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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-23-2020 ApprovedMINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF MORTON GROVE RICHARD T. FLICKINGER MUNICIPAL CENTER AND VIA ZOOM NOVEMBER 23, 2020 CALL TO ORDER I. Village President Dan DiMaria convened the Regular Meeting of the Village Board at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall and led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. II. Village Clerk Eileen Harford called the roll and verified that all Board members present were able to hear one another. Present in-person or via Zoom and audio-verified were: Trustees Bill Grear, Rita Minx, Ed Ramos, John Thill, Connie Travis, and Janine Witko. III. SPECIAL REPORTS 1. Swearing In of New Police Officer Roberto "Rob" Barreto Mayor DiMaria introduced Police and Fire Chairman Mike Simkins to perform the swearing-in. a. Mr. Simkins asked Chief Simo to join him at the podium, and invited Mr. Barreto to bring his family to the podium for the swearing-in ceremony. His father, a member of the Roselle Police Department,joined him. b. Mr. Simkins provided some background about Mr. Barreto. He started his employment with Morton Grove on July 22, 2020 and began his training at the Suburban Law Enforcement Police Academy on July 27th, graduating on October 30th. Robert was raised in Huntley, IL, attending Huntley High School followed by McHenry County College. He became a Firefighter EMT for the Village of West Dundee and enlisted in the army as an infantryman; he currently serves with the Illinois National Guard. While working as a Firefighter EMT in West Dundee, Robert decided to follow in his father's footsteps and became a police officer. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, working out, doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and reading. He also enjoys spending time with his family and three Olde English bulldogs named Zook, Xeno, and Mace. c. Mr. Simkins swore in Officer Barreto, whose father proudly pinned on his badge. The Board and assemblage congratulated and welcomed him. IV. PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1 Mayor DiMaria stated that one of the best parts of being Mayor is for a proclamation like this one: He proclaimed December 6, 2020 as Bette C. Horstman Day in the Village. He said Bette has been a resident of Morton Grove for 65 years and will celebrate her 99' birthday on December 6, 2020. Bette grew up in Hibbing, MN, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1943, received her physical therapy certification from the Mayo Brothers School of Medicine in 1944, and then joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a First Lieutenant in 1945. She served for two years during World War Il in the South Pacific as the only physical therapist on the island of Saipan, and was honorably discharged from the service at the rank of Captain in 1946. Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting IV. PRESIDENT'S REPORT(continued) a. Bette moved to Morton Grove in 1955, became a lifelong Cub fan, and met and married her second husband Harold "Hal" in 1963. She served as head of physical therapy programs for several Chicago area hospitals before founding a private physical therapy business in 1970, becoming the first female physical therapy business owner in the state of Illinois. b. Mayor DiMaria said Bette has served her community by volunteering for Catholic Charities, being an active member of the Morton Grove Moose Lodge and the Niles VFW Post 7712 where she currently serves as a trustee), and by volunteering each year at the Morton Grove Days information booth. Bette is most proud of her service to our country and our veterans. She marches with veterans in multipleparades each year, has volunteered at the North ChicagoP Veteran's Medical Center for over 18 year, and for the past several years has been a volunteer for the "No Veteran Dies Alone" program, where she is a comforting and reassuring presence to veterans who would otherwise be alone at the end of their lives. c. Bette has received many awards and recognitions, including numerous Armed Service Decorations, national and state medical recognitions, scores of community volunteer acknowledgements—including a "quilt square" in the Veteran's Administration Hospital honoring women veterans; an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in 2004, and numerous gold and silver medals for bowling in the Senior Olympics. d. Mayor DiMaria said Bette's seemingly inexhaustible energy and passion to serve her country and her community is an example for all of us and stands as a living testament to a life of service, selflessness, compassion, and civic pride, and said he was honored to proclaim December 6th as Bette C. Horstman Day in recognition of Bette's service and dedication to her country and Morton Grove. e. Mayor DiMaria thanked Bette and wished her a very happy birthday. He then gave Bette the proclamation as well as a Morton Grove pin, pen, a visibility band for when she's out walking, and a coffee mug, and invited her to speak. f. Bette thanked the Village and said she was very humbled by the proclamation. She thanked her mother for providing her the money for a down payment on a house in Morton Grove in 1955, and thanked her dad for insisting that she learn a profession. She said she's looking forward to volunteering at Morton Grove Days next year, and invited everyone to her "half-way to 100" birthday on June 6, 2021 at the Moose Lodge. 