City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Monday, November 17th city council meeting. Clerk, please call the role. Alderman Bainy here. Alman Glad here. Alman Dhy here. Alderwoman Bassie here. Alderman Davis here. Alderman Cook here. Honwoman Miller here. Thank you. Please stand for the pledge. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. First item on the agenda is a public comment portion. Is there anyone that would like to make a public comment at this time? All right. Seeing none, moving on. Consent agenda items 5A through 5F. Uh, is there any items that council would like to pull for separate consideration? If not, I'm looking for a motion to approve 5A through 5F. Alder Miller, I'll make a motion to approve consent agenda 5A through 5F as presented, please. Thank you. Second. Alderwoman Bainy. I'll second that motion. Thank you. Any discussion on these items? Alder Bassie. Thank you. So, I just want to confirm that the minutes have been updated to reflect my comments on the tax levy.

The minutes have been updated to uh reflect the comments of the tax levy only, not any other wording changes. Okay. Thank you.

All right. Any others? Alderman Glad? Uh I just want to say that I know there's been uh a lot of uh leverage uh as far as what we need this money for and everything else. Uh and to some extent uh I just feel like uh yes, the economy isn't the worst, but it isn't the best either. And uh you know, I'd like to say that you know, did you see my yacht out there on the river at $350,000? No, I don't have one because I can't afford it. And uh you know, I live within my means. And uh I think to some extent uh I think there's different places that we could cut uh here and there a little at a time that that could probably reduce that levy a little bit. But uh that's where we're at. and uh it'll be interesting to see when we take it to public uh where we're at.

Thank you. Any other comments by council? Clerk, please call the role. Alderwoman Miller, yes. Alderwoman Bainy, yes. Alderman Glab, yes. Alderman Dhy, yes. Aldwoman Bassie, yes. Alderman Davis, yes. Alman Cook, yes. Thank council. Next item on the agenda is 6A, business uh improvement grant at 4911 West Elm. Looking for a motion to approve a business improvement grant agreement with Happy Jacks at 4911 West Elm uh LLC for $20,422.84. This time looking for a motion to approve. Alderman Cook. Make the motion that we approve. Thank you. Second 6A. Alderman Dhy.

I'll second the motion. Thank you. Discussion on this item by city council. Alder. No. Okay. Alder Bassie. Um, I just wanted to say that I'm happy to see some improvements done on the west side. Any other comments? Alman GL.

Yeah. I just want to bring out though that uh some of these improvements are necessities more so than uh uplifting the building. In other words, a lot of them handicap accessibility and whatnot that uh in order to open up a building in the first place, uh those things would have had to have been done anyway. And uh uh granted, I'm glad to see businesses down uh 120 over there uh trying to stay open and whatnot. Uh but uh again uh are we putting the bill for different types of improvements that are required by law and uh that I've got a concern with.

Okay. Any other comments, questions? Alden Davis? Yeah, I I actually had the same concerns Andy did and I did speak to Doug about it. So, I I'm on board for now, but I think we should probably look at this new program and make sure that we have certain criteria that uh goes along before we start fit I don't know paying for things that would have normally been done also. So, some of them I have questions on, but um I can be on board with this one.

All right, Alman Cook. Yeah, it's uh um I like it because it's right down the street for me, but uh it's the west end of town and if it does have to have handicap and all that, I can see it, you know, if they need improvement that way and all that, especially when it comes to safety for the veterans or for anybody who walks into that establishment. So, I'm all aboard on that one. Thank you. Any other questions, comments? Open up for public comment. See none. Clerk, please call the role. Alderman Cook, yes. Alderman Dhy, yes. Alderwoman Bainy, yes. Alderman Glab, yes. Alwoman Bassie,

yes. Alman Davis, yes. Alwoman Miller, yes. Thank council 6B is a site readiness grant. Looking for a motion to pass a resolution authorizing the city of Mckenry to apply for a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity through its regional site readiness planning grant program notice a funding opportunity ID number 3429-3182 and authorization to execute a development agreement with Parkway Bank Trust Company as trustee under trust number 10578. Looking for a motion to approve. Aldor Miller. Uh, I will approve that motion as you present it. Thank you. Second, Aldwoman Banny, I'll second the motion.

Thank you. Discussion on this item by city council. Aldwoman Miller. I I think this is a perfect presentation of being ready and knowing what can and cannot be done on the site before a developer shows up. Um, it appears that we've lost the one that was interested because they didn't know what they needed to do. So, thank you, Director Martin, for taking the lead on this and saying the right thing to do is to have our ducks on.

