McHenry Times

City of Harvard City Council met Jan. 25.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Kelly called the Regular City Council Meeting to order and led the pledge to the flag at 7:00 pm. City Clerk Moller called roll to establish a quorum. Aldermen present: Haderlein, Schulz, Lavallee, Carncross, Gorman, Meza, Perkins and Luna. Also present: City Administrator Nelson, Treasurer Bejot, Code Enforcement Officer Nutley, Community Development Director Santeler, Deputy Chief Bauman, Supt. Parks & Rec Knop, Supt. Public Works Kruckenberg, Supt. Utilities Grant, City Attorney TJ Clifton and members of the audience.

PUBLIC COMMENT

None

PUBLIC HEARING

Mayor Kelly called the public hearing to order. The public hearing is being held to determine 1) whether the Harvard/Woodstock Enterprise Zone and the Harvard/Woodstock Enterprise Zone Intergovernmental Agreement between the Cities of Woodstock and Harvard and McHenry County should be amended adding the City of Marengo and revising certain incentives, pursuant to the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, 20 ILCS 655/1 et seq; 2) what the boundaries of the Enterprise Zone should be, and 3) whether the name of the Enterprise Zone should be changed to the “McHenry County Enterprise Zone”. City Clerk Moller called roll. Aldermen present: Haderlein, Schulz, Lavallee, Carncross, Gorman, Meza, Perkins and Luna. Also present were Charles Eldredge, Administrator of the Harvard/Woodstock Enterprise Zone and a court recorder from Q & A Reporting, Inc., 7115 Virginia Rd., Ste 105, Crystal Lake, IL.

Mayor Kelly opened the floor to questions/comments. There were none.

At 7:02 pm, motion was made by Alderman Perkins, seconded by Alderman Schulz to close the hearing. Aldermen voting aye: Haderlein, Schulz, Lavallee, Carncross, Gorman, Meza, Perkins and Luna.

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 8, 2021 & JANUARY 19, 2022

A motion was made by Alderwoman Haderlein, seconded by Alderman Gorman to approve the Administration Committee Meeting Minutes of December 8, 2021 and January 19, 2022, as presented. Roll call vote: Haderlein, aye; Carncross, aye; Gorman, aye and Perkins, aye. All ayes. Motion carried.

CONSENT AGENDA - APPROVED

The items under the Consent Agenda are acted upon in a single motion. There is no separate discussion of these items prior to the Council vote unless a Council Member requests that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate action.

a. Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of December 14, 2021

b. Administration Committee Meeting Minutes of December 8, 2021 and January 19, 2022

c. Park Board Meeting Minutes of December 13, 2021

d. Administrators Report

e. Building & Grounds Report

f. Community Development Department Report

g. Harvard Diggins Library Directors Report

h. Parks & Recreation Report

i. Police Department Report

j. Public Works Department Report

k. Utilities Department Report

l. Payment of bills in the amount of $3,754,527.88

A motion was made by Alderman Schulz, seconded by Alderman Carncross to approve the Consent Agenda, items 6a-l, as presented. Roll call vote: Schulz, aye; Lavallee, aye; Carncross, aye; Gorman, aye; Meza, aye; Perkins, aye; Luna, aye and Haderlein, aye. Motion approved eight to zero.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR STEVE SANTELER’S RETIREMENT - APPROVED

A motion was made by Alderwoman Haderlein, seconded by Alderman Perkins to approve Community Development Director Steve Santeler’s letter of retirement with sincere regrets. Aldermen voting aye: Haderlein, Schulz, Lavallee, Carncross, Gorman, Meza, Perkins and Luna. All ayes. Motion carried.

VENDING LICENSE APPLICATION/MCGARRY’S BOWL - APPROVED

A motion was made by Alderwoman Haderlein, seconded by Alderman Meza to approve the vending license application submitted by Sean McGarry, McGarry’s Bowl, 100 Admiral Dr., #4, Harvard. Roll call vote: Carncross, aye; Gorman, aye; Meza, aye; Perkins, aye; Luna, aye; Haderlein, aye; Schulz, aye and Lavallee, aye. Motion approved eight to zero.