2. Mayor DiMaria also proclaimed the month of December 2020 as "Food Pantry Awareness Month" in the Village. He said that, in 2019, the Niles Township Food Pantry distributed more than 1.7 million pounds of food and served nearly 23,500 households and more than 75,000 total individuals. Many families rely on the Pantry on a regular basis, and the demand for emergency food continues to grow since the explosion of this global pandemic. Food banks like the Niles Township Food Pantry are more critical than ever. The Pantry has had to suspend volunteer service and in-pantry shopping because of COVID and is now providing pre-packaged food for those in need. Additionally, the Food Pantry's annual holiday toy drive and distribution day had to be changed this year to a monetary-donations only drive so the Township can safely purchase gift cards for families. Mayor DiMaria said theFood Pantryis run andsuPported bythe Niles Township Government and food and other services provided to Food Pantry clients is paid for out of the Niles Township Food Pantry Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable foundation. He urged all residents to support the efforts of the Niles Township Food Pantry by making a monetary donation to the Food Pantry holiday drive and by donating (whenever possible) non-perishable food items. 2 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting V. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mayor DiMaria asked for an approval of the Minutes of the regular Board Meeting of November 9, 2020. Trustee Minx moved to accept the Minutes of that meeting as presented, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis gyl Tr. Witko aye VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. Mayor DiMaria opened the Public Hearing on the proposed 2021 Budget and turned the meeting over to Village Administrator Czerwinski for a detailed overview/summary of the 2021 Budget. a. Mr. Czerwinski said he was pleased to present the 2021 Annual Budget, which was first presented at budget workshops on October 5 and 6, 2020, which were open to the public. A first reading of the Budget and Tax Levy Ordinances took place on November 9, 2020. This recommended budget represents the proposed expenditure plan for the delivery of municipal services and capital improvement needs for the Village in 2021. It represents a continued effort to maintain the services of the Village while keeping expenses under control. The proposed budget document serves the following basic purposes: Financial: Line item detail of the proposed 2021 Budget is provided by fund, including L. revenues and expenditures. This detail includes budget references for fiscal years 2019 and 2020; projected expenditures for 2020, and a proposal for budgeting the fiscal year 2021 expenditures and revenues. Informational: Summary information identifies ongoing departmental objectives for key budget requests and a summary of budget modifications from the prior fiscal year. b. Mr. Czerwinski said the total proposed budget, including all expenditures and inter-fund transfers, is $76.12 million, an increase of 5.26% from the 2020 budget of$72.32 million. This is mostly due to the potential expenditures for the Capri/Emerson sewer separation project, estimated to be $5.1 million, and contingent on the receipt of grant revenue. Mr. Czerwinski said the Village wanted to make sure that this was a component of the 2021 budget. The budget also includes funding of the new Sawmill Station project ($3.2 million), which is supported by Sawmill revenue bonds and not impacted by General Fund obligations. The budget includes $1.7 million for a new water connection to the Northwest Water Commission as a redundant water supply, an expenditure and process the Village has been trying to achieve since the 1980's, which will come to fruition next year. It includes capital expenditures for Austin Avenue, the Oakton Street Pedestrian Path, and necessary work on the Beckwith Bridge ($1.8 million in capital projects and motor fuel tax funds.) c. The General Fund budget, which includes the basic operational expenditures of the Village for administration, public works, police, fire, building, and senior and family services departments, is 32.58 million, which is an increase of$542,552 (1.69%) over the 2020 budget. This increase can be attributed to the purchase of a fire engine for$659,000. Without this purchase, this budget would have been lower than in 2020; Mr. Czerwinski commented this is a remarkable job by staff. 