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September 5, 2013
Public Works Committee Meeting
5:30 p.m. in the Village Hall
Trustees Present: Chairman Mike McKinnon and Paul Elsen
Guests: Matt Campbell (Fehr-Graham - Village Engineer), Chad Insko (Director of Water), and President Frank Eubank
President Eubank was asked to take the minutes of the meeting.
1) Meeting Called to Order - The properly posted meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m. President Eubank was asked to take the minutes of the meeting.
2) Meeting minutes— Trustee Elsen made a motion to approve the Minutes of August 5, 2013, with correction – Paragraph 6d should read $131,500 (not $135,500) and should be $8,500 under budget. The motion was seconded by Chairman McKinnon. Motion carried unanimously on a voice vote. Motion to amend agenda: the numbers from 14 through 32 would be lowered to follow item 11, added New Business and put Employee input and New Business before Executive Session. Trustee Elsen made motion. Second Chairman Mckinnon. Passed.
3) Meeting minutes – Executive Session – Trustee Elsen made a motion to approve the Executive Session minutes of August 5, 2013. The motion was seconded by Chairman McKinnon. Motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.
4) Disclosure of any Conflict of Interest - None. Chad Insko stated that his company is operating the Water System at Rock 39, until the County either decides to go with the Village or some other company.
5) Public Comment— None
6) Water Tower/Well Update-
A. Discuss and Approve Sanitary Sewer Service Connection Variance Agreement for Well #3- main line does not extend in front of building, so Village could not pay Plant Buy In fee. Current PBI is $1,266.00, and Fuller Creek Trunk Basin Fee is $1,438.11, plus a permit fee of $87.50 for the current cost of $ 2,791.61. This will come out of water upgrade #51-44-542. However, we would have to pay future possible cost-sharing expense. We plan to add bathroom, shower in Well House 3. RRWRD does not want us to have a long sewer lateral. Looked at extending the main and option of E-1 ejector pump (like in home that pumps up to septic system). This line would be the property of the Village to maintain. If in the future the sewer line comes close enough to the building, then we will need to hook up at that time. Village is requesting a variance from RRWRD. Motion to recommend to Board approval of the variance agreement with RRWRD by Trustee Elsen. Second by Chairman McKinnon. All in favor.
B. IEPA Loan – Projects have been reviewed by IEPA. Mike Forslund, Strand Engineer, said minor comments on each project. Chad and Mike will go over comments on Friday, September 6, 2013. Will stay on projected schedule to put out for advertisement the construction bid by September 19, 2013, for both projects of tower and well. Attorney Mary Gaziano needs to respond to IEPA with a formal written response. She indicated earlier today that she would do so by Friday, September 6, 2013. Things moving forward.
C. Radio Path Survey – Received authorization to proceed with work. Just waiting on response and hope to have it done the week of September 9, 2013.
D. Other – None
7) 2013 Water Main Project –
A. CDAP – No word yet on awards. Usually, the response comes sooner. Fehr-Graham will advise us as soon as they hear of the decision for the Village.
B. RRWRD/IGA Joint Water/Sewer Project – on pace with getting sewer to S. Swift street along Soper Street the week of September 9, 2013, and to be completed by September 16, 2013. Then contractors will start the water project and that should last about 2 additional weeks. Hoping to wrap everything up end of September or beginning of October.
8) Sale of Surplus Equipment—
A. Crown Victoria – Just picked up pick-up truck, so Police Department will receive the Crown Victoria. Public Works Department believes Police Department is better suited to handle sale and the funds will go back to Police Department.
B. 2 – 6” trash pumps – City of Byron would like to purchase one of them. Looking at $2,500 or above as value. Motion to authorize sale of one 6” trash pump to City of Byron for minimum amount of $2,500.00. Motion made by Paul Elsen and second by Chairman McKinnon. All in favor.
9) 2012 CDAP- Public Hearing on Monday, September 9, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. and then will be able to close this grant out completely.
