City of Lake Forest City Council met April 6.
Here is the agenda provided by the council:
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 6:30pm
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS
1. COMMENTS BY MAYOR
A. Report on the Mayor’s State of Emergency Declaration and Request that the
City Council Extend the Declaration to the Next City Council Meeting
PRESENTED BY: Mayor George A. Pandaleon
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: It is requested that the City Council extend the Declaration
to the next City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: Over the past month, the U.S. Government and the State of
Illinois have issued multiple orders declaring a state of emergency over the country and the State of Illinois in order to address the impact from the global pandemic from COVID-19. In order to address the impact this pandemic has had on the City of Lake Forest, Mayor Pandaleon will have exercised his authority to issue a Declaration of a Local State of Emergency on Saturday, April 4, 2020.
While this Declaration is in effect, the Mayor has the authority to execute and exercise the emergency powers provided under the Illinois Municipal Code, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, and Section 34.053 of the City Code of Lake Forest. Without limiting the foregoing grant of authority, Mayor Pandaleon currently intends to exercise during the term of this Local State of Emergency only that power which is necessary to manage the assignment and allocation of personnel, equipment, and materials of the City, to declare a force majeure concerning any collective bargaining agreements between the City and any bargaining unit representing City employees, and to generally enforce the guidelines, orders, and regulations issued by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Governor of the State of Illinois, and State and local departments of public health.
Under state law and the City of Lake Forest City Code, a Declaration of a State of Emergency expires at the next meeting held after the issuance of the Declaration, which is the April 6, 2020 City Council meeting. As a result, the Mayor is asking the City Council to exercise its authority to extend the Declaration to remain in effect until the next City Council meeting that takes place after the April 6, 2020 meeting.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: N/A
COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the Mayors Declaration until the next City Council Meeting
2. COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER
3. COMMITTEE REPORTS
4. OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS.
Members of the public can provide public comment by calling into the following number during the meeting: 847-810-3643
5. ITEMS FOR OMNIBUS VOTE CONSIDERATION
1. Resolution of Sympathy for William Smith, Audit Committee Member A copy of the resolution can be found beginning on page 23
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the Resolution of Sympathy.
2. * Approval of the March 2, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes
A copy of the minutes can be found beginning on page 24
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the March 2, 2020 City Council Meeting Minutes.
3. Approval of the Check Register for the Period of February 22-March 21, 2020
STAFF CONTACT: Elizabeth Holleb, Finance Director (847-810-3612)
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: City Code Section 38.02 sets forth payment procedures of the City. The Director of Finance is to prepare a monthly summary of all warrants to be drawn on the City treasury for the payment of all sums due from the City (including all warrants relating to payroll and invoice payments) by fund and shall prepare a detailed list of invoice payments which denotes the person to whom the warrant is payable. The warrant list detail of invoice payments shall be presented for review to the Chairperson of the City Council Finance Committee for review and recommendation. All items on the warrant list detail recommended for payment by the Finance Committee Chairperson shall be presented in summary form to the City Council for approval or ratification. Any member of the City Council shall, upon request to the City Manager or Director of Finance, receive a copy of the warrant list detail as recommended by the Finance Committee Chairperson. The City Council may approve the warrant list as so recommended by the Finance Committee Chairperson by a concurrence of the majority of the City Council as recorded through a roll call vote.
The Council action requested is to ratify the payments as summarized below. The associated payroll and invoice payments have been released during the check register period noted.
Following is the summary of warrants as recommended by the Finance Committee
Chairperson:
Amounts included under “All Other Funds” includes a $500,000 payment to Kelmscott Park Realty in the Laurel and Western TIF Fund (pursuant to Redevelopment Agreement approved by City Council 4/4/16) and Medical/Dental program expenses of $415,505.
On Monday, March 16, the Finance Department processed an additional check run for any invoices in the system that were fully approved. Payment of vendors was suspended as City facilities were closed for any non-emergency services. The week of March 30, the Finance Department developed and communicated a plan for the payment of vendors to resume.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the Check Register for the Period of February 22-March 21, 2020
4. Ratification of the Continuity of City Employee Salary and Benefits during Coronavirus Pandemic Closures
STAFF CONTACT: Jason Wicha, City Manager
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: It is recommended that City Council ratify the plan to continue City employee salary and benefits for the duration of closures associated with the Coronavirus and Declarations of Shelter at Home by the President and Governor.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: Global public health concerns associated with the Coronavirus pandemic have resulted in the closure of City facilities to the public with the exception of emergency services. At the current time, only the City’s Public Safety Building is open to the public. Despite the facility closures, many City employees continue to provide services to the Lake Forest community. Prior technology initiatives such as Office365 and BS&A have allowed many employees to continue to work remotely ensuring the continuation of many City services.
