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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-03-22 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 MARCH 22, 2010 CALL TO ORDER Village President Dan Staackmann called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. After leading the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance, he directed the Village Clerk to call the roll. II. Village Clerk Tony Kalogerakos called the roll. Present were: Trustees Dan DiMaria, Larry Gomberg, Bill Grear, Shel Marcus, John Thill, and Maria Toth. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Regarding the Minutes of the Special Meeting of March 2, 2010, Trustee DiMaria moved, seconded by Trustee Toth, to accept the Minutes as presented. There was no discussion. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. b. Regarding the Minutes of the March 8, 2010 Regular Meeting, Trustee DiMaria moved, seconded by Trustee Toth, to accept the Minutes as presented. There was no discussion. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. IV. V. PUBLIC HEARINGS NONE SPECIAL REPORTS NONE VL RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) a. Wilma Wendt. Mrs. Wendt read for the record a statement regarding the Civic Center/the American Legion Hall. Her primary concern was with the preservation and maintenance of the building. Extensive renovation of the building was done when the Village purchased it. with a final result that was beautiful. Now, with other users/lessees, she was concerned that the Village had made appropriate arrangements regarding the maintenance and preservation of the building itself. Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meeting VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) Mrs. Wendt pointed out that Morton Grove has no "town center", per se, but the Civic Center/Legion Hall has been filling that role since its renovation a number of years ago. She said she hoped the Village would keep it as a landmark of which its residents could all be proud. b. Iris Mason. Ms. Mason appealed to the Board, as a senior and as a member of the Commis- sion on Aging, to do everything possible to retain Alicia Miller -Goldstein in her current position as Activity Coordinator. Ms. Mason said that Ms. Miller is capable, qualified, and has invalu- able expertise. Her programs have been enjoyed by a great many seniors who feel that she is a great asset. Ms. Mason respectfully asked the Board to do everything possible with the new senior services provider to retain Ms. Miller, stating that Ms. Miller is a "special and extraordinary gift" to the senior in Morton Grove. VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1. Mayor Staackmann proclaimed April 22, 2010, as "Earth Day." He noted that Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970, with the goal of inspiring environmental awareness and encouraging the conservation, protection, and appreciation of our nation's natural resources. He encour- aged all citizens to be mindful of local, state, and national laws which protect our environment, and to join in efforts to preserve the beauty and wonder of the lands, skies, and water of the earth. Mayor Staackmann said that he truly appreciates all the work being done annually in the forest preserves by Trustee Thill and the Friends of the Forest group. 2. Mayor Staackmann announced that the Niles Township Youth Coalition is sponsoring a meet- ing on Tuesday, April 6, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Niles West High School. The subject is "Raising a Teen", and the meeting will feature speakers from the attorney general's office, local police departments, social workers, etc. He said he hoped they'd have a full house. 3. Mayor Staackmann asked for concurrence to appoint George Alpogianis to the Economic Development Commission for a 3 -year term. Mr. Alpogianis is from Kappy's and is a well- respected and very active member of the business community in Morton Grove. Trustee Marcus moved, seconded by Trustee Thill, to concur with this appointment. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. 4. Mayor Staackmann said that, last fall, he committed that the Village would do an in-depth study on the sewer system, with the goal of having it complete in the first quarter of the year. The Board remains committed to doing this study, but it won't be completed in the first quarter due to the extraordinary activity around the water main improvement project on Dempster Street. He asked for patience and said the Board hopes to have answers in the near future. VIII. CLERK'S REPORT Clerk Kalogerakos had no formal report, but emphasized to the assemblage present and those who will watch the Board Meeting on Channel 6 that it is crucial for everyone to complete the Census form and mail it back. The Village's portion of Federal and State funding for the next ten years is directly connected to the number of people who complete the Census form. 2 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meeting IX. A. Village Administrator 1. Farmers' Market Status Report STAFF REPORTS a. Mr. Wade said that the Farmers' Market committee has requested of the Village "temporary" signage—on weekends only—to promote the Farmers' Market. This is a departure from the normal code and requires an exemption, which will be granted because the Farmers' Market is considered a "community event". There will be sandwich board signs out front on Waukegan Road as well as directional signs at other locations. Mr. Wade turned the presentation over to Kristina Otte, who is leading the Farmers' Market efforts. b. Ms. Otte said the Farmers' Market is two months away from opening. There will be a ribbon - cutting ceremony on May 29 at 10:00 a.m. Normal hours for the market, located at 8930 Waukegan Road, will be 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Vendors so far include three Illinois farms, one Michigan farm, and one Michigan orchard c. The Farmers' Market committee is working very hard on fundraising. Ms. Otte thanked Kappy's for donating a percentage of patrons' bills every Wednesday during March. She noted that, on April 14, Giordano's is doing something similar, on both dine -in and carry -out orders. 