10) RRWRD IGA –
a. 1 acre at 600 West Soper Street – Rock River Water Reclamation District requested us to give them one (1) acre. Village asked them which acre. Then RRWRD sent a map with a rectangle mapping out their desired acre, which comes too close to one of our structures that we want to expand. Village went past the deadline to convey, but we did respond to them. The Village will need to respond with a counterproposal of an acre of property that does not impede our ability to expand our existing building. Chad will meet with Matt Campbell of Fehr-Graham the week of September 9, 2013, to go over an aerial map and mark out our desired acre. We will also need to give an easement to RRWRD to access the one acre.
b. Trunk Line – nothing new and no additional action.
c. Other - None
11) Water Tank Antenna Lease Agreement, T6 Broadband contract – Chad is trying to schedule a meeting with T6 representative Jeff Henrich. Even though the 120 days will be up later in September and we can force T6 to remove equipment that date, recommendation that we continue to negotiate with T6 and not take down their equipment yet.
12) Safe Routes to Schools, Walking Path Grant Application- Had meeting today at 4:30. President Eubank, Matt Campbell, Officer Randy Smith, and Mike Reinders (Winnebago School District Director of Transportation) met. Michelle Cunningham from the Park District was unable to attend. Matt Campbell will be putting together a summary and should have everything ready once IDOT announces the grant being open. He will co-ordinate with Bridgette Stocks of Fehr-Graham with incorporating the school district, village, and park district desires and rankings. We may be looking at ITEP grant to help fund some of the other parts of this plan.
13) Swift/School St. Stop sign/Traffic Control - Safe Routes to Schools will not initially be funding this item. Looking at possible cross walk striping once we can add sidewalk and signage as vehicles approach. To be part of “School Street” Safe Routes to Schools project.
14) Accessible Parking for People with Disabilities – Dennis Noegel and Jimmy Johnson had discussions with a contractor, but contractor is unable to seal downtown for next few weeks, so cannot reseal downtown area right now. Looking at using a striping machine from City of Byron. Going to stripe/paint Park District first for handicap and right turn arrow and stalls in vacated Church Street area (the area that was just paved by the school). The regular parking area for the park district will not be done by the Village.
15) Islands- Inskos and Capriolas on West Cunningham will be coming into the Village on or around November, 2013, if zoning and Village approves it. Looking at other properties contiguous to the Village around West Cunningham and Winnebago Rd., and also those on Westfield Rd., that we put a time limit on any waiving of fees for water and/or sewer of probably December 31, 2013. Motion by Trustee Elsen in round 2 of annexation process to waive water hook-up fees and sewer hook-up fees, if we paid their plant buy in fee, and if they hook up to water/sewer within a reasonable time frame, which must be by October 1, 2014 – if served or available, waive buffalo box, and cost of meter, if sign petition for annexation by December 31, 2013. Second by Chairman McKinnon. All in favor. Some properties are not served by water or sewer along Cunningham and Westfield. Also, there are five (5) properties that currently have Gill’s picking up their garbage, but are not in the Village, so that will be straightened out between Village and Gill’s. Letter went out September 3, 2013, to these property owners.
a. 1426 Westfield Road – Hustons still considering coming into Village
b. 1720 Westfield Road – no response yet
c. 9951 Cunningham Road – Ed and Mel Campbell will be coming into Village same time as Inskos and Capriolas.
d. 9977 Cunningham Road – Guy and Darla Cunningham will be coming into Village same time as above.
e. 928 Falconer Road – Will be coming into the Village same time as above.