City employees have been advised by the City Manager that they will continue to receive their salary and benefits through the duration of these closures. Each department has been asked to modify their procedures to maintain the highest level of service possible without sacrificing the safety of our most precious asset – City staff. As these unprecedented events unfold, City employees have been asked to be as creative as possible in delivering services. These measures include:
• Police and Fire departments continue to provide emergency services with attention given to use of personal protective equipment; the Police Department/Records Division is maintaining operating hours for in person counter services
• Public Works – Water Treatment Plant, Fleet Maintenance and Sanitation services continue and other services are provided as needed (ie. Water and Sewer staff were called in on Saturday, March 28 due to the storms and have continued to do J.U.L.I.E. locates; Public Works Administration and Engineering staff continue to work on bid processes for capital improvements scheduled for Fiscal Year 2021).
• Community Development – Staff is accepting building permits and plans electronically, reviewing plans and conducting inspections remotely when possible using photos and FaceTime
• Innovation and Technology – Staff has expanded backend infrastructure to support additional users accessing City software applications such as BS&A. IT has implemented Zoom to allow for video conferencing and webinar capabilities. Executive Staff participate in a daily video conference using Zoom; City Council and other Board/Commission meetings will be conducted remotely beginning with the April 6 City Council meeting.
• City Manager’s Office – Staff in the City Manager’s office have continued to provide birth/death certificates. Daily communications are provided on the City web site and via Constant Contact to ensure that critical and timely information is available to residents. A daily briefing is also provided to the City Council on operations.
• Human Resources – Staff has developed a COVID-19 specific site on the City employee web page to keep City employees informed. Virtual meetings were conducted by the City Manager with work groups on March 26-27.
• Parks and Recreation – Staff developed a Virtual Recreation Center on the City web site to provide links to activities, education and resources during these uncertain times.
• Dickinson Hall and CROYA staff are providing outreach to residents that may need additional support.
• Finance – Staff has maintained utility billing and payroll services. Modified procedures for vendor payments and Real Estate Transfer Tax were implemented the week of March 30.
As events unfold, City staff will continue efforts to provide the highest level of services possible.
Effective April 1, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The Department of Labor’s (Department) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. These provisions will apply from the effective date through December 31, 2020. The City Manager’s Office and Human Resources department will provide guidance to operating departments regarding the applicability of FFCRA to City employees.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: All costs associated with this action have been included in the City’s annual budget.
COUNCIL ACTION: Ratification of the Continuity of City Employee Salary and Benefits during Coronavirus Pandemic Closures
5. Approval of an Arbor Day Proclamation
A copy of the Proclamation can be found on page 28 COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of an Arbor Day Proclamation
6. * Approval of Tentative Agreement on Wages with the Local Chapter of the Metropolitan of Police (MAP)
STAFF CONTACT: DeSha Kalmar, Director of Human Resources (847-810-3530)
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Staff requests approval of Wage Agreement as part of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP) collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Lake Forest Police Officers.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: The collective bargaining agreement between the City and the Police Officers was negotiated and approved by the City Council in June 2017. It is a four- year agreement that will expire April 30, 2021. The original Agreement included a wage reopener for Year 4 of the contract. The City and the Local met and came to tentative agreement on an FY2021 wage schedule for the Police Officers. The union ratified the tentative agreement in March 2020, and it is now before the City Council for ratification.
REVIEW/RECOMMENDATIONS:
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed FY2021 budget includes a 2.5% increase for salaries. With this 2.75% increase, there is a difference of 7,966 that will be added to the FY21 proposed budget for final approval in April.
In addition, in FY2021 the City agrees to waive the wage reduction based on the State reducing the City’s Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF), Section 13.1. Wage Reopener.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of Tentative Agreement on Wages with the Local Chapter of the Metropolitan of Police (MAP)
7. * Approval of Special Event Permits for Various Recurring Community Events Proposed for 2020
STAFF CONTACT: Mike Strong, Assistant City Manager (810-3680)
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: The City of Lake Forest regulates the review, administration, and approval of special events that take place within the community pursuant to the City Code. The City has adopted an internal policy that formalizes the governance of this process in order to promote consistent business practice, improve communication and coordination among event organizers and operating Departments, and provide internal controls over City resources.
