City of Columbia Committee of the Whole met June 10.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
CALL-TO-ORDER
Chairman Ebersohl called the Committee of the Whole committee meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois to order at 7:00 P.M.
Upon Roll Call, the following members were:
Present: Committee Members - Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Huch, Holtkamp, Martens and Riddle (arrived at 7:05 P.M.). Mayor Hutchinson was also present.
Absent: Aldermen Roessler.
Quorum Present.
Administrative Staff Present: City Clerk Wes Hoeffken, Interim City Administrator Al Hudzik, City Attorney Terry Bruckert, Accounting Manager/City Treasurer Linda Sharp, Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey (arrived at 7:15 P.M.), EMS Chief Kim Lamprecht, Chief of Police Jerry Paul, Deputy Chief Jason Donjon, City Engineer Chris Smith, and Deputy Clerk Kelly Mathews.
Chairman Ebersohl stated the meeting was called for the following purposes: (1) Approval of Minutes from the May 13, 2019 Committee of the Whole Meeting; (2) Approval of Executive Session Minutes from the May 13, 2019 Committee of the whole Meeting; (3) Discussion on Police Sergeants; (4) CDBG Economic Development Program Grant Application; (5) Presentation of electric aggregation information from Good Energy; (6) General Engineering Agreement for Basic Service from Curry & Associates Engineering Inc.; (7) Preliminary Engineering Agreement with Oates Associates on Quarry Road Roundabout; (8) Memorandum of Understanding with Immaculate Conception on Quarry Road Roundabout; (9) Other Items to be Considered; (10) Public Comments; and (11) Executive Session - 5 ILCS 120/2(c).
11. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE MAY 13, 2019 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MOTION:
It was moved by Alderman Niemietz and seconded by Alderman Huch to approve the minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, May 13, 2019. Upon roll call vote, Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Huch, and Holtkamp voted yea. Alderman Martens abstained. MOTION CARRIED.
III. APPROVAL OF EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES FROM THE MAY 13, 2019 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING
It was moved by Alderman Niemietz and seconded by Alderman Holtkamp to approve the minutes of the Executive Session of the Committee of the Whole Meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, May 13, 2019. Upon roll call vote, Chairman-Ebersohl-and-Aldermen-Agne, Niemietz, Huch, and Holtkamp voted yea. Aldermen Martens and Riddle abstained. MOTION CARRIED.
DISCUSSION ON POLICE SERGEANTS
Chief of Police Jerry Paul came before the Committee to inquire about promotin Officers Zack Hopkins and Brian Etherton to Sergeants. Chief Paul stated the police department currently has 18 officers and is projected to have 20 officers in 2020. Currently there are five patrol officers on probation due to being new hires. The police department needs additional sergeants in order to assist the officers on probation. Chief Paul stated the current budget could handle the additional Sergeant's cost and it would be approximately $2,472.00. Chief Paul stated when Officers Hopkins and Etherton are promoted, they would get additional duties.
There will be a promotional ceremony performed at a Council Meeting in the future to promote Zack Hopkins and Brian Etherton.
CDBG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GRANT APPLICATION
Director of Community Development Scott Dunakey addressed the Committee regarding a Community Development Block Grant application for DeRossett Investments, LLC. Mr. Dunakey stated the project is an approximately 36,000 square feet, three story, professional office building to be located on four acres at the Eleven South property. Total investment will be $7,500,000.00 including the $1,000,000.00 CDBG grant. This office building would home one business, an insurance fraud company, and would create 120 jobs in Columbia. The City would be the applicant for the grant, but would be a third party in the grant. The only cost to the City would be the grant writing expenses, but that cost is included in the current budget under professional services. There is a public hearing scheduled before the June 17th Council meeting.
PRESENTATION OF ELECTRIC AGGREGATION INFORMATION FROM GOOD ENERGY
Interim City Administrator Al Hudzik updated the Committee on electric aggregation. Ameren's rates per Kwh are going to be 4.56 cents for the summer (June-September) billing periods and 4.83 cents for the winter (October-May) billing periods. Homefield Energy's rate per Kwh will be 5.596 cents all year.
VII. GENERAL ENGINEERING AGREEMENT FOR BASIC SERVICE FROM CURRY & ASSOCIATES ENGINEERING INC
City Engineer Chris Smith would like to enter into a general engineering agreement with Curry & Associates, Inc. to assist in miscellaneous water and sewer issues/projects, etc.
One of the first tasks to complete is an intergovernmental agreement with Dupo in regards to the City's water interconnects as required by the IEPA. Mr. Smith stated the agreement would define how emergencies or systematic maintenance needs to be handled, installing meters at interconnects, and possibly moving an interconnect. Also, in September the City's sewer permit renews and Curry & Associates personnel are familiar with handling this process. _
VIII. PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AGREEMENT WITH OATES ASSOCIATES ON QUARRY ROAD ROUNDABOUT
City Engineer Chris Smith stated the City has received a CMAQ Grant to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Quarry Road and Palmer Creek Drive/Father Scherrer Drive. The Preliminary Engineering Agreement will take approximately six months to get approved by IDOT. No work can commence until agreements are approved. The proposed agreement is for $123,300. The CMAQ Grant will pay for 80% of this cost. The local match will be approximately $24,660. Funding for the design effort will be included in the FY 2019/2020 budget. Staff recommends entering into an agreement with Oates and Associates, Inc. for Preliminary Engineering Services to design the Quarry Road Roundabout.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ON QUARRY ROAD ROUNDABOUT
City Engineer Chris Smith led a brief discussion regarding the City entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Immaculate Conception Church for the construction of the Quarry Road Roundabout at Palmer Creek Drive/Father Scherrer Drive.
OTHER ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED
City Engineer Chris Smith briefed the Committee on a potential Economic Development Program grant application that may be submitted to IDOT for road improvements to DD Road near its intersection with Old Bluff Road. Mr. Smith stated he is compiling information on this possible grant and would again address the Committee in the future.
City Clerk and Director of EMA Wes Hoeffken updated the Committee regarding the current flooding in the Columbia Bottoms. Mr. Hoeffken stated the Mississippi River crested at 45.93 feet on Sunday, June 9, 2019. As of 3:00 P.M. on Monday, June 10, 2019, the river was at 45.41 feet. The biggest threat to the levee is sand boils.
Mayor Hutchinson briefly discussed the State of Illinois recently passing recreational marijuana use. Mayor Hutchinson stated the City cannot ban recreational use and cannot prevent qualified residents from growing the legal amount of plants. The City however can regulate locations that could sell recreational cannabis. Mayor Hutchinson stated this matter should be discussed further in the next few months.
XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION - 5 İLCS 120/2(c)
Chairman Ebersohl inquired if there was a need to go into Executive Session. There was none,
XIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: It was moved by Alderman Niemietz and seconded by Alderman Riddle to adjourn the Committee of the Whole committee meeting of the City Council of the City of Columbia, Illinois held Monday, May 13, 2019 at 7:40 P.M. Upon Roll Call vote, Chairman Ebersohl and Aldermen Agne, Niemietz, Huch, Holtkamp, Martens, and Riddle voted yea. MOTION CARRIED.
https://www.columbiaillinois.com/DocumentCenter/View/10387/2019-06-10-Committee-Minutes
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