Macon Reporter

City of Sullivan City Council met April 28.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

1 The City Council of the City of Sullivan, Illinois, met in session at 3. 31 p.m. at The Little Theatre On The Square, 16 E. Harrison Street, Sullivan. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Richard Glazebrook. A roll call was taken. 

Commissioner Abbey Sherwood present 

Commissioner Mike Fowler present 

Commissioner Chuck Woodworth present 

Commissioner Doug Booker present 

Mayor Richard Glazebrook present 

2. Laurrie Minor reported that the Tabeling Development housing project will begin soon. They are trying to gain access through property owned by Courtyard Estates, no response has been received so they are now looking for other access points. Casey' s is still planning on a rebuild but does not have a date. A chain that is looking at starting a project in the area is looking for properties. The affordable housing project that proposes the building of 24 homes is awaiting approval. The subdivision between Patterson and Worth Streets will result in the addition of 45 new homes. There is a business planning to expand and they will be working with Milano & Grunloh for shoring purposes to accommodate for the increased truck traffic There is the possibility of restaurants coming to town, they are looking for locations and prefer to go with an existing building. These businesses are worried about staffing issues. 

3 Lee Beckman reported that the DCEO grant for the water main replacement on Main Street was not approved because an EPA permit had not been secured. Reapplication for this grant would have a good chance of being funded. Ifthere are no plans to reapply for this project, he suggested applying for the replacement of the Eastlawn lift station. He stated that an EPA permit would need to be obtained and that the project would score well on an application. Applications for this grant are due August 3rd. A decision needs to be made on whether the State Legislative Grant will be used for MFT projects or the Water Street water main project. There are additional MFT funds of$292, 000 available through 2023 which can be used for resurfacing streets and would require approval through local roads along with a bidding process. Grading has been completed for the ITEP application but has not been released. The $ 30,000 for planning provided by the Unsewered Grant will be used for the installation of sewer on the north side oftown. No work can begin until the grant agreement has been executed. A construction grant application for this project can be submitted this fall. The water plant was submitted to the IEPA on February 23, 2021, with no response at this time. Applications are being sought for TARP funding which is available for manufacturing facilities. Grant money could be received for the construction of an entrance on a state highway or right- of-way DCEO is also offing a grant that would provide $ 10, 000 per job but requires that a grant agreement be secured before ground is broken. Grant applications will be received this fall for providing sidewalks in front ofthe school. 

4 Treasurer Golden reviewed available options for project funding. The DCEO grant was going to be used for the Main Street water main. Commissioner Woodworth has considered bringing that project in-house and possibly pushing it back until next year This grant is awarded on a rolling basis but there is a possibility that a deadline could be imposed and we might risk losing that money if we wait to use it on that project. There are plans to use the rebuild bond funds from IDOT for milling and putting a two-inch overlay on VanBuren and Pierce streets. This is a bondable project and would need to go through a bidding process. An engineer would need to evaluate the project to present the specs. The State Legislative Grant is available and can be used for infrastructure, improvements and the purchase of equipment. This can also be used for previously incurred costs. It is estimated that the City will receive $ 547, 000 from the American Rescue Plan Act which could be used for water, sewer and broadband. Ifthe City is interested in applying for the Commumty Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program the applications are due by September This grant offers a max of$ 25, 000 and contains an eligibility certification document. 

TIF I expires in tax year 2021, payable 2022. The City' s last distribution should be received from the County in November of 2022 The TIF act states that all monies must be spent, transferred to another TIF district or authorized towards a project by December 31, 2022. It is estimated that there would be $ 3 1 million to use towards projects. Previously this has been used to purchase equipment, for water updates and road updates. Treasurer Golden suggested putting these funds towards a larger project. Ifthe money is not spent it is to be returned to the county where it will be redirected to the taxing bodies. 

As far as cash reserves, the Mattox Estate CD and the Perpetual Cemetery account are restricted to specific uses. The treasurer uses operating expenses before using the reserves. Unfortunately, the receipt of the Titus proceeds took longer than expected, and interest rates dropped before the funds were invested. 

5 Commissioner Woodworth stated that the current water plant was constructed in 1990 and was put into service in 1991 The plant had received regular maintenance until sometime after 2011 The lack of maintenance has taken its toll on the operation. In its current condition, it would be more cost- effective to build a new plant. The construction plans have been sent to the IEPA for approval. The next step would be to begin the bidding process. His ideas for funding the project included a low-interest loan from Rural Development, TIF funds, some of the Titus proceeds and the last option would be to raise rates. Commissioner Woodworth would serve as the project leader and would be in direct contact with the engineer The Mayor and Mark Allsop would be available in his absence. He would provide weekly emails of the progress being made and Sarah Golden should be involved with the funding. 

City Administrator Dan Flannell stated that the previous Council has explored the option of reducing the manpower to aid in lowering the cost. IEPA regulations state that someone has to be onsite when the plant is started up and shut down. 

Commissioner Woodworth plans to meet with Treasurer Golden to come up with some projections. 

6 Mayor Glazebrook asked if there were any comments from the public, there were none. 

7 Dan Flannell reported on the City Building project. This building has been located on the square for years. An architect created designs based on the current site. There have been discussions regarding the possible purchase of tracts to the west of the building along with conversations with the owner of the real estate to the north. No final agreements have been made. A decision needs to be made on what will be housed in a new facility, especially if we try to avoid a two- story facility There is a need for a conference room, server room and for the possible expansion of personnel in the future.  He proposed using TIF I funds or Titus proceeds, as these are the only available options. He suggested that the project leader could be a committee along with two Council members, a private consultant outside the administration or the City Administrator A long- term lease has been executed for the present site of the City Utility Office with the option to extend the lease in six month increments. Mayor Glazebrook suggested getting a loan from the USDA and decreasing all budgets by a certain percentage to accommodate for the payment. 

