[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6151770,"mediaKeyId","5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15","parentId",5501281,"title","Consultant outlines options as St. Charles weighs IMEA contract renewal","audioSeconds",4854,"startMs",426000,"endMs",5280000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15&start=426&end=5280","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15/thumbnail_426000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6151770/Illinois/Consultant-outlines-options-as-St-Charles-weighs-IMEA-contract-renewal","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6151770-923ad7e8ce7a9f0c24985285435b9cda/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930045&Signature=aVZ4F-l3MquIpgHe1rwU-NeSh9kYaM9OEfI1qEcYMKiulCb5Kzfn68twjRDs7hRWygCblYz7MHsa2Ucmr3YOkLcedeE-cV8AFkOjToU-8-51hF1fFafkByVhsRMk8yW9f~czoyT~1x~wCqXuPIEi9mVuEVJEYOJDK1faQ2WA2WOFam5qaepxT4yq81mrGILGMgyY2wPIfZHtBXYGU3LxtIX1hBUjAHsdEAfO18oBY7qvJatmW4m2KKQ7Y~YstEEbQV~TFpz3yfv4X--2j19U9V5zljqCOM9GvRkLbJZsjaoKbZ83T77z0X4Ug4aHZspF90SJB37ejTwOWmf5Yy4YPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Saint Charles, IL","date","2025-07-29T16:24:50Z","article","Energy consultant Sean Kessler gave St. Charles officials a detailed briefing on the city's power-supply choices as the city considers whether to sign a proposed Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) contract by an August 19 deadline.

Kessler said the decision before the council is whether to accept the IMEA contract as written by the deadline or to pursue an alternative path. \"The current decision on the table is whether or not to sign the proposed IMEA power supply contract by the deadline of August 19 as is,\" he said.

The presentation outlined three practical paths: sign the new IMEA contract that would begin Oct. 1, 2035 and run under the proposed terms; decline and pursue a competitive procurement with third-party power suppliers; or pursue partial or full self-supply or membership in a different joint action agency. Kessler emphasized that, regardless of the council's decision by Aug. 19, IMEA would continue serving the city under the existing contract through September 2035.

Why it matters: IMEA represents a pool of 32 municipal members and owns shares in coal-fired plants that currently supply a large fraction of St. Charles's power. Kessler said retirement of debt service on the agency's coal plants around 2035 should reduce IMEA's cost to members by roughly 25 percent, which he described as roughly \"about 4'cents per kilowatt hour,\" but he cautioned that other costs could change and that the reduction is not guaranteed in every future scenario.

Key facts and tradeoffs
- Current contract and timeline: The existing full-requirements IMEA contract runs through September 2035; the proposed replacement contract would begin Oct. 1, 2035. IMEA set an Aug. 19 deadline for members to accept the proposed contract as presented.
- Scope of service: Kessler said IMEA currently supplies full requirements (energy, capacity, transmission, ancillary services) to the city; PJM, the Regional Transmission Organization, manages grid reliability and delivery irrespective of which supplier provides energy.
- Renewable carve-out: The proposed IMEA contract would allow members to source a small portion of supply from renewables (described in the contract as up to 10% of peak billing demand, which Kessler explained equates to roughly 2.5'to 3% of energy consumed).
- Alternatives: St. Charles could run a competitive procurement and contract with retail power marketers (examples cited included Constellation and NextEra) for fixed or variable terms commonly in the 3'to 12-year range. Kessler said such providers can supply full requirements without the city having to build a trading desk or add staff.

Financial and operational considerations
Kessler presented historical price comparisons showing IMEA's delivered prices were higher than an average of several large retail power marketers in past years after adjustments for delivery voltage and customer mix. He said estimates for prior years suggested a premium in the range of millions per year (his analysis cited figures roughly in the $7'to $9 million per year range for 2016'2023 under particular assumptions), but he cautioned that comparisons are sensitive to methodology, timeframe and customer-class mixes.

On contract length, Kessler said IMEA's long-term approach is linked to past financing for generation projects and debt service obligations. By contrast, private power marketers generally prefer shorter rolling terms. \"Most of their contracts are probably in the 3 to 7 years,\" Kessler said of private suppliers, though he added that some marketers now offer longer terms.

