City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

We have the whole meeting for the Elgin City Council for May 27th, 2026 to order. Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Members Alfaro? Present. Dixon? Good.

Here.

Martinez? Here. Ortiz?

Here.

Powell? Here. Stephan?

Here.

Thorne?

Here.

Mayor Captain?

Here. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of May 13th. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any corrections or additions? SO FAR?

YES, ON PAGE 5, IT INDICATES WHEN COUNCILMEMBER THORN STEPS OFF THE DIET AND THEN IT INDICATES AGAIN WHEN HE COMES BACK ON. HOWEVER, BETWEEN THAT TIME, IT SHOWS THAT HE VOTED ON SOMETHING. SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A TYPO. WE NEED TO MOVE WHEN COUNCILMEMBER THORN ACTUALLY RETURNED OR HE DID NOT VOTE ON THAT ITEM.

Correction?

Yeah.

Okay. Anything else? Okay. Please call the roll.

Council Member Zafaro? Yes. Good.

Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Abstent. Powell? Yes. Steffen?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion is approved 7-0 with one abstention. Excuse me. We have no public comment this evening. Mr. Manager? Yes.

Thank you, Mayor. Items A and B are on both agendas, and they both involve lead service line replacement contracts for the 2025 program. Item A pertains to the city's contract with IHC Construction. That contract originally contemplated replacing 321 lead service lines. Following the completion of that work, a balance of $500,000 remains in the account. So the city can realize the full benefit of the IEPA loan. it obtained for this work. Staff is recommending that the contract be extended to allow an additional 68 additional lead service line replacements with substantial completion occurring on June 30th and final completion by the end of this year, December 31st. Move for approval. It's on both agendas.

If we have a question, should we ask now?

Ms. O'Farrill.

Thank you, Mayor. Sorry. A quick question for the staff. I think this is fabulous that we actually had leftover money. For the first item and the second item, with the 68 additional service lines and the 34 additional service line replacements, would that put us ahead of schedule then with additional ones, or are we staying within the same number of the goal for this year? Yes.

The goal is about 900, so that does put us just a little bit ahead with those numbers, but we'll take anything. Thanks for asking.

Yeah, that's awesome. Thank you.

Mr. Stephan.

Because somebody else said I also wanted to chime in and say great work, staff. It's nice that we, and the contractors, to have extra money and to turn it around and put it back into more lead service line replacements, so thanks.

I think it's opportune. I'll take the opportunity to make just a couple comments. There was an article in the Tribune this weekend talking about lead service lines. And the federal government is providing about $300 million to the state of Illinois for lead service lines. And when I first looked at that, I said, boy, that's pretty good. Sounds like a lot. Then I realized that the city of Elgin is going to spend about $150 million ourselves. And we started to look at the numbers that are in there. Chicago has 400,000 lead service lines that they know of. We had started out our program, I believe we were about 14,000 lead service lines. And we're down now to about 9,000 left that have to be replaced. The city of Chicago, since they started their program, have replaced 14,000 lead service lines out of 400,000. And the cost for them is going to be in the billions of dollars. So I have to put some perspective on this because I've been talking to other mayors. The deadline is coming up for doing the lead service line replacement work. and the funding is going to be hard to come by and the deadline is still going to be here and chicago has made the statement that they don't think there's enough plumbers they don't think there's enough people to do that to do the work they think that it would create ninety thousand jobs across the state but that's not going to happen in six months to put certified plumbers and certified people into those jobs. So we're behind schedule here. We're doing a great job. The City of Elgin's done a great job. Our staff's done a great job. We found out ways to save some money by putting these lead service lines in, and that's what you're seeing tonight. There's a little bit of leftover money, and that's... I've been recouped because of the efforts of staff and the contractors that we hire found ways to do things and it's paid dividends for us. So it puts us ahead of the schedule and we'll do our best to make sure we get this done on time in a timely way. Moving on.

Thank you, Mayor. Item B is change order for bid number 25008. This is contract C with IHC for work that it was contracted to perform in 2025. That original contract contemplated, as Council Member Alfaro said, the replacement of 221 lead service lines, the $300,000 balance. Enables the city to continue work on 34 additional lead service lines, no different than the other initiative. Substantial completion will occur on June 30th, 2026, with final completion date of December 31st, 2026. And as you said, this item is on both agendas.

Both agendas.

Okay, anything else?

Okay.

Item C is a building improvement program agreement with senior services associates, property at 101 South Grove Avenue. This proposed building improvement program agreement provides gap financing for the repairs to the narrow wood windows and for the in-kind replacement to the wider steel windows, all on the second floor of the senior services building at 101 South Grove Avenue. The agreement also covers window replacements on the back and side of the building, And new historically appropriate doors at the corner of Grove and Fulton Street and at the east end of the building on Fulton. Total project costs are estimated to be about $150,000 with senior services intending to cover about 80% or $118,300 with federal community development block grant funding. This amount of CDBG funding is the maximum amount allowed. And this agreement that the council is being asked to approve contemplates providing 20% or $31,700 from the central area TIF to help close the gap on the project costs. Extraordinary attention to the treatment of the windows and the doors is necessary because the project includes federal funding and also because of the local historic preservation provisions that we know that the city has in place. The CDBG program requires projects do not have an adverse effect on any historic property and that they otherwise comport with the US Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation. Community Development Director Mark Mallott is here to answer any questions, along with Scott Berger, who administers the city's CDBG program.