The approval process for special event permit requests depends on their individual scope and scale. In accordance with internal policy, large community events that require the use of public property, closure of public streets and/or rights-of-way, substantial city services (e.g. personnel, equipment, resources, etc.) require City Council approval prior to their authorization.
In advance of the special event season each year, City staff compiles a list of the annual recurring community events and provides it to City Council for their review and approval to aid these organizations in their planning for the upcoming year.
The list of current recurring community events planned for 2020 is included below, in calendar order. City staff recommends approval of special event permits for these various community events proposed, including:
• Festival and Fireworks (Exempt): Saturday, July 4, 2020
• Lake Forest Day (Exempt): Tuesday-Wednesday, August 4-5, 2020
• Art Fair on the Square: Sunday-Monday, September 6-7, 2020
• Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Artisan Guild: Sunday-Monday, September 6-7, 2020
• Fall Festival (Formerly Oktoberfest): Saturday, August 22, 2020
• Bagpipes and Bonfire: Sunday, September 20, 2020
• Tree Lighting Ceremony (Exempt): Friday, November 27, 2020
• Santa in Market Square: Saturday, December 5, 2020
If granted approval, City staff will work directly with the organizers of these events to ensure that all special event permit applications and required submittals are in accordance with both the City Code and internal policy.
Should any of the above-listed events proposed seek to alter, modify, or otherwise expand the scope of their event from the previous year, City staff will present such changes to City Council for authorization prior to the issuance of a special event permit.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: Except for city-sponsored special events, which include those identified as “exempt” above, the Special Events Policy requires that costs incurred for city services (i.e. hiring of public safety personnel, or usage of City services or materials) be charged back to event organizers in accordance with the Annual Fee Ordinance.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of Special Event Permits for Various Recurring Community Events Proposed for 2020
8. * Approval of a Special Event Permit and Temporary Traffic Controls for the “Zuffengruppe 3” Car Show Event on Sunday, August 9, 2020, in Market Square
STAFF CONTACT: Mike Strong, Assistant City Manager (810-3680)
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Fuelfed Inc. requests a Special Event Permit to host a new vintage Air-Cooled Porsche car show event, “Zuffengruppe 3” from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 9, 2020, in Market Square. City staff has met with organizers and worked closely with them to finalize the elements and City services necessary to support the event, which are now ready for City Council consideration.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: Fuelfed Inc. is a private classic European car club for collectors and enthusiasts based in Chicago. The club organizes a variety of events for its members throughout the year to provide opportunities to show, drive, and socialize with their cars. Fuelfed holds car shows throughout the year, and has been holding smaller events in Lake Forest since 2013.
While its membership owns a wide variety of makes and models, air-cooled Porsches are one of the largest collections within the club. To celebrate this collection, in 2018 Fuelfed organized an event specifically for air-cooled Porsches and allowed both members and non-members with qualifying cars to attend. Fuelfed held their first event, named “Luftgruppe One”, in Winnetka, Illinois, and featured 140 air-cooled Porsches and 10 Porsche-related vendors. A second event, held last year in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, featured over 165 cars.
This year, Fuelfed seeks to bring the event back to Chicagoland, and requests approval to host its event in Lake Forest. The event, planned for Sunday, August 9, 2020, will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., will be free to the public and feature 220+ vehicles that will be on display within historic Market Square.
Background information and the site plan can be found beginning on page 29 depicts the event layout and specific road closures necessary to accommodate Fuelfed’s request. The event area will be No Parking and require the full closure of streets to public vehicular traffic beginning at 7:00 a.m. until approximately 5:00 p.m. The Lake Forest Police Department will assist with traffic control preparation and will remove barricades and No Parking signs as soon as they determine it appropriate based on public safety. The proposed street closures required for this event include:
• Western Avenue (from Deerpath to Westminster)
• Bank Lane (from Deerpath to Westminster)
• Market Square
• Northgate (from Bank Lane to Forest Avenue)
• Southgate (from Bank Lane to Forest Avenue)
In reviewing the submittals, City staff recommends approval of the permit request, as presented with these necessary traffic controls, as it will not interfere with adjacent traffic, public safety access, or other City functions that may affect the health, safety, and welfare of the community. Based on the scale of the event, required road closures, the impact on the surrounding businesses and anticipated attendance, and associated traffic controls, City Council approval of the permit is appropriate.
