Peoria Standard

City of Batavia Committee of the Whole Met Feb. 16.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

Please NOTE: These minutes are not a word-for-word transcription of the statements made at the meeting, nor intended to be a comprehensive review of all discussions. They are intended to make an official record of the actions taken by the Committee/City Council, and to include some description of discussion points as understood by the minute-taker. They may not reference some of the individual attendee’s comments, nor the complete comments if referenced.

Chair Wolff called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.

1. Roll Call

Members Present: Chair Wolff; Ald. Miller (joined meeting at 7:04pm), Russotto, Beck, Knopp, Chanzit, Baerren, O’Brien, Callahan, Meitzler, Uher, Cerone and McFadden

Members Absent: Alderman Malay

Also Present: Mayor Schielke; Laura Newman; Gary Holm, Director of Public Works; Scott Buening, Director of Community Development; Howard Chason, Director of Information Technology; and Jennifer Austin Smith, Recording Secretary

2. Reminder: Please speak into the microphone for BATV recording 3. Approve Minutes for February 2, 2021

Motion: To approve minutes for February 2, 2021

Maker: Knopp

Second: Uher

Roll Call Vote: Aye: Knopp, Chanzit, Baerren, Wolff, O’Brien, Callahan, Meitzler, Uher, Cerone, McFadden, Russotto, Beck

Nay:

12-0 Vote, 2 Absent. Motion carried.

4. Items to be Removed/Added/Changed

There were no items to be removed, added or changed.

5. Matters From the Public (For Items NOT on the Agenda)

There were no matters from the public at this time.

6. Resolution 20-013-R: IDOT Resolution for Construction on State Highway (GH 2/8/2021) CS

Holm overviewed the memo. He stated that the verbiage is what the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) requires and this is something that will have to be done every two years.

Motion: To recommend approval of Resolution 20-013-R: IDOT Resolution for Construction on State Highway

Maker: Wolff

Second: Russotto

Roll Call Vote: Aye: Wolff, O’Brien, Callahan, Meitzler, Uher, Cerone, McFadden, Miller, Russotto, Beck, Knopp, Chanzit, Baerren

Nay:

13-0 Vote, 1 Absent. Motion carried.

7. Discussion: Shumway Water Booster Station and Electrical Substation Newman reported that the City has a couple of important utility structures that are located on South Shumway Avenue and one of those is an electric water booster station and another is a pump that is located within the brick building that formally was the ESDA building. The pump is for our freshwater system to carry it from the west side over to the east side residents. A couple of aldermen asked whether those utilities have to be located there or if they could possibly be moved to another location and what that would entail. The reason the question arose is we have been talking about development opportunities in the downtown and those two utilities are located on the bank of the river. That is an area developers would eye for residential or mixed-use development. Newman shared that she asked Gary Holm to prepare a memo for the Committee of the Whole (COW) regarding the status and background of those utilities and we could then have a discussion on whether the City should relocate those for redevelopment.

Holm overviewed his memo with the Committee. He stated that the City has several electric substations and this one is called the main substation. All of the 34kv meters come into this substation, which makes it unique. It services both the west and east side from its central location in the downtown. It is a center feeder point for the electric system. Some of the lines were brought into the substation and upgraded as part of the 2006/2007 cross-town project, which also included the cross-town water main project. We did look into relocating the substation conceptually a decade ago. At that time, the cost to relocate was in the five to seven million dollar range. We never looked into relocating the water but it would be at least two million dollars to relocate the booster station somewhere in close proximity. In general, it would cost close to ten million dollars to relocate those two facilities respectfully.

Miller stated that he had heard someone approached the City with an idea for that substation and for the water ESDA building and he wanted to hear what that was. If those structures need to stay there than perhaps someone could incorporate our substation in it and still give us access to it he would like to hear that idea. Or at least, if someone approaches the City, tell them that and see if they would like to pursue developing that part of the river. Newman reported that there is no one currently proposing to do something on the site of those utilities. We have heard proposals for adjacent pieces of property but not a project that would necessitate removal of those structures. We could also look into finding a way to make them more aesthetically pleasing adjacent to a development. A proposal at this time is not feasible. It is in the beginning stage of talks of what it might be. Holm noted that there is no long-term capital plan to relocate the substation out of the downtown. Chair Wolff commented that when Mooseheart is developed we could set up another substation into the normal work that we are doing to be more economical.

Beck asked if a smaller structure could be built around the existing pump. Holm stated that there is storage in that building so if the storage needs went away the building could be shrunk to accommodate the water facility. The building was not originally built to be a water facility.

Chair Wolff stated that we are not looking for any action on this tonight but this is something we need to talk about on a regular basis. If we do get to the point that we do some major electrical reconstruction or additions to the system that we have that would be the right time to plan possible relocation. Chair Wolff noted that the pumps are very loud and it might not be the sound level a neighboring residential area would enjoy. He stated that this is something we could leave on a rotating basis, perhaps when we discuss our Strategic Plan, as we discuss redeveloping the southwest quadrant that has to be part of that plan.

Newman asked what is stored in the water booster station. Holm stated that the tv trailor, confined space trailor, plows, fiber trailers are in there on a regular basis. It is very full during the summer months with all the equipment.

8. Project Status

Newman reported on the following:

• A Public Service Message that Mayor recorded with the Kane County Health Department about the availability of vaccines in the area and challenges will be published very soon. 

• Restaurant Week will be two weeks this year, Sunday through Thursday, the weeks of March 15th and March 22nd. Dine in or Carry-Out and receive ten percent off your food order and there will also be a coupon for saving ten percent in the month of April (Sunday through Thursday, non-holidays).

• On Hawkes Drive there are two new great Senior Living Facilities: Windmill Manor and Windmill Landings. Occupancy begins in March 2021.

• Mike Kamen has been elected to the Illinois GIS Association Board of Directors for a two-year term.

• Winter Operations

o Staff: Great appreciation for the employees who have been working in this extreme weather.

o Salt: We will use 100% of our budgeted amount for the purchase of salt this year for our winter operations at the beginning of the year.

o Overtime: Year to date we are at $110,600. At this point last year we were at $58,000. This year we have almost the double the amount of overtime and double time for our winter operations. This will be universal for a wide portion of America. We do not feel that overall it would have an impact on our budget that we wouldn’t be able to make adjustments for in terms of our expected balance for the year.

9. Other

There were no others at this time.

10. Executive Session:

a. Purchase and Sale of Real Estate

Motion: To enter into Executive Session

Maker: Miller

Second: Cerone

Roll Call Vote: Aye: Miller, Russotto, Beck, Knopp, Chanzit, Baerren, Wolff, O’Brien, Callahan, Meitzler, Uher, Cerone, McFadden

Nay:

13-0 Vote, 1 Absent. Motion carried.

The Committee entered into Executive Session at 7:34pm and exited Executive Session at 8:22pm.

11. Adjournment

Chair Wolff stated that the action of entering into Executive Session would adjourn this meeting.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Jennifer Austin-Smith, Recording Secretary, on February 19, 2021.

http://www.cityofbatavia.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02162021-1686