MINUTES
WORKING SESSION
CITY COUNCIL
100 SOUTH MAIN STREET
EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS
January 15, 2013
Mayor Mingus called the Working Session of the City Council of East Peoria, Illinois to order at 5:15 P.M.
Upon the roll being called the following answered present: Mayor Mingus, Commissioners Decker,
Densberger, Jeffers and Joos.
Absent: None.
Mayor Mingus stated that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Street Maintenance Program. He then
turned the discussion over to Commissioner Decker. Commissioner Decker discussed the challenges that the
department faces with limited funds and roads needing to be fixed. He then turned the discussion over to Steve
Ferguson, Director of Public Works. Ferguson discussed last year’s Street Maintenance Program and monies
spent. $1,500,000.00 was spent last year. This year the department is looking to budget $1,000,000.00,
including construction of Centennial Drive and the final payment of Fondulac Drive. There is just over
$600,000.00 available in Motor Fuel Tax funds. The City also has the fourth of five years of Illinois Jobs Now
available to us, which leaves $700,000.00. $300,000.00 would be needed from gaming funds. Ferguson then
turned the discussion over to Patrick Meyer, Civil Engineer, to go through the rating system for the roads. He
discussed the rating system and showed examples of roads being fixed on a slide presentation. He also
discussed and showed examples of deterioration of roads overtime. He then discussed appropriate fixes for
those roads.
Commissioner Joos asked about the condition of Eastwood Drive and whether the road was doing well over
the span of its life. Mr. Meyer indicated that it was doing well. The City would like to address roads that rate
nine and ten to avoid further cracks.
Commissioner Joos asked how many days per year were spent on spray patching and crack sealing. Ric
Semonski, Supervisor of Streets, indicated that spray patching is done almost every day weather permitting
from April through October. There are three people needed for spray patching and up to five people for busy
roads to control traffic.
Mr. Meyer discussed the crack sealing contractor that was hired in 2009-2010. There was a discussion about
how the department would like to move forward with the street maintenance program and fixes for roads.
$2,200,000.00 would be needed to fix street rated a two. He discussed the budget and the proposed
expenditure of monies for the street maintenance program, including $275,000.00 for heat scarification seal
coat and $275,000.00 for paving;
Mayor Mingus asked if thirty-year-old streets could handle the methods of heat scarification. Mr. Meyer
stated that it would be possible. However, heavily spray-patched streets may not be candidates because the
make-up of the material is not the correct for the heat scarification process.
Commissioner Decker discussed heat in place recycling. Commissioner Decker stated that we do not want to
spend $500,000.00 on the process this year, because the city was not able to test a street last year and the two
roads that had this process were county roads that were flat and not traveled a lot.
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Commissioner Jeffers stated that he would like to spend monies on the heat in place recycling, because he feels
that the process has been used and lasts twice as long with only about ten percent more cost than heat scarified
roads.
Mayor Mingus asked if there were long studies on the heat in place recycling process. Semonski indicated that
they are still working out the process. Mayor Mingus is cautious and he would like to see outside objective
testing in addition to the contractor’s own testing.
Commissioner Jeffers discussed testing the heat in place recycling process if there is more money available
this year. He stated that there are issues with heat scarification process.
Commissioner Joos is supportive of the heat in place recycling process. He likes it, and it makes sense. He
saw the error with the equipment on the tested roads and feels that it is still better than the spray patching
process.
Mr. Meyer discussed the new ADA compliance issues with overlaying streets that requires compliance at
ramps and crosswalks.
Mr. Meyer then showed a chart that compared road ratings over several years.
Commissioner Decker discussed the early bidding process and money savings created through the process. He
stated that he is asking Council for $1,000,000.00, but he would like more money for streets. There are a large
number of streets that are rated between a four and five rating. This large amount of streets could then move to
the eight or nine range rating. It is encouraging because it is only $2,200,000.00 of two-rated streets. There
have been dramatic improvements in roads. Streets are sealed up for the most part. He would like more
preventative maintenance. However, the problem is not out of reach, and he is encouraged. At this point, the
department is trying to decide which streets need to be done this year.
Commissioner Jeffers discussed the $2,000,000.00 spent each year between 2007 and 2010 and how the City is
reaping the benefits of those fixes.
Tom Brimberry, City Administrator, stated that $2,250,000.00 is being spent on roads and other ancillary road
projects that leveraged other dollars. He thanked council for their decisions on street maintenance that have
improved the roads.
Commissioner Densberger stated that the City spent $1,600,000.00 on street maintenance last year. If the
maintenance and improvements to Centennial Drive and Fondulac Drive are included, the city is almost at
$1,700,000.00 on street maintenance. There is more money going into street maintenance other than the
$1,000,000.00 budgeted.
Commissioner Decker stated that he thinks of street maintenance of maintaining streets; not the PPUATS
projects. There was a discussion about Reeser Road. Council is still looking into a solution to Reeser Road.
Mayor Mingus then asked for any questions or comments from the audience.
Tom Hulting of 513 Indian Circle, East Peoria, stated that he has lived in East Peoria a long time and that no
preventative maintenance has been present for seal coating since he has lived here. Morton has a great
preventative street maintenance program. There has never had a sealcoating program. He asked Mr. Meyer
about when streets should be sealcoated; particularly discussing Timber Lane. Mr. Meyer stated that streets
should have been sealcoated in year sixteen or seventeen. He discussed that the road is past failure. Mr.
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Hulting stated that every time you spray patch that creates a bump. He discussed a seven rated street that it is
probably a candidate for street sealcoating. He stated that the cost is ten dollars a square yard for sealcoating
and milling and over lay is thirty dollars per a square foot. Sealcoating with pea gravel is four dollars per
square yard and sealcoating with trap rock is six dollars per square yard.
Mr. Hulting also discussed the city waiting until streets are in an after failure mode before fixing them.
Commissioner Jeffers discussed the limited budget and that Mr. Hulting may not be correct in evaluating.
There has been improvement to the roads. Commissioner Decker stated that the city is trying to improve as
many streets as it can with the amount of monies that are available.
Mr. Hulting discussed streets not being improved until after a failure when he believes it is much more
expensive He also discussed putting money into a before failure cheap fix instead of waiting until and after
failure of roads.
Commissioner Decker discussed allocating monies toward before failure and preventative maintenance but
until the City can spend more money the City must make repairs to the roads with the amount of money that
we have.
Mayor Mingus asked for any other questions or comments from the audience. There was no response.
Motion by Commissioner Joos, seconded by Commissioner Jeffers; Mr. Mayor, I move you that we adjourn
the meeting.
Yeas: Commissioners Decker, Densberger, Jeffers, Joos and Mayor Mingus.
Nays: None.
Mayor Mingus declared the motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 6:05 P.M.
__/s/ Morgan R. Cadwalader___________________
Morgan R. Cadwalader, City Clerk