Move for approval. Second. Move and second for approval. Any discussion or any questions so far? No.

Oh, sorry. Thank you.

Quick question.

I'm happy there's capital improvement going into this building and some renovations. Some feedback I've gotten from women that utilize that space often is that there's not enough handicap stalls in the women's bathroom. And so in the future, is there a way that we can look into making more handicap stalls in the bathroom? That way... you know, the line's not held up if one person's in that one.

We'll certainly share that feedback with them and encourage them to consider additional CDG funding in the future.

Perfect.

Anything else?

I got something here. Mr. Ortiz. When this came to us last year for CDG, how much more was it last year compared to now with the windows they actually have to buy to put in What was the price difference? I know we're giving them money to help cover the cost.

Yeah, I don't have that actual dollar figure, what the increment was. A lot of the extra cost, though, wasn't attributed to any sort of change in time, but attributed to the federal process of having to adhere to the U.S. Secretary of Interior's historic preservation standards. So the style of the window then? Yes, sir. And what can we replace versus what has to be repaired? Okay.

All right. That's it. Thanks.

Anything else? We need a motion? Please call the roll.

Council Member Zafaro? Yes. Good.

Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Steffen? Yes.

Yes.

Thorne? Yes. Mayor Captain?

Yes, motion's approved 8-0. Item D is the city's annual action plan for community development block grant funding. The city uses CDBG funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve neighborhood parks, non-profit facilities, repave city streets, redevelop quality affordable housing, and provide services to address homelessness. The city expects this year to receive just over a million dollars in CDBG, or to have just over a million dollars in CDBG funds available for program year 2026. The CDBG review panel met on April of this year, at the end of April this year, and is recommending funding for the owner occupied housing rehabilitation program, the affordable housing fund, senior services, and program administration. The CDBG allocation for affordable housing is directed to the Kane Elgin Home Commission, and those funds are layered with other federal dollars to help finance affordable housing projects like Artspace, Fox River Crossing, Giffords Crossing, Hanover Landing, and the Larkin Center. School District U46 has also asked the Home Commission to see qualified developers to convert its historic two-story building at 4 South Gifford Street back into apartments. U46 is offering the building at no cost and the property will return to the tax rolls after completion. This project will most likely require the entire CDBG affordable housing allocation. AS WELL AS OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THIS PROGRAM CYCLE. JUST FOR INFORMATION, THE HOME COMMISSION CAN ONLY ALLOCATE ELGIN CDBG DOLLARS TO PROJECTS IN ELGIN, SO THE MONEY DOES STAY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AGAIN, MR. MALAT AND SCOTT BURGER ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS COUNCIL MAY HAVE.

MOVE FOR APPROVAL. SECOND. MOVED AND SECOND FOR APPROVAL. ANY DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTIONS? SO FAR.

SORRY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. can you walk us through a little bit about like the outreach like i i appreciate that this was sent out to like over 30 non-profits but like i was a little um taken back by the lack of interest of applying so if you could speak a little bit to that happy to thank you for your question um this has been a a long-standing trend where the number of not-for-profits who are making applications

OR EVEN ATTENDING OUR WORKSHOPS HAS CONTINUED TO DECLINE TO THE POINT WHERE THIS YEAR WE ONLY HAD TWO ENTITIES ATTEND OUR WORKSHOP AND THEN ONE APPLICATION. IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO ELGIN. KANE COUNTY HAD ZERO NOT-FOR-PROFIT APPLICATIONS FOR THEIR CDBG FUNDS. Because this grant is primarily a bricks and mortar grant, it's difficult to find for an Elgin 30, 35 not-for-profits work to do that warrants the level of reporting and constant monitoring that a CDBG grant does. And there's also many of these not-for-profits are experiencing difficulties in staffing that then can take on the administration, and even though we're there to hold their hands all along the way to get through a CDBG grant. So unfortunately, that's the nature of the times as it relates to the not-for-profits seeking this funding.

Thank you for sharing that. Let's see if there's a way that we as a council and the community can try to figure out how to support local nonprofits in applying. There's a lot of older historical buildings in this area. And so elevators and roofs and HVAC systems all go out. And so I feel like this is a perfect program for them to utilize. But the reporting is something. So I'm trying to figure out how we do that. um the only other comment i had and i know council member paul had brought this up i think last year when i first started on the council is um how council members were chosen for this i know council member martinez and ortiz are the two representatives on here but in the future if we could consider as a council a more rotating schedule so the same two council members are not on the same election year That way, if someone left, the institutional knowledge is still there with someone else, and they are able to mentor the next person kind of thing. So just something for council to consider.

Okay. Anything else? Ms. Powell.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Millat, for being at the podium. Yes, ma'am. And I guess part of my response is to Council Member Alfaro. I'm just over the years looking at the block grant funding and who has applied, who hasn't applied. It definitely has shifted. We used to receive more applications from some of the local nonprofits looking to get, you know, roof repairs and parking lot repairs. We're not getting obviously those now. Some of that I think is because, you know, I think a some, not maybe all, of the non-for-profits don't actually own the buildings that they're in. So that's one factor. And quite frankly, I think the other factor is the non-for-profits, just from what I'm seeing and what I've heard from talking with a lot of them, they're looking for more operational funding and support, which the block grant funding does not really cover. So it's not that they don't need help. I think we all recognize that a lot of them do need the help, but this mechanism is probably not the help that they need, or at least not in the format that they most need in our community. So, but thank you also for bringing up the selection process. I was not aware of how the council members were selected again this year, so. It's May 28, I think. Yeah, but nothing came out to the whole council to ask people like if they wanted to do that this year. So, you know, if we're bringing this up again for a second year in a row, someone should take a little heed. Thank you.

