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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-12-10 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 CENTER DECEMBER 10, 2007 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, Roy Kogstad, Rita Minx, Dan Staackmann, and John Thill. Trustee Shel Marcus was on vacation. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regarding the Minutes of the November 26, 2007 Regular Meeting, Mayor Krier asked if anyone had any changes or corrections to the Minutes. Seeing none, Trustee Minx moved, seconded by Trustee Thill, to approve the November 26, 2007 Regular Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. V. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2007 Tax Levy Mayor Krier opened the Public Hearing on the 2007 Tax Levy at 7:32 p.m. and asked the assemblage if anyone had any questions or comments regarding said Tax Levy. No one did. Therefore Trustee Minx moved to close the Public Hearing, seconded by Trustee Thill. The motion passed unanimously via voice vote. The Public Hearing closed at 7:33 p.m. IV. SPECIAL REPORTS a. Swearing In Ceremony for New Firefigher/Paramedic Joseph G. Durante Police and Fire Commission Chairman Mike Simkins performed the swearing-in ceremony of Joseph G. Durante as the Village's newest Firefighter/Paramedic. Firefighter Durante began his employment in Morton Grove on November 26, 2007. He is a fully -trained Firefighter III/ Paramedic and began shift work today. The Board congratulated Firefighter Durante as his wife pinned on his badge. Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin • VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) Eric Poders. Mr. Poders said that, once again, the Minutes of November 26, 2007 are not accurately reflective of his statements. He said he had been misquoted, and suggested that the Board consider, for 2008, having "Residents' Comments (Agenda Items Only) appear on the Agenda prior to the Approval of Minutes so that residents would have a chance to correct any misquotes. Mayor Krier responded that the Minutes are not meant to be verbatim. He pointed out that Mr. Poders' comments were taped and were being shown on television, so no one could misconstrue his comments. The mayor said that if Mr. Poders felt he was being misquoted, he should put a statement in writing that could be attached to the Minutes. Mr. Poders said he has done that in the past, to no avail. Mayor Krier said that the statement would be attached to the Minutes and be filed with them. Patrick Kansoer. Mr. Kansoer spoke regarding the tax levy. He was concerned over a statement that had been previously made that indicated the Village Board would assess the levy and if the funds weren't needed, they could do a rebate. He said he'd rather the Board didn't do it that way. Mr. Kansoer also felt that the accounting basis was an issue. The Village is on a cash basis rather than an accrual basis. He cited a Municipal Finance Task Force's finding that, for government entities, the accrual basis is the preferable one. Using a cash basis, government receivables and liabilities are not accurately reflected, plus it encourages "end of year" spending, because department heads are held responsible for how much they spend, not necessarily how efficiently they spend. He went on to explain in some detail the benefits of using the accrual basis, and said that using cash accounting basis "works against transparency." Dan DiMaria. Mr. DiMaria said that, as a former Trustee, he disagreed with Mr. Kansoer's statement that department heads spending money at the end of the year because it's there. He said that Morton Grove's department heads are just the opposite—they try very hard to not spend what's in their budget. Mr. DiMaria said that he's heard that some trustees want to lower the tax levy and some want to raise it. He felt the Board needed to be more diligent about dollars coming into the Village. He said the Board had let some businesses, for exam- ple, the OTB, go to other towns, and if that hadn't happened, there wouldn't be any discussion about lowering the levy. Mr. DiMaria also offered kudos to Andy DeMonte and the Public Works Department personnel for doing a great job of keeping the streets clean. VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT a. Mayor Krier proclaimed the month of December 2007 as "Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month" in the Village and called upon everyone to support programs and policies to reduce the incidence of impaired drive, and to promote safer and healthier behaviors regarding the use of alcohol and drugs during the December holiday season and throughout the year. b. Mayor Krier said he wanted to bring to people's attention a new program in Illinois called "Tracking Alcohol in Illinois" or "TRAIL". The program began in 2006 and it activates when underage drinking leads to injuries or death. 