The regular monthly meeting of the Highway Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Thursday, November 3, 2005 at 6:00pm in the Conference Room of the DeKalb County Highway Department, DeKalb, Illinois.  

Chair LaVigne called the meeting to order.  Committee members present were Vice-Chair Faivre, Mr. Anderson, Ms. Fauci, Mr. Gudmunson, Mr. Osborne and Mr. Whelan.   Also present were, County Engineer William Lorence, Wayne Davey, Highway Department Support Services Manager, Mr. Greg Millburg, Farm Bureau and Ms. Laurie Hokkanen, City of DeKalb. 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Motion made by Mr. Whelan and seconded by Vice-Chair Faivre to approve the minutes of September 8, 2005.  The motion to approve the minutes carried unanimously.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

Motion made by Vice-Chair Faivre to approve the agenda and Mr. Gudmunson seconded this motion.  The motion carried unanimously to approve the agenda.    

PUBLIC COMMENT:  There were no public comments.

BID AWARD FOR BRIDGE PROJECT 02-18120-00-BR; BRICKVILLE ROAD BRIDGE 

Mr. Lorence explained to the Committee that the Highway Department received bids at 10:00am on November 2, 2005 for the removal and construction of a triple reinforced concrete box culvert on Brickville Road in Sycamore Road District over the Blue Heron Creek.  This project will be funded with Township Bridge Project Funds (80%), County Funds (10%) and Sycamore Road District Funds (10%).  Due to the road being closed for this project the Sycamore Road District Commissioner has requested that construction not start on this project until after the end of the school year.  Four bids were received and reviewed and Civil Constructors submitted the lowest bid meeting specifications.  Their bid was $239,112.66 and that bid was $13,519.84 below the Engineer’s estimate.  Mr. Anderson inquired why one bid was so much higher than the rest.  Mr. Lorence explained he has no idea as to how Bidders work through their bidding process.  Mr. Lorence further explained that Civil Constructors had built our last two bridge projects and they do a very good job for the County.  Mr. Lorence recommended that the Committee recommend approval of the award.  A motion was made by Vice-Chair Faivre and seconded by Ms. Fauci to forward the proposed resolution awarding this project to Civil Constructors to the full County Board recommending approval.  The motion carried unanimously.

RESOLUTION FOR ANTICIPATION OF TOWNSHIP BRIDGE FUNDS FOR SECTION
02-18120-00-BR AND 95-05125-00-BR: 

Mr. Lorence explained that this resolution is submitted when the Township Bridge Funds received annually are not sufficient to cover the cost of construction of a certain project.  In order for the County to earmark these funds to come to the County when available this resolution is required.  The cost of these projects will be funded through the County Bridge Fund and that fund reimbursed annually upon receipt of our allocation until the debt is paid off.  A motion was made by Mr. Anderson and seconded by Mr. Whelan to forward the proposed resolution to the full County Board recommending approval.  The motion carried unanimously.

RESOLUTION AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DEKALB, CITY OF SYCAMORE, TOWN OF CORTLAND AND DEKALB COUNTY FOR PARTICIPATION IN DOWNSTATE OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

            Ms. Laurie Hokkanen from the City of DeKalb was present to explain the Downstate Operating Assistance Program to the Committee.  Ms. Hokkanen stated that the City of DeKalb was eligible to receive a share of $1.4 million in operating assistance for local transportation services.  In order for the City of DeKalb to be reimbursed for transportation services to out-lying areas, those areas have to have an agreement with the City of DeKalb to get reimbursed for those trips.  Ms. Hokkanen stated these services would be bid and TransVac would be bidding to provide these services.  These funds are something TransVac has been actively seeking in the past and these funds would greatly enhance their ability to provide services to our citizens to include trips to Hines and the Rockford area.  Ms. Hokkanen stated this resolution and agreement does not commit the County to any obligations nor any local match.  Basically this is just a paperwork formality that needs to be in place in order for the reimbursement to work.  A motion was made by Ms. Fauci and seconded by Mr. Osborne to forward the proposed resolution to the full County Board recommending approval and authorizing the County Board Chair to sign the Cooperative Agreement.  The motion carried unanimously.

CHAIR’S COMMENTS:   

Chair LaVigne informed the Committee that during December’s meeting a Ms. Yaeger will appear before the Committee requesting that Moose Range Road be renamed back to its original name of Charter Grove Road.  There are 21 residents on this road that would be affected by this action.  Mr. Faivre indicated that the County shouldn’t do anything that would cause citizens on this road to spend their resources changing their addresses if they object to this action.  Chair LaVigne stated the City of Sycamore and Sycamore Road District have not expressed opposition to this request.  This Committee will either hold a public Hearing or Public Comment session at our December meeting to hear from the residents in favor and against this request.  The Town of Charter Grove is no longer in existence however there is a Charter Grove Cemetery located on this Road. 

COUNTY ENGINEER’S COMMENTS: 

Mr. Lorence provided his progress report to the Committee.    Bethany Road from IL Route 23 to Somonauk Road was scheduled to be completed by November 1st and as of now the Contractor is being charged a $1,300.00 penalty for not having the project completed on time.  The Committee wanted to know where this fine was going and Mr. Lorence explained the fine simply comes off the bottom line of the total cost of the project.  Mr. Anderson inquired whether DeKalb County would benefit from that action.  Mr. Lorence stated they would not because it is a City of Sycamore Project and the cost savings would be taken by them and not passed down to our portion of the project.  The Kirkland Road project is all completed but the paperwork.  The engineering for Johnson Road has been completed.  This project is a Shabbona Road District project and it involves the removal of a curve located on that road for safer travel.  The County Engineer indicated for the Committee’s information that he had been chosen by the Illinois Association of County Engineers as the Zone One County Engineer of the Year.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: 

            Vice-Chair Faivre asked if anyone had checked the tapes of the August County Board Meeting.  Mr. Lorence informed the Committee that once the minutes are approved by the full Board those tapes are then reused at additional meetings.  Therefore there are no tapes to review.  Vice-Chair Faivre then stated he wanted it on the record to reflect that Sycamore City Manager, Mr. Bill Nicklas, stated that if Peace Road, between Illinois Route 23 and Illinois Route 64, needed to be widen as a result of DeKalb County granting an additional one half access point to Peace Road that the City of Sycamore would bear all cost associated with that expansion. 

            Mr. Anderson inquired if the County Engineer had received any additional information concerning the relocation of Toll Plaza number 66.  Mr. Lorence indicated he had no additional information other than this project was still scheduled to be let this year.

            Mr. Whelan inquired into the Oak Development project that would take place between Oakland Drive and Wirsing Parkway.  Mr. Whelan wanted to know that when this project is underway would it require an additional access to Peace Road.  Mr. Lorence indicated that that project was a 3M-expansion project and they would need no additional access points off of Peace Road.  Oakland Drive and Wirsing Parkways are truck routes and they would remain as such.  The City of Sycamore was preparing a letting date to connect these two segments of roadway in the near future.

            Discussion was held concerning the number of trucks exiting I-88 onto Peace Road and Fairview and making a left instead of a right to go to the industrial area.  The Committee requested that the City of DeKalb be requested to place appropriate signage at those intersections directing the trucks to the appropriate routes.

Chair LaVigne inquired if there was anything else that needed to be brought before the Committee and hearing none asked for a motion to adjourn.  A motion was made by Mr. Anderson to adjourn and this motion was seconded by Vice-Chair Faivre.  The motion passed unanimously and the November 3, 2005 meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m. 

Respectfully Submitted 

________________________

Pat LaVigne

Chairman