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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-06-12 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 JUNE 1 2, 2017 CALL TO ORDER — Village President Dan DiMaria called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. in the Council V. Chambers of Village Hall, and led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. VI. Village Clerk Eileen Harford called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Rita Minx, Ed Ramos, John Thill, Connie Travis, and Janine Witko. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regarding the May 22, 2017 Regular Board Meeting, Trustee Thill moved to approve the Minutes as presented, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. VII. VIII. SPECIAL REPORTS 1. a. Announcement of the Spring 2017 Photo Contest Winners Community Relations Commissioner Gia Schultz, who served as one of the judges of the photo contest, said that the Community Relations Commission's purpose is to foster, encourage and stimulate the improvement of relations among and between citizens of all races, creeds, national origins and economic and educational levels; and to provide all individuals with an equal opportunity to grow and participate to the best of their ability, in the economic, educational, social and cultural activities available in our community. The Commission sponsors the Adopt -A -Planter program as well as a community -wide garage sale. The Commission also distributes information at the Farmers' Market and acts as greeters for the Village's quarterly Neighborhood Outreach events. Commissioner Schultz thanked all those who participated in the Spring Photo Contest and announced the winners: Eva Hermiz, Adam Eisenberg, Brian Kabat (with two winning photos), and Noel Magsino. Noel's photo was also selected as "Overall Winner." The winning photos will be displayed at Village Hall and posted on the Village's Facebook page. Ms. Schultz said that the Village has also used some previously -submitted photos on new banners that have gone up along Dempster Street. c. The Commission's Summer Photo Contest will begin on July 1st and end on Labor Day. Up to five photos can be submitted to crc cni mortongroveil.orq or by dropping them off at Village Hall. Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting VIII. SPECIAL REPORTS (continued) d. Ms. Schultz added that this year's community -wide garage sale would take place from August 11 to August 13. Participants must register on the Village's website. You can register for all three dates or individual dates. e. Ms. Schultz said the Commission currently has 13 members, but is always looking for more. The Commission meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the Scanlon Conference Room, second floor, at Village Hall. The next meeting is scheduled for tomorrow night. f. Mayor DiMaria thanked Ms. Schultz for her presentation, adding that it was his understanding that tomorrow night's Commission meeting had been cancelled. Ms. Schultz said she hadn't been aware of that, and thanked the mayor for the updated information. Mayor DiMaria complimented Ms. Schultz and the other members of the Commission on doing a fantastic job. 2. Plan Commission Case PC17-11, Requesting a Text Amendment to Modify the Unified Development Code to Add an Administrative Review Process to Allow for Lower Intensity Medical and Dental Offices/Clinics Uses. a. Director of Community and Economic Development Nancy Radzevich presented this report. She said that, in 2014, the Village amended the Unified Development Code to modify the "medical and dental offices/clinics" use in the Commercial Districts from a Permitted Use to a Special Use in order to provide additional scrutiny, because a potentially intense medical clinic/office use can generate parking demands and/or traffic volumes that could impact other businesses and/or adjacent residential neighborhoods, particularly when such uses are located in an area with limited on-site or public parking available. However, recently, some lower - intensity medical office uses have expressed interest in locating in commercial areas where there is sufficient parking, but currently, the only approval method, regardless of the intensity of the use, is the Special Use process. b. Ms. Radzevich said this proposed amendment will allow for a two-tiered approach: adding an administrative review process to allow lower -intensity medical and dental offices/clinics uses to be allowed by right to the current Special Use process, which would still be used for higher - intensity medical and dental offices/clinics uses. This will provide a more streamlined process for medical and dental office uses that are lower intensity and/or proposed to be located in areas where their specific business model will not have an adverse impact on the adjacent commercial uses and/or residential neighborhoods. c. Ms. Radzevich said there was limited discussion on this at the Plan Commission hearing, but the Commission had wondered what would happen if a low -intensity use gradually became more of a higher -intensity use—would that business need to come back to the Plan Commission for approval? And how would the Village notice such an increase? d. Ms. Radzevich said there are checks and balances in place, including a written report on staffing levels, hours of operation, patient schedules per day, and other information to get a sense of how the business is running. Businesses are issued a business compliance certificate each year, which provides another opportunity to check to see if a business is operating in the manner in which it was originally approved. If a business appears to have increased its intensity, that business may then have to apply for a variance for a parking waiver, or a special use permit, if Village staff determines that further scrutiny is warranted. 