2 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) Mayor Krier said that, when such an incident occurs, special agents from the Illinois Liquor Control Commission investigate the incident to try to determine where the alcohol originated. In the program's first year, agents investigated 28 incidents that resulted in 19 fatalities and 45 injuries. In only three of the 28 cases, the liquor originated from a liquor store or bar. In the rest, it was from the family. On August 31, 2007, a new State law was passed that under- scores adult responsibility for preventing underage drinking. It increases the penalty from one year to three years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines for parents who knowingly allow underage alcohol consumption in their homes and the drinking leads to serious injury or death. It is a Class !V felony for a parent to allow underage drinking in their home. Mayor Krier said he brought this up this evening because of its obvious tie-in with the proclamation he read earlier. He commented that it's tough to be a parent—"you have to be diligent in where your children go and who they're with." c. Mayor Krier gave kudos to the Morton Grove Police Department for apprehending a resident holding quite a few questionable passports and IDs. He said the FBI and Homeland Security are now involved, but this person would never have been found if not for good, smart police work. The police were at the residence on a different issue and saw something suspicious. The officers then obtained a search warrant and found the passports and IDs. VIII. CLERK'S REPORT Clerk Fritzshall said that early voting will be held from January 14 through January 31, 2008. She said that Morton Grove is currently not on the list as an early voting location, so she'll be calling the County Clerk to see if that can be changed. Clerk Fritzshall said that the Presiden- tial Primary will be held on February 5, 2008 and the General Election will be on November 4. People interested in voting in the Primary can register to vote up to and including January 8'h at Village Hall or the township office. They can also go downtown to the Clerk's office and register from January 9th to January 22nd IX. STAFF REPORTS A. Village Administrator a. Mr. Wade reminded the assemblage that the Village Board Meeting scheduled for December 24, 2007, was cancelled due to the Christmas holiday. b. Mr. Wade wished the Board, staff, and the assemblage happy holidays. Corporation Counsel: B. Ms. Liston had no report. 3 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin X. A. Trustee Brunner: TRUSTEES' REPORTS 1. Trustee Brunner had no formal report, but announced that the Board of Environmental Health is still encouraging people to participate in the Nike "Reuse -a -Shoe" program in conjunction with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC). There is a collection box at Village Hall for all used athletic shoes; however, shoes that have metal eyelets, zippers, cleats, or spikes cannot be donated. 2. Trustee Brunner informed the assemblage that, on January 14, 2008, a representative from the FCC would be making a presentation at the Village Board meeting regarding the conver- sion from analog to digital televisions which becomes effective nationally in February of 2009. She encouraged everyone interested to attend. 3. Trustee Brunner thanked Public Works for their efforts over the past couple of weekends. She wished everyone a happy holiday season. B. Trustee Marcus: Trustee Marcus was absent — no report. C. Trustee Kogstad: Trustee Kogstad had no report. D. Trustee Minx: 1. Trustee Minx presented Ordinance 07-33, An Ordinance Levying and Assessing Taxes for the Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2008 and Ending December 31, 2008. This is the second reading of this ordinance. Trustee Minx explained that this ordinance sets the tax levy for property taxes for tax year 2007 which are then collected in 2008. The Budget passed by the Board calls for expendi- tures in the amount of $48,832,109. The amount necessary to be levied for 2007 property taxes is $11,898,236. By law, the Village is required to levy an additional $1,407,791 for debt service payments authorized by general obligation notes and bonds, for a total levy (before abatement) of $13,306,027. However, the Village Board intends to adopt several resolutions which will immediately abate the $1,407,791 from the levy, resulting in the net levy amount of $11,898,236. Trustee Minx moved to approve Ordinance 07-33, seconded by Trustee Brunner. 4 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) Mayor Krier asked if there was any discussion. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Trustee Minx said that Mr. DiMaria's statement about letting the OTB go to Niles was totally inaccurate. She had a newspaper article dated February 17, 2005 saying that Menards pulled the plan for the OTB and so the Board never voted out on the OTB. Mayor Krier remarked on Mr. Kansoer's comments. He agreed that he himself had, in the past, brought up budget cuts at the eleventh hour, but noted that it is better to have a full discussion and to get staff and the public involved. He said it's not possible to get a full, good discussion when things are brought up at the last minute. He said he had been relatively new to the Board at the time when he proposed his last-minute budget cuts. Regarding the accrual basis versus the cash basis, Mayor Krier said the Village does both and offered to point it out to Mr. Kansoer. He said his goal is transparency, and he felt that the cash basis showed how "liquid" the Village is at any time. He said the Village is audited every year by an outside firm, and pays close attention to its assets and liabilities. If there is a catastrophic event or anticipated tax revenues are delayed, having a cash balance is good. Mayor Krier said the Board had had a long discussion about what the appropriate levy would be, and everyone had been comfortable with 3.5%. He felt