NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met Nov. 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

1. 23-1107 Call to Order – Mayor Digman

Start Time: 6:00 p.m.

Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey, Mayor Digman and Attorney Hess

2. 23-1108 Staff Reports

a. City Manager Report

Boil Order was because of the water main break. Nothing was found in the water. Once pressure goes down in tower the water needs to be tested twice within 24 hours.

Thank you to the Public Works team for addressing the nine breaks in a 10-day period. Reminder that the system is old.

Asked Marc Ruden to help prevent future breaks. So, we don’t have widespread boil orders and loss of pressure.

Flats Fire Station if needed can be added on too. This would be if the trucks came in before the new station was built.

Handicapped parking in front of 231 was creating a hazard. City Crew made that spot no parking and moved handicapped over a spot.

DACRA mayors met and are committed to continuing with the program and paying their share of the costs. Agreeing to divide the fixed cost and then assess an amount per citation to cover variable costs. This will drop the fixed cost from $3,510 to around $600. Have agreed to give the communities two more months to keep the program going and to transition to the fixed cost payment during this time. Still talking if we or another community will be running the program. Another meeting will be in Warren on December 15th.

Asked about showing bank balances and what we are trying to accomplish. City Manager Seitz has been tracking balances month to month from the end of 2022 fiscal year till now. Has provided graphs to point this out. He puts these graphs on his far wall so he can see the overall trend.

b. Mayor Report

A huge thank you to the City Crew for their work with the breaks. Like to thank Jean and Bob for sending food to the City Crew for all their hard work. Want to thank the Police department also for the back up when the Wisconsin Bridge was closed down.

c. Alderperson Report

i. Belken

ii. Burgmeier

iii. Degenhardt

iv. Fluhr

v. Meier

Checked on what it would take to take care of pavement cracks going up Montgomery Ave. He was given options of things that can be done. The thing that stood out for Alderperson Meier was if nothing was done a replacement project could be more than $3,000,000. Was let known that right now with the spending freeze nothing can be done now. But will look into ways to fund this project and might be able to use MFT money for this project.

Manhole on the Hiawatha is sunk down and will need to be fixed.

vi. Robey

Are there any other communities to join DACRA? One was Scales Mound but weather they want to stay in. They write very few tickets. Won’t know the number of communities until the December 15th meeting. Concerned we are losing money on this big time. Is this beneficial for us to continue this? Yes, for instance DACRA has been very beneficial since we are able to write citations and then be able to act on those properties if we must. We have made progress on properties that we have been writing citations. Looked over finance reports but we are only invoicing four communities for the $250. Yes, there are four plus us with DACRA not charging for more than the five.

Do we have a lien on the house on Sherwood? No. Do we need to put a lien on the house? Have determined that will need to be done.

East Dubuque Community Christmas is this Saturday starting at 2:30 with Santa coming in on a fire truck. With memorial walk later in the day.

d. City Attorney, Susan Hess

e. Police Chief, Luke Kovacic

i. October Monthly Report

Sgt Huseman has completed his 30th year with the department. On behalf of the department thank him for his service to the city. Will present him a plaque at a future meeting.

f. Public Works Director, Mark Fluhr

Some of the wider cracks we can put filler in, but we should look more into this. Asked Alderperson Robey about cones for the walk on Saturday.

g. Fire Chief, Joe Heim

3. 23-1109 Speakers from the Floor

4. 23-1110 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 11/06/23, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Consent Agenda (City Council 11/06/23, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence) second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

NEW BUSINESS:

5. 23-1111 Presentation, Discussion and Possible Action on Options for Water System Improvements Presented by Marc Ruden of Origin in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Met with Bob to see what can be done to avoid a boil order again. This was passed a year ago and thought this would help if something happened like last week. What they suggested was to connect with the Frentress Lake water system that will allow us the ability to back feed up Badger Rd to feed the water tower. This will accomplish a few things like the critical review we have at Frentress Lake, will also be able to back feed to the Frentress Lake water system from the East Dubuque water system. Would probably have a booster station around the area of J&R Supply then have a 12 in line that will connect to the one we already have on Badger Rd. Will work with Jill Pepin to update the project plan with the Frentress Lake connection plan and will be brought up to the council. Will be able to bolster and better source of water that is softer. Recommend as a good next step.

City Manager Seitz – ideally to take a break but the other options are not a really good idea because it is redundant. We need to look at having a 12 in line to keep the problems down.

We still need to replace the aging and undersize lines.

Interest is still low.

Will the pressure increase or decrease? There will not be a change in the pressure of water. Will keep water to the greatest number of citizens.

Would be able to start late 2024 and would be about 12 months.

This will give the city an extra source of water.

No action required.

6. 23-1012 Discussion and Possible Action to Authorize the City Manager to Seek Reinstatement of Bank Line of Credit in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Will have financials from auditors here soon. Not sure what will happen and would like to have something to fall back on if it is needed only. Will only be used when it is absolutely needed. Will go to the council to take action about the spending of money.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Authorize the City Manager to Seek Reinstatement of Bank Line of Credit second by Alderperson Robey ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

7. 23-1013 Discussion and Approval of IEPA PSW Loan 17-4205 Request #16 in the amount of $466,069.88 including Louie’s Trenching Pay App #9, CFPS Invoice #6, Caldwell Pay apps #10 & 11 and Origin Design Invoices in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve IEPA PSW Loan 17-4205 Request #16 in the amount of $466,069.88 including Louie’s Trenching Pay App #9, CFPS Invoice #6, Caldwell Pay apps #10 & 11 and Origin Design Invoices second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

8. 23-1014 Discussion and Approval of IEPA PSW Loan 17-4205 Change Order #7 Final Louie’s Trenching Invoice in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is a reduction not an increase in total. This is to rectify all changes. This was a $57,000 decrease from what was bid at.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve IEPA PSW Loan 17-4205 Change Order #7 Final Louie’s Trenching Invoice second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

9. 23-1015 Discussion and Approval of IEPA PSW Loan 17-4205 Change Order #4 Final Caldwell Tanks Invoice in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Adjusted $16,000 over the bid. Just rectify the changes that happened.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve IEPA PSW Loan 17-4205 Change Order #4 Final Caldwell Tanks Invoice second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

10 23-1016 Adjourn

End Time: 6:57 p.m.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Adjourn second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

https://www.cityofeastdubuque.com/agenda/minutes/november-202023-minutes