Public Works Minutes 1997 08-18-97 UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
Committee Minutes - Public Works
Date of Meeting: August 1B, . 1997 Time Convened: 6:30 P.M.
Location: 111 W. Fox Time. Adjourned: 9:55 P.M.
Attendees:
Jeff Spang
J.T. Johnson
Joe Wywrot
Tom Sowinski
Kathy Jones
Larry Kot
Discussion
1. ) May & June Water Reports - Committee did receive a copy of the
May report however they have not received copies of the June
report. Chlorinator was on last report. J.T. will get copies
of June for everyone. May report to COW.
2. ) Syregelas Mowing Bill - Syregelas paid part of the bill. They
also wrote a letter stating he feels that the bill is too high.
The amount that the City was charged was $320. The grass was
at least three feet tail and the lot is 2 to 2 and one half
acres. J.T. added $100 to the bill for administration cost.
Syregelas does this every year. In past years the City only
charged for the actual bill and it has only cost $50 to $¢0.
The City could also assess fines on a per day fee. All letters
are sent out via certified mail so they have to sign for it.
Jones recommends sending a copy of the ordinance with a letter
requesting the remainder of the bill.
3. ) Cimarron Ridge Unit 2 Letter of Credit - Wywrot received a 90
day notice from the back regarding a letter of credit. Conover
came in to find out what documentation he needed. Take to COW
to start procedure to call.
4. ) Sidewalk Replacement - J.T. will revise letter. J.T. thought
that $325 was half. J.T. thought that $6.00 seemed a little
out of line. The last bid he saw was $4.00. J.T. still needs
to go out and check the sidewalks. Neither person is expecting
anything. J.T. will put back on bill list. One of the
sidewalks that was replaced was in good shape but there were
tree roots in the sewer underneath. The other sidewalk was in
bad shape and was replace when the homeowner replaced part of
his driveway. Sidewalks are suppose to be inspected before a
homeowner has it repaired. In these two case they are only
going to be inspected afterwards. J.T. still needs to get
copies of paid bills. At the last meeting J.T. only had a copy
of a bid. J.T. will request a copy of the paid bills. Kot
thinks that if we have a policy in place that we should follow
it. Spang agrees, but we need to look at each individual case.
Vern Henning Sidewalk - Henning purchased a small house in the
City limits. He put in a driveway and at that time he also put
in a sidewalk in front of the house. Now Henning is requesting
that the City pay half. $5000 is budgeted for the sidewalk
replacement program. Once the money is gone then they have to
Public Works Page 2
go on a waiting list until the next fiscal year. Jones and
J.T. feel that splitting a sidewalk 50/50 would be a good way
to encourage homeowners to put in a sidewalk but there needs to
be a way to fund it. The sidewalk policy is stated in the
newsletter. Will also be adding that if the policy is not
followed there will not be any repayment. Spang feels that it
should come to a Committee meeting to be discussed. Kot does
not understand why it should come to a Committee meeting to be
discussed if the policy is being followed. If the policy is
not followed or if there is something unusual about the request
then it should be brought to a Committee. The replacement is
suppose to be approved by staff. Kot does not feel that it
needs to be micro-managed.
White Oak Sidewalks - Wywrot received a letter from Mike Steck.
It is not possible to put in a Nature Trail. The plan was
approved with a sidewalk on one side with a nature trail on the
other side. Public access was deleted to out lots. Access
provided through a private easement. Private assess easement
has been vacated. It is no longer there. In lieu of a nature
trail they propose putting in sidewalks on both sides. Final
plat was approved with a nature trail. Some of the lots have
increased their size from land that was part of the homeowners
association. Wywrot recommends putting sidewalks on both
sides. The City has established a precedence. Jones thinks
that the City should ask Wherli to estimate the cost of the
nature trail and donate that amount of money to the City to
spend on a nature trail elsewhere in the City. Maybe put the
money into the sidewalk fund. Property in the subdivision was
resubdivided. Bring to COW. Need to find out if this was
legal. Wywrot will get a memo to Dan.
River Birch -- Our standards state a public way will have a
public sidewalk. Jones want to know if there is anyway to have
the sidewalk from White Oak Way contiguous with River Birch?
The developer would be responsible to put the sidewalk across
the railroad tracks. The developer would need to get
permission from Burlington Northern. Wherli did at one time
have permission to do that, but that may be expired by now.
