alderman Isaacs stated that the sewer capital account would be used for engineering on the wastewater treatment plan, and the account would be reimbursed after the IEPA loan funds are received. Engineer Stoll said that the AWA (American Waterworks Association) recommends that 20% of water and sewer revenue be placed in a depreciation account. Administrator Brooks stated that a public hearing will be held on April 19. The budget, as it stands now, will be available for public viewing starting tomorrow. Alderman Isaacs asked council members to contact him or Administrator Brooks with questions. This will allow them to make adjustments as necessary before the April 5 meeting.
20. COUNCIL TALK – None
21. COMMUNICATION –
a. Regular City Council Meeting – Wednesday, April 5, 6:30 pm.
22. ADJOURN – Alderman Gerdes motioned to adjourn. Motion seconded by Alderman Boyer. Roll call vote: Hanlin, AYE; Isaacs, AYE; Gerdes, AYE; Boyer, AYE; Nehring, AYE; Gyorkos, AYE. Motion passed: AYE, 6; NAY, 0; ABS, 0.
Mayor Rickard adjourned the City Council meeting at 7:10 pm.
https://www.cityofbyron.com/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/4107/minutes_-_2023-03-15-approved.pdf
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