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City administrator updates council on development projects, sewer work and staffing; $432,982.16 reimbursement sought for BL Duke fire response
Summary
City Administrator Tony Graff and staff summarized several development projects, staffing updates, a pending reimbursement request tied to a fire incident, and operational items including water-meter replacements and training programs.
City Administrator Tony Graff told the Crest Hill City Council on March 3 that staff were tracking several development proposals and operational priorities, and that the city is pursuing reimbursement for costs tied to a private-company fire incident.
Graff listed four development matters that staff are monitoring: a fire district training facility scheduled for a March 13 public hearing at the planning commission; a resubmittal by Andy Storage that seeks to use asphalt rather than all concrete (planning commission date noted in March); the old City Hall property, where design/topography issues have slowed a proposed prototype building and staff expect a revised concept plan; and an update on buyers for the old City Hall property. Graff also said community development staff sent a list of new and closed businesses and reported the recent closure of Joliet Patterns multimedia printing.
On emergency-response expenses, Graff said the city finished its report on the BL Duke fire incident and is preparing a reimbursement request to the responsible company for $432,982.16. "We plan on going to the company and give them an update on the report," Graff told the council; he added the Lockport Fire Protection District has submitted a reimbursement request of its own and no confirmation of recovery has been received to date.
Operational and staffing items in Graff’s report included: hiring two part-time building inspectors (background checks underway; training scheduled), recruitment through MGT (about 30 candidates submitted) with a proposed special meeting April 8 to review candidate materials, ongoing water-meter replacements with a proposed $75 manual-read fee for customers who decline smart meters, and increased collection efforts for unpaid "places for eating" tax receipts including administrative hearings and potential legal action.
Graff also updated the council on the sanitary-sewer treatment project, noting one clarifier is behind in processing sludge and the city is establishing a temporary holding area while it seeks more farms willing to accept biosolids spreading. Public-works training arranged through the city’s insurance provider will be available at no cost for several safety topics; one contracted, non-certification flagger session will cost $1,300.
Finally, Graff said the city’s website host will begin a roughly four-month redesign process and staff will be asked to review design options before the council sees final designs. He asked councilmembers to indicate availability for a tentative April 8 special meeting on recruitment and said staff would distribute an electronic candidate book a week before that date.
Why it matters: The BL Duke reimbursement could offset emergency costs owed by the city; staffing and procurement decisions (water meters, vehicle orders noted elsewhere on the agenda) have budget implications; and proposed changes to collection and licensing enforcement were referred for further staff action.
What happens next: Staff will pursue the reimbursement claim, finalize hiring and training schedules, prepare materials for the April 8 recruitment meeting and bring business-license enforcement and collection proposals to an upcoming work session.
