December 19, 2022 Minutes
EAST DUBUQUE CITY COUNCIL
261 Sinsinawa Avenue
East Dubuque, IL 61025
MONDAY
December 19, 2022
6:00 p.m.
Please Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
1. 22-1201 Call to Order – Mayor
Start Time: 6:00 p.m.
Alderman Belken, Alderman Burgmeier, Alderman Fluhr, Alderman Hoffman, Alderman Walsh and Attorney Kurt
2. 22-1202 Staff Reports
Had an employee injured and would like to thank the people that came to his aid, BNSF Railroad, Swiss Inn and Fire Department.
Jill Pepin’s mother-in-law Sharon Pepin had passed away.
Please make sure to sign into every meeting and then circle if you are speaking or not. This is for record keeping purposes to keep track of who is in attendance.
There will not be any Water Tower activity this week since everyone is sick with the flu.
Christmas hours for City Hall will be closed on Friday the 23rd, Monday the 26th and Monday January the 2nd.
Thank you from Origin for Christmas recognizing the city.
b. Mayor Report
With the new council coming in we can keep going ahead and not backwards. We need to keep this city going ahead.
c. Alderman Report
i. Belken
Letter from Vi Sheean to City Manager Herrig asking him not to resign and letting him know all the good he is doing for the city. Mayor Degenhardt thinks she is the oldest resident of East Dubuque.
ii. Burgmeier
Recently 2 big trees were cut down on Greenwood just wondering if they are going to be hauled away or free for the hauling? City Manager Herrig said he will check into it.
iii. Fluhr
Is Alyssa still working? City Manager Herrig said yes, she has been really instrumental in helping Sue and Pam. Will get with her and the three ladies to see what help is still needed and wind down that participation.
iv. Hoffmann
v. Walsh
d. City Attorney, Terry Kurt
Judge Kelly passed away just recently. He was City Attorney for a long time and should be recognized. He did a lot for the City of East Dubuque.
e. Police Chief, Luke Kovacic
f. Public Works Director, Mark Fluhr
g. Fire Chief, Joe Heim
3. 22-1203 Speakers from the Floor
No speakers from the floor.
4. 22-1204 Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 12/05/22, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence)
Motion by Alderman Burgmeier to Consent Agenda (City Council Minutes 12/05/22, Public Safety Report(s), Warrants, Zoning Minutes and Correspondence) second by Alderman Walsh ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderman Belken, Alderman Burgmeier, Alderman Fluhr, Alderman Hoffmann, Alderman Walsh and Mayor Degenhardt Motion carried
OLD BUSINESS:
5. 22-1106 Discussion and Possible Action on Renting or Purchasing a Satellite Office for the East Dubuque Police Department in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Degenhardt, City Manager Herrig
Alderman Walsh did some additional research for council came up with a quote cheaper and same size building. The rough estimate of the building would be $78,869. There are some things that we can sit down with the company to let know what works and not work for what they are looking at. This will/can change the cost. Looking to get back ½ of what we pay when we sell back. There is a place downtown to rent at $1,500 a month with us responsible for everything and taxes. This would be a little over $20,000 a year. Looking at about 2 to 4 years till the new station would be built. All renovations and fixes of broken-down equipment would be our expense. Would have the option to sell with purchase over not with rental.
Alderman Belken – with renting we only end up with what we came into the building with but if we purchase then we will be able to resell and then the officers will have the privacy they need just in back.
A-1 Mobile Storage Service out of Delhi, IA.
Alderman Walsh – has City Manager Herrig talked with Chief Luke Kovacic to see what his thoughts were. City Manager Herrig did talk with the Chief and he was for the modular and then selling when done with it.
Alderman Hoffmann – with not knowing where the rental property is how can we decide. Not sure how council can make an informed decision without knowing. Unfortunately, the person does not want their information given out or place.
Alderman Burgmeier – do we know the conditions on the inside. It is an older building
Alderman Hoffmann – has rented from this company and have good rapport with them.
Alderman Walsh – with rental we are responsible for the care. Don’t know of rental property that new renter must take care of previous renters’ bad maintenance of building.
City Manager Herrig – it is a downtown one-story building with big open space. Don’t know the condition of the roof or furnace.