If approved, City staff will work closely with Market Square management to assist with sending notification to business in Market Square, as well as, the Chamber of Commerce, and Fuelfed has agreed to provide notification to surrounding businesses no later than eight (8) weeks prior to the event.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: Pursuant to City Policy, City services and costs associated with supporting a special event (i.e. barricades, picnic tables, litter barrels, police/fire personnel, etc.) are billed directly to event organizers after the event once costs are accounted. Additionally, the City bills separately for supplemental licenses or permits such as liquor licenses, tent permits, life safety inspection, etc. Costs associated with pre-application meetings, consultations, or onsite meetings are not recoverable expenses based on current policy.
Based on the preliminary event site plan, costs for City services, and necessary licenses and permits required, staff estimates the maximum amount of fees for this event to be $750.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of a Special Event Permit and Temporary Traffic Controls for the “Zuffengruppe 3” Car Show Event on Sunday, August 9, 2020, in Market Square.
9. * Consideration of an Appeal of a Decision of the Historic Preservation Commission Denying a Certificate of Appropriateness and a Request for Deferred Consideration. (Approval of Motion)
STAFFCONTACT: Catherine J. Czerniak, Director of Community Development (847-810-3504)
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: The Council is asked to approve a motion accepting the appeal and deferring a hearing and action on the appeal to a future date to be determined.
BACKGROUND: As authorized by the City Code, Section 155.07(E), the petitioner, 361 Westminster, LLC (Peter Witmer 50%, Todd Altounian 50%) has filed an appeal of the decision of the Historic Preservation Commission to deny the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness for the condominium building in Phase 3 of the McKinley Road Redevelopment. The petitioners have met the requirement to file the petition within 14 days of the Commission’s action.
With the appeal filed to preserve their right to appeal, the petitioners are requesting that the City Council defer hearing the appeal to allow time for further consideration of the input received on the petition to date. The petitioners intend to advise the City within the next 30 days on whether or not they wish to proceed with the appeal. A copy of the petitioners’ request to defer consideration of the appeal is included in the Council packet on page 37.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approve a motion accepting the appeal and deferring consideration of the appeal to a future date at the request of the petitioner.
10. * Consideration of a Recommendation from the Plan Commission in Support of Approval of an Update to the Comprehensive Plan as it Relates to the Route 60 Entrance Corridor and Surrounding Area. (Final Approval of an Ordinance)
STAFF CONTACT: Catherine J. Czerniak, Director of Community Development (847-810-3504)
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Continued Council consideration of a recommendation from the Plan Commission in support of an update to the chapter of the Comprehensive Plan relating to the Route 60 Entrance Corridor.
On March 3, 2020, the City Council granted first reading of an Ordinance approving the update and directed further revisions and refinements to the draft document.
SUMMARY OF REVISIONS AND REFINEMENTS:
In response to Council input and direction, further refinements were made to the draft document. A blackline copy of the document is included in the Council packet beginning on page 55 reflecting the changes made since the last meeting. For ease of reading, a clean copy of the document is also included in the Council packet beginning on page 40.
In summary, the most recent substantive revisions to the document are highlighted below. Various minor edits were also made throughout the document for readability.
Vision and Strategies
ú Text was added in the introduction noting the environmentally sensitive nature of some of the areas in and near the Route 60 Entrance Corridor.
ú The importance of careful consideration of stormwater management as the remaining parcels are developed in the area is highlighted.
ú A Land Characteristics Map was added generally identifying environmentally sensitive areas within the Corridor.
ú Greater emphasis was put on the need to buffer and protect existing and future residential areas from the impacts of adjacent commercial and offices uses.
Land Use and Opportunity Areas
ú A reference is added to the Environmental Sustainability chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. (This chapter will be updated and enhanced in the coming months.)
ú Greater emphasis is put on natural and environmentally sensitive areas and the need to carefully consider those areas as future development and improvements are planned nearby. (As noted above, a map was added identifying sensitive areas.)
ú As noted above, greater emphasis is put on the need to properly buffer residential areas from non-residential development.
ú Clarification was provided on Opportunity Area 4.
ú The presence of a significant amount of wetlands in Opportunity Area 5 is highlighted.
BACKGROUND: At the Council’s direction, an overall review and update of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan is underway. The Plan was last adopted in its entirety in 1998. The Chapter relating to the Route 60 Entrance Corridor was last reviewed and updated in 2001. The review and update continues the City’s long tradition of careful and comprehensive long term planning.
Comprehensive Plan Overview
The Comprehensive Plan is the guiding document for the City with respect to land use and development and looks forward 20 years or more in an effort to establish a framework for important community decisions. Land use patterns are fundamental to decisions about infrastructure, parks, public facilities, how services are delivered and which capital projects are funded. In addition, a strong and forward thinking Comprehensive Plan supports the vitality of business and office districts, provides opportunities for a mix of housing types, recognizes local institutions and not for profit entities as important components of the community’s fabric, protects property values, and preserves the community’s distinctive character, the environment and quality of life. The Comprehensive Plan is intended to ensure that decisions are based on careful deliberation, factual data and focused on the long term interest of the overall community, rather than on short term trends, pressure from developers or special agendas.
