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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-10-28 Board MinutesI & Village President Dan DiMaria called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and welcomed all II. those in attendance this evening. He then led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance and directed the Clerk to call the roll. Toth and Janine Witko. Ill. Village Clerk Ed Ramos called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Shel Marcus, John Pietron, John Thill, Maria Toth and Janine Witko. lV. a. Regarding the Minutes of the Special Meeting of October 7, 2013, Trustee Toth moved to accept the Minutes as presented. Trustee Grear seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. Regarding the Minutes of the October 7, 2013 Regular Board Meeting, Trustee Toth moved, seconded by Trustee Grear, to accept the Minutes as presented. Trustee Thill asked that the b. Minutes be amended because, on page 7, it states that "Corporation Counsel Liston said that charitable poker games would be taxable," but Trustee Thill said that she further stated, "Because they are monitored by the State, they won't be taxable." Upon the vote, the motion passed unanimously via voice vote. V. SPECIAL REPORTS NONE VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS NONE VII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) NONE & Village President Dan DiMaria called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and welcomed all II, those in attendance this evening. He then led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance and directed the Clerk to call the roll. Witko. III. Village Clerk Ed Ramos called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Shel Marcus, John Pietron, John Thill, Maria Toth and Janine Witko. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Regarding the Minutes of the Special Meeting of October 7, 2013, Trustee Toth moved to accept the Minutes as presented. Trustee Grear seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. Regarding the Minutes of the October 7, 2013 Regular Board Meeting, Trustee Toth moved, seconded by Trustee Grear, to accept the Minutes as presented. Trustee Thill asked that the b Minutes be amended because, on page 7, it states that "Corporation Counsel Liston said that charitable poker games would be taxable," but Trustee Thill said that she further stated, "Because they are monitored by the State, they won't be taxable." Upon the vote, the motion passed unanimously via voice vote. V. SPECIAL REPORTS NONE VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS NONE VII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) NONE Minutes of October28, 2013'.Board Meeting] VIII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1. Commission Appointment Mayor DiMaria sought the Board's concurrence to appoint Chris Kintner to the Economic Development Commission. Trustee Pietron so moved, seconded by Trustee Toth. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. 2. Proclamation: Filipino American History Month a. Mayor DiMaria proclaimed the month of October 2013 as "Filipino American History Month" in Morton Grove. He noted that the Filipino American community is the second largest Asian American group in the United States, with a population estimated to be close to four million. He said that this is an opportunity for all the residents of Morton Grove to learn more about Filipino Americans and their historic contributions to the growth and development of the Village and the country. b. Filipino Counsel General Leo Herrera -Lim was in attendance with many of the members of the Fil -Am organization. He said that he was deeply humbled to receive this gesture of friendship from the Village and the mayor. He told Mayor DiMaria that this outreach has "made history' in the Filipino community. Mayor DiMana thanked Village Clerk Ramos for bringing Filipino American History Month to his attention. 3. Mavoral Update a. Mayor DiMaria said he had met with developers to showcase the Prairie View Shopping Center, now that the village has received official notice that Dominicks will be leaving that center. b. Mayor DiMaria said that the Student Government Day was quite successful. Planned by Trustee Toth and Administrative Intern Laura Lake, we had 18 students attend. Mayor DiMaria thanked the planners as well as Trustees Thill, Marcus, and Witko for attending. c. Mayor DiMaria noted that he had attended lobbyist training to prepare him to meet with legislators in Springfield two to three times annually, representing the Northwest Municipal Conference (NWMC) as well as the Village. d. Mayor DiMaria said he and Trustee Greer had attended a "Grand Re- Opening" of Kappy's. He encouraged everyone to visit this newly renovated restaurant. e. Mayor DiMaria noted that there have been several developers expressing an interest in Site "J" (the former Maxwell's site). He felt that good things are coming for Morton Grove! f. Mayor DiMaria said he had attended the NWMC's Legislative Committee meeting, noting that pension reform is an issue that has once again been postponed for discussion or action. Minutes of October 28, 2013 Board Meeting +. -- VIII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) g. Mayor DiMaria said he attended the Grand Opening of the Niles North Aquatic Center with Trustees Witko and Marcus. This ordinance is scheduled