Infrastructure improvements among O’Fallon’s plans, upcoming events planned in city

Funding for wastewater, water and street improvements were part of the O’Fallon City Council action Monday.

For the Phase 2 and 3 of the West Presidential Streets improvements, the council authorized $167,100 to be paid to the Gonzalez Companies for engineering design and professional services. This is for wastewater, water and street work because that portion of the city experiences standing water and localized flooding when it rains.

This project will improve the drainage, install new sanitary sewers and watermains and reconstruct the roadways in the project area. Currently, there are old clay sanitary sewers and asbestos concrete watermains that need to be replaced.

These are the final phases and will be bid as one project in late 2022, with construction in 2023.

Paving on the east side is currently being done, while the west side paving was completed a month ago.

In other action, the council OK’d an Illinois Department of Transportation local public agency engineering services agreement with Volkert Inc. for the West U.S. 50 and Old Collinsville Road intersection project. Motor fuel tax funds of $41,017 will be used.

The project has been ongoing for seven or eight years, and Congestion Mitigation Air Quality funding has been paying 80%.

Related to that project, the council approved an intergovernmental agreement with Fairview Heights on sharing the cost of engineering and construction. This would not take place until next summer, but grant money is involved, which needs IDOT approval.

Staff is looking at options during the day when one lane of traffic is possible. Night construction comes with a higher cost.

With the growth of both Fairview Heights and O’Fallon, traffic flow has increased at that intersection, particularly on the north leg of Old Collinsville Road.

Both cities, as a joint venture, have applied for a grant for a right-turn lane for traffic heading south, wishing to go west towards Fairview Heights, and for traffic heading west on U.S. 50 desiring to go north. They share road maintenance at the intersection and on Old Collinsville Road to the north.

The council approved paying Metro-Ag Inc. of Breese $166,250 for sludge lagoon cleaning and disposal. This is a maintenance contract for two sludge storage lagoons at the wastewater treatment plant.

Special Event Permits Issued

The council OK’d the following special event permits:

• The O’Fallon Township High School Marching Band will be in the Rose Bowl Parade on Jan. 1, 2022. In an effort to raise funds, they plan to have Dogz & Sudz from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, and an O’Fallon police fundraiser called BBQ, Blues and Brews – Keystone Backs the Blue from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, both at 1050 Fountain Lakes Drive in Keystone Place at Richland Creek.
• The OTHS drum line and flag corps will perform Thursday, Oct. 14. The Bunker Hill Speed Demons Car Club will have a cruise-in Thursday, Oct. 21.
• Downtown Dog Day will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. Julie Hughes of Furchild plans several activities on East First Street that day, including yoga with dogs, a pop-up obedience class, an agility course, pet costume contest, scrub-a-thon fundraiser and a microchipping clinic. This area is the bus lane north of the Chamber of Commerce building.

Gears may serve alcohol, so a special event liquor license will be required if that happens.

City Appointments

Ryan Russell Kemper was reappointed to the Planning Commission for a three-year term expiring Oct. 2, 2024.

Sid LeGrand was appointed to the Historical Preservation Committee for a three-year term expiring Oct. 4, 2024.

Thanks

In his mayor’s report, Herb Roach recognized members of the City Fest committee for their hard work. Most members of the group began four years ago planning the homecoming event to bring the residents together and a means for community organizations to raise funds.

On hand were Marcie Bugger Lapolice, who organizes the parade; Roger Van Etten, who makes sure everything is handled for the floats; Alderman Kevin Hagarty, for his clean-up efforts; Alderman Dan Witt, who takes care of the bandstand and sound system; Alderman Dennis Muyleart, who is in charge of restrooms; City Attorney Todd Fleming, who helps with traffic and clean-up; City Clerk Jerry Mauser, who helps with tents and maintenance; Police Officers Mike Mojzis and Craig Koch for putting safety plans in place and parade route work; and Alderman Jim Campbell and Roy Carney, who help with what’s needed.

Roach mentioned those not able to be present, including Joni Bugger Fultz and Bob Kueker, as integral committee members.

“City Fest would not be as successful as it is without their hard work. It doesn’t get done without all of the efforts of each one of these people,” Roach said.

The committee meets monthly throughout the year, then when the event nears, they start gathering twice a month, then once a week, he said.

Amusement Tax moves on to approval Oct. 18

In an effort to provide another revenue stream, the O’Fallon City Council had advanced an ordinance that would collect a penny from each player on every video game play, or “push,” at local businesses as an amusement tax.

This is a 1 cent tax on the individual playing the machine and is not a tax that the establishments pay or collect, which is done by the terminal operator.

This could bring in around $300,000 annually, based on the impact in other cities in the state. It would not affect the current FY2022 budget, however.

If approved Oct. 18, this tax would go into effect May 1, 2022.

Finance Director Sandy Evans and City Administrator Walter Denton have explained previously the various revenue sources the city could adopt, which the council’s Finance and Administration Committee continues to review.

As a home rule city, O’Fallon has the authority to regulate video gaming activity and to impose a tax on amusements.

Possible legislative action

At the recent Illinois Municipal League Conference in Chicago, city officials learned there is possible legislative action that will stop any municipality from imposing this push tax in the future. Therefore, it was recommended an ordinance be passed prior to the October legislative veto session.

This would allow the city to be “grandfathered,” which is why it was urgent to place on the agenda. The ordinance is based on an IML model.

This future May date will allow for additional discussion on implementing the tax, and if needed, the ordinance can be amended to reflect any changes required. Moving this forward gives the council an option to make changes if they want.

The committee will continue a comprehensive review of the city’s income, such as the taxes for sales, property, state income and utility, as well as new revenue sources. They have discussed auto rental occupation and use tax, equipment rental tax, park facilities naming rights and internal city fees, such as building permits and cemetery fees.

More info on fees

Building permit fees are currently based on a 2009 building cost table and recommended to be raised to at least the 2012 table and every year thereafter.

Evans told the committee at its Sept. 23 meeting it would be done slowly, so there would not be a large increase at one time. An ordinance passed in 2009 that referenced an annual increase, but that has not occurred.

The purpose is not to necessarily increase taxes, but to determine if there are more equitable forms of taxes that will better serve the future needs of the city’s growth and development, Evans said.

This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 12:38 PM.