City Council - Regular Meeting

are you ready Sam okay whenever you're ready sir like to bring the regular meeting of City Council September 1st 2026 roll call please Eichelkraut here Gaynor here Pearson here Barron mayor we have three present tonight mayor excuse me Commissioner Eichelkraut will be acting as mayor pro-tech Moved by Commissioner Pearson that the minutes of a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Ottawa, Illinois, held on Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, be approved as recorded in the permanent files of the City Clerk.

Do I have a second? Second. All those in favor? Roll call.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye. Anyone wishing to appear before the Council? We'll move on to Commissioner Eichelkraut's report.

Move by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that the bi-weekly salary payroll of August 28, 2026 in the amount of $658,822.01 be approved and warrants issued. Do I have a second?

Second. Roll call, please.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that the bi-monthly expense report dated September 1st, 2026, showing expenses in the amount of $1,773,306.58 be approved and warrants issued. Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gaynor? Roll call, please. Gaynor? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayor? Aye. Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution approving and authorizing the execution of an employment agreement with Elizabeth Rodriguez as part-time NCAT custodian be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Pearson? Roll call please.

Gagner? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Move by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of transit service agreements between the City of Ottawa and multiple entities regarding transportation through NCAT be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gagnier? Roll call.

Gagnier?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

I get to speak twice tonight.

You do.

Mr. Eichroth, do you have anything? Okay, I just want to say everybody music and park has been great we've had a great great time But we're not done. We're not gonna have anything this coming weekend because the Labor Day weekend, but September 12th We're gonna have radium city rebels. It's gonna be from 5 to 7 come and enjoy yourself We had over 800 people there this last weekend. The band was excellent. We had a great time and They played fire to the cooking. They did a great job, too. Also, too, October 25th at the KC's, from 2 to 4, we'll have class act. That's brought to you by the rec board. It'll be a great time there, so come on out and enjoy yourself. All right, let's move on to Commissioner Gaynor's report, please.

we have the report of the police chief in the month of august squad car calls for service two thousand one hundred and twelve arrest including citations four hundred and six sense that ideal c one transported to the county jail thirty two jury referrals for peer jury one issued a notice to appear three hundred sixty nine out of a central dispatch handled eight hundred fifty four nine one one call they also have a four thousand four hundred seventy five administrative calls Moved by Commissioner Gainor that the report of Police Chief Michael J. Cheetham for the month of August 2026 be received and placed on file.

I have a second.

Second.

Commissioner Pearson, roll call please.

Gainor.

Aye.

Pearson. Aye. Mayer.

Aye.

We have the report of the fire chief for the month of August. Number of bell alarms, four. Number of still alarms, 37. Activated alarms, 36. Number of medic calls, 333. Mutual aid, four. Number of patients, 266. Number of transfers, zero. Total calls for August was 405. Total emergency overtime, 11. Total residents billed for medical services was 26. Moved by Commissioner Gaynor that the report of Fire Chief Brian R. Bresner for the month of August 2026 be received and placed on file.

May I have a second please?

Second.

Commissioner Pearson? Roll call.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayer?

Aye.

Moved by Commissioner Gaynor that a resolution authorizing the execution of intergovernmental agreement between the City of Ottawa and the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services for the 2027 supplemental ambulance rates be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Mr. Pearson, roll call.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Move by Commissioner Gaynor that a resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Bill Walsh Incorporated to purchase the 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee currently being leased by the City of Ottawa Police Department be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Pearson, roll call please.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Move by Commissioner Gaynor that an ordinance authorizing the sale of personal property from the Ottawa Police Department surplus inventory be passed and approved.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Do you have any discussion on that, Tom?

It's just a bunch of stuff that we need to get rid of and we're gonna sell on that govdeals.com since we had a better response there than anything else in the past, so.

All right, thank you much. Roll call, please.

Gaynor? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayer?

Aye. Tom, do you have any other?

Commissioner Gaynor, do you have anything?

Not at this time, stay cool. Thank you.

Let's go to Commissioner Pearson's report, please.

Moved by Commissioner Pearson that a resolution accepting a bid and authorizing the execution of a contract for sale between the City of Ottawa and JVE Homes LLC for the purchase of 1461 West Lafayette Street be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gagner, want to say anything?