Okay. Just want to go over a little bit about the history of this property. Uh, it came to the city council for annexation, I believe, uh, probably around 99 or 2000 and, uh, it was approved by the the council. However, then the property owner, who is still the same property owner, uh uh did sign the annexation agreement. Uh we didn't even as a council find that out until well over a year later. Um, within that annexation agreement, from what I recall, uh, there was a right ofway that was for the western bypass. And I know that the county western bypass uh, was shot down years back because of uh, well, it wasn't going to first it wasn't going to go to Ringwood and then uh, then it wasn't uh, wide enough over at uh, uh, Ring Ringwood Road. Uh, however, I think it's a vital future improvement that we need as far as that roadway to get it all the way from 31 up to Curran Road and then up to 120. It definitely would reduce a lot of the traffic uh that comes through 120 all the way down to 31 to go south as well as uh people that use Crystal Lake Road. And how many people that probably use Dartmore to get to Crystal Lake Road? uh that would just automatically be able to get to 31 South uh real quick and easy as well as south uh down uh Crystal Lake Road south of uh uh Boom or uh Bull Valley. Anyway, uh all I'm saying is is right now granted the um the owner of the property

would be able to um execute a or would have to execute a uh annexation agreement with us. However, what kind of leverage do we have as far as negotiations with that? you know, are we going to lose that right away or the potential of that right away? Uh I think uh we we should if nothing else uh make a stipulation of the fact that uh you know before we approve this or go forward with it if nothing else even if we had a pre-anexation agreement whatever it would take for us to take and and hold them to uh where afterwards uh we don't have uh much to say about it as far as the development of the property. Granted, uh they would have to uh be within our, you know, especially if we brought it in and and zoned it I I1, they would have to adhere to that. But then what about that right away for the future, you know, it's things like that that we really need to look at real closely. Maybe we need to go back and look at that that annexation agreement. Uh some of that is probably uh mute now as far as the railroad uh station and all that, but that rightway I think is quite purely important to the city of Mckenry for the future of uh transportation within our city. And I think to some extent uh that should be hammered out before we take and move forward with with uh you know taking and getting behind this grant program. uh the developer would like us to work with them. Well, they got to make sure that they work with us. And until we get that agreement signed, uh I I just can't can't see us working with them uh moving forward with this. I I think it's a great idea, you know, to know what's

there and to see development and everything else, but uh on whose terms? And you know, are we going to be in a situation to where we can't get what we need for the future over there uh by just going with an annexation agreement uh without certain things that would hold uh that uh the petitioner would have to take and agree to uh ahead of time because once he gets to the grant uh and we go with the annexation, we lose the leverage uh with negotiations. on on on that uh annexation agreement. I just think to some extent uh we ought to look at that a little closer. And I don't know, maybe maybe we wait until the next meeting on this and and look at uh whether or not uh uh David could take and come up with uh some some language or something that would would lock in certain things. And maybe we look at the old annexation agreement again like I say and see what was proposed in there and what what is you know would pertain to today's standards uh versus uh then I the railroad was never one of my favorite over there anyway and uh if that goes away that's fine but that roadway I think is very very important to us.

I think I should address this. Go ahead. Um, Doug, what's the deadline on the grant

of what? November. Okay. Well, that doesn't give us any time. So, I need to put these in the right silo so everybody understands what what Andy is saying is he and I forgot to mention this to him before the meeting. We were talking about it. Um, in the normal situation, you wouldn't want to um grant a developer enough rights where you could then develop the property inside or outside the city without these, you know, if you wanted the road to negotiate that for sure. But in this particular case, when Doug called me just a couple days ago about this, the the point is that Pacini can apply for this grant just like we can, except it costs more. There's a 50% um contribution if it's a private investor versus 30% I think for this for the city. And so we are simply saving him some money by doing it this way. if we didn't apply for the grant, he would do it and get his due diligence documents in order and then sell the property and come to us for annexation anyway. So, I don't think it's as um critical as is that because he has the power to apply for this grant. It's open to private people as well. We're just doing them a favor to cut some costs. Um, and I also want to point out to the to the uh city council that in the agreement I put a tag along in here that the city's obligation to apply for this grant, which is what our obligation is here, um, is contingent upon annexation. That's not a great condition because it's never going to happen before the grant gets filed in two weeks or one week. So, I put it in there for what it's worth after the fact, but it's moot after the fact in in essence. Um, so so long as

the owner of this property, whoever it is at the time of development, needs city sewer and water, they're going to come to us. If for whatever reason they don't need sewer and water, they're not going to come to us. We're not going to get the road. It's going to have nothing to do with us. So, it's your first opportunity to annex this property. I would take it if the road's important, but I'm not sure this is it because of his ability to apply for the grant himself. Is this going to rotate after November? There's going to be more grant money or is this it? This is the first opportunity, but the best opportunity. My But there's a million five available total. Yes. Yeah. So, this is only a portion of that.

Yeah. My my understanding was you want you wanted the provision in there so he had to annex but when he came to develop that we would negotiate an annexation agreement. I know but once we once we make the application of the state I mean we've done everything we're supposed to under the agreement. There's no more leverage. It's there. Okay. I'm gonna leave it in there. I'm just telling you it's not worth much. But if we were to deny this tonight or even delay it, he could apply for this tomorrow if he could get his act together. Right, Pini? He could. Yeah. So anyway, that's all I know about this.