In accordance with the City Code, the Plan Commission is charged with conducting public hearings on any updates proposed to the Comprehensive Plan and forwarding recommendations on proposed updates to the City Council for final action.
Route 60 Entrance Corridor Chapter
Over the course of three meetings, the Plan Commission considered the draft update to the chapter of the Comprehensive Plan pertaining to the Route 60 Entrance Corridor and the
surrounding area. The draft was prepared with direction from an eleven member Working Group that met over the course of four months and served as advisory to City staff and the City’s consultant.
The Chapter is organized into two components. First, a vision for the area is set out along with strategies for achieving the vision moving forward and second, descriptions of land use designations for various sites are provided including detailed discussions of five sites that are identified as “Opportunities Areas”. A key theme of the chapter is assuring that in the future, amenities are provided to support and enhance Conway Park; to retain current employers and attract new ones and importantly, to assure that the area is attractive to employees needed to allow the businesses to thrive. As seen in the recently adopted update to the chapter related to the Waukegan Road/Settlers’ Square Business District, a greater mix of uses is encouraged in the area as long as appropriate transitions are provided as buffers between distinct uses. Another key theme of the discussions was increasing the walkability of the area by providing linkages to existing bicycle and pedestrian paths as well as to neighborhoods and parks. Staff will present an overview of the updated chapter at the Council meeting.
The adopting ordinance is included in the packet on page 38. This ordinance is presented to the Council at this time for final approval.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: Adoption of the second phase of the update to the Comprehensive Plan does not commit the City to any expenditure of funds or initiate any specific projects. Instead, the vision and desired outcomes provide a framework for future discussions about development, projects, initiatives and services. Any expenditure related to implementation will be considered through a separate and appropriate review process.
COUNCIL ACTION: Consideration of a Recommendation from the Plan Commission in Support of Approval of an Update to the Comprehensive Plan as it Relates to the Route 60 Entrance Corridor and Surrounding Area. (Final Approval of an Ordinance)
11. Award of Bid in the Amount of $23,930.00 with a 10% or $2,393 Contingency to Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning for the Stirling Hall HVAC Replacement Project.
STAFF CONTACT: Dan Martin, Superintendent of Public Works (847-810-3561) PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Staff request’s City Council approval to award the bid to
replace the Roof Top Unit located at Stirling Hall to Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: The existing Stirling Hall HVAC system consists of one 17.5 ton Roof Top Unit (RTU). This unit was installed during the 2000 renovation of the building making the unit 20 years old and at its expected useful life. The RTU has a large amount of service run hours resulting in an increase in the number of service calls.
The new system will not only increase efficiencies by reducing maintenance costs from equipment failures and lower utility usage, but the R-410A refrigerant will provide a more eco- friendly alternative to the current unit.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: The project was bid following the public bid process. The invitation to bid was advertised in the newspaper. Eleven contractors attended the February 14, 2020 Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting and Seven contractors submitted bids.
Has City staff obtained competitive pricing for proposed goods/services? Yes
On February 28, 2020, staff received the following bids to replace the Stirling Hall HVAC unit:
Upon review of the received bids, staff recommends proceeding with the low bid received by Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning. Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning has been the low responsive bidder on many projects for The City of Lake Forest in the past including the gun range exhaust system at the Public Safety Building and multiple roof top units at the Recreation Center. The high bidder turn out and favorable responses is the result of contractors seeking work.
Below is an estimated summary of Project budget:
COUNCIL ACTION: Award of Bid in the Amount of $23,930.00 with a 10% or $2,393 Contingency to Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning for the Stirling Hall HVAC Replacement Project.
12. Award of Bid in the Amount of $31,570.00 with a 10% or $3,157 Contingency to Core Mechanical for the Lake Forest City Hall Boiler Replacement Project.
