Rockford Sun

City of Rockford City Council met Dec. 16.

Here is the agenda provided by the council:

I. CALL TO ORDER

A. Pledge of Allegiance

B. Roll Call

C. Acceptance of the Journal

1. Journal of Proceedings for the City Council Meeting held on November 18, 2024.

II. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

A. Planning and Development Committee

1. Memorandum from Sarah Leys, Deputy Director of Community and Economic Development Department, regarding the 2025-2029 Five-Year Consolidated Plan, 2025 Annual Action Plan, and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Emergency Solutions Grants programs). Referred to Planning and Development Committee.

2. Memorandum from Anna Garrison, Economic Development Manager, regarding a proposed resolution calling for a Public Hearing and convening a Joint Review Board in connection with a new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District. Referred to Planning and Development Committee.

B. Code and Regulation Committee

1. Zoning Board of Appeals’ Agenda for the meeting to be held on December 17, 2024 and Minutes from that meeting for consideration at the Code and Regulation Committee meeting on January 6, 2025. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.

2. Memorandum from Jacob Rubin, Assistant City Attorney, regarding amendments to Chapter 29 (Vehicles for Hire) to create an alcohol-free Pedal Bus Ordinance. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.

3. Memorandum from Scott Capovilla, Planning and Zoning Manager, regarding Plat No. 2 of Sports Factory Subdivision. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.

4. Memorandum from Scott Capovilla, Planning and Zoning Manager, regarding a modification to an existing Liquor License for an additional Video Gaming Terminal (VGT) at 3301 11th Street. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.

C. Finance and Personnel Committee

III. PUBLIC SPEAKERS

1. Prophet Yusef

2. John Tac Brantley

3. Jason Leviskas

IV. NEW COMMITTEE REPORTS

A. Planning and Development Committee

1. Committee recommends approval of the Development Agreement with Steiner Electric for the establishment of Steiner Electric Company Northwest Branch at 5004 27th Avenue. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

B. Code and Regulation Committee

1. Committee recommends approval of the request to vacate the Right-of Way for South Rockton Avenue between Green Street and Chestnut Street as well as the North/South Alley between South Winnebago and South Rockton Avenue. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

2. Committee recommends approval of the request to vacate the Right-of Way for the remaining section of Martin Road and a portion of Foley Street. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

3. Committee recommends approval of the request to vacate the Right-of Way for a portion of the East/West alley along the south side of 213 Stewart Avenue. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

4. Committee recommends approval of the request to vacate the Right-of Way known as Domino Avenue adjacent to 2115 South Central Avenue. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

5. Committee recommends approval of the Final Plat of Rock Valley College-Downtown West Subdivision.

6. Committee recommends approval of the Annexation of 4580 Spring Brook Road. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

7. Committee recommends approval of the Annexation of 5434 North Main Street. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

C. Finance and Personnel Committee

1. Committee recommends approval of the vouchers in the amount of $8,438,651.61 as approved at the Finance and Personnel Committee meeting held on December 9, 2024.

2. Committee recommends approval of the donation of city-owned properties for Right-of-Way to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) for the Rockford Complete Streets project. The amount of property is 0.27 acres in total. The properties to donate portions are: 1025 and 1019 West State (PIN: 11-22-252-046 and 048), West State Street (PIN: 11-22-255- 003), 825 West State Street (PIN: 11-22-286-005), South Winnebago Street (PIN: 11-22-434-009), BMO Harris Bank Center (PIN: 11-22-435- 002), 302 South Main (PIN: 11-23-354-001), 320 South Wyman (PIN: 11- 23-357-006), 160 South Madison (PIN: 11-23-383-008), 204 South 1st Street (PIN: 11-23-388-001), 149 South 2nd Street (PIN: 11-23-387-019), 607 Walnut Street (PIN: 11-26-137-002), and 128 Kishwaukee Street (PIN: 11-26-201-011). The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

3. Committee recommends approval of the First Amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement with Winnebago County for a Re-Entry Focused Deterrence Program. This is a program extension with no change in scope or dollar increase. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

4. Committee recommends approval of an ordinance authorizing the City of Rockford to utilize funds from the Public Water Supply Loan Program at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and Application of Loan for Well No. 45 reservoir replacement and site modifications. The Legal Director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance.

