City of Tuscola City Council met Sept. 28.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
The regular meeting of the City Council was called to order with Brace, Day, Hoey, Morris, Rund, Shoemaker, Slaughter (virtual), Waldrop, and Mayor Kleiss in attendance. Mayor Kleiss led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Public Comment - No Comments
Consent Agenda
Mayor Kleiss went over the items on the consent agenda for September 28, 2020:
1. The minutes of the September 14, 2020 meeting
2. Payment of bills totaling $135,283.01
Hoey moved to approve the items on the consent agenda. Rund seconded. VOTE YEA* Brace, Day, Hoey, Morris, Rund, Shoemaker, Slaughter, Waldrop. Shoemaker moved to approve the consent agenda for September 28, 2020. Morris seconded. VOTE YEA* Brace, Day, Hoey, Morris, Rund, Shoemaker, Slaughter, Waldrop.
Requested Time on the Agenda
Mayor Kleiss asked Administrator Hoel to read an email regarding Halloween activities this year.
The letter, submitted by Joy Cordes, requests the city not hold the annual downtown Trick-orTreating event this year. Cordes states in her letter this would be a super spreader event in the making and suggests the city check out some Halloween websites with ideas for virus safe events.
Mayor - No Report
City Clerk
Clerk Leamon reported nominating petitions for the April 6, 2021, can be circulated beginning September 22, 2020. Completed nominating forms should be turned in to City Hall December 14 - 21, (M-F), 7:30 am - 4:30 pm. One council seat from each ward will be elected for a four year term. One seat from Ward I and one seat from Ward IV will be elected for a two year term to fill out unexpired terms. In addition, the Mayor and City Clerk positions will be elected for four year terms. Nominating petitions may be picked up at City Hall.
City Treasurer
Treasurer Long reported Eddie Boutilier and Red Barn Veterinary Services are delinquent on their TIF loans.
City Attorney - Nothing
City Administrator - Nothing
Other
• Mayor Kleiss opened discussion on Halloween activities by saying he felt the downtown Trick-or-Treating activity should not be held. City staff has come up with a drive-thru Halloween plan that would be a good alternative to our usual events. Tuscola businesses and volunteers would set up stations in the park and hand out treats to families driving through. All treats would be wrapped and the volunteers would be masked. Families would be required to stay in their cars; however, they can dress in costume and/or decorate their vehicles. Waldrop asked if the drive-thru event would replace citywide trick-or-treating. Mayor Kleiss answered he took the drive-thru event as a replacement for the downtown trick-or treating. It could replace the citywide trick-or- I' treating as well, Kleiss added. He thinks citywide will happen whether we establish hours or not. Hoey stated he thinks most families will just go to family and friends this year. 1 Mayor Kleiss has been in contact with the Villa Grove Mayor and reported they will set a date/time for trick-or-treating and advise all to follow the masking/social distancing guidelines. Treasurer Long added she thinks the drive-thru will be successful and we should be able to get several businesses to take part. Council decided to publicize the drive-thru event and citywide trick-or-treating as same date and times, encouraging anyone who plans to do the citywide trick-or-treating to do so within the 10/31 date and 5:30-7:30 pm time, and going only to homes with their porch lights on. Social distancing should be practiced during both events.
• Administrator Hoel gave an update on the city water loss issue that has been going on for two years. The standard loss (system inaccuracy) in a water system is 10-12%. Two years ago we started creeping up to close to 20% and recently had one month when the loss was 35%. All avenues of possible loss have been investigated, Hoel stated, and still there are no answers. Hoel credited Foreman Cruzan with suggesting this loss could be due to a backflow situation, adding we are now 95% sure this is the problem. The backflow is caused by increased demand downstream and lower pressure on the supply side. Our system was designed 25 years ago and is no longer able to handle the increased demand and lower pressure. Hoel summarized by saying we bring water into town and it flows through our meters and we have to pay for it. The water then flows back out but the meter does not work as well in reverse, if at all. Hoel added the city will need to make some upgrades to the meter station to correct this issue. He is hopeful some valves can be changed out to prevent the loss. Hoel estimates an expense of $6- $8000 for the corrections to the water station. Future projects would be a computerized monitoring and control of the water system in order to better understand what is going on at all various points. Also, significant updates or replacement of the master meter station should be discussed during the budget meetings. Shoemaker asked if our software metering system should be the same as IL American's. Hoel answered we are separate from IL American but the systems are compatible and we should be able to read whatever data IL American sees on their end. Hoel added there could be a difference in the calibration of the meters but that does not tie in to the water loss.
The motion to adjourn was made by Shoemaker and seconded by Waldrop. VOTE YEA* Brace, Day, Hoey, Morris, Rund, Shoemaker, Slaughter, Waldrop.
https://tuscola.org/file/849/infotuscola.org_20201014_092112.pdf
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