Jean Robey – Should that not be looked into before a decision is made? How much is it going to cost to transport this module to East Dubuque? A delivery cost of $2,995. How is it going to be heated? Will be electric heat. What will the electrical hookup going to cost? Council needs to look at everything and how can council make a decision when they haven’t seen what the rental is like? City Manager Herrig has walked through rental property. Has any of the council members? No. Then they should. Not sure how person is going to stay anonymous at their request.
Mayor Degenhardt - had been at old city hall for years and they didn’t fix anything.
Alderman Fluhr – Why can’t we move module up to where the police station will be? Why can’t we start building for what everything is costing us? Why not put the $100,000 to $150,000 to part of the Police Department just to get them into part of it? With them hidden behind City Hall how is anyone to know how to get to them.
Alderman Belken - What will happen when they go to build the new station and then you will be in the mud.
City Manager Herrig – the reason we are doing this way is this modular doesn’t have a restroom in it and they will be sharing our restroom, break room and conference room. We don’t have the funding for the Police Department yet. $150,000 wouldn’t even pay for the footings of the new building.
Alderman Belken – there will be a sign and Chief already has his office here.
City Manager Herrig – people will come to City Hall looking for Police. They already do this because if Police Station is locked and they are on patrol then they come to City Hall. Benefit of putting it behind City Hall is so that they can share some of their facilities.
Motion by Alderman Belken to Approve Purchasing a Satellite Office for the East Dubuque Police Department second by Alderman Hoffmann ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderman Belken, Alderman Burgmeier, Alderman Fluhr, Alderman Hoffmann, and Mayor Degenhardt Motion carried Abstain – Alderman Walsh
NEW BUSINESS:
6. 22-1205 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Ordinance 22-1219 for the MABAS Agreement in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Degenhardt, City Manager Herrig
Is our Mutual Aid Box Alarm System. What they are doing is updating the agreement from 2000 to now to make it easier for interstate use. Will not go into effect until January 1, 2024 but want to get all Fire Departments to pass an ordinance to update the agreement.
Alderman Hoffmann – is this regular mutual aid? Nothing will really change it. It has some updates like how reimbursement is done.
Alderman Belken – We have done mutual aid for years. Yes, just updating.
Motion by Alderman Walsh to Approve Ordinance 22-1219 for the MABAS Agreement second by Alderman Hoffmann ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderman Belken, Alderman Burgmeier, Alderman Fluhr, Alderman Hoffmann, Alderman Walsh and Mayor Degenhardt Motion carried
7. 22-1206 Discussion and Possible Action to Approve Ordinance 22-1220 for Referendum of New Fire Apparatus in the City of East Dubuque, Jo Daviess County, Illinois / Mayor Degenhardt, City Manager Herrig
City Manager Herrig – read the ordinance asking what they are asking. Hope to spend less then amount asking.
Chief Heim – Goal is to be less then that. The issue they are looking at right now is the market is so volatile and keeps going up. Example is the chassis keep going up 9 to 10 % in the new year. Overall goal is to be less then that. Replace the 1980 truck the place has been fixing this vehicle has been making parts just to keep it going. The 1996 truck which is over 20 years old and this will then bring us up to where they have updated apparatus. To keep moving forward and progressing they need to update. The longer they wait the more expensive everything will be. Looking to meet their needs and not go overboard on what they want.
Alderman Walsh – bond term? Looking to pay off in 10 years. With a 20-year bond will hurt the Fire Department because they will not have any money put aside so that they would be able to use extra for new apparatus.
Chief Heim – once vehicles get to be 20 years old they start to nickel and dime you and can’t get ahead.
Motion by Alderman Belken to Approve Ordinance 22-1220 for Referendum of New Fire Apparatus second by Alderman Walsh ROLL CALL: Ayes – Alderman Belken, Alderman Burgmeier, Alderman Fluhr, Alderman Hoffmann, Alderman Walsh and Mayor Degenhardt Motion carried
8. 22-1114 Adjourn
End Time: 6:32 p.m.
Motion by Alderman Walsh to Adjourn second by Alderman Belken ROLL CALL:
Ayes – Alderman Belken, Alderman Burgmeier, Alderman Fluhr, Alderman Hoffmann, Alderman Walsh and Mayor Degenhardt Motion carried
Pam McCarthy
City Clerk, East Dubuque
