City of Elgin Committee of the Whole Met March 10.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
The regular Committee of the Whole meeting was called to order by Mayor Kaptain at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Present: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Absent: None. All members, with the exception of Councilmembers Martinez, Shaw and Mayor Kaptain, attended via electronic means. This was allowed at this time granted by Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order 2020-07.
Approval of Minutes
Councilmember Martinez made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Shaw, to approve the minutes of the February 24, 2021, regular meeting. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Adoption of the 2021 Official Zoning Map
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve and adopt the 2021 Official Zoning Map in order to comply with Illinois State Statute. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Acceptance of Public Improvements within the Bowes Creek Country Club Phase II Subdivision
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve the acceptance of the public improvements for ownership and maintenance in the Bowes Creek Country Club Phase II Subdivision in order to fulfill the City’s obligation to maintain reliable infrastructure for serving businesses and residents. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None. Councilmember Dixon abstained.
Athletic Facility Improvement Funding
Councilmember Gavin made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve the 2021 Athletic Facility Improvement Funding as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board in the amount of $50,000 in order to provide financial assistance to Elgin-based sports organizations for making capital improvements to City owned property. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Engineering Services Agreement with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Inc. for Civil Site Improvements Engineering Projects
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve an agreement with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Inc. in the amount of $70,000 in order to provide the City with engineering services to evaluate, design and provide construction services related to civil site improvements engineering projects. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Engineering Services Agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. for Deep Well Engineering Projects
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve an agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. in the amount of $218,898 in order to provide the City with engineering services to evaluate, design and provide construction services related to deep well projects. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Purchase Agreement with Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. for Riverside Piping Repairs
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gavin, to award an agreement to Benchmark Construction Co., Inc. in the amount of $32,500 to provide reliable and adequate water supply by repairing aging equipment. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Agreement with McCrometer, Inc. for Procurement of Flow Meters
Councilmember Martinez made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Shaw, to award a contract to McCrometer Inc., LLC in the amount of $72,142 for the purchase water treatment plant flow meters to ensure accurate and efficient use of water and chemicals. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Private Property Drainage Assistance Program
There was discussion regarding communication to the public regarding the program and how funds would be disbursed.
Councilmember Powell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve the private property assistance program in the amount of $40,000 to support homeowners’ experiencing drainage issues on their property by offering financial assistance to remedy the issue. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Purchase of Service Agreement for Temporary Emergency Warming Shelter Services
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve an agreement with Elgin Dream Center and First Christian Church in the amount of $23,050 to provide services in operating the temporary emergency warming shelter. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Waiver of Annual Liquor License Fee for Renewal of Certain Liquor Licenses
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gavin, to waive the annual liquor license fee for the renewal of liquor licenses for restaurants, bars and other non-package establishments for the 2021-2022 license year in order to provide assistance to the City's establishments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Further Consideration of Proposed Amendments to the City's Ethics Act
There was discussion regarding the implications of a ban on registered lobbyists from holding office. There were concerns regarding the required proposed ethics training and how the training program would be administered.
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gavin, to amend the proposed amendments to include previous language regarding banning lobbyists being allowed to serve on city council. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Gavin, Martinez, and Shaw. Nays: Councilmembers Dixon, Lopez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain.
Motion failed.
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to approve the proposed amendments, as presented, to the city’s ethics act. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
There was discussion regarding the impact of the pension ‘double dipping’ proposal. There were concerns about the proposal in regards to future recruitment for command level positions in the police and fire departments.
Councilmember Powell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Rauschenberger, to include in the ethics act a prohibition of pension “double dipping” for city of Elgin employees. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Gavin, to amend the previous motion to include prohibition of “double dipping” for all recipients of a public pensions not just those from the city of Elgin. The motion was withdrawn and no roll call vote was taken.
Councilmember Powell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Shaw, to table the discussion regarding pension “double dipping” to include all recipients of a public pensions and direct staff to provided further information on the impact of this proposal. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response” (SAFER) Grant Application
There was discussion regarding the history of the grant, the cost sharing ratio and what legacy costs are involved in hiring firefighters under the grant program.
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to authorize the submission of the FEMA “Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response” (SAFER) grant application for fully reimbursable grant funding for three, new firefighter/paramedic positions to help reduce overtime costs during a three-year period. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
Announcements from Council
None.
Announcements from Staff
None.
Adjournment
Councilmember Shaw made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Martinez, to adjourn and go into the Executive Session for the purpose of discussing the following matters. Upon a roll call vote: Yeas: Councilmembers Dixon, Gavin, Lopez, Martinez, Powell, Rauschenberger, Shaw, Steffen, and Mayor Kaptain. Nays: None.
The meeting adjourned at 7:09 p.m.
https://www.cityofelgin.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/7283
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