Village of Bartlett Village Board met April 7.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
CALL TO ORDER
President Wallace called the 2020-2021 Proposed Budget Public Hearing of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Bartlett to order on the above date at 7:04 p.m. in the Council Chambers. He explained how the public can address the Board.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Trustees Camerer, Carbonaro, Deyne, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke and
President Wallace
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Village Administrator Paula Schumacher, Assistant Village Administrator Scott Skrycki, Human Resources Director Janelle Terrance, Economic Development Coordinator Tony Fradin, Sr. Management Analyst Sam Hughes, Management Analyst Joey Dienberg, Finance Director Todd Dowden, Director of Public Works Dan Dinges, Public Works Engineer Bob Allen, Planning & Development Director Roberta Grill, Building Director Brian Goralski, Head Golf Professional Phil Lenz, Deputy Chief Jim Durbin, Village Attorney Bryan Mraz and Village Clerk Lorna Giless.
Village Administrator Paula Schumacher stated that the proposed budget presented for the most part, has not been adjusted for the recent COVID 19 pandemic. The COVID 19 pandemic presents several significant challenges and there is no way to diminish the uncertainty about the duration and impact on the local economy. However, the plan that they have put together is a multi-step approach which allows the village to scale the financial response as the situation unfolds. Nearly $ 5,935,750 in additional expenditure cuts are identified in total in this stepped response plan. The steps appear in a numerical fashion (1 through 4). The financial conditions may prompt the village to use a mix of all of the tiers of the response to the crisis. Deciding when to implement the actions and the steps and to what extent will be challenging given the unusual delay in receiving information about revenue performance. Steps 1 and 2 have already been executed by the village including the Declaration of Disaster by the Village Board and the reduction of expenditures related to training, hiring, and capital equipment purchases. Decisions about all potential action steps will take place throughout the balance of the year. Every attempt will be made to align the responsive action steps with the duration and degree of the crisis.
The proposed revenues for fiscal year 2020-21 total $96 million and includes $6.2 million in borrowing for capital projects. The remaining revenues are divided among property taxes, other taxes, services charges and other revenue. The proposed general property tax levy is to remain flat from last year. This will be the ninth consecutive year the levy has remained flat or declining. Sales Tax and Income Tax are the most sensitive to the economy of the major revenues and will be monitored monthly.
The total proposed budget for fiscal year 2020-21 is $72.0 million. This is a 5% decrease from last year. The overall budget decrease is primarily due to the decrease in capital project costs including the completion of the Lake Michigan water project and a reduction in Motor Fuel Tax projects. The total operating budget is $50.9 million which is a 3% increase from last year. The increase in the operating portion of the budget includes a 5% increase in the General Fund, 1% in the Water Fund and 10% in the Sewer Fund. The increase in the Sewer fund is for debt service related to capital improvements. Hiring, equipment purchases, and training will be held off for six months to keep expenditures down until the pandemic crisis is better assessed.
Operating expenditures can be divided into five primary uses. A little over two-thirds of the operating expenditures are for public safety and public works. Public Works includes streets, water, sewer and parking. The remaining third is divided among general government, golf and debt service.
The Capital portion of the proposed budget is $15,084,080 million. The Capital portion of the budget varies from year to year based upon the individual projects we have scheduled. Capital projects of the budget are divided into five broad categories; water, sewer, streets, economic development and other projects. Other projects include the annual streets maintenance program, improvements in the Brewster and Bluff City TIF developments and engineering for the Bittersweet wastewater treatment plant facility.
Roughly $4 million of projects to be paid from Village sources have been identified as projects that can be deferred if necessary.
The budget year begins May 1, 2020 and goes through April 30, 2021.
President Wallace stated that he spoke with the Administrator not long ago and some of the board had mentioned some of these changes. He commended the staff for really taking a deep dive into what we can tweak, what we can eliminate and a very thoughtful approach to a very difficult moving target situation. As the Administrator mentioned, we don’t know what kind of relief may flow down or may not flow down to the municipality level. He believed that they have a very thoughtful plan marked out in different steps and stages as the administrator had mentioned in order to weather this in the best possible way. He asked the board if they had any questions or comments and stated that they would then open it up to the general public.
