Peoria Standard

City of Delavan City Council met April 21.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

The Delavan City Council met in regular session at 6:30 p.m. in the Delavan City Council Room, 219 Locust Street, Delavan, Illinois. Mayor Elizabeth Skinner presided. The following aldermen attended electronically: Douglas Bury, Wade Fornoff, Robert Hall, James Horath, Jeffrey Johnson, and Steven Yontz. Other city officials attending electronically were City Administrator Matt Fick and City Attorney William Connor. Attending in person in the council room were Police Chief Jerry Littlefield, City Clerk Penny Bright, and Jayson Meyer.

The meeting notice and agenda were posted at least forty-eight hours in advance of the meeting on the door of the City Council Room and on the window in City Hall. A copy of the meeting notice and agenda is attached to and made a part of the minutes.

CONSENT AGENDA

The following items were presented for vote under the Consent Agenda: 

A. Minutes of the April 7, 2020, regular meeting 

B. Approval of Resolution #2020-8 for payment of bills

A motion was made by Alderman Horath, seconded by Alderman Fornoff, to approve Consent Agenda Item A., minutes of the April 7, 2020, regular meeting; and Consent Agenda Item B., 

RESOLUTION #2020-8, A RESOLUTION APPROVING AND DIRECTING THE PAYMENT OF CERTAIN BILLS OF THE CITY OF DELAVAN, ILLINOIS. A second motion was made by Alderman Yontz, to remove the minutes from the consent Agenda. No second was received for this motion. The vote on the previous motion was as follows: Ayes: Fornoff, Horath, Bury, Johnson; Nays: Yontz, Hall; Absent: none. Motion carried.

MAYOR'S REPORT

No report was made by Mayor Skinner.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT

City Administrator Fick made the following report: → The redesigned City of Delavan website went "live" on 4/16/20. The content is the same as the former website but the design has been updated. More changes, including updated Mayor and Aldermen pictures, are forthcoming. Monies in the downtown rehabilitation grant could be used for financial assistance for business owners. Looking forward, we have not had anyone reach out to the city yet but can amend the grant and would come to the council with any changes or requests.

NEW BUSINESS

A. Discussion and action to reconsider vote on Ordinance #2020-13.

A motion was made by Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Fornoff, to reconsider the vote on Ordinance # 2020-13. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Horath, Bury, Johnson, Yontz, Hall, Fornoff; Nays: none; Absent: none. Motion carried.

B. Discussion and action to approve Ordinance #2020-13 approving a City of Delavan 2019-2020 Residential Maintenance Program Application for Property Located at 207 W. 3rd.

A motion was made by Alderman Horath, seconded by Alderman Johnson, to approve Ordinance #2020-13, an Ordinance approving a City of Delavan 2019-2020 Residential Maintenance Program Application for Property located at 207 W. 3rd, Alderman Yontz asked why this wasn't addressed properly at the last meeting and why does the council have to go through this again. Mayor Skinner explained that there had been three aldermen who requested that it be put back on the agenda because they felt that after review it was in the 2019-2020 budget and should have been approved. Alderman Johnson said that he had been one of the three that asked that it be put back on the agenda and felt that the city has policies to maintain. This property did adhere to the policy of the program and should have been approved. Alderman Fornoff agreed with Alderman Johnson and considering what happened with the program this past year and we should go ahead and fill the obligation the city has to approve the application. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Bury, Johnson, Yontz, Hall, Fornoff, Horath; Nays: none; Absent: none. Motion carried.

C. Discussion and action on an Ordinance Adopting the National Electrical Code, 2020 Edition, and Amending Chapter XXIV, Construction, Article II - Electrical Code.

A motion was made by Alderman Bury, seconded by Alderman Yontz, to approve ORDINANCE #2020-16, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, 2020 EDITION, AND AMENDING CHAPTER XXIV, CONSTRUCTION, ARTICLE II - ELECTRICAL CODE. 

