HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-25 MinutesMINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT
AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF MORTON GROVE
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, HELD AT THE
RICHARD T. FLICKINGER MUNICIPAL CENTER
MARCH 23, 2015
CALL TO ORDER
I & Village President Dan DiMaria called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council
II. Chambers and led the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance.
III. Village Clerk Ed Ramos called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Shel Marcus,
John Thill, and Janine Witko. Trustees Pietron and Toth were absent with notice.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Regarding the Minutes of the March 9, 2015 Regular Board Meeting, Trustee Thill moved,
seconded by Trustee Witko, to accept the Minutes as presented. Motion passed
unanimously via voice vote.
V. SPECIAL REPORTS
Swearing In of New Police Officer Thomas M. Silva
a. Fire and Police Commission Chairman Mike Simkins provided a brief background of the
Village's newest Police Officer. Thomas began his employment with Morton Grove today, and
will begin his training at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy on March 30, 2015. He was
born and raised in Chicago and graduated from St. Patrick High School. He then attended
Wright College in Chicago where he received his Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice.
Mr. Simkins said that Thomas comes from a family who has worked in law enforcement, and
his lifelong ambition has been to become a police officer.
b.
Mr. Simkins then invited Mayor DiMaria and Trustee liaison Grear to join him at the podium
for the swearing-in, after which, Officer Silva's father pinned on his badge as the Board and
assemblage congratulated him.
2. Next, Mayor DiMaria introduced Nles Township Supervisor Marilyn Glazer, present this even-
ing to talk about the various programs and services offered by Niles Township.
a. Ms. Glazer said she had been named Supervisor following the passing of Lee Tamraz. She
also introduced Janice Cichowlas, the newest Townshp Trustee. Ms. Cichowlas, a Morton
Grove resident, replaced Ms. Glazer on the Niles Township Board after Ms. Glazer moved into
the Supervisor position.
Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meetin •
V.
SPECIAL REPORTS (continued)
b. Ms. Glazer said that she wanted to let everyone know about the many services and programs
offered by Niles Township, including:
• General Assistance (general financial aid)
• Emergency Assistance (financial aid once a year for paying rent or a critical utility)
• Passport and Notary services
• Temporary Handicapped Placards
• Coast -to -Coast Rx Card (can be taken to any local drugstore to get discounted
prescription medicine)
• Legal Assistance for Seniors
• Kids' Bicycle Safety Rodeo (for pre -K through 6th grade, teaches how to properly ride
bicycles, emphasizes the importance of wearing a bike helmet)
• Grants to Charities that serve communities
• Health Fairs (the next one is June 19 at the Township building; no charge)
• Assessor's Office
• Scholarship Program (this is a new program, providing financial assistance for D219
students going to Oakton Community College)
• Document Shredding (the next date is May 16 from noon to 2pm)
• Community Room (available for use by any organization in Niles Township)
• Medical Lending Closet (another new program, this puts people who need specialized
medical equipment in touch with people who own and are willing to lend out said
equipment)
c. Ms. Glazer invited the Board to join the Township at 8:00 p.m. on April 14 when the
Community Room will be dedicated to Lee Tamraz.
d. Trustee Thill asked about the maximum amount of financial assistance the Township provides
in its General Assistance program. Ms. Glazer said the maximum amount is $400/month.
e. Mayor DiMaria thanked Ms. Glazer for sharing this information and said he would ensure that it
also appears on the Village's website and in its newsletter.
VI.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
NONE
VII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only)
NONE
VIII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
1. Mayor DiMaria proclaimed the month of April, 2015, as "Fair Housing Month" in the Village,
noting that Aprill 1 marks the 47th anniversary of the passage of the U.S. Fair Housing Law,
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, which outlines a national policy of Fair
Housing without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, handicap, and national
origin, and encourages fair housing opportunities for all citizens.
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Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meeting
VIII.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued)
2. Mayor DiMaria then asked for a motion to approve Resolution 15-22, Supporting the North-
west Municipal Conference 2015 Legislative Program. He explained that the Village has
been a member of the Northwest Municipal Conference for years; in fact, he serves on the
NWMC's Legislative Committee.
Trustee Grear so moved, seconded by Trustee Witko.