STAFF CONTACT: Dan Martin, Superintendent of Public Works (847-810-3561)
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Staff request’s City Council approval to award the bid to replace the two boilers and four circulation pumps for the heating system located at the City Hall Building to Core Mechanical.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: The City Hall Building has a heating system consisting of two hot water boilers and four circulation pumps. The existing equipment was installed during the
1995-96 renovation of City Hall and has performed well for the life of the equipment. Maintenance costs have increased over the past five years as expected since the estimated useful life (EUL) for this equipment is about twenty years and the current age is twenty-five. Maintenance staff specified a cast iron boiler based on their longer EUL than steel boilers. Also based on the limited space in the basement of City Hall, matching equipment was specified in order to limit the amount of additional costs of re-configuring of the piping and to save space.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: The public bid process was utilized for this for project. The project was advertised in the paper on February 7, 2020 and any past qualified HVAC contractors were invited to the mandatory pre-bid meeting on February 14, 2020. Fifteen contractors attended the pre-bid meeting and seven of them submitted bids.
Has City staff obtained competitive pricing for proposed goods/services? Yes
On February 28, 2020, staff received the following bids to replace the boilers and pumps:
Upon review of the received bids, staff recommends proceeding with the low bid received by Core Mechanical. Core Mechanical has performed work in City Buildings in prior years and has performed well on those projects.
Below is an estimated summary of Project budget:
COUNCIL ACTION: Award of Bid in the Amount of $31,570.00 with a 10% or $3,157 Contingency to Core Mechanical for the Lake Forest City Hall Boiler Replacement Project.
13. Approval of Final Payment to IDOT for the Robert McClory Bike Path Construction Project in the amount of $30,677.80
STAFF CONTACT: Robert W. Ells, Superintendent of Engineering (847-810-3555) PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Staff is requesting City Council approval of the final
payment for the City share of the Robert McClory Bike Path construction project.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: On December 1, 2014, the City Council approved $1,060,084.00 for an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant for the construction of.51 miles of bike path along the west side of McKinley Avenue from Illinois Road to Woodland Road. The work, completed in 2016, also included sidewalk connections to the train station, construction of a bicycle parking structure and landscaping. The grant awarded was an 80%/20% reimbursable grant. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) was responsible for construction with the City being billed the 20% match at the end of the project. In Fiscal Year 2016, the City paid its match of $171,670.05. The City currently has a grant receivable of $5,517.89 for City expenses considered eligible for grant funding.
The State has now made all final payments to contractors and completed their final project audit and have submitted the final invoice to City for the remainder of the Local Agency share in the amount of $30,677.80. This additional amount is due to contract change orders and modifications. The grant receivable of $5,517.89 would be written off. Engineering has reviewed the additional IDOT invoice and agrees with the amount billed.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: Payment of the additional invoice was not budgeted, will be funded from Capital Fund reserves and this action may require the need for a supplemental appropriation.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of Final Payment to IDOT for the Robert McClory Bike Path Construction Project in the amount of $30,677.80
14. Award of Bid for the Replacement of a Used Semi-Tractor for the Streets Section as Budgeted in the FY2021 Capital Equipment Budget, to CIT Trucks in the Amount of $41,320 Including a $2,500 Down Payment
STAFF CONTACT: Michael Thomas, Director of Public Works (810-3540)
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: The Public Works Committee and staff are recommending award of a bid for the replacement of a used Streets Section semi-tractor. Per the Purchasing Directive 3-5, staff sent bid specifications to multiple used semi-tractor vendors, had the invitation to bid printed in a local newspaper, and placed all specifications on the City’s website.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: For over twenty years, unit # 484 has been used by the Streets Section to plow, spread salt, and be a primary piece of equipment to haul large loads of material to multiple job sites. 484 pulls a large dump body trailer (30+ yards) that is used to haul snow, soil, compost, wood chips, and nursery deliveries throughout the year. It also is responsible for transporting the dredger to and from the City’s boat basin each year.
The twenty-one year old truck has significant body rot throughout its cab, doors, floor, and frame. The cab rot is so significant that Fleet Maintenance has had to weld multiple locations to ensure the cab itself would not detach from the frame while in use. The frame has a significant amount of rust jacking causing the dual frame rails to separate and the entire suspension has significant play. The engine is old and worn out and is very slow to accelerate with any amount of load that is placed on the truck.
PROJECT REVIEW/RECOMMENDATIONS:
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: As was previously noted, all required bidding procedures were followed for the purchase. On March 17, 2020 the following sealed bids were received for a used semi-tractor:
The Fleet Supervisor and one of the City’s mechanics inspected the recommended low-bid used semi-tractor and determined it to be in good working order with no significant body nor mechanical issues. All maintenance records were provided to the City and found to be consistent with good preventative maintenance practices. In the used truck market, especially in the spring time, used trucks are typically sold quickly to various material haulers. Therefore in order to reserve this specific truck and not let it be sold to another interested buyer, CIT Trucks is requiring a $2,500 down payment. If approved this evening, the truck will be delivered to the City on May 8th when full payment can be made.
