We have the whole meeting for the Elgin City Council for May 27th, 2026 to order.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Councilmember Zalfaro.

Present.

Dixon.

Good.

Here.

Martinez.

Here.

Ortiz.

Here.

Powell?

Here.

Stefan?

Here.

Thorne.

Here.

Mayor Captain.

Here.

Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of uh May 13th.

Move for approval.

Second.

Move the second for approval.

Any corrections or additions.

So far.

Yes, on page five, it uh indicates when council member Thorne steps off the diets and then it indicates again when he comes back on.

However, between that time, it shows that he voted on something.

So I think there's just a typo we need to move when councilmember Thorne actually returned, or um, he did not vote on that item.

Yeah.

Okay.

Anything else?

Okay, please call a roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes, motions approved 7-0 with one abstention.

Excuse me.

We have uh no public comment this evening.

Mr.

Manager.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um items A and B are on both agendas, and they both involve lead service line replacement contracts for the 2025 program.

Item A pertains to the city's contract with IHC construction.

That contract originally contemplated replacing 321 lead service lines following the completion of that work.

A balance of $500,000 remains in the account.

So the city can realize the full benefit of the IEPA loan it obtained for this work.

Staff is recommending that the contract be extended to allow an additional 68 additional lead service line replacements with substantial completion occurring on June 30th and final completion by the end of this year, December 31st.

Move for approval.

It's on both agendas.

Okay.

If we have a question, should we ask now?

Ms.

Sir Ms.

Alfaro.

Thank you, Mayor.

Sorry.

A quick question for uh staff.

I think this is fabulous that we actually had leftover money uh with this for the first item and the second item with the 68 additional service lines and the 34 additional uh lead service line replacements.

Would that put us ahead of schedule then with additional ones or are we staying within the same number of the goal for this year?

Um the goal is about 900, so that does put us just a little bit ahead with those numbers, but we'll take anything.

Thanks for asking.

Yeah, that's awesome.

Thank you.

Mr.

Stefan.

Because somebody else did I also wanted to chime in and say great work staff.

It's nice that we have the contractors to have extra money and to turn it around and put it back into more lead service line replacements.

So thanks.

I think it's opportun.

Um I'll take the opportunity to uh make just a couple comments.

There was an article in the Tribune uh this weekend uh talking about lead service lines, and uh the uh federal government is uh providing about 300 million dollars to the state of Illinois uh for lead service lines, and when I first looked at that, I said, boy, that's pretty good.

Sounds like a lot.

Then I realized that the city of Elgin is going to spend about 150 million ourselves and we started to look at the numbers that are in there.

Chicago has 400,000 lead service lines that they know of.

Uh we had started out our program, I believe we were about 14,000 lead service lines, and we're down now to about 9,000 left that have to be replaced.

The city of Chicago, since they started their program, have replaced 14,000 lead service lines out of 400,000, and the cost for them is going to be in the billions of dollars.

So I have to put some perspective on this because I've been talking to other mayors.

The deadline is coming up for doing the uh uh lead service line replacement work, and the funding is going to be hard to come by, and the deadline is still gonna be here.

And Chicago has made the statement that they don't think there's enough plumbers, they don't think there's enough people to do the to do the work.

They think that it would create 90,000 jobs across the state, but that's not going to happen in six months to put uh certified plumbers and certified people into those jobs.

So uh we're behind schedule here.

Um we're doing a great job.

City of Elgin's done a great job.

Our staff's done a great job.

We found out ways to save some money by uh uh putting these uh lead service lines in, and that's what you're seeing tonight.

There's a little bit of leftover money, and it's uh uh been recouped because uh recouped because of the uh efforts of staff and the uh contractors that we hire found ways to do things and it's paid dividends for us.

So it puts us ahead of the schedule, and we'll do our best to make sure we get this done on time in a timely way.

So moving on.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh item B is change order for bid number 25 double zero eight.

This is contract C with IHC for work that it was contracted to perform in 2025.

That original contract contemplated is as Councilmember Alfaro said, the replacement of 221 lead service lines, the $300,000 balance enables the city to continue work on 34 additional lead service lines, um, no different than the other um initiative.

Substantial completion will occur on June 30th, 2026 with final completion date of December 31st, 2026.

And as you said, this item is on both agendas.

Both agendas.

Okay.

Anything else?

Okay.

Item C is a building improvement program agreement with senior services associates, property at 101 South Grove Avenue.

This proposed building improvement program agreement provides gap financing for the repairs to the narrow wood windows and for the in-kind replacement to the wider steel windows, all on the second floor of the senior services building at 101 South Grove Avenue.

The agreement also covers window replacements on the back and side of the building and new historically appropriate doors at the corner of Grove and Fulton Street and at the east end of the building on Fulton.

Total project costs are estimated to be about 150,000 with senior services intending to cover about 80 percent or 118,300 with federal community development block grant funding.

This amount of CDBG funding is the maximum amount allowed in this agreement that the council is being asked to approve, contemplates uh providing 20 percent or 31,700 from the central area TIFF to help close the gap on the project costs.

Extraordinary attention to the treatment of the windows and the doors is necessary because the project includes federal funding and also because of the local historic preservation provisions that we know that the city has in place.

The CDBG program requires projects do not have an adverse effect on any historic property, and that they otherwise comport with the U.S.

Secretary of the Interior standards for rehabilitation.

Community development director Mark Mullot is here to answer any questions, along with Scott Berger, who administers the city's CDBG program for approval.

Second, move and second for approval.

Any discussion or any questions?

So far.

Oh, sorry.

Thank you.

