NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met Dec. 4.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

1. 23-1201 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. 23-1202 Staff Reports

a. City Manager Report

Appraisals being performed. Pulled the standpipe lot and Police Station. For the standpipe lot it would cost more to take it down than the lot would be. Moving ahead with the other properties.

Quiet Zone - Met with everyone and almost done with study and different things to do. There is no quiet zone from the tunnel into town. Signs will be at our cost. The changes would include the private drive at the end of Sinsinawa which is the railroad’s property. Then the other costs would be 2nd, 4th and 6th Streets. On these streets you can have an arm that goes all the way across or have the current arms but build a median to keep people from being able to cross over. Once you request the quiet zone you are now not eligible for federal money for any upgrades in the future. We do need to put up signage and make sure to paint the road at those three intersections.

The financial trends are updated to the end of November.

Audit – impressed with what they are doing with this. This will be a more real amount than what we are seeing now. May ’22 to April ’23 deficit from general funds. Will increase by over $150,000. The total deficit in the general fund will be around $1 million.

Met with Chief Heim and we are both in agreement that the Fire Department can not go forward with the new fire station. Hope they know they are respected. City Manager Seitz did commit to make the adjustments to the existing Fire Station. Talked about future plans to put Fire and Police Department in lodgings that meet their needs. Hope to have a plan in place to move forward. If they can get an extension, another bay and use the Police Station as storage. Great that the Department is about service.

Waste of money to cold patch right now. Will hot mix in spring for Montgomery hill area.

b. Mayor Report

Shout out to East Dubuque United on an enjoyable day had by all. Had a great turnout and an enjoyable day and evening.

Alderperson Robey wanted to thank the community for coming out and enjoying the day with them.

The Paid leave for all workers act that goes into effect January 1st is still being worked on. Will have something at the next meeting.

c. Alderperson Report

i. Belken

Want to thank Mike Meyer for his Thanksgiving meal. This meal served 437 people this year.

ii. Burgmeier

Want to check on the alley behind 410 Greenwood to see if getting anywhere with that. City Manager Seitz has not been able to get up there but will in the next week. Will speak with them about the problem.

iii. Degenhardt

Wants to thank Attorney Hess and City Manager Seitz for getting the Shimkus properties moving forward. Also thanked Mike Meyer for what he does for the city.

iv. Fluhr

v. Meier

vi. Robey

Problems with people speeding up Montgomery hill. Being dangerous for people pulling out of driveways and Oxford St. Is there any way the police can sit on the hill to catch the offenders? The police sat there and will continue but the max speed they had was twenty-nine mph.

Also have watched along Montgomery Ave above and there are no people speeding. People think cars are speeding but they really are not. Could we get blinking stop signs for Montgomery and Rivoli and then Montgomery and Elm.

d. City Attorney, Susan Hess

Had a purchase contract signed on those three properties (Shimkus). She is now locked in and hopes the closing will be this week, but the title company was swamped. The title company is also overseeing everything.

Working with City Manager Seitz on the Sherwood property. Will need to decide what the plan of action is on that.

e. Police Chief, Luke Kovacic

f. Public Works Director, Mark Fluhr/Tony VanOstrand

g. Fire Chief, Joe Heim

3. 23-1203 Speakers from the Floor

4. 23-1204 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 11/20/23, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Consent Agenda (City Council 11/20/23, 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. 23-1205 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Frentress Lake Pumping Facility and Water Main Engineering Services Agreement with Origin Design in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Tabled

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Table Frentress Lake Pumping Facility and Water Main Engineering Services Agreement with Origin Design second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

6. 23-1206 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Proposal and Contract with CFPS for the Application Portion of the Frentress Lake Pumping Facility and Water Main in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Tabled

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Table Proposal and Contract with CFPS for the Application Portion of the Frentress Lake Pumping Facility and Water Main second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

7. 23-1207 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Ambulance Rates Beginning January 1, 2024 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the annual look at the ambulance rates for increase. Took the average of all the ambulance service in the State of Illinois in order to stay within the insurance rates. This goes to the insurance company and does not affect the individual themselves. What happens if someone does not have insurance for the call? It goes to the individual and after so many days it will go to collection.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Approve Ambulance Rates Beginning January 1, 2024 second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

8. 23-1208 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Ordinance for Tax Levy Year 2024 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This motion is to increase the property taxes by 4.99%. This does not imply to the current year but the past year. This levy will raise to under $20,000. Can not see a way not to raise the funds to fund the expenditures that have been made. Does this include the referendum that we voted in for the Fire Trucks? No. The referendum was to bond to fund the fire trucks. This will be a portion of the repayment of the bond.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve An Ordinance for Tax Levy Year 2024 second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

9. 23-1209 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve All Liquor and City Licenses of Various Classes for Calendar Year January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 Pending Completed Applications in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Some are highlighted in yellow. Those have not seen paperwork for them. But as of the end of today the only one is 231. Do we need to come back later and approve them? Yes, because will need to receive an application and then needs to be approved before they get their license.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve All Liquor and City Licenses of Various Classes for Calendar Year January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 Pending Completed Applications second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

10. 23-1210 Adjourn

End Time: 6:26 p.m.

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

https://www.cityofeastdubuque.com/agenda/minutes/december-4-2023-minutes