The City needs to make a decision on what we want these
residents to do. Wywrot said that the City could establish a
special service area, the City would always have the right to
go in an put in the sidewalk if they feel one is needed.
Wywrot will have flyers hand delivered to the residents of
River Birch inviting them to the COW meeting. They are looking
for exclusivity. They should have known when they moved in
that sidewalks were required.
5. ) Van Emmon Watermain - Wywrot has a memo. Van Emmon is the
project in place for this year. Would like to go ahead and fix
the water main. Put patch on Van Emmon. Next year Van Emmon
is scheduled for street repairs. Wywrot got some estimates on
a valve box and a vault. With the valve box cost is estimated
at $125,000 with a vault it is estimated at $132,000. $125,000
has been budgeted. Wywrot would like to go out for bid now,
with bids due back by September 12. Bring back to Public Works
on September 15, then to Council on September 19. The money
has been budgeted. Project is scheduled. This is one link in
f
Public Works Page 3
the chain to the booster station. Because it is underground
the valves should be in a vault or a valve box. The Cities
subdivision control ordinance requires vaults when possible.
Take to COW and then send out for bid.
6. ) McHugh/Rt. 47 Traffic Study - There is a potential development
for the southeast corner of McHugh. Wywort is looking to find
out if we want to fund a traffic study. Idot will ask the City
to do a traffic study before they will help fund a traffic
light. Idot will put in turn lanes with stop signs. A traffic
study will probably cost less than $5000. The City will do a
traffic study if the potential developer will give some
approximate dates.
7. ) 1997 MFT Maintenance - Would like to take to COW. Rough draft
for $39,000 for maintenance, to purchase sand, salt, gravel,
cold patch, etc. There was a $1,200 carry over from last year.
With MFT funds J.T. makes purchases for under $10,000. If the
amount is $10,000 or more then it has to go out for bid and you
are not allowed more than one supplier for one particular item.
Take to COW.
Sr 10, & 11. ) Weed Ordinance, Road Repairs, Street Lights - Corner
of Mill and Orange was repaired by Aurora Blacktop. Two other
patches were done by the City. All of the street lights in Fox
Hill are on. Crack patching is being done. Spang said thank
you however, he is questioning the integrity in which it was
done. Morgan and Washington, the sides of the roads were'
crumbling and the crack patching stuff was put down. Spang is
hoping that this corner has not been taken off of the repair
list. It still needs to be torn out and patched. In Fox Hill
some of the street signs are down. The City can go out and fix
these.
9. ) DCCA Rate Study - Wywrot went back through report. He figures
that the City needs to increase the billing by $.72 per cubic
feet. To drop the cubic feet for some of the users you would
have to increase it by $1.05 per cubic foot. What percentage
of homes or businesses fall at or under 2000 cubic feet?
Wywrot did not figure out what was used by residents and small
businesses. This would hit the bigger users harder. The bill
would increase from $12.00 to $300. Right now there is a
straight $12.00 fee for everyone. The $12.00 fee is for sewer
maintenance. That does not include a charge from YBSD. The
new rate would fund the remaining repairs from the Deuchler
study over a 10 year period. Sowinski is concerned that the
high end users are going to raise a ruckus. Wywrot said maybe
the thing to do is to increase the amount by half and only do
half of the repairs. Maybe increase the minimum. Maybe
reverse the scale rewarding the lower end users. Kot needs
some justification other than we neglected it for years. J.T.
does not like 10 year plans because they die before they get
done. A continuous five year plan might be a better way to go.
Wywrot will bring back some ideas. The Deuchler study was done
in 1994. The City needs to increase from 177 to 269 per year.
Spang would like to consider a one third increase for lower,
middle, high end users. J.T. wants to be fair. Wywrot thinks
it can be justified. Spang thinks this would be a good time to
Public Works Page 4
disassociate the City with YBSD. Tell them we will do their
billing until a certain date. The residents think that the
City is responsible for the sewer rates. Once we bill the
residents we have to pay YBSD whether we collect the money or
not. Sowinski suggest one month sending a bill out for the
YBSD with a different logo, phone number and address. Then the
next month send a bill for the water from the City. The City
currently sends bills out bimonthly.
12. ) Property Code Standards - No discussion.
