Mayor Mundy also thanked City workers and said we not only met the challenge, but exceeded it during this extraordinary snow event.

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1 SYCAMORE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 7, 2011 ROLL CALL Mayor Ken Mundy called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and City Clerk Candy Smith called the roll. Those Alderpersons present were: Alan Bauer, Steven Braser, Terry Kessler, Pete Paulsen, Chuck Stowe, Gregory Taylor, and Janice Tripp. Alderperson Rich Neubauer was absent. INVOCATION Pastor William Mills of Bethel Assembly of God gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF AGENDA Alderperson Kessler moved to approve the agenda and Alderperson Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Mundy called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. carried 7-0. AUDIENCE TO VISITORS City Manager Nicklas asked Public Works employee Ryan Cardinali to stand down front. He explained that he had hoped to recognize and thank Public Works employees for a job well done plowing snow last week, but because of the snow they were out plowing. Mayor Mundy also thanked City workers and said we not only met the challenge, but exceeded it during this extraordinary snow event. Mike Fogelsanger, 845 Sunset Ln., said he appreciated the efforts of Public Works, Police, and Fire Department employees. Anthony Cvek, 235 E. Sycamore St., said he was impressed with both the individual work and team effort of the City services. He said he hoped the recycling pilot program would be successful and available to the whole town soon. Steve Glasgow, 3085 Wolf Ct., DeKalb, said he would hold his comments for the Ordinance discussion. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of the Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting of January 18, B. Payment of the Bills for February 7, 2011 in the amount of $2,683, C. Minutes of the Plan Commission meeting of December 13,

2 Alderperson Bauer noted that a little over $2 million of that figure was fuel rebate money. Alderperson Bauer moved to approve the Consent Agenda and Alderperson Taylor seconded the motion. Mayor Mundy called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. carried 7-0. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS. Mayor Mundy distributed a copy of Janice Swedberg Ladd s letter to the editor in the Daily Chronicle regarding growing up in Sycamore in the 1950 s. REPORT OF OFFICERS City Manager Bill Nicklas said it takes a team approach to be successful and that was how Public Works, Police and Fire worked together to achieve safer conditions during the snow event last week. Engineer John Brady, Sycamore Municipal Engineering, reported the Well #10 drilling project should be ready to go to the EPA for a permit in two weeks. Director of Building & Engineering John Sauter reported that job wanted ads are running in the Chronicle and on Yahoo hotjobs for Smart Robotics positions a few of which are assemblers, internships, general laborer, plant manager, and project manager which is welcome news in the current job market. Fire Chief Mark Kessler thanked Public Works for their efforts during the snow event. He said that they provided many escorts for fire and ambulance vehicles and also thanked the County Highway Department for providing escorts outside the corporate limits. He reported that Fire Lieutenant Sean Penn has returned from Afghanistan and will resume duties at the Fire Department February 21. Treasurer/Asst. City Manager Brian Gregory said the summer of 2008 the City contracted with Kishwaukee Hospital to perform ambulance billing and we are receiving 82.5% of what is billed and the City performs further collection. He reported that the City is pleased with their performance and look forward to continuing the contract. Police Chief Don Thomas said he has heard about 10 different anecdotes from patrol officers about how plows lead them all through town while responding to cases. He noted that in one case a woman under the influence was out in the cold weather a long time and because the plow drivers got us there along with help from the Fire Department she is alive today. He said very few snow tickets were issued because the citizens are getting it and there were few cars on the streets. Public Works Director Fred Busse said last week was the biggest snow event any of the current employees have ever seen. He said they are fortunate to have staff that work across their divisions totalling 19 available bodies able to rotate in and out to keep plows on the streets. He thanked the Police Department for holding traffic while Public Works along with contracted trucks removed snow in the middle of the streets. He said they are working to get snow plowed back to curbs so mail can be delivered to mailboxes at the curbs. 2

3 REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES Finance no report Public Safety no report Public Works no report PUBLIC HEARING - None ORDINANCES A. Ordinance No An Ordinance Concerning the Recommendation of the Plan Commission With Regard to the Proposed Northwest Sub Area Plan. Second Reading City Manager Nicklas explained there was a public hearing at the last regular meeting. He said this planning document is really an addendum to the current Comp Plan that refines the 600-plus acres of pale yellow, rural residential area. He said the sub area plan details at least 3-acre lots, animal regulations, and creates the ultimate feathered edge to the City s corporate limits on the northwest side. He said this would prelude any cookie cutter development that anybody might propose in that area. Katherine Koehling said she has the property at Brickville Road where her son currently lives. She said they have looked at the possibility of selling that property and were hoping it would be subdivided, but a drop in the grade would not allow sewer to work and DeKalb County no longer allows it. She said she liked the idea of an equestrian subdivision and then as it progressed into allowing animals she felt that would give families with kids in FFA and 4-H an opportunity to raise those animals on less than 40 acres. She said her property has a wooded area that she hoped they would use for paths for the animals and that would be a good transition from the retirement development. Steve Glasgow, 3085 Wolf Ct., DeKalb, said he and his wife have 41 acres of the Fowler Farm and the rural residential is very important to them. He said it allows the ability to have a community outside Chicago to have more than ½-acre lots. He said he thought this would be a nice transition between high density housing and 40-acre lots and would help change the nature of the community. Alderperson Braser asked if this would include the Library and Park District. Mr. Nicklas said typically the Park District has an annexation process. Alderperson Kessler moved to approve Ordinance and Alderperson Taylor seconded the motion. Alderperson Bauer asked if the existing neighbors on North Grove, Deer Path, and Motel Road had been notified. He also inquired about City services being extended and wanted assurances that the City would not be responsible for wells, septic, sidewalks, etc. Mr. Nicklas said there has been a lot of conversation of the past couple of years and he did not think there was anybody in that area that was unaware of this. He said he spoke to the County Health Department regarding the water and sewer question and met with their point person who has been there for 30-some years. He said the County was pleased with the minimum 3-acre lots because that would allow room for not 3