3 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued) d. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the revenues of the General Fund for 2020; they are projected to be down $1.3 million. However, due to cost containment, the total General Fund loss for 2020 is projected to be $775,000, once again proving that staff is doing the right things and making the right choices (such as controlling expenditures and freezing some staff positions)to ensure there is no impact on residents as far as services the Village provides. Mr. Czerwinski said the loss, plus the closing of the Waukegan Road TIF, is projected to leave a Fund Balance at a healthy point of about $9,960,000, which is 30.5% of the 2021 budgeted expenditures. The Village has worked to build the General Fund over the last few years, so even with the effects of COVID, the General Fund balance remains strong, which helps with the Village's bond ratings for future expenditures. e. Mr. Czerwinski then reviewed several significant budget modifications by department: Legal: The Village is looking into a codification service, which will present Village Codes in a much more productive and efficient manner. This is a $25,000 increase over the 2020 budget. Community & Economic Development: The $22,100 increase over the 2020 budget is due to replacement staffing need. The position was needed to help the Village be sure it keeps track of all the developments and permit processes, as well as ensure residents' inquiries are responded to in a timely manner. Police: An increase over the 2020 budget of$277,372 due to pension contributions and training Fire and EMA: An increase over the 2020 budget of$620,556 due to pension contributions and the previously mentioned purchase of a new fire engine. Public Works Municipal Buildings: This line item has decreased by $125,574 from the 2020 budget due to HVAC issues that were addressed and remedied in 2020. Family & Senior Services and Civic Center: An increase of$60,640 over the 2020 budget. Building & Inspectional Services: A reduction of$230,150 because less staffing is needed now that work on Sawmill Station has significantly progressed. Miscellaneous: A reduction of$88,417 or 1% below the 2020 budget. f. Mr. Czerwinski noted that the 2021 Proposed Budget does not include a property tax increase. He said that, while this budget is significantly controlled, it also offers a number of progressive enhancements and organizational outcomes which support the long-term sustainability and operational needs of the Village, such as: Bond Rating Stabilization, including maintenance of financial reserves and appropriate pension contributions Austin Avenue reconstruction between Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street (this is partially dependent on grant funds) Northwest Water Commission as a redundant water supply Oakton Street Path, which is also dependent on grant monies; all costs are split between Morton Grove, Niles, and Skokie) Maintenance of public facilities, including resurfacing the Civic Center parking lot Systematic replacement of operational equipment, such as police squad cars, street maintenance equipment, and this year, a new fire engine Additional social services, an area the Village is looking to bolster 4 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued) g. Mr. Czerwinski said the budget is the result of the diligent efforts by department heads to control expenditures and monitor revenues, as well as all of the assets of the Village, in a fiduciary manner. He gave kudos to and recognized Hanna Sullivan, Finance Director, and Tom Friel, Assistant to the Village Administrator, for their work in the development of the budget document. 2. Mr. Czerwinski said there have been inquiries regarding the "additional social services." Village staff and officials have received emails from residents and members of a local political organization called Vision Morton Grove, requesting the Village hire a full-time social worker assigned to the Police Department. This issue has been discussed with leaders of this organization during a Zoom meeting and has been addressed at two previous Village Board meetings. The issue isn't whether additional funds needs to be allocated—the money is in the budget and the need is definitely being reviewed. The sole issue is whether these additional funds should be used to hire an additional full-time employee with the associated pension and other benefits costs, or to support a cooperative for services among multiple government agencies, or for contracted/as-needed services to make sure the needs of the community are being met. Mr. Czerwinski said the Village is looking to do the right thing, with the right amount of dollars, to make sure the money is in the right place to provide the right services. a. The Village currently employs a part-time social worker, assigned to the police department, but who also