Um quick question.

Uh I'm happy there's uh capital improvement um going into this building and some renovations.

What some feedback I've gotten from um women that uh uh utilize that space often is that there's not enough um handicap stalls in the women's bathroom.

Um so in the future, is there a way that we could look into making more handicap stalls in the bathroom?

Um that way, you know, the line's not held up if one person is in that one.

We will certainly share that feedback with them and encourage them to consider additional CDG funding in the future.

Perfect.

Anything else?

Okay, I got something here.

Okay, Mr.

Ortiz.

Uh when this uh thank you, Mr.

Millet.

When this came to us last year for C B G how much more was it last year compared to now with the window as they actually have to buy to put in?

What was the price difference?

I know we're giving them TIF money to help pay cover the cost.

Yeah, I don't have the I don't have that actual dollar figure, what the increment was.

A lot of the extra cost though wasn't necessarily wasn't attributed to any sort of change in time, but attributed to the federal process of having to uh adhere to the U.S.

Secretary of Interiors Historic Preservation Standards.

So the out of the window of then.

And and what can we replace versus what has to be repaired?

Okay.

All right, that's it.

Thanks.

Okay.

Anything else?

We need a motion.

I think the group please call the roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes, motions approved 80.

Item D is the city's annual uh action plan for community development block grant funding.

The city uses CDBG funds from the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development to improve neighborhood parks, nonprofit facilities, repave city streets, redevelop quality affordable housing, and provide services to address homelessness.

The city expects this year to receive just over a million dollars in CDBG or to have just over a million dollars in CDBG funds available for program year 2026.

The CDBG review panel met on April of this year, at the end of April this year, and is recommending funding for the owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program, the affordable housing fund, senior services, and program administration.

The CDBG allocation for affordable housing is directed to the Kane Elgin Home Commission, and those funds are layered with other federal dollars to help finance affordable housing projects like Art Space, Fox River Crossing, Gifford's Crossing, Hanover Landing, and the Larkin Center.

School District U 46 has also asked the home commission to see qualified developers to convert its historic two-story building at 4 South Gifford Street back into apartments.

U 46 is offering the building at no cost, and the property will return to the tax rolls after completion.

This project will most likely require the entire CDBG affordable housing allocation as well as other financial assistance this program cycle.

Just for information, the home commission can only allocate Elgin's CDBG dollars to projects in Elgin, so the money does stay within the community.

Again, Mr.

Millot and Scott Burger here to answer any additional questions council may have.

Move for approval.

Second.

Moved and second for approval.

Any discussion, any questions?

So far.

Sorry.

Thank you, Mike.

Can you walk us through a little bit about like the outreach?

Like I I appreciate that this was sent out to like over 30 nonprofits, but like I was a little um taken back by the lack of interest that we're applying.

So if you could speak a little bit to that, happy to.

Thank you for your question.

Um this has been a a long-standing trend where the number of not-for-profits who are making applications or or even attending our workshops has continued to decline to the point where this year we only had two uh entities attend our workshop and then one application.

Um it's not unique to Elgin.

Uh Kane County had zero applicate not-for-profit applications for their CDBG funds.

Um because this grant is primarily a bricks and mortar grant, it's it's difficult to find for an LGIN 30, 35 not-for-profits work to do that warrants the level of reporting and constant monitoring that a CDBG grant does.

Um, and there's also uh many of these not-for-profits are experiencing difficulties in in staffing that then can take on the administration and and even though we're there to hold their hands all along the way to get through a a CDBG grant.

So um unfortunately that's uh the nature of the times um as it relates to the not-for-profits seeking seeking this funding.

Thank you for sharing that.

Um see if there's a way that you know we as a council and the community can try to figure out how to support the local nonprofits in applying, right?

Um, there's a lot of older historical buildings in this area, and so elevators and roofs and HVAC systems all go out, and so I feel like this is a perfect program for them to utilize.

Um, but the reporting is something so uh trying to figure out how we do that.

Um the only other comment I had, and I know um council member Powell had brought this up.

I think last year when I first started on the council, is um how council members were chosen for this.

I know council member Martinez and Ortiz are the two representatives on here, but in the future, if we could consider as a council a more rotating schedule, so the same two council members are not on the same election year.

That way, if um someone left the institutional knowledge is still there with someone else, and they were able to mentor the next person kind of thing.

So just something for council to consider.

Okay, anything else?

Ms.

Paul Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Merlot for um being at the podium.

Yes, ma'am.

Um and I I guess part of my uh response is to council member Alfaro.

Um I I'm just over the years looking at the the uh the block grant funding and who who has applied, who hasn't applied.

It definitely has shifted.

Um we used to receive more applications from some of the local nonprofits looking to get you know roof repairs and um parking lot repairs.

Um we're not getting obviously those now.

Some of that I think is because you know, uh I think a some, not maybe all of the nonprof for profits don't actually own the buildings that they're in.

Um so that's one factor.

And quite frankly, I think the other factor is the non-for-profits just from you know what I'm seeing and what I've heard from talking with a lot of them.

They're looking for more operational funding and support, which the block grant funding does not really cover.

So it's not that they don't need help.

I think we all recognize that a lot of them do need the help, but this mechanism is probably not the help that they need, or at least not in the format that they most need in in our community.

So thank you also for bringing up uh the selection process.

I was not aware of of how uh the council members were selected again this year, so um it's maybe point, I think.

Yeah, but uh nothing came out to the whole council to ask people like if they wanted to do that this year.

So, you know, if we're bringing this up again for this for a second second year in a row, um someone should take a little heed.

Thank you.

