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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-03-13 Minutes MINUTES 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 13, 2017 CALL TO ORDER I – V. Village President Dan DiMaria called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall, and led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. VI. Village Clerk Connie Travis called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Rita Minx, John Pietron, Ed Ramos, John Thill, and Janine Witko. VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regarding the February 27, 2017 Regular Board Meeting, Trustee Minx moved to approve the Minutes as presented, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. VIII. 1. a. b. SPECIAL REPORTS Announcement of the “Dine Morton Grove” Contest Winners Mayor DiMaria asked Village Administrator Ralph Czerwinski to pick 10 winners who would receive $25 gift certificates for participating in the “Dine Morton Grove” contest. Mr. Czerwinski asked each member of the Board to draw a name, with the Mayor and Clerk each drawing a second name. The winners were:  Richard Zimny  Jessica Eisenberg  Donna Ratner (won 3 gift certificates)  Pat Pearson  Vicki Zimny  Susan Filerman  Scott DiBasilio  Jeff Schorsch Mr. Czerwinski thanked everyone who participated, and said the winners would have their certificates mailed to them. Mayor DiMaria encouraged everyone to shop locally and dine locally—even without a contest! Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 2 VIII. 2. a. b. c. d. e. f. 3. a. b. SPECIAL REPORTS (continued) Presentation of the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program Award Mayor DiMaria introduced Chief James Black of the Crystal Lake Police Department, here today representing the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police to present the Illinois Law Enforcement Tier 2 Accreditation award to Chief Michael Simo and Accreditation Manager, Commander Paul Yaras. Chief Black said he has known Chief Simo for the past 10 years, adding that he was honored to present this award to him this evening. He said that the accreditation program is designed for law enforcement agencies to attain excellence in policing, and Tier 2 status is the highest level of achievement. In order to attain this status, the Morton Grove Police Department had to provide that they complied with over 180 law enforcement standards pertaining to Administration, Operations, Personnel, and Training. It was an 18-month process, during which the department’s policies and operations were reviewed to ensure compliance, while pre-inspections were performed with the assistance of other accredited law enforcement agencies to assist in preparation for the two-day on-site inspection, which included ride-alongs. Only seven minor discrepancies were found, and they were addressed while the on-site assessors were present. Chief Black said that Morton Grove is one of 25 Police Department in the State of Illinois that has achieved this level of accreditation. It is a sign of adherence to best practices and transparency. Chief Simo thanked Chief Black for coming tonight in the inclement weather. He said that achieving this accreditation was a team effort and it will continue. He complimented Commander Yaras who coordinated these efforts from start to finish. Chief Simo introduced the other members of the MGPD’s leadership team: Commander Mike Weitzel, Defensive Tactics Training; Commander Ed Panko, Evidence Technicians, Commander Dan Stueber, Firearms Training and Overall Training Coordinator; and Deputy Chiefs Norm Stromberg and Brian Fennelly. Chief Simo thanked each of these men, as well as Mayor DiMaria, Board liaison Trustee Grear, the other Board members, and Administrator Czerwinski for their faith in and support of the Morton Grove Police Department. Trustee Minx congratulated Chief Simo and the Department on this prestigious award. She said she knew the tremendous hours of effort and preparedness it took, and said that this shows our Police Department’s dedication. She gave a heartfelt thanks to all. Mayor DiMaria said that he and the Board are always here to support the Police Department, adding that he’s extremely proud of the Department. The mayor said the Village is blessed to have this dedicated group of men and women, and complimented the Department on this outstanding accomplishment. Announcement of the Winners of the Winter Photo Contest In the absence of Chairperson Arcelia Pimentel, who was not feeling well, Community Relations Commissioners Janice Cha and Robert Burkhart joined Board liaison Connie Travis to congratulate the winners of the Winter Photo Contest. Clerk Travis briefly reviewed the Commission’s mission and then announced the winners of the Winter Photo Contest: Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 3 VIII. c. d. e. f. g. 4. a. b. c. d. SPECIAL REPORTS (continued) Sascha Hedjbeli, Shalini Patel, Petra Maton, and Sandra Covey, with Sascha Hedjbeli named as the overall winter. The Board and assemblage congratulated the winners who were present. The winning photos have been matted and framed and will be on display at the Morton Grove Village Hall for the next several months. Clerk Travis said the Community Relations Commission would be sponsoring a Spring Photo Contest, to be held from April 3 to June 3, 