Motion passed: 4 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear ly± Tr. Marcus kya Tr. Pietron absent
Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth absent Tr. Witko aye
3. Mavoral Report
a. Mayor DiMaria announced that the Village has scheduled its second "Neighborhood Outreach"
for Wednesday, March 25, at 6:00 p.m. at the Morton House Condos. Trustee Thill noted that
the parking lot at the condos is not very big, but there is a free municipal lot directly south of
the building that residents can park in, if they choose.
b. Mayor DiMaria said the ad-hoc Social Services Committee would be presenting a report later
tonight and he thanked them for all of their efforts.
IX. CLERK'S REPORT
Clerk Ramos reminded the assemblage that early voting started today and goes to April 4.
People wishing to vote early may do so between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at Niles
Village Hall, the Skokie Library, and the Skokie Courthouse.
X. STAFF REPORTS
A. Village Administrator:
a. Village Administrator Ryan Horne introduced Connie Travis, who chairs the ad-hoc Social
Services Committee, and is here tonight to make a presentation to the Board.
b. Ms. Travis said that, in September of 2014, the Social Services Committee provided the Village
with an initial recommendation to utilize the services of a staff employee, instead of an agency,
to provide social services to the Village. The Committee has continued to meet since that time,
and now has a final recommendation for the Board.
c. As background, Ms. Travis said that, prior to the Committee making its initial recommendation,
the North Shore Senior Center had been providing social services to the Village, but the group
terminated its contract in September of 2014. Since that time, the Village's social services have
been provided by Deb Alberts, who technically is an employee of Gov HR Temporary Agency,
but works out of the Village's Police Department. The Village pays $7,000 a month to Gov HR
Temporary Agency, which, in turns, pays Ms. Alberts. The Village therefore does not pay
health insurance or retirement benefits to Ms. Alberts.
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Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meeting
X.
STAFF REPORTS (continued)
d. Ms. Travis said that, in addition to managing the financial assistance review and providing
general counseling, and assistance referrals that had previously been done by North Shore
Senior Center, Ms. Alberts has been proactive in community outreach with schools, agencies,
and religious organizations. She works closely with the police department handling crisis
intervention. Village staff, schools, hospitals, and residents feel that having an on -staff person
provides a better level of service than using an agency, which confirms the Social Services
Committee's initial recommendation.
e. Ms. Travis said that it is ultimately the Board's decision whether to have a full-time or a part-
time social worker. The Village would benefit from having a full-time social worker, and
Ms. Alberts is held in high regard by Chief Simo and the Village staff. However, the Committee
felt that the Village's needs could be adequately met with a part-time social worker working
for 25 hours per week. Ms. Travis said it was the understanding of the Committee that, if an
employee works more than 1,000 hours per year, he/she must participate in the Village's
pension plan, and if the employee works more than 30 hours per week, the Village must
provide health insurance benefits for the employee.
f. Therefore, the Social Services Committee's final recommendation to the Board is that the
Village hire a part-time staff social worker, who would provide the Village with crisis
intervention, police and fire follow-up, build community relationships, and serve as a referral/
resource link to meet the needs of Village residents, whether they be financial, mental
health, or family -related. The Committee also recommends that this issue be reviewed and
reconsidered at the end of the year to assess whether needs are being met through service
provision on a part-time basis.
g.
Mr. Horne also introduced Kate Paz from Mather Lifeways, here tonight to update the Board
on Civic Center activities. Ms. Paz showed photos of a recent luncheon and iPad class at the
Civic Center. She said there are 13 self -led programs at the Civic Center, five of which are
social. Average attendance is 18 people daily. She said she's hoping to increase that number
to 45 people daily. At a recent indoor picnic in February, 98 people attended, and 120 people
came to the March event, which featured "Elvis". Ms. Paz said that about half of the attendees
are Morton Grove residents.
h. She outlined a few of the new programs that are going to be rolling out, including an "Ask A
Tech Expert" class and a class on "Facebook". She said that a brief survey was conducted
at February's luncheon, and 100% of the respondents said that enjoyed coming to the Civic
Center and were likely to return. Ms. Paz said that 48 people signed up for April's luncheon
at the March luncheon. She added that, at the end of this year, Mather will be doing a "quality
of life" survey to determine the positive impact of the programs.
i. Mayor DiMaria thanked Ms. Paz and said that input from seniors and those who use the Civic
Center is vital, and the Board needs to know it. He said the Board is here to listen and to make
programs better, and said that residents should feel free to call him, or Mr. Horne, or Ms. Paz.
He thanked Ms. Paz for all her efforts.
B. Corporation Counsel:
Corporation Counsel Liston had no report.
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Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meetin
XI.
TRUSTEES' REPORTS
A. Trustee Grear:
1.
a.
b.