that changing it now would only be something being done for political purposes. The mayor pointed out that the 3.5% is equiva- lent to $328,000 more than the Board asked for last year. Of that $328,000, almost $172,000 is going to the pension funds, leaving $156,000 to cover other things such as increased fuel costs and increased salaries arising out of contract negotiations. Mayor Krier said that, with the 2008 Budget, the Village is actually spending more than it's taking in. Even so, the spending is 1.97% less than last year's spending. Mayor Krier thanked former Trustee DiMaria for pointing out that the department heads are diligent about spending and about watching costs. He said he wished the Village could ask for a 0% tax levy increase or even rebate taxes, but that's not possible. He said he'd like anyone wishing to cut the levy to show him either a new revenue source or somewhere else to cut spending. Trustee Kogstad moved to amend Ordinance 07-33 so that the requested levy amount would be 2.5% rather than 3.5%. Trustee Thill seconded the motion. Mayor Krier said that was roughly $92,000 less and challenged Trustee Kogstad about it. Trustee Kogstad told Mayor Krier, "You are not a lawyer and this is not a courtroom." He said that he wanted to lay out his thinking regarding this amendment without being badgered. He felt that everyone should have an opportunity to speak, and noted that it's the mayor's job to chair the meeting and the trustees' job to discuss and then vote on the motion on the floor. Trustee Kogstad said he felt that a 1`)/0 decrease in the requested levy amount could be achieved because of the healthy fund balances the Village has. He felt Village residents needed some tax relief because they've been taxed 25% over the past two years. Trustee Kogstad said the Board members have been given different information regarding the Budget than they've received in the past. In the past, they've been given information based on the accrual method, which is what the auditors use and what the Government Finance Officers Association uses. 5 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Trustee Kogstad said that, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, a "fund balance" serves as a measure of financial resources available in a government fund." Credit rating agencies monitor levels of "fund" balances, not "cash" balances. He said that the previous Acting Finance Director provided a monthly Treasurer's Report showing the fund balances, cash, loans, liabilities, etc. In the May 2006 report, there are footnotes stating that the fund balance as shown was prepared on an accrual basis All of the previous Finance Director's fund balance reports were prepared on an accrual basis and they tied exactly to the audit (May 2005). The industry standard is the accrual method, and now Board members are looking at cash balances instead. Trustee Kogstad said this is important because the assumptions that govern the decision- making process change dramatically when the correct method is used. He said that the Government Finance Officers Association recommends maintaining an unreserved fund balance of between 5% and 15%. If an entity has other funds, it can be even further reduced. The Board has talked about maintaining a 25% fund balance in the General Fund. Trustee Kogstad said that, after the 2008 Budget, the General Fund balance will have a balance of over 30% using the accrual method. He said that the Village could draw down the fund balance by $1.6 million and still maintain a 25% fund balance, and felt there were ample funds in the fund balance to support his ordinance amendment. Trustee Kogstad stated that, had the proper accounting methodology been used, the ambulance that the Fire Department had requested for the 2008 Budget–which was deferred—could have been included in the Budget. The Village could have afforded the ambulance if it was willing to have a 25% fund balance. Trustee Kogstad said that, even using the current method, which is a hybrid cash method, the tax levy could be lowered to 1`)/0 (a 2.5% decrease) and still maintain a 25% cash balance. However, in the spirit of political compromise, his motion was for a 1% decrease. He pointed out that the previous years' tax increase plus this year's proposed tax increase amounted to four times the rate of inflation. This is an excess burden on residents, especially the 24% of the Village's population who are seniors, and especially those seniors on a fixed income. He encouraged the Board to approve a 1% decrease in the proposed tax levy, making it 2.5%. Trustee Brunner asked, if the levy stayed at 3.5%, how much does that raise the Village portion of the tax bill? Finance Director Partipilo responded that if one's tax bill was $3,000 annually, a 3.5% increase would raise it to $3,015. If the tax levy was 2.5%, it would raise a $3,000 tax bill to $3,011. Trustee Brunner clarified that the 2008 Budget is already going to be using $900,000 of the reserves for expenditures. Ms. Partipilo said it was $974,000. Trustee Brunner said that, without additional revenue coming in, the Village could spend all of its reserves just in maintaining the current level of services...over the next six years. Trustee Staackmann said that Trustee Kogstad had called him on November 16th to discuss the budget. The two of them met with Village Admistrator Wade, and there is a difference of opinion regarding the two accounting methods. Trustee Staackmann said that he believed there is some validity in what Trustee Kogstad presented at the last meeting, so he called his fellow trustees on November 21st to talk about the proposed tax levy increase. Initially, Trustee Kogstad wanted no increase in the tax levy, but after further discussion, felt that he could agree to a 1% tax levy decrease (approximately $94,000). 