2 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting VIII. SPECIAL REPORTS (continued) e. If a business is expending and adding to its facility, they would need to apply for a building permit, which would be reviewed by the zoning department, and that is another way of checking the business' compliance with the standards. Ms. Radzevich said the Plan Commission recommended approval of this request unanimously. IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS NONE X. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) 1. Mayor DiMaria noted that a large number of people were present tonight to comment on Ordinance 17-12, which would allow the Village to exercise its home rule authority to opt out of Cook County ordinances requiring employers in Morton Grove to pay higher minimum hourly wages and provide up to five paid sick days. These ordinances take effect July 1st Mayor DiMaria asked those who wished to speak to keep their comments to a minute or two at the most, so that everyone would get a chance to say something. 2. Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin said that it's a pleasure to represent Morton Grove at the County level. He applauded the Board for taking the "bold step" to table this ordinance at their last Board meeting. Commissioner Suffredin said that the last bill passed by the Illinois Senate at its May 31St meeting (SB 81) establishes a state-wide minimum wage that would be phased in as follows: the minimum hourly wage would increase to $9/hour on January 1, 2018; $10/hour on January 1, 2019; $11.25/hour on January 1, 2020; $13/hour on January 1, 2021, and $15/hour on January 1, 2022. He asked the Board to put pressure on Governor Rauner to pass this bill, and asked the Board to consider deferring any action on Ordinance 17-12 until we see what the governor does. A state-wide minimum wage would ensure a level playing field for all the communities within the State. a. 3. Trustee Thill clarified that, if Morton Grove postpones, the Cook County ordinances would take effect automatically on July 1. Commissioner Suffredin said yes, and that's part of the reason to encourage the governor to sign the bill, which has already been passed by the Illinois House of Representatives. A State law would preempt the Cook County ordinances. Commissioner Suffredin added that, even if the governor does not pass the bill, Morton Grove could still opt out after July 1. Elliott Zashin, a member of Open Communities, said he supports the Cook County ordinances. He said that the Cook County Board thoroughly debated this and in the end, voted for it. He felt it was unfortunate that some communities have opted out, pointing out that workers in some of the chain stores with multiple locations will find that some of them will be getting a raise, while others doing the exact same job, will not. He said he hoped the Village would remember that there was a huge voter mandate for increasing the minimum wage. 3 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting X. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) 4. Krista Krueger, an anthropologist at Loyola and a Morton Grove resident, read a statement written by Ruth Gomberg Munoz, a colleague and fellow resident. Ms. Munoz' statement was about the corporate "race to the bottom," — corporations' search for the cheapest labor force and lowest taxes. The race to the bottom has been found to leave behind poverty and destruction. Ms. Munoz' statement said, "This is evident in the U.S." Corporations lobby for politicians to pass right-to-work laws and undercut minimum wage laws to get businesses to move to their state or community. Her statement concluded by asking the Board to "resist the downward movement and instead, lift the community up." 5. Jon Cole, a Morton Grove resident and a business owner in another community, said he supports the Cook County ordinances for moral reasons, economic reasons, and he felt that the Board should represent the overwhelming majority of voters who voted in favor of raising the minimum wage. He said that he's heard one argument for opting out is that that local business owners worry about the higher minimum wage having a negative impact on them, but data from other places with higher minimum wages shows there are many benefits to both workers and the communities where these higher wages are in place. Business owners worry about being at a disadvantage if the Village doesn't opt out, but Mr. Cole felt it could be turned into an advantage. He suggested the Village or local Chamber of Commerce promote and market the fact of higher wages to the growing number of consumers who are socially conscious. There could be a campaign to do business in Morton Grove because we value our workers and our people. He encouraged the Board to not opt out, saying this could be a win for everyone. 