City Council Meeting Agenda - August 14, 2017

I. CALL TO ORDER:

• Pledge to the Flag
• Prayer

II. ROLL CALL:

III. PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS, ETC:

IV. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS:
• Mayor
• Council Members
• Employee Introduction –   pdf Sarah Brooks (90 KB)
• Employee Introduction –   pdf Dwayne Rangel (60 KB)

V. PUBLIC COMMENTARY:

VI. BUSINESS ITEMS:
1) CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS BY OMNIBUS VOTE with Recommendations:
a) Approve Minutes of City Council Meeting –   pdf July 24, 2017 (162 KB)
b) Approve Minutes of Special City Council Meeting –   pdf July 31, 2017 (27 KB)
c) Accept and Place on File Minutes of Utility Advisory Board -   pdf January 18, 2017 (196 KB) ,   pdf March 15, 2017 (201 KB)  and   pdf May 17, 2017 (187 KB)
d) Accept and Place on File Minutes of Railroad Advisory Board –   pdf 1/22/15 (229 KB) ,   pdf 7/24/14 (97 KB) ,   pdf 4/27/17 (278 KB)
e) Approve Bills –   pdf 8/8/17 (280 KB)
f) Approve Exceptions –   pdf 07/19/17-08/07/17 (77 KB)
g) Approve Payroll –   pdf 7/17/17-7/30/17 (51 KB)
h) Approve Mayor Olson Expense Report –   pdf 07/20/17 – 07/22/17 (53 KB)
i) Approve Kiwanis Club and Golden K Request to Hold the Annual Peanut Day– pdf September 9, 2017 (18 KB)
j) Authorize the use of City Streets for the Rochelle Middle School Color Run –   pdf September 23, 2017 (121 KB)
k) Establish Annual Trick-or-Treat Schedule October 31, 2017 from 5:00pm-8:00pm
2) Resolution Establishing Security Light Rates Effective 01/01/18
3) Ordinance Approving Temporary Construction and Permanent Utility Easement Agreement with Flagg Rochelle Park District – Well 11
4) Engineering Agreement Willett Hofmann - Design of Well House at Well 10
5) Ordinance Approving Simplified Municipal Telecommunications Tax Rate Change
6) Authorize Purchase of Police Vehicles
VII. DISCUSSION ITEMS:
VIII. EXECUTIVE SESSION
IX. ADJOURNMENT

Agenda Item #2 - Resolution Establishing Utility Services Price Schedule for Certain Electric Rates

Staff Contact: Jason Bird

Summary:

Staff has reviewed the rates for rental (security lighting) and comparisons have been made with other utilities in Illinois, both investor owned and municipals. RMU rates were found to be some of the lowest. These findings were presented to the UAB. The entire UAB recommended the rate changes and policy changes found in the resolution document. A formula rate was used to figure the energy cost. The formula rate is used by other utilities such as Com Ed, Ameren and Mid America. This formula rate is a standard in the industry. Once the energy cost is done, and additional infrastructure needed such as poles and wires, industry standards are to double the cost for that extra infrastructure.

There are currently 365 customers who have a rental (security lighting). The new rate would go into place January 1st, 2018. After January 1st, 2018, RMU will only maintain the rental lights (security lights) for current customers. No additional rental lights will be installed by RMU.

Recommendation: Approve the Resolution to Change Rate 180 Security Lighting and Policy.

Supporting Documents:
pdf Resolution (78 KB)
pdf Rate (72 KB)
pdf Security Lighting Spreadsheet (452 KB)

Agenda Item #3 -  Purchase Insulators for the Steward Transmission Line

Staff Contact: Jason Bird

Summary:

Due to long lead times, it is best for RMU to order some materials directly rather than through the selected contractor. The Bid for the contracting work is going out soon but after receiving the lead times of the insulators staff felt the insulators would better ordered directly by RMU.

We received four quotes and based on recommendation of BHMG the only insulator that meets the specification would be Hubbell insulator.

Recommendation: Approve the purchase of the Hubbell Insulators from Anixter, at the price of $53,669.94.