provides services for residents for non-police related matters. The social worker acts as a victim advocate, conducts short-term counseling, provides the community with resources, and responds to referrals regarding mental health issues or any other circumstances that may benefit from a social services intervention. The Village has not employed a full-time social worker since 2011. Mr. Czerwinski stated the Village is committed to providing increased social services for its residents, especially its seniors. The 2021 budget includes funds to continue the current part-time social worker ($44,000), plus an additional $60,000 for enhanced social services. He said that he and his staff are evaluating the best way to provide these services. One alternative is to partner with existing social service agencies. Another is to work with other governmental entities to share resources, which may result in a higher level of service than only focusing on a single full-time social worker. Even with a full-time employee, a social worker may not be available every time the need arises. Using pooled resources would also provide flexibility in the event of a crisis where the Village may need more than one social worker simultaneously. b. Mr. Czerwinski said the Village has worked tirelessly with its surrounding communities to find ways to do the best things possible....in police service, in public works service, in fire service, in financial aspects, in water supply, and the list continues. He said the Village will look at all the correct ways to make sure this works appropriately for the residents of Morton Grove, and not just look at one way to solve a problem. He said the Village promises to get to above equal when it solves this one. c. Mr. Czerwinski said the Vision group had raised the following six points to support its argument that the Village must have a full-time social worker. He said he'd like to read each point, and provide the Village's response to each. 1. A social worker is trained to deal with people who have mental health or substance abuse problems, which frees up police officers to focus on criminal activities. Mr. Czerwinski said that police officers initially respond to all calls for assistance—there is not and would not be a circumstance where a social worker would respond to an emergency without being accompanied and assisted by a police officer. Currently, police officers refer matters to the Village's social worker, who provides follow-up, short-term counseling, crisis intervention, and referrals as needed. 5 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued) 2. Police departments and health professionals have estimated that 80% of officers'time is spent on service-related issues and 20% on fighting crime, but their training is 80% focused on fighting crime and 20% on service-related issues. Mr. Czerwinski responded that those statistics do not reflect circumstances in Morton Grove or neighboring communities. In 2020, and estimated 7% of police calls were for social service crisis response (Civil Matter, Check Well Being, Mental Transport, Suicidal Subject, Suicide Attempt, Missing Juvenile, Committal Involuntary and Voluntary, and Mental Illness/No Crime). In 2019, the Morton Grove Police Department conducted a total of 4,193 hours of training. With 46 officers on staff, that averages 91.15 hours of training per officer. As part of the annual training, the MGPD spent 280 hours on crisis intervention and 116 hours of training for de-escalation in mental health crisis situations, for a total of 396 hours. This training focused on crisis intervention, mental health first aid for responders, and peer support. Since 2018, 35 of MGPD's officers have been certified in crisis intervention team training. The MGPD is an accredited police department, in part because of its rigorous and high standards of training. 3. A domestic call sends out police cars and officers and sometimes an ambulance and fire truck, which is very costly and pulls personnel away from other duties. Mr. Czerwinski reiterated that police officers initially respond to all calls for assistance; there is not and would not be a circumstance where social worker would respond to an emergency without being accompanied and assisted by a police officer—especially for a domestic call which has the potential to escalate to a dangerous situation for the residents, the social worker, and/or the officer. A fire truck and ambulance accompany calls for medical assistance only. 4. A full-time social worker's salary is comparable to the salary of an entry level police officer. Mr. Czerwinski stated that hiring a full-time social worker is not a substitute for hiring a police officer. 5. A social worker can help reduce repeat police officer/firefighter emergency calls because they would address underlying issues (mental health, social services, etc.) that police officers are not trained to work with. Mr. Czerwinski said the Village recognizes the valuable services a social worker can provide. However, once the Village receives a 911 call, a police officer, and when appropriate, a firefighter/paramedic will be dispatched. The matter of police officers' training was discussed earlier. 