Okay, anything else?

So far.

Uh quick question on uh to my understanding they could also use the funds to acquire a building.

There is that there's some restrictions within our program.

Depending upon your what you use the funds for has different strings and hooks.

I'm gonna ask Scott to come up.

He deals with this on a daily day to day-to-day basis and may be able to explain it a little more better.

Um yes, acquisition is an eligible expense.

Typically, it's part of a development project that involves acquisition, either construction or rehabilitation work.

Okay, so um to council member Powell's point, like a lot of them don't own their buildings in nonprofits.

So if someone just wanted to buy the building they were in, they would have to tie it into some renovation project as well.

Not necessarily.

Okay, that's good to know.

Okay, for the future.

Thank you.

How long would they have to keep it for that program?

Uh they'd have to retain the building for not less than five years.

Oh, yeah, that's government.

We have to serve a eligible use for five years or longer.

Yeah, thank you for clarifying that because that's important for thank you.

Okay, anything else?

Okay, please call a roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Good, yes, Martinez, yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne.

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes, the motion is approved 80.

Item E is the proposed purchase of Motorola Motorola Solutions APX 8500, mobile in vehicle radios for the fire department.

Uh the fire department in 2013 replaced the citywide radio system, including the mobile radios that are in all police and fire vehicles.

These radios are now at the end of their serviceable life, meaning they're no longer supported by Motorola and require replacement.

The process, the replacement process began last year with phase one, um, replacing the mobile radios in the police department vehicles.

Phase two is occurring now, and that will be replacing all mobile radios in the fire department vehicles.

The purchase of the APX 8500 from Motorola will provide a new level of radio technology coupled with maintenance support, ensuring public safety operations are not disrupted and remain a seamless experience.

This is through a state of Illinois joint purchasing cooperative agreement.

Move for approval.

Second move to second for approval.

Any discussion, Mr.

Steph.

Yeah, just a question that I didn't get to ask anybody.

Um probably crosses some minds as they read this memo.

Is there any way we can assure we won't have for instance these new radios be obsolete in 13 years?

Is there any way to 13 years?

Yeah, we know they're gonna be.

I mean, there's just no way.

It's just it's just gonna happen.

The industry changes, the technology changes.

I'm having that reply come from Councilmember Thorne, who we know doesn't like giving up any piece of old properties, particularly on a point.

Thank you, Councilmember.

I won't even be using it then.

Okay, anything else so far?

Uh just a quick question.

Uh I see that the quote had expired in March.

I'm assuming it still stands, just to confirm.

I would imagine that it does.

Okay.

That's not me sure.

Okay, clerk.

Please call a rule.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne.

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes, motions approved 8-0.

Uh staff is requesting that item F be tabled at this time.

Um motion to table item F.

Move the table.

Second.

Move the table.

Clerk, please call the rule.

Council Member Zalfaro.

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes, motions approved 8-0.

Green as it relates to the National Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project.

The bid for this work is item one on the regular council agenda.

The amendment to this agreement adds construction administration and observation services necessary to support the National Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project.

As I've said, included on this evening City Council agenda is a recommended construction contract award to Martham Construction and the amount of 2.7 million dollars for this work.

This amendment will allow our engineer H.R.

Green to provide the necessary construction oversight and administration services associated with the recommended contract construction award.

Move for approval.

Second.

Move and second for approval.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, Clerk, please call the roll.

Council members of Harlem.

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stephen?

Yes.

Thorne.

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motion's approved 8-0.

Announcements from the council.

Mr.

Ortiz.

I got one from our fearless leaders over in Swan.

I've got to pull up her message.

Give me one second.

Oh about the open house.

Yeah.

You got anything you want me to go?

I can go.

Yeah, you got it.

Can Mr.

Steffer?

I'll Mr.

I'll take the opportunity because I don't see anybody here.

Maybe they'll show up at seven.

Uh, but it's the 49th annual Foxtrot this weekend.

It's Saturday.

Um sorry, Sunday, Sunday.

Don't get it right wrong.

May 31st.

I think the races start off at 8 o'clock.

For the second year, they brought back the two-mile fun run.

It's a 10-mile or a 5k and a two-mile walk.

And registration for the second year in a row, or actually, maybe this is the first year, will you will not be able to register day of.

So you have to register the day before up to midnight or risk be out of luck.

Okay, Mr.

Ortiz.

All right.

I found it.

Uh a few weeks ago, uh, Alice Middle School had their open house for because they're closing the score down, and U46 are transferring their kids to uh to a new middle school.

Uh Lowry Elementary over in the Swan neighborhood is also closing down this year, I believe.

And uh the Swan membership had asked me to give the announcement that their open house is this Saturday, May 30th from one to three p.m.

So if you went to that elementary school growing up, or if your kids went there, if you ever live in the neighborhood or from the city of Algernon want to tour it before it closes permanently.

It's uh my daughter went there for a couple years before going to Creekside, and it's uh it's a very interesting building because there's stairs everywhere where's how Ellis was, so you'll see why it's getting closed and it's not AD accessible to our students.

So show up one to three this Saturday, May 30th.

Okay, Mr.

Thorne.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'd like to uh thank everyone that was involved in putting on the Memorial Day programs this past uh Monday.

Of course, there were two smaller ones at the two cemeteries, Mount Hope and Lakewood, then the uh larger one at Veterans Memorial Park, and then the main one that has been Elgin's tradition since 1868 at Bluff City Cemetery.

A special thank you to a city staff that was involved, like Sue back there, who ran all the audio and made it all work.

Thank you, Sue.

You did a great job.

