NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met April 29.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

1. 24-0431 Call to Order – Mayor Digman

Start Time: 6:10 p.m.

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

2. 24-0432 Consent Agenda (Warrants)

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Consent Agenda (Warrants) second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

Want to mention that Police, Fire and EMS had a hard call last week and put a press release in front of you. Would like to ask your assistance when these things happen it is very hard on the responders. They can not by law, policy and City Manager dictate tell you any information on what is going on until it is ready to go out in a press release. Please do not contact them, they have a lot to do in these situations. If people think they know what is going on just ask that they wait until information is made available. Will give you the information as soon as it is public.

NEW BUSINESS:

3. 24-0433 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2025 Budget in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This involved the council more with the budget and they know more. Will go through it quickly. General fund Administration is down $57,000, Police down $53,000, Fire down $107,000 and Public Works down $190,000 all within the last couple of years. The budget you are looking at is the one with recalculations for mathematical errors.

Wondering why two police officers are on during the day? Well, there is a schedule that has been developed for law enforcement. First off one officer is at the school, the Chief needs to be here because he is heading up the single largest department in the city government so with all that going on there is a need to have someone out patrolling. At times there are three but there are also times not.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Technical Changes to Fiscal Year 2025 Budget second by Alderperson Robey ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

Deficits in the Enterprise budget have been in the red but with the changes that are going to be introduced will put us in the black by the end of the year. These are for projects already done and being taken on. Spending on just debt $392,000 a year. In that time only $190,000 has been raised in revenue. We only had one increase of 3% in all this time. Approve this budget with the changes in the code and then make the changes in code after.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve An Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2025 Budget second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

4. 24-0434 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Amendment to Ordinance Regulating Wastewater Service in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

These are the changes required to meet the revenue in the budget. Will be an increase of 10% and double the capital fund.

Twenty percent off applies to the usage but not the capital fund. This will give low-income city limits citizens the benefit of an additional $2.50 off their bill. Note on the back pages the updated low-income amounts.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Approve the Offset of $2.50 from Capital Fund for Low-Income second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve An Amendment to Ordinance Regulating Wastewater Service second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

5. 24-0435 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Amendment to Ordinance Regulating Water Service in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

The same issues here with water. The same with the increase of 10% within city limits. Outside city limits will double. Note the capital fund did not double when it was supposed to so suggesting doubling that then double it again to make it the correct rate.

Would also like to make another proposal to offset the $2.50 from the capital fund for the city limits low-income. With it in both wastewater and water will give them a $5 discount on their bill.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Approve the Offset of $2.50 from Capital Fund for Low-Income second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Approve An Amendment to Ordinance Regulating Wastewater Service second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

6. 24-0436 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Amendment to Ordinance Regulating Garbage Service in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is one fee and increased 10% like the other fees. Their charges to us have increased 3% as this is a contract based. But the administrative burden of this program is greater dollar for dollar. We have had a lot of problems with the contract we have. With complaints that Administration has to deal with on a regular basis. Thinks the 10% increase is reasonable on this also.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve An Amendment to Ordinance Regulating Garbage Service second by Alderperson Robey ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

7. 24-0437 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Ordinance for East Dubuque Territory Fire Protection in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

There has been a lot of interest in increasing the amount of the fee for the out of city limit citizens receiving fire protection. This charge was not put in our code but by doing this we will be able to add to code. Was noted that the amount they pay is less than the city limit citizens and thought not right.

Should change territory to district.

In city pays $170 and out of city pays $100 per year. Would like to make a proposal to change the residential and commercial rate to $200 per year.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Approve Non-City Residential and Commercial Rate to $200 Per Year also Change Territory to District second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Ordinance for East Dubuque District Fire Protection second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

8. 24-0438 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve IEPA PWSL Loan 17-6364 Request #1 in the Amount of $57,318.50 including Origin Design, Hammer Law Firm and CFPS Invoices in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

These are invoices carried by this firms until the money was released for the program. This is a grant funded program. Once we get close to expending all the dollars, we will halt so that we do not incur any cost.

Hammer Law Firm these all just have to deal with this Loan 17-6364. Yes.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Approve IEPA PWSL Loan 17-6364 Request #1 in the Amount of $57,318.50 including Origin Design, Hammer Law Firm and CFPS Invoices second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

9. 24-0439 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Amended Priorities in the City Facilities Plan in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Been a lot of spending without revenue generating keeping up with it. Wanted to put in front of you the numbers for the facilities plan. Oxford will be water and sewer with road being redone. The lift stations are in the order that they need to be done in. We would not do all but will need

to do a few. Indian Hills Phases 1 & 2 would add about $100,000 worth of debt. Placed the estimated cost of replacing water mains where we have had the most problems which would be Sinsinawa, Montgomery and Hiawatha. These all would be 30% forgiveness with the rest as a 30-year loan.

Would like directions on what you would like to do. Indian Hills have not got any interest in developing the area behind there yet. Do we know how many homes are interested in sewer in Indian Hills. No, we do not.

Would like to see more work done in the city limits than outside the limits. If we are not able to annex then why would we spend that kind of money.

Any way to do Montgomery that is already tore up then replace and must repatch.

The patching of the roads is in the Lead Line replacement plan. Yes.

Motion by Alderperson Robey to Motion Tabling Indian Hills Phases 1 & 2 and then Approve Amended Priorities in the City Facilities Plan with second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

10. 24-0440 Adjourn

End Time: 6:54 p.m.

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

https://www.cityofeastdubuque.com/agenda/minutes/april-29-2024-minutes