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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-12-11 Board 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 CIVIC CENTER DECEMBER 11, 2006 CALL TO ORDER I. Village President Rick Krier called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. and led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. II. Village Clerk Carol Fritzshall called the roll. Present were: Trustees Georgianne Brunner, Dan DiMaria, Roy Kogstad, Rita Minx, Dale Senensky, and Dan Staackmann. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regarding the Minutes of the November 27, 2006 Regular Meeting, Mayor Krier asked if anyone had any changes or corrections to the Minutes. Trustee Kogstad had a correction on page 11. He noted that Ordinance 06-44, Resolution 06-65, Resolution 06-66, and Resolution 06-67 had not been passed unanimously via voice vote as the Minutes state. He said he had asked that they be considered introduced and read into the record, dispensing with the reading thereof. Board approval to do that was granted unanimously. Trustee Senensky had a correction on page 9, paragraph 5. He asked that the sentence "He said he would vote no." be removed as that did not happen. The Board approved the Minutes as corrected unanimously via voice vote. IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2006 Tax Levy Mayor Krier opened the Public Hearing and asked if any residents wanted to speak. He pointed out that they could do so now, or during either of the two "Residents' Comments" portions of the meeting. No one came forward. Trustee DiMaria moved to close the Public Hearing, seconded by Trustee Minx. The motion passed unanimously via voice vote. V SPECIAL REPORTS Discussion of Techny Bike Trail Project Mayor Krier said the Techny Bike Trail project was on the agenda tonight because, if the Village decides to continue its participation in the project, funding for a bridge over Golf Road would be needed by the end of 2007. He then turned the discussion over to Village Engineer Ryan Gillingham. Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting V. SPECIAL REPORTS (continued) Mr. Gillingham provided some background on the project, and a brief look at its current status. This is a project that has been in development since the early 1990's. The bike trail was proposed as a way to provide access for commuters to Morton Grove's train station and the forest preserves, and possible future connectivity to other train stations in the Villages of Golf, Glenview, and Northbrook. This portion of the bike trail would generally parallel the Metra tracks. It would start in Morton Grove at Beckwith and would end at Overlook Drive in Glenview. The Village Board passed Resolution 93-19 in 1993 supporting this plan, and Resolution 94-15 in 1994 approving the Village's participation in an intergovernmental funding agreement. The bike trail will be 10 feet wide and will be located on the west side of the tracks, with a six-foot fence between the tracks and the bike trail. As part of the project, a new bridge over Golf Road is required. The plans and specifications for the bridge have been completed and funding for its construction has been secured from the State through the Village of Glenview, the lead agency on this project. Prior to construc- tion of the bridge, the bike paths leading up to the bridge need to be completed. The funding agreement for the bridge is currently set to expire in May of 2007. Mr. Gillingham said the next steps for Morton Grove would be to develop easement agreements with Avon, to obtain Metra approval, and to secure funding sources. Trustee Brunner asked what would happen to the intergovernmental agreement if the Village decided to opt out. Mr. Gillingham said he'd have to check into that. Trustee DiMaria clarified that this is a different bike path than the one that runs along Austin Avenue (it is). Trustee Staackmann asked if this bike path would connect to the Morton Grove train station. Mr. Gillingham reiterated that it begins at Beckwith Road and goes north. Trustee Staack- mann also questioned security on the bike path and who would have jurisdiction on the right- of-ways. Mr. Gillingham said he'd look into these matters. VL RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) 1. Rep. Lou Lang. Rep. Lang said he was present to discuss Ordinance 06-46, which would authorize the issuance of $30 million dollars of revenue bonds for the Holocaust Museum in Skokie. He said it was a very important ordinance for the Board's consideration. Rep. Lang said he had worked hard on keeping the Holocaust Museum in Skokie and felt it could provide an economic impact, bringing people to this area for educational purposes. He said the Museum Foundation has been getting backing and funding to build the museum, including a "significant grant" from the State of Illinois. However, they are at a point now where they need to do a bond issue. They could do it through the State of Illinois, but it would cost several hundred thousand dollars in fees that could be better spent otherwise. Rep. Lang said the law allows local municipalities to help with bond issues. Morton Grove can help with- out any cost to its residents, plus the Board would be doing a community service and letting the residents know how they feel about this kind of education. He urged the Board to put aside other issues and vote to pass this ordinance. 