And uh everyone that was involved, the Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association spent countless hours preparing.

Uh the program went very well.

Uh the one that is down at Veterans Memorial Park.

I think that uh a lot of you, anyone that has ever gone to that is familiar with Walter Porter, Walter Porter is the Navy Club representative, and he's also very involved in the Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association, and sadly to announce he passed away this morning.

Oh no.

Unexpectedly.

Um word.

Yesterday I had an email from his wife that said he lost his wallet.

Thought he lost it at the Memorial Day event at Bluff City.

Did anybody see it?

Have you talked to anyone that maybe found it?

And then today's email was a shocker.

Oh boy.

So uh no warning whatsoever.

Uh so my hearts go out to uh Pat and her son Mark and uh anyone else in the uh Porter family.

We thank them for all the work they've done over the years.

The other thing I'd like to note is that there has been a notable amount of fireworks in my neighborhood.

So I just want to remind people we have those signs.

Uh I know that they'll be coming out and they'll be in the lobby here, they'll be at the police department.

I'll be letting Anna know.

I don't I think I've narrowed it down to a couple houses that's doing what almost one every night, and it's those big aerial bombs.

My dog spends the evening in the basement shivering.

So hopefully we can get that under ramps.

Thank you.

Okay.

Ms.

Powell.

Thank you.

Um I'd like to say thank you and um uh wishing Liz Marston a happy retirement from the Elgin History Museum.

She's retiring um after 28 years of service.

And anyone who's ever gone to the Elgin History Museum or is familiar with it, has seen Liz, knows Liz.

Um, and she's always there.

She's been a big part of why the history museum is what it is today.

Um, obviously a lot of volunteers there, but uh with Liz at the helm, it really has um become a huge part of our community and uh done a lot for Elgin.

So I just want to thank Liz personally for all of her work and her service and welcome Rebecca Miller, who is a uh current staffer there at the museum who will be assuming the um the lead role at the museum.

So congratulations to Rebecca.

Uh Liz, don't be a stranger uh but enjoy your retirement, and there will be uh a thank you and welcome ceremony at the museum this coming Friday from 6 30 until 8 30.

There's more information on the History Museum website if you'd like to come and uh bid Liz farewell and uh welcome Rebel Rebecca in her new role.

Thank you.

Ms.

Martinez.

Thank you, Mayor.

There's uh two things excuse me.

On Saturday, um Saturday the 16th, um Algen Firefighters Memorial Service uh was held at um the fire department's um museum there on Arlington Avenue and St.

Charles, and it's something that takes place every year, and it seems to um grow more and more, and it's something that they invite the community to come and honor people who have fallen, and it's uh a sad time, but um I'm really impressed, and I thank um former chief um Mike Felice for putting this together, but it couldn't be done with the help of um our current chief, Rob Sagan, and it brings a lot of people within the Fox Valley area, and I'd like to say thank you for putting that together every year.

Second, I would also like to thank um John and Mike for the soft opening at Weam Park for um what is that called?

Um chip shots.

It's uh very nice.

I can't wait till they open it up.

I just want to make everybody understand that um golf is one of the few programs that pays for itself here in Algin.

We have three golf courses, and it brings people from all over the area.

Uh and people who come from all over the area come here, they eat here, they put gas in.

These are things that we need.

So I would like to thank them and their whole staff for um going ahead and having that soft opening, and we can't wait for it to open permanently.

Thank you.

Okay, Miss Alfaro.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh next Saturday is the Elgin Pride um parade and festival.

And so if you are in town, please check that out.

Um, it's from 11 to 5 at Festival Park, and there'll be a parade near there, so check it out.

And thank you to everyone that is organizing and planning that event.

Okay.

All right.

Um just a couple from me, and I have to uh echo Mr.

Thorne's comments uh about the passing of Walt Porter.

I've known Walter for uh twenty years and attended those ceremonies of laying a wreath on the Fox River and uh been very happy to be a participant in that, and Walt and his family have done great things with the Navy Club and with the Marine Corps to celebrate that.

Walter will be sorely missed, and it's uh a real shocker for me because I saw him Monday and talked to him uh for uh at length about the future of the event.

So uh very shocking to me.

Um other announcement.

Uh, over the weekend there was a uh notice in the paper that the city of Elgin has been designated as the number one city for health care for retirees in the United States.

And it's kind of a I don't have the uh link.

Well, it was in the Mr.

Rick sent me the uh link.

It was in the parade magazine, I believe the article was in the parade magazine.

And uh looks at the uh health care in the region and talks about the hospitals and the amount of uh uh clinics and surgeries that are local.

And Elgin was picked out of all the cities in the United States as the best for health care for uh retirees.

So that's a good thing for us, and a good thing for this city uh as we move into uh into the future.

That's something that we should be uh uh working hard to uh uh make a little bit better and think about those people that are retiring.

And my wife does uh transportation work for uh senior services, and as part of that, it's a volunteer organization helping retirees get to the doctor.

Something as simple as that.

They can't they may not have anybody to help them.

Uh that they don't go to their doctor's appointment, it's just about providing transportation.

So we do a lot of things here, and that's a really uh great reflection on the city.

At that point, we'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Second.

Move to second to adjourn.

Court, please call the role.

Council members of our own.

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes, Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Yes, we are adjourned.

We'll reconvene at the regular council meeting at seven PMU.

We're meeting for the Elgin City Council for May twenty-seventh of twenty twenty-six to order.

Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the played States of America and to the Republic for which one nation under God with liberty and justice.

Council members of our own present.

Dixon.

Good.

Here.

Martinez.

Here.

Ortiz?