Sure, this is known as the Thornton House that's at Thornton Park and it was given to us after Edmund Thornton had passed away. After going through it and the repairs it needed, we decided it was better off if someone else used that house as a family house. It's a great structure. It was too much for us to take on and we're gonna use those funds to help support other parts of the rec department and that's where those funds are going to go to help out with that building that we had to do some construction I'm looking forward to see what it looks like when it's done Roll call Gaynor Aye Pearson Aye Mayor Aye Do you have anything else Commissioner Pearson I have nothing

Move on to the mayor's report, please.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem, Echo Kraut, that the report of Registrar Shelly L. Rolson showing 30 death certificates issued with fees collected of $1,721 for the month of August 2026 be received and placed on file.

Do I have a second? Second. Commissioner Pearson, roll call, please.

Gaynor? Aye. Pearson?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that the report of the Parking and Education Fines Department showing fines collected of $3,235 for the month of August 2026 be received and placed on file.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gaynor, roll call please.

Gaynor? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

We have the report of the building official for the month of August. There were six building permits issued with these totaling $2,154.75. Total number of on-site building inspections, 61. There was one floodplain development permit issued at no charge. There was one sign permit for $50, one feather banner permit for $50, 15 fence permits for $750, six new business registrations for $600, 14 general contractor licenses issued for $1,400, eight electrical licenses for $2,000, 12 electrical permits for $2,250, total number of onsite electrical inspections, 31. We had eight people take our electrical exam for $2,040. Our plumbing inspector did a total of 25 inspections. Our code enforcement officer did 207 inspections, and our construction coordinator did 162 inspections, with a total of permits and licenses of 75, with fees collected of $11,000, $894.75. Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that the report of building official Matthew W. Stafford for the month of August 2026 be received and placed on file.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Mr. Pearson? Roll call.

Gaynor? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that the report of the sidewalk program showing three participants in the amount of $2,970 for the month of August 2026 be approved, accepted, and paid for from the general corporate fund.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gaynor, roll call.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of multiple health benefit contracts be adopted.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Pearson, this is for an open enrollment. I was talking to our Haley today, and we talked about it. So this is for open enrollment. Do I have a second? I need a roll call, please.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing a letter agreement between the City of Ottawa and Ballard King and Associates Limited regarding the Outdoor Sports Complex Feasibility Study Phase 2, which has been on file for public inspection since August 18, 2026, be adopted.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gaynor? Roll call, please.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of a fireworks display agreement between the City of Ottawa and J&M Displays Incorporated for fireworks after the Festival of Lights parade, which has been on file for public inspection since August 18, 2026, be adopted.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Pearson, roll call, please.

Gainier?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of an engineering design and construction services agreement between the City of Ottawa and Eschite-Dutland-Yarn Associates, Inc. for the Ottawa Industrial Park water main extension, which has been on file for public inspection since August 18, 2026, be adopted.

Do I have a second? Second. Commissioner Gagnier? Roll call, please.

Gagnier?

Aye.

Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of a proposal for environmental professional services between the City of Ottawa and Fair Graham for the U.S. EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant on Jackson Street be received and placed on file for public inspection.

Do I have a second?

Second.

Commissioner Pearson, roll call please.

Gagner? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that a resolution authorizing the execution of two annexation agreements between the City of Ottawa, Trevor Cravatta for 2210 Caton Road, and Matthew Berry and Maggie Stoneking for 1749 North 2703rd Road be received and placed on file for public inspection. Be it further moved, a public hearing be set for Tuesday, September 15th at 7 o'clock p.m. in council chambers on these said annexations.

Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Gaynor, roll call.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that the report of the Plan Commission meeting held on Monday, August 24th, 2026, considering the preliminary plat of Pilots Point at Heritage Harbor, Ottawa planning and development be received and placed on file. Be it further moved, the council concur with the recommendations of the Plan Commission and the preliminary plat be approved and the follow-up ordinance be passed and approved.

I have a second. Second. Commissioner Pearson, vote call.

Gaynor?

Aye.

Pearson?

Aye.

Mayor?

Aye.

Do you have anything else?

No, I don't. That's unusual.

Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Michael Kraut that this regular meeting be adjourned.

Do I have a second? Second. Commissioner Pearson, roll call.

Gaynor? Aye. Pearson? Aye. Mayor?

Aye.