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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 08/22/1985 - Committee of the WholeCOMMITTEE MEETING OF THE WHOLE THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1985 12 NOON Committee Meeting of the Whole was called to order by Mayor Busse on Thursday, August 22, 1985 at 12 Noon at McHenry Country Club Council Mtgs- Presidents Room. Aldermen in attendance were Snell, Nolan, Bolger, Teta, Pub. Hrgs, Lieder. Also in attendance was City Clerk Gilpin, Attorney Narusis, Etc. Representative Richard Klemm, Senator Jack Schaffer, County Auditor Al Jourdan and Dr. Hal Sundin of Baxter & Woodman. Mayor Busse reported that the purpose of this meeting was to discuss the status of the south sewer plant in the City of McHenry and Sewer Misc. have the State Legislators inform the City what legislation is pending that would affect the South Sewer Plant Project. Representative Klemm reported that he had submitted the entire cost of the $4,000,000 South Sewer Plant Project into the Build Illinois Program. However, in talking to Mayor Busse he received information that the first: phase for drawing specs and plans would cost $250,000. Since there is $45,000,000 scheduled in the Build Illinois infrastructure system for sewer and water projects, this would be an ongoing program and we could go back next year and ask for another amount. Klemm talked to Mark Holland, who is in the Governor's office, and got the City's project or priority number from him. He felt there is still room for the City project in the Build Illinois Program and the request was put into the Governor's office for the $250,000. There is a fifty-fifty chance of getting the money. Mayor Busse askec after the first and secor to prepare the plans an( Woodman reported that ti specifications was a four subcontract. Possibly 14 The project could be spre present time the City has Springfield. where we were going to be in the Sewer Project i year if we got the approval for the $250,000 specifications. Dr. Hal Sundin of Baxter & e time frame for planning and drafting the to six month process. Within a year you could to 18 months would be the payout time frame. �d out over three fiscal funding years. At the number 981 on the construction priority list in Senator Schaffer reported that it was his understanding some of the projects on the list priority are no longer valid. If it could be proved that there are health hazards in the McHenry Shores area, the priority number could be moved up dramatically. He also heard that state and federal funding might fund up to 70 percent of the project. That would put more municipalities in the race for the funding. He suggested that there are many things that could move the priority number up the ladder and suggested that it be given serious consideration. Dr. Sundin said that if there were a public health hazard it could move you up the ladder as well as if you were requesting an innova- tive alternative project. Both those items would affect your priority rating. In the past years, Mc Cullom Lake requested to be on the City of McHenry's sewer project considerations. Mc Cullom Lake did not have any money to join the team and there were many health hazards in that com- munity. If Mc Cullom Lake could somehow join this project, it would also move the priority number up further, and another thing that would move the number up is if there was stream pollution. If there are septic systems that are failing in McHenry Shores, that should be documented as well as if there were any homes condemned due to septic failure. This would have a major impact on the priority number. Sundin also said that if the plans and specs were drawn, the City would be ready to proceed immediately when the funding comes available. If some of the priority numbers ahead of the City are not ready, it would be important that the City of McHenry have everything on line and be ready to proceed. Mayor Busse said that he could not believe that we would get 100 percent funding for the sewer project. He felt that if the City was serious about economic development and development of the south City area, the City should be prepared to participate in funding for the sewer plant, father through special service area or other methods. $1,826,000 of the proposed sewer plant is not eligible for federal funding and this would have to be paid with local money. Hal Sundin said that if economic d el pment is s e ifl d because of no sewer plant, it would dramatically e ec� economic development and the City should contact DCCA to get some help for funding the project. As of October 1984, collection systems are no longer eligible. 55 percent of eligible cost can be funded but the City would have to participate in the balance. Thursday, August 22, 1985 page 2 Busse asked what if the City used their present capacity to fur- nish sewers to McHenry Shores, would that give us a better priority number if you explain to the EPA that there was no more population equi- valent (PE) available. Sundin said the EPA could put the City on a restricted status and could possibly get a better number but you were putting yourself in a corner. Until a new sewer plant could be built the EPA would restrict construction in the area. Jack Schaffer said that the Build Illinois Program is going through the Governor's Office but it comes up through the legislature once a year. He thought that if we could move forward and get money for engineering, proceed to document the health hazardsin McHenry Shores and then go to DCCA for the other portion, it would be an important step. He felt this was the most logical way to go. Every year when the Build Illinois money is allocated by the legislature, the City should submit their request just for the portion that is needed that year. Schaffer also said that if there are some communities that fall out of the prior- ity list, the priority number for the City could move up. He said that we should go ahead immediately with the economic development grant application. A large portion of the Build Illinois program will be to encourage job creation and improve economic development and we should apply to DCCA on that premise. Hal Sundin said that in order to obtain step 3 funds, the City must have viable engineering plans. They must be in place when grant applications are submitted and it would take four to six months to pre- pare the plans and specifications. Busse said he felt the Council should address construction of the sewer project and if it takes a period of years, some form of strategy should be set up immediately. Schaffer and Klemm said they would both fight for the City's share of Build Illinois funds, but the City should be aware that they might be told there is no money for it. Bolger said that he would contact Al Moltrum, the DCCA repre- sentative for this area, and discuss the procedures to apply for a grant immediately. Al Jourdan said that DCCA can participate in a project such as this because at the present time they are participating in a similar sewer/water project in Woodstock for economic development. However, you must have job projections to justify the grant application. It was reported that the Certified Cities Project will be ready shortly for sub- mission to the State. If the City of McHenry receives a Certified Cities designation, that would help the grant process. Sundin said that when he designs the plans and specs for the new plant, it would be designed to handle excess capacity so that it would be viable for future expansion. Klemm mentioned that there were two Bills now on the Governor's desk for signature that he had sponsored. One Bill was to turn over the prosecution fees to the municipalities instead of the county, and the ot- her was to turn over the interest money earned by the county on undistributed taxes to the cities instead of using that interest money to lower the cities tax rate or donating it to the county for jail facili- ties. Gary Snell questioned whether or not it was possible to have some sort of legislation that would require inspection of residential homes prior to occupancy to make sure that they are habitable. The legislators advised him that there was nothing in the State Statutes to provide this inspection but told him to work with the City Attorney in investigating possible ways to handle the situation. The meeting adjourned at 2:00 P.M.