Chambana Sun

City of Danville Public Works Committee met April 10.

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

#1 Call To Order

Chairman Mike Puhr called the meeting of the Public Works Committee to order at 6:00 p.m. at the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building, 17 W. Main St., Danville, Illinois.

Roll Call was answered by Chairman Mike Puhr, Vice Chairman Jon Cooper, Aldermen Mike O'Kane, Sherry Pickering, Lloyd Randle, and Rickey Williams, Jr. Alderman Rick Strebing was absent. A quorum was present.

Others in attendance included Mayor Scott Eisenhauer, Alderman Tom Stone, City Comptroller Shelley Scott, City Clerk Lisa Monson, Community Development Director David Schnelle, Planning & Urban Services Manager Christopher Milliken, Harrison Park Facility Manager Brock Burton, Senior Planner Tyson Terhune, Public Transportation Director Lisa Beith, Deputy Director of Public Works Operations Ray Garcia, 7 audience members, and 3 news media.

#2 Approval Of Minutes - None

#3 Approval Of Agenda

Chairman Puhr presented the agenda. There being no changes, Vice Chairman Cooper moved for approval as presented, seconded by Alderman Williams. On the voice vote, all ayes, no nays; the motion so ordered.

#4 Audience Comments

#4-A) Public Hearing for Petition to Vacate East-West Alleyway near 1012 N. Vermilion St. for Fred and Kathy Cunningham. Chairman Puhr opened the public hearing at 6:01 p.m. for the Petition to Vacate and asked for audience comments in support of or in opposition of the alley vacation. Kathy Cunningham, Petitioner stated the alleyway is located north of her beauty salon business and she plans to pave the alley. The utility easements will still be available as the alleyway will not be closed.

There were no audience comments in opposition to the alley vacation. There being no further comments, Chairman Puhr closed the hearing at 6:03 p.m.

#4 Other Audience Comments

•Janet Hetherington of Danville spoke in opposition to the possible eminent domain of the property located at 1824 E. Main St, as the City would lose income tax from the property and feels it is not wise use of city funding to tear down the building for a park.

•Casey Clayton of Palatine voiced opposition to the possible eminent domain of the property located at 1824 E. Main St. as the American Inn business located at the property currently houses at-risk people and if the eminent domain is approved he feels a fair price should be given for the property.

#5 Chairman's Comments - None

#6 Payroll

Chairman Puhr presented Payroll for April 6, 2018 of $69,201.50. Vice Chairman Cooper moved to dispense with the reading and asked for approval, seconded by Alderman Pickering. There being no questions, the roll call vote being:

Ayes: Aldermen Cooper, Randle, O'Kane, Pickering, Williams, Puhr

Nays: None

Absent: Alderman Strebing

Motion carried 6 to 0 with 1 absent.

#7 Vouchers Payable

Chairman Puhr presented the Schedule of Vouchers Payable for April 10, 2018 of $233,959.11. Alderman Randle moved to dispense with the reading and asked for approval, seconded by Vice Chairman Cooper. After all questions were addressed, the roll call vote being:

Ayes: Aldermen Randle, O'Kane, Pickering, Williams, Cooper, Puhr

Nays: None

Absent: Alderman Strebing

Motion carried 6 to 0 with 1 absent.

