Rock Island Today

Rock Island County Public Works and Facilities Committee met Aug. 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

1. Call Meeting to Order:

Chairman Larry Burns called the Public Works and Facilities meeting to order at 8:30am

Members in Attendance: Larry Burns, Dave Adams, Rich Morthland, Bob Westpfahl, Chuck Layer, Tim Foster

Also Present: Richard Brunk, Matt Miller, Greg Thorpe, Josh Boudi, Jared VanTieghem, Jim Nelson, Nick Camlin, Liz Mast, Ron Finley.

2. Public Comment-- None

3. Approval of July 7th Public Works & Facilities Minutes:

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster

via voice vote

Motion carried

4. Reports to Committee:

Zoning & Building Director Greg Thorpe reported that there were no ZBA cases, for the month of July they had 82 receipts for a net total of $52,553.00 estimated value $2.3M. Last year we had 152 receipts same revenue and a little bit more valuation. Year to date we are quite a bit behind on activity, but we are ahead on fees. 8 new houses for the year average price per sqft is up to $206

Motion to approve: Richard Morthland Second: Dave Adams

via voice vote

Motion carried

GIS Director Josh Boudi reported that GIS recorder fees were over the $30,000.00 threshold.

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Chuck Layer

via voice vote

Motion carried

Fleet Services Director Ron Finley gave a report on the work going on at Fleet services noting that they are getting busier.

Motion: Bob Westpfahl Second: Dave Adams

via voice vote

Motion carried

County Engineer Matt Miller reported on department activities: mowing, the removal of old guard rails and painting that will be taking place. Mr. Miller informed the committee that there were issues with the project management software that was purchased. Because items that were promised as part of the package were going to be an added cost, he cancelled that contract and has switched to I-WORK for the exact same annual price and a savings on the implementation.

Committee Member Richard Morthland asked if we were in a superior safety situation with no guardrails in place than an inferior guardrail. Engineer Miller answered that the previous Engineer did a study and we found that there is a certain slope that the slope has to be in order to not have guardrail. So, there are some places where we are taking out the guardrail and just sloping it down slightly more. It is just a minute amount we need to take down to get to the right slope

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Chuck Layer

via voice vote

Motion carried

Committee Member Bob Westpfahl asked about the County Office Building Maintenance Director position that is being advertised for. CBC Richard Brunk answered that position has not been filled for years since Mike retired. 

County Treasurer Nick Camlin noted that taxes are due on Monday August 18th and online payments will be accepted until 11:59pm postmarks with the 18th of August will be accepted. Consider Zoning Board of Appeals Cases in the investment portfolio we have over $117.1M in idle funds. Committee Member Bob Westpfahl asked what he meant by idle funds, does that mean money that goes out to other taxing bodies? Treasurer Camlin answered that no that is separate from all the collections this is idle money that is, Tri County Consortium money, ETSB money, Waste Management money all other funds of the County or a fund that is building up, as long as there is no need for the money to be spent it goes in the idle fund’s investment account. Committee Member Richard Morthland asked if we would be better off lowering our levee’s so we would not have excess idle funds? Treasurer Camlin answered that goes into cash flow issues and we do have pretty good cash flow now but when we get into January, February and March when there are no tax distributions coming in that is when we need those investments. CBC Brunk stated that a couple of months ago these were down to $90,000.00 it is just the fact that we need to have ample reserves in order to get through the time when we do not have tax distributions coming in. These are not excess funds they are idle funds they will be used. Committee Member Westpfahl asked that when we do send out the funds to the taxing bodies do we include interest on it? Treasurer Camlin answered yes on tax collections will 

get interest earned. Some funds that do not have to get their own interest the interest goes back into the General Fund. 

5. Consider Zoning Board of Appeals Cases: NONE

6. Consider purchase and installation of a propane generator and tank for the Emergency Management Agency’s Well/Water Service. 

CBC Richard Brunk informed the committee that when the electricity goes out the EMA building has no water service which for those of you who are not familiar the EMA building also houses the Coroner’s Office and to some degree it makes it inoperable. So, in order to insure service this generator is needed. Committee member Bob Westpfahl asked if they did not have natural gas up there? CBC Brunk noted that he wasn’t sure. Committee member Richard Morthland asked if we have a generator for the building. CBC Brunk answered yes but not for the well/water. Committee member Westpfahl asked can’t they just wire it around to it? Chairman Brunk said he would seek out verification on this and get back to the committee. So, my recommendation is to move this forward to Finance & Personnel and I will have all the answers to your questions then.