Here.

Powell?

Here.

Stefan.

Here.

Thorne.

Here.

Mayor Captain.

Here.

Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of May 13th.

So moved.

Second.

Moved and second for approval.

Any corrections or additions.

Hearing none, Cork, please call a roll.

Council members off our own.

Yes.

Dixon.

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez.

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motions approved 9-0.

Can I can change my vote?

Can I upstain?

Can you abstain?

Yes.

I can, but I need to change my vote.

Okay.

We'll change that to uh zero eight zero and one abstention.

Yeah.

You weren't here.

Good reason.

Uh we have uh no communications this evening.

We have uh one person signed up for public comment.

Uh Matt Clark.

Good evening, Mayor and uh members of the city council.

My name is Matt Clark.

I serve as a secretary for both the Illinois Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and the Fox Valley Chapter of the Uh Sons of America Revolution.

Tonight it is our honor to recognize the city of Elgin for its outstanding patriotic spirit and continued commitment in honoring our nation's veterans and principles for which our American flag stands.

The American flag is more than fabric and colors.

It symbolizes freedom, sacrifice, unity, and the enduring ideals of our republic.

Across our nation, proper and respectful display of the flag represents a community dedication to remembering those who had defended our liberties and those who continue to serve.

The City of Belgium's display of the American flag at Veterans Memorial Park stands as a visible reminder of patriotism, uh, remembrance and gratitude.

This memorial park not only serves as a place of reflection for veterans and their families, but also a place where future generations can learn the importance of service to our nation.

On behalf of the National Society, Sons of the American Revolution, the Illinois Society, and the Fox Valley Chapter, we are proud to present this flag certificate to the City of Elgin in recognition of its proper patriotic display of the flag of the United States of America.

Thank you for your dedication and patriotism patriotism and honoring America's uh veterans.

Thank you very much.

Uh very quite an honor for our 250th birthday of the country.

Thank you very much.

Uh give it to the clerk.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate it.

More people are signing up or like that.

Okay.

Brings us to bids.

We have uh first item is bid number 26-017, National Street Bridge Rehab Project.

Move toward the bid to Mar Tam Construction Inc.

in the amount of two million six hundred and eighty-eight thousand seven hundred and thirty-one dollars.

Second.

Moved and second for approval.

Any discussion.

Hearing none, Clerk, please call a roll.

Council Member Zalfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorn?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motions approved 9-0.

Item two is a rooftop rooftop HVAC replacement at Highlands Golf Course Clubhouse.

Job order contract number, job order contract.

Mr.

Mayor, I recommend that we award the bid to train technologies for the replacement of rooftop units at the Highlands Golf Course Clubhouse.

Second.

Move and second for approval.

Any discussion.

Ms.

Alfar.

Thank you, Mayor.

Just one comment.

I saw in the in the quote that it's budgeted for 300,000.

But if they do it this year, it's 285,000.

So we would say 15,000 if we could try to encourage them to finish it by the end of this year.

Not sure if we can or can't, but if they could finish it by the end of this year, so it's only 285,000.

That would be great.

Court, please call the roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motions approved nine zero.

Brings us to other business.

The first item is a resolution authorizing execution of a change order number one with Illinois IHC construction companies, LLC for led uh year four, lead service line replacements.

Contract B.

Move for approval.

Second.

Move and second for approval.

Any discussion.

Hearing none, Clerk, please call a roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorn?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motions approved nine zero.

Item two is a resolution authorizing execution of a change order number one with IHC construction companies.

LLC.

Year four led service line replacement.

Contract C Move approval.

Second.

Moving and move for approval.

Any discussion?

Hearing none, Clerk, please call a rule.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motion's approved nine zero.

Item three is a resolution authorizing execution of an intergovernmental agreement with the Fox River Water Reclamation District for debris removal, tree removal, fencing, and related site cleanup work at the former 10th city property.

Move for approval.

Second.

It's been moved in second for approval.

Any discussion?

Mr.

Ortiz.

Once this uh project's done, will the whole owed encampment be uh fenced in now, city manager?

All we were missing was this forward's half, correct?

That's correct, council member.

So there will still be a demarcation between the city owned property and the forward property, somewhere north on those areas, but we will have an uh a continuous chain link fence extending from just north of Kimball Street all the way up to the forward property just south of south of Frazier.

And um forward is also undertaking the underbrush cleanup that makes it more difficult for people to begin squatting in those areas and when the foliage takes place.

So that'll be the that's the plan.

And have we had anybody try to cut the fence down and re-enter location since we put our side of the fence up?

Do you know?

I'm not aware of any instances where there's been destruction to the existing property.

I do know that forward, though, has had some instances where people, well, whether it's people that were displaced from Tent City or they've moved to to the forward property since the city's property has been fenced off, they've been having those issues, and I think that's part of what's driving this initiative.

All right, thank you.

Okay, anything else?

Okay.

Happy to get this finished up.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Council members alfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good, yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes, the motion's approved nine zero.

Item four is a resolution authorizing execution of a first amendment agreement with ATI restoration LLC for additional professional services in connection with the cleanup of certain property commonly known as 10th city.

Move for approval.

Second.

Then move and second for approval.

Any further discussion?

Hearing none, Clerk, please call a roll.

Council members alfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

The motion's approved nine zero.

Consent agenda.

Move for approval.

Second.

Second.

Moved and second for approval.

Any discussion?

Corrections or additions.

Hearing none, Clerk, please call a roll.

Council Members Alfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Abstain.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

The motion's approved eight zero with one abstention.

Miscellaneous business.

Move for approval.

Second.