Reliability and emissions
Kessler noted that day-to-day delivery reliability would be unchanged by a change in supplier because PJM manages dispatch and transmission. He also described IMEA's stated sustainability target of zero emissions by 2050 but cautioned that the contract does not legally commit members to that schedule. He referenced a state-level law discussed in the presentation as \"the CJA law,\" noting the law's role in setting statewide emissions limits and transition timelines as described in the briefing.

Next steps and public engagement
Council members and staff asked follow-up questions about procurement timelines, the feasibility and cost of high-renewables portfolios, and whether partial requirements (splitting supply between IMEA and other suppliers) would be possible; Kessler said partial requirements are feasible and pointed to Batavia as an example. Staff indicated a follow-up meeting had been scheduled for Aug. 11 to address remaining questions.

Quotes from the briefing
- \"The current decision on the table is whether or not to sign the proposed IMEA power supply contract by the deadline of August 19 as is,\" Kessler said.
- \"There's plenty of municipalities that do that in some form or fashion,\" he said when describing municipalities that self-supply or use alternate procurement arrangements.

What the council did: discussion and direction
The presentation was informational; the transcript records no formal council vote on the contract during the meeting. Staff announced a follow-up meeting scheduled for Aug. 11 to continue the discussion and to permit additional outreach to alternative suppliers before the Aug. 19 decision date.

Ending: The briefing closed with council members thanking Kessler and noting the topic will return for further committee and council consideration. The presentation included data appendices and Kessler said he would send an updated slide deck the following morning.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Government Services Committee Meeting 7-28-25","oneSentenceSummary","Energy consultant Sean Kessler gave St. Charles officials a detailed briefing on the city's power-supply choices as the city considers whether to sign a proposed Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) contract by an August 19 deadline.","taxTitle","Saint Charles City, St. Charles County, Illinois","taxId",53340,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6151760,"Council approves asphalt patching contract; $16 per square yard bid unchanged from last year",154,48000,202000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15&start=48&end=202","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15/thumbnail_48000.jpg","/articles/6151760/Illinois/Council-approves-asphalt-patching-contract-16-per-square-yard-bid-unchanged-from-last-year","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6151760-0f2e3484f7874be49e8cd5ce74ad3ea1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930045&Signature=hi7AO4Z6KDlCJhT6bmY5cw7530jkvZvEkUbKFZHKKi47Znt~YJpXdC2fnAZAY4HlRtanHCN~y8CywqAswwdJUzi6y-GphOYYZw246ZgbEeo0049isbKnywBQthsYQMF8n4ItuaNLwA4A~1gBSbQKMbauVsusEjMeTjAJ91yrzqbd3b7wU0rgU6FmmaoIN01WYNUuofTMJhFp0tIMVI~K5c-~CZxgoWzxlDRI0kRvlG4J9iHdo9VnNeYqkkfImTi2KF~Ze3AghPnRhxXgsAdO7H73W~8~a23kWi0nkuTkVb9W2ZB9iFNyAB6gxqeuAvTDdQDPrH-ir40C~rSD9SNxpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The council approved a resolution awarding the asphalt patching services contract to Chicagoland Paving of Lake Zurich after staff said the company was the lowest responsive, responsible bidder.

Public Works staff member Adrian told the council the annual patching program targets mid-level streets and seven alleys for a 2-inch grind-and-overlay resurfacing, described as a \"shave and pave\" rather than full-depth reconstruction. \"This year, we'll be patching roads on both sides of the city as well as 7 alleys throughout the community,\" Adrian said.

Staff reported receiving four qualified bids and said Chicagoland Paving of Lake Zurich was the lowest responsive bidder and performed well in prior years. The bid price of $16 per square yard was presented as unchanged from the prior year and described by staff as the lowest in seven years. Staff estimated the program is a quick operation, with a shave one day and pave the next workflow; last year's program of comparable size was completed in roughly three weeks.

Council action
A motion to approve the resolution was made and seconded during the meeting and the item passed on roll call.

Why it matters: The program is intended to extend the life of mid-condition road segments by roughly a decade, according to staff, and allows the city to address numerous small segments and alleys without the expense of reconstruction.