2. Eric Poders. Mr. Poders spoke regarding Ordinance 06-45 (authorizing the Village to regulate traffic on private property). He commended the residents for attending the December 7th Traffic Safety meeting and for speaking their minds. He said he was sorry Trustee Senesky missed it. Mr. Poders also thanked Public Works for doing an awesome job of snow removal during the December 1St major snowstorm. 2 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) Mr. Poders also commented on Ordinance 06-46 (issuance of bonds for Holocaust Museum). He said he's against the passage of the ordinance and the spending of $30 million dollars for the benefit of the Village of Skokie. Mr. Poders had letterhead from the Museum Foundation and noted that on the Executive Board, there's a "Fritzshall", and on the honorary board, Rep. Lou Lang and Skokie Village President George van Dusen. He pointed out that there is a lot the Village could do with $30 million dollars in bonds. Trustee Senensky commented that Trustee DiMaria was sponsoring the ordinance that had been discussed at the Traffic Safety Commission, adding that he decided not to attend that meeting because he didn't want to sway people and because he thought it might be a conflict of interest. 3. Robert Pearson. Mr. Pearson had some questions regarding the bike path. He asked if the bridge over Golf Road was a separate entity. Mr. Gillingham said it was; portions of it are in Metra's right-of-ways and other portions are not. Mr. Pearson was concerned about the prox- imity of the path to the railroad tracks, even though there will be a fence separating the two. He said Illinois ranks #2 in the country in railroad track related deaths. Mr. Pearson asked if there would be access from Palma Lane. Mr. Gillingham said no, riders would have to go to Beckwith for access. Trustee Staackmann asked, regarding the bridge on Golf Road, that if IDOT at some point decided they wanted to widen Golf Road, who would pay for the bike path extension? Mr. Gillingham said that IDOT looks at any project and compares it to its Tong -term plan; if a road -widening was contemplated, that feature would be built in to the bridge design. He said he would double-check with IDOT since it's been years since this project has been addressed. 4. Elise Estermo. A resident since 1967, Ms. Estermo found out about the proposed bike trail in 1995 and was involved in the Phase 1 engineering work in Glenview. She said that residents are concerned about safety and security. She said she has been working with Avon regarding sound -deadening and this would compound the problem by having people using the trail at all hours. She felt there was better ways of spending taxpayers' money than spending it for a few residents for a short period of time per year. She added that she did not feel a chain link fence would be much protection for anyone. 5. John Thill. Mr. Thill asked if the chain Zink fence would be from Beckwith north. Mr. Gilling- ham said that was correct. Mr. Thill said that a group he's affiliated with, the Friends of the Forest Preserves, has used an upstairs office at the Civic Center to do educational programs, and just recently, the rent went from $0 to $150 to use it six times a year. He was very surprised by that. Mr. Thill commented that Skokie is surrounded by four or five other communities besides Morton Grove, and he wondered if any of those other communities had been approached about doing a bond issue for the Holocaust Museum. He suggested that each of the five communities surrounding Skokie take a piece of the bonding rather than having Morton Grove foot the whole bill. He said he has no objections to the museum, but personally felt it would be tough for a child to go there, unless they were more mature. 3 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meetin• VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) Mayor Krier said he wanted to clear up a misconception that the Village would be on the hook for the $30 million dollars. It would not. It won't cost the residents anything and it does not af- fect the Village's bond rating. There is nothing financially detrimental about this. Even if the Museum Foundation defaults on repaying the bonds, there is no financial risk to the Village, and it doesn't preclude the Village from doing bonding for any other project. 