Minutes of the February 10, 2010 Mill Creek SSA Meeting
March 27, 2010
Copied below are the draft minutes from the February 10th Mill Creek Special Services Area Advisory Body meeting. Looks like a couple of advisory members are starting to ask some questions on things like oh, the scheduling of extra sheriff’s patrols, the justification for the SSA office in the Village Center and the SSA “obligation” to pay for pond maintenance on golf course property. Interesting. I’m still waiting for the answer to that last one. I’ll send a note to follow-up, plus ask a few more questions based on some of what is discussed below.
Minutes of the Mill Creek Special Services Advisory Body
February 10, 2010
The meeting of the Mill Creek Special Services Advisory Body was held on Wednesday,
February 10, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the South First Floor Conference Room at the Kane
County Government Center. The following members were in attendance:
Mark Ruby, Jackie Forbes, Sandra Rolnicki, Karen Kosog
Also, in attendance:
Mark VanKerkhoff, Executive Director, Development Department
Jennie Gatske, Program Manager, Staff Coordinator
Mary Anne Hoye, Administrative Officer
Gary Mielke, Recycling Coordinator, Kane County
Bill Earle, Mill Creek resident
Tom Riordan, Mill Creek Resident
1. Minutes (December 9, 2009)
The minutes of the December 9, 2009 meeting were approved unanimously.
2. Public Comment
Bill Earle stated that he wanted it noted that the snow removal was going very well. He
commended the contractor on the efficient work.
Tom Riordan stated that this year they would be sealcoating the driveway aprons and
several of the residents were having issues with the seam between the aprons and the
alleys. He stated that there was significant erosion on both sides and asked if the SSA
had any plans on repair in those areas. Ms. Gatske stated that the SSA does repair on the
alleys when necessary at the time of sealcoating, usually around August. She stated they
would take a look at those areas to see what the contractor would recommend.
3. Garbage Contract Renewal
Jennie Gatske introduced Gary Mielke, Recycling Coordinator for Kane County
Facilities, Subdivisions and Environmental Resources. Mr. Mielke stated that August 31,
2010 will be the end of the current garbage and refuse contract with Veolia
Environmental Services. He stated that Kane County would be going to bid this year for
the next contract for garbage and refuse services for Mill Creek in April or May. He
stated he wanted to have a discussion about the current services and if anyone had
concerns or questions.
Mr. Mielke stated that the current service offers recycling with 65-gallon recycling carts,
along with refuse removal through either stickers or a monthly cart rental. He stated that
large items currently require one sticker. Landscaping waste is also picked up as a
service. Currently, stickers are available at a variety of places, including Dominick’s,
Jewel Foods, Meijer, Mill Creek Market and at Veolia Environmental Services in
Batavia. The currently prices for the services are very competitive and have only risen
slightly over the past 5 years.
He described the process of disposition of the waste after it is picked up from the
residences, with 56% going to the Batavia Transfer Station as garbage; 33% considered
recycling going to Resource Management in Chicago Ridge; and the remaining 10% yard
waste going to Midwest Compost in Elgin to be processed and resold to surrounding
agencies as useable compost.
Member Forbes asked about type-6 recycling and if it could be curbside. Mr. Mielke
stated that there are only a couple of locations specific to processing type-6 material, the
closest being in North Aurora.
Ms. Gatske stated that the question of a brush-pickup service had come up and asked if
that could be added to the bid. Mr. Mielke stated that he could ask about the availability
for brush pickup as well as Christmas tree pickup service in January. Currently, Veolia
does not pick up trees or have a chipper for brush.
The Advisory Body asked what basis would be used for selection. Mr. Mielke stated that
he will look at the qualifications and the price for services and products.
4. Landscaping & Maintenance
Ms. Gatske distributed a copy of the approved 2010 Landscaping bid and stated that
Forever Green Lawns was awarded the bid for Mill Creek as the lowest responsible
bidders. She stated that there were more respondents this year than ever before and the
pricing was very competitive. All prices were considered and references checked. The
contract will begin on April 1st and will go through November 15th. One member asked if
there was someone picking up garbage over the winter months. Ms. Gatske stated that
the contract does not include the winter months; however, Staff usually hires the
landscaping company at a separate price for monthly garbage pickup during that time.
Ms. Gatske stated that Staff will call a meeting with Ron from Forever Green Lawns in
March to go over expectations and planned projects for the year.
Ms. Gatske stated that she has been in contact with Wayne White about the Ash trees
needing to be treated against the Emerald Ash Borer. She stated that he had completed
his analysis and had a series of maps with the locations of the trees and the costs. She
stated that he had also been working on contacting individual homeowners about
parkway or other ash trees on their properties, offering his services to treat those as well.
Ms. Gatske stated that she will forward the information to the Advisory Body as she gets
it.
5. Parkway Tree Planting Program Award
Ms. Gatske stated that the 2010 Parkway Tree Planting Program was awarded to St.
Aubin Nursery again this year after determining through competitive bid that they were
the lowest responsible bidder. She stated that in the next couple of weeks they will be
finalizing the tree list and getting the brochures out to the residents.
6. Traffic Detail
Ms. Gatske distributed the tentative schedule for the traffic detail in February. She stated
that the program continues to be popular with the officers, as it is on a sign-up basis
during the officers’ spare time. Member Kosog asked about some of the scheduling,
particularly mid-day during the week. Ms. Gatske stated that she attempts to vary the
scheduling, and keeps most of the mid-day shifts to the weekends or school holidays
when there would be more traffic. She stated that the majority of the weekday shifts are
going to be overnight or evening.
7. Financials
Jennie Gatske distributed the financial reports for up to the end of January 2010. She
stated that currently, the expenditures are at about 17% of the year’s budget. A question
came up about the Transfer to Other Funds line item and what that was for. Ms. Gatske
stated that by ordinance, Mill Creek SSA pays an administrative fee back to the county
for business use of the office, equipment and supplies. Member Kosog asked about the
use of the office in the Village Center. Ms. Gatske stated that a few agencies use the
office throughout the month for meetings, as was intended. It is a public-use office and is
intended to be available for local civic agencies for small meetings. Ms. Gatske
explained that the costs to Mill Creek SSA will go down once other SSAs are active in
Kane County, as they will be using the office space as well. Currently, Mill Creek SSA
is the only active SSA in unincorporated Kane County.
8. Other Business
Member Rolnicki stated that there were a series of questions posed to Staff from the
editor of MillCreekTimes.com. Ms. Gatske stated that she had been sent several
questions from Dave a few weeks earlier, and that she had answered every question she
had immediate answers on. One question about authority of maintaining ponds on golf
course property had been forwarded to the Director of Water Resources, Paul Schuch, as
Ms. Gatske felt that his expertise would be more accurate. Ms. Gatske reiterated that
anything related to Mill Creek SSA and its functions is public information and can be
viewed by any resident. She stated that she has answered several requests for
information from residents or interested parties. She believes the transparency of
information is crucial for the public to make educated and informed decisions and will do
her best to accommodate.
Ms. Gatske informed the SSA Advisory Body that Carin Foote turned in her resignation,
creating an open position. Ms. Foote has been a valuable member since the inception of
the Advisory Body and her insight will be missed. Ms. Gatske encouraged the Advisory
Body to invite neighbors and friends who were interested to send a resume.
9. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 pm. The next meeting will be at 7:00 pm on
Wednesday, April 14, 2010.
__________________________________
Jennie Gatske
Staff Coordinator
Mill Creek SSA
