NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met Jan. 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

    1.    25-0111    Call to Order – Mayor Digman

Start Time: 6:00 pm

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

    2.    25-0112    Staff Reports

    a.    City Manager Report

Moving ahead with the East Dubuque Development Summit. Have talked about if there is anybody added to the list in terms of developer with land they want to develop, investors, bankers, realtors, anybody involved in the process of developing housing or commercial/industrial property. Let City Hall know and we will add them to the list for the February 19th meeting. 

The 3rd St ditch had another hole open up in it. It is undermining the sidewalk we will deal with this individually. This is to keep it from undermining the sidewalk and road further. Just pointing out that we do have an issue there and will need to move ahead to take care of it. We do have WHKS working on a plan for that ditch. 

Did get a report that we have three storm water ditches that all kind of converge by the bridge. With all three in bad shape that need to be replaced before we end up having something washed out. Did get a report from the engineers that we can consolidate those to one culvert and abandon the other two culverts. Will make it less costly to repair and reduce the potential future costs and risks involved in punching holes in the levy. Will be keeping you informed while moving forward.

New Police Officer Andrew Gray is the certified officer that was hired last fall has completed his FTO which means he can operate on his own. Has passed everything with flying colors. We are still in the process of hiring another candidate without experience. We hope he will be able to go to the academy in February if there is an opening. Will be done by June. Then we will need to hire another one for when SGT Huseman retires.

The Oxford Street bid went out and has been approved. Louie’s Trenching is the one that won the bid. Oxford is moving ahead and will be done.

Indian Hills sewer project had their pre-bid meeting. Which had five potential bidders for a healthy number. If we can keep most of them then there will be good competition for the bidding process. 

    b.    Mayor Report 

    c.    Alderperson Report

    i.    Belken

    ii.    Burgmeier

    iii.    Degenhardt

    iv.    Fluhr

    v.    Meier

    vi.    Robey

    d.    City Attorney, Susan Hess

    e.    Police Chief, Luke Kovacic

    f.    Public Works Director, Tony VanOstrand

    g.    Fire Chief, Joe Heim

Reminding council of the Fireman’s Banquet and to RSVP by February 1st. 

    3.    25-0113    Speakers from the Floor

No Speakers. 

    4.    25-0114    Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 01/06/25, Public Safety Reports(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)

Motion by Alderperson Belken to Approve Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 01/06/25, Public Safety Reports(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence) second by Alderperson Burgmeier    ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr and Alderperson Robey    Motion carried    Absent – Alderperson Meier

NEW BUSINESS:

    5.    25-0115    Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with the Board of Education of East Dubuque Unit School District No.119 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

The school district is seeking a FEMA Grant to help fund an area that can hold up against storms. They are not able to apply themselves so the city will be applying as a pass-through entity. The agreement before you says that all the liability and responsibility will be the school districts. 

Building a resilient area that $5 million will come from FEMA. 

Alderperson Robey – There is no legal liability to the City. No. 

Attorney Hess – That would be under paragraph 7 the School District is required to release us from all liability.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with the Board of Education of East Dubuque Unit School District No.119 second by Alderperson Robey    ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr and Alderperson Robey    Motion carried    Absent – Alderperson Meier 

    6.    25-0116    Presentation and Possible Action to Approve Plat of Survey Parcel A and B to Become Part of Parcel 1 and 2 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Was approached by the surveyor of these lots to express that we don’t have an issue with changing of these parcels. Both parcels are owned by the same person. The City Manager does not see any issue with it. Once it passes from the council it then goes to the county. Owner of 664 Clinton wants to own the back lot behind them which will have access through his property. 

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve Plat of Survey Parcel A and B to Become Part of Parcel 1 and 2 second by Alderperson Belken    ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Belken, Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr and Alderperson Robey    Motion carried    Absent – Alderperson Meier

    7.    25-0117    Discussion of East Dubuque Development Summit on February 19, 2025 from 11 am till 1 pm in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Will be doing the Summit at Lacoma. The idea is to present any interested property owners with development potential. Particular the ones within the TIF districts. The idea is to put folks in the same room that represent all the different aspects of development. This is to match investors, developers and land owners to see if we can’t get something going in East Dubuque for housing, commercial or industrial development. We have a lot of properties that people want to develop. We have something that other communities do not have. We have TIF monies to help with these developments. Will be a box lunch business meeting first hour will just let everyone know what we are looking at and then the second hour will be talking with each other. 

Mayor Digman – Thinks it is a good idea for networking and a step in the right direction. 

Will this be open to the council? Yes will put up a public notice for the meeting.  

No action required.

    8.    25-0118    Adjourn

End Time: 6:16 pm

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

https://www.cityofeastdubuque.com/agenda/minutes/january-20-2025-minutes