6. Angela Schurr. Ms. Schurr said that her property is located behind Avon's loading dock. She wanted to know if Avon and Metra had approved the bike path proposal, and who would be responsible for cleaning up the bike path. Mr. Gillingham said it has been approved by Metra in concept, but detailed plans would need to be approved. Avon also has approved the project "in concept". As far as maintenance of the bike path, he assumed that the Village would provide such maintenance, because it would be a Village infrastructure on a Metra right-of-way. Mayor Krier pointed out that no action is being taken on this tonight. Rather, the subject is being introduced so that everyone can be re-educated since it's been several years since this project was discussed. 7. Carol LyaII. Ms. Lyall, a resident since 1971, pointed out that the properties on Normandy and Oak Park all have very big back yards with no fences, and they like it that way. She asked why there had to be a bike path from Beckwith to Overlook. She said the neighbors are worried about transients using it. Mr. Gillingham said that funding had been obtained for the bridge, but in order to build it, there has to be bike path segments for the bridge to connect. Ms. LyaII said the people in Golf don't want it. She wondered why a Morton Grove resident would want to go to the Golf train station and vice versa. Mr. Gillingham said ultimately, the decision whether to move forward with this or not is the Board's. 8. Ms. LyaII had a question regarding the bond issue. She asked if it was "opening a can of worms" to vote yes to issue bonds for this project, but then to be approached by another religious or minority group with a similar request and vote "no" on it. Mayor Krier said that was a fair question. He said Skokie had two reasons why they weren't issuing these bonds. The first was because they're planning on doing some bonding in the near future. The second was because they didn't want to set a precedent. Mayor Krier said he felt that wasn't a reason not to do this. He felt each case should stand on its own merits. He said he thinks this is a good project to do, as long as it doesn't jeopardize the Village's financial position, which he said he's now convinced it doesn't. Ms. LyaII asked why the Museum Foundation isn't doing fundraising to obtain the monies needed. Mayor Krier said they have done fundraising and continue to do it, but at this point, it's about speed and timing in trying to get the building done as quickly as possible while there are still living survivors. This bond issue will allow them to get this done. Gene Hargus. Mr. Hargus was also interested in knowing who would maintain the bike path and if it was the Village, what would the cost to the Village be? Mr. Gillingham said the details haven't been worked out yet. Trustee Minx asked if the bike path would be only between Beckwith and Overlook, or were any further extensions planned. Mr. Gillingham said there were proposals for bike paths going north, but no plans to go south of Oakton. 4 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) 9. Lenore Pearson. Mrs. Pearson said she had a lot of safety concerns regarding the bike path. She wondered about the height of the fence (six feet) and what would be done about keeping pedestrians and bicyclists safe. She asked what the speed limit would be for Metra and freight trains. Mr. Gillingham said they'd have to work with Metra as far as the safety issues, and would defer to Metra on the speed limit issue. 10. Bill Luksha. Mr. Luksha said he lives on the bike path near Harms Road. He said he picks up trash along it every other week and agreed that there are some whacky people out there. Regarding the bond issue, Mr. Luksha said he had had the opportunity to visit Auschwitz. He said it was terrible, and agreed that the Holocaust is something that should never happen again. He said having Morton Grove help by issuing these bonds is a tough question and he worried about setting a precedent. He said he would be attending the Public Hearing on Thursday and was interested in seeing examples from other Villages. 11. Mr. Muhammed, 9390 Oak Park, asked, regarding the bike path, how wide it would be (ten feet with two -foot shoulders on each side) and whether it would be paved (yes, with asphalt). He also asked about drainage, and was told that it would be addressed in the final design. 12. 13. Jean, 9327 Osceola, a 35 -year resident, was concerned about the bonds, and wondered why Skokie couldn't handle this since the Museum is in Skokie. She asked why Skokie doesn't have enough bonding ability. She also said that there is some liability involved because it's the Village's integrity at stake. If they default, it's Morton Grove's good name. She said she understood discussing requests like this on a case by case basis, but wondered what would happen if the Village turned down a request and the requesting group sued the Village and took it to the Supreme Court. She didn't feel the Village should subsidize this. Mayor Krier apologized, and said that he may have inadvertently "muddied the waters". He said that issuing these bonds does affect a municipality's annual bonding capacity. Morton