But David, it also means a lot more when a municipality is behind the grant than than a individual developer. Well, I mean, no. The objective of the grant program is to get development going and you're encouraging due diligence to be done ahead of time, whether it's private or public. Who cares? It's to get the documentation for a developer. And I mean, that's what the state wants. I don't know that. Do you know whether we have any advantage because we're a government? I would I would say we do have an advantage if we're the government over a private individual. Yes. Because just because

Yeah. Because we're we're behind him supporting. We're we're the against the It's almost like a partnership. Yeah. It's public private partnership. They like that. Yeah. Okay. Plus, it's not just us. They ask for letters of of support and he's getting them from the county, the EDC and the um the county and EDC. Okay. So any other questions, comments may come alone. Go ahead.

Thank you. Um my my only comment would be again I think and Andy I respect your historical reference point but I think if I had to look at requirements and studies that were done in the late 90s early 2000s they they aren't they're held to a different standard than studies that are done today. Um, and when I read the willingness of the owner to provide the 20% if we're the intermediary, this is a nocost opportunity to us. And I I I think it would I think it's just in everybody's best interest to get it done. I don't think this owner would be planning on participating with the city of Mckenry if he didn't have a future thought and a future want. So I I again I I would speak in favor of the motion just because I see it as a public private opportunity that will ultimately end up with potentially an annexation and a development that is huge and that's the whole purpose of this grant is to create opportunities whether it's through the municipality or intersect Illinois to create developmental sites that are posted, listed, and ready to rock.

Alman Davis, I think I got my questions answered. I I was really the way that this is is worded. It I was a little confused on what the besides being the intermediary was already, you know, what the cost was to the city and what our piece of that was. But if it's if there's no cost, we're really just doing this as a favor to Okay, that's all I was Well, to get a lower charge. Correct. Right. Yeah. Correct. Yep. Thank you. Any other questions, comments by councel? Open up for public comment. See none. Clerk, please call the role. Alderwoman Miller. Yes. Alderman Baney. Alwoman Bainy. Yes. Alman Glab, no. Alman Dhy,

yes. Alwoman Bassie, yes. Alman Davis, yes. Alderman Cook, yes. Thank you, council. Next item on agenda is 6C, uh, janitorial services. Motion to enter into contract with Clean Tech in the amount of $38,988 for janitorial services at the municipal center and police department. Looking for a motion to approve. Aldy, I'll make a motion to approve item 6 C, the janitorial services as presented. Thank you. Alderwoman Benny. I'll second that motion. All right. Thank you. Any discussion by city council? Alder Bassie.

Thank you, Ross. I just want to confirm um no one this is not replacing a person that we we have someone that is doing it at a managerial level level right now. So, we're not replacing a human or eliminating a human being's position. We're eliminating the position, but the position is currently vacant. That's what I Thank you. I just want to confirm that no one is going to be let go as a result. Correct. Thank you. Any other comments? Question. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions, comments by council? Open up for public comment. Any public comment regarding this item? Clerk, please call the role.

Alderman Dhy. Yes. Alderwoman Bainy. Yes. Alderman Glab. Yes. Alderwoman Bassie. Yes. Alderman Davis. Yes. Alderman Cook. Yes. Aldwoman Miller. Yes.

Thank council. Next item on the agenda is 6D recreation center business and marketing analysis. Motion to approve a uh personal ser person personnel personal services agreement with pros consulting in the B for the business and marketing analysis for this uh Mckenry Recreation Center an amount not to exceed $37,280 and to authorize the mayor to execute the agreement and pass an ordinance authorizing a budget amendment to the recreation center recreation center fund in the amount of $7,280. I'm looking for a motion to approve 6D. Although on the I'll make the motion to approve six. Is it C or D? D

D D is in second. Alman Davis. I'll second my motion. Thank you. Discussion by city council. Alderman Glenn.

Yeah. Does it take $37,280 to tell me that we haven't marketed uh the rec center in years? Where do we advertise? How do we, you know, how do we potentially try to get more subscribers? I mean, it's not out there. You know, there there's no no flyers, no nothing uh really to to bring interest into the rec center. And I think, you know, that's why uh we we're having problems as far as having to subsidize the rec center over the last few years. Do we make money with the rec center? We do not.

And and the question is is do we make money on the rec center without including the payments that that they're supposed to make? We do.

We do. So, we're making money on it. It's just we're not making enough money. And so we need more subscribers and we need to market it more and for somebody to tell us that uh $37,000 to tell us that we just need to go out there and we need to advertise. We need to to to get it out more on whether it's Facebook, social media, or whatever uh to get more people interested. Maybe we have a a month-long uh promotion that uh you know for the first year it's 50% off if you let's say sign up in January or February, whatever it is. Did you ask staff if we do any marketing? I'm just curious because we do marketing

for the rec center. You don't see much out there as far as that. We we fairly we do a fairly extensive job of marketing. Okay.