6. The social worker can serve as a co-respondent on police calls where onsite intervention and de-escalation is needed. Mr. Czerwinski said there may be rare times when a social worker could be called to assist an incident in progress. However, as a full-time social worker is not at work 24/7, it may be more advantageous to have available to the Village a pool of resources, compared to one full-time person. 6 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued) d. Mr. Czerwinski said the Village is extremely proud of the professionalism of its police department. They are a contemporary agency and a product of exemplary character and culture, supported by leadership and trained to provide a high level of service and protection to the Morton Grove community. A social worker, whether part-time or full-time, is a key part of the MGPD's mission. Social services are also needed in the Village for non-police matters— especially to support our senior population, which is why additional funds for social services have been included in the 2021 budget. Village staff will continue to investigate and make recommendations to the Village Board as to the best ways these funds can be used. e. Mr. Czerwinski added that Village staff strongly believes they are doing the right thing by asking the Board to approve these additional funds proactively. Staff wants to ensure the Board members, as the elected officials, realize how important this is to the community. He assured the Board that staff will come through with a recommendation that is appropriate. 3. Next, Mr. Czerwinski noted that staff has received comments on and questions about the budget from approximately 18 residents. He said he'd like to read one that best reflected the points that most of the residents were making. This was signed by 14 residents, who asked that the letter be read into the record at the Budget Public Hearing. a. The letter expressed strong support for Vision Morton Grove's call for hiring a full-time social worker assigned full-time to the Morton Grove Police Department. The author had come to the November 9th Village Board meeting to show her support for this and to present signatures from a number of other residents who also support having a full-time social worker hired into the MGPD. The letter said there is overwhelming evidence that a full-time social worker would be a huge benefit to the Village and would be cost-effective for several reasons: A social worker is trained to deal with people who have mental health or substance abuse problems, which frees up police officers to focus on criminal activities. Police departments and health professionals have estimated that 80% of officers'time is spent on service-related issues and 20% on fighting crime, but their training is 80% focused on fighting crime and 20% on service-related issues. A domestic call sends out police cars and officers and sometimes an ambulance and fire truck, which is very costly and pulls personnel away from other duties. A full-time social worker's salary is comparable to the salary of an entry level police officer. A social worker can help reduce repeat police officer/firefighter emergency calls because they would address underlying issues (mental health, social services, etc.) that police officers are not trained to work with. The social worker can serve as a co-respondent on police calls where onsite intervention and de-escalation is needed. Morton Grove has over 20,000 residents, and in the upcoming House Bill, HB5781, the Village would be required by State law to have a full-time social worker. Why not act now to ensure that funding is available in the budget for this position? b. The author said this is not just a Morton Grove issue, but the Village could be on the right side of history by making sure there are resources and allocations in the budget to fully fund a full-time social worker for the MGPD. The author said both Mayor DiMaria and Mr. Czerwinski stated at the November 9th Board Meeting that money was available in the budget for social services. The author asked "Are you committing that money to be used to hire a full-time social worker for the MGPD? Will you commit to hiring a full-time social worker assigned to the MGPD in 2021?" It was signed by Gia Schultz, Tracy Balke, Jon Cole, Beverly Copeland, Lorri Fishman, Margaret Grau, Andrew Hoffman, Lamija Memidzan, Kim Moldovsky, Akhter Sadiq, Kulsum Sadiq, Catherine Terdich, John Terdich, and Ilene Klegon. 