New sanitary sewers and water mains budgeted for parts of O’Fallon

East Fourth Street is targeted for a public works project that will improve drainage, install new sanitary sewers and water mains, and reconstruct roadways in the area.

Like the Presidential Streets project conducted in several phases, most of the work will be on Fourth Street from Lincoln Avenue to Hilgard Street, with some work done on Apple, Park and Vine streets.

At the May 1 meeting, the O’Fallon City Council OK’d the agreement for design engineering services with Gonzalez Companies for $158,270, which is in the FY24 budget and part of the Capital Improvements Program. The funding source is through Proposition S-14 and the water and sewer department budgets.

The current area has old clay sanitary sewers in need of replacement, and this part of the city also experiences standing water and localized flooding during rain.

New Council Members Seated

The newly elected and re-elected aldermen Dennis Muyleart, second term, Ward 1; Jessica Lotz, second term, Ward 2; Andrea Fohne, first term after appointment last year, Ward 3; Todd Roach, second term, Ward 4; Aaron Hudson, first term, Ward 5; Tom Vorce, second term, Ward 6; and Nathan Parchman, second term, and Eric Van Hook, first term after appointment last year, Ward 7, were sworn in and seated on the council.

Mayor Herb Roach announced that committee assignments would stay the same, except Alderman Roy Carney would be the vice-chair of the Parks and Environment Committee and new Alderman Aaron Hudson would be on the Parks and Environment and Public Works committees.

Phone numbers and contact information for these elected officials are available on the city website at https://www.ofallon.org/administration/elected-officials.

“I want to say thank you to everyone that ran in the local election on April 4. The commitment to be a good representative and to serve your constituents properly for the right reasons is not easy,” Roach said.

TIF Surplus Funds

In other action, the council declared a surplus of funds in the special tax allocation fun for the city’s Tax Increment Financing redevelopment projects in TIF District #3 Central Park, TIF District #4 Highway 50/Scott Troy Road and TIF District #5 Central City.

This is required by the Illinois Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act when declaring a surplus (pass through) and is done annually. The pass-through amount of $490,848.94 is sent to the St. Clair County Collector, who distributes this amount to the respective taxing districts in the same manner and proportion as the most recent distribution to the affected districts of real property taxes from real property in the redevelopment project area.

The amount of $310,126.40 represents the pass-through amounts from TIF #3 - Central Park from Menards, Commercial R.E. LLC (Gander Mountain property) and Central Park Retail redevelopment agreements.

The amount of $162,838.34 represents the pass-through amounts from TIF #4 from Highway 50/Scott Troy Road - Metro rec plex. The remaining balance of $17,884.20 represents the pass through from those parcels in TIF #5 - Central City TIF area.

EPA Inspections

The council approved an agreement with WHKS & Co. for lead and copper rule revisions – water service inventory for $55,000, plus hourly costs based on inspections. Collinsville has also hired them.

The EPA Lead & Copper Rule Revisions requires an inventory of all water service lines and must be completed by April 2024. This also requires the customer service line going into the house.

Although IEPA released a second round of available funding, city staff applied and were told they do not qualify because of the median income of households in O’Fallon. Funds are in the FY24 water budget.

Labor Contract OK’d

After an executive session, the council approved a three-year contract with the Local 100 Laborers’ International Union of America, AFL-CIO, which covered rates of pay, wages, hours of employment, and other conditions of employment with the city from May 1, 2023 through April 30, 2026.

Board Re-Assignments

Elizabeth Jennings and Charla Morton were re-appointed to the Library Board for a three-year term expiring May 2026.

Kevin “Kip” Adkins was re-appointed to the Fire Pension Board for a three-year term expiring May 2026.

Dave Hopkins was re-appointed to the Police Pension Board for a two-year term expiring May 2025.

Park Pavilion Dedications

The ceremony to honor the late alderman Kevin Hagarty by naming Pavilion #4 at the Family Sports Park for him will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, May 12. Hagarty, who had represented Ward 3 since 2011, died from natural causes on March 30, 2022.

His fellow Ward 3 Alderman Roy Carney said this after his passing: “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who was as dedicated to his children, family, and the city of O’Fallon. Kevin was always there for the people of Ward 3,” he said.

Mayor Roach noted his civic involvement. “There are so many things that Kevin did to promote our city and make it better for all of us. Besides his leadership on the city council, he also served on the City Fest Committee since the beginning and was active with the O’Fallon Moose and so many other groups and activities,” he said.

Roach also remarked that the Pavilion #1 dedication for late alderman Dan Witt took place Sunday, with about 40 people at the Family Sports Park. “Dan was well respected for what he did for our community, on the council and in so many other ways,” he said.

Witt, 67, died on June 12, 2022, three days after a serious weed-cutting accident. He had been re-elected to a second term in 2021 and is fondly remembered as a devoted family man and helpful civic-minded volunteer who donated countless hours to local organizations.