Harrisburg City Council met Jan. 3.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The Harrisburg City Council met on January 3, 2019 at 6:00 pm in the Council Room of City Hall Harrisburg, Illinois.
Mayor John McPeek presided over the meeting with Commissioners Natalie Miller, Beth Montfort, Richard Harper and Mike Weirauch answering roll call.
Pastor Dan Masters from the First Church of God led the group in prayer and the pledge.
Commissioner Harper made a motion to approve the following items under the Consent Agenda:
1. Regular Meeting Minutes of December 20, 2018.
2. Check Register and Warrant Report for December 2018.
3. Bill from Brown & Roberts for South McKinley Street flooding in the amount of $1,004.01.
Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Jim Brown of Brown & Roberts stated he and Matt Tosh had been working on a preliminary engineering report for a sewer plant as authorized by Council in March of 2018. He stated it was for a potential new sewage treatment plant. He stated there had been five meetings, one of which had received community input. He stated the committee had visited several sewage treatment plants and had determined a Schreiber system, like the one at Murphysboro, was the most desirable.
Brown stated three major things had been considered in preparing the report which he distributed. He stated the March 2017 letter from the IEPA encouraged the City to either replace the current structure or do a rehabilitation of the current structure. The current structure was built in the 30’s and upgraded in the 60’s so its life span was reaching an end. Secondly, because of development near the current site, an odor issue has become a major issue. Thirdly, during the flood of 2008, the plant was completely surrounded and could possibly have had to be shut down. He explained that typically sewage treatment plants were built on a gravity feed basis so they were built in the lower part of a city, which is now in a flood prone area plus surrounding development has been a contributor to the flooding issue. The location of a new plant was determined to be best located on north Veterans Drive which is 100 acres of City owned property and close to the City operations building.
Brown stated four alternatives were considered. One possibility was to do nothing, which is not a possible alternative for the reasons listed in the report. Secondly, constructing or expanding at the present location was ruled out because of possible flooding issues, lack of space and the odor issue. Thirdly, constructing a new plant with or without parallel units were the last two alternatives. Brown stated that Harrisburg was fortunate in that, if the plant goes down, like what happened several years ago, all sewage could be pumped to side reservoirs. He stated that at time all sewage was directed out there for five months while the plant was off-line. He stated his recommendation was to present to the IEPA a new Schreiber system plant with non-parallel units on north Veterans Drive.
Brown asked Tosh to explain the components of a new Schreiber system with non-parallel units. Tosh referred to the Exhibit XIII in the report which showed an influent flow structure, screen, grit chamber, splitter boxes, aeration tank, clarifier, pumping station, digester, sludge drying beds and, for possible future construction, a disinfection structure. Tosh stated also in the report is an explanation of a sludge screw press which eliminates odor and could be bid as an alternative but there would be some additional construction costs as well as additional maintenance costs for it.
Commissioner Montfort asked about the flood plain and this proposed site. Brown stated there would not be a flooding problem at this location. Brown pointed out that everything from the Pankey branch system flows to the present location.
Brown stated the thing to do now, if the City wishes, is to submit the report to the IEPA along with an application. He stated the process would take several months of review and it would be five years before construction could begin. Mayor McPeek stated Murphysboro had taken seven years to complete. Commissioner Montfort asked what would be the earliest possible start date and Brown stated five years. He explained the steps of getting the report approved, followed by detailed design which goes to the agency who has their own engineers who become involved plus the financing would be another situation to resolve. Brown stated the City would not be through with the paperwork for at least three years.
Commissioner Harper moved to authorize Brown & Roberts to file the report and application. Commissioner Weirauch seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Mayor McPeek opened a bid from Debra Suver for 118 South Jackson in the amount of $1,000.00. Commissioner Weirauch moved to accept the bid. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Weirauch moved to authorize Attorney Bittle to prepare the necessary paperwork for the sale of 118 South Jackson. Commissioner Miller seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Commissioner Montfort stated the Police do gun training at the local gun range but more realistic training would be better with an outside facility. She thought there would be some City property where that could be established. She stated possibly City workers could be used to build it during this time of non-mowing season. She stated Officers Moore and Leverett will get together some information and needed financing to present at the next meeting.
Commissioner Harper stated that HMG Engineering Inc. would be presenting the water study report at the next meeting and would be presenting each Council member with a copy when he arrives. He stated he would be posting a copy of the City’s website and link it to the Water Department’s web page.
Commissioner Harper stated he did not need Collective Bargaining in Executive Session.
Commissioner Harper moved the meeting be adjourned. Commissioner Weirauch seconded. By roll call vote, all voted yes. Motion carried.
Adjourned: 6:23 pm.
http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/3acc7b_9a485ae68fb44cf6b48b27e8b633fe28.pdf
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