City Council Planning Sessions

Monday, Oct. 28, 2024 I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilman Barbier Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilman Brown Councilman Clousing Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller City Staff Present: Michael G. Dzugan, City Manager Susan Bishel, Public Information Officer Robert Brill, Fire Chief Dave DiClementi, EMS Manager/CRR Andrea Rosedale, City Clerk Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator II. Approval of Planning Session Minutes – October 14, 2024 The City Council approved the October 14, 2024, City Council Planning Session Minutes. III. Review of Boards, Commissions, and Committees 2024 Annual Reports City Manager Dzugan stated that the City Code requires each board and commission to submit an annual report outlining proposed actions to fulfill their purpose statements, with the City Council reviewing and approving these action items annually. These reports outline the projects and expenses each board and commission are planning for the upcoming year as the City prepares its 2025 budget. City staff have added comments to some of the proposed action items in preparation for commissioners’ presentations of the reports. Band Commission Chair Dorothy (Dottie) Mackie stated that the Wheaton Municipal Band concerts had high attendance throughout the year and that the band partnered with the People’s Resource Center to collect food donations. She stated that the band received updated uniforms through the support of the Friends of the Wheaton Municipal Band. Community Relations Commission Chair Erica Nelson stated that the commission is working on revitalizing their purpose statements and plans to increase their partner programs. Environmental Improvement Commission Commissioner Allison Torrence stated that the commission hosts many environmental events throughout the year. In response to a Council question, Commissioner Torrence stated that the commission collects various types of paint at their annual Recycling Extravaganza  Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES event. Commissioner Robert Young stated that non-latex paints are considered hazardous waste, and the commission would need to acquire special licensing and training to collect this material year-round. City Manager Dzugan noted that the primary staff input regarding the Fine & Cultural Arts Commission concerns the future projection mapping system planned for the site of the new mural. He stated that City staff will assist the commission in defining the scope of the project and estimate costs for the system. Council members discussed the possibility of expanding the mural to the west façade so that the artwork could be viewed from additional angles. City Manager Dzugan stated that the Bicyclist & Pedestrian Commission has presented proposals that prove challenging to accomplish due to personnel and resource limitations and the need to complete priority capital projects. City Manager Dzugan stated that the commission’s proposal of painting sharrows on the east and west sides of West Street falls under the City's Complete Streets policy applied to all projects. He stated that Community Unit School District 200’s participation as a key stakeholder in the commission’s Safe Routes to School initiative would be critical to the project’s success. He stated that developing and maintaining the Safe Routes to School maps was labor intensive, requiring effort by the City’s GIS and Engineering Departments. In terms of priorities for schools, staff envision the maps being created after all grade school pick up and drop off plans are reviewed. City Manager Dzugan stated that the commission determined the need to create a new Bike Plan, and that the cost is estimated to be $80,000. Bicyclist & Pedestrian Commission Co-Chair Michelle Dunlap outlined some of the challenges the commission has faced in providing bike- and pedestrian-related proposals that are submitted far enough in advance to coordinate with the City’s roadwork plans, while also being responsive to community requests and feasible for City Engineering staff. She outlined the commission’s new procedures for providing proposals to City staff and requested increased collaboration with the Engineering Department to ensure proposal feasibility. Council members discussed the importance of ensuring the feasibility of bike-related proposals. Additionally, Council members noted the importance of collaboration between commissioners and City staff. In response to a Council question, Commissioner Dunlap stated that the commission will begin researching community-wide bicycle recycling options, specifically through the Working Bikes organization. IV. Request for Bid Waiver for Paramedic Services and EMS Billing Contract Fire Chief Brill stated that staff are seeking City Council direction on whether to pursue a two-year contract extension for paramedic services and EMS billing or issue a request for proposal for a new five-year contract. Fire Chief Brill stated that the current contract with Metro Paramedic Services expires in April 2025. He stated that proceeding with the two-year extension option is highly beneficial, as it will help retain experienced personnel, avoid unnecessary turnover, and maintain staff familiarity with the City and CDH EMS System. He noted that Metro Paramedic Services has performed well due to open communication, responsiveness to staffing vacancies, swift onboarding of new hires, and providing auxiliary equipment licensed for operation within the CDH EMS System. He stated that when compared to all DuPage County municipalities that have a contract with Metro Paramedic Services, the City of Wheaton is second lowest for starting salaries with the current contract and  Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES this would remain the same with the two-year extended contract. However, the first year of the extended contract proposal would have a 4.8% increase from the final year of the current contract. This increase would support a 3% salary adjustment for paramedics to ensure wages remain competitive. In response to Council questions, EMS Manager DiClementi stated that during the current contract, the City increased salaries mid-contract to stay competitive with other DuPage County municipalities. He stated that the City’s contract has greater opportunities for overtime compared to some other communities, which is an incentive for paramedics to work for the City of Wheaton. EMS Manager DiClementi stated that to ensure quality service, he and the field triage medic quality check all reports and the CDH EMS System performs quality checks. The City has a total of 19 paramedics. In response to Council questions, Fire Chief Brill stated that the billing affiliate of Metro Paramedic Services currently charges a 4% commission on gross collections recovered on behalf of the City. As part of the extension negotiations, the City would see a reduction in the commission rate to 3.25% for the two-year extension period. Fire Chief Brill stated that the City has a 70-80% collection rate based on the previously used balance billing method. He stated that many variables impact collection numbers because insurance plans can vastly vary for each payor. The City Council expressed support for the City to proceed with a two-year extension of the Metro Paramedic Services contract. V. Public Comment There were no public comments. VI. City Council/Staff Comments Councilman Barbier expressed appreciation to the Downtown Wheaton Association for hosting the Downtown Wheaton Trick-or-Treating event on Saturday, Oct. 26. Mayor Suess expressed appreciation for the hard work and effort of the City’s boards and commissions. He stated that the commissioners achieve significant accomplishments each year which benefit the community. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:59 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Halie Cardinal