Okay, anything else so far?

A quick question on, to my understanding, They could also use the funds to acquire a building, correct? Or is that some restrictions within our program?

Depending upon what you use the funds for has different strings and hooks. I'm going to ask Scott to come up. He deals with this on a daily basis and may be able to explain it a little more better.

Yes, acquisition is an eligible expense. Typically it's part of a development project that involves acquisition of your construction or rehabilitation work.

Okay, so to Council Member Powell's point, like a lot of them don't own their buildings and nonprofits, so if someone just wanted to buy the building they were in, they would have to tie it into some renovation project as well?

Not necessarily. Okay.

That's good to know. Okay. For the future. Thank you. Sure.

How long would they have to keep it for that program?

they'd have to retain the building for not less than five years.

Oh, yeah, that's government.

We have to serve an eligible use for five years or longer.

Yeah, thank you for clarifying that because that's important. Thank you.

Okay, anything else? Okay, please call the roll.

Council Member Zalparo? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Steffen?

Yes. Thorne?

Yes. Mayor Captain?

Yes. The motion is approved 8-0.

Item E is the proposed purchase of Motorola Solutions APX8500 mobile in vehicle radios for the fire department. The fire department in 2013 replaced the city wide radio system, including the mobile radios that are in all police and fire vehicles. These radios are now at the end of their serviceable life, meaning they're no longer supported by Motorola and require replacement. The replacement process began last year with phase one. replacing the mobile radios in the police department vehicles. Phase two is occurring now, and that will be replacing all mobile radios in the fire department vehicles. The purchase of the APX 8500 from Motorola will provide a new level of radio technology coupled with maintenance support, ensuring public safety operations are not disrupted and remain a seamless experience. This is through a state of Illinois joint purchasing cooperative agreement.

Move for approval. Second.

Moved and seconded for approval. Any discussion?

Mr. Steppen. Yeah, just a question that I didn't get to ask anybody. Probably crosses some minds as they read this memo. Is there any way we can assure we won't have, for instance, these new radios be obsolete in 13 years? Is there any way to...

13 years.

I mean, there's just no way. It's just going to happen. The industry changes, the technology changes. The same way Apple guarantees your phone will be good. 13 years.

Having that reply come from Council Member Thorne, who we know doesn't like giving up any piece of old property particularly, on a point. Thank you, Council Member.

I won't even be using it then.

Okay, anything else? Ms. Alfaro?

Just a quick question. I see that the quote had expired in March. I'm assuming it still stands, just to confirm.

I would imagine that it does. Okay. Okay, please call the roll.

Council Member Alfaro? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell? Yes. Steffen? Yes. Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion's approved, 8-0.

Staff is requesting that item F be tabled at this time.

I need a motion to table item F. Move to table. Second. Move to table.

Councilmember Zafaro? Yes. Good.

Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Steffen? Yes. Thorne? Yes. Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion's approved, 8-0. Item G is an amendment to the current agreement for construction engineering services with HR Green as it relates to the National Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project. The bid for this work is item one from the regular council agenda. The amendment to this agreement adds construction administration and observation services necessary to support the National Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project. As I've said, included on this evening's city council agenda is a recommended construction contract award to Markham Construction in the amount of $2.7 million for this work. This amendment will allow our engineer, HR Green, to provide the necessary construction oversight. and administration services associated with the recommended contract construction award.

Move for approval. Second.

Move and second for approval. Any further discussion? Hearing none, please call the roll.

Councilmember Zaffaro? Yes. Good.

Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Steffen? Yes. Thorne? Yes. Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion's approved 8-0. Announcements from the council. Mr. Ortiz?

I got one from our fearless leaders over in Suwan. I just got to pull up her message. Give me one second.

About the open house?

Yeah. Yeah.

You got anything you want me to go?

I can go. Yeah. Can Mr. Steffen please?

I'll take the opportunity because I don't see anybody here. Maybe they'll show up at 7. But it's the 49th annual Foxtrot this weekend. It's Saturday. I'm sorry, Sunday. Sunday. Don't get it wrong. May 31st. I think the races start off at 8 o'clock. For the second year, they brought back the two-mile fun run. It's a 10-mile or a 5K and a two-mile walk. And registration for the second year in a row, or actually, maybe this is the first year, you will not be able to register day of. So you have to register the day before up to midnight or risk being out of luck.