AWARD BID AYER ST. WATER MAIN LINING - APPROVED

A motion was made by Alderman Perkins, seconded by Alderman Schulz to award a contract to FER-PAL construction, Elgin, IL, for the Ayer St. Water Main Lining Project at the bid price of $62,260.00. The bid price is substantially lower than the engineer’s estimate of $110,000. Roll call vote: Gorman, aye; Meza, aye; Perkins, aye; Luna, aye; Haderlein, aye; Schulz, aye; Lavallee, aye and Carncross, aye. Motion approved eight to zero.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDING THE HARVARD/WOODSTOCK ENTERPRISE ZONE DESIGNATING ORDINANCE AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF MCHENRY, THE CITY OF WOODSTOCK AND THE CITY OF HARVARD TO AMEND, ADD THE CITY OF MARENTO AND RENAME TO THE MCHENRY COUNTY ENTERPRISE ZONE – ORD. 2022-101 APPROVED

A motion was made by Alderman Gorman, seconded by Alderman Perkins to adopt the proposed ordinance as presented and to authorize the Mayor’s execution of the Intergovernmental Agreement. Roll call vote: Meza, aye; Perkins, aye; Luna, aye; Haderlein, aye; Schulz, aye; Lavallee, aye; Carncross, aye and Gorman, aye. Ordinance 2022-101 approved eight to zero.

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION - APPROVED

A motion was made by Alderman Gorman, seconded by Alderman Carncross to approve the Administration Committee’s recommendation to direct staff to prepare an Authorizing Bond Ordinance for the Police Pension Obligation Bonds and the refinancing of the 2012A and 2012B bonds. Alderwoman Haderlein stated that the bond issuance will save the City over $500,000 in payment to the state pension fund over the term of the bond issuance (12 years). Roll call vote: Perkins, aye; Luna, aye; Haderlein, aye; Schulz, aye; Lavallee, aye Carncross, aye; Gorman, aye and Meza, aye. Motion approved eight to zero.

PARK BOARD RECOMMENDATION – APPROVED

A motion was made by Alderman Perkins, seconded by Alderwoman Luna to approve the Park Board’s recommendation to allocate funds from the Capital Improvement Fund for the purchase of a truck in the amount of $25,898. Alderman Schulz noted that the Park Board is budgeting for next year’s budget to put the money back into the Capital Improvement Fund. The funds are needed now to secure the vehicle. If the vehicle isn’t purchased now, it will likely be 2023 before a vehicle can be purchased. At Alderman Gorman’s inquiry, Supt. Knop indicated that the purchase will not replace a truck. The Parks Dept. intends to hire additional staff, so this would be an addition to the fleet so staff has a mode of transportation. Alderman Gorman inquired if this was basically approving part of next year’s budget.

City Administrator Nelson clarified that the City Council is actually amending this year’s budget; he will amend the budget worksheets to reflect a transfer back into the Capital Improvement Fund, but the City Council does not have to approve the transfer back. Alderman Gorman also had questions reference the Parks proposed budget worksheets in the Parks Google Drive. Supt. Knop will clarify and can report back to the alderman. Roll call vote: Luna, aye; Haderlein, aye; Schulz, aye; Lavallee, aye Carncross, aye; Gorman, aye; Meza, aye and Perkins, aye. Motion approved eight to zero.

ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETINGS - SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12 & 19, 2022

Administration Committee Meetings/Budget Workshops are scheduled for Saturday, February 12, 2022 and Saturday, February, 19, 2022 @ 8 am to discuss the FY2022/2023 Budget. All City Council members are invited to attend.

DEPT. HEADS REPORT

Written reports as submitted.

Utilities Supt. Grant updated the council on the WWTF project. Concrete is being poured with one clarifier totally poured and two pours on the second clarifier. They have started excavation on the oxidation ditch. They are about 24 days behind schedule. A tour can be scheduled for any alderman who would like to see the progress of the WWTF project.

Code Enforcement Officer Nutley noted an error in the code enforcement report. She will email an updated copy to the City Council.

Deputy Chief Bauman updated the City Council on the two newly hired officers. The first officer is in his second week and doing well after the first week of policy academy. The second officer was a lateral transfer and is in field training. The officer has rave reviews and should complete training in 8-9 weeks.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

ALDERWOMAN HADERLEIN

Alderwoman Haderlein said she looks forward to seeing everyone for the budget workshops.

