City Council - Regular Meeting

I get called on that all the time.

All right, let's start the regular meeting of the Council of the City of Ottawa, August 4th, 2026. Roll call.

Eichelkraut? Here. Gaynor? Pearson? Here. Barron?

Here.

Mayer? Here. We have four present.

Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Move by Commissioner Eichelkraut that the minutes of a regular meeting of the council of the city of Ottawa, Illinois held on Tuesday, July 21st, 2026 be approved as recorded in the permanent files of the city clerk.

I get a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson, roll call.

Eichelkraut? Here. Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye. Is there anyone wishing to appear before the council? All right, then let's move on to Commissioner Eichelkraut's report.

Move by Commissioner Eichelkraut that the bi-weekly salary payroll of July 31st, 2026 in the amount of $738,518.64 be approved and warrants issued.

I give second. Second. Barron, roll call.

Eichelkraut?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Barron?

Aye.

Mayer?

Aye.

Move by Commissioner Eichelkraut that the bi-monthly expense report dated August 4th, 2026 showing expenses in the amount of $1,072,672.78 be approved and warrants issued.

Can I get a second? Second. Commissioner Pearson, roll call.

Eichelkraut?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Barron?

Aye.

Mayer?

Aye.

Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of the downstate operating assistant grant for NCAT be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Can I get a second?

Second. Commissioner Barron? One of the grants that we get in the next one also, that's one of the ways we actually are able to run NCAT. Thank you.

Roll call.

Eichelkraut. Aye. Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that a resolution authorizing application for a capital assistant grant for paratransit vehicles with IDOT for NCAT be adopted.

I give a second. Second. Pearson. Roll call.

Eichelkraut.

Aye.

Pearson.

Aye.

Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

Moved by Commissioner Eichelkraut that a resolution authorizing an electric service agreement with an electric supplier for the City of Ottawa accounts in an amount not to exceed six cents per kilowatt hour be received and placed on file for public inspection.

I give a second. Second. Commissioner Barron. Roll call.

Eichelkraut? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye. Mayer? Aye. Mr. Eichelkraut, you had a busy week last week. Anything you would like to share?

Actually, I got a book, but it's out in the car, so I left it. So anyway, last week, I just want to remind everybody, we had a kids fishing rodeo. We had 134 kids plus. We caught 157 fish plus. You couldn't count them all. Actually, it was so fabulous. And I want to say that was my 40th fishing rodeo. And we caught more fish in that one night than we caught the whole other 39 years. It was unbelievable. But anyway, we had a pool party Sunday, okay, and it was pretty close to over 600 people there. We had pizza, we had pop, YMCA, Donut Book, Book bags. I mean it was great. Everybody seemed to have fun the ice cream truck ran out of ice cream So everybody enjoyed it This week Saturday night. We got the Claremont Drive. That's music in the park Sunday We got framers at Washington Park. That's at 5 p.m Okay next Friday. We got Jordan block jams Hotel, California And that'll be a fabulous one. We're looking for a lot of people coming to see that. Shelly's seen them, I've seen them, and they're really super. I mean, if you like the Eagles, stop in, because I'll tell you what, they are fabulous. And starting next Saturday, or Saturday the 16th, which is next week, debate day start, and they run till the 22nd. You have to get a brochure or go online to OVC and look at it because there's so many things going on, it's almost unbelievable. But it's taken kind of like the place of Riverfest. So it's a big event, and it's going to be a lot of fun, especially doing this for our 250th anniversary.

All right. Thank you. On to Commissioner Pearson's report.

Moved by Commissioner Pearson that the low bid from Stock Contracting LLC in the amount of $608,626.46 for the Dayton Ridge Sports Complex Soccer Fields be accepted, approved, and paid for from the General Corporate Fund, the Playground and Recreation Fund, and the Ottawa Soccer Club.

I get a second. Second.

How much was that again? $608,626.46.

Was that a second?

Yes. Okay. All right.

Anything you want to add to that? No. Okay. Roll call. Eichelkraut?

Aye. Pearson? Aye. Barron? Aye. Mayer?

Aye.

Commissioner Pearson has one item in new business. Moved by Commissioner Pearson that a resolution authorizing the execution of a proposal between the City of Ottawa and Hummel Electrical Contracting Incorporated to inspect the traffic signal mass and mass arms at all City of Ottawa traffic control locations be received and placed on file for public inspection.

I give a second. Second. Barron?

IDOT requires us to do this inspection once a year.

Roll call.

Eichelkraut? Aye. Pearson?

Aye.

Barron?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye. Commissioner Pearson, is there anything you'd like to add?

Nothing.

On to Commissioner Barron's report.

Moved by Commissioner Barron that a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement for professional services between the City of Ottawa and Fair Graham for the Illinois River Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has been on file for public inspection since July 21, 2026, be adopted.

I got a second.

Second.

Mr. Eichelkraut.