Um especially in our program guides. Our summer one goes to every household in the city of Mckenry. There's constant media pushes on social media. Um we've done billboards. We've done radio ad campaigns on Star 1055. Um I I think you know the important thing is to are we spending our dollars in the best spot? What's how are we getting the best bang for our buck and can't we can't just keep throwing marketing dollars. Um you know we we can track those campaigns when somebody does come in and say how did you hear about us? And that's the most effective way that we do that. However, you know, are we missing something? Maybe there's maybe there's trends that are happening. You know, the the consultant that's been recommended has done over 300 of these. And so, the power of that uh of those business analysis that have occurred not only in Northern Illinois in our in our county, but also across the nation, what what is what could help us the most rather than saying, "All right, this week it might be the billboard on on 120 or on 31 and in Bull Valley or next week." And it's it's a constant presence that we put out there. Right now, we have a campaign going um particularly heading uh into Black Friday, but we have PT specials that are out there, but we also have a free week of fitness that's occurring this week that anyone in our community can come into the Brex Center and and have the opportunity to try it out for a week, not only classes, but the facility. We do that on a quarterly basis and continually to push those push that message out the best that we can. And maybe maybe it's part of the council's fault too individually on each one of us that I'm to blame as much as anybody else that yeah, I'll bring up the rec center if somebody else brings it up, but maybe we need uh as we're talking to our constituents to keep bringing up the rec center more and more and how advantageous it is for people to use it and if they have questions or whatever that we we get them for them or whatever. to to to have an outside firm tell us uh that we're not marketing it properly. I I I just think uh to some extent there's a

lot of common sense that uh just you know more of a community effort to get that thing rolling better than than what it is. You know, I will say we're seeing slow progress. We and here we are again taking what uh 70ome hundred dollars out of the uh the rec center funds. Um why would we be taking it out of the rec center funds and not using developer donation funds?

Well, it's that that rec the rec center fund, if you remember, that's the money that we did leave set aside from the developer donations. When we had set aside that money um when we were when we were reserving a portion of the developer donations and then we built the recreation center for $4.2 million, uh we paid $2 million and then we bonded for $2 million approximate. We left that $2 million in the bank if there was things that need to happen like we were so popular when we very first opened over 2,000 members that we had to over uh probably added twothirds of a parking lot on. Um and that came at about a $600,000 price tag that we took from that fund. Um so that fund was reserved and it's also in case emergencies. So it's it is developer donations but it's the rec center fund.

Right. But the $30,000 that's coming out of general fund. Correct. No, it's also the rec center fund that is coming out of the uh out of the developer donation fund. Yeah. Well, the recreation center fund. All right. That's fine. Thank you. So, I also wanted to point out that the that the scope of services um that's being contemplated tonight is not just related to marketing. So, perhaps director Hobson could fill us in a little bit more uh just in terms of what other what other services are included in this quote.

Absolutely. The business analysis is a big part of it. you know, the marketing maybe isn't the biggest, but the business analysis of where our fees uh you know, we've gone through an evolution now, especially with the uh minimum wage being raised by a dollar each year over the last 5 years. Now, some of those things have stabilized. And so, taking a look at where what are our fees, what our overall use fees, we haven't adjusted those in a couple years. Um our personal training fees, we haven't adjusted since we opened. We're just about to make an adjustment. but really cumulatively taking a look at the business operation and dissecting what that budget is and where we're spending our dollars. Uh so it's not just marketing but are there things that we can do better differently as a business. Um and that's I think that's the important thing here is is as a business we treat it it's a business fund and so um where can we make improvements? I think that's a that's probably the biggest part of what we're trying to do here. The marketing obviously is a portion of that but how can we control costs and increase revenue.

Hold on. Thank you for that because I was actually going to bring that up that we had discussed um well and actually to bring this up we discussed this a few months ago and went through some of the options and things that we were looking at what don't we know that maybe somebody else can help us to adjust the business model and I just want to say I see ads and things going on all the time. I also hear about it in town from quite a few people who are going to the rec center on a daily or you know a couple times a week. Um, so the marketing thing I think is definitely on point, but I just want to remind everybody that we asked staff to bring this to us so that we could um start to investigate some other options and I think it's our responsibility now that you have to see this through since we asked for uh this plan to be presented.

Thank Miller. Um, I was very pleased when I read their letter of proposal response showing not only they were going to do an analysis of the operation, the offerings and the personnel, but most importantly, number one, they were engaged the community and stakeholders through public input, much like the other three tasks that we've taken on in the last couple years to get more input from our public. Are they using it? Are they not using it? What are they using it for? And I think the only way that we can make the rec center better is to respond to our constituents. Not just the How many members do you have, Bill? 800.