Move and second for approval.

Any discussion?

Mr.

Ortiz.

I have uh a couple questions about the disbursement report.

The disbursement report?

Yes.

So it's uh number three.

The uh I check it every month or at the end of every month when we get them.

And I've been noticing some stuff being spent on procurement cards.

So let's have a few questions about those or not really questions, maybe they're concerns.

One is uh when uh as much on the city council section of the disbursement report.

When people go on uh trips and conferences, is it the city's responsibility to pay for the overweight bag fee?

Because in my opinion, it should be the traveler's responsibility to pay for that if their bag is overweight or not within the parameters of the airline they're flying.

Is there is there any like guidance from like uh purchasing or finance city manager of how things get charged or what gets approved and not approved?

Uh councilman, the city has it's primarily for staff, a purchasing manual that I think was last updated in 2017.

I know that the city's current procurement manager, Nick Etmanon is working through a process updating that.

I have to admit I don't have specific knowledge as to whether there's a reimbursement for an overweight bag.

My guess is that's something that would probably tell an employee to pack a little bit better, but that being said, um, what governs expenses by employees doesn't necessarily have to match what the council believes is appropriate.

So this is one where sorry, I'm I'm punting it back to you or the council to make determinations as to what expenses you believe are justified or not in that instance.

Okay, and then with that, there's uh some of our council members or colleagues on the council uh took the uh city managers vehicle down to Springfield, which saved us a lot of money, so I appreciate the council doing that, council members that did that.

But we are have Uber charges on here for over $100 going from home to a conference in Dixon, Illinois.

Uh do we offer the vehicle the city vehicle to any council member that wants to go to a conference when within the state or even maybe in like north west Indiana if it's something out there in by Hammond area.

There is a fleet vehicle in the city manager's office that would be for the purposes that you describe, it could be used for that.

I don't think that there would be any issue with that.

Okay.

So what I'm getting at is it seemed like there's a lot of transactions dating back to uh middle of last year or late last year, that it's a lot of conferences, a lot of Uber rides, uh check bag fees, one overweight bag fee.

And I did email the city manager when I we got the agenda over the weekend, and I asked him how much money's been spent out of the city council allocation from the budget.

Let me blow that up real quick.

So far, we have 9,000 allocated to the city council for expenditures for conferences and other miscellaneous things.

Uh to date, we've the city council spent $3,054 and 85 cents is about $6,000 left.

And there's like kind of an unspoken unwritten rule that over the $9,000, each council member gets about a thousand to go to conferences and whatnot.

So we're only what through quarter two, and we've already spent three thousand bucks.

And I keep saying we because me as a council, I should be more proactive in and talking about this and and trying to find uh a middle ground or a solution of all this spending we're doing with the with the credit cards.

So what and then the other thing too is like those people as council members going to dinners or lunches with community members to restaurants outside the city of Algin.

I think that if we're going to spend city money, we should spend that within the city of Algen and not go to area communities, which if they're gonna go to area communities for their for their dinners or lunches with community members, then they should pay for our pockets.

We all get paid to be on the council, and a lot of these expenditures we should pay for out of pocket.

So I don't know if anybody else has anything to say, but I think that I would like to see staff like if uh Mr.

Nick, sorry, I forgot his last name, is already going through the policy.

I like to see like an analysis of everything the council has spent in the past from 2025 to now and see what the money's getting spent on because some of these conferences we passed the council rules last fall that people have to come back with a report back to the council of what they learned, what the city benefited from, or if it was a waste of time and don't go to them again, and we haven't got any reports back from any of these conferences that council members have been going to.

So that's my problem with the disbursement report.

I'm not I'm gonna vote no for miscellaneous today because there's some things in here.

And then to add on to it, city manager.

When I started doing the deep dive into these, there's a discrepancies with what we've been voting on and what's on the transparency page on the website, they're not matching up.

There's probably about 15 line items that we approved but are not on the just on the transparency page.

And I like to see uh word for word for what the public can see, easy access on the transparency page, so what we vote on in our agenda packet, and we're missing a bunch of line items.

And some of them, in my opinion, being uh a normal dude that's not a millionaire, a couple hundred bucks is a lot of money, so I think the community should know when a couple hundred bucks are spent to go to a conference, stay at a hotel, or take an Uber.

Okay.

So I'm good, mayor.

Locally.

Uh any uh discussion.

Are you making a motion here or these uh just ideas you're presenting back to the manager or I'll make the motion?

Where are we headed here?

Uh I'll make a motion that uh for city staff to analyze the P card expenditures and conference expenditures for the city council from 2025 to current and uh update the city website to match and then come back with any uh best practice policies of what we should do.

If we're already doing best practices, then I guess we'll keep doing it, but if there's something we could fix, then there's something we could fix.

I second it.

It's been moved and seconded.

Um the motion is for staff to analyze the P Card expenditures from 2025 to present.

Make sure that the uh transparency page and the uh expenditures match, and your third one was best practices.

I heard best practices okay.

Analysis.

Okay.

If that's is that correct, Mr.

Ortiz?

Yes, Mayor.

Okay.

Okay.

We move on to second any discussion.

Uh Ms.

Powell.

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

Um I I guess I'm not aware of uh of what specifically um you know the concern is.

But I I I guess based on the motion, um, I guess I would like to see if we're gonna be looking at P card expenditures that it shouldn't just be um city city councils.

We should be looking at staff's pre um P card expenditures at will as well because they apparently they obviously use their P cards a whole lot more than we do.

Um so if we're going to you know look into that, which I you know I I think that's uh a legitimate practice.

