Jo-Carroll Depot LRA Board of Directors
3:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 4October 7, 2015
I. Call to Order -The meeting was called to order at 3:013 p.m. by Chairman Steve Keeffer on Wednesday, November 4October 7, 2015 at the Jo-Carroll Depot LRA Conference Room, 18933 A Street, Savanna, Illinois.
II. Roll Call - was answered as follows: Present-75 Don Crawford, Steve Keeffer, Bill Robinson, Bill Wright, Paul Hartman, Ron Smith and Bill McFadden. LRA Staff present: Mara Roche, Angie VanKampen. Attorney Phil Jensen present. Guests present: Amiee Martelle (RVPR), Tim Schoenig (WS Operator), Mark & Laura Roach (Depot Electric Supply), Skip Schwerdtfeger (UMRIPD).pply) and Bill Hooten (IITC) arrived at 3:27 p.m.
III. Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
IV. Agenda Additions –None
V. Approval of Minutes
A. September 2, 2015 Board Meeting
A motion to approve the minutes of the September, 2015 Board Meeting was made by Bill Robinson, it was seconded by Don Crawford. The motion passed by voice vote.
VI. Old Business
A. OEA Grant
1. Technical Assistance – At the last board meeting we had a proposal from Blackhawk Hills RC&D (Theresa Wittenauer) and Sharon Pepin with Community Funding & Planning Services provided a verbal proposal. Sharon was asked to provide a written proposal for this board meeting, and did. Since that time we have received guidance from OEA that our -OEA will not reimburse for application assistance and the OEA Project Manager will help write it. Assist. (No date at this time for the Project Manager’s visit.) OEA believes the application should focus around the feasibility of a port as it would provide many opportunities for redevelopment and employment. The LRA would still be responsible for 10% of the grant costs.
B. Water Tower Repairs – Army / Wagner Consulting – The 1st pay request to the Army was submitted on July 2, 2015 for $151,200. Army reimbursement was finally received September 15, 2015 and a check sent to TeCorp for that amount. Our contract with the Army was set to expire September 30, 2015 and we still had not received the 2nd pay request from TeCorp nor had we received the change order requests. Matt Wagner asked them to provide us the paperwork prior to the 30th for submittal to the Army. The 2nd pay request was received from TeCorp on September 28th for $37,800 of which $26,800 can be reimbursed by the Army. An invoice was submitted and we are awaiting payment. A check for $11,000 was sent to TeCorp (our portion of the project). We are still awaiting a signed change order, they need to backfill around the foundations and are awaiting parts on the safety climbing device that needed to be changed out.
C. WHKS-Intersection Design Study; Traffic Count- Sharon Pepin with Community Services Planning & Funding advised at the last meeting that although the count for the day was low, no accident data, etc. IDOT has a formula for future development that they will apply. Sharon and Mara will be sending out a questionnaire / survey to each tenant that will ask about their current traffic patterns and future development. This information will then be forwarded along to WHKS to continue the IDS. As part of the survey we are going to include other infrastructure related questions for our use in other areas. (i.e. any need for natural gas, guesstimate on consumption)
VII. New Business
A. Bills over $2,500 –Jo Carroll Energy-$3,315.37
A motion was made by Bill McFadden to pay the Jo Carroll Energy bill for $3,315.37, it was seconded by Paul Hartman. The motion passed by voice vote.
B. iFiber Update – John Lewis was unable to attend the last meeting due to health concerns. Urban Com will be coming out to speak with tenants who may be interested in future service. The problemCentury Link users continue to have issues with the copper service. (almost all Century Link customers on the property have at least one phone line that has so much static the line is unusable, LRA included) that is beyond the D-Mark at IL Route 84 continues to be an issue with Century Link customers on the property. Urbancom and Syndeo will be coming out to speak with tenants who may be interested in their VOIP services in order to get away from the copper. The lines have static and many are unusable.
C. Independent Contractor Agreement- Water & Wastewater-Renewal-IEPA Recommendations-
In the past, We are required to provide our water/sewer operating agreement(s) to IEPA each year for review and comment. We received correspondence from IEPA that there will need to be modifications made to the contract prior to their approval. Those changes are based on new “Recommended Guidelines” that would increase facility visits from 3 days a week with 1 – 1.5 hours per visit to 5 days a week with 4 – 6 hours per visit. IL EPA has either approved or provided comments with required changes. The Illinois EPA sent a letter to the LRA requiring modifications with the current Contractor Agreement.