1300. 1300. You know, we have 25,000 people that live here and 40,000 people that use this as our service center, but we only have 1300 people that use the rec center. So, we're missing something. Um, and this company obviously is willing to go to the public, get a hopefully objective comment, and help us grow the rec center through some guidance. So, I thought this was spot on in their um response to the proposal request. Alman Davis.

Yeah. Um, so that was really my question. What are we getting for the 37,000? because my assumption was we're getting more than marketing stuff. My only concern where it kind of throws me off is because this expansion study, which kind of goes along with what you said that was included in this. So that's where my concern is is that's an extra $20,000. So, um, if they're coming, I I 100% agree that for them to come in and tell us, hey, here's where you can approve this what needs, you know, go through all that. I'm I'm on board with that. Um, but the way this additional add-on or the optional add-on for the proforma expansion setting almost kind of is counterintuitive to that, right? And almost doesn't make sense like they want to charge us another 20 grand to give us that additional information. So that's that I just want to clarify that.

So the additional information, the proforma is based on the expansion. I think one of the things that uh you know that that's come up time and again is from a bottom line is if you added other we we get requests all the time obviously you can go on Facebook real quick and see what people are asking for especially in terms of an indoor pool or a walking track um those type of elements. However, there's a cost obviously to build those elements that that we know very clearly.

But what does it mean to our bottom line? What's the if we if we do build those and if we build an indoor pool, if we build a gymnasium, um does the gymnasium then help cover all the costs of the pool? Um so from an overall operation after the fact, um do all those things cumulatively then help our bottom line as a whole? Um does it help us cover all the costs and maybe maybe help close that gap of what that uh of what our note is? Um you know obviously we we took that to to the public in 2018 and saw the results when we were up against another referendum at that time. Um however the even through our master plan once again we could see the request for especially indoor aquatics is something that people really are looking forward to. But back to the question in terms of the proforma it's something that after the fact um it would be a number that we would look to put into the budget uh for the 26 27 year uh and and be included and take that on. That's why it was done as an option. That's why in terms of a recommendation, it was part of the discussion tonight, but you don't see it included in in the um in the recommendation or the request for additional funds. It it would be something that we would take on after the business and marketing analysis was done. So, the focus is as it exists right now, what can we do? How can we improve the center and facility as it exists right now? The proformer would be to start to answer that question of if we expand Would these expansions help our bottom line? Um,

okay. So, the the 20 is only for the expansion piece itself. Correct. So, the 37 does include here's where we're they're going to go through all the processes say, "Okay, here's our costing. Here's everything that goes along with that. Here's the numbers we have. Here's what we need to do and that." So, we're getting those recommendations. Yes. It's not that pro that expansion is only for expansion, not as we sit today. Yes. Exactly. That's that's all I wanted to know. Thank Sorry, I probably said that way too long, but No, no, no, no. That's fine. That's That's all I was asking. Yep. Alman Cuck,

I know we had u uh the public come in there and uh give us their guesstimate of what they wanted, you know, the aquatic center and all that. Isn't this like doing the same thing? I I mean, uh you're asking a company to go out and ask the public again to reiterate what we've already learned. No, go ahead. Am I missing something? I mean, uh, we've had this, we paid somebody to come in there and we put all our little tags on the stuff and all that and

no, that was the master plan process and that was what do you want to see and where where should our priorities be as a department? Um, the expansion of especially indoor aquatics or the recreation center was one portion of that and one of those strategies. The main focus of this and especially what I'm asking for right now is an analysis of the facility itself in the the operations, the expenses, the revenue, a deep dive into everything that we're doing or are there things that we can offer that will bring us more revenue. Again, that it really focuses on the business as well as the marketing. Are there other places that we should be pushing this message out to? We are a we are a you know, we're not a park district. parks department and our focus is the city of McHenry, but our service area is much larger than that. It's the the Richmond, Springow, Springrove, Johnsburg, Wonder Lake. We're we're really more of a regional provider and so maybe is there something we should be doing better in those communities? I think we do a pretty good job in our community, but what's the reach on that? Social media gives you a good reach, but are there other avenues that we can explore from a marketing point of view um to expand our reach? But the business analysis is the biggest part of this right now. We're not. While the community is a a portion of that, um the deep dive into our books and what we're doing is the biggest portion of what we're attempting to do here.

I know we're not a park district. Uh and I understand your point of view with Richmond and Johnsburg and everything. Uh I was just nobody looks at what other park districts are doing. Is this what these people do? They go to the park district say what's your catch? you know, how do you throw peanuts to them and all that and you know, get them to come in mo more or less. More or less. Yes. Right. And they've done just business from a business analysis, they've done that over 300 times and they've done uh studies for expansion over a thousand times this this particular consultant. And so leveraging that expertise is something that I think will pay dividends for us. Um

Okay. Good talker. Go ahead. appreciate that.

