City Council - Regular Meeting

Yeah. What? I didn't know. You think it was? Yeah. Yeah. Remind me, will you? Yeah. I don't Yeah. Saturday. I was wondering if that's supposed to get locked up. It was late. First glance I went to the movie and four days later I'm waiting I heard my phone call.

Okay. Mine vibrates too when it's so it's that clock is still It says it's 7 o'clock. It is 7 o'clock. Okay. All right. Let's start the regular meeting of the council of the city of Ottawa January 6, 2026. Roll call. Michael Kro here. Ger here. Pearson here. Baron here. Mayor here. We have five presents. Stand for the pledge of

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. Moved by Commissioner Eichel Croft that the minutes of a regular meeting of the council of the city of Ottawa, Illinois held on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025 be approved as recorded in the permanent files of the city clerk. I have a second. Second. Commissioner Gayer. Roll call. Michael Kraut. Hi. Gainer. Hi. Pearson. I Maron. Hi. Mayor.

I. Is there anyone wishing to appear before the council? Come up and state your name. [clears throat] Good evening. I'm Joe Tokars. I'm a a member of the United States Submarine Veterans Incorporated. The our chapter is the USS Chicago base. And I I don't have a presentation for you, but you all have a handout. And I'm here as a resource to answer any questions you may have um about and I'm honored to be here four days after the 83rd anniversary of the first subway passing Ottawa. Ottawa, excuse [clears throat] me. So if you have any questions, that's fine.

Okay. Thank you very much. Anybody else? If not, we'll go on to Commissioner Eker's report. Moved by Commissioner Ekler that the bi-weekly salary payroll of December 19th, 2025 in the amount of 734,61818 be approved and warrants issued. Okay, I got a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson. Roll call. Echel. Pearson. Hi. Baron. Hi. Mayor. Hi. Moved by Commissioner Wrath that the bimonthly expense report dated January 6, 2026 showing expenses in the amount of 558,143.93 be approved and warrants issued. Can I get a second? Second. Commissioner Baron. Roll call. Ekler. Hi. Ger. Baron or excuse me Pearson. I.

Baron. Hi. Mayor. I. Moved by Commissioner Echra that the monthly financial report of city clerk Shel Rollson for the month of November 2025 be received and placed on file. Okay. A second. Second. Commissioner Gayer. Roll call. Eichelra. Hi. Gayer. Hi. Pearson. I. Baron. I. Mayor. I. Commissioner Alec. Is there anything you would like to add? Not at the present time, sir. All right. On to Commissioner Gainor's report.

We have the report of the police chief for the month of December. Squad card calls 1524. Arrest including citations 330. Sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections three. transported to the county jail. 30 juvenile referrals two peer jury one issued a notice to appear 297 central dispatch handled 808 911 calls. They also handled 4,028 administrative calls. Moved by Commissioner Ginard that's reported police chief Michael J. Chief for the month of December 2025 be received and placed on file. Can I get a second? Second. Commissioner Ekraut. Roll call. Eichelkraut. Hi. Geor. Hi. Pearson. I. Baron. Hi. Mayor. Hi.

We have the annual report of the police chief for calendar year 25. Squad car calls for service 21,229. Total mile spent on parole. Parole patrol 284,2 [laughter] you know. Arrest including citations 4,484. Sentence to the Department of Corrections 22. Transported to the county jail 302. Juvenile referrals 30. Peer jury 25. issued a notice to appear 4,127. Central Dispatch handled 9,89 calls. They also handled 50,411 administrative calls. Moved by Commissioner Gainer that the Anna reported police chief Michael J. Cham for calendar year 2025 be received and placed on file. I second.

Second. Commissioner Pearson. Roll call. Michael Kraut. Hi. Gorier. Hi. Pearson. I. Baron. I. Mayor. Hi.

We have the report of the fire chief for the month of December. Number of bell alarms one. Number of still alarms 13. Activated alarms 31. Number of medical calls 320. Mutual aid 7. Number of patients $252. Total calls for December 364. Total emergency overtime $15. Structure loss was at zero. Contents loss was at $750. Vehicle loss at zero for a total loss for December of $750. Total on residents build for medical services was 17. Moved by Commissioner Ganger that the report of fire chief Brian R. Brezner for the month of December 2025 be received and placed on file. Okay, I got a second. Second. Commissioner Baron. Roll call. Ecle. Gorier. Hi.