Committee member Morthland made a motion to move this forward to Finance & Personnel pending clarification on natural gas and the ability to wire this into the EMS Generator.

Second: Bob Westpfahl

via voice vote

Motion carried

7. Consider purchase of storage container unit for Fleet Services Department.

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster

Discussion: Ron Finley explained that it has been at Fleet Services for quite some time as previously it was used to store furniture in. We would like to purchase it and utilize it. Storing Sheriff’s Department push bars, extra cages, seats. With the new explorers we have to remove the rear seats made of plastic and when we get ready to reuse them they have either been thrown away or lost it would be really nice to hold on to those seats and put them back in when we either trade or sell the vehicle. The front half of the container we would utilize for storing waste tires until they are ready to be recycled. We are renting this right now. Committee member Westpfahl asked what it cost to rent them? Ron answered $150 for a 4-week period then Mr. Westpfahl asked what it cost to buy? Ron answered $4,500

via voice vote

Motion carried

8. Consider bids for patching of County Highway 78 (Milan Beltway)

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Chuck Layer

Discussion: County Engineer Matt Miller explained that they asked for bids for the patching of the Beltway and the low bid was submitted by GM Sipes for a total of $298,864.23. Committee member Bob Westpfahl asked what they will be doing. County Engineer Miller answered they will be doing the patching on the West bound lanes. Hopefully the Eastbound lanes will be completely rebuilt next year. The Westbound lanes were put in in 2004 and they are still good if we want to patch them.

via voice vote

Motion carried

9. Consider Purchase of 2 trucks for County Highway Department

Motion: Chuck Layer Second: Tim Foster

Discussion: Engineer Matt Miller said that the Highway Department is looking at getting 2 new pick-ups an F-150 for me and an F-250 for the foreman and the cost of maintaining the truck is costing us more money each month. I will need a truck in the winter when I go out in the snow to check on roads. The F-150 is $62,455.58 and the F-250 is $74,821.33. County Engineer Miller said he went through Sourcewell for the pricing and they are both 4-wheel drive nothing super fancy, the Foreman’s truck has the plow package and towing amenities so he can haul equipment to and from job sites.

10. Consider Resolution for improvement of the Highway Code to supplement the Engineering Agreement with Hutchison Engineering 

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Chuck Layer

Discussion: County Engineer Matt Miller stated that this was for Highway 63 and we originally made the agreement with Hutchison Engineering. The original plan was to rubblize the pavement and then pave over the top of the road. Once we got our soil samples back then we can’t continue the reconstruction project because the soil is too soft to actually rubblize. A lot of provisions were not in there at the time for them to take advantage of including an IBS now that we are putting in a round-about at CH63 we are needing money for the IBS and that is $32,500.00 

via voice vote 

Motion carried

11. Consider Barber Pollinator Garden sign not to exceed $5,000.00

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster

Discussion: Jared VanTieghem explained that Administration to prepare a sign for the Barber Pollinator Garden there are two prices associated with this the briefing contains two images of the signs the only thing that may change are the fonts. Richard Morthland asked why we would spend so much time on a sign that says “coming soon”. Mr. VanTieghem answered that the framework of the sign will stay the same we will scrape the lettering off and reapply for about $250. Chairman Brunk noted that we could be looking at 2 years before that growing actually starts.

