City Council

MINUTES CITY OF DEKALB SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING APRIL 17, 2018 The City Council of DeKalb, Illinois held a Special Committee of the Whole meeting on April 17, 2018 in the City Council Chambers of the DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, Illinois. Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. A. ROLL CALL Deputy City Clerk Ruth Scott called the roll and the following members of the City Council were present: Jacobson, Fagan, Noreiko, Verbic, Smith. Alderman Mike Marquardt and Alderman Tony Faivre were absent. Alderman Bill Finucane arrived at 5:27 p.m. Also present were: Finance Director Molly Talkington, Assistant Finance Director Robert Miller, City Attorney Dean Frieders, Community Development Director Jo Ellen Charlton, Economic Development Planner Jason Michnick, and Deputy City Clerk Ruth Scott. B. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Mayor Smith asked if there was anyone present who wished to speak to an item not listed on the agenda. There was none. C. CONSIDERATIONS 1. Basic Budget Video. Finance Director Talkington provided an overview of this item, stating the video was created in an effort to provide residents information regarding the budget process. The video was then played. Mayor Smith asked Finance Director Talkington how the video would be utilized. She stated that it could be accessed via the City’s website and Facebook page, adding it would also be shown on Channel 14. Further discussion ensued, with Mayor Smith and Alderman Noreiko commenting that the video was well done. 2. Budget Workshop a. Service Level and Line Item Review: Community Development. Special Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes April 17, 2018 Page 2 of 5 Prior to providing an overview of this item, Community Development Director Charlton noted that the staff memo regarding this item was much more detailed and encouraged Council and staff to review it for further clarification if needed. Using a PowerPoint presentation, Community Development Director Charlton provided a brief overview of the primary function and purpose of the Community Development Department including Economic Development, Zoning and Planning Services, Construction Plan Review and Inspection Services, Code Compliance Services, Crime Free Housing Services, Social Service Program Delivery Services and Interdepartmental Support Services. Community Development Director Charlton also provided an overview of the short- term and long-term goals of the department, as well as a brief overview of the department’s organizational chart. Alderman Verbic commented that the overview was very informative. There was a brief conversation between Alderman Verbic and Community Development Charlton regarding the department’s current staffing and what would be needed to accomplish its goals. Alderman Fagan and Community Development Director Charlton then discussed the department’s organizational chart and budget line items. Alderman Fagan asked if the money budgeted for housing rehabilitation was from a grant. Community Development Director Charlton clarified that it’s refunded grant money from HUD that’s invested in housing rehab projects. She further stated that the department was currently evaluating what other uses those funds can be put to. Discussion ensued. Alderman Jacobson asked where the Chief Building Official and Code Compliance Coordinator were listed in terms of staffing costs. Community Development Director Charlton stated they were listed under the Building Division. Mayor Smith referred to a portion of the staff memo that mentions recent events in the downtown area (specifically Lord Stanley’s) that have raised questions as to whether or not Council should modify its policy about doing only the “big projects” using Tax Increment Funding (TIF) dollars. Perhaps those funds should also be used for funding smaller projects as well. Alderman Noreiko asked about the dollars budgeted for Citizens’ Enhancement Commission (CEC) projects. Community Development Director replied that the  Special Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes April 17, 2018 Page 3 of 5 CEC has asked for a small discretionary budget ($5,000) to fund projects they’ve collaborated on, such as the Art Walk and Paint-a-Plug program. Brief discussion ensued. Alderman Fagan referred to the TIF #1 (Central Area) line item budget and noted that STEAM was still listed. Community Development Director Charlton explained that when the budgets are created, some money is earmarked for projects that are being considered at that time. Also referring to the TIF #1 (Central Area) line item budget, Alderman Fagan asked about the $50,000 budgeted for a TIF Study. Community Development Director Charlton explained it was for the current eligibility study that was approved to evaluate a new downtown TIF. Alderman Verbic referred to Mayor Smith’s comment regarding Lord Stanley’s and wondered how the City could benefit from additional resources that would allow it to become more