Ending: Staff said the city will post an interactive project map online so residents can see proposed resurfacing locations and that the contractor intends to work through the summer with short-duration closures per block.","Council approved a resolution awarding the city's asphalt patching services contract to Chicagoland Paving of Lake Zurich, the lowest responsive responsible bidder; the program will target mid-level roads for 2-inch grind-and-overlay resurfacing and includes seven alleys.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6151765,"Council approves consultant design contracts for Hampton Hills and Illinois Street bike-ped improvements",3069,171000,3240000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15&start=171&end=3240","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5501281-a5e10c70d18014c5d36346d48dcc7f15/thumbnail_171000.jpg","/articles/6151765/Illinois/Council-approves-consultant-design-contracts-for-Hampton-Hills-and-Illinois-Street-bike-ped-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6151765-e43589945334d0ff9e9b76a359ccc649/orig.mp4?Expires=1770930045&Signature=ZCw-0CH~YBwljl0KDQIEY7rd2d2vqV9cEdrWPJfc57h7R4qJ66TKOBpgHXPS8c5kgoYlxCqDWSMczT~1O7xvB2VBa31wtgj~pGuRlAoEyxOB-nWHL9NpkDyBXYPHX53qy9IBYGcc8Fi4n7ApeUeX7xUXHx~CySkKE8UZOn19bpGy4iH95nTr4vyukMg8fvHouz4Xv~6krGBBD5r0Lx8ZOmNhMDeS2xTIga-rrpwdci0LRlzrhodZ4rdVrrz~SZjPp2MGiU3tV12BWsyu2zhwieF4PnQO-vQJyxXZuFmY-aUlj--nopBVHcl6lxVrBd9Mqt64UPXqrXOyrYZsML1~2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Charles council members approved consultant contracts to advance two bicycle and pedestrian projects identified in the city's bike-and-pedestrian plan: Phase 1 engineering for Hampton Hills Road and Phase 1 and 2 design for Illinois Street/Illinois Avenue.

Staff said Hampton Hills Road between Peck Road and Oak Street is a priority corridor where Phase I engineering will evaluate treatments, conduct a preliminary environmental review and produce basic plans suitable for grant applications. The goal is to complete Phase I engineering in time to apply for the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) 2026 grant; staff said the grant award would be announced in early 2027 and construction could begin in 2028.

The council received seven proposals for Hampton Hills and selected GFP (noted in the presentation as formerly Transystems) as the most qualified consultant. Committee remarks said GFP previously designed the multi-phase Coutts Road reconstruction and secured substantial grant funding for that project.

On Illinois Street and Illinois Avenue — the corridor between Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue that connects the school, central business district and the library — staff recommended awarding Phase 1 and 2 engineering to Civiltech Engineering. The scope presented includes consideration of shared lanes, dedicated bike lanes east of the river and intersection/realignment improvements at Riverside and Illinois; staff said Civiltech helped create the city's bike-and-ped plan and designed the Illinois mid-block crossing.

Public comment during the meeting reiterated pedestrian and multimodal concerns for those corridors and for downtown access. Resident Tom Anderson praised the recently completed crossings and said the Hampton Hills project will fill a \"missing link\" where sidewalks are currently lacking, and urged the city to proceed with the phases as needed. Anderson also asked the council to prioritize the Illinois-Riverside intersection, noting crowded pedestrian conditions there. He urged improvement of parking-lot lighting and security cameras at the Baker North lot to better serve downtown merchants and visitors.

Council action and votes
- Hampton Hills Road Phase I engineering: motion by Brian, second by Steve; roll call recorded affirmative votes and the resolution passed.
- Illinois Street/Illinois Avenue Phase I and II engineering: motion by Steve, second by Bob; roll call recorded affirmative votes and the resolution passed.

Why it matters: Both projects were identified in the city's bike-and-pedestrian plan and are framed as priorities for safety, school access and downtown connections. Staff said completing Phase I engineering strengthens future grant applications and positions the city for external funding.

What remains: Phase I deliverables for Hampton Hills are intended to support the 2026 ITEP grant application; staff gave a 2028 target for the start of construction contingent on funding. The Illinois Street design will advance detailed engineering and intersection improvements for later phases.

Ending: Council approved both consultant selections and instructed staff to proceed with contract execution and next steps toward design and grant readiness.","The city authorized Phase 1 design contracts for Hampton Hills Road improvements and Phase 1/2 design for Illinois Street/Illinois Avenue, advancing work identified in the city's bike-and-pedestrian plan; public comment emphasized missing sidewalk links and downtown parking concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Consultant outlines options as St. Charles weighs IMEA contract renewal

Council approves asphalt patching contract; $16 per square yard bid unchanged from last year

Council approves consultant design contracts for Hampton Hills and Illinois Street bike-ped improvements