Will County Public Works & Transportation Committee met Jan. 4.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Ms. Newquiest led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
III. ROLL CALL
Chair Joe VanDuyne called the meeting to order at 9:04 AM
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Joe VanDuyne | Chair | Present | |
| Sherry Newquist | Vice Chair | Present | |
| Herbert Brooks Jr. | Member | Present | |
| Mica Freeman | Member | Present | |
| Donald Gould | Member | Absent | |
| Jim Moustis | Member | Present | |
| Frankie Pretzel | Member | Present | |
| Tom Weigel | Member | Present | |
| Denise E. Winfrey | Member | Present |
Present from the State's Attorney's Office: C. Wise
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. WC Public Works & Transportation Committee - Regular Meeting - Nov 2, 2021 9:00 AM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mica Freeman, Member SECONDER: Herbert Brooks Jr., Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mica Freeman, Member SECONDER: Herbert Brooks Jr., Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
VI. NEW BUSINESS
1. 2021 CRISI Federal Funding Application Summary
(Elaine Bottomley)
Ms. Bottomley provided a memo regarding the CRIS1 Grant Application 2021 Overview. After providing information on the memo there was a brief question and answer period.
Mr. Van Duyne stated thank you so much for that update; it is a very exciting project. Hopefully we do get some good news in the spring. Are there any questions? I don’t see any hands, thank you for coming in.
2. Confirming Award of Contract to "D" Construction, Inc. ($721,325.90), Let on December 15, 2021, Crete Road District - South Kings Road over Deer Creek, County Board District #1
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair SECONDER: Mica Freeman, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Tom Weigel, Member SECONDER: Jim Moustis, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member SECONDER: Tom Weigel, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair SECONDER: Tom Weigel, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Mica Freeman, Member SECONDER: Jim Moustis, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Tom Weigel, Member SECONDER: Jim Moustis, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Tom Weigel, Member SECONDER: Mica Freeman, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member SECONDER: Sherry Newquist, Vice Chair AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldsom)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Tom Weigel, Member SECONDER: Jim Moustis, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
(Jeff Ronaldson)
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS] Next: 1/20/2022 9:30 AM
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member SECONDER: Tom Weigel, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
VIII. DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION
1. Adopting the Will County ITS Opportunities Plan
(Jeff Ronaldson)
Mr. Ronaldson stated ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) this is a study that was recommended in our 2040 plan we undertook; that maybe 1 ½ to 2 years ago until we started that. We have gone through the process, and it is finalized. The attachments are on there, it is a lot of data and a lot of information. I didn’t want to go through it today because there is a lot of information in there. I’m attaching the opportunities plan and the implementation plan and the executive summary on there for you to review so you can prepare yourself and have questions for next month. We will bring it back in February for actual County Board approval. I wanted to get that out there because there is a lot of information in there that you might have questions on. It is not the norm of what we bring forward. For those who do not know ITS; I will take a blurb out of the Executive Summary. The ITS study is to identify, evaluate and to establish a plan to address the transportation challenges facing the County using technology. When you think of transportation, roads and bridges you think of people out there working on the road, concrete, and asphalt. This is utilizing not just traffic signals; that is what you might usually think of with ITS, but also intelligent communications between agencies. The boards that you see on the interstate that tell you to drive slowly, we don’t necessarily have those on our system but things like that; this is the way to move forward in the decade to come. So, there are a lot of items in there that we can start implementing. There is the cost estimate at the back of the summary. There is a potential schedule that we could utilize; I encourage you to look through that then next month you can ask questions. If it is all right with the committee, I will probably have the consultant attend. If you would like to I could have them, give a 5 or 10-minute presentation to run through that. I would like to hear from the committee; would you like to have a presentation, or just go at it with questions.
Mr. Moustis stated I would love for them to come and provide a presentation. I like that interaction and asking questions to the person who helped to develop this study it is always beneficial. But I am also thinking that perhaps this should be sent out as a separate item to all County Board members and making them aware of the presentation. I’m sure this is something the entire board is interested in. They may not always go through the entire Public Works Agenda. Mr. Ronaldson would you send this out to all the County Board Members as a separate item.
Mr. Ronaldson said I am sure that staff could work on getting that out to everyone. We could present to the full County Board, but I don’t know if you necessarily want to do that at the board level.
Mr. Moustis said I think we should just make them aware that the presentation will be taking place at the Public Works & Transportation meeting. If they have an interest, then they can join us.
Mr. Van Duyne said I agree with you and staff had just mentioned that they will pass it along to everybody and that the presentation will be presented at Public Works if they are able to participate.