V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS COMMITTEE REPORTS LAID OVER

A. Planning and Development Committee

B. Code and Regulation Committee

1. Committee recommends sustaining the Zoning Board of Appeals' recommendation of denial for a Variation to increase the maximum number of allowed business identification wall signs from two (2) to three (3) in a C-2, Limited Commercial Zoning District at 6001 East State Street (Olympik Signs for Chase Bank/Applicant). (LAID OVER DECEMBER 2, 2024)

2. Committee recommends denial for the Variation to increase the maximum number of allowed business identification wall signs from two (2) to three (3) in a C-3, General Commercial Zoning District at 8201 East Riverside Boulevard (MercyHealth/Applicant), thus reversing the Zoning Board of Appeals' recommendation for approval. (APPROVAL OF AMENDED FINDINGS OF FACT) (LAID OVER DECEMBER 2, 2024)

C. Finance and Personnel Committee

VI. OFFICERS REPORTS

VII. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS

A. Planning and Development Committee

1. Committee recommends approval of the REGROW Tier 1 Award recommendations from the Community Relations Commission. These awards will be $10,000.00 each. The funding source is the 3% Local Tax on Adult-Use Cannabis Retail Sales.

B. Code and Regulation Committee

1. Committee recommends approval of the authorization to place for sale the city-owned property located at 4640 West State Street. The property is a duplex residence.

2. Resolution for settlement of Patrick Pursley v. City of Rockford, et al., Case No: 18-CV-50040 in the amount of $5,000,000.00. (SUSPEND RULE 9)

C. Finance and Personnel Committee

1. Committee recommends approval of the Award of Bid: Tree Planting Services (Bid No. 1124-PW-110) to Yellowstone Landscape, of Wauconda, Illinois and Lawncare by Walter, Inc., of Rockford, Illinois in the estimated annual amount of $40,000.00 (based on unit pricing). The contract duration is one (1) year with four (4) possible one-year extension options. Annual price adjustments for CPI considered at contract renewal only. The funding sources are Sales Tax and Tree Equity Grants for Disadvantaged Communities’ Grant.

2. Committee recommends approval of the Award of Bid: 11th Street Reconstruction Stage 1 to N-Trak Group, LLC, of Loves Park, Illinois in the amount of $12,235,322.00. The contract duration is through October 31, 2025. The funding sources are the 1% Infrastructure Sales Tax and Water Replacement Improvement Account (WRIA) Funds.

3. Committee recommends approval of the Award of Sole Source Contract and Master Services Agreement with CivicPlus for recodification of City of Rockford's Code of Ordinances in the amount of $27,999.97. The contract duration is 12 months. The funding source is the Legal Department Operating Budget.

4. Committee recommends approval of the Award of RFP: Audit Services to Baker Tilly, of Oak Brook, Illinois in the not-to-exceed amount of $112,300.00. The contract duration is one-year (1) with four (4) possible one-year extension options. The funding source is Departmental Operating Budgets.

5. Committee recommends approval of the Award of Contract Renewal - Medical Stop Loss Insurance 2025 to Tokio Marine HCC Insurance, of Houston, Texas for contract amount/rates of $32.21 per employee per month for Single Enrollment and $111.04 per employee per month for Family Enrollment. This is a 20.5% increase as compared to 2024. The total estimated annual premium is $1,235,387.00 based on current number of health insurance participants. The contract duration is one-year. The funding source is the Health Insurance Fund.

6. Committee recommends approval of the Award of Engineering Agreement: 11th Street Reconstruction Stage 1 to Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc., of Rockford, Illinois in the amount of $853,728.00. The contract duration is through Fall 2025. The funding source is the 1% Infrastructure Sales Tax.

7. Committee recommends approval of the Change Order: Fire Station 6 Building Renovation Phase 1 (Bid No. 924-FD-101) to Ringland-Johnson, Inc., of Cherry Valley, Illinois.

Original Amount: $421,035.00

Change Order: $76,238.00

Amended Amount: $497,273.00

The change order includes safety and security upgrades through exterior door replacement, a kitchenette to serve the Academy, and asbestos mitigation throughout the Academy and entryways. The funding source is Gaming Tax Revenue.