Information regarding the F.Y. 2021 capital equipment purchases was included in the November 12, 2019 Finance Budget packet. At its December 10, 2019 meeting, the Public Works Committee specifically reviewed and recommended approval of each piece included in the F.Y. ’21 capital equipment budget.
Has competitive pricing been obtained for proposed goods/services? Yes Below is an estimated summary of Street Section’s unit # 484 budget:
COUNCIL ACTION: Award of Bid for the Replacement of a Used Semi-Tractor for the Streets Section as Budgeted in the FY2021 Capital Equipment Budget, to CIT Trucks in the Amount of $41,320 Including a $2,500 Down Payment
15. Approval to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Fleck’s Landscaping and Martin Associates for City-Wide Grounds Maintenance Services
STAFF CONTACT: CHUCK MYERS, SUPERINTENDENT OF PARKS AND FORESTRY, 810-3565
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: City Staff requests approval to award a one year contract with Fleck’s Landscaping, for $119,106, and Martin Associates, for $106,656, to provide mowing and grounds maintenance services city-wide, in the total amount of $225,762.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: Annually, the Parks and Recreation Department researches opportunities to improve operational efficiencies and deliver services in the most cost effective manner. In 2011, the Parks section began outsourcing the mowing of many of our passive parks and miscellaneous parcels. Staff chose to not bid out all other park properties, such as the neighborhood parks and community parks, due to the significant need to coordinate with ever-changing public use and athletic field schedules. Since 2011, outsourced mowing has proven to be a beneficial fiscal approach by reducing labor expenses and long-term capital equipment replacement costs.
Over the past few years, new landscape areas have been added to the Parks Section’s responsibilities; such as, the Route 60 medians, the McClory Bike Path, Dickinson Hall, etc. To maintain these areas, small contracts were set up outside the larger City-wide grounds maintenance contract. On February 20, 2020, staff conducted a more expansive bid process that included these additional areas and incorporated all the previously contracted areas. The expanded bid includes mowing and additional grounds maintenance services on fifteen City property areas, 135 cul-de-sacs and the mowing only of 18 City right-of-ways. Additional grounds maintenance includes lawn care, weed control, and bed maintenance.
In an effort to restructure the larger contract, staff created a “tiered” system to distinguish the level of maintenance required for various sites. Tier 1 includes some of the City’s higher profile sites that require more extensive maintenance, Tier 2 includes City properties with lower maintenance requirements and includes the City’s 135 cul-de-sacs, and Tier 3 includes various City owned right-of-ways along roadways.
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for the City-Wide Grounds Maintenance contract is budgeted in the Parks Fund 220 operating budget. On March 11, 2020, staff received four (4) bids for grounds maintenance services as detailed below.
Has competitive pricing been obtained for proposed goods/services? Yes
Recommended Bidder/Proposer is BOLDED Tier 1 – Bids
Tier 2 – Bids
Tier 3 – Bids
After careful review of the bids by City staff is recommending the selection of Fleck’s Landscaping for Tier 1 and 3, at a total cost of $119,106 for a one year contract and Martin Associates for Tier 2, at a cost of $106,656 for a one year contract. Martin Associates has had a very successful record of performing these services on other previous City projects. Fleck’s Landscaping has excellent references for similar work with surrounding communities as well.
City staff has identified areas of savings in the current FY2020 budget; such as reductions to other contractual services and reallocation of City staff hours to accomplish these needs. If approved, staff will allocate $40,000 of savings from the FY2020 budget to the new City-wide Grounds Maintenance contract and these funds will be spent before the end of the FY2020 year.
Below is an estimated summary of Project budget:
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Fleck’s Landscaping and Martin Associates for City-Wide Grounds Maintenance Services
16. Approval to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Clauss Brothers Inc. for Construction Services Associated with the South Park OSLAD Grant Improvement Project, for a total project cost not to exceed $764,811.
STAFF CONTACT: Chuck Myers, Superintendent of Parks & Forestry (847-810-3565) PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Staff requests approval to authorize the City Manager to
enter into a contract with Clauss Brothers Inc. for construction services for improvements associated with the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) Grant Program at South Park.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION: South Park is a 12.4 acre park and one of six neighborhood parks in the City of Lake Forest. It is located in the southeast portion of the City. The park contains a variety of recreation facilities including tennis courts, two ball fields, batting cage, turf field for soccer, rugby and lacrosse that overlays the outfields, playground, picnic pavilion with restrooms and a small storage area and gravel road with scattered undefined parking. The park is bordered by residential to the north and east, a woodlot along the south and the regional bike trail and railroad along the west edge. Accessible routes between amenities are also limited. The park is in need of many capital improvements to be at the high standard level expected in Lake Forest parks.