ALDERMAN PERKINS

Alderman Perkins thanked Community Development Director Santeler for his service to the City.

ALDERMAN GORMAN

Alderman Gorman brought up communications to citizens from the government and referred to the Committee of the Whole discussion with respect to the policy and management agendas. One of the management agenda items is to develop strategies to foster resident input/participation. Instead of looking at it in terms of internet and connectivity, he thought the City should look at it differently in terms of equipment, capabilities and strategies to communicate out from the City through the use of blogs, U-tube videos, etc. and concentrate on the messages and how we get info out to our citizens. Alderman Gorman requested that the Administration Committee study the idea in depth. Alderwoman Haderlein said this could be discussed at the March meeting.

NO REPORT

Aldermen Carncross, Lavallee, Schulz, Luna and Meza had no additional report.

TREASURER’S REPORT

Report as submitted.

CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT

City Attorney Clifton updated the City Council on the status of the Country Brook foreclosure; the date of redemption was last week. His office is in process of scheduling the sheriff’s sale in the next few weeks. At that point in time, an interested party could come in and attempt to purchase the property. There will be a credit bid that includes all associated costs (liens, fees, etc.) that anyone who bids would have to bid above. Otherwise, the City would get the lots for the credit bid at which time the City Council would have to make a decision on the disposition of the residential lots which are buildable, fully improved lots in Country Brook Subdivision, some are single family and others duplex lots.

CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT

City Administrator Nelson highlighted several items from his report:

• The City has been awarded a CMAP grant for a program that would evaluate and prioritize City streets to help identify a five-year road program. The project has been assigned to Supt. Kruckenberg and Code Enforcement Officer Nutley.

• Capital Improvement Plan – Dept. heads are working through all the worksheets. City Treasurer/Asst. Administrator Bejot is working to put the plan together to be presented to the City Council in May.

• City Administrator Nelson attended a meeting with CMAP where he sat on an expert panel talking about illegal uses and substandard housing conditions. They had a keen interest in how Harvard has dealt with those issues and the good things that we’ve accomplished because of what we’ve done not only with enforcing our codes but working with our landlords and citizens. Good things that happen here do actually make it out to the Chicagoland region; the people that were interested were from Summit.

CLERK’S REPORT

Upcoming Meeting Dates

February 1 Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting – 7 pm

February 12 Administration Committee/Budget Workshop – 8 am

February 15 Parks Board Meeting - 6 pm

February 19 Administration Committee/Budget Workshop – 8 am

February 22 Regular City Council Meeting - 7 pm

The McHenry County Clerk will be sending out e-mails for the electronic submission of Economic Interest Statements. The filing deadline is May 1st.

MAYOR’S REPORT

• There are two hearings for a couple of developments before the Planning and Zoning Commission on February 1st. One is property on McGuire Rd. to turn into a family campground. The other is at the corner of McGuire Rd./S. Division St. where the old El Rancho hotel was– the developer is seeking some variances for retail restaurant businesses (Popeye’s Chicken and Starbucks).

• The 7 acres north of town are under contract with the buyer who is working with the Community Development Director on the site plan.

• The EDC recently held a Strategic Visioning Workshop to finalize a Strategic Plan to revitalize the EDC.

• Mayor Kelly forwarded an email to the City Council that he received from Suzanne Hereley reference the art mural project. Suzanne doesn’t wish to champion the project and would like to the City Council to take it over. The mural artist is seeking an answer/commitment by the end of January which doesn’t give the City Council ample time to move forward with the project this year. Alderman Schulz suggested this would be a good project for the Parks Foundation. Alderwoman Haderlein pointed out that one of the items to be discussed at the next Committee of the Whole meeting is an arts plan for the City. The idea for a mural could be incorporated into a larger plan.

A motion was made by Alderman Meza, seconded by Alderwoman Haderlein to adjourn the meeting. Aldermen voting aye: Haderlein, Schulz, Carncross, Lavallee, Gorman, Meza, Perkins and Luna. All ayes. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 7:43 pm.

https://www.cityofharvard.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/city_council/meeting/14519/ccminutes2022-01-25.pdf