6 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Trustee Staackmann then called his fellow trustees again on the November 25th to let them know what was transpiring. He said Trustee Kogstad's proposal met with resistance at the November 26th Board Meeting, but he was amazed that some of his fellow trustees were acting as though this was the first they'd heard of it—when Trustee Staackmann had been keeping them, and staff, informed along the way. He said there are two issues here: one is about reducing the tax levy by 1%, and the other is about how the Village presents its Budget. Trustee Staackmann said that he has asked for a workshop to be held during the first quarter of 2008 to resolve the accounting method issue. He said that he's spoken to several account- ants and CPAs that he knows, as well as the previous Finance Director, and they, too, find the current hybrid method confusing. Trustee Staackmann said the Board needs to resolve the matter once and for all before next year's Budget preparation begins, so that everyone under- stands it. As for reducing the proposed tax levy by 1%, Trustee Staackmann said that, in discussing that with Village administration, he was assured that it would not be detrimental to providing services. He said he was in complete agreement with Trustee Thill's statement from the November 26th Board Meeting, that if the Village takes money from the residents one way, it shouldn't give it back another way. It just shouldn't take the money in the first place! In spite of the concern about reserves, some of his fellow trustees still wanted to take $265,000 from the reserves and shift it around. Trustee Staackmann said he found that confusing, as well. He said that a 1% reduction in the levy amounts to $94,000. With a budget of this magnitude, and looking at some anticipated legislation on revenue enhancements scheduled for the first three months of 2008, Trustee Staackmann said he did not think it would be detrimental to re- duce the levy. Trustee Staackmann also commented on the OTB matter. He said the OTB had come to Mor- ton Grove initially because the Village had OTBs listed as a Special Use in its zoning ordi- nance. It's true that there were some differences of opinion between the OTB vendor and Menards, but it's also true that the Board voted to rescind OTBs as a Special Use—remove it from the zoning ordinance—which, he said, basically told the OTB "you're not wanted in Mor- ton Grove." Trustee Minx disagreed. She said Menards pulled the plug on the OTB and they went to Niles. It came to the Board as a text amendment to the zoning ordinance in May of 2005 and that's when the Board voted to remove it as a Special Use. She said the contract with Niles was already signed by then. Trustee Thill said that, while he normally "shoots from the hip," tonight he had a prepared statement that he wanted to read. In his statement, Trustee Thill said that he had been in many discussions about the levy over the past two weeks with private citizens, the mayor, and some of his fellow trustees. He thanked everyone who took the time to help him understand this complex issue. Trustee Thill said that someone had told him this was all about politics. He said he was stunned because he thought it was about finances. But when he thought about it, he realized it was true. If he cast his vote one way, it could be said about him that, "he doesn't care about the Village." If he voted another way, people could say, "he doesn't care about the residents—he's raising our taxes!" Trustee Thill said that, earlier this year, the Board voted on which bank to use for the Village's banking needs. He voted to retain the bank that has been doing it for many years out of loy- alty, a commodity, he said, that is sorely lacking in society today. At the time, it was said of him and the other members of the Board who voted that way, that they weren't doing their fi- duciary responsibility. It later came out that information about the interest rates that the 7 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) banks had proposed to pay had not been included in the trustees' packets. This was very im- portant information which would have been very useful in the decision-making process, and whether it was an oversight or not could be considered a political issue. Trustee Thill said he brought that up because there are two ways to figure the budget: the cash balance method or the accrual method. He said he was disappointed that these talks hadn't taken place long before this evening, although he agreed that a discussion at the elev- enth hour is better than none at all. He also said that he thought past Boards should have been raising the levy in the years Abt was in town. While it might have seemed a good idea in the short run not to raise the levy, in the long run it proved disastrous. The Village is trying to dig itself out of a financial hole, but if it's too aggressive in this pursuit, it could hurt people who are living on edge financially. Trustee Thill said the Village also has to take into consideration the businesses in town. The