for a first reading this evening. h. Mayor DiMaria also attended the Grand Opening of the Niles West Observatory, which was fabulous. For those unaware, long -time Morton Grove resident John Slater made a sizable donation to the completion of this Observatory. Mayor DiMaria wanted to publicly recognize Mr. Slater for doing this. Mayor DiMaria attended the Cook County CMAP meeting. This involves county planning through the year 2040, focusing on future transportation needs and the funding that would be required to meet those needs. j. Mayor DiMana recognized Burt Katz from Burt's Place attending this evening. Burt's has been closed while Burt recovers from an illness, but he said he hoped to be open next month. He also recognized former Trustees Rita Minx and Don Sneider in attendance this evening, as well as former Clerk and Trustee Tony Kalogerakos, noting it was great to see them. k. Mayor DiMaria announced that there will be a Strategic Plan meeting on October 30 at 8:00 a.m. at 8300 Lehigh for business and commercial property owners to provide their input into the new Strategic Plan for Morton Grove. He hoped all business and commercial property owners would attend. Also on October 30, at 7:00 p.m. at the Civic Center, there will be an opportunity for all residents to provide their input and feedback on the Strategic Plan. Mayor DiMaria said that work is being done on a Strategic Plan website, which will hopefully be "live" in the next week or so. Once it is, people will be able to get to it via a link on the Village's website. IX. CLERK'S REPORT On behalf of the Filipino community represented tonight and throughout the Village, Clerk Ed Ramos thanked the Board for the Filipino American History Month proclamation. X. STAFF REPORTS A. Village Administrator: a. Village Administrator Ryan Horne provided a high -level overview of Ordinance 13 -17, which amends Title 1, Chapters 1 through 10M (the administrative chapters) of the Village's Municipal Code. This ordinance is scheduled for a first reading this evening. b. Mr. Horne said that staff has been working on the process of revising the Administrative chapters of the Municipal Code for quite some time. The purpose of the reorganization and rewriting of these chapters is to help residents and interested parties find the information/ requirements they need; to update the Village's purchasing requirements; to modernize the powers and authorities of the Village's senior staff (Department Directors); to streamline and unify the process for reporting and collecting Village taxes; and to compile all Village taxes under the same Title of the code. ' - Minutes of October28 2613: Board IlAeetin X. STAFF REPORTS (continued) Mr. Horne continued, noting that the goals of the reorganization and rewriting of these chapters were to drive people to the Internet; to streamline the code and remove all the redundancies; to reflect current State statutes (with references to the current statute), and to not "recreate" anything, but rather, borrow from others (other municipalities). Mr. Horne outlined some of the more significant changes: • The Agenda will now allow the Board to begin the meeting at 6:00 p.m. This will allow the Board to meet for Executive Sessions prior to the 7:00 p.m. meeting when all the regular business of the Board occurs. • The section about appointing a Trustee to fill a vacancy has been clarified to conform with new State statutes. • The Village Administrator now has the authority to maintain a Personnel Policy Manual setting forth personnel procedures, policies, and the rights and obligations of employees. The current code sections on personnel were outdated, not in conformance with certain State and Federal laws, and in some cases, contradicted the Village's current Personnel Policy Manual. • The chapter on Department Directors has been restructured to set forth the appointment and authorities of the Department Directors. Previously, each Director's appointment and powers were addressed in separate Articles, which were at times inconsistent. Also, the residency requirement for Department Directors was eliminated so long as the Village Administrator lives within fifteen miles of the Village. • The position of director of Family & Senior Services was eliminated. • The Village Administrator may now delegate or distribute a Department Director's duties and authorities in the event a Department Director is absent or unable to continue his /her duties. • The Village's purchasing authorization chapter was updated and reorganized to be consistent with State statutes. Board authorization will be required for purchases in excess of $20,000 (previously purchases over $10,000 required Board approval). • The Conflict of Interest chapter was updated to "prohibit employees from " directly or indirectly participating in a purchase or bidding process if he /she or a member of his /her immediate family stands to obtain a financial benefit from the bidding process. • The exceptions to the Village's bidding process have been clarified and the definition of "sole source vendor" has been updated. • A new section was added to codify the Village's past practice for the sale of surplus property and to establish processes for the purchase or sale of real estate. • A section was added outlining a "Bid Protest Procedure ". It also covers "lowest local bidders." • The Tax Chapter was rewritten to implement a uniform