City Administrator Fick thanked Alderman Bury for reviewing the code and stated that it was Alderman Bury's recommendation that the code be adopted. Alderman Bury spoke on the code and pointed out the new code has a provision for over-voltage w house built. In the new code to be adopted there is a provision for over-voltage protection but they do not have anything that is produced that will address this concern in any new house. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Johnson, Yontz, Hall, Fornoff, Horath, Bury; Nays: none; Absent: none. Motion carried.

D. Discussion and action on an Ordinance Approving and Authorizing the Execution of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District Redevelopment Agreement with Common Ground.

A motion was made by Alderman Horath, seconded by Alderman Bury, to approve ORDINANCE #2020-17, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) DISTRICT REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH COMMON GROUND. 

City Administrator Fick thanked Jayson Meyer for meeting with him and Mayor Skinner. He provided a summary of their meeting to the council members. Alderman Yontz thanked Jayson for meeting with the City Administrator and the Mayor and stated that Common Ground is an asset to the community. He feels the garden is a good initiative but he has reservations about the project.

A lengthy discussion followed with numerous questions asked by the aldermen of Jayson Meyer. These included as follows with answers given by Jayson:

> Alderman Yontz: Why invest the $10,000 right now? Can work be done to just roll back the sod, plant seed, apply chemicals, herbicides, fertilizers, etc.” Learn over the summer about markets, price points, expenses. At a later date, further investments in the project. What completion is there from outside sources? No competition from these types of food available in Delavan. Will look at green houses after the next 2-4 years. Alderman Yontz: How will you use the $10,000 if given today? Would be used for the water extension to the property and electrical also. Another eligible expense would be any underground irrigation. Alderman Yontz: Do you need irrigation on day one? Possible use of a drip line instead. What is the purpose of the electricity? The current use of the electricity would be to have some source of cold storage, i.e., refrigerators or walk-in cooler for cold storage after harvest. There are other options for cold storage but they are off site but it would be more sensible to have on-site cold storage. A simple irrigation system is about $500 and could provide overheard irrigation for seed germination, and water crops when no one is there. Water is a must on a farm such as this. Alderman Horath: Have you invested any of your own money to this date? I do have some of my own money in the farm. However, there is a farm account and some expenses, such as the irrigation system, was spent from that account 

> Alderman Yontz: How many acres are you developing? There is approximately 114 acres off of Oak Street that we will be using. This season there is 6,000 square feet to work with, and other perennial crops at another location. Alderman Yontz: What vegetables are you going to grow? I have started some vegetables from seed at the green house at the school. A number of vegetables ranging from broccoli, to onions, to green beans, lettuce, and kale, carrots, and beets.

Alderman Fornoff: On-site cooler costs? Plans to turn half of the shed into a walk in cooler. It would be about $800-$1000 for an 8 x 8 walk-in cooler. Alderman Fornoff: Would it be enough to meet the demand? On the front end it would be enough space. Using just half of the shed would leave room for expansion and have the other half to use later. Alderman Yontz: Is it possible to use year one as a testing year? Year one is definitely a test year. I do not feel we are gun-ho now for equipment. All the equipment can be placed in a day and can be removed in a day. The shed was one given to us, and it is ne skids so It can be moved very easily. The utilities to the site would add value to the site. It is a benefit to the city to have these utilities on the site. If the farm should fail, provisions in the agreement with the city we would have to reimburse. The agreement is with Common Ground. I am taking a risk by partnering with Common Ground and the city. The scale of the farm is small, not acres and acres. We are starting small. It is not a business venture. | want the farm to be a gift to the city. We can be a gift to the community, and provide employment for some, also work with the school for co-op students. Make good food available to the neighbors. Don't lose site of the purpose of the farm, and the heart of Common Ground, because they are one in the same. The farm is and hopes to be what Common Ground is. Alderman Yontz: Know that Jayson's heart is in the right spot. But not ready to give tax payer capital to this project. Alderman Yontz stated that any check that he receives as a council member for the rest of the year, he would be happy to donate that to their cause. Alderman Hall: Have you surveyed the site that the city donated to Common Ground for a community garden? Have not been on the property on Pine Street. Alderman Hall: There is water on that site. Why not go there and do what was supposed to be done with that lot several years ago. You could use the water on site and save some money. Common Ground talked about that property before there was a land purchase on 122 and Oak. That property is about 14 acre. The size would be great for year one. But moving forward, anticipating success we would have quickly outgrown that site. We need a permanent bed system. Didn't and labor into a site that we would outgrow and have to move off of in a year or two. The land at 122 and Oak was at a price that made a lot of sense. Location makes sense in an urban area. Alderman Johnson: Maybe the city could rethink and possibly just pay the first year expenses and not be locked into the full amount. It could be half of the amount.