Village wants to bring more businesses in. He felt that higher taxes could be a factor in driving them out. He said that more people are talking about taxes than any other subject, except perhaps the war. Trustee Thill pointed out that both the State and County are in "fiscal messes." He said he'd like to give the residents a ray of hope that the Board hears their con- cerns, and said he'd rather levy a little more each year rather than a major "hit" all at once. Trustee Thill said he tried to keep politics out of his decision-making process and will continue to do so. He said the best interests of the Village should rise above any of the Board mem- bers, individually and collectively. Trustee Brunner said the administration would tell Trustee Staackmann that they could live with a 1% tax increase because if the Board says that's what the increase is, that's what they have to live with. If the levy is lowered by 1 %, or $94,000, it's true that's not a large amount, but, she pointed out, the storm in late August/early September cost the Village $100,000 to clean up. Trustee Brunner said she did not see a 3.5% increase as "wasted" money because services are being provided with that money. The Village is going to be affected by the State and County financial constraints, for example, there will be less money for roads. Trustee Brunner said, "The Village has to find ways to take care of itself." She felt that lowering the levy by even 1% would, in the long run, be disastrous. Trustee Staackmann said that if staff would have said that a tax levy decrease would have a major impact on services, that would be weighted heavily in his decision. There is a cushion now, and to him, the debate on the floor is, do we maintain a 30% fund balance or a 25% fund balance. Mayor Krier said he felt the cash method was more transparent than the accrual method; the accrual method might give a more accurate picture, but it's not the whole picture. He said the fact is, for the 2008 Budget, the Village is spending more than it's taking in. It's true there is a cushion—because the Village did a hard thing two years ago. To avoid having to do some- thing like that again, Mayor Krier said, the Village needs to do this (increase the levy) me- thodically and in a well -thought-out way. He agreed with Trustee Thill that past administrations should have been slowly raising the levy while Abt was in town. He said the State is $48 billion unfunded in its pensions. That's where the Village was headed, but not anymore because "we've done the things we needed to do." Moody's is praising the Village because it's consis- tently raising its levy and paying its pensions. 8 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin. X. D Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Mayor Krier said the Village could buy the ambulance that was requested, and if they thought the ambulance was imminently likely to break down, they would. If something happens to it during 2008, the money would be there to take care of that. If we start spending it down, we'd have to go borrow money in the middle of the year. The 3.5% increase is the sensible, prudent thing to do. Mayor Krier said, "We're arguing process here, and to me, cash is the most transparent." Trustee Staackmann asked what documents Moody's had looked at when it made its evalua- tion. He thought it was the audit, and that's done using the accrual method. He suggested again that the Board has a workshop on the two different methods so that everyone can understand. Mayor Krier said Moody's looked at both the audit and the budget. He felt that lowering the levy was a political ploy, and reiterated that the Village is spending almost $1 million more in 2008 than it will be taking in. Trustee Minx said she, too, had had conversations with Trustee Staackmann and other trustees over the past couple weeks. She felt it was basically a difference in vocabulary and opinion. She suggested that the Board leave things as they are, without any decreases, because at any point in time during the year, a budget amendment can be made, whether it's to decrease the garbage or to purchase a new ambulance or to provide a police alarm system. When the budget workshops were finished, everyone had been in agreement with the budget and the levy. She did not feel it was something that necessarily had to be done tonight. She agreed that the Village is digging itself out of a hole now and is having to make hard decisions. Trustee Minx said that, if the levy is decreased by 1%, the Village would then be using approximately $1 million of its $6 million fund balance to run the Village, and if it continued on that course, the money would be gone in six years or less. Mayor Krier asked Trustee Kogstad if he agreed that the Village is spending more than it's taking in (in the 2008 Budget). Trustee Kogstad replied that the question is not that easy. He said the budget is a "best guess" and if the Board ran the numbers today (versus in July), they would be different. He pointed out, for example, that for the 2006 Budget, the audit came in showing the actual numbers were $2 million better than the budget had projected; the year before, they were $1 million better than projected. In July, when the budget is put together, it's a "best guess". He agreed that the Village should look at alternative revenue sources, like what was done this year—increasing the penalty to people who park in handicapped spaces, higher fees when a