In December 2016, City staff selected Hitchcock Design Group to develop a new master plan for South Park. The master plan was needed to develop a comprehensive vision for the park that would serve as a framework for future park use and improvements. On June 19, 2017, City Council approved the master plan for South Park, which is meant to guide future decisions on park capital improvements. In the fall of 2018, the City applied for a grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) OSLAD Program. The IDNR required that a Resolution of Authorization be included with the application submittal. City Council approved that Resolution on October 1, 2018 and it was included in the application submittal. The City was later notified that the IDNR awarded grant funding to the City for improvements at South Park, as part of the OSLAD Grant Program.
The grant funding will be combined with City funds to complete improvements throughout the park. These improvements will replace some of the worst amenities in the park and provide new recreation opportunities for our residents. The tennis courts and batting cage will be replaced and a fitness station, basketball court, and bocce court will be added. A new path system will connect these amenities to each other, to parking lots, and to existing neighborhood sidewalks, making the park accessible for the first time. Several trees will be planted within the park and woodland management is underway along the southern portion of the property to remove invasive vegetation and reestablish native species.
In order to proceed with the improvements in the park, on May 20, 2019 the Council approved a contract with Hitchcock Design Group (with the assistance of Eriksson Engineering Associates) for architectural and engineering design and construction documents. The services included architecture, site analysis, site planning, site design, sustainable design, construction specification and insuring that all plans meet the current building codes and local and federal ordinances. Hitchcock has provided all the required documents so the project could be bid out and assisted with the entire process. As included in the contract with the City, Hitchcock will now provide construction administration/observation services.
PROJECT REVIEW/RECOMMENDATIONS:
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: On February 12, 2020, City staff issued a request for bids for the South Park Improvement Project. On March 4, 2020, staff received five (5) sealed bids, as detailed below. The base bid includes construction associated with the South Park OSLAD Grant Improvement Project; including, tennis/basketball courts, outdoor fitness station, Bocce court, baseball batting cage, and walking path.
Has competitive pricing been obtained for proposed goods/services? Yes
Recommended Bidder/Proposer is BOLDED
(Base Bid)
*This amount was negotiated though value engineering the project with the lowest qualified bidder, the original bid was $562,111.
In addition to the base bid for the South Park improvements, Staff also requested an alternate bid for a new entrance drive and parking lot in the northeast corner of the park near the playground structure. The new parking lot will provide twenty parking spaces, a great improvement over the existing insufficient three parking spaces. An additional improvement included in the alternate bid for the parking lot is a new rain garden that the parking lot will surface drain into. The rain garden will be located between the parking lot and Maywood Road and it will be planted with native plant species to provide environmental and aesthetic benefits. The cost for the alternate bid for the entrance drive, parking lot and rain garden is $216,454.
Recommended Bidder/Proposer is BOLDED
(Base Bid + Alternate Parking Lot Bid)
*This amount was negotiated though value engineering the project with the lowest qualified bidder, the original bid was $792,250.
Clauss Brothers Inc. has produced satisfactory references and has met the bidding and experience requirements. After careful review of the bids by City staff and Hitchcock Design Group, Staff recommends entering into a contract with Clauss Brothers Inc. for construction services associated with the South Park OSLAD Grant Improvement Project, including the additional alternate bid for construction of a new parking lot and rain garden. Staff is also requesting an additional 7% contingency for both projects, for a total of $47,500 (included in summary below), for a total project cost of $764,811.
Below is an estimated summary of Project budget: (South Park OSLAD Improvement Project)
* Includes $280,000 in grant funding; the overage will be covered by eliminating the FY20 Golf Course Bridge Replacement project.
GRANT FUNDING ASSESSMENTS
(South Park Entrance Drive/Playground Parking Lot)
The overage will be covered by eliminating the FY20 Golf Course Bridge Replacement Project.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Clauss Brothers Inc. for Construction Services Associated with the South Park OSLAD Grant Improvement Project, for a total project cost not to exceed $764,811.
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the sixteen (16) omnibus items as presented.
6. ORDINANCES
7. OLD BUSINESS
8. NEW BUSINESS
9. ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/ COMMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
10. ADJOURNMENT
https://www.cityoflakeforest.com/assets/1/27/CC_2020_04_06.pdf
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