NW Illinois News

City of East Dubuque City Council met Sept. 2.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance

1. 25-0901 Call to Order- Mayor Digman

Start Time: 6:00 pm 

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

2.25-0902 Staff Reports

a. City Manager Report

Police Dept. staffing as of last week Nathan completed his training so he is working solo. Jeremiah, who was our SRO, has left and now Mickey is the SRO this year. We are up to full strength now.

Emergency Service Building the masonry is complete on the outside and the work scheduled for inside. They are tearing out the sidewalk and the concrete floor which they found a cistern under it. Work is beginning and on schedule.

Oxford is well under way. Think they are through with the water and sewer portion and working on stormwater and paving work. This project is going well.

Jordan culverts cleared out the one with the help of the fire dept. But the other culvert was not fully open.

He went through a budget update and let council know about TIF program and what we will be using that development money for.

b. Mayor Report 

Want to thank the Fire Dept on the new truck that came in last week. Want to thank them also for working with City leadership over the last few years as we got the city back on its feet. Explained how they came into two trucks without using the bonding that was approved. With loans on the one and paying the other truck in cash.

Chad Ellis is planning on developing the Hill St property that you see as your crossing the bridge from Dubuque. He is planning on it to be affordable and not low income. Making them for the people who want to downsize or for the up-and-coming families. With the houses he is planning on building he is planning to do some three-story condos along the southwest end of the property to overlook the city and river.

Everyone is very excited about this new development in the city.

Will make it a convenance.

He is very excited about this new development. Looking to start Spring '26.

c. Alderperson Report

i. Burgmeier

ii. Degenhardt

iii. Fluhr

iv. Meier

How long will Montgomery be undone at Oxford. That will not be done till Oxford is finally paved. They will be doing it all at once.

v. Robey

House on Sherwood that needs to be taken care of.

vi. Taylor

d. City Attorney, Susan Hess 

e. Police Chief, Luke Kovacic

f. Public Works Director, Tony VanOstrand

g. Fire Chief, Joe Heim

3. 25-0903 Speakers from the Floor

4. 25-0904 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 08/18/25, Public Safety Reports(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 08/18/25, Public Safety Reports(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence) second by Alderperson Degenhardt ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

NEW BUSINESS: 

5. 25-0905 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve East Dubuque Lion's Club to Hold Candy Day on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 9 am till 6 pm at Wisconsin Ave and Sinsinawa Ave/Wall Street Intersection in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve East Dubuque Lion's Club to Hold Candy Day on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 9 am till 6 pm at Wisconsin Ave and Sinsinawa Ave/Wall Street Intersection second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

6. 25-0906 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Final Payment to R&W Restoration LLC in the Amount of $5,000.00 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This is the return of the retainage. They did an amazing job.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve Final Payment to R&W Restoration LLC in the Amount of $5,000.00 second by Alderperson Taylor ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

7. 25-0907 Action to Award Pre-Approved June 2, 2025 TIF Award 25-0606 Payment for Ms. Hyde's in the Amount of $3,641.57 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Looking really nice and pleased with how this program is going.

Motion by Alderperson Meier to Award Pre-Approved June 2, 2025 TIF Award 25-0606 Payment for Ms. Hyde's in the Amount of $3,641.57 second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

8. 25-0908 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Payment of Request for Reimbursement Made by Ms. Hyde's Pursuant to Ordinance No. 25-0426 Encouraging Replacement of Sidewalks Adopted by the Mayor and the City Council of the City of East Dubuque on April 14, 2025 in the Amount of $400.00 in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

This covers the cost of the concrete repairs that they did.

Motion by Alderperson Taylor to Approve Payment of Request for Reimbursement Made by Ms. Hyde's Pursuant to Ordinance No. 25-0426 Encouraging Replacement of Sidewalks Adopted by the Mayor and the City Council of the City of East Dubuque on April 14, 2025 in the Amount of $400.00 second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes --- Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt and Alderperson Meier Nays - Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Aye-Mayor Digman (Tie Breaker) Motion carried

9.25-0909 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Notice of Intent to Temperley Excavating, Inc for Paving and Stormwater Management to Create a Paved Parking Lot that Mitigates Property Damage through Improved Stormwater Management in the Lot at 1st Street and Wall Street in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz Pleased with the bids that came in on this one. Was projected at $195,000.00 with the second lowest being $192,000.00 with Temperley coming in at $162,000.00. It came in $32,000.00 under the engineer estimate. City Manager Seitz thinks this will be a great improvement to the downtown area.