Fear. I. Baron. I. Mayor. I.

We have the annual report of the fire chief for calendar year 2025. Number of bell alarms 27. Number of still alarms 239. Activated alarms 392. Number of edit calls 3,722. Mutual aid 54. Number of patients 2,998. Total calls for 2025 4380. Total emergency overtime $178. Structure loss was at $997,925. Contents loss $228,400. Vehicle loss $40,725 for a total loss for 2025 of $1,267,050. Total on residents build for medical services 289. Moved by Commissioner Gainer that the annual report of fire chief Brian R. Brezner for the calendar year 2025 be received and placed on file.

Okay, I got a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson. Roll call. Echelutra. I. Gainer. Hi. Pearson. Hi. Baron. I. Mayor. I. Moved by Commissioner Gayer that the quote received from Nicholson one communications to purchase four radios and microphones for the fire department be accepted, approved, and paid for from the grant proceeds. I get a second. Second, Commissioner Crow. This is uh one of these grants that we really like. It's 100% grant and we actually received the money before we bought the equipment. That's that's nice. I like that. Yeah, it's nice when it works out that way. We don't get much of that. Roll call. Michael, I Pearson. I baron I. Mayor, hi.

Commissioner Gay, is there anything else you'd like to add? just like to say as we can see from [snorts] the annual reports for both the police and fire departments, they have had very busy years this past year and I think the uh chiefs and the staff all need to be commended for their professional work over the past year. Absolutely. Thank you. Good job, guys. [laughter] Wake up. Pass it along. All right. On to Commissioner Pearson's report. Moved by Commissioner Pearson that a resolution authorizing the execution of a proposal for professional engineering services by Chamblan and Associates Incorporated for the Post Street Bridge replacement phase 2 project be received and placed on file for public inspection. Okay, I got a second. Sorry, [laughter]

everybody wanted that one. Yeah, we'll give it to Commissioner Echelut. [snorts] Anything? Okay. Uh, roll call. Eichel Kraut. Hi. Senior. Hi. Pearson. Hi. Baron. I. Mayor. I. Anything that you would like to add? Nothing tonight. Thank you. Okay. On to Commissioner Baron's report. Moved by Commissioner Baron that a resolution authorizing the execution of an access and utility easement agreement between the city of Ottawa and BNR Land LLC regarding the new wastewater treatment plant project be received and placed on file for public inspection. I get a second. Second. Commissioner Ger.

This is this and the next three are easements for securing for lines going. So we're putting everything together. it already. Thank you. Roll call. Eichel Crown. I Gori. Pearson. Hi. Baron. I. Mayor. I. Moved by Commissioner Baron that a resolution authorizing the execution of an easement agreement between the city of Ottawa and Kerry Sharf Materials Company regarding the new wastewater treatment plant project be received and placed on file for public inspection. I got a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson. Roll call. Michael Kraut. Hi. Gerard. Hi. Pearson. I. Baron. I. Mayor.

Hi. Moved by Commissioner Baron that a resolution authorizing the execution of an easement agreement between the city of Ottawa and Daniel Hollowell regarding the new wastewater treatment plant project be received and placed on file for public inspection. I get a second commissioner. Roll call. Eichel Crow. I Pearson I Baron I mayor I moved by Commissioner Baron that a resolution authorizing the execution of an easement agreement between the city of Ottawa and Grand Rapids Enterprises Incorporated regarding the new wastewater treatment plant be received and placed on file for public inspection. Okay, you got a second. Second. Commissioner Gayer. Roll call. Michael Crow. I Pearson I. Baron I. Mayor Hi.

Commissioner Baron, is there anything that you would like to add? Yeah. Um, we're talking about money. Uh, we received notice from the state that we're getting a million dollar grant to continue our sewer separation on the west side. So, that was good news to get. Yes, we've been waiting quite a while for that one. I we got the I think it was December 30th is when that email came in. So, that was good news. But we've been we put that in like a year ago. Yes.

All right. On to my report. We have the report of the registar for the month of December. There were four birth certificates issued and 50 death certificates. Certified copies were issued with fees totaling 1,363. Moved by Mayor Hasty that the report to registar Shelley Rollson for the month of December 2025 be received and placed on file. I have a second. Second. Commissioner Baron. Roll call. Eichel Kraut. I. Pearson. Hi. [clears throat] Baron. I. Mayor. I. Move by Mayor Hasty that the report of the parking administration department showing fines collected of $948 for the month of December 2025 be received and placed on file. I get a second. Commissioner Ikraut. Roll call. Eichelkraut. Hi. Geor. Hi. Pearson. I. Baron. I. Mayor. I.