8. Committee recommends approval and acceptance of the Office of Head Start, Head Start/Early Head Start Continuation Application Grant Award for the period of April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Head Start is also seeking approval of the Self-Assessment Report, Self-Assessment Work Plan and Program Goals. The grant does require a Non-Federal cost match of $2,198,476.00. The City of Rockford will receive the below amounts to provide services:

1. $5,292,728.00 - Head Start Program Operations

2. $53,781.00 - Head Start Training and Technical Assistance

3. $3,396,870.00 - Early Head Start Program Operations

4. $50,524.00 - Early Head Start Training and Technical Assistance

9. Committee recommends approval and acceptance of the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Homeowner Assistance Fund Home Repair (HAFHR) Grant extension for the additional amount of $1,035,000.00 (the new total is $2,460,000.00). The HAFHR program expects to close on the grant extension on January 16, 2025. This extension will allow the city to complete rehab on 14 additional properties.

10. Committee recommends approval of the sub-award agreements for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (COC) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) to the following partner agencies:

1. Inst. For Community Alliances $30,000.00 HMIS, Administration

2. Shelter Care Ministries $45,420.00 Emergency Shelter Operations and Services, Administration

3. Remedies Renewing Lives $5,000.00 Shelter Operations

The total amount received for the ESG grant was $192,497.00. The Health and Human Services Department will sub grant $75,420.00 and utilize $117,077.00 in funds internally for eligible ESG activities. The Sub-award contracts will begin January 1, 2025 and end December 31, 2025.

11. Committee recommends approval and acceptance of the FY 2025 Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant Award in the amount of $131,814.50. The grant does not require a cost match. The grant term is from October 1, 2024, to September 20, 2025. The grant award, if accepted, will provide funds for Police Department high visibility enforcement and strategy implementation aimed at saving lives and preventing injuries by reducing traffic crashes.

VIII. NEW BUSINESS ORDINANCES

A. Planning and Development Committee

1. An ordinance approving a Development Agreement with Steiner Electric for the establishment of Steiner Electric Company Northwest Branch at 5004 27th Avenue.

B. Code and Regulation Committee

1. An ordinance approving the request to vacate the Right-of-Way for South Rockton Avenue between Green Street and Chestnut Street as well as the North/South Alley between South Winnebago and South Rockton Avenue.

2. An ordinance approving the request to vacate the Right-of-Way for the remaining section of Martin Road and a portion of Foley Street.

3. An ordinance approving the request to vacate the Right-of-Way for a portion of the East/West alley along the south side of 213 Stewart Avenue.

4. An ordinance approving the request to vacate the Right-of-Way known as Domino Avenue adjacent to 2115 South Central Avenue.

5. An ordinance approving the Annexation of 4580 Spring Brook Road. 6. An ordinance approving the Annexation of 5434 North Main Street.

C. Finance and Personnel Committee

1. An ordinance approving the donation of city-owned properties for Right of-Way to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) for the Rockford Complete Streets project. The amount of property is 0.27 acres in total. The properties to donate portions are: 1025 and 1019 West State (PIN: 11-22-252-046 and 048), West State Street (PIN: 11-22-255-003), 825 West State Street (PIN: 11-22-286-005), South Winnebago Street (PIN: 11-22-434-009), BMO Harris Bank Center (PIN: 11-22-435-002), 302 South Main (PIN: 11-23-354-001), 320 South Wyman (PIN: 11-23- 357-006), 160 South Madison (PIN: 11-23-383-008), 204 South 1st Street (PIN: 11-23-388-001), 149 South 2nd Street (PIN: 11-23-387-019), 607 Walnut Street (PIN: 11-26-137-002), and 128 Kishwaukee Street (PIN: 11-26-201-011).

2. An ordinance approving the First Amendment to the Intergovernmental Agreement with Winnebago County for a Re-Entry Focused Deterrence Program. This is a program extension with no change in scope or dollar increase.

3. An ordinance authorizing the City of Rockford to utilize funds from the Public Water Supply Loan Program at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and Application of Loan for Well No. 45 reservoir replacement and site modifications.

IX. CLOSED SESSION

A. Motion to Convene into Closed Session in order to discuss Pending Litigation matters.

X. ADJOURNMENT

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