Trustee Hopkins asked who decides which capital projects are deferred and which ones we don’t. If we approve this budget, we are in essence, approving all the capital projects in it. What will determine when they get deferred and how they get deferred.
Ms. Schumacher stated that in terms of the capital projects, there are a couple of different factors: 1) the timing of the project and when that decision has to be made for the project to be completed and the funds expended; 2) where the different funding sources are coming from; 3) whether or not that project can be contracted and reduced in cost. This is going to be a running target with those projects so they will be able to adjust them appropriately going forward.
President Wallace stated that only the projects that directly affect public safety right now will be priorities.
Trustee Hopkins stated that he hoped staff agreed with that also.
President Wallace asked if anyone in the audience would like to make a comment or pose a question in this hearing, please respond now.
There being no further business to discuss, Trustee Camerer moved to adjourn the Public Hearing and that motion was seconded by Trustee Deyne.
ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADJOURN
AYES: Trustees Camerer, Carbonaro, Deyne, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIED
The Public Hearing was adjourned at 7:17 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER
President Wallace called the regular meeting of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Bartlett to order on the above date at 7:17 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2. ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Trustees Camerer, Carbonaro, Deyne, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke and President Wallace
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Village Administrator Paula Schumacher, Assistant Village Administrator Scott Skrycki, Human Resources Director Janelle Terrance, Economic Development Coordinator Tony Fradin, Sr. Management Analyst Sam Hughes, Management Analyst Joey Dienberg, Finance Director Todd Dowden, Director of Public Works Dan Dinges, Public Works Engineer Bob Allen, Planning & Development Director Roberta Grill, Building Director Brian Goralski, Head Golf Professional Phil Lenz, Deputy Chief Jim Durbin, Village Attorney Bryan Mraz and Village Clerk Lorna Giless.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
President Wallace asked for a moment of silence to recognize all the families of lost ones and the huge challenges that our country is facing.
4. CONSENT AGENDA
President Wallace stated that all items marked with an asterisk on the Agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. He further stated that there will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Board member so requests, in which event, that item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered at the appropriate point on the Agenda. He asked if there were any items a Board member wished to remove from the Consent Agenda, or any items a Board member wished to add to the Consent Agenda.
Trustee Hopkins asked to remove Resolution 2020-29-R, a Resolution adopting the Village of Bartlett budget for fiscal year 2020-21 from the Consent Agenda.
Trustee Camerer asked to remove Resolution 2020-35-R, a Resolution approving an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Elgin and the Village of Bartlett for the setting and sharing of costs for the resurfacing of Lambert Lane in both municipalities and bring it back to a future meeting.
President Wallace then recited each item that was on the Consent Agenda, including the nature of the matters being considered and other information to inform the public of matters being voted upon. He then stated that he would entertain a motion to Amend the Consent Agenda, and the items designated to be approved by consent therein.
Trustee Carbonaro moved to Amend the Consent Agenda by removing C.1 and F.6 and that motion was seconded by Trustee Hopkins.
ROLL CALL VOTE TO AMEND THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSENT ITEMS THEREIN
AYES: Trustees Camerer, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke
NAYS: Trustee Carbonaro, Deyne,
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIED
Trustee Carbonaro moved to approve the Amended Consent Agenda and that motion was seconded by Trustee Hopkins.
ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE AMENDED CONSENT AGENDA AND
CONSENT ITEMS THEREIN
AYES: Trustees Camerer, Deyne, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke
NAYS: Trustee Carbonaro
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIED
5. MINUTES – Covered and approved under the Consent Agenda.
6. BILL LIST – Covered and approved under the Consent Agenda.
7. TREASURER’S REPORT - None
8. PRESIDENT’S REPORT - None
9. QUESTION/ANSWER: PRESIDENT & TRUSTEES
Trustee Deyne stated that Village Attorney Bryan Mraz recently lost his father Ed who was the former village attorney. He sent his regrets and asked for reflection and a moment of silence. He acknowledged anniversaries and birthdays for staff as well as Trustee Reinke.