proactive and provide better service and communication. Alderman Verbic then referred to the TIF #1 (Central Area) line item budget that lists $500,000 for land acquisition and asked what was intended for those dollars. Community Development Director Charlton explained those dollars were budgeted for property acquisition that could have been associated with STEAM but also property acquisition associated with any private development project. Alderman Verbic asked if those dollars were currently committed to a project, with Community Development Charlton stating they were not. Discussion ensued. Alderman Jacobson commented on TIF expenditures, noting that he recently reached out to Mayor Smith and Community Development Director Charlton to let them know there is a pervasive thought throughout the downtown area that the TIF application program and eligibility is next to impossible to receive for the smaller businesses. He stated that at some point perhaps Council should revisit the policy and provide funding for some of the smaller projects, such as those that involve code enforcement issues. Finance Director Talkington provided a recap of previous meeting items Council asked for further information on, which included dues and subscriptions, training, and car allowances. She noted that those items would be brought back before Council at the Special Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for June 19, 2018. Finance Director Talkington further stated that from this meeting’s discussion, she would be adding to the list a Community Development resources review, also Special Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes April 17, 2018 Page 4 of 5 slated for the Special Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for June 19, 2018. She added the request for further information on policy direction for TIF modifications would be brought back to Council at a future Committee of the Whole meeting. Finance Director Talking noted that Council had yet to do a line item review of the budgets for the Information Technology Department and the Police Department. She asked if they felt that the review done on those departments sufficiently answered their questions or did they feel that further review was needed. Alderman Fagan stated he thinks it’s important to review each of those department’s line item budgets but separately at two different regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole meetings. Finance Director Talkington suggested the Special Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for May 22, 2018, noting that it shouldn’t take much time for either review. She advised Council that she would look into it and advise accordingly. Alderman Jacobson stated that he’s worried about pushing the TIF policy modification discussion to June, noting the time it would take to for the process to be developed. He suggested placing the item on a Committee of the Whole meeting agenda during the month of May. Finance Director Talkington stated she would get it scheduled as soon as possible. Community Development Director Charlton stated she would frame the discussion for presentation at an upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting. Mayor Smith commented that if the City has been sending the message that it’s only concerned about the bigger projects, fast tracking the discussion for TIF policy modifications should indicate that Council is prepared to review how the current policy is structured in an effort to include smaller projects. Alderman Finucane suggested that perhaps the discussion should be brought forward at a Regular Council meeting to save time. Community Development Director Charlton asked Council for some general guidelines for the discussion. Alderman Jacobson noted that he has a draft document that he would share with each Council member, asking for input after their review. D. RECESS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL Mayor Smith read the item below by title only:  Special Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes April 17, 2018 Page 5 of 5 1. Approval to Hold an Executive Session to Discuss Personnel as Provided for in 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1). MOTION Alderman Noreiko motioned to hold an Executive Session; seconded by Alderman Verbic. VOTE Motioned carried by a 6-0-2 roll call vote. Aye: Jacobson, Finucane, Fagan, Noreiko, Verbic, Smith. Nay: none. Absent: Marquardt, Faivre. Mayor Smith declared the motion passed. Mayor Smith closed the meeting to the public at 6:15 p.m. Mayor Smith opened the meeting to the public at 6:40 p.m. E. ADJOURNMENT MOTION Alderman Finucane motioned to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Alderman Jacobson. VOTE Motioned carried by a 6-0-2 roll call vote. Aye: Jacobson, Finucane, Fagan, Noreiko, Verbic, Smith. Nay: none. Absent: Marquardt, Faivre. Mayor Smith declared the motion passed. Mayor Smith adjourned the meeting at 6:40 p.m. ________________________________ RUTH A. SCOTT, Deputy City Clerk Approved by City Council: May 14, 2018.