We have the report of the building official for the month of December. There were three building permits issued with fees totaling $2,12.50. Total number of on-site building inspections 56. There was two sign permits for $100, two fence permits for $100, one new business registration for $100, one new general contractor license issued for $100, 364 electrical license renewals for $91,000. Eight electrical permits for $1,550. Total number of on-site electrical inspections, 14. Our we had eight people take our electrical exam and our plumbing inspector did a total of 12 inspections. Our code enforcement officer did a total of 161 inspections and our construction coordinator did 73 inspections for a total of permits and licenses of 381 with fees collected of $11,000 20 $1,125. Moved by Mayor Hasty that the reported building official Matthew W. Stafford for the month of December 2025 be received and placed on file.

Okay, a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson. Roll call. Irk. Hi. Gay. Hi. Pearson. I Baron. Hi. Mayor, I moved by Mayor Hasty that a resolution authorizing the execution of a contract for the purchase of real estate between the city of Ottawa and Dayton Ridge Golf Club LLC, which has been on file for public inspection since December 16th, 2025, be adopted. A second. Second. Commissioner Hikra. Roll call. Michael. Gay. Hi. Pearson. I. Baron. I. Mayor. I. Moved by Mayor Hasty that a resolution authorizing the execution of an architectural agreement between the city of Ottawa and BCA Architects Limited regarding the waterfront amphitheater be received and placed on file for public inspection. Okay, I got a second. Second,

Commissioner Ger. Um, the one thing I would just add to this is, um, Tammy was able to get back with BCA in regards to the comments that everyone had been making over the last few weeks of looking at the plans and they're hoping to have, um, updated renderings before going to a final plan within the next week or so. So, once we have that, we'll be able to get that out for everyone to look at and discuss some more. Roll call. I gain I Pearson. Baron. I, Mayor,

I. Moved by Mayor Hasty that a resolution authorizing the execution of 23 annexation agreements between the city of Ottawa and various property owners in Fields Hill subdivision be received and placed on file for public inspection. Be it further moved a public hearing be set for Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in council chambers on the said annexation agreements. Can I get a second? Second. Commissioner Baron. Roll call. Michael. I. Gainer. I. Pearson. I baron. I. Mayor. I [clears throat]

moved by Mayor Hasty that a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement for a monument between the city of Ottawa and the United States Submarine Veterans Incorporated, USS Chicago Base adjacent to the Illinois River in Allen Park be received and placed on file for public inspection. Can I get a second? Second. Second. I got to give this to Commissioner Crowd. He's been talking for some time about this. Um, but what I'll add is um we're very uh appreciative of the opportunity to have this. I know it's a monument that's been uh worked on for quite some time and when Tammy said that the deal was finalized and it could go to the agenda, I think there was a lot of cheering on our end. It's been years.

It's it's been a long long time. So, I think we're all kind of looking forward to it and um thank you and congratulations. It'll be a great addition to the park. Roll call. Michael Croat. I Gayer. Hi, Pearson. I Baron. I mayor. I moved by Mayor Hasty that a resolution authorizing the execution of an engagement letter agreement between the city of Ottawa and TEC Services Consulting Incorporated for assistance with the Starb Barn application be received and placed on file for public inspection. Can I get a second? Second,

Commissioner Gayer. Um, and I'll also just add to this that uh with this contract, should we find that um it's just not feasible for the city of Ottawa at some point as we look into this, the contract can be terminated without any additional cost or anything like that. So, as we continue to move forward on it and try to find creative ways of uh funding different projects, um I think that this is going to this could be a huge opportunity for the city of Ottawa. And uh roll call. Croat. Hi, Gainer. Hi, Pearson. Hi, Baron. Hi, Mayor. Hi. And do you have anything else, sir? I have nothing else to add. So, moved by Mayor Hasty that this regular meeting be adjourned. Can I get a second?

Second. Commissioner. Roll call. Michael. Hi, Ger. Hi. Pearson. I baron. I mayor. Hi. Thank you everybody. Thank you. Thanks for just getting on. I actually remember your service was [laughter]