Alderperson Robey how by paving this parking lot does it mitigate the storm water. This will now cut a swale in that will drain the water off the parking lot. This swale is not possible with gravel or just with asphalt. Doing the parking lot will keep it from filling in as it has in the past. Are we pushing the water toward someplace? With eliminating the buffer (gravel) what is happening with the water? Yes, this part of the road is higher and can divert the flow to culvert at 1st Street, Buffer? Yes, the gravel will absorb the water where concrete will not. If you have water like this or it is falling fast the idea of absorption does not play a significant part. Think we should do what we can when we can to serve the businesses the best we can. 

Alderperson Fluhr asked that paving this are we getting rid of the water. The water that is standing there after a good rainfall will not be standing there if it is paved. That is correct. The Mayor gave his idea of what he thinks a healthy downtown is and he approves of this project. Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve Notice of Intent to Temperley Excavating, Inc for Paving and Stormwater Management to Create a Paved Parking Lot that Mitigates Property Damage through Improved Stormwater Management in the Lot at 1st Street and Wall Street second by Alderperson Burgmeier ROLL CALL: Ayes -- Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier and Alderperson Taylor Nays - Alderperson Robey Motion carried

10. 25-0910 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Recommended Estimate from Louie's Trenching Service, Inc. in the amount of $65,520.00 for Emergency Culvert Replacement on 2nd Street and Menominee Avenue through the Levy Utilizing TIF Funding in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz Did put this off a bit to give contractors an opportunity to get their estimates in. Think we should go with the estimate recommendation from Travis.

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Approve Recommended Estimate from Louie's Trenching Service, Inc. in the amount of $65,520.00 for Emergency Culvert Replacement on 2nd Street and Menominee Avenue through the Levy Utilizing TIF Funding second by Alderperson Taylor ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

11. 25-0911 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve IEPA PWSL 17-6365 and 17-7079 and City of East Dubuque Payment in the Amount of $224,091.69 Including Louie's Trenching Pay Application #1, Origin Design and CFPS, Inc. in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois/ Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

So, this is the different funds for Water, Sewer and Local Funds for Oxford. This is paying as we are working through the project.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve IEPA PWSL 17-6365 and 17-7079 and City of East Dubuque Payment in the Amount of $224,091.69 Including Louie's Trenching Pay Application #1, Origin Design and CFPS, Inc. second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

12. 25-0912 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve IEPA PWSL 17-6365 and 17-7079 Change Order in the Reduction Amount of ($1,172.00) from Louie's Trenching Service, Inc. in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Don't be too happy it is not a real reduction. Was not able to do the live tap on Montgomery and that is why the street is still open. They are handling it as a water main break because of the decay of the line that they needed to replace. But it will end up being an increase because they had to open up a bigger part of Montgomery.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier to Approve IEPA PWSL 17-6365 and 17-7079 Change Order in the Reduction Amount of ($1,172.00) from Louie's Trenching Service, Inc, second by Alderperson Taylor ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

13. 25-0913 Executive Session: 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) Litigation and 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) Personnel Matters /  Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Go into Executive Session second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

Motion by Alderperson Degenhardt to Leave Executive Session second by Alderperson Meier ROLL CALL: Ayes - Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

14. 25-0914 Discussion and Possible Action on Matters Discussed Executive Session in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Digman, City Manager Seitz Need a motion to authorize an amendment to the purchase agreement on 166 Sinsinawa Ave. as discussed.

Motion by Alderperson Burgmeier for the City Attorney to Take Actions Discussed in Executive Session second by Alderperson Taylor ROLL CALL: Ayes ~ Alderperson Burgmeier, Alderperson Degenhardt, Alderperson Fluhr, Alderperson Meier, Alderperson Robey and Alderperson Taylor Motion carried

15. 25-0915 Adjourn 

End Time: 7:30 pm

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

https://www.cityofeastdubuque.com/media/cms/September_2_2025_Minutes_883775B225AA5.pdf