2017. Residents can submit up to five photos at Village Hall or at crc@mortongroveil.org. Clerk Travis said the Commission currently has 11 members but they’re always looking for more. The Commission meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the Scanlon Conference Room at Village Hall. Their next meeting is tomorrow night. Mayor DiMaria thanked Clerk Travis and Commissioners Cha and Burkhart, and said the Commission has done a great job of implementing programs that help bring the community together. He thanked the Community Relations Commissioners for all their hard work. Update on Morton Grove-Niles Water Commission Mayor DiMaria turned the meeting over to Administrator Czerwinski for this update. Mr. Czerwinski said that this is the next step in the alternative water supply process, as he presented Ordinance 17-5, Determining and Electing to Acquire, Construct, and Operate a Common Source of Supply of Water and Related Waterworks System with the Village of Niles, Illinois, to Establish the Morton Grove-Niles Water Commission Pursuant to Division 135 of Article 11 of the Illinois Municipal Code, and Approving an Intergovern- mental Agreement for the Establishment and Operation of the Morton Grove-Niles Water Commission and for the Purchase and Sale of Water to the Commission for Commission Use and to Commission Wholesale Water Customers. Mr. Czerwinski said this ordinance will establish one entity, and that entity will then be able to apply for federal and state (I)EPA grants. The Water Commission will have representatives from both Morton Grove and Niles, as well as a representative from Cook County, per State statute. The Water Commission being established will be very similar to the Northwest Water Commission. The Water Commission will help to regulate, maintain, and operate the waterworks system for both communities. Mr. Czerwinski said that a great deal of due diligence has already gone into this project to get the partner communities to this point. He added that Niles will be voting on a similar ordinance tomorrow. Mr. Czerwinski noted that staff is requesting that the second reading of this ordinance be waived due to time constraints for applications to state and federal agencies for low-interest loans/grants. Trustee Minx moved to waive the second reading of Ordinance 17-05, seconded by Trustee Witko. Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 4 VIII. e. f. SPECIAL REPORTS (continued) Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye Trustee Thill asked if there would even be an Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Czerwinski responded that there is funding available; last year, the interest rate for the EPA loans was 1.68%. He noted that all of the calculations that had been done, getting to the amount of the savings over the life of this alternative water supply agreement, has been based on 5% interest, and even at that conservative estimated rate, the savings still totaled nearly $100 million dollars. Trustee Pietron then moved to adopt Ordinance 15-7, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye Trustee Pietron commented that he was quite impressed with the level of detail included in this ordinance, and complimented Mr. Czerwinski and staff. Mr. Czerwinski said his goal was for people who look at this ordinance over the next 40 years will have a good understanding of what was done and why. IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS NONE X. RESIDENTS’ COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) NONE XI. 1. 2. 3. PRESIDENT’S REPORT Mayor DiMaria thanked everyone who had attended the Taste of Morton Grove. He said it was a night of great fellowship and good. He complimented the many restaurants who had participated, saying they were a hallmark of this wonderful community event. Mayor DiMaria invited the assemblage and all residents to attend the next Community Outreach, which would be held on March 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the Civic Center. He said this is an opportunity for residents to meet with the Board and staff and ask questions or give feedback. He said these outreach events are held quarterly and, to date, have been very successful. Mayor DiMaria said the Village was changing the vehicle sticker cycle. Current vehicle stickers, expiring at the end of April, will not expire until the end of August. The new stickers will be sold starting June 1. He explained that they wanted to change it to make it easier for people—now they won’t have to deal with cold or snow in order to get and affix their stickers. Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 5 XI. 4. PRESIDENT’S REPORT (continued) Mayor DiMaria noted that March is “Severe Weather Preparedness Month” and advised residents to develop a safety plan for use in their home, workplace, school, and vehicle, as well as for outdoor activities. For more information, see the emergency preparedness guide on the Village’s website (www.mortongroveil.org) or visit www.ready.Illinois.gov. XII. CLERK’S REPORT Clerk Travis reminded the assemblage that the last day to register to vote in the April 4th Consolidated Election is March 19. Early voting begins on March 20 and ends on April 3. Early voting is available at Niles Village Hall. On Election Day, April 4, polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. XIII. A. STAFF REPORTS Village Administrator: Village Administrator Czerwinski had no further report. B. Corporation Counsel: Corporation Counsel Liston had no report. XIV. A. 1. a. 2. TRUSTEES’ REPORTS Trustee Grear: Trustee Grear presented Resolution 17-17, Authorization For the Purchase of Police Squad Cars Through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative. He explained that, ever three years, high mileage squad vehicles are replaced to ensure that key equipment utilized by MG police officers doesn’t fail during their duties. The squad vehicles are utilized 24/7 and they need to be in excellent condition at all times. Total cost is $81,262 for two sports utility police squad cars and one regular police squad car. Trustee Grear moved to approve Resolution 17-17, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye Trustee Grear reminded residents to beware of “after-storm” solicitors. These are people who, after any major storm, may knock on a resident’s door to talk about roofing damage. He said anyone who is approached with an offer for post-storm roof repair should ask to see proof of in- surance and check the roofer’s license status with the Morton Grove Building Department at 847-663-4040. He noted that the Village requires all door-to-door solicitors to have a permit. Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 6 XIV. A. a. TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued) Trustee Grear: (continued) Trustee Grear said that if a resident has any doubts whatsoever about a solicitor, they should NOT allow the person inside their home, and they should call 911 to the Police Department can verify that that the solicitor is ”legal.” B. 1. a. b. c. 2. Trustee Minx: Trustee Minx introduced for a first reading Ordinance 17-04, Approving a Minor Amendment to a Special Use Permit for a Drive-Through Facility for a New Restaurant at 9480 Waukegan Road, Morton Grove, Illinois. Trustee Minx explained that the Board had approved a Special Use for a drive-through for a new Dunkin Donuts restaurant in August of 2015, and then in July of 2016, had granted the Applicant’s request for a one-year extension of time to commence and proceed with construction of the proposed project. The Applicant was finalizing the designs for construction, and proposed minor modifications which would improve site circulation. They are therefore now seeking approval of an amendment to the Special Use and updated site plan. Specifically, the Applicant is proposing to add a bypass lane for the drive-through and a dedicated left-turn egress lane out onto Waukegan Road. These improvements are consistent with suggestion made by the Plan Commission to the Applicant at the public hearing for their original Special Use application. To accommodate these changes, the Applicant reduced the number of parking spaces from 12 to 11. The modified building and site plan comply with all the bulk, density, and parking requirements. The Applicant is also proposing to improve the existing alleyway to accommodate bypass lane circulation and will also provide, as necessary, new and/or additional fencing along the alley to help minimize any potential noise impact from the menu board. Trustee Minx said the Village’s Unified Development Code allows for minor amendments of existing special use permits upon review by the Building Commission or his/her designee, the Plan Commission Chairperson, the Village Administrator, and Corporation Counsel. All of these required people have reviewed the plans and consulted with the Fire Department and Public Works, and determined this requested amendment is in substantial compliance with and does not change the intent of the original special use permit. Trustee Minx said that, as this is a first reading, no action will be taken this evening. Trustee Minx complimented Public Works for the outstanding job they did clearing the streets after today’s snowstorm. She said that Morton Grove’s streets were noticeably clearer than some of our neighboring municipalities. C. Trustee Pietron: Trustee Pietron thanked Trustee Minx for giving his report at the previous Board meeting Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 7 XIV. C. 1. 2. a. 3. a. TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued) Trustee Pietron: (continued) Speaking of the snowstorm, he said that Public Works had deployed nine salt trucks to plow and treat all snow routes and State routes at 3:00 a.m. At 8:00 a.m., they deployed all divisions to plow all residential and State route street. Streets were treated with salt as needed. Tomorrow’s forecase calls for an additional one to three inches of lake effect snow, and temperatures are expected to stay below 32 degrees for the next three days. He said the Village asked all drivers to be respectful of the snow plow drivers, of whom we all are very proud. Trustee Pietron then presented Resolution 17-15, Authorizing the Execution of a Service Contract Extension with Precision Pavement Markings, Inc. For the 2017 Pavement Marking Program. He explained that Morton Grove, Evanston, Niles, and Glenview have formed a Cooperative Procurement Program to provide pavement marking services for a three-year term (one-year in 2016, with renewals in 2017 and 2018). The larger quantities included in a cooperative purchase help reduce the cost of the work for each municipality. Precision Pavement Markings performed the work satisfactorily in 2012 through 2016 and is available to complete the work. This project is required to comply with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. The cost will be $30,000, but since this is a unit price contract, the final contract amount will be based on the actual quantity of work performed. Trustee Pietron moved to approve Resolution 17-15, seconded by Trustee Grear. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye Next, Trustee Pietron presented Resolution 17-16, Authorizing the Execution of a Service Contract Extension With Lyons Electric Company for the 2017 Traffic Signal and Street Lighting Maintenance Program. He explained that, each year, the Village contracts with an electrical contractor to assist in the maintenance of street lighting and traffic control signals within the Village. Lyons Electric has satisfactorily performed work on this contract in 2016 and the contract contains provisions allowing for an extension for 2017 and 2018. This contract is required to comply with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. The estimated contract value for routine maintenance is $24,489.48. Trustee Pietron moved, seconded by Trustee Grear, to approve Resolution 17-16. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 8 XIV. D. TRUSTEES’ REPORTS (continued) Trustee Ramos: Trustee Ramos had no formal report, but welcomed Father Dennis O’Neill, pastor of St. Martha’s Church, who was attending this meeting tonight. E. 1. a. Trustee Thill: Trustee Thill had no formal report, but announced that Morton Grove has once again been named a Tree City USA for 2016 by the Arbor Foundation. This honor is brought to the Village as it meets several criteria of the Arbor Foundation for the distinction, including having a tree department, a tree care ordinance, a tree budget of at least $2.00 per capita, and Arbor Day observed and proclaimed. This is the 16th consecutive year the Village has attained this status. Trustee Thill complimented Public Works for making this a reality for Morton Grove, as it is a distinction desired by the residents. He added that, sixteen years ago, Marian Thill was the one who brought this to the Village’s attention. F. Trustee Witko: Trustee Witko had no report. XV. OTHER BUSINESS NONE XVI. WARRANTS Trustee Witko presented the Warrant Register for March 13, 2017, in the amount of $488,334.39. She moved that the Warrants be approved as presented. Trustee Thill seconded the motion. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye XVII. 1. RESIDENTS’ COMMENTS John Lahn of Americans in Solidarity–Chicago and a Morton Grover resident, asked about the status of a draft welcoming ordinance that had been submitted to the Board at the end of January. He said that he has been working with other groups on this as well, and thanked Father Dennis O’Neill for being here tonight. He said his organization continues to work on this and he was asking the officials to take a position on it. Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 9 XVII. a. 2. RESIDENTS’ COMMENTS (continued) Mr. Lahn said there is no doubt that Morton Grove is a diverse and welcoming community; that’s not in question. But those values are being threatened, and his organization feels that a welcoming ordinance will ensure that all residents feel secure, and that problems arising in other communities due to fear will not happen here. Mr. Lahn said this is not just a moral issue, but a practical one as well. It is in no way intended as a “condemnation” or an insinuation that there is currently anything wrong occurring in the Village. Rather, it’s providing a framework to address potential problems. Mr. Lahn said he would like to further the discussion on this topic. He noted that one of his mentors was Martin Ashman, former judge and Morton Grove Corporation Counsel, and said that, as Morton Grove led the way in passing the first gun ban legislation, it should also lead the way on this issue. Sascha Hedjbeli thanked the Mayor and the Board, and the Community Relations Commission members for supporting and judging the photos submitted for the photo contests. He said he was aware that a lot of time and effort goes into that, and appreciated the chance to showcase talent and bond with others in the Village. Mr. Hedjbeli said that he was now retiring from the photo contests to be fair to others participating. He had two winning photos in the Winter Photo Contest and was also named overall winner. He said he was grateful for the humbling opportunity and felt that it has gotten everyone “incredibly closer.” XVIII . ADJOURNMENT Trustee Minx moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Trustee W itko. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Pietron aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Witko aye The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Minutes of March 13, 2017 Board Meeting 10 PASSED this 27th day of March, 2017. Trustee Grear __________ Trustee Minx __________ Trustee Pietron __________ Trustee Ramos __________ Trustee Thill __________ Trustee Witko __________ APPROVED by me this 27th day of March, 2017. Daniel P. DiMaria, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 28th day of March, 2017. ______________________________________ Connie J. Travis, Village Clerk Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by: Teresa Cousar