Does as as part of this analysis, do they go out and look at there's obviously over the last 10 years there's been a lot of gyms pop up about in this area? You know, there was before not a lot. Now there's quite a few that have come in almost to me it's oversaturated to be honest with you. is are they going to look at the programs that the other gyms that around the area have and that the rec center can supplement because realistically the what the amount that the rec center charges and offers a lot of these offer better equipment more equipment different things that the rec center doesn't right so in that case without expanding

if they're going to look at these programs that are offered in these other gyms and fitness centers that we have and supplement that and say, "Okay, here's what we would want to add to get people to come in." Because that's what's going to bring people in, right? Something they can't get somewhere else for cheaper, right? Is really essentially what they're going to do. That's what number three of their proposal is. Provide guidance to avoid duplicating program, services, and amenities within the market as well as identify the ideal services to fill a void in the market. Okay. So, to your point, that's exactly what they're going to do. I just want to make sure that that's it. you know that that is what they're going to do. So, okay, that's what I wanted. Thank you. Glenn, go ahead.

Yeah. In the similar project experiences, Lyall, Betavia, Glen View, all those that are in Illinois, uh have we contacted these other communities to find out uh exactly what was done? I've noticed some of them are feasibility studies, some are just business plans. Uh uh and again like I say some of them are just feasibility and no business plan afterwards and do we know why?

Right. Just just what that particular uh district or department is asking for and I did contact especially Carrie and Hampshire the two that are in Mckenry County and that I um serve on the NISRE board with. I had good relationships with them. So those were the first two I reached out to. The most recent that they've completed is Lyall. And so that was the next logical one. They just literally just finished up their study with them. But it's all about what that particular department or district is asking for. Are they trying to like in K's case it was a feasibility study for aquatics and that was a little bit older. I think it was in the 2020 2019 time frame that they were asking for that. Um but they were wanted this the should we expand a rec center or should we build a pool and they wound up they did wind up building a pool and um an aquatic center I should say and that just opened I think up within the last two years here. So it's all about what that particular community is asking them to do. Um but they have expertise in both which was I think an advantage that they that they presented a little bit stronger than the other firm.

Okay. Thank you. Although Bassie

Thank you. Um city- owned rec centers are not um meant to be profitable. They are designed to be self- sustaining serving to the community. Um the city is too dependent on third party as I have said multiple time studies uh any kind of cost measure uh cost cutting measures need to be done and decided by the staff but I did notice and you did say something on page 87 of the parks master plan this business analysis of the rec center is an early um step in the process towards a referendum for a new rec center expans expansion with indoor aquatics. Um, and as you had mentioned, the city already had a referendum for a $3 million rec center expansion with indoor aquatics.

It was 30. Yeah, I was going to say 30 million. Just what did I say? You forgot. You said three. Make sure that would have passed. That would I apologize. My No, I just want to make sure. Thank you for Yes. Yes. I apologize. Um 30 million. Yes. Thank you. uh rec center expansion with indoor aquatics and in 2018 this was um overwhelmingly rejected by 61% of the voters. Um Woodstock Rec Center is undergoing an expansion in the next 12 to 18 years that will include 12 months.

What is with me? I have months. Thank you. 12 to 18 months. That will include an indoor pool and full-size gymnasium. Mckenry residents can currently join their rec center for the same price as Woodstock residents. Uh which I did confirm on Thursday and this will be the case after the expansion. Um, the city should not be taking any steps towards an an ex expanding the rec center with indoor aquatics when that resident need can be served by a neighboring community at a zero cost to the taxpayers.

Well, they do have a pool right now as well as a full-size gymnasium. So, both of those elements already exist. They are updating both of those. Uh, my comment to that is we repeatedly get asked by our citizens uh for those amenities. I completely understand and was very open and agree completely with your sentiment uh in terms of yes, it was voted down. They continue to ask for it. They've asked for it in every feasibility study that we've put out as well as the master plan. Um and should we encourage our residents to be leaving our community um for other amenities and try to find whatever that is, whether it's a a store or a a pool or a gymnasium. Um that's tax dollars that we're losing that they're spending someplace else. Maybe they're filling up gas while they're there. Maybe they're buying their groceries, maybe they're just going there to work out. In all those cases, it's revenue that we're losing. Um, and it's and I I will expand it further on that is if we're able to provide those amenities at some point, I argue that it increases our quality of life and it brings more residents in that want to live here, then increasing our tax base, um, increasing our opportunities for more stores. And so if we can do that through quality parks, through through offerings that we have, amenities that we're able to offer, I think that's our that's our best foot forward. But again, that's my opinion as a as a parks director, and it is what it should be.

And I had a feeling you were going to say that that they'll go get gas or something there. But just that incremental spending in Woodstock, we're still looking at a potential $30 million um or higher. The most recent expansion was build of 45. Right? So that I'm not trying to hide from anything. I'm just trying to provide information as I as I would then. Here's here's what they are and here's what that that numbers are based on.

But we're also not saying that, you know, we're looking to do a $45 million expansion either. Like the pool that we have right now is not going to last forever. So when we go and talk about expanding things, let's talk about a pool. Well, the pool is the pool going to go up here or are we going to expand down there? Well, we need to know what kind of cost we're looking at and is it even worth having a pool at that point? Well, without the professionals telling us that how are you going to make those decisions?