Okay, Mr. Ortiz. All right, I found it. A few weeks ago, Alice Middle School had their open house because they're closing the school down and U46 are transferring their kids to a new middle school. Lowry Elementary over in the Swan neighborhood is also closing down this year, I believe. AND THE SWAN MEMBERSHIP HAD ASKED ME TO GIVE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEIR OPEN HOUSE IS SATURDAY, MARY 30TH FROM 1 TO 3 P.M. SO IF YOU WENT TO THAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GROWING UP OR IF YOUR KIDS WENT THERE OR IF YOU LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR FROM THE CITY OF ALGERTON AND WANT TO TOUR IT BEFORE IT CLOSES PERMANENTLY. MY DAUGHTER WENT THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE GOING TO CREEKSIDE AND IT'S A VERY interesting building because there's stairs everywhere where just how ellis was so you'll see why it's getting closed and it's not 80 accessible to our students so show up one to three this saturday may 30th okay mr thorne thank you mayor

I'd like to thank everyone that was involved in putting on the Memorial Day programs this past Monday. Of course, there were two smaller ones at the two cemeteries, Mount Hope and Lakewood. then the larger one at Veterans Memorial Park, and then the main one that has been Elgin's tradition since 1868 at Bluff City Cemetery. A special thank you to city staff that was involved, like Sue back there, who ran all the audio and made it all work. Thank you, Sue, you did a great job. And... Everyone that was involved, the Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association spent countless hours preparing. The program went very well. The one that is down at Veterans Memorial Park, I think that a lot of you, anyone that has ever gone to that is familiar with Walter Porter. Walter Porter is the Navy Club representative And he's also very involved in the Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association and sadly to announce he passed away this morning. Unexpectedly, no word. Yesterday I had an email from his wife that said he lost his wallet. Thought he lost it at the Memorial Day event at Bluff City. Did anybody see it? Have you talked to anyone that maybe found it? And then today's email was a shocker. So no warning whatsoever. So my hearts go out to Pat and her son Mark and anyone else in the Porter family. We thank them for all the work they've done over the years. The other thing I'd like to note is that there has been a notable amount of fireworks in my neighborhood So I just wanna remind people we have those signs. I know that they'll be coming out and they'll be in the lobby here. They'll be at the police department. I'll be letting Anna know. I think I've narrowed it down to a couple houses that's doing with almost one every night and it's those big aerial bombs. My dog spends the evening in the basement shivering. So hopefully we can get that under wraps. Thank you.

Ms. Powell.

Thank you. I'd like to say thank you and wishing Liz Marston a happy retirement from the Elgin History Museum. She's retiring after 28 years of service and anyone who's ever gone to the Elgin History Museum or is familiar with it has seen Liz, knows Liz, and she's always there she's been a big part of why the history museum is what it is today obviously a lot of volunteers there but with liz at the helm it really has become a huge part of our community and done a lot for elgin so i just want to thank liz personally for all of her work and her service, and welcome Rebecca Miller, who is a current staffer there at the museum, who will be assuming the lead role at the museum. So congratulations to Rebecca. Liz, don't be a stranger, but enjoy your retirement. And there will be... A THANK YOU AND WELCOME CEREMONY AT THE MUSEUM THIS COMING FRIDAY FROM 630 UNTIL 830. THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY MUSEUM WEBSITE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME AND BID LIZ FAREWELL AND WELCOME REBECCA IN HER NEW ROLE. THANK YOU.

MS. MARTINEZ.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. THERE'S TWO THINGS. EXCUSE ME. ON SATURDAY, Saturday the 16th, Elgin Firefighters Memorial Service was held at the fire department's museum there on Arlington Avenue and St. Charles. And it's something that takes place every year and it seems to grow more and more. And it's something that they invite the community to come and honor people who have fallen. And it's a sad time, but I'm really impressed and I thank former chief Mike Felice for putting this together, but it couldn't be done with the help of our current chief. Rob Sagan, and it brings a lot of people within the Fox Valley area, and I'd like to say thank you for putting that together every year. Second, I would also like to thank John and Mike for the soft opening at Weem Park, for What is that called? Chip shots. It's very nice. I can't wait till they open it up. I just want to make everybody understand that golf is one of the few programs that pays for itself here in Nalgene. We have three golf courses, and it brings people from all over the area. And people who come from all over the area come here. They eat here. They put gas in. These are things that we need. So I would like to thank them and their whole staff for going ahead and having that soft opening, and we can't wait for it to open permanently. Thank you.

Okay. Ms. Alfaro.

Thank you, Mayor. Next Saturday is the Elgin Pride Parade and Festival, and so if you are in town, please check that out. It's from 11 to 5 at Festival Park, and there will be a parade near there, so check it out. And thank you to everyone that is organizing and planning that event. Okay.

All right.

um just a couple from me and i have to uh echo mr thorne's comments about the passing of walt porter i've known walter for 20 years and attended those ceremonies of laying a wreath on the fox river and been very happy to be a participant in that and walt and his family have done great things with the navy club and with the marine corps uh... to celebrate that. Walter will be sorely missed and it's a real shocker for me because I saw him Monday and talked to him at length about the future of the event. Very shocking to me. One other announcement. Over the weekend there was a notice in the paper that the city of Elgin has been designated as the number one city for health care for retirees in the United States. And I don't have the link. Rick sent me the link. It was in the Parade Magazine. I believe the article was in the Parade Magazine. and looks at the health care in the region and talks about the hospitals and the amount of clinics and surgeries that are local. And Elgin was picked out of all the cities in the United States as the best for health care for retirees. So that's a good thing for us and a good thing for this city as we move into the future. That's something that we should be working hard to do. make a little bit better and think about those people that are retiring and my wife does transportation work for senior services and as part of that it's a volunteer organization helping retirees get to the doctor something as simple as that they can't they may not have anybody to help them that day to go to their doctor's appointment it's just about providing transportation so we do a lot of things here and that's a really a great reflection on the city at that point we'll entertain a motion to adjourn So moved.

