Kane County Reporter

City of Geneva Committee of the Whole met Aug. 5

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Elected Officials Present: Mayor Burns, Ald. Bowring, Ald. Bruno, Ald. Hruby, Ald. Kilburg, Ald. Kosirog, Ald. Maladra, Ald. Paschke, Ald. Swanson, Clerk Kellick.

Elected Officials Attending by Teleconference: None.

Elected Officials Absent: Ald. Marks, Ald. Mayer.

Others Present: City Admin. Dawkins, Asst. City Admin. McCready, City Attny. Sandack, Dir. Babica.

Others attending by video or teleconference: None.

Call to Order

Council member Dean Kilburg, serving as chair, called the meeting to order at 7:036 PM noting all council members were present, save for Ald. Marks and Ald. Mayer.

Approve Committee of the Whole Minutes from July 15, 2024, and Joint Committee of the Whole/Strategic Plan Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes from July 22, 2024.

Moved by Ald. Bruno, seconded by Ald. Swanson.

MOTION CARRIED by voice vote 8-0.

Items of Business

Recommend Approval of Resolution Accepting Quote for Construction Material Testing and Geotechnical Services with Nashnal Soil Testing, LLC in an Amount Not-to Exceed $33,442.50.

Moved by Ald. Paschke, seconded by Ald. Bowring.

On a question by Ald. Kosirog, Dir. Babica noted that this contract is for use by the City throughout the calendar year. On a question by Ald. Kilburg, Dir. Babica stated that only one bid was received last year and the City was excited to have received four bids this year.

MOTION CARRIED by voice vote 8-0.

Recommend Approval of Ordinance Setting Compensation for Elected Municipal Officials by Amending Title 1 (Administrative), Chapter 4 (Mayor), Chapter 5 (City Council, and Chapter 6 (Municipal Officers and Employees) of the Geneva City Code.

Moved by Ald. Kosirog, seconded by Ald. Paschke.

On a question by Ald. Hruby, Ald. Kilburg explained that alderpersons had last had their compensation set in 1997, while the mayor’s compensation was last adjusted in 2007. Ald. Bowring noted that the updated amounts were reached by considering neighboring community’s compensation for elected officials and noted that an increase in compensation would likely result in more diverse representation on the City Council. She noted that Ald. Mayer had suggested that future increases consider inflation. Admin. Dawkins stated that according to state statute, compensation for elected officials could not be increased or decreased during a term, resulting in a first increase applying to those elected April 1, 2025.

Roll call:

AYES: 8 (Bowring, Bruno, Hruby, Kilburg, Kosirog, Maladra, Paschke, Swanson).

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:2 (Marks, Mayer)

MOTION CARRIED

Discuss and Provide Recommendation Regarding Ward Redistricting.

Moved by Ald. Bowring, seconded by Ald. Paschke.

Admin. Dawkins explained that three options for redistricting would be presented based on feedback from the Special Committee of the Whole. Option A redistricted by population resulting in equal distribution of the population by wards, the downtown area being divided between two wards, and the boundary of Ward 4 being set at Randall Rd.

Option B also redistricted by population with similar results to Option A but with Eagle Brook remaining in one ward, Ward 5 extending from the west to the east of the City, Ward 4 not remaining contiguous, and population not as equally distributed across wards.

Option C redistricted by precinct resulting in Ward 4 not remaining contiguous, and population not being equally distributed across wards.

Discussion of each option followed with several alderpersons preferring Option A as it met the “compact and contiguous” criteria set forth in the statute, as well as keeping the population more equally distributed. Ald. Kosirog was concerned that Eagle Brook would be divided between wards and voiced concern that the public did not have feedback on the issue.

Motion to postpone the matter to a date uncertain.

Moved by Ald. Kosirog, seconded by Ald. Hruby.

Ald. Kosirog stated that he would like to have the public’s input on this issue. Ald.

Hruby noted that she believed that there would not be much feedback since there wasn’t feedback with other issues that came before the Committee. Ald. Kosirog stated that this was very important to his ward. Ald. Maladra stated that since the Committee has until October to decide the matter, there was time for community feedback.

Roll call:

AYES: 2 (Hruby, Kosirog).

NAYS: 6 (Bowring, Bruno, Kilburg, Maladra, Paschke, Swanson).

ABSENT: 2 (Marks, Mayer)

MOTION FAILED

Motion to adopt last week's “Ward Redistricting by Population” map with the only change being to move the boundary of Third St. one block west.

Moved by Ald. Bowring, seconded by Ald. Bruno.

Roll call:

AYES: 6 (Bowring, Bruno, Kilburg, Maladra, Paschke, Swanson).

NAYS: 2 (Hruby, Kosirog).

ABSENT: 2 (Marks, Mayer)

MOTION PASSED

Public Comment

None.

New Business

Ald. Kilburg thanked Public Works and the support received from around Kane County to clear the brush quickly after the recent storms.

Ald. Paschke requested that staff create a recommendation for redistricting wards by population more frequently. The consensus among the Council was that this be done every 10 years in conjunction with the decinniel census. Admin. Dawkins noted that she would bring forward a recommendation at a future meeting.

Adjournment

On a motion by Ald. Kosirog, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous voice vote at 8:47 PM. 

https://www.geneva.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08192024-2403