Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-14-2020 Approved MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF MORTON GROVE RICHARD T. FLICKINGER MUNICIPAL CENTER SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 CALL TO ORDER — Village President Dan DiMaria convened the Regular Meeting of the Village Board at 7:00 p.m. V. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall. He led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance, and asked everyone to remain standing for a moment of silence to commemorate the lives lost in the 9/11 attack nineteen years ago. VI. Village Clerk Eileen Harford called the roll. Present were: Trustees Bill Grear, Rita Minx, Ed Ramos, John Thill, and Connie Travis Trustee Janine Witko was absent with notice. VII. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Trustee Minx moved to accept the Minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of August 24, 2020 as presented, seconded by Trustee Ramos. Motion passed unanimously (with one absence) via voice vote. VIII. SPECIAL REPORTS NONE IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS NONE X. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) NONE Xl. PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1. Mayor DiMaria proclaimed the month of September 2020 as "National Preparedness Month" and called upon everyone in the Village to observe this month by developing their own home emergency preparedness plan and supply kit. He noted that residents should keep a two-week supply of groceries at home and should practice disaster drills so that you and your family are fully prepared and knowledgeable about where to go in the event of a disaster. Residents also need to make a plan for when disaster strikes and to remember to include your children when making your preparedness plan. A supply kit should include basic survival items such as food, water, a weather radio, batteries, medications, face masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes. It is important to keep a supply kit not only at home, but at work and in your car as well. Mayor DiMaria pointed out that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) offers disaster preparedness information at www.ready.illinois.gov. He asked Village Administrator Czerwinski to ensure this link is posted on the Village's website. Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XI. PRESIDENT'S REPORT (continued) 2. Mayor DiMaria noted that the 2020 Census deadline is approaching. He said it is estimated that every person counted in the census represents $13,500 in resources going back to a community over the next 10 years, making an accurate census for Morton Grove very important. He said the Village is doing rather well, with 84% of households self-responding, but we can and should do better. Mayor DiMaria said the initial deadline for the 2020 Census was July 31, 2020. It was then extended to October 31 due to delays caused by COVID-19. However, the deadline has now been shortened to September 30, which leaves the Village with only weeks to obtain an accurate count for Morton Grove. An accurate count is important because over 150 federal programs rely on census data when allocating resources to communities. Once the 2020 Census is completed, the data is fixed for the next ten years. Mayor DiMaria reminded residents that all census information is confidential, and encouraged everyone to respond to the census questionnaire, because 84% is not good enough for Morton Grove. 3. Mayor DiMaria thanked Illinois State Senator Laura Fine, his fellow Board Members, Village Clerk Eileen Harford, and Village staff for participating in the recent ribbon-cutting ceremonies to celebrate the openings of two new businesses in the Village—ProAuto at 6100 Dempster and OMG Grill at 6037 Dempster. He congratulated these new businesses and asked everyone to stop by and support them, and for that matter, all of Morton Grove's local businesses. 4. Mayor DiMaria urged everyone to continue to follow some simple safety measures to fight COVID-19 by remembering the three W's: .Watch your distance; remain at least 6 feet away from those outside your immediate household; Wear face coverings any time social distancing is not possible; and Wash your hands often and for a minimum of 20 seconds each time. Wash with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. a. Mayor DiMaria also encouraged everyone to continue to patronize local businesses and restaurants, noting these entities need us now more than ever. Many restaurants are now offering outdoor dining, but this won't be possible during the winter months, so Mayor DiMaria asked everyone to help these businesses now, by dining out while the weather is still good. Once the cooler temperatures and winter weather approach, restaurants will be serving indoors, but are only allowed to be at 25% capacity, so let's support them now! He said that, next year, when there's hopefully a vaccine and we can get back to normal, let's make sure we still have our restaurants. He pointed out that these businesses do take risks and felt it was our responsibility to help them however we can. 5. Mayor DiMaria said there are a couple of impactful Metra rail crossing closures everyone needs to know about. First, the train crossing on Lincoln Avenue will be closed from September 23 to October 2, 2020. Second, Metra is working with the Illinois Department of Transportation for a 3-day closure of Dempster Street to do track repairs that require the road to be completely closed. The tentative dates for the Dempster Street closure are October 5 through October 7. The detours will be signed by Metra. Warning signage will notify motorists of the upcoming work, and the Village will notify commuters with handbills at the train station a week before the work is scheduled to begin. Once the dates are confirmed, the Village will get more information out to the public. 