At a recent meeting, the Batavia Committee of the Whole discussed ongoing efforts to create a monument to Dr. Bernard Cigrand, creator of Flag Day, who moved to Batavia in the early 20th century and lived there for the rest of his life.
The Batavia Committee of the Whole includes members of the city council and is chaired by the mayor pro tem. Members discuss matters in depth and make recommendations for formal action by the council. Meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. each Tuesday.
Below are the minutes from this meeting, as provided by the committee.
MINUTES
June 7, 2016
Committee of the Whole
City of Batavia
Please NOTE: These minutes are not a word-for-word transcription of the statements made at themeeting, nor intended to be a comprehensive review of all discussions. They are intended to make anofficial record of the actions taken by the Committee/City Council, and to include some description ofdiscussion points as understood by the minute-taker. They may not reference some of the individualattendee’s comments, nor the complete comments if referenced.
Chair Brown called the meeting to order at 7:31pm.
1. Roll Call
Members Present: Chair Brown; Ald. Russotto, Atac, Chanzit, Wolff, Fischer, O’Brien,
Hohmann, Mueller, Botterman, Cerone and McFadden
Members Absent: Ald. Stark and Callahan
Also Present: Mayor Schielke (entered 7:35pm); Bill McGrath, City Administrator;
Gary Holm, Director of Public Works; Wendy Bednarek, Director of
Human Resources; and Jennifer Austin-Smith, Recording Secretary
2. Approve COW Minutes for May 10, 2016
Motion: To approve the COW minutes for May 10, 2016
Maker: O’Brien
Second: Hohmann
Voice Vote: 12 Ayes, 0 Nays, 2 Absent
Motion carried.
3. Items to be Removed/Added/Changed
There were no matters to be removed, added or changed.
4. Matters From The Public (For Items NOT on Agenda)
There were no matters from the public.
5. Electric Division Succession Planning (Gary Holm 6/2/16) PU
Holm reported that staff spoke with the Committee earlier this year regarding our successionplanning and working with Human Resources. The Electric Department, through the survey,found that we have three senior linemen who could retire soon. Most linemen desire to workcontract work. Holm stated that there has been success with training apprentices. We are notproposing an increase in staff, we would like to start the apprenticeship program to get people upto speed before our senior linemen retire. Holm would like direction from Committee to beginadvertising for the positions of both Journeymen and apprentices. Holm explained thatadvertising for both would give the City the necessary flexibility. O’Brien stated that he is infavor of it and it is important to do. Wolff asked for staff to report back to Committee so thatthey know what is going on with the budget. O’Brien asked if anyone is opposed to staff movingforward with advertising for the positions. There were none.
Committee of the Whole
June 7, 2016
Page 2
6. Resolution 16-53-R: Approving Written lease for 2 East Wilson Street (The Thomle
Building) (Chris Aiston 6/2/16) GS
Aiston reported on the new proposed incubator business for the Thomle Building. Aiston statedthat the Wilson Street floor would be a boutique and the second floor would be utilized as officespace and gathering place. The third floor is beneath Wilson Street and would be used forstorage. Aiston stated that staff would we be supportive of it because of the $600 rental fee permonth and there would be a sales tax generating business in town. The tenant would beresponsible for all utility costs. There would be a one-year lease with an option to extend for sixmonths, a year or month-to-month.Brea Hayes, proprietor of Fawn Gifts, presented to the Committee a PowerPoint presentationregarding her business. She gave her personal background, Fawn Gifts Vision Statement,services (personal care, thoughtful and compassionate gifting, private client), Thomle buildingopportunity, upstairs usage for local artists/book clubs (low-impact ways to get communitymembers into the store), and phases to launch (Grand Opening August 2016).
Motion: To recommend to Council approval of Resolution 16-53-R: Approving Written
lease for 2 East Wilson Street
Maker: Brown
Second: O’Brien
Voice Vote: 12 Ayes, 0 Nays, 2 Absent
Motion carried.
Brown welcomed the applicant to attend the June 20, 2016 City Council meeting to further
advertise her business. He noted that this meeting would be on BATV and would give her freeadvertising.
7. TIF Status Update
McGrath presented on the “TIF Funding Projections Excel Worksheet” which was displayed forthe Committee to view. McGrath stated that we are in good shape to work with The Blue Gooseproject. He explained the various columns on the worksheet for the Committee’s benefit.
McGrath asserted that the City would have to wait until 2022 and 2023 before we could startenvisioning future projects.
Hohmann asked if wayfinding is TIF eligible. McGrath stated that if it is in the bounds of theTIF district than absolutely.
Brown asked McGrath to discuss the constraints on what the money from the sale of surplusproperties could be used for. McGrath stated that he could have the “City Properties Surplus
Sold List” organized to what property was sold for originally and what the money could be usedfor.
8. Discussion/Recommendation of “Science” Bridge Sculpture
McGrath discussed the process. Staff put out a call to the artists, comments were received, and apracticing sculptor supplied his comments via a memo. A presentation was made at the COW.Committee of the Whole
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Page 3
McGrath stated staff would negotiate a contract with the artist of choice. McGrath discussedeach piece of art for consideration on how comfortable staff is with the safety of mounting theinstallation onto the bridge.