Trustee Camerer was concerned about the waste removal and the fact that the refuge continues to be picked up but the contractor has been diminished as far as pick up of white goods. He wondered if there was going to be some kind of rebate back to the residents since they are not picking up any trash outside of the containers.
Trustee Hopkins agreed. He spoke to a couple of the drivers and their overtime has been cut because it doesn’t take them that long to pick up the trash now so there is a cost savings for them to operate in this manner.
Assistant Village Administrator Scott Skrycki stated that he has spoken to Groot on a daily basis regarding these issues. The service in terms of white goods are delayed, not eliminated. You have a white good in your house or garage, it will still get picked up at the cost of Groot. Luckily for us when we went to the new contract, the residents are paying less than they were three years ago and will be paying less in 2022. He thought that the cost that accounts for white goods is pretty minimal. The average single-family home is paying $4.69 per pickup, per week, and 80 to 90% of that cost is garbage and recycling. They want to minimize the risk since the Covid-19 can last on materials for multiple days. They can certainly push them but it’s only been two weeks and the actual cost of this is probably less than $.50. It is not eliminated, it is just delayed.
President Wallace suggested that staff contact Groot to see if any other municipalities have requested the same thing.
Mr. Skrycki stated that he has already done that and there were no other requests.
Trustee Camerer stated that since so many people are sheltered at home, it is not uncommon for people to be taking on home projects. Would it be possible to talk to Groot and if someone wanted to put out extra waste product perhaps an extra toter could be supplied.
Mr. Skrycki stated that he would talk to them about it. In terms of their workload, they had 1,250 tons of garbage this past March as compared to last year when they had 800 tons.
They are not eliminating their workload, they are just eliminating their procedures. He stated that they can also talk to the individual residents to see if they can help them. Trustee Carbonaro asked why they removed the budget which has to be approved by May 1 or the village stops operating.
President Wallace stated that it will need the board to vote on it as is, we can’t expect staff to come up with changes this quickly on this magnitude. He was certain that it will pass with some amendments and adjustments that will be tackled as they come up.
Trustee Carbonaro asked why item F.6. was removed from Consent. He thought it should be negotiated further.
Trustee Camerer stated that they are still in negotiations with Elgin. Their attorney wants to add some things to the contract.
Public Works Director Dan Dinges stated that late this afternoon they got word from Elgin that their attorney had some minor changes to the agreement. They were planning to have it on their agenda tomorrow so he recommended that we move it to our next board meeting on April 21.
10. TOWN HALL – No Comments
11. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. BUILDING & ZONING COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN HOPKINS
Trustee Hopkins stated that Ordinance 2020-27, an Ordinance Approving a Third Amended Site/PUD Plan and Granting Amendments to the Special Use Permits for 2300 Graham Street in the Bluff City Industrial Park and Ordinance 2020-28, an Ordinance Granting a Corner Side Yard Variation for 102 Oakwood Lane were covered and approved under the Consent Agenda.
B. COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN GABRENYA
Trustee Gabrenya stated that there was no report.
C. FINANCE & GOLF COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN DEYNE
Trustee Deyne presented Resolution 2020-29-R, a Resolution Adopting the Village of Bartlett Budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.
Trustee Deyne moved to approve Resolution 2020-29-R, adopting the fiscal year 2020- 21 budget in the amount of $72,039,934 and that motion was seconded by Trustee Carbonaro.
Trustee Deyne stated that he did not understand why they had to rehash this again when they beat it to death so many times. We are continuing in unchartered waters, we have no idea what is going on. He didn’t see any reason to reopen this again.
Trustee Hopkins stated that he plans on voting “no” because he does not agree with one of the capital projects that is approved for this fiscal year and that is the Devon Excess Flow Plant and the pipeline to Bittersweet. He believes that the Cook County residents are once again being double taxed when it comes to this pipeline. He thinks that there are other avenues that could have been taken that staff did not choose to investigate. He thinks that they should have hired an actual specialist that actually deals with MWRD and an attorney that specializes in sewage and dealing with MWRD and that was not the case.