2 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XII. CLERK'S REPORT 1. Clerk Harford provided a report from the quarterly Condominium Association meeting held on August 26, 2020, attended by her, Village Administrator Czerwinski, Fire Chief Rodgers, and Officer Lietz of the Police Department. a. She said Mr. Czerwinski reviewed the Sawmill Station development with the condo board members and provided relevant updates. He also discussed the new French Market, located at 6140 Dempster Street. The French Market takes the place of the Farmers' Market and is open on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. through October 24, 2020. b. Chief Rodgers reported that no firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 and talked about the Fire Department's new ambulance and battalion vehicle. c. Officer Lietz reminded condo residents about the importance of locking your car doors, even in parking garages. She also discussed the cancellation of National Night Out. Officer Lietz also talked about the safety of Morton Grove residents and communicating with the use of reverse 911 calls. d. The next Condominium Association meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 25, 2020. 2. Clerk Harford said she had also attended the Municipal Clerk's Association meeting on September 9, 2020, during which there was a presentation reviewing the Clerk's role during election season. 3. This year, the Skokie early voting site will also include a mail ballot drop box. The site is located at Oakton Community College, Ray Harstein Campus, 7701 Lincoln Avenue. The Niles early voting site will have a mail ballot drop box as well. This site is at Niles Village Hall, 100 Civic Center Drive. Both sites will operate from October 19 through November 2 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends. XIII. STAFF REPORTS A. Village Administrator: 1. Mr. Czerwinski had no report, but asked Land Use Planner Zoe Heidorn to introduce Ordinance 20-20. a. Ms. Heidorn said this was a request to approve a final plat of subdivision at 8649 Callie Avenue. The property was recently improved with three townhomes and is located in the R-3 General Residence District. As the owner approaches completion of construction, he is seeking a subdivision to allow for the future sale of the townhouse units on three individual lots. The three lots do not meet the zoning district lot requirements individually and will not be developable independent of one another. b. Ms. Heidorn said the Appearance Commission approved the townhome development design and landscape plan in 2016, and review by the Traffic Safety Commission was waived. 3 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XIII. STAFF REPORTS (continued) A. Village Administrator: (continued) c. On August 17, 2020, the Plan Commission reviewed the application made under case PC20-11 and unanimously recommended approval of the final plat of subdivision, with certain conditions. d. Ms. Heidorn noted that she would be happy to answer any questions the Board may have, and pointed out that the Applicant is present this evening as well. There were no questions. e. Mayor DiMaria thanked Ms. Heidorn for her presentation and for attending the previously mentioned ribbon cuttings. B. Corporation Counsel: Corporation Counsel Liston had no report this evening. XIV. TRUSTEES' REPORTS A. Trustee Grear: 1. Trustee Grear introduced Ordinance 20-20, Approving a Final Plat of Subdivision for a Minor Subdivision at 8649 Callie Avenue, Morton Grove, Illinois. a. This is a first reading of this Ordinance which is regarding Plan Commission Case PC20-11, and which had just been explained by Ms. Heidorn. As this is the first reading, no further action will be taken this evening. 2. Trustee Grear congratulated Police Chief Mike Simo and the staff of the MG Police Department on this, their sixth year of doing a Citizens Police Academy. The most recent course started last week, and Trustee Grear said there's probably about 100 people in the Village who have gone through this training, which is commendable. B. Trustee Minx: Trustee Minx had no report this evening. C. Trustee Ramos: Trustee Ramos had no report this evening. D. Trustee Thill: —" Trustee Thill had no report this evening. 4 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XIV. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) E. Trustee Travis: 1. Trustee Travis presented Resolution 20-38, Authorizing the Annual Veterans Day Parade. a. She said this Resolution will authorize the 2020 Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 8, 2020. The parade route begins at the American Legion, then crosses Dempster Street at Georgiana Avenue, Georgiana to Crain Street, Crain to School Street, and School to the Morton Grove Public Library on Lincoln Avenue, and then back to the American Legion. b. Trustee Travis said the Illinois Department of Transportation requires the Village adopt a resolution approving the closing of Dempster Street. It also authorizes the Village Engineer to file an application through IDOT for the closing of Dempster Street from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, for the Veterans Day Parade. Trustee Travis moved to approve Resolution 20-38, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passes: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx Tr. Ramos ay± Tr. Thill Tr. Travis 2y1 Tr. Witko absent F. Trustee Witko: Trustee Witko was absent with notice, but had several Resolutions and an Ordinance under her report. Mayor DiMaria turned these items over to Mr. Czerwinski to present them to the Board. 