Trustee Grear presented Resolution 15-23, Authorizing the Execution of a Law
Enforcement Mutual Aid Agreement and the Existence and Formation of the Illinois
Law Enforcement Alarm System by Intergovernmental Cooperation.
He explained that this will effectively provide a broader range and a more plentiful amount
of law enforcement capability for the citizens of Morton Grove when certain natural and/or
man-made occurrences may result in emergencies or disasters that exceed the resources,
equipment, and/or law enforcement personnel of a single public agency.
The Village of Morton Grove has been a part of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System
(ILEAS) since shortly after its inception in 2002, operating under a Prior Mutual Aid Agreement
dated March 24, 2003. This new version is a more specific, updated agreement which better
defines and lists the responsibilities and obligations of all parties.
Trustee Grear moved to approve Resolution 15-23, seconded by Trustee Marcus.
Motion passed: 4 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Pietron absent
Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth absent Tr. Witko ay.2
Trustee Grear gave a shout -out to the Chamber for their excellent "Night Out" program, and
congratulated Upstairs Hair Affair on its one-year anniversary of being in the Village.
B. Trustee Marcus:
a. Trustee Marcus had no formal report, but asked Mr. Horne about some recent memos from the
Villages of Wilmette and Glenview regarding the water issue. He wanted to know where the
Village stood on this matter.
b.
c.
d.
Mr. Horne said there's a lot of information going back and forth and the Village is actively
having conversations. He asked Corporation Counsel Liston to provide a brief summary.
Ms. Liston said that this is a big issue, and she is on the working team (along with Public
Works Director Andy DeMonte; Superintendent of Water and Sewers, Joe Dahm; Finance
Director Remy Navarrete, Administrator Ryan Horne, and Fire Chief Tom Friel) sorting it all
out. The Village is devoting a lot of time and resources to this issue. The working team is
assisted by Bill Balling (retired Village Manager of Buffalo Grove), who has extensive
experience in negotiating water contracts and who was pivotal in the development of the
Northwest Water Commission. Also assisting is Barb Adams, Holland & Knight's water expert,
and engineering consulting firm Gewalt Hamilton Associates.
Ms. Liston said that, last October, the Board was looking at two proposals. One was to
purchase water from Wilmette's treatment plan, through their delivery system to Harlem
Avenue, where a new transmission line would be built to deliver water to Morton Grove and
Niles.
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Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meeting
XI.
B. Trustee Marcus: (continued)
TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued)
e. The other proposal was that Evanston would sell Morton Grove and Nies water from their
plant. A water delivery system would have to be built through Evanston and Skokie.
f. Ms. Liston said, with the first option, the cost would be less, and the timelines would be shorter.
Construction costs would be between $12 million and $19 million, and the operating costs
would be $1.75 per 1,000 gallons of water paid to Wilmette, plus a service charge paid to
Glenview. With the second option, the cost of the water direct from Evanston is much less,
ranging from $0.92 to $1.04 per 1,000 gallons—but the construction costs would be much
more, and would involve building a water main through Evanston and Skokie, under the Edens
Expressway, into Morton Grove. Morton Grove would own and maintain the water main.
g.
Ms. Liston said that Glenview is trying to time this to coincide with their own construction.
They've withdrawn their offer to Niles, but the offer is still open to Morton Grove.
h. Ms. Liston noted that recent conversations with the City of Park Ridge indicate that Park Ridge
may be interested in joining Morton Grove to get an alternative water source. If Park Ridge and
Morton Grove decide to purchase water from Evanston, Park Ridge would help pay for the
water main, and the cost of water would be slightly less. Evanston has offered to participate in
the financing of this project, plus there are federal and state loans that could be obtained for
water projects like this. There's a lot of information to look at; this is a complicated decision.
J•
Trustee Marcus thanked Ms. Liston for the synopsis, stating that the Board is aware of this but
the community may not be, and he felt it was important for the residents to be aware.
Mayor DiMaria said that he planned to have a Town Hall meeting about this matter once it gets
more firmed up. Right now, it's still in the "discovery and negotiation" phase.
C. Trustee Pietron:
Trustee Pietron was absent—no report.
D. Trustee Thill:
1. Trustee Thill presented Resolution 15-24, Authorization to Execute a Professional
Services Agreement With Automation Engineering, Ltd. For Installation Upgrades to
the Water Distribution Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System.
a.
