North Cook News

City of Elgin Committee of the Whole met Nov. 1.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

The regular Committee of the Whole meeting was called to order by Mayor Kaptain at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Present: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Absent: Councilmember Dixon.

Approval of Minutes

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve the minutes of the October 18, 2023 special meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Steffen, to approve the minutes of the October 19, 2023 special meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Rauschenberger, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None. Councilmembers Powell and Thoren abstained.

Councilmember Powell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve the minutes of the October 25, 2023 regular meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Public Comments

None.

Sewer Master Plan Update

Water Director Nora Bertram and HR Green Vice President of Water Resources Ajay Jain provided a status report on Elgin’s Comprehensive Sewer Master Plan. This is an ongoing study that will develop alternative strategies to inform the city’s long-term control plan for managing sewer overflows into the Fox River as required by the IEPA. A copy of the presentation is on file in the City Clerk’s office. The city has fifteen combined sewer basins with eight basins having been separated to date with a cost of 96 million on projects that included sewer separation improvements. The master plan will help identify comprehensive needs for sewer separation, help reduce basement backups and prioritize future projects. An overview was provided on how the system data was collected and analyzed.

There was discussion regarding the cost, funding sources, and the timeline to complete the combined sewer separation projects.

Contract with B & F Construction Code Services, Inc. for Supplementary Building Inspection Services

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve a contract with B & F Construction Code Services, Inc. in the amount of $60,000 to ensure the provision of timely building inspections during periods of unusually high demand and/or prolonged staffing vacancies. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Amendment to The Courtyard at 40 Redevelopment Agreement with Courtyard 40, LLC

There was discussion regarding the Central Area TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district including the amount earmarked for projects, the current balance, and the options to extend the term.

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve an amendment to the redevelopment agreement with Courtyard 40, LLC in the amount of $6.31 million, not to exceed $6.77 million to continue the historic renovation and adaptive reuse of the five-story office building at 40 DuPage Court. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Adjourn to City Council

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to adjourn the City Council meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Reconvene

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to reconvene the Committee of the Whole meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Supplemental Funding for the Police and Firefighters Pension Funds

Councilmember Powell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Good, to authorize the transfer of $3,000,000 from the General Fund to the police and fire pension funds to supplement the 2023 required contributions. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Contract with InfoSend, Inc. for the Printing, Mailing and Emailing of Water Bills and Delinquency Notices

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to award a contract to InfoSend, Inc. in the amount of approximately $50,000 annually to continue providing economical and innovative water bill presentment utilizing outsourcing. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Design Engineering Services Agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. for the 2024 Highbury Resurfacing Project

Councilmember Powell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Steffen, to enter into an agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $135,470 to analyze, design, and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of various collector and residential streets for the 2024 neighborhood street and 2024 collector street resurfacing programs. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Design Engineering Services Agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC for the 2024 Fremont-Willard Resurfacing Project

Councilmember Martinez made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Good, to enter into an agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC for an amount not to exceed $172,765 to analyze, design, and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of various residential streets for the 2024 neighborhood street resurfacing program. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Design Engineering Services Agreement with Hampton, Lenzini & Renwick, Inc. for the 2024 Various Resurfacing Project

Councilmember Martinez made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Steffen, to enter into an agreement with Hampton, Lenzini & Renwick, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $235,180 to analyze, design, and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of various collector and residential streets for the 2024 neighborhood street and 2024 collector street resurfacing program. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program Grant for Occupant Protection and Impaired Driving Enforcement with the Illinois Department of Transportation

Councilmember Martinez made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Steffen, to approve an agreement with Illinois Department of Transportation in the amount of $118,342 to partner with the Illinois Department of Transportation to continue providing safer roadways through occupant protection and impaired driving enforcement. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Acceptance of the US Department of Justice Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant

Councilmember Martinez made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Good, to approve the acceptance of the grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice in the amount of $2,254 for expenses associated with the purchase of protective soft body armor vests. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Purchase Agreement with Carbon Day EV Charging

There was discussion regarding the type of charging stations, the installation locations, and if there would be a fee associated for using the charging stations.

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve an agreement with Carbon Day EV Charging in the amount of $48,960 to secure four ChargePoint electric vehicle charging stations for installation in 2024 to increase public electric vehicle charging options within the city. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: Councilmember Thoren.

City Council Meeting Schedule for 2024

Councilmember Steffen made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Good, to authorize moving forward with the adoption of the resolution establishing the 2024 schedule of city council meetings in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

Proposed 2024 Budget and Three-Year Financial Plan

City Manager Kozal provided an overview on the proposed 2024 Budget and Three-Year Financial Plan. He noted the timeline for budget presentations, deliberations and the public hearing. He outlined three points regarding the budget included the General Fund’s flat general operation property tax levy, the police and fire pension levies are increasing and a proposed draw down on the General Fund reserves to be allocated for economic incentives, grant programs and expanded special events. Mr. Kozal also noted an 8% increase in water rates to act as payment of the bands that will be issued to provide funds for continued lead service line removal and other infrastructure improvements. There was discussion regarding the requests for new positions.

Announcements from Council

None.

Announcements from Staff

None.

Adjournment

Councilmember Good made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Thoren, to adjourn the meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, Thoren, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.

The meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m.

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