NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met Oct. 21.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

1. 24-1011 Call to Order – Mayor Digman

Start Time: 6:00 pm

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

2. 24-1012 Staff Reports

a. City Manager Report

The playgrounds are done and then shown the before and after photos of each playground. Notice on Livingston they did some work on drainage to keep from getting washed out of there. They also on Clinton they also did a drainage swale off to the side to keep the water out of there.

Then shown photos of the Police Station of the masonry complete with the roof going on now. Showing concrete cap over the top. The next thing to add is the tin cap which will be black.

Showing photo of the back of the duplex on what has been done so far. He has the whole house cleared out. They are working on hooking up electrical facilities. It maybe we get involved with TIF for the roof project which is kind of the façade arrangement.

Police recruitment we have at least one candidate that is being interviewed. Maggie’s last day was Thursday last week. The Police are even more shorthanded now, but Luke is filling in while on Family Leave.

Oxford Street Jill Pepin was able to identify some state funds to receive low interest financing for the water portion of the project. They have withdrawn the bids and put them back out there again. To do it properly with the new funding source. This opens up options for us.

Tomorrow, weather permitting will be burning ditches. In particular the 3rd Street ditch which will allow a better flow of water down there.

b. Mayor Report

Reminder for any business owners who have liquor license to check your email or mail for the 2025 liquor/video license renewal pack. Due date is November 25th so that they can be on Decembers first council meeting.

Anyone who has election papers out can return them November 12-18 here at City Hall. Time will be 8 to 4:30 unless need another time call Pam to make an appointment.

c. Alderperson Report

i. Belken

ii. Burgmeier

iii. Degenhardt

iv. Fluhr

v. Meier

vi. Robey

There is a camper up on Montgomery that is pulled in between two houses. They have to drive up over the curb and sidewalk to get there. Just getting a lot of complaints about it.

Did field a citizen inquiry on that the other day and do have it in the que. But as shorthanded as we are we will get to them as soon as we can if they are violating the code. Just need to have patience too.

d. City Attorney, Susan Hess

e. Police Chief, Luke Kovacic

f. Public Works Director, Tony VanOstrand

g. Fire Chief, Joe Heim

3. 24-1013 Speakers from the Floor

No speakers

4. 24-1014 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 10/07/24, Public Safety Reports(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 10/07/24, Public Safety Reports(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

HALLOWEEN PROCLAMATION

NEW BUSINESS:

5. 24-1015 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve An Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance of General Obligation Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), in One or More Series, Taxable or Tax Exempt, of the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, in an Aggregate Principal Amount Not to Exceed $4,500,00 for the Purpose of Financing the Costs of Certain Capital Projects within the City and the Purchase of a Fire Truck and Paying for Costs Related Thereto in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the bonding that will let us work on the Police/Fire Station. What we have learned from our council John who is here tonight. The proposal going into this is it does not matter where you set the limit it when you take the money out and how much you take out in bonds. Looks like the current estimates for the Police/Fire Station are in the $4.5 million range. This is a lot better than the $10+ million for a new station. Still a lot of money but doing the best to keep this cost down. Plan is to finance as much as possible through TIF dollars. Think that we can spend at least$1 million that will help with keeping borrowing amount down. Do not anticipate coming anywhere near the limit that we are asking for the bond. Also placed other things that will also be able to use the bond money for if need it. We will only pull money when it is necessary which will go to the council to approve. This will not lead to an increase of property taxes.

John Vezzetti from Bernardi Securities, Inc. is on the bond creation part. The ordinance is step 1 in a 3-step process. The ordinance allows the City of East Dubuque to borrow up to $4.5 million, nothing more but certainly less. There will be a public hearing on this matter which will take place at the November 18th meeting. Then the next meeting which will be the second meeting in December or January 2025 will be the passing of the final ordinance which will be an additional sixty pages to the one in front of you now. Then that will start the two-year window that you have the authority to borrow. These will not affect your property taxes which means your tax bill will not increase because of this bond.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve An Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance of General Obligation Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source), in One or More Series, Taxable or Tax Exempt, of the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, in an Aggregate Principal Amount Not to Exceed $4,500,00 for the Purpose of Financing the Costs of Certain Capital Projects within the City and the Purchase of a Fire Truck and Paying for Costs Related Thereto second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

6. 24-1016 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Contract for Jo Daviess County Animal Control Services in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the regular annual contract with Animal Control.

Is this just for Dogs? No, it is for animals. People do not usually call on stray cats.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve Contract for Jo Daviess County Animal Control Services second by Alderperson Belken ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

7. 24-1017 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Membership in the Illinois Municipal League Risk Management Association and Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Cooperative Contract in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is our insurance for the year. Actually, I do not think it is up as much as many people say their insurance is up. We were $88 last year we are $91 this year if we pay it one time. Last year we had no choice but to pay it in two payments last year which increased the cost 1% above the actual price. This year we have the cash flow to pay ahead and receive a 1% discount. Which then our insurance is only going up by $2,000.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Membership in the Illinois Municipal League Risk Management Association and Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Cooperative Contract second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

8. 24-1018 Discussion and Possible Action to Accept Estimate from Grant County Truck Bodies for Boss Snow Plow for $9,403 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Have pictures in your packet of the plow that will be replaced. It is literally rusted through. We checked with a couple sources and the second source advised us to use the first source. This is the retailer that carries this brand. If we use this type of plow then we can still use the frame behind it. This would keep the cost down if we had to go to another type of plow. Recommend making the purchase before the snow starts to fly.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Accept Estimate from Grant County Truck Bodies for Boss Snow Plow for $9,403 second by Alderperson Robey ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

9. 24-1019 Discussion and Approval of IEPA PWSL 17-6364 in the amount of $14,044.83 includingCFPS, Inc. Invoice #4, Origin Design Invoices #80827 & 80947 and Fischer Excavating Pay Application #2 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the regular cost from our vendors.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve IEPA PWSL 17-6364 in the amount of $14,044.83 including CFPS, Inc. Invoice #4, Origin Design Invoices #80827 & 80947 and Fischer Excavating Pay Application #2 second by Alderperson Fluhr ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

10. 24-1020 Discussion and Approval of IEPA PWSL 17-6364 Change Order #2 Decrease in Construction Costs of $339,630.90 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the lead service project that did not come out to be as much as anticipated so this is just showing the difference.

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve IEPA PWSL 17-6364 Change Order #2 Decrease in Construction Costs of $339,630.90 second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

11. 24-1021 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Ordinance Setting Regular Scheduled City Council Meetings in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Ordinance Setting Regular Scheduled City Council Meetings second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Robey Motion carried

12. 24-1022 Adjourn

End Time: 6:29 pm

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt 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/october-21-2024-minutes