DRAFT

HIGHWAY COMMITTEE

June 7, 2012

A meeting of the Highway Committee of the DeKalb County Board was held on Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 6:00pm in the Conference Room of the DeKalb County Highway Department, DeKalb, Illinois.  

Chairman Gudmunson called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.  Committee members present were Mr. Brown, Mr. Cribben and Mr. Deverell.   Others present were Mr. Nathan Schwartz, County Engineer and Wayne Davey, Support Services Manager, from the Highway Department and Mr. Tom Zucker, Executive Director, Voluntary Action Center.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Motion made by Mr. Cribben and seconded by Mr. Deverell to approve the minutes of the regular May 3, 2012 meeting.  The motion to approve the minutes carried unanimously. 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA:

Motion made by Mr. Brown and seconded by Mr. Deverell to approve the agenda as presented.    The motion passed unanimously. 

PUBLIC COMMENT:   None

RESOLUTION #R2012-41 – AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

Mr. Zucker presented information to the Committee concerning this application.  This application, if approved, provides funding for the County’s rural transportation services such as TransVac and MedVac.  The County has been applying for these funds for at least the last ten years and these funds are used for services outside the DeKalb/Sycamore/Cortland area.  When funds are approved they are passed through the County to the Voluntary Action Center along with all responsibilities and liability.  This assistance program combines Federal and State Funds.  Funding limits have not increased in several years and the Federal Funds to be allocated would remain at $372,475.00 and State Funds at $375,000.00.  Federal Funds are required to be utilized first and then the State Funds.  Reimbursement comes after expenses have been occurred and there is normally a four month lag time before reimbursement is received.  Mr. Zucker stated the Voluntary Action Center has never spent all of the State funds and does not see that changing for the coming 2013 year.  Unused funding remains with the State.  Mr. Deverell made a motion and Mr. Cribben seconded it to forward this resolution to the full County Board recommending approval.  The motion passed unanimously. 

RESOLUTION #R2012-42 – ACCEPTANCE OF THE SPECIAL WARRANTY FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

Mr. Zucker explained that when the County applies for Financial Assistance it must also agree to certain conditions.  These conditions mainly deal with ensuring that the County would not be in competition with any private transportation service and that union employees of those companies would not be adversely affected by the awarding of the financial assistance.  Mr. Zucker informed the Committee there are no other unionized transportation services operating in DeKalb County and therefore has no problems meeting and complying with the Special Warranty.  Mr. Cribben made a motion and Mr. Brown seconded it to forward this resolution to the full County Board recommending approval.  The motion passed unanimously. 

RESOLUTION #R2012-38 – AMENDMENT TO THE ENGINEERING AGREEMENT FOR FIVE POINTS ROAD BRIDGE SECTION NUMBER 05-00044-01-BR, HUTCHISON ENGINEERING, INC:

Mr. Schwartz explained to the Committee that when the Five Points Road Bridge was originally designed, it was designed to be placed within the existing right-of-way.  After reviewing the proposed design Mr. Schwartz contacted land owners and the Forest Preserve to see if a more efficient/safer bridge could not be constructed.  This would require additional right-of-way as well as dealing with wet land issues.  The redesign would allow for wider shoulders and the installation of a sidewalk on the west side of road when constructed by the Village of Kirkland.  The redesign would flatten the slopes (ditches) to 4-1 making them easier to maintain.  The redesign would also eliminate the need for the construction of retaining walls.  The additional cost of the redesign has been quoted to be $74,000.00.  However, the redesign eliminates the retaining walls, estimated at approximately $500,000.00.  This will also reduce future maintenance costs for this bridge.  The Forest Preserve has a wetlands bank that the County should be able to use for this project and preliminary conversations with land owners have been very positive towards the donation of the additional right-of-way needed.  Construction is scheduled for the fall of 2013 and the road will be closed to thru traffic during construction.  Mr. Deverell made a motion and Mr. Cribben seconded it to forward this resolution to the full County Board recommending approval.  The motion passed unanimously. 

CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS:  Chairman Gudmunson inquired into how the crack filling was going.  Mr. Schwartz stated everything was completed with the exception of a small portion of Glidden Road north of Illinois Route 72.

COUNTY ENGINEER’S COMMENTS: 

Mr. Schwartz presented the Transportation Improvement Progress Report for the month of May.  Design Engineering is 90% completed on Chicago Road from Route 23 east to the Rosenwinkle grain facility.  The pavement design has been approved by IDOT and this project is scheduled for a July letting at this time.  Survey work continues on Glidden Road to widen the shoulders and the Hortense Street Bridge continues with the design engineering at 95% complete.  Keslinger Road Bridge remains in the court system, however there appears to be some movement toward mediation between the Energy Company and the Construction Company to see if a deal can not be reached for sharing the cost of replacing the bridge.

Mr. Schwartz reviewed some pending legislation with the Committee that he felt might be of interest to them and the County.  They included:

            - Recycling Materials – Salvage yards will be required to keep records on where/who they receive materials from

            - Cell Phone usage in construction zones

            - Motorcycles can proceed through a red light after waiting for 120 seconds

            - In line speed skaters are attempting to become expected users of roads – this would mean the roads must be safe for them (no pot holes, etc.)

            - Snow removal by residents placing the snow on the roadway did not pass this year.  Hopefully this will be re-introduced at a later time.

            - Fill the Boot Campaigns – No County or Municipality can prohibit the solicitation by charities/non profits on public roads.  They must, however follow any rules published by those entities for such events

            - Two task forces are being assigned – one to study the railroad/bridge infrastructure in the State.  Hopefully this will provide additional funding for some projects in the future; and the second to study the impact of Road Districts/Counties turning hard surface roads back to gravel roads

The latest on the Operator’s 150 Union Contract was that the Union held a vote and it was ratified.  A new contract was prepared detailing a 1% pay increase retroactive to January 1, 2012 and a 1% signing bonus and sent to the Union for signature.  Once we have the signed contract back from the Union Mr. Schwartz will bring it before the Committee for a recommendation to the full County Board.  A special meeting will be held on June 20, 2012 at 7:00pm before the regular County Board meeting to accomplish that if the County Engineer has received the signed contract.

The Committee agreed not to have a July Committee meeting if there is no July County Board meeting.

Since last month when Mr. Schwartz informed the Committee that our Seal Coat Contractor had been suspended, IDOT has ruled that the contractor may proceed with work on contracts that had been awarded.  This enabled seal coating to begin in DeKalb County and the contractor started in the southwest corner of the County is working his way north and east.  Due to the warm weather they were allowed to begin early and this will give the seal coat aggregate plenty of time to get worked into the roadway surface before winter sets in.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:   None presented.

ADJOURNMENT:

Chair Gudmunson asked if there was anything further that needed to be discussed and hearing none asked for a motion to adjourn.  A motion was made by Mr. Cribben and seconded by Mr. Deverell to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously and the June 7, 2012 meeting was adjourned at 6:50pm.

                                                                        Respectfully Submitted,

                                                                        John Gudmunson

                                                                        Chairperson