1. Mr. Czerwinski presented Resolution 20-39, Authorizing the Execution of a Contract Renewal With Ciorba Group, Inc. for Professional Engineering Services. a. He explained that this resolution will authorize him to execute a renewal of the task order contract with Ciorba Group, Inc. for professional engineering services. The Village relies on the services of a professional engineering company to supplement existing engineering staff during peak periods of work or to perform specialized services. Typical projects requiring such services include the review of private developments and the design of infrastructure. b. Mr. Czerwinski said that, in October of 2015, via Resolution 15-66, the Board authorized a task order contract with Ciorba Group, Inc. for professional engineering services on an as-needed basis. The contract included an initial term of two years and an option to renew the contract annually through October 31, 2020. Ciorba Group, Inc. has provided excellent services to the Village and is capable of continuing to provide the same quality of work to the Village. Staff desires to extend the contract for one year beyond the contract allowance in order to complete several projects in place and additional future tasks. The contract extension also provides for hourly rates to be charged. Mr. Czerwinski pointed out that the Village's 2020 Budget allocates $15,000 for specialized engineering services if and when the need for them arises. Engineering services for private development review are typically reimbursed by the permit application. c. Mr. Czerwinski said that the Village's Engineering Department and Public Works Department are very pleased with Ciorba Group, Inc.'s activities. He said that, over the course of 2021, the Village will issue an RFP and go out to bid again on engineering services, but for this year, with so many projects in the pipeline, it's appropriate, cost-effective, and efficient to extend the current contract by one year. 5 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XIV. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) F. Trustee Witko: (continued) Trustee Grear moved to approve Resolution 20-39, seconded by Trustee Minx. Motion passes: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Grear awe Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos at Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis Tr. Witko absent 2. Mr. Czerwinski then presented Resolution 20-40, Authorizing the Execution of a Contract Amendment with Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd. for Preliminary and Design Engineering Services for the Oakton Street Pedestrian Facility Improvements Project. a. He explained that Morton Grove is cooperatively developing a project for a pedestrian facility along Oakton Street and Caldwell Avenue with Cook County, the Village of Niles, and the Village of Skokie. Resolution 18-56 and Resolution 19-40 authorized two agreements for sharing costs for preliminary and design engineering. b. Mr. Czerwinski said that Resolution 19-12, approved in February 2019, authorized the execution of a contract for a professional services agreement in the amount of$164,026.41 to complete preliminary and design engineering for the Oakton Street Pedestrian Facility Improvements project. The project requires permits from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). IDOT is requiring an analysis of the storm sewer systems within the project limits to ensure IDOT's roadway drainage system will function properly with the new pedestrian facility. The analysis of the storm sewer system was not included in the engineering contract and the engineer is requesting additional compensation in the amount of $25,061.74 to complete the preliminary engineering. Trustee Minx moved to approve Resolution 20-40, seconded by Trustee Travis. c. Trustee Minx asked if the $25,061.74 was the Village's portion of the cost, or if it was the amount that would be divided by Morton Grove, Niles, and Skokie. Mr. Czerwinski said the $25,061.74 is the total cost for this work; it will be proportionally reimbursed by the Villages of Niles and Skokie. d. Trustee Thill asked if this work would happen next year. Mr. Czerwinski said the engineering work would happen next year, adding that this is necessary in order to move forward with this $2M project. He said we need to have "shovel-ready" engineering in place first. Mr. Czerwinski said he could not say for certain that State or County funds will be available, but assured the Board that staff is working extremely hard to make sure we get all the grants possible for this project. He said that currently we have $1.7M set aside, and this engineering work solidifies the fact that this project will move forward. Mr. Czerwinski said then we'll have to work with Metra, because there's over $2M of work that needs to be done at the grade crossing to make sure that the gates are correct and that signalization is correct. He said this is something that will be done in the very near future, and there are a lot of people behind it. e. Trustee Thill asked if the $2M will be on Morton Grove or Metra. Mr. Czerwinski replied that part of it will likely come from grants and the rest from Metra. Mayor DiMaria called for the vote on Resolution 20-40. 6 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XIV. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) F. Trustee Witko: (continued) Motion passes: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Grear to Tr. Minx Tr. Ramos gye Tr. Thill Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko absent 3. Next, Mr. Czerwinski presented Resolution 20-41, Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with BP&T Construction Company for the Street Light Pole Painting Project. a. He explained that the Village has three major streetscape business corridors. Regular maintenance is required within the rights-of-way of these corridors to preserve the operational and aesthetic value of different streetscape elements. The existing street light poles in the Waukegan Road corridor and the street light bases in the Dempster Street corridor need to be painted. Three painting contractors submitted sealed bids for this work. Staff has verified all qualifications and determined the lowest qualified bidder is BP&T Construction Company of Palatine, Illinois, meeting all bid requirements, in the amount of$30,600. Trustee Minx moved, seconded by Trustee Grear, to approve Resolution 20-41. b. Trustee Grear asked if this is the first time since the street poles have been installed that they are being painted. Public Works Director Joe Dahm said the poles on Waukegan Road have been painted once, but not the poles on Dempster Street. c. Trustee Ramos asked if the $30,600 would be reimbursable by IDOT. Mr. Czerwinski said the amount is not refundable because those street poles are in Morton Grove's corridors and they are Morton Grove's responsibility. Mayor DiMaria called for the vote on Resolution 20-41. Motion passes: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Grear Tr. Minx ty2 Tr. Ramos tyl Tr. Thill 2y.e Tr. Travis gat Tr. Witko absent 4. Lastly, Mr. Czerwinski presented for a first reading Ordinance 20-21, Amending Title 5, Chapter 13, Section F-2 Entitled "No Parking During Certain Hours" of the Municipal Code of the Village of Morton Grove. a. He explained that this Ordinance will codify parking restrictions on the south side of Kirk Street between Nagle Avenue and Lehigh Avenue every day between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. b. Mr. Czerwinski said staff has noticed signs designating a parking restriction that is not codified in the Municipal Code. The signs prohibit overnight parking on the south side of Kirk Street between Nagle and Lehigh. This Ordinance will codify and formalize this parking restriction. As this is a first reading, no action will be taken this evening. L.� 7 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting XV. OTHER BUSINESS 1. Trustee Thill said he had a resident reach out to him about heavy trucks on Lincoln Avenue coming from Dempster Street. He asked the resident to contact Mayor DiMaria, and the resident did so. Mayor DiMaria brought it to Mr. Czerwinski, with the end result being new signage posted prohibiting a right turn on Lincoln Avenue from Dempster Street and enhanced surveillance. a. Trustee Thill said the mayor is always saying, "We can't fix a problem unless we know that there is a problem." In this case, a problem was brought to the Village's attention and it was resolved quickly and successfully. Trustee Thill thanked Mayor DiMaria, Mr. Czerwinski, and the MGPD for handling this matter. 2. Mayor DiMaria extended his and the Board's condolences to Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen and his family on the passing of his son earlier this week. XVI. WARRANTS Trustee Minx presented the Warrant Register for September 14, 2020 in the amount of $273,235.59. She moved to approve the Warrant Register as presented, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passes: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Grear Tr. Minx gy± Tr. Ramos at Tr. Thill Tr. Travis Ay2 Tr. Witko absent XVII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS Mr. Czerwinski noted three comments had come in via email: 1. Mary Elsner, 9342 Ozanam, asked what accommodations the Village is making for citizens who are at high risk for COVID-19 to provide comments on both Agenda and Non-Agenda items at the Board meetings in lieu of attending in person. Mr. Czerwinski said he would reach out to Mrs. Elsner and provide a response. 2. Robert Burkhart, 6034 Grove Court, said he was pleased that the Village had filled the part- time police social worker position. He mentioned he'd had a phone conversation with her and thought she was a "gem." He was requesting the position be upgraded to full-time. He felt it would be a wise use of residents' tax dollars, and pointed out that there is great need for social worker services what with the pandemic and the ensuing emotional, financial, and employment issues arising from it. He said he understands the position is budgeted for part-time, but felt it should be possible to find the extra money to make the position full-time. a. Mr. Czerwinski provided a short response, saying the Village is elated with Liz Arnold, the new social worker. She is doing fantastic work and the feedback on her has been extremely positive. However, the Village believes in shared resources and is researching the best way to handle this position—possibly augmented by resources from Niles Township or another community. r — Mr. Czerwinski said he has already reached out to his counterparts in other communities to explore opportunities for shared services, one of which would be social worker services. 