car being driven by a drunk driver is impounded. He strongly felt that residents having been taking a big hit and the Village should do whatever it could to provide some relief. Mayor Krier called for a vote on the amendment to lower the levy to 2.5%. The vote was: 3 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner nay Tr. Kogstad Rye Tr. Marcus absent Tr. MinxrAy Tr. Staackmann afire Tr. Thill aye Corporation Counsel Liston pointed out that, in the Village's Muncipal Code, Title 1, Chapter 5, Section 5, titled "Rules of Procedure", rule 4 states that the passage of all ordinances or resolutions dealing with expenditures (liabilities against the Village) or the appropriation of funds requires the concurrence of a majority of all members holding office, including the Village President. A majority of seven office holders would be four. Since this ordinance affects liabilities against the Village and/or the appropriation of funds, it is subject to Rule 4, and can only be passed with four "aye" votes. Therefore, the motion fails. 9 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Mayor Krier then called for a vote on the passage of Ordinance 07-33. The vote was: 3 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aae Tr. Kogstad nay Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann nay Tr. ThiII nay According to Rule 4, the motion fails. Mayor Krier said that, at this point, there's no levy. Trustee Kogstad recommended that another meeting be scheduled to vote on the levy. Corporation Counsel said that the Board needs to pass the levy and have a certified copy on file with the County Clerk's office by the last Tuesday of the month (Christmas day). Trustee Thill wondered if the trustees would be willing to "split the difference" and lower the levy by a half percent. He pointed out that the Village has to have a levy. Trustee Kogstad suggested that the meeting be held this Wednes- day or Friday, when Trustee Marcus will be back in town. Trustee Minx said her suggestion of leaving the levy "as is" is still on the floor, noting any budget amendments can be made later. She didn't feel it was prudent for the Village to go forward with no levy. Trustee Kogstad said that no one is suggesting that the Village go forward without a levy. Mayor Krier asked if anyone wanted to reconsider. No one did. Corporation Counsel pointed out that, in order to reconsider the ordinance, someone who voted on the prevailing side would need to make a motion to reconsider. Regarding the abatement resolutions, Ms. Liston said that those resolutions presupposed that the Board has passed a levy. She recommended postponing the abatement resolutions until the levy ordinance has been passed. To do that, the resolutions would have to first be introduced, then moved to be tabled or postponed. Trustee Minx then moved to adopt Resolutions 07-58, 07-59, and 07-60. Trustee Thill seconded the motion. Trustee Minx moved to table all three resolutions to the next Special Meeting of the Board. Trustee Thill seconded the motion. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad ay± Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann Ly2 Tr. Thill aye Corporation Counsel pointed out that the motion to establish a tax levy has failed, and at this point, someone needed to move to reconsider Ordinance 07-33 so that it could be discussed again or postponed to the next Special Meeting of the Board. Trustee Thill moved to re- consider Ordinance 07-33, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad Le Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann aye Tr. Thill aye Trustee Thill then moved to table Ordinance 07-33 to the next Special Board Meeting. Trus- tee Brunner seconded the motion. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad ay2 Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann ave Tr. ThiII aye Ms. Liston said that, at the end of tonight's meeting, there could be a motion to reconvene, in which case the meeting could be held as early as tomorrow evening. Because it would be a continuation, there would be no need for the 48-hour notice. Mayor Krier said that he'd take that up under "Other Business". 10 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meeting X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) 2. Trustee Minx next presented Resolution 07-64, Authorizing the Sale of Surplus Real Estate at 5821 Dempster Street within the Village of Morton Grove. 3. 4. She explained that, in September 2000, the Village had purchased four parcels of land at 5821-5831 Dempster Street, which was earmarked for the construction of a municipal parking lot to benefit local merchants and shopper. In 2007, federal and state funds became available for the construction of the parking lot. The most efficient and convenient parking lot design (which also met national standards) only required the utilization of three of the four parcels. As a result, the parcel at 5821 Dempster was determined to be "surplus". It was originally purchased for $205,000. The sales price is now expected to be at least $370,000. Trustee Minx moved to adopt Resolution 07-64, seconded by Trustee Brunner. Trustee Thill said he had looked at Section E of the resolution which stated that the Village has the right to reacquire the property at its original purchase price, if the property is not re- modeled and occupied within twelve months of its closing. He suggested that if the property sits for twelve months, the Village