7 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued) 4. Mr. Czerwinski said he had also received a question from JoAnn Rapp. She noted that, at the November 9th Board meeting, both Mayor DiMaria and Mr. Czerwinski referred to the $60,000 and the $25,000 in the Senior Services/Civic Center budget lines in response to Vision Morton Grove's ask for the hiring of a full-time social worker to be attached full-time to the Morton Grove Police Department. Her question was "Tonight, before the $76 million dollar 2021 budget is adopted, will you now commit to hiring such a professional?" a. Mr. Czerwinski said that concluded his role in the Public Hearing for the 2021 Budget and said he'd be happy to respond to questions if there are any. b. Mayor DiMaria needed to rejoin the Zoom meeting because his microphone stopped working. In the interim, Clerk Harford re-verified that the Board members could hear one another. c. After Mayor DiMaria became audible, he asked if any of the Board members had any questions for Mr. Czerwinski. There were none. Trustee Minx then moved to close the Public Hearing, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear gyA Tr. Minx Ayg Tr. Ramos Ays Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis gy± Tr. Witko Ayi VII. PLAN COMMISSION REPORTS 1. Plan Commission Case PC 20-13 (Ordinance 20-26): Request for Amendments to 12-4-3, 12-4-4, 12-5, 12-7-3, and 12-17-1 of the Morton Grove Unified Development Code regarding Regulation of Cannabis Business Establishments. 2. Plan Commission Case PC 20-14 (Ordinance 20-27): Request for Approval of a Special Use Permit to Operate a Cannabis Dispensing Organization pursuant to the Morton Grove Unified Development Code (Title 12), and an Amendment to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Special Use Permit Approved Under Ordinances 19-03 and 19-13 For the Property Commonly Known as Lot 13 (6761 Dempster Street) of the Kensington Subdivision. These cases were presented by Land Use Planner Zoe Heidorn. Ms. Heidorn said it was a pleasure to present these two Ordinances and Plan Commission Cases. a. Ordinance 20-26 approves a text amendment to various sections of the Morton Grove Municipal Code to regulate and authorize certain cannabis business establishments, including recreational cannabis dispensaries. The sale of recreation cannabis is not currently permitted as a land use in the Unified Development Code and under a temporary moratorium on the sale of recreational cannabis enacted under Ordinance 19-25. Ms. Heidorn said Ordinance 20-26 repeals that moratorium, which was intended to allow for a period of review of the use and its impacts on similar communities. Staff has identified no negative impacts associated with the use, but has observed the benefits of investment in commercial property and a new source of local tax revenue. 8 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting VII. PLAN COMMISSION REPORTS (continued) b. Ms. Heidorn said Ordinance 20-26 also amends the Village's Unified Development Code to: 1. Allow cannabis dispensing organizations as a Special Use in the Cl General Commercial District, with a limit of one (1) dispensary until January 1, 2022, and two (2) dispensaries thereafter; 2. Allow recreational cannabis cultivation in addition to medical cannabis cultivation in the manufacturing districts; and 3. Establish standards for all cannabis business establishments relating to on-premise consumption, distance from sensitive land uses and zoning districts, separation, lot area, drive-thru facilities, signage, hours of operation, product display, security, and ventilation. c. Ms. Heidorn said the Plan Commission review the proposed text amendment at its November 16, 2020 meeting and unanimously recommended approval. d. Ms. Heidorn said Ordinance 20-27 approves a Special Use Permit for the development and operation of a cannabis dispensing organization on Lot 13 of the Kensington subdivision, also known as Sawmill Station. The original Planned Unit Development, approved under Ordinance 19-03 and amended under Ordinance 19-13, authorized the development of a 4,000 square foot retail building in this location. The Applicant and Sawmill Station developer, IM Kensington MG LLC, is now proposing development of a cannabis dispensary with up to 6,000 square feet in building area. Kensington is in discussion with several national dispensary operators and is seeking entitlement for the dispensary prior to executing an agreement with a future operator. After review the submitted Traffic and Parking Impact Study, the Traffic Safety Commission Chairman determined that the use would have a negligible impact on the overall Sawmill Station development, and waived the requirement for a full Commission review. On November 2, the Appearance Commission forwarded a recommendation for plan approval, and the Plan Commission review the Special Use application at its November 16 and unanimously recommended approval. e. Ms. Heidorn said she would be happy to respond to any questions from the Board, and noted that a representative from Kensington, Daniel Rey, was also present if the Board had any questions for him. f. Mayor DiMaria asked if any Board members had any questions for either Ms. Heidorn or the Kensington representative. There were none. g. Mayor DiMaria thanked Ms. Heidorn and complimented her on a great job of presenting these two items. VIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) Mr. Czerwinski noted that these comments had been covered in the Budget Public Hearing. IX. CLERK'S REPORT Clerk Harford had no report this evening. 