Carbondale Reporter

City of Genoa City Council met April 16.

Here is the agenda provided by the council:

I. CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL

II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

III. GUEST SPEAKERS

A. UPDATE FROM BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

IV. PUBLIC COMMENT

V. OLD BUSINESS

VI. CONSENT AGENDA

A. MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

1. THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 2, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING

2. THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 2, 2025 PUBLIC HEARING

3. THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLES DATED APRIL 15, 2025

4. THE USE OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT AND CLOSURE AND USE OF NORTH EMMETT STREET AND SOUTH GENOA STREET DURING THE GENOA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2025 CRUISIN’ TO GENOA CAR SHOW ON AUGUST 16, 2025

5. THE USE OF CITIZEN’S/CARROLL PARK DURING THE GENOA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RUMBLE ON THE RIVER ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2025

6. THE USE OF CITIZEN’S/CARROLL PARK DURING THE GENOA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GREAT GENOA DUCK RACE EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2025

7. USE OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT AND USE AND CLOSURE OF SOUTH GENOA STREET AND MONROE STREET DURING THE GENOA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2025 CELEBRATE THE SEASON DOWNTOWN EVENT DECEMBER 5, 2025

8. USE OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT DURING THE G-K FIRE DISTRICT ANNUAL GENOA DAYS EVENT FROM MAY 27 TO JUNE 1, 2025

9. CLOSURE AND USE OF NORTH GENOA STREET, NORTH MONROE STREET, AND NORTH EMMETT STREET, AND SOUTH EMMETT STREET FROM ROUTE 72 TO THE EAST AND WEST BOUND ALLEYS DURING THE G-K FIRE DISTRICT ANNUAL GENOA DAYS EVENT MAY 27 – JUNE 1, 2025

10. USE OF CITIZEN’S/ CARROLL PARK DURING THE EGGAPALOOZA EVENT ON APRIL 26, 2025

11. USE OF CITIZEN’S/CARROLL PARK DURING THE KISHWAUKEE VALLEY WANDERERS KAYAK & CANOE THE KISH EVENT ON JULY 12, 2025

12. USE OF CITIZEN’S/CARROLL MEMORIAL PARK FOR THE VOLKSFEST EVENTS SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2025

13. USE OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT BY AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE FOR A CUSTOMER APPRECIATION LUNCH ON JUNE 21, 2025

14. THE USE OF THE MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT AND CLOSURE AND USE OF SOUTH EMMETT STREET AND SOUTH GENOA STREET DURING HARVEST FESTIVAL ON OCTOBER 4, 2025

VII. NEW BUSINESS

A. APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GENOA, ILLINOIS TO AMEND PRIOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2024-26

This Ordinance amends Ordinance 2024-26, which authorized the City of Genoa to borrow funds from the Public Water Supply Program through the IEPA for the City-wide lead service line replacement project. The purpose of the amendment is to modify section 2 of the ordinance to allow the City to extend the term to 30 years as opposed to 20 years. The reason for this is because the program allows 30-year terms for lead service line replacement and the interest is 0% and therefore it is in both the City’s and residents best interests to utilize the extended term allowed.

B. APPROVE AN ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING A MUNICIPAL GROCERY RETAILERS’ OCCUPATION TAX AND MUNICIPAL GROCERY SERVICE OCCUPATION TAX FOR THE CITY OF GENOA

In 2024, the State of Illinois decided to eliminate the 1% statewide tax on grocery sales, with the repeal taking effect on January 1, 2026. This tax was previously collected by the state and then redistributed to municipalities to fund essential services like police protection and street maintenance. With the tax repeal, the State now allows municipalities the option to implement a 1% grocery tax to replace the lost revenue. The ordinance under consideration would establish this local grocery tax, which would not result in an increase in overall taxes. Instead, it would directly replace the state tax that is no longer being collected and provided to the City. Of the 20 surrounding communities surveyed, 1 has decided not to implement the tax, 4 are still considering it, and 15 have already adopted or plan to adopt the tax to make up for the revenue loss from the State. This ordinance would be filed with the Illinois Department of Revenue before October 1, 2025, to become effective on January 1, 2026.

C. APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO PURCHASE AN F-550 WITH THE SNOW FIGHTER UPFITTING PACKAGE FROM KUNES AUTO GROUP, NOT TO EXCEED $128,605

This is to replace a 1994 Ford Diesel Dump Truck that has exceeded its useful service life and qualifies for immediate replacement based on the City’s Fleet Assessment. The cost to purchase this truck through a purchasing cooperative that provides competitively priced contracts, would be $128,000. Kunes Auto Group has offered to match the cooperative price and purchasing through Kunes will drastically reduce the standard vehicle build and upfitting lead times, which was projected to exceed 1 year with the cooperative purchasing.

D. APPROVE A SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF MUNICIPAL BIOSOLIDS FOR GENOA, IL WASTEWATER AUTHORITY WITH SYNAGRO CENTRAL, LLC

Through the wastewater treatment process, the City treats, stores, and disposes of biosolids, also known as sludge. This process is regulated by the IEPA and is required to be hauled away by a contractor which transports the sludge from the plant to its final destination (land application). The City contracts with Synagro for this service with the current contract expiring at the end of 2025. Public Works has negotiated a CPI increase on the current rate and a 1 year extension of the contract. This will increase costs $1,063 annually.

E. APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE CRACK ROUTING AND FILLING SERVICES WITH SKC CONSTRUCTION INC., NOT TO EXCEED $23,000

Following the development of the City’s Pavement Maintenance Program in 2024, the City is now implementing the program with a particular focus on crack filling. Crack filling can be used to seal surface cracks, ultimately reducing long-term repair costs and preserving road quality. Based on the data collected, a substantial portion of the Oak Creek Subdivision qualifies for crack filling and is being selected for this year’s crack fill work. The City partnered with DeKalb County to benefit from bulk pricing under the County’s bid, ensuring more work could be done for the amount budgeted in Fiscal Year 2025-2.

F. APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO CONTRACT FOR STREET PATCHING OF VARIOUS CITY STREETS WITH CURRAN CONTRACTING, NOT TO EXCEED $12,715

Each year, the City conducts street patching. In 2025, the City has identified a number of areas, some from deterioration and others from water main repairs, that are in need of patching, totaling 3,560 square feet. This work would be done before the fiscal year ends (April 30th).

G. AUTHORIZE THE UTILITY BILLING CLERK TO WRITE OFF OUTSTANDING BALANCES FROM CLOSED UTILITY ACCOUNTS, NOT TO EXCEED $2,844.61

Staff is requesting these bills be written-off after multiple attempts to collect the past due bills, including the State’s Local Debt Recovery Program. These water and sewer bills are from between 2018 and 2023. Writing off these inactive accounts allows the City to reconcile utility billing accounting.

H. RECOGNITION OF ALDERMAN FREUND AND ALDERMAN HUGHES UPON THEIR RETIREMENT

VIII. FUTURE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

IX. DEPARTMENT REPORTS

X. ANNOUNCEMENTS

XI. MOTION TO ADJOURN

*To respect the agenda and flow of the meeting, the Mayor may limit audience participation to 5 minutes per speaker and/or a total of 30 minutes for this portion of the agenda.

https://www.genoa-il.com/media/3791