should be able to reacquire it at a lower price, so that it would be like a "penalty" for someone to acquire it and then let it sit vacant. He thought the penalty should be something like the equivalent of what the Village would have received for twelve months' worth of sales tax or property tax. Trustee Thill put that in the form of a motion, which was seconded by Trustee Minx. Mayor Krier said he understood Trustee Thill's point, but that determining the amount of revenue the Village 'could have' gotten would be hard to prove. Corporation Counsel pointed out that Section E of the "Whereas" clauses is basically staff's recommendations. Section 2 of the resolution gives staff authorization to negotiate a contract for the sale of the property. Once the contract is negotiated, it still must be approved by the Board, and, under State law, to approve the sale of municipal property, a two-thirds majority vote is needed. She told Trustee Thin that staff needs to understand his concerns so that they can negotiate the contract appropriately. Trustee Thill thanked Ms. Liston and withdrew his motion. Trustee Minx also withdrew her second. Trustee Thill also had a concern regarding Section G of the resolution, which stated that "any purchaser of the property shall be allowed to use the adjacent municipal parking lot, but shall not have exclusive privileges or priority use of said parking lot." Mayor Krier said that that's something that could certainly be addressed if it ever became a problem. Mayor Krier called for the vote on Resolution 07-64.. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann g.y2 Tr. Thill aye Trustee Minx noted that the Firefighters Association was holding its annual Holiday Food Drive from now through December 19th. Collection barrels are located at Village Hall. Food contri- butions are up slightly over last year, and monetary contributions are also encouraged so that the firefighters can purchase presents for needy children. Also, the Police Department and the Marine Corps are sponsoring the annual "Toys For Tots" program through December 15. New and unwrapped toys can be deposited in barrels located at Village Hall, the Police Department, and the Civic Center. 11 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin. X. D. Trustee Minx: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) 5. Trustee Minx thanked Public Works personnel for all their hard work this year, especially the last couple of weeks. She wished the residents, staff, and department heads a wonderful holiday season. E. Trustee Staackmann Trustee Staackmann presented Resolution 07-65, Authorizing a Contractual Agreement with Telecom Innovations Group to Provide the Purchase of Telecommunications Equipment and Internal Telephone Implementation and Maintenance Services for the Richard T. Flickinger Municipal Center, Police Department Facility, Civic Center, Fire Stations 4 and 5, and the Public Works Facility. He explained that this resolution will update and replace the existing telephone infrastructure, which is ten years old and obsolete. The cost of this contract is not to exceed $119,825, which includes installation. Trustee Staackmann moved to approve Resolution 07-65, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann aye Tr. Thill aye Trustee Staackmann wished everyone a safe and happy holiday season F. Trustee Thill 1. Trustee Thill presented Resolution 07-66, Authorizing the Execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Ayres Associates, Inc. For 2008 Aerial Photogrammetric Map- ping. He explained that, each year, as a member of the GIS Consortium, the Village participates in collective purchasing of aerial photography services and data with 12 other member communi- ties. One-fifth of the community is mapped each year so that every five years, the data is up- dated. The amount of this contract is not to exceed $18,121. Trustee Thill moved to adopt Resolution 07-66, seconded by Trustee Brunner. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann LyR Tr. Thill aye 2. Next, Trustee Thill presented Resolution 07-67, Authorization to Execute a Professional Services Agreement with McDonough Associates for a Utility Study and Survey for the Lehigh -Ferris Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment Project Area. 12 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin • TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) X. Trustee Thill: (continued) F. Trustee Thill explained that it is in the Village's best interests to undertake certain improve- ments within the Lehigh -Ferris area, such as land acquisition, traffic signalization, streetscape, landscaping, lighting, street improvements, building demolition, and public infrastructure im- provements. As part of implementing these improvements, it is necessary to assess the con- dition and capacity of the existing infrastructure and to make recommendations for improve- ments based on the future needs within the area. McDonough Associates was selected as the consultant through a competitive selection process after the TIF was formed and has per- formed satisfactorily on work within the TIF to date. This professional services agreement is a cost plus fixed fee contract, with a value not to exceed $140,824.28. Trustee Thill moved to adopt Resolution 07-67, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad aye Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann aye Tr. ThiII Trustee Thill wished everyone a good