He explained that the Village's water distribution system operations have been managed by a
computerized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system (commonly referred to as
SCADA) since 1992. SCADA is the "central nervous system" behind the automated functioning
of the water distribution system, monitoring and controlling activities at the elevated and
ground storage reservoirs, pressure adjusting stations, and pumping station sites. Automated
Engineering has been the Village's SCADA consultant since 2003 and developed the current
proprietary software programs that run the existing SCADA system.
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Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meeting
XI.
D. Trustee Thill: (continued)
TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued)
b. In 2011, Automation Engineering performed the design engineering upgrades for the existing
SCADA system, and in 2012, it successfully completed the priority hardware upgrades and a
portion of the software and equipment upgrades. Now it is time to complete all upgrades and
updates to vital computer software and equipment for greater performance and reporting
reliability.
c. This professional services agreement to install software and equipment is for an amount not to
exceed $100,200.
Trustee Thill moved to approve Resolution 15-24, seconded by Trustee Witko.
Motion passed: 4 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear ay± Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Pietron absent
Tr. Thill lyl Tr. Toth absent Tr. Witko ay2
E. Trustee Toth:
Trustee Toth was absent—no report.
F. Trustee Witko:
1. Trustee Witko presented Ordinance 15-04, Approving a Special Use Permit for a Pediatric
Dental Office Use to Operate at 5826 Dempster Street, Morton Grove, Illinois 60053.
This is the second reading of this Ordinance.
a. Trustee Witko explained that this Ordinance will approve a Special Use Permit, with conditions,
for a Dental Office at 5826 Dempster Street for Children's Dental World. The owner, Dr. Park,
is relocating and expanding his pediatric dental practice from its current location at
6046 Dempster Street. He will increase the number of dental chairs from three to six, with a
maximum staff of five on-site, including himself.
b. The property is located at the northwest corner of Dempster Street and Mansfield Avenue
and is a 2,700 square foot, one-story building. The property currently includes three off-street
parking spaces directly behind the building, and Dr. Park will modify the on-site parking to
include one required ADA -compliant parking space.
c. The traffic study Dr. Park submitted identified a need for nine parking spaces. He therefore
proposes to accommodate parking demand by utilizing an on-site parking space as well as
four public parking spaces in the 5825 Dempster public parking lot, and public parking on
Marmora and Menard Avenues for the staff members. Dr. Park anticipates that his required
patient parking demand (four spaces at peak demand) will be accommodated through
available public parking along Mansfield Avenue.
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Minufes-oinaFail .2015 Rohl, Meeting.
XI.
F. Trustee Witko: (continued)
TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued)
d. Trustee Witko noted that the Plan Commission had voted unanimously to recommend approval
of this application, with conditions.
Trustee Witko moved, seconded by Trustee Thill, to adopt Ordinance 15-04.
Motion passed: 4 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Pietron absent
Tr. ThiII aye Tr. Toth absent Tr. Witko aae
XII. OTHER BUSINESS
1. Trustee Thill noted that, while campaigning for the upcoming election, he met a gentleman who
was upset about dog walkers not cleaning up after their dogs. He asked dog walkers to please
be considerate of their neighbors and clean up after their dogs.
Trustee Thill also commented that, now that the snow is starting to melt, he's seeing quite
a bit of trash around town. He said the area along Frontage Road was particularly bad. He
encouraged everyone to take some pride in their Village—if you see trash blowing along the
street, pick it up and dispose of it!
XIII. WARRANTS
XIV.
XV.
In Trustee Toth's absence, Trustee Marcus presented the Warrant Register for this evening in
the amount of $782,152.35. He moved to approve the Warrants as presented, seconded by
Trustee Grear.
Motion passed: 4 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Pietron absent
Tr. Thill axe Tr. Toth absent Tr. Witko aye
RESIDENTS' COMMENTS
NONE
ADJOURNMENT
Trustee Marcus moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Trustee Thill.
Motion passed: 4 ayes, 0 nays.
Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Pietron absent
Tr. ThiII aye Tr. Toth absent Tr. Witko aye
The meeting adjourned at 7:42 p.m.
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Minutes of March 23, 2015 Board Meeting
PASSED this 13th day of April, 2015
Trustee Grear
Trustee Marcus
Trustee Pietron
Trustee Thill
Trustee Toth
Trustee Witko
RYE'
AYE
APPROVED by me this 13th day of April, 2015
..--- A
\\,_
Daniel P. DiMaria, Village President
Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois
APPROVED and FILED in my office this 14th day of April, 2015.
Edilberto Ramos, Village Clerk
Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois
Minutes by: Teresa Causer
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