8 Commissioner Woodworth reported on the Unsewered Grant. There are currently two areas within the City that do not have sewer service. The grant will provide 30, 000 for the planning of the project and cannot be used for engineering. Plans are being made and we are waiting for the rest of the process to be released. Once the grant agreement and the permits are received the project will begin. Funding options include funds provided through the unsewered grant and TIF funds could be used if any costs are not covered by the grant. Commissioner Woodworth would serve as the project leader and will provide updates to the admin staff and the Council during construction. Treasurer Golden should continue to follow up on the grant process and be involved in the funding. This project is pending as the grant award dates have not been determined. 

9 Commissioner Woodworth reported on the Main Street water main project. The six-inch cast iron main at this location is one ofthe older mains in town and has had several leaks. Most of the leaks have occurred between Magill Street and the Armory, which is roughly 1400 feet. He is currently working on a cost estimate for this project and will apply for a construction permit through the IEPA. Arcola Water Main will complete the trenching and all other work will be done in-house. He is planning to complete this project over the summer while school is out. Once the engineering has been completed an application will be submitted for an IEPA permit. A DCEO grant application was submitted but wasn' t awarded and they plan to reapply for this grant. The current cost estimate for pipe and trenching is $ 46, 000 Another funding option is the $ 225, 000 State Legislative Grant. Commissioner Woodworth and Bubba Farris will serve as the project leaders and will provide project updates to the admin staff and the City Council. Treasurer Golden should continue to follow up on the grant process and be involved in the funding. This project is currently projected for next summer Treasurer Golden suggested that funds could come from the operating account and TIF IV 

10 Commissioner Fowler asked the Line Distribution Foreman, Kaleb Martin, to present on the electric infrastructure Mr Martin believes that there is a better option for the 69kv switch. Rather than going through Ameren, he switch could be replaced with aSCADA based switch. He doesn' t believe that going through Ameren would save time on outages or be worth the cost to the community The underground cable for Hydro Gear is undersized and needs to be upgraded to fit their needs. The City has the equipment and the cable but lacks the manpower to complete this project while continuing to complete small projects and infrastructure maintenance. They would need assistance if they are going to complete this project and stay on top of the constant maintenance. Commissioner Booker asked if Hydro- Gear would be willing to help with some of the costs for this project. Mr Martin stated that this was on the City' s side. Other projects that need to be completed include pole change- outs, upgrading cable throughout the town and transformer repair/ replacements. The transformers for underground cable are very dangerous and can be unsafe. He is concerned for the safety ofhis employees when they are working on these transformers. 

11 Commissioner Sherwood reported on the Civic Center This facility was opened in the mid- 1960 and the City was in litigation within 2 years due to issues with the roof. The roof issues cause it to be replaced every ten years. The most recent litigation was impacted when the company filed for bankruptcy Currently, the roof is uncovered but there is no immediate concern regarding its condition. A long-term solution would be to demolish the current structure and rebuild on the current site or a new location depending on the design. She foresees this within the next five to seven years, but after the water plant project and City Building replacement have been completed. Possible funding options could include Titus Funds or a bond referendum. This project could cost$ 10- 12 million. Different groups have come forward and shown interest in partnering and helping with the development of the Civic Center The City would need to meet with architects and engineers before moving forward. Commissioner Booker arranged for roofers to evaluate the roof. There was nothing that they could do The building is 55 years old and it makes no sense to continue to pour money into a structure that is failing. She believes that most ofthe Council are on board for a new facility 

12. Commissioner Booker reported that there is a grant available that can be used for street improvement. The City currently has a proposal for improvements on Pierce and VanBuren Streets but a bid letting is required. With the volume of heavy truck and equipment traffic, the current streets need a better base. There is water standing on Patterson Road, this issue will need to be looked into as housing development increases. Commissioner Booker is concerned that ifPierce Street was repaired and Casey' s decides to build that the truck traffic could demolish the street. Possible funding options include MFT, rebuild money and TIF Another option could be an alternative revenue bond. 

Street Superintendent Dustin Booker has developed a good plan for oiling and chipping. There is a section of sidewalk between Blackwood and Strain Streets that is unlevel and needs to be replaced. Our main goal should be getting the kids to school and there are no sidewalks from the trailer park to the school. 

He thanked Blake Eggleston for putting the paperwork together for the meeting. 

Commissioner Fowler stated that citizens have approached him about creating bicycle lanes. 

13 Treasurer Golden stated that there weren' t any projects designated for the State Legislative Grant and this could be used for previously incurred costs. She asked ifthe Council would be onboard with submitting the previous purchases of equipment for this grant. If not an infrastructure project would need to be submitted quickly 

14 A motion was made by Commissioner Sherwood and seconded by Commissioner Woodworth to adjourn the meeting. Upon roll call being taken, the results were as follows. 

Commissioner Abbey Sherwood yea 

Commissioner Chuck Woodworth yea 

Commissioner Mike Fowler yea

Commissioner Doug Booker yea 

Mayor Richard Glazebrook yea 

and the motion was declared carried and the meeting was adjourned at 6 01 p.m. 

http://cms6.revize.com/revize/sullivanil/April%2028,%202021%20Minutes.pdf