6. Jay Stewart appeared on behalf of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. He read a letter from her, which, in part, said "Economic development has been a priority for my administration since I took office in 2010. I am committed to financial health across the board for all of Cook County and our residents. That goal requires a strong and healthy workforce. Last year, the County Board approved two ordinances aimed at building that workforce. One gradually raises the minim wage in the County to $13 per hour by the year 2020; the other allows employees to earn paid sick leave commensurate with the number of hours they work. A healthy workforce benefits all of us. When people have more money in their pocket, they spend more." Mr. Stewart added urged the Board not to opt out of the Cook County ordinances. 7. Laura Frisch thanked the Board for their time and said she was speaking on behalf of several friends who are single mothers working for minimum wages. She quoted from a letter authored by Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, which stated that eighty percent of minimum wage workers are adults over the age of 21, many trying to support a family. The letter asked "If you only got paid $17,000 a year, what would you leave unpaid—the rent, groceries, shoes for your child, child care, or transportation costs to get to your job? What happens if you or your child gets sick and you have to lose a day's pay, or perhaps get fired if you take time off?" 8. Luke Sullivan read a statement on behalf of the Chicago Federation of Labor, which represents over 300 unions and supports the Cook County ordinances. Mr. Sullivan said that opting out jeopardizes workers; workers shouldn't have to worry about losing their job if they get sick. He pointed out that CEOs these days are garnering record-breaking compensation packages, whiles workers' wages remain stagnant. 4 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting X. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) 9. Mary Elsner, a resident and a voter, asked the Village to live up to the spirit of its motto and support the Cook County ordinances by taking no action this evening. She said that research shows communities with a higher minimum wage have a competitive advantage, with faster job growth and a decreased unemployment rate. She told the Board members that their job is "to listen to your voters who have overwhelmingly approved these ballot referendums," and added, "We're paying attention." 10. Bob Burkhart said it's unfortunate that, in recent months, it's become popular with some people to advocate for the elimination of or reduction of benefits for the poor. He said he's sure that everyone has heard stories about people having to make choices between paying the rent or buying medicine or groceries. This is even more complicated when it's minimum wage workers trying to support a family. They often need government assistance, which comes from our taxes. He noted that the Board had recently approved a "welcoming community" resolution, which assures people that they will be treated fairly and with dignity in Morton Grove. He pointed out that, similarly, minimum wage ordinances are meant to treat people with dignity and pride. He encouraged the Board not to opt out of the Cook County ordinances. 11. Karen Garvin, a 10 -year resident, said that she has never missed an election. She submitted a petition with 90 signatures and noted that an online petition has about 30 more signatures. The petition encourages the Board to not opt out of the Cook County ordinances, pointing out that "Morton Grove is known as a fair and family -friendly town, but opting out of these ordinances would send the opposite message..." She said that, when she was circulating the petition, people were quite surprised that Morton Grove was considering opting out. She asked the Board, "If we are not willing to fight for the people at the bottom of the spectrum, who is?" 12. Janice Cha said that the arguments against raising minimum wage are "businesses can't afford the extra cost" and "customers would have to pay more." She said that, personally, she would rather pay more, knowing that the workers in the establishment are fairly paid. Big employers take advantage of government subsidies, yet still keep their workforce down. She felt that the Village would have a competitive advantage if it does not opt out of the Cook County ordinances. Ms. Cha said she also favored the paid sick leave law, saying that she not want to get sick by having her food prepared by someone who's ill but couldn't afford to take an unpaid day off of work. She asked the Board to "do right" by low -paid workers by either deferring the vote or voting against Ordinance 17-12. 13. John Barron, a Morton Grove resident since 1983, commented that our economy seems to be based on paying workers the least we can get away with. This doesn't take into account the fact that those workers have to make a living and possibly sustain a family. If those workers then have to apply for government assistance, that's paid for by the taxpayers. Mr. Barron said that, according to a Forbes article, as of 2014, a single Wal-Mart super -center costs taxpayers between $904,000 and $1.75 million a year. A 2015 Washing Post article said that the low wages paid by businesses, including some of the largest and most profitable (McDonalds and Wal-Mart) are costing taxpayers nearly $153 billion dollars annually. On the other hand, Costco pays its hourly workers more than $20 an hour. Costco's CEO feels that, by paying his workers a living wage, it helps put more money into the economy, plus his workers have high productivi- ty and low turnover. He asked the Board to consider that and "do the right thing." 5 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting X. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) 14. Karen Barron asked the Board not to opt out of the Cook County ordinances. She said that she has worked for an organization that wouldn't allow sick days for anyone working 20 hours or Tess, and many times ended up going to work sick because she wouldn't get paid otherwise. She shared a desk and a phone with other colleagues, and it was quite common for there to be "departmental" colds because of this rule. She also said that the thought of sick people (waitresses or cooks) handling her food is "alarming," adding that the Board should also feel that way. 15. JoAnn Rapp, a 34 -year resident, asked the Board if they truly believed that holding tight to an $8.25 minimum wage would enhance the economic health of the Village. She also wondered, "Would any of us work for $8.25 an hour if we could make more elsewhere?" Ms. Rapp recalled that, recently the telephone subsidy for the mayor was raised to $200/month, and for the trustees, to $100/month. She said the $200 represents 24 hours of working at $8.25/hour; the $100 represents 12 hours of work at that wage. She urged the Board to act fairly, and to heed the citations of vetted articles and reports presented tonight, saying, "Paying a decent living wage is an economic advantage for communities like ours." 16. Beverly Copeland, a 54 -year resident, said she was sincerely hoping that the Board members would show their humanity and compassion by not opting out of the Cook County ordinances. The wage increase would be good for the Village, and good for the workers and their families. 17. Naushina Rahman said she would like the Board to not opt out. She noted that, when you have low -paid workers, they need to get their needs met in different ways. She said that 33% of Niles North students are considered economically disadvantaged and get a free lunch. She said it's likely that their families get subsidies for housing, food, and health care. Ms. Rahman asked, "Why is it okay for us to help businesses pay these low wages and then use our tax money to pay for subsidies for low -paid workers?" She urged the Board to let parents earn enough so they don't need government handouts. 18. Kathleen McGrath of John Crane, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, wanted to speak from an employer's perspective. She said that she favored the Cook County minimum wage ordinance, but was concerned about the paid sick leave ordinance, particularly a section which allows for unused sick hours to carry over up to 20 hours. She said that it's complicated and that for John Crane, as an employer, it would be burdensome. She urged the Board to opt out of the paid sick leave ordinance, but not the minimum wage ordinance. 19. Hope Hornstein, a 58 -year resident, said she's always been proud of the Village because the Village has always done the right thing. When needed, Morton Grove was the first in the coun- try to pass gun control legislation, because it was the right thing to do. District 70 was one of the first schools to provide after-school daycare. That, too, was the right thing to do. Ms. Hornstein said that, as a senior, she has always supported every school referendum on the ballot, even though her children have been out of school for 30 years, but it's the right thing to do, because we need good schools. 6 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting X. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) a. Ms. Hornstein remarked that the Village recently declared that "everyone is welcome in Morton Grove," because that was the right thing to do. She encouraged the Board not to opt out of ordinances which will provide working parents a decent living wage and paid sick leave, so they could spend more time home with their children, because that, too, is the right thing to do. 20. Ellie Davis read an excerpt from the business section of last Friday's Chicago Tribune, which stated "Minimum wage can't cover rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the country for someone working a full-time minimum wage job." She said that the National Low Income Housing Coalition had a report showing that there is a huge gap between wages and apartment rental costs. A one -bedroom apartment is affordable for a minimum wage worker in only 12 counties in the country (located in Arizona, Oregon, and Washington State), because a person would need to earn at least $17.14/hour on average to afford a modest one -bedroom apartment in any kind of safe area. A person would have to earn $21.21/hour to afford a basic two- bedroom apartment—this is nearly three times the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour. The report said that, on average, renters in the US make $16.38/hour. She encouraged the Board not to opt out of the Cook County ordinances. 21. 