4 only the initial septic system, but after that one s natural life there is room to place another one and after that the third one could be placed where the first one was. Mr. Nicklas noted that this area contains 4 or 5 farms and each owner would need to present plans to Plan Commission. He said he noted in the document that the interior roads and paths would be maintained by a homeowner s association. Roll call vote Mayor Mundy called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Bauer, Braser, Kessler, Paulsen, Stowe, Taylor, Tripp, and Mayor Mundy voted aye. carried 8 0. B. Ordinance No An Ordinance Amending Title 10, Subdivision Regulations, Chapter 5, Subdivision Administration and Enforcement, Section , Payment of Fees on Annexation, Planned Unit Development, or Subdivision, Subsection B in the City Code of the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading. City Manager Nicklas said this was a follow-up to action taken to revise the UDO at the last Council meeting. He said the City Code rather than the UDO identifies the fees for inspection and plan review services and John Sauter, Director of Building and Engineering, recommended this minor engineering fee revision. Alderperson Paulsen moved to hear Ordinance on first and second reading and Alderperson Tripp seconded the motion. Mayor Mundy called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. carried 7-0. Alderperson Paulsen moved to approve Ordinance and Alderperson Tripp seconded the motion. Roll call vote Mayor Mundy called for a roll call vote to approve the motion. Alderpersons Bauer, Braser, Kessler, Paulsen, Stowe, Taylor, and Tripp voted aye. carried 7 0. RESOLUTIONS - None CONSIDERATIONS A. Consideration of an Administration Request for Direction Regarding a Recycling Pilot Program. City Manager Nicklas noted that Waste Management representatives, Frank McCoy and Matt Hernandez were in the audience. He said he thought this would help residents recycle more efficiently and eliminate blowing because the new containers have lids and can be picked up by the trucks. Matt Hernandez said recycling will be picked up every other week and they hope to reduce our carbon imprint, reduce employee injuries, and possibly reduce costs which they hope to hand down to the customers. He said Waste Management will send letters out to homeowners in the pilot program February 21 and will start the program March 21. Frank McCoy said they hoped the easier they make it for the homeowners there will be better participation. 4

5 Alderperson Bauer said he felt the strongest argument was to reduce injuries and the reduced costs that might trickle down to the City. Alderperson Taylor said he thought it would be an improved look. Alderperson Tripp said she hoped for a good deal on the carts since they would pick up every other week which would result in less fuel and manpower. Alderperson Paulsen asked if they have done this in other communities. Matt Hernandez said they started in Joliet last month and small communities outside Illinois and DeKalb and Sycamore would be the first to do this in this area. Alderperson Bauer moved to approve the pilot program and Alderperson Kessler seconded the motion. Mayor Mundy called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. carried 7-0. B. Consideration of an Administration Request for Direction Regarding the FY Water Fund and Sewer Fund Budgets. City Manager Nicklas said the Sewer Fund would play a major role in the sewer plant expansion and said this fund includes many debt service payments. He said the fund is sitting pretty well and by using much caution with spending he is not proposing any fee increases. He said there was also an ordinance in 2003 that raised the cost of water for residents in Edgebrook Mobile Home, reduced the minimum billing for snowbirds, and increased water user fees over three years to satisfy requirements for EPA loans for water main extensions and the drilling of Well #9. He said in 2011 the City will drill Well #10 and the related radium treatment facility near Water Tower #2, repair Well #7, and repair Water Tower #1 without borrowing from the IEPA and without increasing user fees. He recommended in this current environment to sit tight and review water user fees again next year. Alderperson Tripp said her main concern was that a new wet industry would come in and burden the wells and treatment plant and therefore the cost would go to the residents. Mr. Nicklas said in his twelve years here the city has never courted a big water user. Alderperson Bauer said that even though we don t court those types of businesses, if they see the opportunity that this is a windfall for them perhaps we would want to add a layer to the rates that would not apply to current users. Mr. Nicklas said we do not have cheap water. He said it is higher than the surrounding communities and he did not think it would be legal to charge one company a higher rate than another. Mayor Mundy suggested the City should regularly review our water rates. Mr. Nicklas said they are reviewed each budget year at staff level. 5

6 Alderperson Stowe said he did not think an industry could sneak in as high water users because they usually ask the City for incentives. Alderperson Tripp said she agreed with the recommendation, but wanted to work on water rates with Mr. Nicklas over the next 6 or 7 months. OTHER NEW BUSINESS APPOINTMENTS ADJOURNMENT Alderperson Stowe moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:11 p.m. and Alderperson Paulsen seconded the motion. Mayor Mundy called for a voice vote to approve the motion. All Alderpersons voted aye. carried 7-0. Approve: Mayor Ken Mundy Attest: City Clerk Candy Smith 6