Grove's fiscal year is parallel with the calendar year; Skokie's is not. Skokie is still planning to do a bond issue this fiscal year. Morton Grove's fiscal/calendar year is coming to an end, and no bonds have yet been issued, so Morton Grove issuing these bonds doesn't have the same impact on its bonding capacity. As far as a lawsuit, Mayor Krier said that anyone can sue the Village at any time for anything. The Board needs to be prudent, correct, and legal in making these types of decisions. Chris Arns. Mr. Arns commended Trustee Senensky for avoiding the Traffic Safety Commis- sion meeting because of potential conflict of interest. Mr. Arns asked if the Village was going to take the advice of its auditors and get an outside legal review of the Osco out -lot purchase issue. Mayor Krier said he has answered Mr. Arns on a number of occasions but because the answer isn't to Mr. Arns' liking, he ignores it. Mayor Krier said "it's on the record." VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1. Mayor Krier read a proclamation honoring Robert and Sandy Waters for their radio show "The Candy Store", named after their daughter Candace, who has autism. The show airs on Autism One Radio and brings vital and important information to the community and to other parents 5 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board. Meeting VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) who have a child or children with autism or other disability. The proclamation also honors them for writing a song for their daughter which has increased autism awareness and compassion around the world. 2. Mayor Krier also proclaimed the month of December 2006 as "Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month". He said the Village is proud to partner with IDOT and other traffic safety groups in an effort to make the streets safer during the holiday season, which is traditionally one of the most deadly times of the year for alcohol impaired driving. 3. Mayor Krier introduced for a first reading Ordinance 06-46, Authorizing the issuance of and Sale by the Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois of Not to Exceed Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000) Cultural Facility Variable Rate Demand Revenue Bonds, Series 2006 (Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center Project) for the Purpose of Financing Costs of Acquiring, Constructing, and Equipping the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center and Related Facilities in Skokie, Illinois; and Authoriz- ing the Execution and Delivery of an Indenture of Trust to Secure the Bonds, a Loan Agreement Under Which the Proceeds of the Bonds Will Be Loaned to the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, Inc., a Tax Exemption Certificate and Agreement Per- taining to the Tax Exemption of the Bonds, and a Bond Purchase Agreement Providing for the Purchase and Sale of Said Bonds; and Authorizing the Delivery of an Official Statement Relating to Said Bonds; and Related Matters. Mayor Krier said that a Public Hearing on this matter will be held on Thursday, December 14, at 6:00 p.m. He then introduced Richard Hirschhaut, Director of the Holocaust Museum Foundation, to respond to some of the many concerns that had been expressed this evening. Mr. Hirschhaut said that the project is well under way, the building is under construction as a result of a $5 million dollar grant from the State of Illinois as well as funds raised in various fundraising efforts. The State has also earmarked $1 million dollars from its 2007 budget for this project. The Foundation itself has raised $26 million dollars over the last two and a half years, but $15 million dollars is still needed. The Village of Morton Grove would act as a conduit by virtue of its bonding authority. As far as Morton Grove's integrity/good name/ repu- tation, Mr. Hirschhaut reiterated that this project is two-thirds of the way along; most of the funding has come from private sources. It is a project that has come about because of Skokie's commitment to it. He said that teaching about the Holocaust is mandated by State law. The content presented will be appropriate for ages 12 and up. Children under 12 won't be allowed in; however, there will be an exhibit for younger ages, showing it in a gentler way. Mr. Hirschhaut said that Skokie has undertaken many initiatives for the Holocaust Museum over the last several years, but they just can't do this. He estimated that 200,000 people would come to see the Museum annually and felt that perhaps some "favored status" could be extended to Morton Grove residents as a way of thanking the Village for doing this. He emphasized that there is no financial or economic risk to the Village—the Village is merely a conduit. He also pointed out that this is not a religious or ethnic museum; it's a museum that looks at a very dark time in history and tries to illuminate it and apply it to today. He said the lessons of the Holocaust continue to resonate, and