Second.

Moved and second to adjourn. Court, please call the roll.

Council Member Zafaro? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stephan? Yes. Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. We are adjourned. We'll reconvene at the regular council meeting at 7 p.m.

Thank you. Thank you. Bye. Thank you. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thank you. Bye. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Clerk, please call the roll.

Council Members Alfaro? Present. Dixon? Present. Good.

Here.

Martinez? Here. Ortiz?

Here.

Powell? Here. Steffen?

Here.

Thorne?

Here.

Mayor Captain?

Here. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of May 13th.

So moved.

Second. Moved and second for approval. Any corrections or additions? Hearing none, clerk, please call the roll.

Council Members Alfaro? Yes. Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stephan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor-Captain?

Yes. Motion's approved 9-0. Can I change my vote? Can I abstain?

Can you abstain? Yes. Well, I can, but I need to change my vote.

Okay. We'll change that to a 0-8-0-1 abstention. You weren't here.

Good reason.

We have no communications this evening. We have one person signed up for public comment, Matt Clark.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the City Council. My name is Matt Clark. I serve as the Secretary for both the Illinois Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and the Fox Valley Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Tonight, it is our honor to recognize the City of Elgin for its outstanding patriotic spirit and continued commitment in honoring our nation's veterans and principles for which our American flag stands. The American flag is more than fabric and colors. It symbolizes freedom, sacrifice, unity, and the enduring ideals of our republic. Across our nation, proper and respectful display of the flag represents a community dedication to remembering those who have defended our liberties and those who continue to serve. The City of Belgium's display of the American flag at Veterans Memorial Park stands as a visible reminder of patriotism, remembrance, and gratitude. This memorial park not only serves as a place of reflection for veterans and their families, but also a place where future generations can learn the importance of service to our nation. On behalf of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution, the Illinois Society, and the Fox Valley Chapter, we are proud to present this flag certificate to the City of Elgin in recognition of its proper patriarchal display of the flag of the United States of America. Thank you for your dedication and patriotism in honoring America's veterans.

Thank you very much. Quite an honor for our 250th birthday in the country.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Okay. That brings us to bids. We have first item is bid number 26-017, National Street Bridge Rehab Project.

Move to award the bid to Martam Construction, Inc. in the amount of $2,688,731. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none, clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Zalfaro? Yes. Dixon? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell? Yes. Stephan?

Yes.

Thorne? Yes. Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion's approved 9-0. Item 2 is a rooftop HVAC replacement at Highlands Golf Course Clubhouse. Job order contract number, job order contract.

Mr. Mayor, I recommend that we award the bid to Train Technologies for the replacement of rooftop units at the Highlands Golf Course Clubhouse.

Second. Move to second for approval. Any discussion? Ms. O'Farrill.

Thank you, Mayor. Just one comment. I saw in the quote that it's budgeted for $300,000, but if they do it this year, it's $285,000. So we would say $15,000 if we could try to encourage them to finish it by the end of this year. Not sure if we can or can't, but if they could finish it by the end of this year so it's only $285,000, that would be great.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilmember Zafaro? Yes. Dixon? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stephan? Yes. Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion's approved 9-0. Brings us to other business. The first item is a resolution authorizing execution of a change order number one with IHC Construction Companies, LLC, for year four lead service line replacements. Contract B.

Move for approval. Second. Move and second for approval. Any discussion?

Hearing none, clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Zaffaro? Yes. Dixon? Yes. Good? Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stephan? Yes. Thorne? Yes. Meerkat?

Yes. Motions approve 9-0. Item 2 is a resolution authorizing execution of a change order number 1 with IHC Construction Companies LLC year 4 lead service line replacement contract C. Move approval. Second. Move for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none, clerk, please call a roll.

Council Member Zalparo? Yes. Dixon?

Yes.

Good? Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell? Yes. Stephan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motions approved 9-0. Item 3 is a resolution authorizing execution of an intergovernmental agreement with the Fox River Water Reclamation District for debris removal, tree removal, fencing, and related site cleanup work at the former 10th City property.

MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED FOR APPROVAL. ANY DISCUSSION? MR. ORTIZ.

ONCE THIS PROJECT'S DONE, WILL THE WHOLE ODE ENCAMPMENT BE fenced in now, City Manager? All we were missing was this forward's half, correct?

That's correct, Council Member. So there will still be a demarcation between the city-owned property and the forward property somewhere north on those areas, but we will have a continuous demarcation chain link fence extending from just north of kimball street all the way up to the forward property just south of south of fraser and forward is also undertaking the underbrush cleanup that makes it more difficult for people to begin squatting in those areas and when the foliage takes place so that'll be the that's the plan all right and have we had anybody try to cut the fence down and re-enter location since we put our side of the fence up do you know I'm not aware of any instances where there's been destruction to the existing property. I do know that forward though has had some instances where people, well, whether it's people that were displaced from tent city or they've moved to, to the forward property since the city's property has been fenced off, they've been having those issues. And I think that's part of what's driving this initiative.

All right. Thank you.

Okay.

Anything else?

Okay. We're happy to get this finished up. Court, please call the roll.

Councilmember Zafaro? Yes. Dixon? Yes. Good? Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stephan? Yes. Thorne?

