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Harrisburg City Council Meeting
The Harrisburg City Council met on November 3, 2011 at 6:00 PM in the Council Room of City Hall Harrisburg, Illinois. Mayor Eric Gregg presided over the meeting with Commissioners Ron Crank, Bart Schiff, Ron Fearheiley and John McPeek answering roll call. Mayor Gregg recognized Pastor Jerry Wells who led the group in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Gregg stated he was elected to do good things for the City and good things are happening. He asked that each department be financially accountable and work together in a team effort to move forward for the success of the City. Commissioner McPeek made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Fearheiley, to approve the following items under Consent Agenda:
By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Bob Vancil was not present but had asked Lu Walker of Walker and Associates to speak on his behalf. The Resolution for a Feasibility Study for TIF II had been presented at a previous meeting and Council wanted to study the documents. Commissioner Fearheiley had several questions regarding how the area was decided, if money could be moved from one TIF to another and whether or not the location of sewer lines had been considered. There is an old pumping station located on the north side of new Rt. 13 that would have to be replaced to handle new construction. Walker stated the area was selected as the most obvious area for future development and areas could be added as a result of the study. She stated money could be moved by resolution. The sewer line and pumping station issues would be addressed in the study. Property owner Fletcher Johnson addressed Council with some of the topographical information for part of the proposed new TIF. Commissioner McPeek moved to pass Resolution 11-0311 A Resolution for a Feasibility Study for TIF II. Commissioner Crank seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Lu Walker stated proposals for work on the Lot 11 Building would be in on Monday. She stated there would be a Special Meeting to move everything forward. She stated if 4/5 of Council votes for the proposals, then the project would not have to be bid. The completion date goal is December 15. There is a possibility of some rent being received for the building. Walker stated the money would go back to the City, not the TIF, unless the City was to earmark it for TIF. After discussion, the meeting time was set for 5:30 pm on November 10. Jim Brown of Brown & Roberts stated there were some easements that may be needed for the Pankey Branch Man-Tra-Con clean out project south of Sloan Street in order to lay the slopes back to the needed degree for drainage. There are ten property owners affected, nine of whom have been contacted with four easements having been already obtained. Two property owners want some compensation but there were enough to get the project started. Additional information would be shared in Executive Session. Jim Brown presented Council with maps and cost estimates for sewers in the proposed annexed areas. All areas have water but Council had asked for the estimates for providing sewer. Brown reminded Council the Garden Heights sewer project had taken ten years before construction was started. The map noted three areas and their estimates. The Lovers Lane East Area and East Area #1 and McHaney Road North Area consisted of 60 homes with an estimate of $920,000.00. The Cemetery Area, South of McHaney Street consisted of 30 homes with an estimate of $335,000.00. The Cemetery Area, North of McHaney Street and Cemetery Area East consisted of 15 homes with an estimate of $406,000. Brown stated the longer the City waits to do some of the work, the more it will cost. He informed Council that the IEPA has loan money that is currently at 2.6-2.7%. The City has no sanitary sewer extension requests in process right now but he suggested that some applications be started. Council agreed. Attorney Todd Bittle stated the appraisal had not come back yet on Lot 7. He would have it for next meeting. Attorney Bittle reminded Council there would be a Public Hearing on the land swap with Dorrisville Baptist before the next Council meeting. Attorney Bittle stated the City now has deeds for three properties that had been received after demolition. The properties are 205 East Rose, 112 East O’Gara and 400 South Water. He stated there has been interest in someone purchasing the lots. He asked for permission to seek appraisals before advertising them for sale as Surplus Property. Commissioner Schiff moved to approve Attorney Bittle to move forward with the appraisals. Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Jim Brown presented Change Order #3 for the pumping station. He explained there was no change in the cost or bids just a paperwork trail. The original bid was for rip rap on the interior for the sub-levee. The exterior rip rap also needs to be replaced. Commissioner McPeek moved to accept Change Order #3 for the Storm Water Pumping Station with no change in cost or time. Commissioner Fearheiley seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Jim Brown reminded Council that during the last flood the water almost breached the sub-levee which protects the sewage treatment plant. When the outside was cleared during the recent Man-Tra-Con project, four very large varmint holes were uncovered. These were probably the cause of boils on the inside. The sub-levee is so steep that equipment cannot be used to clear the growth which then encourages more varmint holes. His suggestion was to dig out the found holes and compact the area. He would work with Bobby Brown to get a cost estimate of moving the ditch to widen the sub-levee enough to allow equipment to clear it which would eliminate the varmint holes issue. Jim Brown reviewed the October 20 letter from the IEPA regarding the 2012 Clean Water Needs Survey and Capital Improvement Plans for Wastewater and Sewer Projects. He stated the planners in Springfield want cost estimates of needs for projects to be submitted in order to apply for possible Federal funding. Commissioner Fearheiley moved to allow Brown & Roberts to move forward with the process of compiling the necessary information. Commissioner McPeek seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Commissioner McPeek stated he did not think it was in the best interest of the City to proceed with the energy analysis. He moved to terminate the analysis. Commissioner Crank stated it was no cost to the City. Mayor Gregg stated he would not put the City in harms way and wanted to see what they have to say with no financial obligation. Commissioner McPeek questioned Treasurer Will’s previous and current association with the company and suggested there may be a conflict of interest. Treasurer Will stated he did not work for the company but had worked with them in the past. He stated any suggested work would be at the City’s discretion on whether or not to proceed and how to proceed. Treasurer Will felt the sewer plant was a high energy user and the company may be able to show ways to save energy. Commissioner Fearheiley stated without the company’s analysis the employees can, with direction, do what needs to be done to lower the water loss by changing meters. Treasurer Will stated no one was going to lose a job because of the analysis and the company would not take over the Water/Sewer Department. Commissioner McPeek stated again he moved to terminate the analysis. Commissioner Fearheiley seconded. By roll call, Commissioners Crank and Schiff and Mayor Gregg voted no. Commissioners Fearheiley and McPeek voted yes. Motion failed. Commissioner McPeek questioned who was allowed to attend Executive Sessions. He Squestioned Treasurer Will’s attendance. Mayor Gregg stated in the future Treasurer Will would only be asked to attend Executive Session if needed and when asked. Mayor Gregg had spoken with Keith Oxford from 318 and discussed using men from the hall for the Man-Tra-Con projects but the City would at this time be using employees to operate the heavy equipment. Safety Director Bill Ghent had asked who had liability and Mayor Gregg will clarify that. Commissioner Fearheiley suggested that all departments be tapped for operators. Mayor Gregg stated that Kim Watson from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity would be moving her office to City Hall where Code Enforcement Officer David Williams is now located and her presence would be a good thing for the City. Commissioner McPeek moved to allow Kim Watson to establish her office in City Hall. Commissioner Crank seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Citizen Virgil Hammersley Jr. was not present for comments. Mayor Gregg stated City Hall would be closed on Friday, November 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day. Commissioner McPeek moved to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing Sale of Property, Personnel and Property Acquisition. Commissioner Fearheiley seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Adjourned 7:03 pm Reconvened 7:27 pm Mayor Eric Gregg presided over the reconvened meeting with Commissioners Ron Crank, Bart Schiff, Ron Fearheiley and John McPeek answering roll call. There was no further action taken. Commissioner McPeek moved to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Crank seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried. Adjourned: 7:28 pm |