16) Winnebago Highlands Condominium Association Lighting and other open Issues— Nothing new. Trustee Elsen wants to find out why Prairie View has 4 concrete bases available for lighting. Chad said they looked at having them put up the lights to help lighting for the Highlands homes. According to Prairie View, contractor for Prairie View had not installed the concrete bases for lights correctly. Our building inspector said they needed to correct it. Now land owner is just using lights closer to building and is not currently interested in putting lights up. Also, Village has a light on the pole at the Well House #3. Com Ed would allow us to do an exchange and we can have Com Ed put a light in exchange on McNair and Thomas. Third option might want to talk with private contractors to install a light. President Eubank has been talking with Mantle Development’s attorney several times over the past few weeks to work out payment for lights, the bike path, and certain MS4 responsibilities that is required by Mantle Development for the Highlands.
17) IGA with Winnebago Regarding Rock 39 Water System – Still waiting to hear from County. Joe Vanderwerff said that it was to be on the County Public Works committee meeting in August, but it was pulled from their agenda the day before we were to meet with them by one of the committee members. Will need to keep monitoring this item and if no action by County after lengthy time, we need to look at rescinding approval of taking over system.
18) Large Equipment Purchases –
A. Purchase of Ford Pickup (Due late August/Early September) – Pick-up truck was picked up today. Insurance is being updated with IML and then will be put into service when that is set.
19) Gill’s Garbage Collection Contract – President Eubank spoke with Greg Juryof RRES/Gill’s earlier today. President Eubank will prepare a draft of the contract and present it at the next Public Works Committee meeting. It will include a $0.50 reduction for senior citizens per month and will allow those new landowners annexing into the Village to not pay for residential service to Gill’s if they want to continue to be served by Gill’s on a more expensive, commercial contract for refuse pick-up. We have notified the five (5) residential property owners that are not in the village that they will not have their garbage picked up by Gill’s at the Village’s rate after September 30, 2013. The Village has made contact with Gill’s to advise them of the addresses of these property owners.
20) Discuss illegal dumping at Village area outside Public Works fence – President Eubank has noticed several different people dumping items from branches and lawn clippings to concrete. Committee commented that it likely would lead to dangerous conditions. It also is near the creek and don’t want things to leach into it. Public Works does not grant permission anymore for dumping. However, the excavator for RRWRD project has agreed to remove some of items at dump in exchange for them stockpiling their items at the Village property during construction. Village plans to put grass seed and trees on it once the excavator is done removing pile and grading it down. Suggested that we put this information in the next Village newsletter.
21) Discuss and Approve Job Description for Director of Public Works – Reviewed the draft and made changes. Will present to Board.
22) Discuss and Approve Job Description for Superintendent of Streets and Fleet Maintenance – Discussed and made changes. Will present to Board.
23) Discuss and Approve salaries and other compensation for Director of Public Works and Superintendent of Streets and Fleet Maintenance – Discussed compensation of both employees. Discussed issue of Public Works employees that must come in on Holiday and Weekend at getting 1.5 times credit versus 1.0 during the week when it is an emergency, snow event, or unplanned time. Trustee McKinnon thought it should apply to any type of emergency, snow event or unplanned time spent working on these days, but not for a regularly scheduled item, such as water testing. Look at $60,000 for Superintendent of Streets and Fleets, with 4 weeks of vacation or the amount allowable in the personnel manual, and allowing him to use the hours he has already banked for personal time as allowed in the personnel manual. Also, look at possibly keeping him at hourly with same raise. Chad will talk with Jimmy to see which way he would rather go – salary or hourly. Look at 3% increase for Director of Public Works which would be $70,584 annually. These would be in place for at least 6 months for probationary period.
24) Discuss and Approve additional Public Works position(s) – Getting some responses and good applications. Chad and Lori will do a preliminary sorting of applicants. Need assistance in Public Works IMMEDIATELY since we are short at least one employee and have been for last few months. Looking at having a part-time employee until we can find a permanent employee. Committee has $5,000 in budget for part-time employment, but can actually use funds from monies allocated to pay previous Public Works Director. Would likely have this person cut grass and other less technical items. Committee recommended the Director of Public Works move forward in hiring a part-time employee as soon as possible.