20% will be donated to the Farmers' Market. The committee will begin distributing flyers in May. Ms. Otte reported that the committee now has a signed agreement with the property owners, and has also made arrangements to have a porta-potty on-site. She thanked Emergency Management Agency Director John Hill for his expertise on parking and safety matters, and encouraged everyone to visit the Farmers' Market website at www.mofarmersmarket.com. Ms. Otte said that there would be local musicians and community groups present every Saturday. The market will be very family -friendly. Regarding signage, Ms. Otte said the committee was hoping it would be allowed to put up directional signs roughly the size of garage sale signs on Friday nights and take them down again after the market is over each weekend. Eight intersections in town have been targeted for these signs, and there would be two signs at each intersection. She was also hoping to have a couple of banners around town as well, one at the Civic Center, and one on the property where the market would be held. She hoped these banners could be displayed for most of, if not all, the market season. B. Corporation Counsel: Ms. Liston had no report. 3 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meeting X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS A. Trustee DiMaria: Trustee DiMaria presented Resolution 10-25, Authorizing an Economic Development Agreement Between the Village of Morton Grove and Harlem -Dempster Limited Partnership (HDLP). He explained that the current economic climate has placed extreme pressure on many commercial properties. Retail businesses are hesitant to open new locations while property owners with many vacancies struggle to remain in good standing with their commercial mortgages. The owner of Lonore Plaza Shopping Center has approached the Village with a request to provide financial assistance to attract a new retail tenant. This shopping center has suffered from a nearly 50% vacancy rate since its anchor tenant left more than a year ago. Dollar General would like to locate in this shopping center, but the maximum rent they can pay is below the minimum rent the owner can accept without compromising the terms of the mortgage. The year-long vacancy has hurt other businesses in the shopping center, and the Village has collected no sales tax revenue from the vacancy. This resolution proposes an economic development agreement with Lonore Plaza Shopping Center to return a portion of the sales tax revenues generated from the new business to the landlord to offset the below- market rent from this tenant. The Village would retain 50% of the new sales tax revenue. The owner has also agreed to make improvements to the site to increase its attractiveness and leas ability. The total incentive is not to exceed $65,000. Trustee DiMaria moved to approve Resolution 10-25, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passed: 4 ayes, 2 nays. Tr. DiMaria afire Tr. Gomberg Tr. Grear y Tr. Marcus nay Tr. Thill ave Tr. Toth B. Trustee Gomberg: 1. Trustee Gomberg presented Resolution 10-21, Authorizing Membership in the Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities Coalition. He explained that one of the primary functions of local municipal government is to ensure public safety within its community. The Village appreciates the outstanding effort put forth by public safety employees, and recognizes its obligation to provide them with a fair pension that reflects their service to the community. However, current and future pension funding require- ments have and will place a financial strain on the Village and its taxpayers. The Pension Fairness for Illinois Communities is a coalition of local governments and other concerned entities that has been formed to implement fair and Tong -term changes to ensure the sustain- ability of pension funds without placing an overwhelming burden on the Village's taxpayers or leaving it without the ability to provide basic services. Trustee Gomberg moved, seconded by Trustee Toth, to approve Resolution 10-21. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria ave Tr. Gomberg ave Tr. Grear aLe Tr. Marcus ay►e Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth afire 4 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meeting X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) B. Trustee Gomberg: (cont'd.) 2. Next, Trustee Gomberg presented Resolution 10-20, Authorizing the Adoption of the Vantage Care RHS Employer Investment Program in the Village of Morton Grove. He explained that the Village provides certain retiree health insurance benefits, especially for employees hired prior to January 1, 2007. The Village is obligated to make a contribution to a post -employment health benefit plan for members of collective bargaining units hired after September 4, 2007. 3. The creation of an RHS Employer Investment Program and the holding of assets in trust will allow the •Village to make contributions in compliance with its collective bargaining obligations, and will allow it to segregate funds for future retiree health insurance expenses. In the future, the establishment of an RHS Employer Investment Program may also allow the Village to offer opportunities to employees to save for retiree health benefits. Trustee Gomberg moved, seconded by Trustee DiMaria, to approve Resolution 10-20. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria An Tr. Gomberg ave Tr. Grear ave Tr. Marcus ave Tr. Thill ave Tr. Toth ave Trustee Gomberg then brought forward Resolution 10-23, Authorizing the Appointment of a Delegate and Alternate Delegate to the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency. He explained that the Village, as a member of the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency (IRMA), is allowed one representative to represent the Village as a member of IRMA's Board of Directors. This resolution would authorize Finance Director Ryan Horne to be the delegate, with Remy Navarrete, Assistant Finance Director, serving as the alternate delegate. Trustee Gomberg moved, seconded by Trustee Toth, to approve Resolution 10-23. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Gomberg ave Tr. Grear ave Tr. Marcus An Tr. Thill Ayre Tr. Toth ave 4. Trustee Gomberg said that Standard & Poor's rating service has assigned a double A long- term rating to the Village for its series 2010A and 2010B General Obligation bonds. Triple A is the highest rating. C. Trustee Grear: Trustee Grear had no formal report, but announced that the Village's Emergency Management Agency would be hosting a program on severe weather at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, at the Morton Grove Public Library. He encouraged everyone to attend. 5 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meetin. X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) D. Trustee Marcus: 1. Trustee Marcus said his report deals with a recommendation for a new senior services provider. He said, as everyone knows, the 2010 Budget included many cuts, not the least of which was a proposal to reduce or eliminate senior center activities as of March 31, 2010. It was very stressful but the Board pledged to make every effort to find a way to continue senior services past March 31. a. Trustee Marcus acknowledged the hard work done by Village staff to up with a Request for Proposals. Five companies responded. After research and discussion, the Village decided to proceed with interviews with three of those five companies. Trustee Marcus said the three remaining companies—Morton Grove Public Library, the Sunshine Club, and the North Shore Senior Center—were interviewed in terms of their capability by a committee comprised of himself, Trustee Thill, Family & Senior Services Director Jackie Walker -O'Keefe, and Village Administrator Joe Wade. After further analysis, there was one group that not only met but exceeded the Village's requirements, the North Shore Senior Center. b. Trustee Marcus said that some other very good ideas and suggestions came out of the interview process, and he would like to take some of those under advisement. The Village will definitely hold these suggestions for further consideration. c. Trustee Marcus moved to direct staff to develop an operating agreement with North Shore Senior Center. Trustee Gomberg seconded the motion. d. Trustee Grear asked if this was just a recommendation. Trustee Marcus said it was directing the staff to develop an operating agreement to move forward. e. Trustee Thill pointed out that there were many seniors present tonight, and wondered if this was the time they should ask questions. Mayor Staackmann said it would be more appropri- ate under Residents' Comments. He reiterated that Trustee Marcus' motion was basically just to enter into negotiations. f. Trustee Marcus noted that Sharon Nelson, Finance Director, and Jordan Lure (Executive Director) of North Shore Senior Center were present, and asked them to speak. g. Mayor Staackmann called for the vote first. Having been duly made and seconded, the motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Gomberg ave Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus ave Tr. Thill Tr. Toth aye h. North Shore Senior Center Executive Director Jordan Lure said that the organization greatly appreciates this opportunity to negotiate, and is very excited about this opportunity. He briefly explained that North Shore Senior Center has been serving seniors for over 54 years. Their main facility is in Northfield, where they do extensive programs and activities, social programs, etc. Mr. Lure said it was North Shore Senior Center's intention to support the programming and services already in place, with the idea of possibly enhancing them in the future. He assured the assemblage that he had heard the comments regarding the current Program Coordinator, and they will do everything they can to retain her for continuity's sake. 6 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meetin. X. D. Trustee Marcus: (continued) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) i. Trustee Marcus said the committee found it very important that North Shore came in saying that they are not going to replace current senior programming, but rather augment and support it. Mr. Lure agreed, stating that North Shore Senior Center is looking at this as a partnership to continue what's there. J. Trustee Thill asked Mr. Lure how many members North Shore Senior Center has. He responded, "3,200-3,300". They have a $6.6M budget and over 900 volunteers. They are projecting to be in Morton Grove for the Tong -term. k. Trustee Marcus said the committee had toured the North Shore Senior Center facilities in Northfield and were very impressed. He said he was comfortable making this recommenda- tion because it not only maintains the current level of programs and activities in Morton Grove, but brings along the potential for so much more. He called it a "win-win" situation. E. Trustee Thill 1. Trustee Thill presented Ordinance 10-07, Amending Title 5, Chapter 13, Article A-1, Entitled "Traffic Schedules" of the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. This is the second reading of this ordinance. Trustee Thill explained that the Traffic Safety Commission heard and subsequently recommended approval of a request for stop signs at the intersection of Henning Ct. and Narragansett Avenue. The recommendation conforms to the provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code and Illinois Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Trustee Thill moved to adopt Ordinance 10-07, seconded by Trustee Toth. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Gomberg ave Tr. Grear gig Tr. Marcus mg. Tr. Thill Lys Tr. Toth awe 2. Trustee Thill then presented for a first reading Ordinance 10-09, To Amend Title 5, Chapter 13, Article F, Section 3 Entitled "Time Limit Parking Zones" of the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. Trustee Thill noted that the Traffic Safety Commission reviewed a request to amend parking restrictions on Narragansett Avenue between Henning Ct. And Dempster Street as well as Henning Ct. Between Narragansett and Ferris to discourage on -street parking by train commuters. In researching this request, staff discovered that there was a 90 -minute parking restriction between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the west side of Narragansett between Henning and Dempster, although there was no signage posted there to enforce it. Staff discussed adding the signage for the restriction on Narragansett with the petitioner, as an interim solution and to evaluate the effect on commuter parking. The petitioner was fine with that and the signage was added. However, the businesses were unaware that the restriction even existed and were unhappy with the effect it had on their businesses. The Traffic Safety Commission had heard the case and had recommended a course of action to the Board, but staff had a different recommendation. The Board then remanded the matter back to the Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meetin X. E. Trustee Thill: (cont'd.) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) Traffic Safety Commission for further review. The Commission reconsidered the case at its February 4th meeting and again at a Special Meeting on February 18th. The petitioner and the Commission acknowledged that it was not the original intent to include parking restrictions within the business district and therefore changes to parking restrictions on Narragansett were discontinued. On February 22nd, the Village received a petition with six signatures from three addresses on Narragansett requesting the Village remove the parking restrictions and associated signage from the west side of the 8700 block of Narragansett. Ordinance 10-09 will therefore remove the parking restrictions on the west side of Narragansett between Henning Ct. And Dempster Street. Trustee Gomberg moved to waive the second reading of this ordinance, noting that there were people in the assemblage who've already made their case, and this has been going on for at least three months now. Trustee DiMaria seconded the motion. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Gomberg aye Tr. Grear aye Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth ave Trustee Thill then moved to adopt Ordinance 10-09, seconded by Trustee DiMaria. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Gomberg aye Tr. Grear ave Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth aye 3. Trustee Thill brought forward Resolution 10-22, Authorizing the Acceptance of the Low Bid and Execution of a Contract with Lyons Electric Company for the 2010 Maintenance of Street Lighting and Traffic Control Signal Units Program. He explained that, each year, the Village contracts with an electrical contractor to assist in the maintenance of street lighting and traffic control signals within the Village. Three bids were obtained, with Lyons Electric being the lowest in the amount of $22,795.20. Lyons has previously performed work for the Village and it was satisfactory. Trustee Thill moved to approve Resolution 10-22, seconded by Trustee Toth. Mayor Staackmann asked if the Village was moving to high-energy lighting. Public Works Director Andy DeMonte said the Village will be investigating LED lighting, but this contract is only for maintenance. Trustee Marcus commented that he had heard that high-intensity bulbs were not good in certain types of weather. Mr. DeMonte noted that the Village already has some installed, at Village Hall. The original cost is high but they save approximately 65% in energy costs. So far, they've worked fine in a variety of weather types. Trustee Marcus said he thought they were not as reflective. Mr. DeMonte agreed that there is a difference. Upon the vote, the motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. DiMaria ave Tr. Gomberg ave Tr. Grear awe Tr. Marcus aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth aye 8 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meeting X. E. Trustee Thill: (cont'd.) TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) 4. Trustee Thill said the State has passed a law that will go into effect in January of 2011. The law prohibits the disposal of any electronics in landfills. The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) is taking a proactive step by establishing several area drop-off points for consumer electronics. One of these drop-off points is Morton Grove's Public Works facility at 7840 Nagle. Only residents who live in any of the 24 SWANCC