I I think we need to be looking at all the the P card expenditures.

That would that would be my um that would be my my recommendation.

Okay, Mr.

Manager, if I council member staff routinely I and we can do this for you, but anything that shows up on this disbursement report staff is governed by the procurement manual, and so nothing ends up on this unless it comports with that council really isn't part of that, so there isn't a monitor other than receipts, there aren't any expenses that aren't just don't get involved in approving council expenses.

That's up to the council to make determinations as to what's appropriate.

So again, I'm suggesting that it that goes on for the organization, it happens on a regular basis.

Okay, it's up to the council to make determinations on what it deems appropriate for expenses by your colleagues here on the dives.

Right, and I know we just went through this, I think it was just last year or even earlier this year.

Um no last year, when we adopted our new council rules about um you know, going to different conferences and what's required, and so uh is the concern at least the concern I'm hearing from council member RTs is that you're seeing things that are inconsistent with what we adopted.

Is that correct?

Yes, some of that, and then some of like the overweight bag fee, like uh I think if I heard the city manager correctly, we we're not governed by anything for the city staff is by our understood you correctly, so we just spend it how we could spend on what we want.

But so my concern is just the spending of going to certain places and paying for certain things and the conferences.

But I guess, and I'm I'm hearing both of you, and I understand that, but we the city council is governed a lot of the same ways that staff is because I think one of the one of the rules that we adopted in terms of conference expenditures, um, you know, that you know, per diem is is the same for us as it is for for staff, and a lot of the same requirements for staff, um, you know, for for conferences apply to the comp you know uh apply to the mayor and city council as well.

But the conferences and PCAR are two different things.

But oh okay, no, I understand that.

But if you're putting conference expenses on the P Card, then you're expected to adhere to the same standards or requirements that staff has, like if you're going to a conference, except what you just mentioned that we adopted um that you you know provide some type of summary, like if you're going to a conference.

That's the only difference that I can recall offhand.

I I didn't pull it up to look at it, but I I would I remember us talking about that in a lot of depth.

So um I don't know about any other expenditures, but I mean I'm interested in hearing to what everyone else has to say.

Anybody else?

Ms.

Alparrow.

Thank you.

I think there should be guidelines.

Um so it's clean cut as a newer council member.

I wasn't given anything, I was given the P card.

Go.

I didn't even know if I should keep receipts or not.

I work in state government, so I know in government you just keep receipts, so I kept my receipt.

Then I got here and I was told I have to pay the sales tax, and I was like, oh, didn't you know I had to pay the sales tax, but okay, I'll pay the sales tax.

Um so if there's some kind of guidelines that it's easier for all council members as they're onboarded or on here so they could go and refer, I think would be helpful because we don't have that, and so a lot of it is unknown, and as you're traveling and you're doing things, you just assume certain things are covered.

Um and so if there is some clean guidelines and in clear direction, that would be helpful.

That's something that we could all like look over and have a discussion to make sure that we're all in agreement.

I think would be something that could help all of us as we're traveling and doing things.

Well, Miss Martinez.

Thank you, Mayor.

I believe that the city of Algen is really good at sponsoring a lot of our non-for-profits, a lot of their gallows, a lot of their uh dinners.

And when we go and we attend, I kind of like what Ms.

Alfaro said that like our tickets should be free, but if you bring somebody else, they should pay for that.

You know, uh, I I like that.

But um if you I'm sorry?

I don't think we said that.

Oh, we were just saying that I think uh you're referring to like an old discussion that we had that we did put that in there as part of like if you're going.

Our tickets are for us, and if it's not if we can't go, it has to go to either someone else on the dais or a commissioner, right?

But you added also if you take a spouse that maybe you should pay the spouses.

Yeah, I said that in the past, like if you take a plus one, you're you shouldn't have to.

And that's what I'm saying.

I like what you said that, yeah, you know, that but what I'm getting at is that um, you know, when I see something like uh uh I'm just putting it out there, open door health, you know, it's 125 fundraiser drag brunch or let's say uh community crisis um annual gala fundraiser for 125, all that adds up.

You know, I I'm like you.

I work for the federal government and you have to present everything for the union.

And um, you know, there was just things like if I met with somebody, we would just go Dutch, but I pay for it out of my own money.

And um, you know, I I feel that a lot of these things, you know, I just pay for myself or or subscriptions I pay for myself.

As I guess when you volunteer, you know, this right here is a job you get paid for it.

Not much, but we get paid for it.

I'm not complaining.

A lot of times when you volunteer, the true feeling is you are volunteering.

You always give more than what you give out, you know.

And in some of these expenses, I don't feel that's what's happening.

There's um a lot of us that don't need don't have for years have never had anything on our P cards.

And um I think with the expenses that I'm seeing now, you're right.

I think we should go ahead and make uh guidelines on on what should or shouldn't, or you know.

I always thought we didn't have to.

We never uh had this before, but I think now it's come to a time where we need to.

Thank you.

Okay.

Anything else?

Mr.

Stefan.

Yeah, well, I I just have a question for staff uh if it's something I'm missing, because I look over the disbursement report when we get it, and there the P cards are listed at the back by department and the employees or council members or whatever in the charges, but then there's also uh in the computer printout section of the disbursement report, there's a P card entry under I think it's fifth third bank, whatever the bank is, and then there's pages and pages of entries.

Are those the same, just reported in different ways, or those two separate um P card lists?

Not sure I understand the P cards are reported as part of the fifth third bank.

Is that is that yeah?

Uh well that's the that's where the first shows up if you start at the beginning, there's pages and pages.