felt that everyone should be exposed to the lessons of this period in history. He said this is a project on solid ground and that Morton Grove could be proud to attach its name to it. 6 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) Trustee Brunner clarified that two-thirds of the funding has already been obtained, and asked why there was a need for the Village to do this bond issue. Mr. Hirschhaut said it's about a $42 million dollar project; $26 million has already been raised, but some of that has already been spent. This bond issue will assure that the project gets completed. The urgency is that they want to get the building complete while there are still Holocaust survivors living. Mayor Krier asked Janet Hoffman, whose firm Chapman & Cutler is the Special Counsel to the Village on this matter, to address the concerns expressed about bonding and being sued. Ms. Hoffman said that these bonds are structured differently than government obligation bonds or revenue bonds. The only thing that pays back these bonds is monies from the Holocaust Museum. The bondholders know that going in. The bonds are funded by three banks; the bondholders are paid by the banks and the payments from the Museum Founda- tion go back to the banks. LaSalle Bank is the primary guarantor of funds. If the bonds go into default, LaSalle Bank would repay the bondholders and then go after the Museum Foundation for repayment. This arrangement has the effect of being an "extra cushion" for Morton Grove's reputation. As far as a lawsuit, Ms. Hoffman said there are no statutory provisions that would require the Village to issue the same types of bonds to a different group. There is nothing in the law that mandates such action; it is completely discretionary on the Village's part. So there's no real basis in law for the Village to be sued. 4. Next, Mayor Krier sought the Board's concurrence on the establishment of the Board Meeting dates for calendar year 2007. All meetings are held at Village Hall in the Council Chambers starting at 7:30 p.m. The dates are as follows: January 8, January 22, February 12, February 26, March 12, March 26, April 9, April 23, May 14, (no meeting on May 28 due to Memorial Day), June 11, June 25, July 9, July 23, August 13, August 27, September 10, September 24, October 8, October 22, November 12, November 26, and December 10 (no meeting on December 24 due to Christmas). The Board voted unanimously via voice vote to approve these dates. 5. Mayor Krier then sought the Board's concurrence on the establishment of the Town Hall Meeting dates for calendar year 2007. These dates are: January 29, April 30, July 30, and October 30. All meetings are held at the American Legion Memorial Civic Center and begin at 7:00 p.m. Locations are subject to change. The Board voted unanimously via voice vote to approve these dates. 6. Mayor Krier requested the Board's approval of the Village Board and Commission Chair- person appointments for calendar year 2007. He asked if any Board member wanted to vote on these individually. None did. The Board voted unanimously via voice vote to approve the following chairpersons: Advisory Commission on Aging: Jeff Fougerousse, Chair; Diane Grigg, Vice -Chair; Appearance Commission: Deanna Gotta; Cable and Telecommunications Commission: Don Sneider; Community Relations Commission: Terri Causer; Economic De- velopment Commission: John Pietron; Board of Environmental Health: Raoul Smoczynski, Chair; Joseph O'Shea, Vice -Chair; Fire and Police Commission: Michael Simkins, Chair; Larry Strybel, Vice -Chair; Natural Resources Commission: Doug Steinmann; Plan Commis- sion/Zoning Board: Ron Farkas; and Traffic Safety Commission: C. Norman Rockel. 7 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) 7. Next, Mayor Krier asked the Board to approve the Regular Meeting Schedule of the Various Boards, Commissions, Committees, and Subcommittees in the Village. The Board voted unanimously via voice vote to approve the following schedule: Advisory Commission on Aging: Meets at 1 pm the second Tuesday of every month at the Civic Center Appearance Commission: Meets at 7pm the first Monday of every month at Village Hall in the Council Chambers Board of Environmental Health: Meets at 7pm the first Tuesday of every month at Village Hall in the Trustees Conference Room Cable & Telecommunications Commission: Meets at 7:30pm the second Thursday of the month twice yearly at Village Hall in the Council Chambers Community Relations Commission: Meets at 7:30pm the second Tuesday of every other month at Village Hall in the Trustees Conference Room Council of Condominium Associations: Meets at 7:30pm the second Wednesday of every other month at Village Hall in the Council Chambers Dempster Street Advisory Committee: Dates, times, and locations vary Economic Development Commission: Meets at 6:30pm the third Wednesday of every month at Village Hall in the Trustees Conference Room Fair Housing Commission: Dates, times, and locations vary Fire