The Monday, June 4, 2007 regular scheduled City Council meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Training Room at Fire Station No.1, by Mayor Gary W. Manier.

Present and answering for Roll Call were Aldermen Dave Dingledine, Jim Gee, Jim Newman, Don Brubaker, Amanda Shipp, Todd Clanin and Al Howerter. Alderman Bob Brucks was absent.

Also present was City Administrator Bob Morris, Assistant City Attorney David Brown, Controller Joanie Baxter, City Treasurer Bob Gordon, City Engineer Ken Newman, Chief of Police Jim Kuchenbecker, P&D Director Jon Oliphant, City Clerk Carol Moss, Jai Windish Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Jean Keely, Katie Caldwell, Tony Berry and a few of the residents on Chestnut Lane.

Those present stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Agenda was reviewed and stood as presented.

Alderman Brubaker moved and Alderman Newman seconded to approve the Consent Agenda of June 4, 2007 as presented. The Agenda included minutes of the May 21, 2007 Council meeting and Pay Request No. 7 from Commercial Mechanical Inc., for Water Treatment Plant No. 2 Expansion in the amount of up to $15,846.00. Alderman Howerter asked City Engineer Newman if expansion of Water Treatment Plant No. 2 is still expected to be completed in June. Engineer Newman replied that everything should be in order. The under drain for the two softeners was installed today, and other matters were worked out on Friday. Alderman Howerter asked if a change order will be necessary and Engineer Newman replied it will not. 
On roll call on the motion to approve the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Gee, Howerter, Dingledine, Clanin, Shipp, Newman, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

Audience Comments - Jean Keely, 25 Elk Court, introduced Katie Campbell, college student from Macomb, who will be staying with Jean for eight weeks. Jean also asked that the Historical Society be allowed to use Glendale Cemetery on September 22, 2007 for their annual Celebration of Life cemetery walk. Proceeds will go toward the Doctor's Museum and families spotlighted this year will be Kelso, Gorin, Keyes, Benjamin Heiple, Dr. Woods family and the Allies and Morris families.

There were no Standing Committee Reports but Alderman Howerter asked City Engineer Newman to provide a brief update on Cruger Road and the Hillcrest Storm Sewer. City Engineer Newman reported that the contract amendment for Cruger Road has been finalized. Amendments include 150 working days and completion date of November 30, 2007 instead of July, 2008/ Stark Excavating is good with the changes and we are in a very good position on the project. The entire length remaining has been closed in order to get the work completed by November 30.

Hillcrest Storm Sewer - Ten hours were spent on the project on Saturday and it was finished up today. Clean up still needs to be done and final grade and seeding will be done within the next couple of weeks. Mayor Manier asked if the new culvert is larger than the old and City Engineer Newman replied it is.

Assistant City Attorney David Brown provided second reading, by title only, of an ordinance authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to enter into a Development Agreement with OSF Healthcare System and Midwest Holdings L.L.C. for the development of an assisted living facility at Saint Clare Crossing. Alderman Gee moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
There was no discussion and on roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Newman, Shipp, Brubaker, Dingledine, Clanin, Howerter, Gee 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

Assistant City Attorney Brown read, by title only, second reading of an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Washington, Illinois by amending various sections of Chapter 154 entitled "Zoning Code". Alderman Howerter moved and Alderman Clanin seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. Tony Berry addressed the Council asking that they not adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 152, Subdivision Code. He objected to having to let a street set over the winter before resurfacing saying that previous administration saw compaction as a substitute for wintering over and now both compaction and wintering over are being asked for. The result will be higher costs and contractors will be forced to bid work at least one year and possibly two years in advance, and will have to price hoping to cover additional costs. This will also mean higher interest costs and muddy roads. He touched on the fact that the City does not plow unpaved streets so the developer will be forced to hire someone for that maintenance work. He went on to say that compaction is not necessarily the problem but maybe the problem is in areas around the manholes and encouraged other solutions. He stated that this is one of the reasons that housing costs are so expensive, this is just one more fee, one more step to higher prices. He asked the Council to reject the wintering over and asked that when compaction is achieved let them put in the roads.