Supporting Documents:
pdf Documentation from BHMG with their professional opinion (162 KB)

Agenda Item #4 - Permanent and Temporary Construction Easement Agreement with the Flagg Rochelle Community Park District

Staff Contact: Adam Lanning

Summary:

Well 11, located on Flagg road is a main supply well that has been taken out of service due to radium exceedances. With this occurrence, the City of Rochelle entered into a compliance commitment agreement with the Illinois EPA which requires the City to construct a radium removal plant for that well.

In order to construct the radium removal plant we will need to cross the Park District bike path to run utilities and a permanent access road. Since we will be starting construction late summer, the park district may have to delay work that was scheduled this year on that section of the path. We agreed that if we do delay that section and they are forced to rebid next year, we will cover any additional costs for that section.

Recommendation: Approve the easement agreements with Flagg Rochelle Community Park District for a cost of $10.00, with the potential to cover added costs of delaying the bike path work.

Supporting Documents:
pdf Easement Agreement (1.03 MB)
pdf Ordinance (83 KB)

Agenda Item #5 - Approval for an Engineering Agreement with Willett Hofmann & Associates Inc (WHA) for the Design of Well House at Well 10

Staff Contact: Adam Lanning

Summary:

Well 10, located on Southview Drive is a main supply well that is in need of major rehabilitation.

The existing well building is beyond repair along with all of the equipment and needs to be replaced. This agreement will allow WHA to design a new building with the option of adding filtration equipment in the future if changes in water quality were to occur. Once the construction is complete the existing building will be torn down. The engineering estimate for the new building and equipment is $850,000 and would be funded with local cash reserves next year. The design work will not get started until the end of this calendar year and money will be budgeted for this design at that time.

Recommendation: Approve the engineering agreement with Willett Hofmann and Associates Inc for the Design of Well House at Well 10

Supporting Documents:
pdf Engineering Agreement (281 KB)

Agenda Item #6 - Simplified Municipal Telecommunications Tax

Staff Contact: Chris Cardott

Summary: The City Council passed Ordinance 07-3604 on September 10, 2007 to increase the Simplified Municipal Telecommunication Tax from 3% to 5%. The 5% which added to the State of Illinois 7% equals the current rate of 12% included on Rochelle customer phone bills. The maximum total rate is 13%. An additional 1% to the City will increase revenue in the General Fund approximately $53,000 per year or $4,400 per month. A certificated copy of the approved ordinance increasing the rate must be filed with the Illinois Department of Revenue by September 20, 2017. The rate change would be effective January 1, 2018.

Recommendation: Approve the ordinance to increase the Simplified Municipal Telecommunications Tax from 5% to 6%.

Supporting Documents: 

pdf Telecommunication Rate Comparisons (96 KB)

pdf Ordinance (7 KB)

 Agenda Item #7 - Squad Car Purchases 

Staff Contact:  Eric Higby

Summary: Units 4, 5, and 15 have high mileage and need to be replaced.  Unit 4 (2011) has 121,000 miles, Unit 5 (2011) has 123,000 miles, and unit 15 (2010) has 106,000 miles.  One 2018 Dodge Ram Crew 1500 Police Service 4X4 pickup and two 2018 Dodge Chargers are slated to be purchased.  The Ram will be utilized for transportation of the portable scales that are used for truck enforcement.  The state bid price (including options) for the Charger is $24,279.  The state bid price (including options) for the Ram pickup is $31,093.  Prescott Ford has entered a bid for the Ram with the same options that came in at $32,068, which is $975.00 more expensive than the state bid.  Prescott also entered a bid for the Charger, which came in at $26,108, which is $1,829 (per car) more expensive.  If the purchase is made from the state bid holder Thomas Dodge, the cars will have to be picked up in Highland, Indiana as they do not deliver.  

*-Amount does not include the installation of lighting, computers, radios, consoles or the exterior wrap and decals.

Recommendation: Factoring in the scheduling and manpower expense required to pick up 2-3 vehicles, it is recommended that the purchase be made locally.            

Supporting Documents:  

pdf Bid Document (96 KB)