Here’s a recap of our live coverage of this afternoon’s meeting of the Evanston City Council Administration and Pubic Works Committee.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
A packet with information on the agenda items is available online.
Meeting called to order at 4:35 p.m.
Public Comment
Consent agenda
Off consent at request of Nieuwsma: A6, A10, A12
At request of Kelly: A7, A8, A9.
A1 – Payroll and bills
Ald. Peter Braithwaite (2nd) notes $24K in local spend items versus $180K in non-local spend on the bills list. Hopes to see the local share increase.
Consent agenda, except for A6 through A10 and A12, approved
A6 – Capital Cement Co contract for alley improvements
Public Works Director Dave Stoneback says permeable concrete used on Civic Center parking lot failed sooner than anticipated. Permeable asphalt and paver blocks used on other portions of the parking lot worked OK. Says city is no longer using that product.
Ald. Clare Kelly (1st) proposes amendment to use CDBG funds for the project rather than bond funds. That fails for lack of a second.
Sarah Flax, housing and grants manager for the city, says the federal CDBG funds can’t be used except in designated low income areas of the city.
Ald. Devon Reid (8th) suggests using a different funding source.
Kelly rephrases her motion to request funding from unobligated CIP funds. Reid seconds.
Braithwaite says have no idea what CIP projects are already pledged to.
Stoneback says the $70K change probably would not hold up any other projects.
Vote on amendment is 2-3 with Kelly and Reid voting in favor.
Ald. Bobby Burns (5th) votes to hold the issue Reid and Kelly second the hold
A7 – Roof repairs
Kelly wants the $291K in funds to come from unobligated CIP funds.
Stoneback says there are active leaks at two of the three locations which are likely to increase the scope of damage if not quickly repaired.
Nieuwsma suggests moving forward with the current spending proposal but refer the general issue to the budget and finance committee.
Kelly moves to hold Reid seconds.
A8 – Patriot Pavement crack sealing program
Kelly says she didn’t mean to take that item off consent.
Approved 5-0.
A9 – Precision Pavement Marking contract change order
Reid moves to hold. Kelly seconds.
A10 – ARPA grant funds for water and sewer projects
Nieuwsma says seem to be getting ahead of ourselves. Haven’t finished public engagement process.
Asks if projects are time sensitive.
Stoneback says portions of the money are already being spent. Says if ARPA money isn’t used, then the bond borrowing would have to be increased this year.
Reid agrees that getting the cart before the horse.
Kelly says she thinks it makes sense to use the ARPA money for this.
Approved 3-2. Burns and Reid vote no.
A12 – Opens Space Land grant program application
For skate park project.
Kelly suggests using CDBG funds for the project. Reid seconds, but says he disagrees with the proposal. Says it’s not a great use of CDBG funds — says they should be targeted to low income residents. Skate park, he says, is more of a community-wide benefit.
Braithwaite says the proposal is a grant application which has a Sept. 1 deadline. If don’t approve tonight, will lose the ability to get the grant.
Braithwaite says can decide later where the matching funds would come from.
City Manager Erika Storlie says the matching funds could be identified later.
Approved 5-0.
Meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Planning and Development Committee to begin at 6 p.m. (originally had been scheduled for 5:15 p.m.)