Regular Village Board Meeting - February 4, 2025
Regular Village Board Meeting - February 4, 2025
The Oswego Village Board held a regular meeting on February 4, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included recognitions, a public forum, approval of a consent agenda, consideration of an economic incentive agreement for 19 East Jackson Street, and related sewer/water service agreement. Trustees also discussed the grocery tax and future meeting agendas.
Consent Calendar
- G1-G12: All items on the consent agenda were approved unanimously via roll call vote. These included approval of minutes, liquor license decreases for Playtime Soccer and Primo's Tacos, a debt issuance and management policy, a phase II engineering contract for Wolf's Crossing and Douglas Road roundabout ($59,486 plus fixed fee), appointment of Assistant Village Administrator Jean Bueche as plan coordinator for Mission Square, a sewer manhole rehabilitation contract with Visu-Sewer of Illinois ($217,630), final acceptance for Redwood Apartments Phase 1, purchase of a 2025 John Deere Gator ($27,605.96), and purchase of a 2024 Ford Super Duty F-250 ($61,625).
Public Comments & Testimony
- A resident (Michelle) raised a concern about a roundabout on Grove Road, noting that a cyclist reported narrow parkways and low curbs causing cars to jump onto the roadside at high speeds. The resident requested consideration of guardrails or higher curbs. Village President Kaufman responded that the intersection is under county jurisdiction but offered to have staff contact the county on the resident's behalf.
Discussion Items
- J1: Ordinance Approving Economic Incentive Agreement for 19 East Jackson Street – Kevin (staff) presented a request from 19 Jackson Street, LLC (owner Peter Metro) for up to $38,672 based on a project budget of $77,345 to split utilities between the property and the adjacent Chamber building. The preferred option (directional boring) costs $74,870 and avoids disturbance. The village had allowed utility extension decades ago on condition the lot not be subdivided, but it was later subdivided, creating the need. Staff recommended approval, noting that the chamber supports the plan. Trustee Tom Geist expressed support but voiced concern that approval would deplete the downtown incentive fund for 11 months, suggesting the board consider increasing the fund or allowing additional projects. The board agreed to discuss fund replenishment at a future Committee of the Whole. The ordinance was approved unanimously as amended (removing legal fee language and adding permit fee waiver).
- J2: Resolution for Sewer and Water Service Agreement to 19 East Jackson Street – Rod (staff) explained that this agreement between the village, the chamber (25 E. Jackson), and 19 Jackson Street LLC provides utility easements and allows 19 Jackson to perform work with village inspections. It resolves a 40-year-old issue. The resolution was approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Votes: Consent agenda (all ayes), bill list ($1,248,041.09) (all ayes), J1 ordinance (all ayes), J2 resolution (all ayes) – all passed unanimously.
- Bill List: Approved in the amount of $1,248,041.09.
- Future Agenda: The board agreed to place a discussion on the grocery tax on the April 22, 2025, Committee of the Whole meeting, after staff can provide updated financial projections and after the annual trip to Springfield for legislative networking.
- Upcoming Event: State of the Village on February 26, 2025, at 4:30 PM at Village Hall.
- Recognitions: Cathleen Nevara (20 years of service, Police Department) was honored; Bridget (Communications) was recognized for her contributions on her last day.
Trustee Reports
- Trustees reported on legislative events (breakfast, lunch), the Senior Center's Denim & Diamonds fundraiser (attendance grew), and the Kendall County Regional Planning Commission meeting. Gratitude was expressed to outgoing staff.
Meeting Transcript
In tonight's Pledge of Allegiance. If you all please rise and join the Chief in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands undervisible with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please. President Kaufman. Here. Trustee Geist. Present. Trustee John Senate. Present. Trustee Kart. Present. Trusty McCarthy Lang. Present. Excuse me, Trusty Novi. Present. Trustee Torres. Present. First up, we have uh recognitions and appointments. Um we have a special one this evening, Kath Kathleen Navara. Twenty years of service to our Oswego police department. Uh Kathleen could not be here with us this evening, but uh she's been an invaluable member of the police department for for two decades. So I want to continue uh wishing her all the best and many more years to come. Next up, we will open the public forum. If there's anyone who would like to speak, please feel free to come forward now. I don't have any green slips, so anyone can feel free to come down. Hi there. Um so I was talking with a gentleman in the community Saturday, um, and I meant to send this to you, Dan, and I apologize. Um this is uh uh has to do with a roundabout on Grove Road. He's a cyclist when he when he drives his bird drives his bike when he rides his bike around the area uh upgrode road, he said the you know he's talking about and I drove it. The parkway's really thin now, uh narrow because of the fact that the roundabout has taken up that parkway. The problem is is that that lip that the uh the side of the road is not uh high enough, and he's had a couple cars that have not been paying attention and taking the roundabout at about 45, 50 miles an hour, and so they accidentally jump up onto the side of the road and he's had to you know kind of veer off. So he just wanted to know if there was any possibility or any plan for there to be any kind of guardrail or a higher curb or anything like that. I just wanted to bring it to your attention because he mentioned it. I said he should come here for public forum. I don't see him, and I didn't want it to get um passed up. So it wasn't really a complaint, just uh resident making a suggestion, and so I don't know if that's in the works or even in our purview here. Uh it is a county intersection, but I could you know have Kurt or Public Workshop to reach out to the county on that resident's behalf and see if there's something they can do about it. He said he almost got hit like twice, so yeah. Thanks. Thanks, Michelle. Anybody else wishing to address the board this evening? Seeing nobody, we will close the public forum and move on to staff reports. Dan do have one report this evening. I'll turn it over to Jean. Thanks, Dan. Uh as you all know, Bridget's last day with the village is tomorrow, so I wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude for her dedication and contributions over the past three years. Bridget has played a large role in shaping our communication strategy, strengthening our brand presence, and ensuring clear and impactful messaging across all channels. Bridget's efforts in assisting with village events has been significant in engaging the community and ensuring successful outreach and participation. We are excited for the next chapter in her career and wish her every success in her new role.
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