Yes. Mayor Captain? Yes. The motion is approved 9-0. Item 4 is a resolution authorizing execution of a First Amendment agreement with ATI Restoration LLC for additional professional services in connection with the cleanup of certain property commonly known as Tent City. Move for approval. Second. Then move and second for approval. Any further discussion? Hearing none, clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Zafaro? Yes. Dixon?

Yes. Good. Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell? Yes. Stephan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. The motion is approved 9-0. Consent agenda?

Move for approval. Second.

Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Corrections or additions? Hearing none, clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Zaffaro? Yes. Dixon?

Yes.

Good? Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz?

Abstain.

Powell? Yes. Stephan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. The motion is approved 8-0 with one abstention. Miscellaneous business? Move for approval.

Second.

Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Mr. Ortiz?

I have a couple questions about the disbursement report. that the disbursement report yes so it's uh... number three the uh... i'd check it every month or and every month we get on and i've been noticing some stuff being spent on procurement cards so i have a few questions about those are not really question the other concerns one is uh... when uh... as much on the city council section of the dispersant report when people go on uh... trips and conferences Is it the city's responsibility to pay for the overweight bag fee? Because in my opinion, it should be the traveler's responsibility to pay for that if their bag is overweight or not within the parameters of the airline they're flying. Is there any guidance from purchasing or finance city manager of how things get charged or what gets approved or not approved?

Councilman, the city has, it's primarily for staff, a purchasing manual that I think was last updated in 2017. I know that the city's current procurement manager, Nick Edmondon, is working through a process updating that. I have to admit, I don't have specific knowledge as to whether there's a reimbursement for an overweight bag. My guess is that's something that would probably tell an employee to pack a little bit better, but that being said, what governs expenses by employees doesn't necessarily have to match what the council believes is appropriate. So this is one where, sorry, I'm punting it back to you or the council to make determinations as to what expenses you believe are justified or not in that instance.

Okay, and then with that, this is, some of our council members or colleagues on the council took the city manager's vehicle down to Springfield, which saved us a lot of money, so I appreciate the council doing that, the council members that did that. But we have Uber charges on here for over $100 going from home to a conference in Dixon, Illinois. Do we offer... The vehicle, the city vehicle to any council member that wants to go to a conference within the state or even maybe in like northwest Indiana if it's something out there in the Bahamian area?

There is a fleet vehicle in the city manager's office that would be, for the purposes that you described, it could be used for that. I don't think that there would be any issue with that.

Okay. So what I'm getting at is it seems like there's a lot of transactions dating back to middle of last year or late last year that it's a lot of conferences, a lot of Uber rides, check bag fees, one overweight bag fee, and I did email the city manager when we got the agenda over the weekend and I asked him how much money has been spent out of the city council allocation from the budget. Let me pull that up real quick. So so far we have nine thousand allocated to the city council for expenditures for conferences and other miscellaneous things To date we've the city council spent three thousand fifty four dollars and eighty five cents is about six thousand left And it's like kind of an unspoken Unwritten rule that of the nine thousand each council member gets about a thousand to go to conferences and whatnot so we'll only what, through quarter two, and you've already spent 3,000 bucks. And I keep saying we, because me as a counselor, I should be more proactive in talking about this and trying to find a middle ground or a solution of all this spending we're doing with the credit cards. So what... And then the other thing, too, is those council members going to dinners or lunches with community members to restaurants outside the city of Elgin. I think that if we're going to spend city money, we should spend that within the city of Elgin and not go to area communities, which if they're going to go to area communities for their dinners or lunches with community members, then they should pay for out-of-pockets. We all get paid to be on the council, and a lot of these expenditures we should pay for out-of-pocket. So I don't know if anybody else has anything to say, but I think that I would like to see staff like if Mr. Nick, sorry I forgot his last name, is already going through the policy I'd like to see an analysis of everything the council has spent in the past, from 2025 to now, and see what the money is getting spent on. Because some of these conferences, we passed council rules last fall that people have to come back with a report back to the council of what they learned, what the city benefited from, or if it was a waste of time and don't go to them again. And we haven't got any reports back from any of these conferences that council members have been going to. So... That's my problem with the disbursement report. I'm going to vote no for miscellaneous today because there's some things in here. And then to add on to it, city manager, when I started doing a deep dive into these, there's discrepancies with what we've been voting on and what's on the transparency page on the website. They're not matching up. There's probably about 15 line items that we approved but are not on the transparency page. And I would like to see... uh... word-for-word public can see easy access on a transparency page to what we brought our agenda packet and we're missing a bunch of line items and some of them in my opinion bina or normal do that's not a millionaire couple hundred bucks a lot of money so i think the community should know when a couple hundred bucks a spent to go to a conference that hotel or take an uber i'm gonna mayor

Any discussion? Are you making a motion here, or are these just ideas you're presenting back to the manager?

I'll make the motion.

Where are we headed here?

I'll make a motion for city staff to analyze the P-card expenditures and conference expenditures for the city council from 2025 to current. update the city website to match and then come back with any Best practice policies of what we should do if we're already doing best practices and I guess we'll keep doing it But if there's something we could fix then there's something we could fix I second it It's been moved and seconded the motion is for staff to analyze the p-card expenditures from 2025 to present and

Make sure that the transparency page and the expenditures match. And your third one was? Best practices, I heard. Best practices. OK. Analysis. If that's correct. Is that correct, Mr. Ortiz? Yes, Mayor. OK. OK. We move on to second. Any discussion? Ms. Powell?