And I understand. I mean, I'm looking at Woodstocks their um membership fee. There's no difference if you're a resident or a non-resident. So, if we're actually looking for an aquatic center financially for the city and the residents and not taking on extra debt, it it's cheaper to just take advantage of Woodstock's pool.

I I will I will never agree to that sentiment that we should be sending residents out of our community for amenities and things that we should be able to offer at some point. I I understand the impact. I live here. I was born and raised here. I pay taxes just like all all of you and I understand those ramifications and so I will never say that somebody should leave our community for an amenity. Um regardless of what that is, I second that. Thank you. Any other comments, question regarding this item? Any public comment? Clerk, please call the role. Alderwoman Miller, yes. Alderman Davis, yes. Alman Cook, yes. Alwoman Bassie,

no. Alman Dhy, yes. Alman Glab, I think it'll be interesting to see exactly what we get out of this. Foul vote. Yes. Aldwoman Bainy. Yes. Thank you. Uh, next item on the agenda is the staff reports. Is there any staff reports this evening? Yeah, this is this is an old Oh, shoot. Sorry, my bad.

6E is the public comment uh public works uh pump replacement motion to authorize the purchase of a new liquid ring compressor pump uh from comline Sanderson for the amount of $33,843 plus freight charges. Looking for a motion to approve. Alderman Cook I make a motion to approve. Thank you. Second, Alderman Gl Thank you. Discussion by city council. Alderman Cook. Uh, you're getting a brand new pump. Uh, what are you doing with the old one? Are you going to rebuild it and keep it as a backup? It's beyond repair. That's why we're getting a new one.

Really? And that the old one cannot be repaired or rebuilt because as I was reading in the thing there, it says it could be repaired or rebuilt, but it would take six months and an additional $15,000 that we would spend. Well, $15,000 is cheaper than $33,000 and keep it as a backup. Would you not agree to that? I mean, does it go bad if you rebuilt it and it takes 6 months and keep it off on the side in case this one goes down? Not unless there's a 30-year guarantee warranty or anything.

With our experience with this piece of equipment, you know, this one pump is 8 years old.

We would likely not be at a point where we would need replacement again for eight years, at which point any of the material that we purchase now would no longer be covered under a manufacturer's warranty. we would have something that would be sitting on a shelf collecting dust, potentially corroding internally for eight years until we might need it um to spend half the cost of a new one. This is something that we've never had to replace before because this was new equipment with the expansion. Now that we understand the service life and what this may look like in the future, we can plan for this and be a little more proactive. But I don't feel that rebuilding the old pump at $15,000, an additional $15,000 just in case is a prudent plan of action right now. Well, I always like a backup to a backup. So, even new stuff fails. So, if you were to, I don't know, I'd throw 15 grand at it, you know, have it sitting off on the side. If it fails in and out one week, you got it done. I mean, that's just me personally, but I've worked with equipment and I know new equipment does screw up.

It does. we would have a warranty on the new pump, but you know, again, this is a a significant hit to our operating budget that wasn't specifically called for in the first place, spending an additional $15,000 right now. I mean, if that's something you want to see budgeted for in a future fiscal year, we won't throw the old one away if that's what you'd like to see, but I don't think ordering an additional $15,000 on top of the $33,000 that we're spending right now is is a wise

investment. I can see your point, you know, okay, maybe put it in next year budget, keep it off to the side. Uh, it just seems like everything keeps going up. Uh, I mean, is there that many rubber gaskets on it and everything else like that where if it just sat there for eight years that it would rot away? That is a potential. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Aldor Miller, I just because I don't know a whole lot about your process. So the whole $2,000 a day takeaway fee that they take it to another plant for processing or

So we haul our bioolids to landfill. That's whether it's the dried product or whether it's what we call our dewatered, which is still about 85% water, but it's in a solid form, not a liquid form. When you haul to landfill, you pay per ton that you dispose of. So, because we're not drying that 85% water out of those bioolids, we're paying an additional $2,000 a week in disposal fees because of the additional tonnage that we're disposing of, which is essentially all water. Okay. Thank you, Alman Davis.

Yeah, this is essentially the the um I don't remember. It's the different level right that we had talked about when we originally when out. So this pump allows you to get that you know extra material out of it right and so essentially we have less loads that we have to take to dump.

So the the drier is the specific process that takes the moisture out of the material. That's what reduces the volume and reduces the weight that we dispose of. What this pump specifically does is it pulls the vapors and the steam out of that dryer because the way you dry it is by heating it past the boiling point of water and vaporizing the the water content that's in there. Without this pump providing a vacuum, you would basically turn it into a pressure cooker and you could explode the drier unit. Okay,

go ahead. Yeah, I think at hand it's whether or not we want to spend $33,843 as far as what we do with the old one. Um, let's put it this way. My car's out there if if it breaks down and uh I didn't have to spend $40,000 to buy a different uh new car. Uh, and the cost for this breakdown was $20,000. Do you think I'm going to invest $20,000 in a car that's nine years old? No. I'm going to go out and buy a new one. So, it's is kind of the same thing with this. It's just too much money to invest in this something to to have it sit around. So, uh I wish that we would just go forward with this uh motion as as it's presented.