member communities is allowed to use these drop-off points. Residents wishing to dispose of unwanted consumer electronics can just pull into the Public Works garage; volunteers from SWANCC will unload and dispose of the electronics. This program will begin on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Any resident (no businesses) wishing to dispose of electronic devices may do son on Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon. F. Trustee Toth: Trustee Toth had no report. XI. OTHER BUSINESS NONE XII. WARRANTS Trustee Gomberg presented the Warrant Register for March 22, 2010 in the amount of $403,428.33. He moved to accept the Warrants, seconded by Trustee Grear. Trustee Thill had several questions: a. On page 3, there are two checks payable to the City of Des Plaines totaling $77,800. He wondered why there were two separate checks. Finance Director Ryan Horne said that one reflects an allocation of 25% to the Emergency 9-1-1 Fund and one is a 75% allocation to the Police Department. b. On page 4, Trustee Thill noted a check for $405 for "poster guard protection/compliance". He wondered what that was about. Mr. Horne said it is a payment for compliance "insurance" for OSHA and Department of Labor, Department of Human Rights, etc. postings. c. Also on page 4, there is a payment of $1,200 for "BASIT training". Chief Erickson said that last November, the Board amended the liquor license. Anyone serving liquor now must go through a 6-8 hour training course. Three Morton Grove police officers are receiving that training so that they, in turn, can train others. d. Trustee Thill asked Chief Erickson about a $210 charge for prisoner blankets. The chief responded that they are required to sanitize these blankets every time they're used. This past month, there were over 40 users! 9 Minutes of March 22, 2010 Board Meeting XII. WARRANTS (continued) e. Trustee Thill asked about a $1,300 payment to the Public Library for "PPRT". Mr. Horne said that stands for "personal property replacement tax." This was funds received from the State and a portion is allocated back to the Library. f. Trustee Thill wondered about a $530 elevator inspection fee at the Civic Center. Jackie Walker -O'Keefe explained that every year, the elevators are required to be inspected by the State Fire Marshall's office and a qualified elevator inspector is required to be there too. The $530 is the payment for the qualified elevator inspector. g. Lastly, Trustee Thill asked about a payment of $200 to the Skokie Park District. Ms. Walker - O'Keefe said that it was a joint program with the Library. There was no further discussion on the Warrants. Upon the vote, the motion passed: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. DiMaria aye Tr. Gomberg afire Tr. Grear ave Tr. Marcus absent Tr. Thill aye Tr. Toth aye XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS a. Ellie Davis. Ms. Davis said that, in December, she would not have believed the senior services crisis could be averted. She applauded the wisdom of the Board in postponing the closing of the senior center for three months so that they could search for other options. She said she was delighted that the nationally -recognized North Shore Senior Center would be coming in now. She encouraged everyone to become an active member and also serve as a volunteer. She thanked the subcommittee for their excellent recommendation. b. Melinda Mulford. Ms. Mulford had questions regarding senior transportation. She said that, once a month, the senior bus takes people to Golf Mill Shopping Center. She suggested that once a month it could go to Menards, Home Depot, and/or Trader Joe's too. She also asked about the status of the senior taxi service. What kind of discount is it and is it only for trips within the Village? Village Administrator Wade responded that the Village is currently continuing the bus service but they have implemented modest user fees. The Village is still exploring options with PACE bus service. He noted that only about 60 unique individuals use the senior bus regularly, which costs the Village $60,000 annually. Jackie Walker -O'Keefe said the senior taxi discount is still in place through American Taxi. The discount is for $2.25 off (on each leg of the trip) no matter where you go. Coupons for this discount can be obtained at the Civic Center. She commented that the senior bus goes to Golf Mill because people want to go there. Most senior transportation services focus on medical appointments only. Mayor Staackmann said the bus situation is still being evaluated and is still being operated. He suggested she ask the North Shore Senior Center to see what they might do. She said she had tried and had not received a call-back. She said she had also attended the Commis- sion on Aging meetings and hadn't gotten any information there either. Trustee Marcus said that there are options available, within reason. The North Shore Senior Center has a great pool of volunteers, and he hoped that Morton Grove could develop a pool of volunteers also, for driving to various sites. 10 Minutes of March22, 2010 Board Meeting XIV. ADJOURNMENT/EXECUTIVE SESSION There being no further business, Trustee Thill moved to adjourn the meeting. Trustee DiMaria seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. PASSED this 12th day of April, 2010. Trustee DiMaria Trustee Gomberg Trustee Grear Trustee Marcus Trustee Thill Trustee Toth H.' - ••VEDid /m7 thy %i%/'' ay of April, 2010. Dani- J. S ackmann, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILE ! my;f ice his 13th day of April, 2010. Tony S. Kalo ems: ko , Village Clerk Village of Mo -.n Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by Teresa Cousar 11