and Police Commission: Meets at 7pm the fourth Tuesday of every month at Fire Station #4 Fire Pension Board: Meets at 3pm the third Tuesday of every quarter at Fire Station #4 Natural Resource Commission: Meets at 6pm the third Monday of every month at Village Hall in the Trustees Conference Room Plan Commission/Zoning Board: Meets at 7:30pm the third Monday of every month at Village Hall in the Council Chambers Police Pension Board: Meets at 5pm quarterly at Village Hall in the Council Chambers Real Estate Committee: Dates, times, and locations vary Traffic Safety Commission: Meets the first Thursday of every month at Village Hall in the Council Chambers 8. Next, Mayor Krier sought the Board's concurrence of the Administrative appointments for cal- endar year 2007. Trustee Kogstad asked that a roll call vote be taken. The appointments are as follows: Village Administrator: Joseph F. Wade Adjudication Officer: Elizabeth M. Rochford Building Commissioner: Ed Hildebrandt Community and Economic Development Director: William Neuendorf Corporation Counsel: Teresa Hoffman Liston ESDA Coordinator: Craig Karas Family and Senior Services Director: Jackie Walker O'Keefe Finance Director/Treasurer: Daniela Partipilo Fire Chief: Tom Friel Police Chief: Paul L. Tasch Public Works Director: Andy DeMonte Village Prosecutor: Nate Brenner/Frank Tennant 8 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) Trustee DiMaria moved, seconded by Trustee Brunner, to approve the Administrative ap- pointments for calendar year 2007. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 1 nay. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad nay Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye 9. Lastly, Mayor Krier asked for the Board's concurrence of his appointments of Alice Rupkey and Iris Nason to the Commission on Aging. The Board approved these appointments unanimously via voice vote. VIII. CLERK'S REPORT Clerk Fritzshall had no report. IX. STAFF REPORTS A. Village Administrator 1. Mr. Wade reminded the assemblage that a special Board Meeting would be held this Thurs- day, December 14th for a Public Hearing regarding the issuance of $30 million dollars in 501c3 tax-exempt, low-interest bonds by the Village of Morton Grove to benefit the Holocaust Mu- seum in Skokie. The Public Hearing is set for 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Village Hall. 2. Mr. Wade said that there would be no Village Board meeting on Monday, December 25th, due to the Christmas holiday. Village Hall and Public Works will also be closed this day. 3. Mr. Wade also announced that there would be a Committee of the Whole board meeting on January 11, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed smoking ban ordinance. B. Corporation Counsel: Ms. Liston had no report. X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS A. Trustee Brunner: 1. Trustee Brunner presented Ordinance 06-43, Amending Title 1, Chapter 15, Entitled "Civic Center Fees" of the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. This is the second reading of this Ordinance. 9 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting X. A. Trustee Brunner: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) She said that this Ordinance will facilitate the periodic review of rental rates and other pertinent operations of the Civic Center. It allows the Director of Family and Senior Services to establish rates, rules, and procedures for rentals. No one had any questions. Trustee Brunner moved to adopt Ordinance 06-43, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria Ry2 Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx ave Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye 2. Trustee Brunner thanked the Public Works department for their fine efforts during the snowstorm and wished the assemblage and her fellow Board members a happy, healthy, safe holiday. B. Trustee DiMaria: 1. Trustee DiMaria presented Resolution 06-69, Appropriation of 2007 Motor Fuel Tax Funds for the Maintenance of Streets and Highways—MFT Section 07-00000-00GM. 2. Trustee DiMaria explained that this Resolution authorizes the Village to appropriate its esti- mated motor fuel tax expenses for 2007 as required by the State of Illinois. The total esti- mated expenses for the 2007 Motor Fuel Tax Program are $636,000. Trustee DiMaria moved to approve Resolution 06-69, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye Next, Trustee DiMaria presented Resolution 06-70, Authorization to Accept and Approve the Municipal Maintenance Expenditure Statement for Work Completed on the 2005 Mo- tor Fuel Tax Maintenance Program. Trustee DiMaria said this is the final accounting for the 2005 Motor Fuel Tax Program. The total expenses for 2005 are $666,563.52. Trustee DiMaria moved, seconded by Trustee Minx, to approve Resolution 06-70. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner afire Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye 3. Trustee DiMaria then introduced for a first reading Ordinance 06-47, Authorization to Amend Parking Restrictions on Georgiana Avenue Between Lincoln Avenue and Capulina Avenue within the Village of Morton Grove. Trustee DiMaria moved to waive the first reading of this ordinance. Trustee Senensky sec- onded the motion. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad ave Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye 10 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meetin. X. B. Trustee DiMaria: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Trustee DiMaria explained that this ordinance modifies Ordinance 06-14, which placed zone parking restrictions on Georgiana to alleviate problems caused by commuters parking there. The modification will amend the parking restrictions to allow St. Martha parishioner parking during early weekday services. Trustee DiMaria moved to adopt Ordinance 06-47, seconded by Trustee Senensky. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye 4 Trustee DiMaria also extended his best wishes to all for happy, healthy holidays. C. Trustee Kogstad: 1. Trustee Kogstad presented Ordinance 06-44, An Ordinance Levying and Assessing Taxes for the Village of Morton Grove for Calendar Year Beginning January 1, 2007 and Ending December 31, 2007. 2. He explained that this ordinance sets the property tax levy for calendar year 2007. The prop- erty tax levy is set at $12,893,297 before abatements. The abatements reduce the property tax levy, leaving a net levy of $11,491,388. Trustee Minx moved to adopt Ordinance 06-44, seconded by Trustee Brunner. Motion passed: 4 ayes, 3 nays. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria nay Tr. Kogstad nay Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann nay Mayor Krier aye Next, Trustee Kogstad presented Resolution 06-65, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2005 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 02-30. He explained that on July 8, 2002, pursuant to Ordinance 02-30, the Village Board issued $5,000,300 in general obligation promissory notes, Series 2002. That ordinance provided that the levy of taxes for the year 2006 include sufficient funds to produce $311,193 as the debt service payment for 2007. The 2007 Budget allocates revenue from the Waukegan Road TIF Fund in the amount of $311,193 to repay that debt service. Therefore, the amount of $311,193 is abated from the tax levy for calendar year 2007. Trustee Kogstad moved to approve Resolution 06-65, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky aye Tr. Staackmann aye 3. Trustee Kogstad then brought forward Resolution 06-66, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2005 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 99-1. 11 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting X. C. Trustee Kogstad: (continued) 4. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) He explained that, on February 8, 1999, pursuant to Ordinance 99-1, the Village Board issued $15,495,000 in general obligation bonds, Series 1999. That ordinance provided that the levy of taxes for the year 2006 include sufficient funds to produce $1,343,280 as the debt service payment for 2007. The 2007 Budget has allocated revenue from the Local Option Sales Tax of the Village in the amount of $475,000, and revenue from the General Fund of the Village in the amount of $10,000, and revenue from the Water/Sewer Fund in the amount of $335,820 to repay that debt service. Therefore, the amount of $1,343,280 is abated from the tax levy for calendar year 2007. Trustee Kogstad moved, seconded by Trustee Brunner, to approve Resolution 06-66. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner Re Tr. DiMaria ave Tr. Kogstad Tr. Minx ave Tr. Senensky ave Tr. Staackmann ave Trustee Kogstad introduced Resolution 06-67, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2005 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 98-41. He explained that, on September 28, 1998, pursuant to Ordinance 98-41, the Village Board issued $3,165,000 in general obligation promissory notes, Series 1998A. That ordinance provided that the levy of taxes for the year 2006 include sufficient funds to produce $269,896 as the debt service payment for 2007. The 2007 Budget has allocated revenue from the Waukegan Road TIF Fund in the amount of $269,896 to repay that debt service. Therefore, the amount of $269,896 is abated from the tax levy for calendar year 2007. Trustee Kogstad moved to approve Resolution 06-67, seconded by Trustee DiMaria. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner ave Tr. DiMaria afire Tr. Kogstad Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky ave Tr. Staackmann ave D. Trustee Minx: Trustee Minx had no formal report, but thanked Public Works for the excellent snow removal job, and wished all a safe, happy, holiday season and new year. E. Trustee Senensky: 1. Trustee Senensky presented Ordinance 06-45, Authorizing the Village to Regulate Traffic and Parking on Certain Private Property in the Village of Morton Grove. This is the second reading of this ordinance. Trustee Senensky read a letter the Village had received from the Woodlands' Homeowners Association asking that the Police Department patrol in the Woodlands area, since various traffic violations, such as not stopping at stop signs, were occurring. This ordinance will allow the Village to enter into contract(s) with various private property owners, which may include school boards, hospitals, condominium complexes, etc., to regulate traffic and parking areas within these private properties. Trustee Senensky said he hoped that enforcement and the issuance of citations would help the Woodlands' property owners with this problem. 12 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meetin. X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) E. Trustee Senensky: (continued) Trustee Senensky moved to approve Ordinance 06-45, seconded by Trustee DiMaria. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner au Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky Tr. Staackmann aye 2. Trustee Senensky wished everyone happy holidays. Trustee Staackmann Trustee Staackmann had no formal report. He thanked the staff for all their hard work over the past year, saying he really appreciates what they do. He extended good wishes to every- one for a happy holiday season. XI. OTHER BUSINESS Mayor Krier said he wanted to "clear the air" about a recent letter to the editor which appeared in local newspapers, signed by Trustee Staackmann. He thanked Trustee Staackmann pub- licly for his second letter to the editor, which rescinded a quote that had erroneously been at- tributed to Mayor Krier. He said that all the trustees really care about the Village, even if he disagrees with their vote. XII. WARRANTS Trustee Kogstad presented the Warrant Register, which totaled $718,169.17. He moved to approve the Warrants, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner au Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Senensky Tr. Staackmann aye XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS 1. Eric Poders. Mr. Poders applauded Trustee Senensky for his recognition of a potential con- flict of interest situation. He felt that Trustee Minx, who works for the Village of Skokie, should abstain from voting on Ordinance 06-46. He was also concerned because the Village's web- site has not been updated since summer. Mr. Poders noted that all the documents for to- night's meeting were put on the site on Friday for the following Monday. He felt that was not enough time for residents to read and review the material. He also commended Officer Anderson and another officer for securing the area during a recent fire in the 8500 block of School Street, near the library. Mayor Krier pointed out that the Board members receive their packets on Thursdays, and the information is up on the website the next day. He said they try to do it as timely as possible. Trustee Minx said the fact that she works for the Village of Skokie is irrelevant; she is a resi- dent of Morton Grove. 13 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) 2. Carol Lyall. Ms. Lyall asked if the Village had a certain amount of bonds. Mayor Krier ex- plained that there are different types of bonds. He said there isn't $30 million dollars sitting here that the Village is decided to use for Skokie instead of Morton Grove. He said the Village is just acting as a conduit because it has bonding authority. 3. Ms. Lyall said she was disappointed in the snow plowing during the recent snowstorm. She said they used to be out plowing at 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., etc. but this time Normandy wasn't plowed until 8:00 a.m. Trustee Brunner said she works in Skokie and a man from Wilmette came in to her office and said that Morton Grove's schools were open because they have the best -plowed streets around. Trustee DiMaria said it also depended on when the snow was hitting. As pointed out earlier, having the snow hit at rush hour really complicated things. Nancy Lanning. Ms. Lanning asked if budget workshops could be televised so that residents could see the process. Mayor Krier said it was a good idea but probably wouldn't happen until all the glitches are worked out of the current process for televising the Village Board meetings. XIV. ADJOURNMENT/EXECUTIVE SESSION There being no further business, Trustee Senensky moved to adjourn the Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by Trustee Minx and approved unanimously via voice vote. The meet- ing adjourned at 9:44 p.m. 14 Minutes of December 11, 2006 Board Meeting PASSED this 8th day of January, 2007. Trustee Brunner Trustee DiMaria Trustee Kogstad Trustee Minx Trustee Senensky Trustee Staackmann APPROVED by me this,th day of January, 2007. 1 Richard Krier, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 9th day of January, 2007. coel4 Carol A. Fritzshall, Village Cle Village of Morton Grove Cook County, Illinois Minutes by: Teresa Cousar 15