Yes. Thank you, Mayor. I guess I'm not aware of what specifically the concern is, but I guess based on the motion, I guess I would like to see if we're going to be looking at P-card expenditures, that it shouldn't just be city councils. We should be looking at staff's P-card expenditures as well, because they obviously use their P-cards a whole lot more than we do. Um, so if we're going to, you know, look into that, which I, you know, I, I think that's a legitimate practice. I think we need to be looking at all the, the P card expenditures. That would, that would be my, um, I, That would be my recommendation.

Mr. Manager? Councilman Pratt, staff routinely, we can do this for you, but anything that shows up on this disbursement report, staff is governed by the procurement manual, and so nothing ends up on this unless it comports with that. Council really isn't part of that, so there isn't a monitor. Other than receipts, there aren't any expenses that aren't just don't get involved in approving council expenses. That's up to the council to make determinations as to what's appropriate. So again, I'm suggesting that that goes on. For the organization, it happens on a regular basis. It's up to the council to make determinations on what it deems appropriate for expenses by your colleagues here on the dais.

Right. And I know we just went through this, I think it was just last year or even earlier this year. No, last year when we adopted our new council rules about, you know, going to different conferences and what's required. And so is the concern, at least the concern I'm hearing from council member Ortiz is that you're seeing things that are inconsistent with what we adopted. Is that correct?

yes some of that and then some of like the overweight bag for you like i think about heard the city manager correctly we were not governed by anything but the city staff is if i understood you correctly so we just spend it how we could spend on what we want but so my concern is just the spending of going to certain places and paying for certain things and the conferences

but i guess and i'm i'm hearing both of you and i understand that but we the city council is governed a lot of the same ways that staff is because i think one of the one of the rules that we adopted in terms of conference expenditures you know that you know per diem is is the same for us as it is for for staff and a lot of the same requirements for staff um you know for for conferences apply to the comp you know apply to the mayor and city council as well but the conferences and peak are two different thingies But, okay, no, I understand that. But if you're putting conference expenses on the P-Card, then you're expected to adhere to the same standards or requirements that staff has, like if you're going to a conference. Except... what you just mentioned that we adopted, that you provide some type of summary, like if you're going to a conference. That's the only difference that I can recall offhand. I didn't pull it up to look at it, but I remember us talking about that in a lot of depth. I don't know about any other expenditures, but I'm interested in hearing to what everyone else has to say.

Anybody else? Ms. Alfaro.

Thank you. I think there should be guidelines so it's clean cut. As a newer council member, I wasn't given anything. I was given the pre-card, go. I didn't even know if I should keep receipts or not. I work in state government, so I know in government you just keep receipts, so I kept my receipt. Then I got here and I was told I have to pay the sales tax, and I was like, oh, didn't know I had to pay the sales tax, but okay, I'll pay the sales tax. So if there's some kind of guidelines that it's easier for all council members as they're onboarded or on here so they could go and refer, I think would be helpful because we don't have that. And so a lot of it is unknown. And as you're traveling and you're doing things, you just assume certain things are covered. And so if there is some clean guidelines and clear direction that would be helpful, that's something that we could all look over and have a discussion to make sure that we're all in agreement, I think would be helpful. something that could help all of us as we're traveling and doing things.

Ms. Martinez.

Thank you, Mayor. I believe that the city of Elgin is really good at sponsoring a lot of our non-for-profits, a lot of their galas, a lot of their dinners. And when we go and we attend, I kind of like what Ms. Alfaro said, that our tickets should be free, but if you bring somebody else, they should pay for that. I like that. But if you... I'm sorry? I don't think you said that.

Oh, we were just saying that I think you're referring to like an old discussion that we had that we did put that in there as part of like if you're going... Our tickets are for us, and if it's not, if we can't go, it has to go to either someone else on the dais or a commissioner, right?

But you added also, if you take a spouse, that maybe you should pay the spouses.

Yeah, I said that in the past. Like, if you take a plus one, you should be paying for your plus one. And that's what I'm saying.

I like what you said that, you know, that. But what I'm getting at is that, you know, when I see something like, I'm just putting it out there, open door, health, you know, it's 125 fundraiser drag brunch or let's say a community crisis, um, annual gala fundraiser for 125. All that adds up. You know, I, I'm like you, I worked for the federal government and you have to present everything for the union and, um, You know, there was just things like if I met with somebody, we would just go Dutch, but I'd pay for it out of my own money. And, you know, I feel that a lot of these things, you know, I just pay for myself or subscriptions I pay for myself. As I guess when you volunteer, you know, this right here is a job. We get paid for it. Not much, but we get paid for it. I'm not complaining. A lot of times when you volunteer, the true feeling is, you are volunteering, you always give more than what you give out. And in some of these expenses I don't feel that's what's happening. There's a lot of us that for years have never had anything on our P cards. And I think with the expenses that I'm seeing now, you're right, I think we should go ahead and make guidelines on what should or shouldn't. I always thought we didn't have to. We never had this before, but I think now it's come to a time where we need to. Thank you.

Anything else? Mr. Stephan.