system of procedures for the reporting and collection of village taxes, and to update the section on taxpayer rights and responsibilities. All locally imposed and administered taxes are now centrally located in this Chapter. • The Municipal Electric Tax was updated to calculate the tax based on the current State statute. This modification will result in increased revenue to the Village while having little impact on local residents and businesses. ..Minutes of october28, 20.13: Board Meetinot X. B. Corporation Counsel: STAFF REPORTS (continued) Corporation Counsel Liston had no report. XI. TRUSTEES' REPORTS A. Trustee Grear: 1. Trustee Grear presented for a first reading Ordinance 13 -16, Amending Title 6, Chapter 1 and 3, and Adding Chapters 7 and 8 to the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. a He explained that Village staff constantly reviews the Village Code and makes certain recommendations to update provisions in order to keep the Code compliant with contemporary statutes and relevant to the current operations and requirements within the village. b. Title 6 of the Code contains Police Department regulations. This ordinance will incorporate staff recommendations to update Chapters 1 and 3 and to add new Chapters 7 and 8. The updates to Chapters 1 and 3 remove out -of -date regulations and regulations that are covered elsewhere in Village ordinances or State criminal statutes. The new Chapter 7 prohibits the sale of items designed or marketed for use with illegal cannabis or drugs. The new Chapter 8 prohibits the placement of graffiti on public or private places, and requires the owner of a property where graffiti is placed to eradicate said graffiti within 10 days of its placement. There was no further discussion on Ordinance 13 -16. c. Trustee Grear congratulated the Filipino people of Morton Grove, noting they are great people to be around! C. Trustee Marcus: Trustee Marcus had no formal report, but said he was glad to see Burt and he's looking forward to his reopening. He said he was glad Burt's feeling better. 7pm. Trustee Marcus also acknowledged former Clerk and Trustee Tony Kalogerakos, whose baby is due in two weeks! from 3pm to 7pm. He wished all a safe and happy Halloween! Trustee Marcus reminded the assemblage that Halloween is this week. Trick -or -treat hours are on Thursday, October 31, from 3pm to 7pm. He wished all a safe and happy Halloween! D. Trustee Pietron: Trustee Pietron had no report. NOnutes *10ttbber284093`BOarRl iNeeting Xl. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) E. Trustee Thill: Trustee Thill had no official report, but encouraged and reminded everyone to "RECYCLE ". Because of the Village's recycling initiative, since 2009, it has received approximately $165,000 from the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC). Trustee Toth: Trustee Toth had no formal report. MI. OTHER BUSINESS Mayor DiMaria introduced the newest Economic Development Commissioner Chris Kintner. Mayor DiMaria asked American Legion Post 134 representative Joe Gesicki to let people know, once again, about the Thanksgiving Day celebration for the naval recruits. Mr. Gesicki said the Post is expecting 50 recruits this year, and Chairman Casey Buchara has put together a great program for them. He thanked the Village for the support of the recruits, and said he was proud of the Board's support and contributions. The sailors will be picked up at 8:30 a.m. and will be at the Post until about 4:30 p.m. Mayor DiMaria asked everyone to stop by and support this great event. Mayor DiMaha announced a fundraiser for Wright -Way animal shelter, formerly located in Niles, but soon to be locating in Morton Grove! The fundraiser is on Saturday, November 16, from 6:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Square Lanes, 4874 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. Dancing, cocktails, bowling, delicious food, and an open bar are included in the $75 entry fee. To attend, sign up at wrightwayrescue.net. Mayor DiMaria encouraged people to attend to help this "no- kill" shelter rated #1 in the country. XIII. WARRANTS Trustee Toth presented the Warrants for October 28, 2013, in the amount of $3,191,208.93. She moved to approve the Warrants, seconded by Trustee Thill. aae Tr. Pietron acre Trustee Thill asked, regarding a G &L invoice for $13,322.45 on page 9, if this had been bid out. Director of Public Works Andy DeMonte said this was for hauling and disposal, and had been bid out in February. Upon the vote, the motion gassed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aae Tr. Pietron acre Tr. Thill afire Tr. Toth acre Tr. Witko aye .. I I Minutes of October28, 2013 rd Hearin `; XIV. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS NONE XV, ADJOURNMENT /EXECUTIVE SESSION Trustee Marcus moved to adjourn the Meeting. Trustee Thill seconded the motion. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth aye Tr. Witko aye The meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m. PASSED this 28th day of October, 2013. Trustee Grear ME Trustee Marcus �_ Trustee Pietron Trustee Thill Trustee Toth Trustee Witko ,y APPROVED by me this 28th day of October, 2013. Daniel P. DiMaria, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROV7 an FILED in my office this 29th day of October, 2013. Edilberto Ramos, Village Clerk Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by Teresa Ocuser