The COW agreed to fill out a ballot, created by McGrath, to vote on the preferred artwork. Theballots were distributed to the COW and those attending the meeting in the audience. Thosevoting were asked to vote with a number five for their first choice. The artists and concepts arelisted below:
• Guy Bellaver “Bulldog Quark” “Luce in Movimento”
• Chris Bennett “Enrico Fermi”
• Bouba Boumaiz “Quantum”
• Bobbie K Carlisle “Stretch the Limit”
• Douglas Eageny “Untitled”
• Francis Joe Gagnepain IV “ColliderScope”
• Kermit Gilbert “Electric Helix”
• Frederick Klingelhofer “The Last Unknown”
• Steven Lockwood “Interaction Point”
• Fisher Stolz “Untitled”
• Bruce White “Fractal Limits” (Squares)
• David Zahn “Untitled”
The Chair and the Recording Secretary tallied the ballots. The results were:
• First Place, Bruce White’s “Fractal Limits” Squares version with 52 points.
• Tie for Second Place was Fisher Stolz “Untitled” and David Zahn “Untitled” with 34
points
• Third Place was a tie between Frederick Klingelhofer “The Last Unknown” and Chris
Bennett “Enrico Fermi” with 20 points.
9. Approval: Call for “Art” Bridge Sculpture
The Committee directed staff to go forward with the call for “Art” bridge sculpture. Mayor
Schielke stated that the bulldogs would be moved to another location for the public to enjoy. TheCommittee agreed. Brown suggested the River Walk. McGrath would talk to the Park District.10. Resolution 16-54-R: Authorize Execution of Franchise Agreement for Cable Television
with Comcast of California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan LP (WRM
6/3/16)McGrath reported that our cable television is the most active in the entire area. BATV has been
incorporated into the high school curriculum. McGrath stated that the 1% for PEG would be splitout on the bill. The negotiation with Comcast is to negotiate some money per viewer per monthand utilize that for the PEG. The 1% was figured out to.82 cents per month per customer. Staff
negotiated that the ceiling could go up over time after the first five years and that is based onBATV coming up with a capital program that justifies increasing that number. The letter ofapproval of the.82 cents and capital program approval would be received soon. Staff is stillCommittee of the Whole
June 7, 2016
Page 4
negotiating the poll attachment agreement (separate agreement) but if we go forward with the.82cents then we will at least get some money in.
Wolff stated that he thinks we have a good deal that works out well for BATV. At budget timewe need to look at the numbers of the percentages and what ATT’s fees are to make sure thatthey are aligned in the same way as far as capital and operating for BATV.
Motion: To recommend to Council approval of Resolution 16-54-R: Authorize Execution
of Franchise Agreement for Cable Television with Comcast of California,
Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan LP
Maker: Wolff
Second: Hohmann
Voice Vote: 12 Ayes, 0 Nays, 2 Absent
Motion carried.
11. Project Status
McGrath reported on the following:
• BEI and Blue Goose meeting went well
• Work is being done on Air B&B
• Both cases from massage establishments have been continued to June for a date set for
trial, as requested by the massage establishments
12. Other
Austin Dempsey, Batavia Enterprises, reported that the proposed monument has been a
community effort rallied around Dr. Bernard Cigrand’s achievement of creating Flag Day. Thisis the hundredth anniversary of Flag Day and we spent a significant time considering how wewould celebrate it. We would like to leave a legacy for Batavia and future generations ofBatavia. We would like this to be inspirational and educational. We hope to have school groupsvisit the location.
Steve Vasilion, architect, stated that this could be more than just a monument. It could tell a storythat brings us through the history of time. Vasilion distributed a handout to the Committee titled“Helix Flag Day Memorial.” He explained to the Committee the concept, design features,physical dimensions, construction, lighting, and donor opportunities for the Helix Flag DayMemorial. He presented a rendering of the memorial with three different locations on the CityHall site. Vasilion noted that the Park District would be consulted with to see which site wouldbe best. He commented that he prefers the furthest south location.
Mayor Schielke stated that we do not have anything in Batavia to honor the founder of Flag Day,who was a Batavia resident. He moved from Batavia to Aurora in the last part of his life andAurora has a monument there. All of the things that he did were while he was in Batavia. Wereally should be claiming it. Another monument celebrating Dr. Cigrand is in a small townnamed Waupaca in Wisconsin. He was a schoolteacher there in a one-room schoolhouse. MayorSchielke stated that we would have a lot of visitors to this monument, from bike trail patrons toschool groups. He thanked Vasilion for donating his talents to create the monument and
Dempsey for offering his skill to help finance the project. A number of people have offered toCommittee of the Whole
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Page 5
make donations. Mayor Schielke concluded that this is really something special for the history ofour town.O’Brien stated that he loves the design of this monument and he said that it is a fantastic, iconicdesign. It would bring people into our town and would elevate us as a community. Wolff statedthat it is a great idea and he likes that it is bigger than he originally imagined. Vasilion stated thathe would be happy to stake out a forty-foot diameter at the desired location so that we could havean idea of the monument’s footprint. Atac commented that she loves the sundial aspect of themonument. Cerone stated that this monument exceeds his expectations. McFadden stated that thewhole concept is fabulous.Dempsey stated that we are looking at the fundraising opportunities. Dempsey announced that hefiled a 501C3 so we could create a maintenance fund. Dempsey explained that we want to raiseenough money to create an endowed fund for maintenance. Brown stated that the next step is totalk this over with the Park Board.
13. Adjournment
There being no other business to discuss, Brown asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting at
9:28pm; Made by O’Brien; Seconded by McFadden. Motion carried.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Jennifer Austin-Smith
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