8 Minutes of Se.tember 14,2020 Board Meetin. XVII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) 3. JoAnn Rapp, 8922 Mango, asked how and where does Groot dispose of the separately collected recyclable trash, and at what site does Groot dispose of compostable trash. a. Mr. Czerwinski said these are great questions. Morton Grove is fortunate because it is a member of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC), an organization whose purpose is to control costs of solid waste disposal on a regional basis and to look at how recycling can enhance and reduce the amount of tipping which goes to landfill areas, and appropriately compost. recycle, and reduce the contaminants and other products which go into and use up our landfills. Mr. Czerwinski said we have an excellent program through SWANCC. Groot is the service provider, and the return on investment that Groot receives for separation of recycled material has certainly been reduced in the past few years because the market is down. Groot does not charge any resident in the community for tipping, which is the disposal of recyclable products. All our waste that goes to the SWANCC recycling facility is weighed and goes through the process. We don't pay for any tipping or disposal for any recycled material. b. Mr. Czerwinski added that this question and response will be posted on the Village's website under "Frequently Asked Questions," so that the entire community will know and understand more fully what happens to recycled trash and its disposal. c. Trustee Thill noted that if Morton Grove reached out to SWANCC, a representative would come to a Board meeting and do a presentation explaining the process. As far as the ''where" Groot disposes of compostable and recyclable trash, Trustee Thill said he would have the names of the locations by the next Board meeting. Mr. Czerwinski responded that Trustee Thill should coordinate with him so the proper information can be posted on the Village's website, and said having SWANCC come out to do a presentation is an excellent idea. d. Trustee Minx said that, when she had been a Trustee several years ago, she remembered that SWANCC would open on the Saturday after Memorial Day so that residents could come and take a look at how they do tipping; they also do a presentation on recycling. Trustee Thill said he thought that program was discontinued. Mr. Czerwinski said it wasn't held this year due to COVID concerns. e. Mr. Czerwinski said it's important that we put the answers on our website for everyone to see and understand. f. Mayor DiMaria said that, for as long as he's been active in Morton Grove, he's felt that the Village is one of the more progressive communities as far as recycling goes. He said he's very proud of the work the Village puts in with SWANCC and the Northwest Municipal Conference, being proactive and sometimes even cutting edge. 4. Eric Poders from the northwest corridor appeared before the Board, noting that the horse-rac- ing industry had suffered its first death. "Mean Sophia" died in California on September 5, 2020. Mr. Poders stated that an international press release was sent out yesterday regarding Mr. Bob Baffert. He also had correspondence with Jan (Schakowsky) from October 2019 to February 2020, referring to Mr. Baffert. Mr. Poders also had documents from the Horseracing In- tegrity Act of 2019, as well as business cards and correspondence from earlier this year when he tried to get a meeting with Rep. Schakowsky. Mr. Poders thanked Senator Mitch McConnell for introducing the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020 and said it's a done deal. Mr. Poders provided documentation, which will be made available to the public and government agencies by contacting the Village Administrator's office. 9 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meetin. XVII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) 5. Rudolf Vilk appeared before the Board to complain about Code Enforcement Officer Vince Cuchetto and Jim English, Building Inspection and Services Manager. He said Mr. Cuchetto had appeared on his property and knocked on his door to let him know he had areas of grass above 6" high, as well as a television set on his parkway. Mr. Cuchetto said the TV set could only be put out on the parkway after 6:00 p.m. Mr. Vilk said he explained that he and other residents often put out various things on the parkway a day or two before garbage collection for other people to take if they want/need the particular item. He wondered why his property was being singled out. He went to Jim English about this, but was told Mr. English wasn't in. Mr. Vilk said he left a couple of phone messages for Mr. English asking for a return call. He said he talked to Mr. Czerwinski about this and was advised to just move the TV to his part of the front year and write on the TV that it could be picked up for free. Mr. Vilk wondered why Mr. Cuchetto hadn't told him that. a. Mr. Vilk mentioned that Trustee Grear had spoken to him after the last Board meeting, demand- ing that Mr. Vilk stop criticizing the work of the Administration of the Village and asking him to stop repeating himself. Mr. Vilk suggested to Trustee Grear that he speak with him "now," so it would be part of the record, rather than waiting to talk with him after the meeting concludes. XVIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Board, Trustee Minx moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passes: 5 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent. Tr. Grear ay± Tr. Minx L Tr. Ramos acre Tr. Thill Tr. Travis Tr. Witko absent The meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m. 10 Minutes of September 14,2020 Board Meeting PASSED this 28th day of September, 2020. Trustee Grear "(J Trustee Minx e Trustee Ramos yy Trustee Thill i!/* Trustee Travis l./19 Trustee Witko APPROVED by me this 28th day of September, 2020. Daniel P. DiMaria, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 29th day of September, 2020. Eileen Scanlon Harford, Village Clerk Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by Teresa Cousar 11