May 17 Rockford City Council briefs

By Stuart R. Wahlin
Staff Writer

Ordinances

→ Approving the sale of city-owned property at 2405 Rose Ave. for a minimum bid of $5,600.

→ Approving an intergovernmental agreement with the Rockford Park District for the acquisition of more than 18 acres on the 7300 block of Springwheat Road. The city will pay $100,000, half of which will be reimbursed by the Park District once the property has been acquired. Much of the land will serve as a neighborhood park, and the remaining area directly adjacent to Springwheat Road will be subdivided into four or five single-family lots. Ald. Linda McNeely (D-13) voted “no.”

Committee reports

→ Extending for one year an agreement with the nonprofit Rockford Local Development Corporation (RLDC), which has essentially served as the city’s agent for the acquisition of flooded homes along Keith Creek. The extended agreement includes the city’s continued backing of a $9 million note through Alpine Bank.

→ Approving a $101,749 engineering agreement for city-wide pavement management and assessment with Applied Pavement Technology, of Urbana, Ill., for collection and processing of digital data regarding pavement throughout the city.

→ Approving a $195,000 task order with Strand Associates, with an office in Joliet, for engineering work related to the city’s ongoing water system rehabilitation. Funding for the project comes from tax-debt certificates and low-interest loans offered through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

→ Approving $117,000 for McMahon & Associates, of Loves Park, for construction services related to radium removal systems at Well 10, also related to the water system rehab. Likewise, funding for the project comes from tax-debt certificates and IEPA low-interest loans.

→ Settling the alleged excessive-force case of KURT v. Rockford Police Department in the amount of $115,000.

→ Settling the alleged excessive-force case of RAATZE v. City of Rockford in the amount of $45,000.

→ Awarding a $131,000 contract to Bennett Construction, Inc., of Pecatonica, for altitude valve construction on Water Tower No. 2.

→ Awarding a $64,450 contract to Larson & Larson Builders, of Loves Park, for women’s restroom improvements.

→ Approving a $162,736 task order for MWH Americas, Inc., with offices in Chicago, for additional work related to the water system rehab, payable through debt certificates and IEPA funding.

→ Amending an engineering agreement with Hanson Professional Services, Inc., regarding the Morsay Drive bridge over the north branch of Keith Creek. The amendment provides an additional $75,280 to Hanson, bringing the company’s project total to $251,604 for construction engineering.

→ Approving an offer by the Byron Fire Protection District for the Rockford Fire Department to purchase 2006 and 2007 Ford F-450 ambulances for a total of $125,000.

Proclamations

May 16-22 was proclaimed National Emergency Medical Services Week, National Public Works Week and National Transportation Week. The week of May 17 was proclaimed National Salvation Army Week.

Absences

Ald. Doug Mark (R-3) presided in Mayor Larry Morrissey’s absence. Ald. Nancy Johnson (D-8) was absent. Ald. Ann Thompson-Kelly (D-7) left the meeting early.

From the May 19-25, 2010 issue