2. Mid-year update on WCDOT FY2022-2027 major projects
(Jeff Ronaldson)
Mr. Ronaldson said attached is a spreadsheet; some of you have seen in the past, and some of you might not have. I am giving this as an update to all our major projects that we have going on. This is kind of a mid-year look at the TIP that was approved in June of each year; we bring it forward to the committee and the board; this is like a midyear status where the projects are at. These are major projects and not overlays; in here there is cost, and there is time of when they are projected to move forward. In the middle is a column that says original program year. The very next column is the when the estimate letting year. In our TIP we project a certain year, as the project moves forward, they can slip a little or move forward a little. There are some projected dates in there. The highlighted in orange items are projects that are done as far as engineering; they are just sitting in court waiting for a right-of-way. You can see some of the lengthy terms that we have been in court through right-of-way acquisitions on some of these parcels. In moving down, you can see 2023, 2024 is what I really want to focus on; the projects that we have coming up. The projects in 2023 are a smaller value but they are projects that we put forward to start when we receive that additional Gas Tax money. We started them right away and we were able to move them forward much quicker. They are not federally eligible so you can’t apply for Federal Funding dollars. That is why we were able to do them in 2023 instead of 2024 or 2025. We have a federal process for phase I studies required. The only way I can keep that 2023 is probably there will be a right-of-way involved. I don’t have the (inaudible) but they will be by summer. We may have to consider bringing back to committee a couple of projects to consider for quick take. If we don’t press through quick takes on projects, we will most likely end up with some of those orange blocks that you see up above. It is just that the court process is rather slow. In the past we have done quick takes successfully; three times now and they have been beneficial projects moving forward, such as 80th Ave., that is going to IDOT letting in January. We were able to secure all those parcels rather quickly. Also, as the bigger projects in 2024 move forward those are federally eligible. You can see the dollar amounts on there, $11 million, $28 million, and $26 million; they are bigger projects. We don’t want to lose those letting dates so we may have to consider quick take; obviously that is the decision of the County Board. So, probably in the next two months if it is all right with the committee, I would like to re discuss this. Probably some of the projects that would be most prudent to maybe get some of these dollars out and not just sit on them. So that is my intent if there are questions on that, I’d be happy to take them now.
Mr. Van Duyne said thank you Mr. Ronaldson. As some of you may know in Capital Improvements especially with morgue; the longer we wait, the price of material the everything else goes up extremely.
Mrs. Ogalla said Mr. Ronaldson I have a question and you don’t have to do it now but possibility when you discuss the ITS at next month’s committee. As far as quick take goes if you could explain the difference for everyone as to the use of eminent domain verses quick take for the projects; and then why we would want to go to quick take and would we go to quick take first rather than eminent domain. Then also explaining how even though we use quick take how we negotiate with the landowners. You don’t have to do that now; just so everyone on the board can understand that. That would be helpful.
Mr. Ronaldson said when we do bring any of those projects up for discussion, we can do an overview of the difference between the difference of the two. That wouldn’t be a problem.
Mr. Van Duyne said I can agree with that; I’ve heard the difference a couple of different times and still can’t keep it straight in my head. Thank you for that Mrs. Ogalla and Mr. Ronaldson will be more than happy to explain that. I see no other hands; do you have anything else Mr. Ronaldson.
Mr. Ronaldson said just informally; we did finally have our first snowfall event last week. The crews were out, and they did in my opinion a very good job of keeping our County Highways open as quickly as possible, I really appreciate that. Administrator John Cairn l believe is on the line, so pass along to them it was a job well done. That is all I have.
IX. STATE'S ATTORNEY DISCUSSION
X. MONTHLY WORK REPORTS
1. Construction Status Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
2. Maintenance Status Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
3. Phase II Summary Report
(Jeff Ronaldson)
XI. REPORTS BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mr. Weigel said recently I traveled over Renwick Rd. crossing the CN; that seems a little rough. I wonder if you could talk to them and see if they could do a little grinding on it. Recently they did some work on Nelson Rd. in New Lenox; they ground that down and it is nice and smooth. I would like to see that done. Then on Gouger Rd. I don’t know if they have done that yet; that was is in bad shape. This could cause some problems for our snowplows; when you are running this big lip on the road you could wreck some of your equipment. I think it is important that these road crossings should be smooth. Thank you.
Mr. Ronaldson we will reach out on that like we did on the other ones. They did as you said, milled Nelson and a couple of others as you mentioned before. Some of them are rough and I heard that they were going to try and come back again next year and do some additional milling; hopefully they can fit that into the schedule.
XII. PUBLIC COMMENT
XIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS BY CHAIR
XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mr. Van Duyne said we are looking for a motion to go into executive session for the purpose of land acquisition.
A motion was made by Ms. Winfrey, second by Mr. Pretzel, to go into executive session at 9:29 a.m. to discuss land acquisition. On a roll call vote, Newquist, Brooks, Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey and Van Duyne voting yes.
MOTION CARRIES
Mr. Van Duyne announced they were now in executive session.
A motion was made by Mr. Brooks, seconded by Ms. Winfrey to come out of executive session at 9:47 a.m. On a roll call vote, Newquist, Brooks, Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey and Van Duyne voting yes.
MOTION CARRIES
A motion was made by Mr. Brooks, seconded by Ms. Winfrey to concur with the recommendation from the Director of Transportation. On a roll-call vote. Newquist, Brooks, Freemen, Moustis, Pretzel, Winfrey, Van Duyne, voting yes.
XV. ADJOURNMENT
1. Motion to Adjourn @ 9:49 AM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jim Moustis, Member SECONDER: Denise E. Winfrey, Member AYES: VanDuyne, Newquist, Brooks Jr., Freeman, Moustis, Pretzel, Weigel, Winfrey ABSENT: Gould |
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