This is a PFAS study we're doing on the main wastewater treatment plant. It's required by the EPA. Roll call. It's part of our permitting process. Roll call.

Eichelkraut. Aye. Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye. Mr. Barron, is there anything that you'd like to add? No, we can move along. On to my report.

Move by Mayor Hastie that the report of registrar Shelly L. Rolson for the month of July 2026 showing 38 death certificates issued with fees totaling $2,503 be received and placed on file.

Second. Second. Mr. Pearson, roll call.

Michael Kraut.

Aye.

Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayor. Aye. Move by Mayor Hastie that the report of the parking and adjudication fine department showing fees collected of $4,061.99 for the month of July 2026 be received and placed on file.

I get a second. Second. Eichelkraut, roll call.

Eichelkraut.

Aye.

Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

We have the report of the building official for the month of July. There were 16 building permits issued with fees totaling $5,032.87. Total number of on-site building inspections, 80. There were two sign permits for $83, nine fence permits for $450, three new business registrations for $300, one waste hauler registration for $200, 28 general contractor licenses issued for $2,800, seven electrical licenses for $1,875, six electrical permits for $1,350, total number of on-site electrical inspections, 32. We had 12 people take our electrical exam for $3,315. Our code enforcement officer did a total of 204 inspections, and our construction coordinator did 150 inspections, with a total for permits and licenses of 72, with these collected at $15,665.87. Moved by Mayor Hastie that the reported building official, Matthew W. Stafford, for the month of July 2026, be received and placed on file.

I give a second. Second. Barron, roll call.

Eichelkraut?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye.

Mayer?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Hasty that the report of the sidewalk program showing two participants in the amount of $4,745.74 for the month of July 2026 be approved and paid for from the general corporate fund.

Second. Second. Pearson, roll call.

Eichelkraut?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye.

Mayer?

Aye.

We have the report of the police chief for the month of July. Squad car calls for service, 2,136. Arrests, including citations, 356. Sentence to IDOC, 1. Transported to the county jail, 39. Juvenile referrals, 1. Peer jury, 0. Issued a notice to appear, 317. Central dispatch handled 897 911 calls. They also handled 4,484 administrative calls. Moved by Mayor Hastie that the report of Police Chief Michael J. Cheatham for the month of July 2026 be received and placed on file.

I give a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson, they didn't like your report.

We're looking at each other.

We're looking at each other.

Let's make Mike sweat a little bit.

Yeah, roll call.

Michael Crow. Aye. Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayor.

Aye.

We have to report the fire chief for the month of July. Number of bell alarms, two. Number of still alarms, 29. Activated alarms, 37. Number of medic calls, 337. Mutual aid, one. Number of patients, 268. Number of transfers, one. Total calls for July, 405. Total emergency overtime, 11. Structure loss and contents loss were both at zero. Vehicle loss was at $30,000. Total non-residents billed for medical services, 21. Moved by Mayor Hastie that the report of Fire Chief Brian R. Bresner for the month of July 2026 be received and placed on file.

I give a second. Second. Barron, roll call.

Eichelkraut.

Aye.

Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Hastie that an ordinance amending Articles 2 and 3 of Chapter 70 of the Municipal Code of the City of Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois, regarding peddler and solicitor fees be passed and approved.

Can I get a second?

Second. Commissioner Echolkraut. Just to let everyone know what this is, previously the ordinance had $50 fee for peddlers, but none for solicitors. And solicitors would be the folks who are knocking on your door trying to sell you solar panels or different things of that nature. We also changed it so that they can't solicit past 7 o'clock. It was 8 o'clock previously and The third thing is that when you apply for the license to do so Now we'll tell you what are the items that you could be denied a license for? Previously it just said that the chief of police could deny the request this way. It just seems a little bit more upfront and know

why they're they may know why they were denied based on that list of things that are there so one quick question and i know this is in there but everyone that comes through your door they have 50 people out there each one of them has to have a license correct yes that's good they don't come to my door no more but i think i believe that's why i let you uh second this motion i knew it was close and personal we'll say you know it was kind of it's the same person comes to your door every other week and you don't do you have a license yet no i said you know just right down the street that's what you got to do okay and then he starts going the other direction and then i called the police and tom go

I just, to me, it's a nuisance. Well, they're going to get a document as well saying that they've registered with the police, correct? Yeah.

They'll get a license that they can show you upon request. All right, roll call.

Michael Kraut? Aye. Pearson?

Aye.

Barron? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Hastie that a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement for administration and coordination services with NCICG for community development block grant program housing rehabilitation. which has been on file for public inspection since July 21st, 2026, be adopted.

Second. Second. Pearson, roll call.

It is me. Eichelkraut. Aye. Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Hastie that a resolution authorizing the execution of a second loan agreement between the City of Ottawa and the Illinois EPA regarding the new wastewater treatment plant, which has been on file for public inspection since July 21st, 2026, be adopted.