Once again he stated that Cook County residents are being double taxed when it comes to this project. He hopes it gets put on hold and it does not move forward. He felt that
they should fix the sewage system and that would make the pipeline unnecessary.
President Wallace stated that the experts would strongly disagree with him. Mr. Dinges has way more experience in this situation than you do and he disagrees. There are a lot of people that he has spoken to that disagree with him as well as other municipalities. He has been talking about this for a long time and disagreement with this particular situation in the budget. He appreciated his opinion but feels that they should move on.
Trustee Hopkins stated that he wanted to ask Mr. Dinges how this system would actually function. He asked about where the flow is actually coming from.
President Wallace stated that he has gone through this on a one-on-one basis with Mr. Dinges. They have had multiple people discussing this with him and at the risk of all the other board members hearing the same thing that they have already heard three or four times, he asked Mr. Dinges to paraphrase what Trustee Hopkins is asking.
Public Works Director Dan Dinges stated that the Devon excess flow has the flow coming from the MWRD area and there is a lift station that takes the DuPage area south of Devon. We will be abandoning that station and the Devon excess flow facility creating one large station that will be able to handle both the MWRD flows and the DuPage water flows and it will be brought down to the Bittersweet wastewater treatment plant.
Trustee Hopkins asked if flow coming from DuPage County will be in this pipeline.
Mr. Dinges stated that they will continue to use the pipeline that DuPage County is currently going through. There will be a new pipeline built that will take the MWRD area.
Trustee Hopkins asked if when the pump goes on, will any flow from DuPage County be in this one pipeline to Bittersweet?
Mr. Dinges stated that they are connecting into the existing pipes so under normal situations, when they are not under high flow, the pump station will pump into the pipeline that is currently pumping the DuPage water down to Bittersweet. When we get a storm and flows go up and they are taking on the MWRD excess flow, then there are additional pumps that will pump in this new force main that will bring it down to Bittersweet.
Everything is under the design process right now and there will be flexibility. Basically, they will have two force mains, an existing one that will be utilized mainly for DuPage water flow and a new pipeline that will be used for the MWRD tributary area.
Trustee Hopkins asked if DuPage County excess flow will go into this pipeline or will both pipelines be used simultaneously.
Mr. Dinges stated that both pipelines will be used. They are still in the design process and they are trying to minimize the size of the force main. They can utilize both pipelines at the same time that will help them reduce that pipeline. Until they get to a point where they are comfortable on whether we can split the flows or put them all in one pipeline, he cannot answer that question yet.
Trustee Hopkins stated that he appreciated that. Over the last two years, Cook County resident’s sewer portion of their bill has had an increase and it is mainly for this particular pipeline. If the water is not going simultaneously in each individual pipe than he doesn’t understand why Cook County is flipping the bill for this pipeline when they are also receiving flow from DuPage County.
President Wallace stated that this is a bonded project. One of the major problems we have with excess flow connection point to the street and we proposed solutions to that that are very, very expensive and also expensive for those residents. If he has suggestions on how to fix the primary main problem, he would be interested in hearing that solution. He stated that they have gone over this multiple times. He asked if any board members had questions or comments.
Trustee Carbonaro asked what taxes were raised to fund this additional pipeline.
Mr. Dinges stated that no taxes were raised to pay for this project, it is all through the sewer rates.
Trustee Carbonaro verified that the increase to the sewer rates is to accommodate smoke testing and repairs?
Mr. Dinges stated that it is those projects and in addition to the large capital projects.
They do have it broken up between Cook and DuPage counties. The Devon project that Trustee Hopkins is talking about is towards Cook County and the Bittersweet improvements go to DuPage County. There are improvements at the Bittersweet plant that they have to make in order to accommodate the MWRD flows and those were not proposed to be put on Cook County.
Trustee Carbonaro asked if when the sewer rates were increased, did we raise all the counties.
Mr. Dinges stated that they raised all three.