Mayor Manier pointed out that the Public Services Committee reviewed all of this information four months ago and he asked how many times does the City have to go back and redo roads. Alderman Howerter stated that if compaction is not achieved, then we have to go back and repair. This is one more way of guaranteeing that compaction is achieved and ready for overlay. Alderman Brubaker asked who determines compaction and City Engineer Newman replied the developer's engineer is supposed to supply that information. City Engineer Newman went on to say that if we receive 95% compaction, then we could get an additional 5% over time. He said he is not suggesting that we see 100% compaction but the longer the base sits the better compaction. Alderman Howerter stated that in Peoria contractors guarantee for five years but there are many failures and it is very difficult to get the contractors to come back and make repairs. Alderman Gee stated that 95% compaction is great but by allowing the extra time we get closer to 100% compaction. Alderman Brubaker questioned why it is difficult to get contractors to come back for repairs and Alderman Howerter stated that initially there is only about 75% to 80% compaction around manholes and that is where the largest amount of settling happens. It is then very difficult to get them to come back. It is a hassle to get them to stand behind their warranty. Alderman Howerter had made reference to the use of clay by contractors in Peoria and Mr. Berry stated that we don't use clay here we use granular backfill and that should make a significant difference. City Engineer Newman pointed out that we cap things off with 18" of natural backfill. Berry suggested that if granular backfill were used around manholes then maybe we would not see the failures that are seen. Engineer Newman replied he is not convinced failure is just around manholes. Letting things set over a winter allows everything to settle. Alderman Newman stated that his main concern is that if a street is ready in July and it has to winter over there is a 6-9 month delay. Engineer Newman noted that the City does not plow streets that are not overlaid and contractors are getting to the point where they are building up around manholes on those unfinished streets. Most contractors work with the City on this matter. Very few homes on unpaved streets are occupied. Administrator Morris indicated that there has been discussion about requiring flowable but that is expensive. There was also discussion about extending the warranty period but that is also expensive. He spoke to two other developers and got feedback from them that they are comfortable and satisfied with this as opposed to other alternatives. He went on to say that the big problem is that testing is only done every 100'. He used Kingsbury as an example. There is a portion that is like a roller coaster. It was all done by the same contractor and all is excellent except that one portion that did not settle. In Macomb Morris stated, developers were required to come in within a year or so and saw around manholes and put in a concrete collar.

Tony Berry inquired how Administrator Morris solicited his feedback from other developers, saying that in the future, when something like this comes up he would like to be included. He said that maybe putting in the concrete collars is something that should be required. He went on to say that he would like to see the financial analysis of the other options. Administrator Morris replied that his basis was feedback from other developers. He went on to say that things have been done like this for years and everything seems to work. Berry said he has spent his career not doing things the way they have always been done. Maybe this is not the time to make this a hard, fast rule. He asked when do we reach the point of diminishing return. Administrator Morris replied that developers have consistently passed costs of development on to homeowners and that other developers are comfortable with what is proposed. The City has every intention of getting the best roads possible and it is believed that this is the best way to do just that.

On roll call on the motion to adopt the ordinance as read, the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Dingledine, Brubaker, Newman, Shipp, Gee, Clanin, Howerter 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

Assistant City Attorney David Brown read, by title only, second reading of an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Washington, Illinois by amending various sections of Chapter 152 entitled "Subdivision Code". Alderman Brubaker moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to adopt the ordinance as read. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Shipp, Newman, Clanin, Dingledine, Gee, Howerter, Brubaker 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

Assistant City Attorney David Brown read, by title only, first reading of an ordinance authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a second amendment to Pre-Annexation Agreement dated June 15, 1998, between the City of Washington and OSF Healthcare System, and an ordinance providing for prevailing wages. Both ordinances will be scheduled as second readings and for action on the June 18, 2007 Council agenda.

Mayor Manier congratulated the Panther Baseball Team for making it into the Sweet Sixteen. The final eight will play on Friday. The game this evening was rained out but Washington will play LaSalle-Peru on Tuesday. Congratulations to Coach Brown and the Panthers.

Mayor Manier reported that the Cherry Festival appears to have been a success again this year. The fireworks were phenomenal. Carolyn Hardesty was named Good Neighbor, and the basketball tournament this weekend was well attended.

Chief Kuchenbecker was asked to report on Justin Green and on the Cherry Festival. Chief reported that Justin Green is doing very well. Chief received a call from Justin's father on Sunday and Justin thanked the police officer and the paramedics for saving his life. Justin will be released from the hospital this week.

Chief Kuchenbecker reported that according to Denise Magnuson this year's Cherry Festival was probably the best yet as far as attendance. There were no major problems, there were 300 participants in the Family Bike Ride with 250 of those being Washington residents, and the tours of the Community Center were well attended.

Chief Kuchenbecker also reported that a 24 year old Washington man was killed Sunday morning in a motorcycle accident on the By Pass east of Nofsinger Road. State Police are investigating.

Alderman Dingledine thanked staff for addressing the problem of the two vacant lots along Business 24 that needed mowed.

At 7:23 p.m. Alderman Clanin moved and Alderman Newman seconded to move into Executive Session for the purpose of deliberations concerning the setting of a price for the sale or lease of property owned by the public body per 5ILCS 120/2(c)(6) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. 
On roll call the vote was: 
Ayes: 7 Brubaker, Gee, Dingledine, Howerter, Shipp, Newman, Clanin 
Nays: 0 
Motion declared carried.

At 7:47 p.m. the Council returned to open session and Alderman Brubaker moved and Alderman Howerter seconded to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.