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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 21, 1987 COW Committee of the Whole Meeting I December 21, 1987 I j The Committee of the Whole Meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. , in the Council Conference Room. Members present : Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales , Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. j Absent : Councilmen Gilliam and Popple. Consideration of a recommendation for emergency repair to Fire Truck No. 1 Staff requested approval for the emergency repair of the ladder locking system for the 100 ' Aerial Ladder in the Fire Department . Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to award this emergency repair to the American LaFrance Company for an amount not to exceed $2 , 000. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales, Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Consideration of a recommendation for creation of a redevelopment corporation. The Council reviewed a recommendation from the Metropolitan Exposition Auditorium and Office Building Authority, the Economic Development Council, and the Greater Downtown Elgin Commission, to create a redevelopment corporation which could accept moneys from private and public sources and carry projects through from negotiating with private parties to full development . Such a corporation could raise private funds , carry out projects and use the proceeds to finance other projects. The areas of interest include neighborhood redevelopment adjacent to the central core, economic development in areas where private development has not been willing to lead the way and leveraging of public funds to general the kind of economic activity underway along the Tollway, throughout the City. Such a corporation needs to maintain its association with the three commissions which have generated this idea as well as with the City Council. Thus , the corporate board could be created by appointing two members from each commission and a member of the City Council. This seven member board would then provide an ongoing involvement which would insure continuity and perseverance in attempts at Elgin redevelopment . Councilman Walters stated he would like further discussion of this issue when a full Council is present . Councilman Walters further stated he was not trying to delay the issue because it could be a viable item. Committee of the Whole Meeting December 21, 1987 Page 2 Mayor Van De Voorde stated he could support the concept but he would like some breakdown as to the checks and balances, of the system, and how the board would be governed. Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to place this matter on the January 13th Committee of the Whole and Council Agendas. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales , Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None . Consideration of a recommendation to carry over deferred capital projects . Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fox that the deferred capital projects listed in the City Manager' s Memorandum dated December 16 , 1987 , be carried over into 1988 and financed from an increase in the unencumbered cash balance. Each individual item to be presented to the Council when it goes out for bid. Yeas: Councilman Fox, Moylan, Shales , Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Consideration of purchase of radio equipment for Spartan Meadows Golf Course. Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fox to award a contract to Motorola, Inc. , for the negotiated amount of $2, 609 .20 , for the Spartan Meadows radio equipment . Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales , Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Consideration of installation of stop signs at Mountain Street and Jackson Street . Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilman Walters to approve the installation of stop signs on Mountain Street at Jackson St . Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales, Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Further consideration of a policy on capital improvements . The Council reviewed three alternatives for the timing of developer contributions for roadway improvements required under a proposed "Statement of Policy Regarding Development Contributions for Roadway Improvements . Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fox to approve the following: Where a development is located adjacent to a public right of way with roadway improvements underway or completed after the date of adoption of this policy statement , the developer shall be responsible for a contribution to the roadway improvement equal to a pro rata share of improvement costs based on roadway frontage. The contribution shall be based on engineering estimates or actual costs for design and construction, whichever is - - - - - - - - - - - - - Committee of the Whole Meeting December 21, 1987 Page 3 is applicable. The contribution shall be adjusted to consider similar benefits to other parcels with frontage along the roadway improvement and shall exclude any portions of cost assigned to public benefit . The contribution shall be payable in cash prior to approve of the final plat of the first phase of development . Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales , Walters and Mayor Van jDe Voorde. Nays: None. Consideration of a recommendation for engineering services for annexation of two surrounded areas . I The Council reviewed a proposal for professional engineering services to provide legal descriptions and annexation plats for two surrounded areas located along Bluff City Boulevard. This property remains in the county and contains three commercial land uses that have operational characteristics inconsistent with various City of Elgin ordinances. Each area contains an automobile salvage operation. Automobile salvage operations are not provided for as a permitted or special use in the Elgin zoning ordinance. Consequently, annexation of these i areas would render the salvage operations legal nonconforming uses with respect to zoning. Additionally, area six contains Max and Marge ' s tavern. This business operates with a 4 :00 a.m, closing hour as permitted in the county. Attorney Allen Anderson, representing Max and Marge ' s stated they could not meet the requirements for a 4 : 00 a.m. liquor license in the city and that any restriction of the existing 4 : 00 a.m, operation would have a severe negative effect on the viability of the business. The staff distributed a request for proposal to various professional engineering firms to obtain proposals for producing the legal descriptions and annexation plats required for annexation. Two proposals were submitted: Burnidge and Westphal, Inc. , $4 , 040, and Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick, Inc. , $6,400. Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Shales to award the engineering services to Burnidge and Westphal, Inc. Councilman Walters stated he did not like spending this money for this service unless the Council was sure they wanted to proceed to annex this property, which he felt was undesireable. Committee of the Whole Meeting December 21, 1987 Page 4 Mayor Van De Voorde suggested perhaps this matter should be discussed with a full Council present . Councilman Fox made a motion to table this issue to January 13 , 1988. Councilman Walters seconded said motion. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: Councilwomen Moylan and Shales . Consideration of emergency replacement of signal controller at Kimball and State Streets . During the heavy snow and wind on December 14th and 15th, a Commonwealth Edison primary power line snapped and fell on the controller cabinet burning out all of the equipment in the cabinet . It is so badly damaged that it can not be repaired and must be replaced. �I Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to approve this replacement . Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales , Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Consideration of a recommendation to release four 1974 buses to PACE. Staff advised Council of a request from Pace to reduce our bus fleet from 29 to 23 buses , and Pace' s request that four 1974 buses owned by the City be turned over to Pace. The four buses were purchased under an IDOT grant in 1974 . It is Pace ' s contention that federal regulations from the Urban Transportation Administration require a fleet size with only a spare ratio of 200. Pace contends that they are short changing other larger operations in order to allow Elgin a spare ratio of 25%. The staff maintains that an average number of vehicles out of service for routine maintenance should be included in the peak vehicle requirement number that is utilized to determine the allowable number of spare buses. Staff is attempting to negotiate this issue with UMTA. Staff recommended the four 1975 buses should be released to Pace. The age of the vehicles and the fact that they are not equipped with power steering make them better suited for use in another transit operation. Efforts should be make to convince Pace to increase the Elgin fleet size from 23 to 25 buses in order to insure that services currently under contract can be provided on a reliable basis. Councilwoman Moylan made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fox to approve the staff recommendation, to continue negotiations Committee of the Whole Meeting December 21, 1987 Page 5 i with the UMTA staff, and to send correspondence to Elgin ' s representative on the Pace Board regarding this matter. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales, Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Snow removal report . Gary Miller gave an oral report to the Council regarding problems in manpower and equipment involved in the recent snow storm. Add on. Mayor Van De Voorde stated he had received a telephone request from Mr. Conrad Helland to fly a MIA Veteran ' s Flag at City Hall. Councilman Walters made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman Moylan to grant this request for a three month period. Yeas : Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales, Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. Adjournment Councilwoman Shales made a motion, seconded by Councilman Fox to adjourn the Committee of the Whole Meeting. Yeas: Councilmen Fox, Moylan, Shales, Walters and Mayor Van De Voorde. Nays: None. The meeting adjourned at 7 :35 p.m. Marie Yearman, City Clerk