Money was on the mind of the Waterloo City Council on Monday night as aldermen approved matters involving department heads, its electric plant, infrastructure and police. 

The largest monetary item was a project budget summary from BHMG Engineers that included the purchase of a Taurus 70 SoLoNOx turbine generator set from Solar Turbines in the total amount of $11,542,770.48 as part of the city’s Combustion Turbine No. 3 project.

During a previous council meeting, Waterloo Public Works Director Tim Birk said BHMG Engineering previously worked with the city on its other two such turbines at the power plant. 

This new turbine, which Birk said could be operational by mid-to-late 2025, would be a dual-fueled combustion package with a 13.2 kV generator, including liquid fuel storage and natural gas connections.

Sticking with electric, the council also approved the purchase of a new 40-foot bucket truck for the City of Waterloo’s electric department in the amount of $285,565.39 from Terex Utilities. 

A third matter involving electric involved Monday’s approval of a new power sales contract and new capacity purchase agreement between the city and the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency for the delivery period commencing Oct. 1, 2035. 

Birk explained that this is a 20-year extension to a previous contract with IMEA that ends in 11 years, putting the overall agreement with the city through 2055. 

In an infrastructure matter, the council approved Insituform as low bidder in the amount of $212,215.03 for the city’s 2024 sewer lining project. 

As related to police, Chad Nord was sworn in as a new officer with the Waterloo Police Department. 

Staying on that topic, the council gave the OK for three purchases to equip two recently purchased WPD vehicles with lights, sirens, radar units and more at a total cost of $21,188.96.

With the annual re-appointments of Shawn Kennedy as collector/budget officer, Nathan Krebel as subdivision and zoning administrator, Brad Yearian as building inspector/code administrator, Birk as public works director, Dan Luke as police chief, Sarah Craig as human resources coordinator, Sarah Deutch as community relations coordinator and the law firm of Steppig, Gilbreth and Steppig as city attorney, the council also approved managerial raises at Monday’s meeting. 

Raises in the amount of 4.5 percent were approved for Kennedy, Deutch, Krebel, Luke and WPD Deputy Chief Trin Daws. A raise in the amount of 5.75 percent was approved for Birk. A raise in the amount of 7 percent was approved for Yearian. 

Craig, who was just recently appointed to her position, is not eligible for a managerial raise until May 1, 2025.

The council went into executive session to discuss “pending litigation,” but no official action was taken as a result of that closed discussion. 

The next meeting of the Waterloo City Council takes place 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 3, at City Hall.