Thank you. Any other discussion by city council? Any public comment regarding this item? Clerk, please call the RO. Alderman Cook. Yeah. Alderman Glab. Alman, yes. Alumoman Baney, yes. Alman Dhy, yes. Alumoman Bassie, yes. Alman Davis, yes. All the Miller, yes. Thank you, council. Now, the next item on the agenda is staff reports. Is there any staff reports this evening? I I just want to say um today is my daughter's 11th birthday. So, I just want to say happy birthday, Evelyn. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Is she really watching this?

I'll play it for her later. Yeah. All right. All right, Bill. Go Bill, go ahead.

Uh just just a reminder, I know I mentioned the free week of fitness that's happening this week. So, if you do have any friends that want to check out the rec center or word of mouth like you, I appreciate any word of mouth that we can get. Um this is a good week to send them in. They can uh do any of the classes or work out this week for free and try it out. Um the other thing I just want to remind her of is this coming weekend is a is a big weekend for us. Um starting on Friday, we have the Cocoa Crawl and the Living Windows that are all around town. that's been become a pretty popular one. Um, and then on Saturday, well, it's it's started already if you've seen in our lobby over at the rec center, the festival of trees. Uh, that really is generates a lot of donations in terms of food. But, uh, if you ever get a chance to to walk through either our lobby or the recreation center, the lobby here or the recreation center lobby, they some local businesses do a pretty cool job of decorating trees. Um, then you vote on those trees by bringing in a a canned good or some food donation. Um, and then Saturday at 5 o'clock is the tree lighting at Vets Park. Um, so that's we do all that in-house. Um, that's always a fun one and it's exciting to see how uh how we do. Uh, and then Toys for Tots parade is Sunday at 1:00. Yeah. So, those are the the big things this coming weekend.

Did you want me to get a comedian this year to do the light switch? Only if we can wait like an hour and a half in freezing cold weather. That would be the only stipulation. If you can make us wait for a long time, that would be good. Oh, that was horrible. If you don't know about it, it was brutal. It was a horrible decision. Toys for Tots.

When the in the holiday markets have started, our first one was this last Saturday. Uh those are at the uh Riverwalk Riverwalk shops. Um the ice rink was put up. Uh it's not operational yet. So, we just need some cold weather. I know none of us are rooting for cold weather, but if we can just have it below like 40, maybe right at 40, we can make some ice and then have an ice rink that's set up. Um, so, uh, but every Saturday will be the holiday shops through I think December 15th, I believe. Thanks, Bill. Appreciate it. Any other staff reports? Would you like to say happy 12th birthday just in case you could just make If I If I said 11th birthday, I mean 12. She's 12 years old. Alder older woman Bassie is correcting me.

That's awesome. Thank you again. I have no uh mayor's reports this evening. Any city council comments? Aldwin Miller.

Um, I just returned from business down in Houston and Houston sets up an ice rink. So, Houston is huge like millions of humans. Our ice rink is better. So, thank you Jets for sponsoring it. Thank you, Bill, for making it happen. Um, and if you didn't see Mckenry Riverwalk, thank you. Bobby just put up a beautiful video that really just shows off the city and the Riverwalk and the mini shops for the holidays. So, thank you for whoever developed that and put that together. I'm assuming it was everybody and Bobby. So, thank you very much. It was nice to show everybody in Houston.

Any other city council comments? Alderman Glav, go ahead. When's our next city council meeting? December 1st. December 1st. So, I think it's at this time that we want to wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving. Agreed. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Any other city council comments? I see none. All right. Looking for a motion. Oh, no. We're not going to a motion. Uh we're going to be going to executive session to discuss the purchase of real estate property for the use of the public body 5CS 120-2C5. I would ask that everyone that's in the audience please step out of the room. This will be a probably a 15 to 20 minute conversation and we are not um we're just going to be adjourning the meeting after that. So I'm looking No, that that's not we're there's going to be direction on it probably. Oh afterwards. You know I don't know if it'll be direction and close or it'll be an open but it's up to you if you want

closed. It'll be closed. It'll be closed. There's no vote. Okay. Well then there's no direction. No direction after you could leave. Peace. All right. U motion, please. I'm looking for Alderman Glab for the motion. Second by Alderwoman Miller. Roll call, please. Alderman Glab, yes. Alderwoman Miller, yes. Alwoman Bainy, yes. Alman Dhy, yes. Alderwoman Bassie, yes. Alderman Davis, yes. Alman Cook, yes. Thank you.