#8 Community Development - David Schnelle, Director

#8-A) Chairman Puhr presented a resolution approving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Annual Action Plan for Program Year 2018 to provide Accessibility Modifications (2), $30,000, Neighborhood Impact Program (13), $150,000.00, Homelessness Building Assistance, $15,000.00, Demolitions/Blight Removal (18), $200,000.00, Economic Development, $60,000.00, Public Improvements & Infrastructure (Stormwater, Sidewalks), $257,974.00 for a Subtotal for all projects of $712,974.00 and an Administrative Reimbursement of $173,195.00 for a total of $886,169.00 which includes Anticipated Program Income of $20,000.00. Vice Chairman Cooper moved to dispense with the reading and asked for approval, seconded by Alderman Pickering. Alderman Randle explained his concerns with the aging housing stock, the desire to demolish several hundred homes, and the costs associated with the demolitions, the City needs to look at building homes in the community. He realizes there is nothing we can do about the allocation this year, but feels the City should think outside the box in how the CDBG funds are utilized to assist some of the partners in the community such as East Central Illinois Community Action Agency and Danville Housing Authority. We should start building structures that meet the needs of the community and look at targeted areas similar to the City of Champaign's Bristol Place housing community. Alderman Williams stated he has not had a chance to fully review the Plan so he will be abstaining as he cannot provide a fully informed recommendation, but he feels CDBG funds should be used more for infrastructure. Chairman Puhr asked if Danville Housing Authority dollars could be used in partnership with CDBG funding for targeted housing development. Mayor Eisenhauer responded “yes”, but the difficulty we have now is they are in the process of developing a plan on where their expansion is going to go and we need to be careful about where we are going to be building new until after we have torn down the current housing stock and with vacated housing stock it perpetuates the problem we have now and moving people into it as another rental unit. There is no question that housing construction is the plan and the end goal, but if you don't do demolition in conjunction with that then you are going to have an overabundance of housing stock and when you have an overabundance of housing stock that lowers the EAV and also opens yourself up for some of the type of rental properties that have infested our community. Manager Milliken stated the exact allocation has not been announced yet, but the allocation should go up a little bit as this is based on last year, but we probably won't know that for about another month at least. We use last year's number until we get our actual allocation amount as you'll notice in the draft it does talk about putting any decrease or increase towards the public infrastructure aspect of the Plan so that would be the number that would be adjusted up or down. After all questions were addressed and there being no further discussion, the roll call vote being:

Ayes: Aldermen O'Kane, Pickering, Cooper, Randle, Puhr

Nays: None

Abstention: Alderman Williams

Absent: Alderman Strebing

Motion carried 5 to 0 with 1 absent and 1 abstention.

#8-B) Chairman Puhr presented an ordinance authorizing vacation of East/ West Alleyway near 1012 N. Vermilion Street for Fred and Kathy Cunningham. Alderman Williams moved to dispense with the reading and asked for approval, seconded by Alderman Pickering. There being no questions or discussion, the roll call vote being:

Ayes: Aldermen Pickering, Williams, Cooper, Randle, O'Kane, Puhr

Nays: None

Absent: Alderman Strebing

Motion carried 6 to 0 with 1 absent.

#8-C) Items of Information

Director Schnelle stated there has been a desire from the Aldermen for a more formal process for the economic development program so staff is working on a formal policy with plans to bring it to the Public Services Committee this month.

#8-C-1) H&L Landfill Update

Director Schnelle reported another step has been made since last month. The Attorney General's office has worked with the City to send a stipulated agreement to the EPA for review. The City is still waiting on comments from the EPA, but we are hopeful we will be talking sometime this summer of a potential shutdown.

#8-C-2) NPDES Stormwater Management Update

Director Schnelle reported Heatcraft has agreed to the purchase sales agreement that we have been working on for a number of months. They plan on executing that and at that point we can bring that back to the City Council for a tentative approval which is due to the environmental work we need to do on that site prior to completing the purchase, and that will be through the Brownfields grant.

#8-C-3) Project Updates

• Director Schnelle reported staff is waiting on nicer weather to start construction on the roundabout at Jackson and English Streets.

•Still waiting on executed contract from IDOT on Voorhees Street Bridge Replacement Project, but anticipate that project will begin in May or June.

#9 Danville Area Transportation Study (DATS)

#9-A) Items of Information Director Schnelle reported the DATS Committees did not meet this month and reported the Unified Plan is out. He also stated the Greenways Plan public review period is finished.

#10 Public Transportation - Lisa Beith, Director

#10-A) Chairman Puhr presented an amended resolution approving Disposal of Surplus Property for Sale and Scrap Value of a 2008 Chevrolet 24 passenger bus, VIN: 1GBE5V1948F403560. Vice Chairman Cooper moved to dispense with the reading and asked for approval, seconded by Alderman Pickering. After a brief discussion, it was determined to amend the language to state Disposal of Surplus Property through Sale and/or Scrap Value, whichever is higher. Alderman Williams moved to amend the resolution, seconded by Alderman Pickering. On the voice vote, all ayes, no nays; the motion so ordered. After all questions were addressed and there being no further discussion, the roll call vote on the amended resolution being:

Ayes: Aldermen Williams, Cooper, Randle, O'Kane, Pickering, Puhr

Nays: None

Absent: Alderman Strebing

Motion carried 6 to 0 with 1 absent.