Yeah, well, I just have a question for staff if it's something I'm missing, because I look over the disbursement report when we get it, and the P cards are listed at the back by department, and the employees are council members or whatever in the charges, but then there's also in the computer printout section of the disbursement report, there's a peat card entry under, I think it's Fifth Third Bank, whatever the bank is, and then there's pages and pages of entries. Are those the same, just reported in different ways, or are those two separate peat card lists? not sure i understand what the cards are reported as part of the fifth third bank is yet is that yet but well that's the that's worth the first shows up but you start at the beginning there's pages and pages it's just one day you could have several hundred entries i'm assuming because there's different employees using p card in different ways and then you get to the back of the report and there report breaks out by p card by department sorry including city manager council which is where I had to go digging for what I think are some of the things that people are bringing up. are those the same charges just reported in two different ways, or are those two separate lists that have two separate sets of charges? I guess that's what I'm trying to get at.

Yeah, and I can't answer definitively for that. I'd have to go back and check with who creates the report. I don't want to go out on a limb and suggest that there's, I would think that there isn't double reporting in this, but I don't want, I'm not certain.

Yeah, I would too, but again, yeah, I'm like with you, I'm not sure, so I just want to make sure, right. Yeah.

Anybody else? Okay, Ms. Alfaro.

I just wanted to ask Council Member Ortiz if he would consider amending his motion to add guidelines in there. Oh, yes.

Thank you.

And then second, then, if it needs a second.

Do you need me to change it, Corporation Council, or can I just say yes?

I'm sorry?

Do you need me to change the whole motion? Okay, can I just say yes for what Ms. Alfaro wants?

Yeah, I think at this point... What I'm hearing is the motion is to direct staff to come back with guidelines that will be contained in purchasing manual updates. Um, and also I think, um, customer were to use, you, you, you mentioned the analysis of P card expenses from 2025 to current, to current.

I'm just asking if I need to restate everything all over again for you, or if it's just fine, just to say, I'm going to add in what was so far wanted.

Yeah, I, I, I, I, it would be, would be my opinion that it would be best practice to restate the motion.

Okay. Uh, I motion that we do analysis of calendar year 2025 to current for city council P-card expenditures, create guidelines for the usage of the city's P-cards, and update the city's website to reflect the disbursement report. That was three. There was one more.

To match the transparency page and provide best practices.

Provide best practices with the guidelines.

We have a new motion. The reports for the conferences are already part of the council rules.

Thank you.

Okay, so we have a new motion, and this will provide some guidelines, and I think the original was in the form of an ordinance or a policy. Anybody remember when we did the original council agreement?

The council rules are an ordinance.

But I don't think that ordinance goes in detail on how the money can be spent or how much money. I didn't even know there was $1,000 to each council member, to be honest. That's new information today to me. So I don't think that ordinance goes into detail.

So we can get that clarified as well. But a big believer in transparency, and I want us to match as closely as we can to the employees that... that work for us i think that sends a message that there's not necessarily a separate set of rules here and this is certainly something that we all talk about is transparency so that the public knows what goes on in government so this follows through with that i support i will support that okay anything else second because there needed to be a second

Mr. Manager? Council Member Stephan, I was able to scroll down to the bottom. That isn't double billing. That's breaking it down to make the ease to find out by department. I'm sorry.

That's what I thought, but I didn't want to assume either.

No, I apologize. I finally got down to the bottom where it was by department. Sorry.

Okay.

And we need a motion for approval of the amendment, correct?

Second.

Wait, what are we voting on? I thought we were voting on the motion first.

We have to.

Wait.

He just restated the motion. Oh, okay, I'm sorry.

Yeah, this is for the amended, jury amended motion. We need a motion for that. Okay. Okay, we still need a motion.

I made it.

Okay, moved and seconded.

So we need to vote on it.

Okay. Ortiz moved. Ms. Alfaro seconded. Seconded the amended. Okay, clerk, please call the roll.

Councilmember Zafaro? Yes. Dixon?

Yes. Good. Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stephan? Yes. Thorne? Yes. Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motion is approved 9-0. Okay, it brings us back to miscellaneous business. Ms. Zafaro?

Thank you, Mayor. So just wanted to give a quick update on behalf of... Oh yeah, we're giving an update right now on the inclusivity ordinance.

Yes, and we'll do the motion or we'll vote on the miscellaneous business right after.

So just to give the community an update on what's going on with the inclusivity and diversity ordinance, Council Member Dixon and I met with Assistant City Manager Hiller. In the last two weeks, in the last meeting, Council Member Dixon had mentioned that staff had done a deep dive into each initiative that we were looking into. In the last two weeks, they have gone a further deep dive on two items, which is the Municipal ID and the Legal Defense Fund, to see how different ways of approaching it in implementation. And so that's what they've been working on in the last two weeks. In June, we will be having a verbal, extensive, elaborate update from staff, and so I'm not sure which meeting in June, but that will be happening in June.

Okay. Anything else on miscellaneous business?

No.

Okay, entertain a motion to approve miscellaneous business. So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilmembers Alvaro? Yes. Dixon? Yes.

Good. Yes.

Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? No. Powell? Yes. Steffen?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes. Motions approved 8-1. Announcements. The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The next regular meeting of the Elgin City Council will be Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. I'd entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved.

Second.

Moved and seconded to adjourn. Please call the roll.

Council Member Zafaro? Yes. Dixon?

Yes.

Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell? Yes. Stephan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes, we are adjourned.