NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met Feb. 19.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

1. 24-0209 Call to Order – Mayor Digman

Start Time: 6:00 p.m.

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

2. 24-0210 Staff Reports

a. City Manager Report

Called a special meeting for Monday February 26th. Just to be able to take the final vote of the sales of the properties.

Garage on 193 Sinsinawa had sent out pictures of bricks falling and almost hitting utilities. Engineer suggested that the city might want to take it down as soon as possible. Potential to fall into the Fire Station. This is not part of the building itself and would have come off during restoration.

Officer Caleb Stines resigned. Last night will be Tuesday the 20th. Would like to thank him for his service and wish him well. We will not pursue filling that position at this time.

Kudos to Alderperson Belken and Degenhardt for getting people to send complaints to the Commerce Commission of Illinois. We now have a representative and they are going to replace poles within the community.

We are surveying another parcel of land. When the city bought the Water Tower site the city only needed to use 1½ acres. It is a good commercial site going to survey it then appraised and declared for surplus property.

Annual Grammercy Park documents are in the packets, and they seem to be all in order.

b. Mayor Report

Shout out for the Fireman’s Banquet. It was awesome and a great time. Want to say thank you and well done.

c. Alderperson Report

i. Belken

On the ninth of this month Alderperson Degenhardt and him went to the school to give a presentation on city government. It was a nice time.

ii. Burgmeier

iii. Degenhardt

Was a great time again. Proud of what the Fire Department does for the city.

The property in the flats which the two houses and lot is supposed to be closed next Friday.

iv. Fluhr

v. Meier

vi. Robey

Are we doing anything about getting our committees together? We are trying to get these started but do not have a list yet.

d. City Attorney, Susan Hess

The closing that Alderperson Degenhardt mentioned is set for Friday the 23rd. Will be good to have that finalized.

e. Police Chief, Luke Kovacic

i. January Monthly Report

Tomorrow will be Officer Caleb Stines last shift. He has accepted a full-time job with the Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Department. He will start on Friday there. He wishes to stay part time here once done with probationary time with the Sheriff's Department.

f. Public Works Director, Mark Fluhr/

i. Date for Flood Task Force for 2024

Just if there has been a date set for the Flood Task Force meeting. Have not as of yet.

g. Fire Chief, Joe Heim

3. 24-0211 Speakers from the Floor

4. 24-0212 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 02/05/24, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Consent Agenda (City Council 02/05/24, 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. 24-0213 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Rezoning Application for Weimerskirch Properties, LLC at 406 Wall St. in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Was passed unanimously at the Zone Board meeting earlier. This is going from Residential with Special Use to Commercial.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve Rezoning Application for Weimerskirch Properties, LLC at 406 Wall St. second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

6. 24-0214 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Video Gaming License for Mid-Town Marina with Completed Application for 3 Video Gaming Terminals in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Video Gaming License for Mid-Town Marina with Completed Application for 3 Video Gaming Terminals second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

7. 24-0215 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Purchase of New Fire Department Apparatus for $645,549.24 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Have Sales Rep Orin Snodgrass from HME. Chief Heim let the council know they had rejected all the other bids and gone with the demo truck with HME. Have the base price with the additional safety upfits that are required.

Alderperson Belken let the Chief know that he had explained it very well at the last meeting.

City Manager Seitz on the financial part of it. The Fire Department was able to get a $350,000 0% interest from the State of Illinois. Which leaves just under $300,000 to work on getting the rest.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Purchase of New Fire Department Apparatus for $645,549.24 second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

8. 24-0216 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Resolution Authorizing Execution for the Sale of Surplus Municipal Property in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the sale of one of the engines that is being replaced. Just requesting to start listing the engine but will not be able to sale until new one is here, and people have trained on it.

Alderperson Meier asked for the information so that he can help with trying to sell the engine.

Is there an asking price? Looking at $120,00 to 130,000. Have low miles, pumpers are good and body in good condition.

HME will not take in trade.

Motion by Alderperson Meier to Approve Resolution Authorizing Execution for the Sale of Surplus Municipal Property second by Alderperson Robey ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

9. 24-0217 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Resolution Authorizing City Manager Seitz to Move Forward with 193 Sinsinawa Ave Garage Demolition in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

The city has had Temperley and Stewart take a look and bid it. Been working with the utilities and are all clear but not Nicor. The plan is to have it taken down as soon as possible so no one gets hurt.

Do we need to bid this out? This is what is considered an emergency.

What about bricks? They talked about someone that wants bricks. If someone has any ideas to let City Manager Seitz know.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve Resolution Authorizing City Manager Seitz to Move Forward with 193 Sinsinawa Ave Garage Demolition second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

10. 24-0218 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve to Purchase Budget Software, Additional License and Employee Training Time with Civic Systems, LLC in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Will be to build the budget in the system and then able to track in real time. These will populate with real time. Will address the discrepancies that the audit found for ’23. An additional license will not be used if we do not need it.

Mayor Digman thinks this is a great idea because of the real time. There is more accountability.

Are there still training hours? Yes.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve to Purchase Budget Software, Additional License and Employee Training Time with Civic Systems, LLC second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

11. 24-0219 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve to Authorize Jill Pepin with CFPS to Investigate Financing for 183 Sinsinawa Ave and 193 Sinsinawa Ave in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Tabled because we did not have any information from Jill Pepin.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Table Authorizing Jill Pepin with CFPS to Investigate Financing for 183 Sinsinawa Ave and 193 Sinsinawa Ave second by Alderperson Belken ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

12. 24-0220 Adjourn

End Time: 6:32 p.m.

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

https://www.cityofeastdubuque.com/agenda/minutes/february-19-2024-minutes