#10-B-1) The Monthly Recap for March 2018, included Ridership Reports, Monthly Revenue Record, and Ridership History. The March fixed route ridership totaled 47,411. The February total ADA ridership was 703 rides, with the March ADA ridership report to be given next month. The total revenue for the month of March was $24,900.32.

#10-B) Items of Information

Lee-Ogle Transportation System in Dixon, Illinois has been awarded a state grant to assist in the implementation of a Greyhound Connect route that will provide one daily round trip between Chicago and Danville. The route will also have stops in Elgin, Rockford, Rochelle, LaSalle-Peru, BloomingtonNormal, and Champaign-Urbana.

#11 Public Works - Ray Garcia, Deputy Director – Operations

#11-A) Items of Information

• Manager Burton briefly explained bids have been received on different pieces of landscape maintenance equipment for the Harrison Park Golf Course. The Committee received a spreadsheet of type of use for the equipment, equipment summary, hours of use, warranty, and list price along with the NJPA Equipment Purchase Package Price and Regular Equipment Purchase Package for a Total Amount of $192,864.30 with a trade-in of $4,700.00 for a Final Amount of $188,164.30. He also explained the resolution Council has already approved allows for $180,000.00 to be borrowed for purchase of replacement equipment over the course of five years, with the loan to be to be paid from Harrison Park Golf Course BudgetOther Capital Equipment, and the additional funds to be paid from Harrison Park fund reserves. The consensus from Committee was to place the resolution on the City Council agenda for April 17, 2018.

•Mayor Eisenhauer handed out a resolution to dispose of 16 vehicles and equipment that have been replaced and are not suitable for continued use by the City or others and requested the resolution be brought directly to the April 17, 2018 City Council meeting. The vehicles and equipment will be sold for scrap. Deputy Director Garcia stated staff tried to sell the dump trucks at auction and online previously and the cost was more to post the ad online than the bid price for the trucks. The consensus from Committee was to place the resolution on the Council agenda for April 17, 2018.

•After a brief explanation of the Republic Services Proposal for Waste Disposal, Mayor Eisenhauer asked if the contract for a three-year period from May 1, 2018 through April 30, 2021 could also be brought directly to the Council on April 17, 2018 and the consensus from Committee was "yes". A spreadsheet was handed out that included the rates each year for municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris, and street sweepings.

•Deputy Director Garcia reported pump issues with the Northwest Pump Station. The pump is currently on bypass and the plumbing is being removed from the pumps so the costs are starting to accumulate.

•Deputy Director Garcia also reported the Committee will notice payments on the vouchers payable for main breaks. There have been several due to the freeze/thaw temperatures. Staff is currently investigating a break at Logan and Swisher. Alderman Pickering reported a sink hole at Cleveland and Edwards. Deputy Director Garcia stated he will look into it.

• Manager Burton updated the Committee on the flood damage at Harrison Park Golf Course. There was $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 in costs for damages with the clean-up efforts underway. Director Schnelle and his staff are looking at some things for the bridge on both sides of the approach as those will need to be upgraded.

•Manager Burton reported Danville Area Community College (DACC) is playing the first game of the season tomorrow as the Danville Stadium field has been re-sodded for the summer season. Mayor Eisenhauer stated a resolution will be coming for an inter-governmental agreement for the City of Danville to host the new scoreboard at the stadium. Watchfire Signs agreed to take a first attempt to make a scoreboard with private community donations made to to DACC Foundation who will deed the ownership of the scoreboard over to DACC. The scoreboard includes LED lighting and an old fashioned 36 foot videoboard.

#12 Closed Session was not needed.

#13 Committee Members' Comments - None #14

#14 Adjournment

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