22. Peg Lane said that she worked for 34 years in special education, dealing with emotional behavioral disabilities and dyslexia, for children from kindergarten through Grade 12, mostly in poverty-stricken areas. She commented that teachers often bring food in for their students who don't get a breakfast or a lunch, and annually spend about $2,000 on school supplies for kids. When parents of children who are on medication can't afford the medication, they often drop it, which can lead to drastic results in the classroom. Often there is domestic violence in homes where there are money problems. She said she couldn't find any research to back up the claim that a higher minimum wage would negatively affect businesses. She felt that a minimum wage of $12.15/hour should be the average rate in the Village and urged the Board not to opt out. Margaret Grau, a 25 -year resident and sole proprietor of a business on Dempster Street, said she's in favor of welcoming businesses to Morton Grove and encouraging them to stay here. She felt that one way that could happen was if they had employees who were paid enough to be well -rested (from not needing to work a second job), and had a shorter commute (from being able to afford housing in or near town), they'd have happier employees doing a good job, which would lead to happier customers. She said, "If your goal is a strong business base in the Village, don't opt out." 23. Jon Lahn had three points to talk about. First, what kind of a community does Morton Grove want to be? There are other nearby communities nearby that have not opted out—if we do, we will attract the lowest common denominator of businesses. Second, what is the evidence of the "need" to opt out of these ordinances? He said he had not heard much opposition at all, and said others had been able to find research that backs up claims that increasing the minimum wage would have a negative impact on a business. Third, there are a number of rules and laws imposed on businesses that cost them money—for example, complying with sales tax regula- tions or environmental laws. Certainly they could save money by not being in compliance, but we don't let them do that, so why should they "save money" by not paying their employees fair- ly? Mr. Lahn said, "They don't run their businesses for $17,000 a year; why should they expect the men and women who work for them to do it for $17,000 a year?" He encouraged the Board to "do the right thing." 7 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting XI. PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1. Mayor DiMaria thanked everyone for coming and for the feedback they provided. He commented that, at the last Board meeting, there had been several dogs in the back of the room. He said that the dogs were therapy dogs from Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy, and a proclamation for that organization had inadvertently been left off of the Agenda for that evening. a. Mayor DiMaria therefore proclaimed June 2017 as "Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy Month" in Morton Grove. The Rainbow organization has developed and implemented animal -assisted therapy programs for children, particularly those with cognitive, behavioral, and physical concerns in Chicago and the suburbs, working in 25 hospitals, 12 public libraries, and 31 schools, as well as other miscellaneous facilities. Mayor DiMaria urged all residents to be mindful of and respect the work this volunteer agency performs on a daily basis, as well as the acts of kindness shown in disaster, mental health, and emergency situations. 2. Next, Mayor DiMaria sought approval of Resolution 17-32, Appointing a Director and Alternate Director to the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC). He said that, as a member of SWANCC, the Village is entitled to appoint a Director to serve on the Agency's Board, which approves the yearly budget for the Agency and sets policy for the region's long-term plan to manage the area's garbage. This resolution would appoint Trustee Thill as the Village's Director and Trustee Witko and Village Administrator Czerwinski as Alternate Directors. Trustee Grear moved to approve Resolution 17-32, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear ave Tr. Minx Eu Tr. Ramos gyl Tr. ThiII aye Tr. Travis Avg. Tr. Witko 2y1 3. Mayor DiMaria sought concurrence from the Board to appoint John Pietron to the Appearance Commission as a member and as the Commission's Chairman. Trustee Minx so moved, seconded by Trustee Travis. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. 4. Mayor DiMaria reminded the assemblage that the Fourth of July is getting closer and the Morton Grove Days Commission still needs volunteers! He encouraged any and all who are willing to donate an hour or two of their time to go to the Commission's website (www.mortongrovedays.org) to sign up or to learn more about the activities planned for the five-day festival. Mayor DiMaria added that the upcoming Village newsletter will include an article about the dates, times, and entertainment planned for this event. He encouraged everyone to come out, saying it's a great venue and a lot of fun! 5. Mayor DiMaria said the next Neighborhood Outreach meeting would take place this Thursday, June 15, at St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Church, 7800 Lyons, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. These have been very successful in the past, and provide residents with the opportunity to talk to the Board and Village staff about any problems or concerns they're having. 8 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting XI. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) 6. Mayor DiMaria noted that one of Morton Groves World War II veterans is being honored by the French government. Herman Sitrick, 92, is receiving France's Legion d'Honneur for his actions in Belgium during the war. He single-handedly captured 21 Germans in a blizzard! Mayor DiMaria said the Board would honor him at the next Board meeting. He also noted that the Legion d'Honneur is the highest honor France can bestow. It was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. Mayor DiMaria said there are not many of these veterans left, and he thanked Mr. Sitrick for his service to our country. 