via voice vote

Motion carried

12. Closed Session: None

13. Consider action needed based on closed session: None

14. Committee member opportunity for brief comment: 

County Board Member Bob Westpfahl stated that we need to contract out the mowing, no better job than these guys do and to maintain this equipment, lets just contract it out. We are probably talking $500,000 for every piece of machinery used, with the tractor and the mower. Anyplace you want to go, University of Iowa, Ames Iowa, Illinois extension office and they will come up with custom rates per hour for what it takes to run a batwing mower. No better job than what these guys do. I would like to see you, (Larry Burns), Mr. Grafton and Brian Vyncke they are about the best guys in the County. Drive out NN to Orion and look at what them road banks look like. You can’t see the mailboxes for the weeds, we can’t see the guardrail. You have to go way out in the road to see what is coming in the other direction. We go through this every year, it has been going on for the last 15 years. It isn’t the County doing it is the farmers. Sooner or later somebody is going to have a bad accident out there. The deer stand right in the middle right next to the road and you can’t see them until you get right on top of them. Are you saying that Matt is not doing his job? Chairman Brunk asked Matt what are your top obstacles in not getting this done? Engineer Miller stated that now it is manpower and equipment. Mr. Westpfahl asked what is the matter with the mowers? Mr. Miller responded that we just ordered 4 new tractors so that should help there. Bob Westpfahl said the mowers are broke down? What is the matter with them? Mr. Miller responded that one of the batwings has an axle missing and that comes from Sweden so we will have to wait a month for that. Bob asked could it not be welded and Mr. Miller said there are safety issues with that. Mr. Miller stated that he knows in the past we have acquired temporary help in the summer. That will not alleviate any of the problems and Mr. Miller said no. We have been operating this year with no temp mowers. The same number of tractors, of crews and have two crews of brush mowers. Going out and cutting brush back. Mr. Morthland asked if we were going to spray the weeds around the guardrails. Mr. Miller said we are spraying them this year and you will seen them not growing next year. Mr. Miller stated he had six guys go to classes to learn how to do this. Chairman Brunk asked if the issue was the equipment or the manpower. Mr. Miller said that it probably the equipment. Chairman Brunk aske if it is possible to rent some of this equipment? I think it is. Mr. Miller said that they are ahead of where they were last year. Richard Morthland said it is August and they are untouched; how can you possibly be ahead of last year? Mr. Miller said they are not untouched they are mowing out right now. They mow a safety cut for the first mow then they mow out from there. Chuck Layer noted that we have had 8 inches of rain and the weeds are growing like wild fire. Chairman Brunk asked Mr. Morthland and Mr. Westpfahl to email his specific locations showing your concerns. If nothing Mr. Miller and the foreman can go look at the problem areas. Mr. Westpfahl said he is getting sick of getting calls and it is the same thing every year. Mr. Adams asked Chairman Brunk if he had heard anything about the Historic Courthouse square. Chairman Brunk said yes unfortunately in talking with the Monument contractor their desire is to wait out the tariffs. Mr. Berger is reaching out to them to find out what the additional cost would be. Because that money came from ARPA which means we have until December 31st to spend the money. We will find out this week what will happen to this. Richard Morthland he was responding to Mr. Westpfahl remarks I would be very interested in this committee and this Board proceeding with formal performance plan development for the County Engineer and perhaps punitive measures if he fails to, over time, improve his performance. Mr. Morthland stated that this is just us talking making a request to that we proceed to more formal action when handling a committee complaint. So that we can communicate clearly with the County Engineer what our expectations are so that is easier for him to fulfil those expectations as obviously the members of this committee who are in the areas that are most impacted by the lack of roadside maintenance are very concerned. Chairman Brunk stated that in the meantime please get me the locations and give Highway an opportunity to look at them. Mr. Morthland said the reason he is saying this is, I am saying this in public I can’t make a motion of finding at this meeting, it has to be on the agenda, and so I am asking us to proceed with process of improvement planning for the County Engineer. I am just asking us to develop a plan. Mr. Westpfahl stated that when Mr. Morthland said that, I have to say this, we are not doing this for my benefit or for his benefit, we are elected Officials for the people out there, you think it is me, it isn’t me it is the people who elected me, I am doing my job by bringing the complaints to this committee. Mr. Morthland stated that back when he was first elected to the board, Bill Armstrong and I were in committee and he said I don’t get constituent calls he said my wife gets them on our City Council I told him out where I live we get the calls from the constituents because there are no other layers. Obviously, it is not the Townships job it is us. Therefore, we must respond to our constituents concerns and that is all Mr. Westpfahl and I are voicing in this meeting it is our job. Chairman Brunk told Mr. Miller as soon as he gets the information he will pass it on to him. Mr. Miller asked if either of the Board Members come out to the County Highway Department to see how our operations work or talk to our foreman where we mow or how we go about it. Mr. Miller said he understood what they are basing their complaints on but we have the entire County that we have to take care of so, if you guys are concerned about it, I would be happy to walk you through the issue. Mr. Westpfahl said he would be happy to come out. Mr. Morthland said he has not been out there since John retired. Chuck Layer noted that he also represents some of rural Rock Island County and he has never received a call.

15. Motion to adjourn

Motion: Dave Adams Second: Tim Foster

via voice vote

Motion carried

Meeting was adjourned at 9:11 am

https://www.rockislandcountyil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/1942?fileID=2055