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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Steve Andras, P.E., Acting Airport Manager
DATE: August 7, 2020
SUBJECT:
To approve an intergovernmental agreement with the Sugar Grove Drainage District to rehabilitate a drain tile system located on the property of the Aurora Municipal Airport.
PURPOSE:
The intergovernmental agreement will allow the Sugar Grove Drainage District to make repairs and replace field tile located on airport property.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Aurora Engineering Division has been in discussion with the Sugar Grove Drainage District, Kane County and the Village of Sugar Grove for over seven years regarding the condition and conveyance capacity of this system. The issue originated from complaints voiced by the farmers upstream of the airport contending that the airport field tiles were inadequate and in disrepair resulting in a decrease in farmable acreage.
The Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources has taken the lead role in resolving this matter. The county enlisted the services of WBK Engineering and Huddleston-McBride Land Services in order to develop practical solution alternatives. Huddleston-McBride performed television inspection of the existing field tile system and evaluated its condition, on and off airport property while WBK designed and proposed a phased improvement plan.
Before any rehabilitation to the airport system could be made, the downstream system needed to be improved to accept the additional flows. This work was done by the SGDD along with Kane County by making improvements to Welch Creek and the tile system between U.S. Route 30 and the BNSF railroad.
Illinois drainage law requires that property owners maintain field tile systems on their property so as not to create issues for upstream or downstream landowners. As such, the City of Aurora is responsible for repairing or otherwise maintaining the field tile system at the airport at its sole expense.
The upstream landowners are requesting that the piping network located on airport property be upsized to accommodate additional agricultural flows. In return, the Drainage District has agreed to take ownership of the piping system located on City property and will be responsible for all future maintenance or replacement at no cost to the City.
DISCUSSION:
Though this project was not budgeted for FY 2020 it is anticipated that a budget amendment will be processed to fund this project in a not-to-exceed amount of $95,000 out of account 504-1810-433.73-99 by stimulus money received through the 2020 CARES Act ($157,000) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
This project will have no negative impacts to the City of Aurora or general public. The construction of these improvements will benefit multiple landowners. Restoring the carrying capacity of the tile system will reduce the amount of ponding surface water resulting in fewer waterfowl/wildlife that could potentially interact with aircraft. Further, the approval of this agreement will relieve the City of any future costs related to the ownership and maintenance of this drain tile system.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
We respectfully request that you forward this agreement to the Finance Committee for their review and favorable recommendation.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Aurora and Sugar Grove Drainage District #1 for Mutual Cooperation in the Construction of Drainage Improvements on the Site of the Aurora Municipal Airport.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, The City of Aurora owns operates and maintains the Aurora Municipal Airport; and:
WHEREAS, the field tile drainage system on airport property is in disrepair and causing problems on site and upstream of the airport; and
WHEREAS, it is mutually beneficial to the City of Aurora and Sugar Grove Drainage District #1 to make repairs to the airport drainage system; and
WHEREAS, the Sugar Grove Drainage District #1 has prepared an Intergovernmental Agreement attached as Exhibit 1; and
WHEREAS, the Intergovernmental Agreement generally provides that Sugar Grove Drainage District #1 will repair/replace certain drainage lines on Airport property for a not-to-exceed sum of Ninety Five Thousand Dollars ($95,000); and
WHEREAS, in return for this payment Sugar Grove Drainage District #1 will take over ownership and maintenance responsibilities in perpetuity; and
WHEREAS, a budget amendment shall be processed using CARES Act stimulus money to fund this work and be paid for out of account 504-1810-433.73-99.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: that the Mayor and City Clerk are hereby authorized and directed to execute the Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Aurora and Sugar Grove Drainage District #1 for Mutual Cooperation in the Construction of Drainage Improvements on the Site of the Aurora Municipal Airport (Attachment 1) in the not to exceed amount of $95,000.