City Administrator Fick: TIF is a reimburse program with TIF-qualified expenses that can be reimbursed. If there in operating loss, we could not fund that with TIF. We could say $5,000 instead of the $10,000. Alderman Bury: TIF is to improve the city we live. It is there to do special projects such this.

► Alderman Johnson: Would like to encourage Jayson and his endeavor.

A motion was made by Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Bury, to call the question. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Fornoff, Horath, Bury; Nay: Yontz, Hal, Johnson. A tie vote with the mayor voting Nay. Motion failed.

Alderman Fornoff: How long has Common Ground been in the community. They have done a lot of good things. We have an organization that has a commitment to the community and the ability to fund projects within the community. The TIF program is set up to support growth and the type of program that this is. The city has the ability and the funds for such a project. We need to move forward to promote this project and others that might come in the future. Alderman Yontz: Do not want to set precedence in how we invest in new business. It is a competitive type of business that we are investing in. Are we going to give $10,000 to anyone in Delavan who wants to start a garden? Don't feel at this time that the $10,000 tax payer money warrants such a project. Alderman Horath: Common Ground is very prevalent in the community. They assist the school, and offer other help within the community. The bakery is an asset to the community. Jayson has the backing of Common Ground. Everything that Common Ground does is for the community. Alderman Yontz: This will be an asset to the community but struggles with the $10,000. The number comes from the initial agreement with the city of Delavan and includes the land acquisition. Since land acquisition is out of the picture, water and power are what is involved now. I cannot speak for sure about power. The water is going to cost the farm about $1500-$2000. The estimate on power is about $3,000 of reimbursable costs.

A motion was made by Alderman Fornoff, seconded by Alderman Horath, to call the question. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Fornoff, Horath, Bury, Johnson; Nays: Hall, Yontz. Motion carried.

The vote on the original motion was as follows: Ayes: Fornoff, Horath, Bury, Johnson; Nays: Yontz, Hall; Absent: none. Motion carried. Mayor Skinner thanked Jayson for attending the meeting.

E. Discussion and action approving and adopting the FY 2020-2021 Residential

Maintenance Program. A motion was made by Alderman Bury, seconded by Alderman Fornoff, to approve and adopt ORDINANCE # 2020-18, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FY 2020-2021 RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. Discussion was heard with regards to the ordinance. Alderman Yontz stated that he did not support the program the first year, and is not supportive of the 2020-2021 program. He feels that there are better ways to use funds in removing blight and improving the appearance of the community. He asked if there has been any increase in taxes in respect to the projects that were completed in the first year. It was noted by City Administrator Fick that any increase in the EAV will not occur immediately but will take several years to appear.

Alderman Bury stated that the changes in the program for 2020-2021 are good. He would like to see any future changes to include opening a window at the beginning of the fiscal year where applications would be accepted and then the council could look at them and prioritize the ones that would benefit the most.

The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Horath, Bury, Johnson, Hall, Fornoff; Nays: Yontz; Absent: none. Motion carried.