It's just one day you could have several hundred entries, I'm assuming because there's different employees using P cards in different ways, and then you get to the back of the report, and there the report breaks out by P card by department, sorry, including city manager and council, which is where I had to go digging for what I think are some of the things that are people are bringing up.

Are those the same charges just reported in two different ways or are those two separate lists that have two separate sets of charges?

I guess that's what I'm trying to get at.

Yeah, and I I can't answer definitively for that.

I probably have to go back and check with who do who creates the report.

I don't want to go out on a limb and suggest that there's I would think that there isn't double reporting in this, but I don't want to I would too, but again, yeah, I'm I'm like with you, I'm not sure, so I just want to make sure, right?

I would too, but again, yeah, I'm I'm like with you, I'm not sure, so I just want to make sure, right?

Um anybody else?

Okay, Miss Alfaro.

I just wanted to ask Councilmember Ortiz who would consider amending his motion to add guidelines in there.

Oh yes.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um then second, then if it needs a second.

Do you need me to change a corporation council or can I just say yes?

I'm sorry?

Do you need me to change the whole motion?

Okay, can I just say yes that for what Ms.

Alparo wants?

Yeah, I I think at this point.

Um what I'm hearing is the motion is to direct staff to come back with guidelines on that will be contained in the purchasing manual updates.

Um I think um customer or teas, you mentioned the analysis of P card expenses from 2025 to current to current.

I'm just asking if I need to restate everything all over again for you.

Or if it's just fine to say I'm gonna add in what Ms.

Alfaro wanted.

Yeah, I I I it would be would be my opinion that it would be best practice to restate the motion.

Okay.

Okay.

Uh trying to remember what I said now.

All right.

I I motion that we do uh analysis of 2020 calendar year 2025 to current for uh city council creek card expenditures, add uh create guidelines for the usage of the city of the city's P cards, and uh update the city's website to reflect the disbursement report.

That was three, there was one more.

It was what matched uh to match the transparency page and provide best practices.

Oh, and provide best practices with the guidelines.

Okay.

We have a new that was we have a new motion and uh well the reports for the conferences are already part of the council rules.

Okay.

Okay.

So we have a new motion and uh this will provide some guidelines, and I think the uh original um was in a form of a uh was that in the form of an ordinance or a policy?

Anybody remember when we did the original uh council agreement the the council rules are an ordinance but I don't think the that ordinance goes in detail in how the money can be spent or how much money I didn't even know there was a thousand dollars to each council member to be honest.

That's new information today to me.

Okay, so I don't think that ordinance goes into detail.

So we can get that clarified as well, but a big believer in transparency, and I want us to be uh as match as closely as uh we uh we can to the employees that uh and uh uh that work for us.

I think that sends a message that there's not a necessarily a separate set of rules here.

And this is uh certainly something that uh we all talk about is transparency so that the public knows what goes on in government.

So this follows through that.

I uh support I will support that.

Okay, anything else?

Second, because there needed to be a second.

Mr.

Manager, I'm a council member Stefan.

I th I was able to scroll down to the bottom.

That isn't double billing on that.

That's breaking it down to make the ease to find up by departments.

That's what I think.

I didn't I didn't want to assume either.

No, I apologize.

I I finally got down to the bottom where it was my department.

Sorry.

That's enough.

Okay.

And we need a motion for approval of the amendment, correct?

Yes.

Second?

Right, what are we voting on?

I thought we were voting on the motion first.

Yes.

We have to wait.

He just restated the motion.

Oh, okay, I'm sorry.

Yeah, this is for the amended for your amended motion.

We need a motion for that.

Okay.

We still need a motion.

He's okay, made him.

Okay, moved and seconded.

So we need to vote on it.

Okay.

Ortiz moved.

Uh Ms.

Alfaro seconded the of the amendment.

Okay, clerk, please call a roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes.

Dixon.

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorn?

Yes.

Mayor Captain.

Yes.

Motion's approved 9-0.

Um, it brings us back to uh miscellaneous business.

Ms.

Alfar.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh so just wanted to give a quick update on behalf of miscellaneous.

Yes.

Oh, yeah, we're giving an update right now on the inclusivity ordinance.

Okay.

And then we had to bone.

And we'll do the motion, or we'll vote on the miscellaneous business right after.

Um so just to give every the community an update on what's going on with the inclusivity and diversity ordinance.

Um council member Dixon and I met with assistant city manager Hiller.

Um in the last two weeks is in the last meeting, Councilmember Dixon had mentioned that staff had done a deep dive into each initiative that we were looking into.

Um we will be having a verbal extensive elaborate um update from staff and so I'm not sure which meeting in June, but that will be happening in June.

Okay.

Anything else on miscellaneous business?

No.

Okay, entertain a motion to approve miscellaneous business.

So moved.

Second, moved and seconded court, please call the roll.

Councilmember Zalfaro?

Yes, Dixon, yes, good, yes, Martinez, yes, Ortiz, no, Powell.

Yes, Stefan?

Yes, Dorne?

Yes, Mayor Captain.

Yes, motions approved 8-1.

Announcements the next committee of the whole meeting will be Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 at 6 p.m.

in the council chambers.

The next regular meeting of the Elgin City Council will be Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 at 7 p.m.

in the council chambers.

I'd undertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Second.

Move and second to adjourn.

Court, please call the roll.

Council members alfaro?

Yes.

Dixon?

Yes.

Good.

Yes.

Martinez?

Yes.

Ortiz?

Yes.

Powell?

Yes.

Stefan?

Yes.

Thorne?

Yes.

Mayor Captain?

Yes, we are adjourned.