Second. Second. Commissioner Barron, roll call.

Eichelkraut?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Barron?

Aye.

Mayer?

I figured it was his department. I thought it would be under his.

Yeah, well.

It was placed on file under mine. That's why it stayed under mine.

Move by Mayor Hastie that a resolution authorizing the execution of a renewal agreement between the City of Ottawa and MedCom Benefit Solutions regarding the 2026 through 2028 ACA reporting be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Second. Second. Mr. Eichelkraut. Roll call.

Eichelkraut. Aye. Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

Move by Mayor Hastie that a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement between the City of Ottawa and Central Square Technologies. For CAD slash RMS software for the Ottawa Police Department, be received and placed on file for public inspection. I'm all right. I don't know what my problem is all of a sudden.

Can I get a second?

Second.

Commissioner Pearson. And this is going to be, this is a new agreement with a new company, but it helps us align with other emergency management things. So if there was ever a larger catastrophic event going on where we needed to transfer over dispatchers and stuff like that, the software and technology should work. More seamlessly roll call.

I go crowd. All right, Pearson. Hi Baron. Hi mayor. Hi Move by Mary Hasty that a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Starbrook Leasing to purchase the vehicle at the termination of the lease for the Ottawa Police Department be received and placed on file for public inspection. I

Can I get a second? Second. When this lease started, it was an agreement with Bill Walsh Automotive, of which they paid half of that lease for. Now that that lease is coming due, if you're familiar with how leases work, maybe Pearson could speak more on that. But it's basically a really good deal for us to be able to buy a car at a severely discounted rate. So we're going to go ahead and purchase out the rest of that lease and add it to the fleet over at the police department. Roll call.

Eichelkraut? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Hastie that the report of the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting held on Monday, July 27, 2026, considering variance requests from Suvin Armatrod to replace an existing detached garage for property located at 1111 Post Street be received and placed on file. Be it further moved, the council concur with the recommendations of the Zoning Board. the side yard setback variance for the north property line and the variance to allow the maximum area of an accessory structure to more than 50 of the primary structure footprint both be granted and the follow-up ordinance be passed and approved i get a second second commission pearson um both this one and the next one um whether it's matt stafford rezoning or doug carroll with the planning i think both of those guys do a exceptional job at

informing those committees as to what decisions they're making and discussing. And so I'm in favor of granting it myself. So roll call.

Eichelkraut. Aye. Pearson. Aye. Barron.

Aye.

Mayer.

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Hastie that the report of the Plan Commission meeting held on Monday, July 27, 2026, considering rezoning requests from the City of Ottawa for property located at 1461 West Lafayette Street, commonly known as Thornton Park, be received and placed on file. Be it further moved, the Council concur with the recommendations of the Plan Commission and the four PIN numbers that make up the property at 1461 West Lafayette Street be rezoned from Class C3, Special Business District, to Class A2, Single Family and Two Family Residence District, and the follow-up ordinance be passed and approved.

Can I get a second? Second. Commissioner Pearson. Yeah, this is commonly referred to as the Thornton Foundation Home. It was being used as their foundation while they occupied it. With Edmund's passing, the property was handed over to the city. We're getting it rezoned to be residential because we think it'll be more beneficial to the community under that zoning. Roll call.

Eichelkraut? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

You have one item of new business also. Moved by Mayor Hastie that an ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a tax increment financing TIF redevelopment agreement between the City of Ottawa and Coyle Investments LLC for property located at 800 LaSalle Street be received and placed on file for public inspection.

I get a second. Second. This is the Montgomery Ward building, which has finally closed. I know that that was kind of ongoing for months and months. I'll say that the developers of that have a lot of really grand ideas. They plan to also take advantage of our new Rivers Edge Zone district so that they can help maintain and improve the historic architecture of the building so in the renovations of it it won't just be you know completely whitewashed into a modern building they're going to really work to preserve the old woodwork and the awnings and all of that stuff they already have a tenant for the first floor and they are looking for they're working on designs for a tenant for the second floor and basement So the project's already streaming along, but now that our river's edge zone has been approved by the state, they're ready to start pulling all the strings and get the development going of that property, which will be nice, because it's a beautiful building on that corner. Roll call.

Eichelkraut? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Barron?

Aye.

Mayer?

Aye. I've really got not too much to add, because you already said all the great events that are coming up. Yes, there's still time, right?

Yep, still eight.

We've got 45 more minutes to go out to Peck Park and enjoy police and fire and helicopters and everything else that's happening out there. There might even be food left. Motion to adjourn.

Moved by Mayor Hastie that this regular meeting be adjourned.

Can I get a second? Second. Mr. Eichelkraut, roll call.

Eichelkraut. Aye. Pearson.

Aye.

Barron.

Aye. Mayer. Aye. All right. Thanks, everyone.