F. Discussion and action on an Ordinance Approving a City of Delavan 2020-2021

Commercial Façade and Building Renovation Program Application for Property Located at 306 S. Locust Street.

City Administrator Fick presented the ordinance approving a City of Delavan 2020 2021 Commercial Façade and Building Renovation Program Application for property at 306 S. Locust Street, the former Allen law office. The improvements include a new sign, new door, and interior renovations which are TIF-qualified under the program rules. A motion was made by Alderman Bury, seconded by Alderman Horath, to approve ORDINANCE #2020-19, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CITY OF DELAVAN 2020-2021 COMMERCIAL FAÇADE AND BUILDING RENOVATION PROGRAM APPLICATION FOR PROPERTY AT 306 S. LOCUST STREET. Discussion was heard with regards to the ordinance. It was noted that this project will come from the 2020-2021 allocated funds. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Bury, Johnson, Yontz, Hall, Fornoff, Horath; Nays: none; Absent: none. Motion carried.

G. Discussion and action on an Ordinance Adopting the Budget for the Fiscal Year Beginning May 1, 2020, and ending April 30, 2021.

A motion was made by Alderman Horath, seconded by Alderman Johnson, to approve ORDINANCE # 2020-20, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE 2020-2021 BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING MAY 1, 2020, AND ENDING APRIL 30, 2021. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Johnson, Hall, Fornoff, Horath, Bury; Nays: Yontz; Absent: none. Motion carried.

H. Discussion and action approving a Full-Service Maintenance Plan with Maguire Iron.

City Administrator Fick presented the full-service maintenance plan with Maguire Iron for maintenance of the water tower. He noted that a change on page one from 2030 to 2020 needs to be made. A motion was made by Alderman Bury, seconded by Alderman Horath, to approve the Full-Service Maintenance Plan with Maguire Iron with a change of year from 2030 to 2020 on page one of the agreement. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Yontz, Hall, Fornoff, Horath, Bury, Johnson; Nays: none;

Absent: none. Motion carried.

I. Resolution to extend Mayor's emergency powers and Mayor's Declaration of Local State of Emergency.

A resolution extending the Mayor's emergency powers was presented. A motion was made by Alderman Horath, seconded by Alderman Johnson, to approve RESOLUTION #2020-9 TO. EXTEND EMERGENCY POWERS. Alderman Yontz asked about emergency funds that the city might be available to receive. City Administrator Fick reported that the city has submitted the request for funds through IEMA and when the time comes, the city will submit their expenses for reimbursement through the assistance program. The vote on this motion was as follows: Ayes: Hall, Fornoff, Horath, Bury, Johnson, Yontz; Nays: none; Absent: none. Motion carried.

OTHER ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION

The following items were presented: 

> Alderman Hall stated that he wanted to go on record as not in favor of the hiring of the Director of Public Works. 

> Alderman Yontz stated the he also wanted to go on record as not in favor of the hiring of the Director of Public Works. Alderman Fornoff stated that the council needs to do the best we can as public servants and not politicians. We need to move forward as a team working for the betterment of the community. Alderman Yontz asked for an update on 608 E. 3rd Street. City Administrator Fick stated there had been a demolition order but a change had made to keep the house. There has been a lien on the property for upgrades to the property. City Attorney Conner stated that the circuit court has essentially shut down any hearings. There are no court dates until maybe the middle of May and perhaps into June. Alderman Yontz asked if the city is trying to get the house back on the tax rolls. City Administrator Fick stated that the city is trying to obtain title and keep the property on the tax rolls. Alderman Horath asked if there is a potential buyer for the property and can the property to be rehabbed. Alderman Yontz asked for history on this property.

A motion was made by Alderman Horath, seconded by Alderman Fornoff, that the meeting be adjourned. Mayor Skinner declared the meeting adjourned.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bRGgja-c8c-tlEmC5xX1XccEEmGY9tJfUmK-QMQsm30/edit