7. Mayor DiMaria congratulated three young men who recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout: Connor Ramseyer, Sam Conkle, and Nick Greiner. He said these young men give all of us hope for the future of our Village. XII. CLERK'S REPORT Clerk Harford had no report. XIII. STAFF REPORTS A. Village Administrator: 1. Village Administrator Czerwinski reminded the assemblage that the Village has changed the annual cycle for vehicle stickers and pet licenses. Current 2016/2017 vehicle stickers and pet licenses will be valid until August 31, 2017. The new 2017/2018 vehicle stickers and pet licenses will be available to purchase on June 1, 2017, and must be displayed by August 31, 2017. Registration forms will be mailed starting the week of May 30th. The cycle will then be August to August going forward. 2. Mr. Czerwinski said that people had been asking about the status of Moretti's. He said there had been a delay in the permitting from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Up to that point, much of the underground work had been completed (thanks to a mild winter). The permitting is now complete and work is proceeding. Mr. Czerwisnki said that walls would be up, hopefully by July 4th, and Moretti's is planning to be ready for operation and opening in early November. B. Corporation Counsel: Corporation Counsel Liston had no report. XIV. A. Trustee Grear: Trustee Grear had no report. TRUSTEES' REPORTS 9 Minutes of'June 2017`BoardMeetin • 1 XIV. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) B. Trustee Minx: Trustee Minx presented for a first reading Ordinance 17-15, Approving a Text Amendment to Modify Medical and Dental Office/Clinic Use Classifications in Commercial Districts of the Village of Morton Grove Municipal Code. This ordinance is pursuant to Plan Commission Case PC 17-11, reported out earlier this evening by Community and Economic Development Director Nancy Radzevich. Trustee Minx said that, as this is the first reading of this ordinance, no action will be taken this evening. Trustee Ramos: Trustee Ramos had no report. D. Trustee Thill: Trustee Thill had no report. E. Trustee Travis: Trustee Travis presented Ordinance 17-13, Amending Title 5, Chapter 13, Article F, Section 1 Entitled "No Parking Streets" of the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. This is the second reading of this ordinance. a. Trustee Travis explained that area residents expressed concerns about the sight distance between traffic on Hennings Court and Ferris Avenue. Village staff investigated the concerns and implemented experimental parking regulations to eliminate the first parking space on the west side of Ferris north and south of Hennings Court. The Village asked affected residents and businesses in the area for their feedback. b. Trustee Travis said the Traffic Safety Commission reviewed the experimental regulations and recommended making them permanent. Trustee Travis moved to adopt Ordinance 17-13, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye 10 �ws ..,,-..._ , . : •.. ._ iVlinutes of,Jne 12,p2017. BoardMee__:n XIV. E. Trustee Travis: (continued) 2. a. b. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Next, Trustee Travis presented Ordinance 17-14, Amending Title 5, Chapter 13, Article F, Section 2 Entitled "No Parking During Certain Hours" of the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. This is the second reading of this ordinance. Trustee Travis explained that this ordinance will eliminate long-term parking, and preserve the ability to remove snow, on a segment of River Drive and Park Avenue. She said that an area business had contacted the Village about commercial vehicles parking on a segment of River Drive and on Park Avenue for extended periods of time. The Police Chief then implemented an experimental parking regulation prohibiting parking on River Drive from Park Avenue to 8130 River Drive and on Park Avenue from River Drive to Lehigh between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. The Village notified affected businesses of the temporary change and requested their feedback. The feedback resulted in an amended experimental regulation, modifying the restriction to be in effect between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. The Traffic Safety Commission reviewed the matter and recommended making the temporary parking regulation permanent. It also recommended that the limit of the restriction on River Drive be extended to Lehigh Avenue; Village staff has recommended a minor refinement of the extended limits. Trustee Travis moved to adopt Ordinance 17-14, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos awe Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye 3. Trustee Travis next presented Resolution 17-33, Authorizing a Contract With Kenny Con- struction Company For the 2017 Sewer Lining Program. a. She explained that the Sewer Lining Program maintains the flow capacity of the Village's sewer pipe infrastructure. b. Trustee Travis said that this contract was bid through a public process and sealed bids were received. The contract must conform to the requirements of the Prevailing Wage Act. The proposal price was $143,234; however, due to construction conflicts, the amount has been reduced to $128,394. The budgeted amount is $140,000. Kenny Construction Company of Northbrook, IL was the low bidder. Trustee Travis pointed out that, since this is a unit price contract, the final contract amount will be based on the actual quantity of work performed. Trustee Travis moved to approve Resolution 17-33, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis Tr. Witko aye 11 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting XIV. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) F. Trustee Witko: 1. a. b. c. d. e. f. Trustee Witko presented Ordinance 17-12, Amending Title 4 Entitled "Business Regulations," Chapter 5 Entitled "Regulations Pertaining to All Businesses" of the Village of Morton Grove Municipal Code by Adding a New Section 10 Entitled "Minimum Hourly Wages and Sick Leave Benefits." She explained that this Ordinance would exercise the Village's home rule authority to "opt out" of Cook County ordinances which would, as of July 1, 2017, require employers located in Morton Grove to pay different minimum hourly wages and provide sick leave benefits than employers located in other counties and jurisdictions in Illinois. Trustee Witko said that, as a home rule community, if Morton Grove passes its own ordinance setting paid leave and minimum wage mandates for employers in Morton Grove, those employers would be required to follow Morton Grove law, and not the Cook County ordinances. This ordinance will require employers in the Village to pay the sick leave benefits and minimum wages established by federal and/or state law. Trustee Witko moved to adopt Ordinance 17-12, seconded by Trustee Thill. Trustee Thill said that he firmly believes that government does not belong in business—it often ends up being detrimental. He noted that a senior living on a fixed income might end up having to pay more money, that they can ill afford, for products and services. He said he did not feel that government has the right to tell an employer that he has to pay a "slacker" employee the same amount as he would pay an employee who's exemplary, a "go-getter." Trustee Witko said that a number of people tonight were asking "What side are you on?" She said she felt the question was more, "Where is this legislation coming from?" Trustee Witko said she believes that $8.25 is too low and an impossible wage on which to try to raise a family. She said that, while the speakers could and did take an emotional approach, she, as a Village Trustee, had to be more pragmatic. She noted that the vote on the 2014 ballot that some had referenced was not a "referendum;" it was an advisory question. Trustee Witko said that Commissioner Suffredin said that this matter is now being considered at the State level, and she felt it was being addressed with a responsible and fair increase schedule. She said that she is one of the 75% who believe the minimum wage is too low, but felt it should be legislated at the State level to make it fair and equitable for the businesses, municipalities, and wage-earners in the State. Trustee Minx said she appreciates every comment made and all the correspondence she's received on this issue, adding that she has wrestled with both sides of it. She, too, believes that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do, but said the issue is bigger than Morton Grove. She felt that it was the State's responsibility and she didn't want the Village to make it easier for the State to abdicate its responsibility. She felt it was wrong to pit municipality against municipality by having this legislation at the County level, and agreed that the Village should encourage the governor to sign the Senate bill referenced by Commissioner Suffredin. 12 inutesof;JWne 1212D17IBoard Meeting XIV. F. Trustee Witko: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Mayor DiMaria called for the vote. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear 2y2 Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. ThiII aye Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye 9. Mayor DiMaria commented that "this is poor legislation." He said he fully believes that the current minimum wage is not enough, but noted that he was once in a business where the government made a blanket rule, which ultimately ruined the business. He said there's a way to do this so an adult wage earner raising a family can make it work. He believed that the minimum wage should be tiered. He said he was writing a letter to Governor Rauner, and reiterated that the County's ordinances were poor legislation that would create poor economics. It's a matter of the government usurping the rights of employers. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII OTHER BUSINESS NONE WARRANTS Trustee Witko presented the Warrant Register for June 12, 2017, in the amount of $552,069.24. She moved that the Warrants be approved as presented. Trustee Minx seconded the motion. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. ThiII aye Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye RESIDENTS' COMMENTS NONE ADJOURNMENT Trustee Thill moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. ThiII aye Tr. Travis aae Tr. Witko aye The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m. 13 Minutes of June 12, 2017 Board Meeting PASSED this 26th day of June, 2017. Trustee Grear Trustee Minx Trustee Ramos Trustee Thill Trustee Travis Trustee Witko APPROVE by.me this 6th y of)une, 2017. Daniel P. DiMaria, Village Preside Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 27th day of June, 2017. Eileen Harford, Village Clerk Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by: Teresa Cousar 14