Kendall County Times

City of Batavia Committee of the Whole met July. 29.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Meeting Called to Order 7:00pm

1. Roll Call

Present:,Barazza, Lanci, Beck, Malone, Wolff, Baerren, Leman, Lohman, Pieper, Anderson Absent: Vogelsinger*, Solfa*, Farenbach, Malay

2. Reminder: Please Speak Into The Mic for BATV

3. Items Removed/Added/Changed

4. Matters From public

5. Consent agenda

5.1 Approve Minutes July 1, 2025

Motion to approve Consent Agenda moved by Beck and seconded by Lanci. The motion was carried unanimously (10-0) with a voice vote.

6. Regular Agenda

6.1 Resolution 2025-098-r Authorizing Change Order no. 5 with IHC Construction Companies LLC for the Phase 2a WWTP Improvements

Ald. Vogelsinger and Ald. Solfa joined the meeting at 7:04pm.

Andrea Podraza provided a brief update on a change order totaling $66,667.54 related to construction site work. The change order covers unexpected items discovered during the project, such as a bolt issue on a clarifier that wasn't visible until the structure was emptied. These repairs were made immediately to ensure long-term durability (15+ years). While the project had a construction allowance, it has now been fully used, with both additions and subtractions throughout the contract. As of now, the project remains within budget, but if that changes, a budget amendment will be brought forward.

Motion to Approve Resolution 2025-098-R moved by Malone and seconded by Solfa. The motion was carried unanimously (12-0) with a voice vote.

6.2 Resolution 2025-099-R Authorizing Execution of Task Order 36 with GZA

Phase 1, which involved a document review, recommended further investigation due to the properties’ long history of varied use. Phase 2 will include on-site sampling and lab testing, resulting in higher costs due to its complexity. She emphasized that such expenses are expected when dealing with properties that have had extensive prior use.

Motion to Approve Resolution 2025-099-r moved by Vogelsinger and seconded by Anderson. The motion was carried unanimously (12-0) with a voice vote.

6.3 Discussion: City Energy Policy

Max Weiss presented key questions to guide Batavia’s energy policy as part of the city’s Integrated Resource Plan with the Brattle Group. Key Discussion areas:

1. Whether the city should own generation assets or contract for power.

2. Whether generation should be local or location-agnostic.

3. What level of diversification is desired.

He asked the City Council to weigh in on whether to own or contract for power, whether to prioritize local generation, and what level of diversification to pursue. Council members expressed mixed views on ownership, with some favoring the control and price stability it offers and others preferring the flexibility of contracts due to past challenges with Prairie State.

There was strong support for local generation and energy storage to improve reliability, though members acknowledged practical limits. Most agreed that diversifying the energy portfolio—with solar, wind, nuclear, and storage—was essential. While many showed interest in small-scale nuclear as a future option, concerns about cost, regulation, and readiness remain.

Council priorities varied slightly, but cost, reliability, and sustainability were consistently cited as top concerns. Members also emphasized the need to upgrade Batavia’s aging grid and explore demand-side strategies like smart meters and time-of-use rates. The Brattle Group will use this feedback to draft a policy framework for Council review, aiming to balance flexibility, resilience, and long-term affordability.

6.4 Discussion: City Council Committees

Batavia City Council members held a detailed discussion on enhancing the organization of the Committee of the Whole by reintroducing volunteer chairs and vice chairs for the four existing committees: government services, community development, city services, and public utilities. The purpose of assigning these roles is to provide structure, improve communication between staff and council, and ensure that someone is prepared to introduce and guide discussion on agenda items. Chairs would help anticipate questions, consolidate council member input, and serve as a point of contact to streamline meeting preparation.

While some council members expressed concerns about adding unnecessary layers, delays in communication, or shifting too much responsibility to a few individuals, others emphasized the value of spreading out the workload and developing leadership skills among council members. It was clarified that participation would be voluntary, roles would not require expertise, and all council members would retain full ability to participate in discussions. To avoid changing existing ordinances, the council agreed to maintain the current four-committee structure and test this chair-based system for six months. Committee assignments will be based on seniority and interest, with final decisions made at an upcoming meeting including members who were absent.

7. City Council Updates

7.1 Project status

The Batavia Park Board agreed to participate in a joint feasibility study with the City regarding the dam removal and concept design options, with both staffs to collaborate on a mutually acceptable scope of work for the request for proposals. Updates were also shared on several city matters: the water master agreement for the data center is delayed and will appear on the next agenda; a 50 MW load letter was submitted to ComEd; and emergency water main repairs are underway near the Westside Fire Station. The finance department is currently interviewing candidates for a finance assistant position.

Additionally, Council revisited a past discussion about whether the City should register or endorse contractors after a resident reported a negative experience. While some members showed openness to creating a voluntary or informational list, most were opposed, citing legal risks, staff workload, and the limited benefit from one complaint. Several recommended referring residents to the Chamber of Commerce instead. The consensus was to not pursue contractor registration or oversight at this time.

7.2 other business

None

8. Executive Session

Motion to enter Executive Session moved by Wolff and seconded by Lanci. The motion was carried Unanimously (12-0) with a roll call vote.

9. Adjournment

With no further matters to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. The motion was carried unanimously (12-0) with a roll call vote.

https://bataviail.community.highbond.com/document/10141/?lastModified=638912997514100000