Illinois Valley Times

Ottawa City Council met Tuesday, Jan. 3.

The Ottawa City Council includes the mayor, the city clerk and four commissioners. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at city hall, 301 W. Madison St.

Here are the minutes as provided by Ottawa:

Ottawa, Illinois January 3, 2017

Regular meeting of the Council of the City of Ottawa, Illinois.

Present: Daniel F. Aussem, Thomas G. Ganiere, James J. Less, Wayne A. Eichelkraut Jr. and Robert M Eschbach Absent: None.

Commissioner Eichelkraut presented minutes of previous meeting. Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that the minutes of a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Ottawa, Illinois, held on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, be approved as recorded in the permanent files of the City Clerk. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Larry Fleming, the Tree Guy, addressed the Council as a local contractor expressing displeasure with our recent bidding process. He understands he wasn’t the low bidder, but has been City friendly coming out in emergency situations. He wondered if maybe a multiplier like home rule communities have would be useful in the future.

A public hearing was held concerning the intent of the City Council to sell $4,815,000.00 of General Obligation Bonds for the purpose of paying for costs of improving the Waterworks and Sewerage System of the City. Don Harris, City Treasurer, noted that the bonds would be repaid from a private revenue source with no repayment obligation in 2017. Chuck Stanley, of the Times newspaper, asked if the bonds would be paid back with property tax revenues. Mr. Harris replied only if funds weren’t available in water and sewer revenues. The Mayor declared the public hearing closed at 7:05 p.m.

Commissioner Eichelkraut presented Biweekly Salary Payroll. Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that the Biweekly Salary Payroll of December 30, 2016, in the amount of $335,870.47, be approved and warrants issued. Second by Aussem. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Eichelkraut presented Monthly Expense Report. Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that the Monthly Expense Report of January 3, 2017, showing expenses in the amount of $315,514.28, be approved and warrants issued. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Eichelkraut presented Ordinance. Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that an Ordinance authorizing the issuance of Waterworks and Sewerage Revenue bonds of the City of Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $4,815,000.00 or, in lieu thereof, General Obligation bonds, Waterworks and Sewerage Alternate Revenue bonds, said bonds being General Obligation bonds for which real property taxes, unlimited as to rate or amount, may be levied, but which are expected to be paid from the net revenues of the combined Waterworks and Sewerage system of the City, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $4,815,000.00 for the purpose of paying the costs of improving the Waterworks and Sewerage system of the City, which has been on file for public inspection since December 6, 2016, be passed and approved. Second by Aussem. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Eichelkraut added that residents have been calling with electricity concerns regarding solicitors selling electricity door to door. Charges have been up to $.078 a kilowatt hour. The City is currently at $0.06 a kilowatt hour.

Commissioner Aussem presented Resolution. Moved by Commissioner Aussem that a Resolution authorizing the execution of a proposal for professional engineering services and land surveying services by Etscheid, Duttlinger & Associates Inc., regarding the Route 71 sewer extension survey, be received and placed on file for public inspection. Second by Less. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Ganiere presented Report of Police Chief. Moved by Commissioner Ganiere that the Report of Police Chief, Brent A. Roalson, for the month of December 2016, be received and placed on file. Second by Eichelkraut. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Ganiere presented Report of Fire Chief. Moved by Commissioner Ganiere that the Report of Fire Chief, Steve Haywood, for the month of December 2016, be received and placed on file. Second by Eichelkraut. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Less presented Resolution. Moved by Commissioner Less that a Resolution authorizing the execution of a contract agreement between the City of Ottawa and McClure Engineering Associates Inc., regarding Champlain Street and Post Street bridge inspections, which has been on file for public inspection since December 20, 2016, be adopted. Second by Aussem. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Less presented Resolution. Moved by Commissioner Less that a Resolution authorizing the execution of an engineering services agreement between the City of Ottawa and Renwick & Associates Inc., for the Street Maintenance resurfacing project for 2017, which has been on file for public inspection since December 20, 2016, be adopted. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Less presented Resolution. Moved by Commissioner Less that a Resolution authorizing the execution of an engineering services agreement between the City of Ottawa and Renwick & Associates Inc., for the 2017 Street Maintenance curb replacement project, which has been on file for public inspection since December 20, 2016, be adopted. Second by Aussem. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Less presented Resolution. Moved by Commissioner Less that a Resolution requesting permission from IDOT to allow construction of a bike path including canal re watering and related improvements beneath Illinois Route 23, be adopted. Second by Aussem. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Commissioner Less reminded of Christmas Tree Chipping at Riordan Pool Parking lot until January 14, 2017.

Mayor Eschbach presented Report of Registrar. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that the Report of Registrar, Shelly L. Munks, for the month of December 2016, be received and placed on file. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach presented Report of Parking Administration. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that the Report of the Parking Administration Department showing fines collected of $2,970.00 for the month of December 2016, be received and placed on file. Second by Less. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach presented Report of Building Official. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that the Report of Building Official, Michael J. Sutfin, for the month of December 2016, be received and placed on file. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach presented Resolution. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that a Resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement between the City of Ottawa and Lou Dog Events LLC, regarding the craft beer festival, be received and placed on file for public inspection. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach presented Plats. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that the Preliminary and Final Plats of H & R Subdivision, the Re Subdivision of Brookside Lot 1, and the revised Preliminary Plat of Briarcrest II, all be received and referred to the Plan Commission for review and recommendation. Second by Eichelkraut. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach awarded Bid. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that the Low Bid received from Steve Piper & Sons in the amount of $48,904.60 for the 2017 Ash Tree Removals, be accepted and paid for from the General Corporate Fund. Second by Aussem. A discussion ensued. The Mayor stated that since the City of Ottawa is not home rule status, we must bid out major projects over $20,000.00. This is done by formal bid and to not accept the low bid, the low bidder must not be a responsible or responsive bidder. Steve Piper & Sons was also the low bidder for last year’s Ash Tree Removals. We rebid it this year to be competitive. Bids came in low around 48K and high around 80K. Commissioner Eichelkraut added that other communities that are home rule have a 15% leverage between bids, if a local contractor bids. He asked that our Corporation Counsel check on the state statue regarding that rule to see if it only applies to home rule communities. Larry Fleming, the Tree Guy, questioned stump removals and added that Commissioner Less called him last year on the Fourth of July to remove a dangerous limb in Allen Park. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: Eichelkraut. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach presented motion to recess. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that this Council recess into Closed Session to discuss matters of collective bargaining. Second by Less. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried. Council recessed at 7:24 p.m.

Mayor Eschbach presented motion to reconvene. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that this Council reconvene from Closed Session. Second by Less. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Mayor Eschbach presented motion to adjourn. Moved by Mayor Eschbach that this regular meeting be adjourned. Second by Ganiere. Ayes: Aussem, Ganiere, Eichelkraut, Less, and Mayor Eschbach. Nays: None. Motion carried.

Council adjourned at 8:14 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Shelly L. Munks, City Clerk