A motion was made by Paul Hartman for Attorney Phil Jensen to write a letter to IEPA asking what Administrative Law is requiring these changes into the current Contractor Agreement the LRA, it was seconded by Bill Robinson. The motion passed by voice vote.
D. Executive Director
a. Report/issues update –Roofing Bids are due at noon on October 21, 2015 in the LRA Office.
A motion was made by Bill Robinson to have two LRA Board members open the bids and make a decision if the bid is under $35,000.00, otherwise it will come back to the board for a decision, it was seconded by Don Crawford. The motion passed by voice vote.
Dairyland Solar RFP - The short list will be out by the end of the month.
GIS -– Our system is currently maintained and hosted by MSA for $1,200 per year. The current platform is scheduled for retirement by Esri which means MSA will need to phase it out in 2016. The new system MSA will deploy will function on tablets/smart phones and will provide new features that may be of benefit to the LRA also. The upgrade costs will vary depending on the number of layers already in our system but the average full utility system will run about $2,500. MSA would be willing to provide a demonstration of the new system. There are a few features that have not been available in the past. At this time, we are not sure of the cost. Mara would like a few board members sit in on the demonstration and discuss whether the extra expense would be worth it.
b. Correspondence –
Nicor - On September 21st, Senator Neil Anderson met and toured the property with Lisa McCarthy (TCEDA), Executive Director Mara Roche, Lee Trotter (DCEO), and Skip Schwartzfeger (Port Authority). The LRA provided . Senator Anderson was providedwith an overview of the LRA and briefed on the, lack of property, transfers / clean-up by the Army, upcoming OEA pProject and the need for more $266k funding to complete the engineering for natural gas extension and was given a tour. Others in attendance were: Lee Trotter (DCEO), Lisa McCarthy (TCEDA), Skip Schwartzfeger (Port Authority).
c. Property transfers - There was no property transferred in October.
d. Employment report - Employment for September was 99, up from 85 last month and up from 72 last year.
D. Bookkeeper-
a. Bank account balances - As of 10/5/15, our current balance is $1,326,616.54.
b. CD –The next CD #27574 is due on 10/29/15 for $100,776.25 from Milledgeville State Bank with an APY of 0.50%.
c. Cash flow - Income for the month of September was $154,922.41. Expenses for the month of September were $168,876.91.
d. Budget update –ten months into the FY income is $289,524.29 with $444,203.00 budgeted and expenses are $355,925.76 with $917,308.57 budgeted. Yearly loss is $-66,401.47.
e. Water/Sewer-review expenses - Water and Sewer related expenses for the month of September were $157,455.98 and income was $152,088.42. Total expenses to date are $217,860.77. Total income to date is $167,039.89 for a deficit of $-50,820.88 ten months into the FY.
f. Outstanding Invoices-
E. Board of Directors Reports
1. Foreign Trade Zone #271-Met on 10/7/15, the FTZ will be featured in article in a magazinethe Business In Focus magazine.
2. Jo-Carroll Enterprise Zone-None
3. Other directors’ reports-None
F. Attorney’s Report
1. Speer Enterprises-None
G. Other new business-None
VIII. Reports to the Board
A. Site Manager / BRAC Environmental Coordinator –None.
B. Tenants – Rescar has been involved in site 76 clean-up.
C. UMRI Port District – None
D. USFWS - None
E. Guests - None.
IX. Public Comments - None.
X. Executive Session–as permitted for the following under:
5 ILCS 120/2 (c) (6). The setting of a price for sale or lease of property owned by the public body.
A motion was made by Bill Robinson to go into Executive Session at 3:51 p.m., it was seconded by Paul Hartman. Roll call vote: 5 Aye, 0 Nay. Guests were excused.
XI. Motions from Executive Session, if any-
Riverport Railroad
Depot Electric Supply
XII. Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Bill Robinson, seconded by Paul Hartman. The motion passed by voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
______
Angie VanKampen, LRA Board Secretary
4