President Wallace stated that it was his intention to make sure that the entire voice of the board was heard as well as getting accurate information when they listen to these presentations. It can’t just be one Trustees opinion.
Trustee Hopkins agreed. He stated that they talked about storage because there could be costs down the road to have this excess flow sent off to Bittersweet. He knew that other communities used storage in the situation without sending it to a treatment plant where it is very costly to treat sewage.
President Wallace stated that he does appreciate Trustee Hopkins concerns. He has done a lot of research on this and does not want to put any dampers on that. He has looked at potential ways to fix this issue and he knows that the village has also looked into better ways. There is a disagreement on how to move forward and fix this. The board has talked about storage tanks, the pipeline and different options, and the board has voted to move forward and is also bonded to move forward with this project. He asked if there were any further questions regarding the budget.
ROLL CALL VOTE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2020-29-R, ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR 2020-2021
AYES: Trustees Camerer, Carbonaro, Deyne, Gabrenya, Reinke
NAYS: Trustee Hopkins
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIED
D. LICENSE & ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN REINKE
Trustee Reinke stated that there was no report.
E. POLICE & HEALTH COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN CARBONARO
Trustee Carbonaro stated that there was no report.
F. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN CAMERER
Trustee Camerer stated that Resolution 2020-30-R, a Resolution Approving of the Agreement between the Village of Bartlett and Denier, Inc for the 2020 Crack Sealing Project; Resolution 2020-31-R, a Resolution Approving of the Agreement between the Village of Bartlett and Brothers Asphalt Paving Inc. for the 2020 Various Streets Project;
Resolution 2020-32-R, a Resolution Approving of the Agreement between the Village of
Bartlett and Globe Construction Inc. for the 2020 Concrete Replacement Project;
Resolution 2020-33-R, a Resolution Approving of 2020 Water Main Replacement Agreement between the Village of Bartlett and Gerardi Sewer & Water Co.; Resolution 2020-34-R, a Resolution Approving of the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Village of Bartlett and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to develop a multijurisdictional bicycle and pedestrian plan were covered and approved under the Consent Agenda.
Trustee Camerer moved to Continue Resolution 2020-35-R, a Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Elgin and the Village of Bartlett for the setting and sharing of costs for the resurfacing of Lambert Lane in both municipalities to the next Board meeting on April 21, 2020 and that motion was seconded by Trustee Deyne.
AYES: Trustees Camerer, Carbonaro, Deyne, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIED
12. NEW BUSINESS
President Wallace stated that staff has put together COVID-19 Steps and the board should have had a chance to review. It is a work in progress and certainly any suggestions for ways to navigate this situation would be appreciated. He asked if they would have this document on the next Board meeting.
Administrator Schumacher stated that she thought they would as she noted with her comments during the public hearing. This document will be visited frequently over the next year as the different responses from the state and federal level to the pandemic continue to evolve. She thought it would be a “living” document for a while.
President Wallace stated that they are also looking at some information on how to support the local businesses that provide us a sales tax. He asked if they would be discussing that on the 21st as well.
Administrator Schumacher stated that they hope to bring a small business sales tax relief program to the board. They are working on some different models for that as well is a pool of dollars that they could use to fund such a program and the parameters that would be involved as well as the oversight and review functions. They will try to get this together for the April 21 meeting.
President Wallace stated that a rebate of those taxes received pro rata, based on their contribution to that particular municipality tax would be something he would certainly support.
13. QUESTION/ANSWER PRESIDENT & TRUSTEES - None
14. ADJOURN TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING
President Wallace stated that the Board will be going into the Committee of the Whole meeting immediately following the close of this meeting.
There being no further business to discuss, Trustee Camerer moved to adjourn the regular Board meeting and that motion was seconded by Trustee Reinke.
ROLL CALL VOTE TO ADJOURN
AYES: Trustees Camerer, Carbonaro, Deyne, Gabrenya, Hopkins, Reinke
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIED
The meeting was adjourned at 7:56 p.m.
https://www.village.bartlett.il.us/Home/ShowDocument?id=11047
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