and safe holiday season. XI. OTHER BUSINESS Mayor Krier said the Board needed to set a date for a meeting to discuss and vote on the tax levy. He asked Finance Director Partipilo when she needed to have the levy ordinance ap- proved in order to file it with the County Clerk. She said she was planning to take it downtown the week of December 21st. After discussion, the Board determined that it would reconvene tonight's meeting on Thursday, December 13, at 7:00 p.m. XII. WARRANTS Trustee Minx presented the Warrant Register for December 10, 2007, which totaled $359,523.43. She moved to approve the Warrants as presented, seconded by Trustee Brunner. Trustee Thill had a couple of questions. He wondered what the disbursement for "bunker gear replacement program" was. Fire Chief Tom Friel responded that it's a term for structural fire- fighting gear, such as the heavy coat, pants, and suspenders firefighters wear. Trustee Thill also noted a disbursement for fire pension board supplies and secretarial fees. He said he thought that was paid out of a separate fund. Finance Director Partipilo said it is a separate fund, and that's noted by a difference in the first two digits of the account number. Mayor Krier called for a vote on the Warrant Register. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad Lys. Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann gys Tr. ThiII aye 13 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin. XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS Patrick Kansoer. Mr. Kansoer said that, his earlier statement regarding department heads and "end of year" spending was information taken from a Municipal Task Force study. He said he did not want to cast aspersions on the Village's personnel at all; he was merely quoting from the Task Force. Eric Poders. Mr. Poders said that he had felt he had observed fiscal irresponsibility tonight. He asked the Board to keep in mind future revenue streams and grants. Mr. Poders offered kudos to Andy DeMonte and Paul Tobin and the members of the Public Works Department for the excellent job they do. He also congratulated Chief Tasch and the Police Department for their proactive work, and thanked Chief Friel and the Fire Department for the tremendous job they do. Mr. Poders had some comments about the OTB and also asked about the status of the project at the former Maxwell's site. Mayor Krier said that he had met with that development group. They are restructuring, working with the banks and the Village, and they would probably need to request an extension on their Special Use Permit so they'll be back before the Plan Com- mission in January. They are working on putting their finances together so the project can go forward as originally designed. Bill Luksha. Mr. Luksha applauded the dedication and concern of the Board for the Village residents. He said each trustee comes to serve with their own set of skills and each should respect each other. He asked the Board to keep that in mind next year and stop criticizing or belittling others. Mr. Luksha pointed out that, at the time Mayor (then Trustee) Krier had pre- sented his $900,000 budget cuts, he had partnered with (current Trustee) Kogstad to do so, and former Trustee DiMaria had criticized the "eleventh hour" ideas. He encouraged the Board to move forward, and thanked them for working hard for the people. Sherwin Dubren. Mr. Dubren wondered where the $6 million in reserves was being held, and what kind of interest the Village was getting on it. Ms Partipilo said that, for the most part, it's being held at MB Bank, although some is at LaSalle Bank. The Village is getting 4.8% inter- est. Mayor Krier asked, for clarification, if the $6 million is always "just sitting there". Ms. Partipilo said no, it fluctuates; it's not like a business, because the Village receives its revenues in increments. XIV. ADJOURNMENT/EXECUTIVE SESSION There being no further business, Trustee Minx moved to adjourn to Executive Session to re- view Executive Session Minutes and discuss personnel, labor negotiations, and real estate. The motion was seconded by Trustee Brunner. Motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Brunner aye Tr. Kogstad absent Tr. Marcus gyp. Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann aye Tr. Thill ave The meeting adjourned to Executive Session at 9:40 p.m. Mayor Krier called the Executive Session to order at 9:48 p.m. Present were Mayor Krier, Clerk Fritzshall, Trustees Brunner, Minx, Staackmann, and Thill. Also present from Village staff were Village Administrator Wade and Corporation Counsel Liston. 14 Minutes of December 10, 2007 Board Meetin • ADJOURNMENT/EXECUTIVE SESSION There being no further business, Trustee Minx moved to adjourn the Executive Session at 10:59 p.m. Trustee Brunner seconded the motion which passed unanimously via voice vote. Trustee Minx then moved to adjourn the Board Meeting to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 13, 2007. The motion was seconded by Trustee Brunner. The motion passed unanimously via voice vote at 11:00 p.m. PASSED this 14th day of January, 2008. Trustee Brunner Trustee Kogstad Trustee Marcus Trustee Minx Trustee Staackmann Trustee Thill APPe this 1 h day of January, 2008. Richard•Krier, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 15th day of January, 2008. 4f/cd4 /2//7 -/t -14e -e(' Carol A. Fritzshall, Village Clerk Village of Morton Grove Cook County, Illinois Minutes by: Teresa Cousar 15