13. ) Additional Business - Water Tower - Originally thought this
would be needed in the future. There is a potential business
that may be interested in building in the Business Park. The
water tower would be jointly funded by Inland and the City. At
some point when the occupancy goes over 100 then a water tower
will need to be put in. This may not be an issue right now
because the company purchased property elsewhere in town.
Where is the money going to come from? The City can apply for
grants through DCCA to help fund a water tower, but now Inland
will not be funding half of the cost. We need to start
thinking about this. Cost will be approximately one half of a
million dollars. Maybe get engineering work started. Wywrot
thinks we are borderline. Bring back.
Countryside & Rt. 47 - Received letter from Idot. They do feel
a traffic light is warranted. Idot will fund up to $60,000.
Wywrot thinks that a traffic light will cost somewhere from
$100,000 to $125,000. We currently only have $19,000 budgeted.
Idot will have to approve plans. We get money from MFT on a
month to month basis. Should have more than $12,000 by the end
of the year. The - City can use general fund monies to do Spring
and State Streets and Colonial Parkway. Cost is estimated at
$42,000. Do we want to use general fund money to do these
projects? On State Street how much do we want to do and when?
Also need to decide how much of Spring Street is going to be
repaired. These funds were not budgeted to come from the
general fund. MFT is funded monthly. Can borrow money against
the MFT fund. If you use MFT funds it takes longer because the
plans have to go. to Ottawa to be reviewed and approved by Idot.
J.T. said that if we do use MFT money then it puts him into a
bind. J.T. would at least like to take to COW and send out for
bid. Sowinski wants to know where the overage amount of money
came from. No one wants to tear Spring Street up and only put
down gravel for the winter. Wywrot would feel more comfortable
waiting on Spring Street until spring of next year, but it
still could be bid on this year. The City could start on
Spring Street as soon as the frost is out of the ground. The
money is in the budget for the streets and appropriated fund to
do a project. Now it is the middle of August and we haven't
even started any of the streets. J.T. would like for the
Public Works Committee to start discussions in the fall to set
a plan. By May first funds are available. Then work could
begin. Now he has lost all his summer help.
Center Parkway - Center Parkway has grown in cost. Wywrot will
try to estimate some cost and options. Drainage needs to be
provided on one side. Center Parkway currently has curb on one
Public Works Page 5
side. The City will have to tear out some of driveways if curb
is put in with drainage underneath. The City will also have to
do some landscaping and ditching on north side. Road will be
higher on the north side. J.T. will need to rent a backhoe for
one month for $4000. He can use Bristol Townships grater.
Service Request - Spang made a service request for a dead tree
in the parkway. J.T. told Spang it would be taken care of
within two weeks. It still needs to be taken down.
Scott Miller Annexation - Miller wanted to tap into City water
and sewer. His property is in the county on Game Farm Road next
to Hillside Nursing Home. He did not want to be forced to
annex. Spang wants to know what type of agreement Miller is
going to sign. He has promised verbally to J.T. that he will
annex. Jones said if he does not want to annex then shut off
his water. Jones said he should have signed a preannexation
agreement or a letter of intent or the City should not have
allowed him to tap on.
Spang's Water - Spang brought in a four ounce jar of very dark
muddy/motor oil looking water from his tap. The City is going
to flush the hydrant by Darryls. J.T. said they were going to
get the cam and down and look underground. J.T. recommends
putting a one inch coupling line on the City side of the line
and blowing it out. He thinks there could be a small build up
of rust or sediment in the line that would cause some problems.
Kot said he also gets yellow water. He will not drink his
water. J.T. will work on this.
Page on Saturday - A resident paged the Public Works person that
was on call that day and it took four hours for him to respond.
Once the page was answered he was there with 20 minutes. J.T.
understood that this was not an emergency. The resident said
she called the City and had him paged at 10:00 a.m. The
employee did not get the page until 1:15 p.m.
Herron Update - Nothing has happened. J.T. was going to ask
Wywrot to call the boring people.
Economic Development - Jones received bill for $500 for the
compactor.
Hazardous Waste Drop Off - Drop off location will be at Beecher
sometime in October. A specific date has not been set.
Scott McNeillis - McNeillis is leaving the City. Nanninga needs
to talk to J.T. J.T. would like to replace McNeillis but he may
need to hold off for a little while.
Minutes by: Mollie Anderson