9 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting X.STAFF REPORTS A. Villaqe Administrator: Mr. Czerwinski said he was saddened to announce that, due to COVID-19 concerns, and out of an abundance of caution, the "Santa Comes to Town" event scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2020 is being cancelled. Tier 3 COVID-19 resurgence mitigation guidelines and limitations necessitated this unfortunate decision by the Morton Grove Days Commission, Village, and Park District in an effort to flatten the infection curve and prevent the potential of having a "spreader event." Since the coronavirus situation continues to evolve, events of this nature will be post- poned to later in the year, if possible. B. Corporation Counsel: Corporation Counsel Liston had no report this evening. Xl. TRUSTEES' REPORTS A. Trustee Grear: 1. Trustee Grear presented for a first reading Ordinance 20-26, Approving a Text Amendment to Modify Selected Regulations Relating to Cannabis Business Establishments. a. He said that Land Use Planner Zoe Heidorn had just gone through this. As this is a first reading, no action will be taken this evening. 2. Next, Trustee Grear introduced Ordinance 20-27, Approving a Special Use Permit and Amendment to a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Special Use Permit (Ordinances 19-03 and 19-13) to Allow a Cannabis Dispensing Organization on Lot 13 (6761 Dempster Street) of the Kensington Subdivision in Morton Grove, Illinois. a. Again, Ms. Heidorn had moments ago reviewed this Ordinance and did an excellent job. As this is a first reading, no action will be taken this evening. 3. Trustee Grear acknowledged Mr. Czerwinski's announcement about the cancellation of the Santa Comes to Town" event and said he, too, was heartbroken about the decision to cancel it, especially because a lot of time has gone into planning it. He said that this is the right thing to do, however, because the Village Board, Park Board, and Morton Grove Days Commission has to think about the whole community. Trustee Grear said there have been so many "adjustments" this year, this is just another curve ball. He said he hoped 2021 would be better and, quoting Mayor DiMaria, added, "We'll get through this together." B. Trustee Minx: 1. Trustee Minx presented Ordinance 20-23, Adopting The Budgets for All Corporate Purposes of the Village of Morton Grove and the Morton Grove Library, Cook County, Illinois, For the Calendar Year Effective January 1, 2021 and Ending December 31, 2021. 10 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting XI. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) B. Trustee Minx: (continued) This is the second reading of this Ordinance. a. Trustee Minx said the 2021 Budget was presented at Village workshops held on October 5 and October 6, 2020, and a Public Hearing was held earlier this evening. Public notice of the Hearing was published in the Pioneer Press newspaper on November 12, 2020. The Budget has been available for inspection at the office of the Village Administrator, the Public Library, and posted on the Village's website since at least November 13, 2020. Trustee Minx moved to adopt Ordinance 20-23, seconded by Trustee Ramos. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx Tr. Ramos au Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis a e Tr. Witko e 2. Trustee Minx then presented Ordinance 20-24, Levying and Assessing Taxes For The Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois, for 2020 to be Collected in the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2021 and Ending December 31, 2121. This is the second reading of this Ordinance. a. Trustee Minx explained that this Ordinance sets the 2020 property tax levy amount that will fund the 2021 Budget. The Ordinance must be adopted and filed with the Cook County Clerk in order to levy property taxes within the Village of Morton Grove. b. Trustee Minx said, pursuant to Ordinance 20-23, the amount necessary to be levied for the 2020 property taxes is $9,852,479 for Village operational expenses; $966,005 for Village debt service, and $3,438,617 for the Library. This will result in a levy of$10,818,484 for the Village and 3,438,617 for the Library, for a total levy of$14,257,101. By law, the Village is required to levy an additional $1,837,884 for Village debt service payments authorized by general obligation notes and bonds, for a total levy (before abatements) in the amount of$16,094,985. However, the Village Board intends to adopt Resolutions that will immediately abate $1,837,884 from the levy, resulting in the net levy, as intended by the Corporate Authorities, in the amount of$14,257,101. The effective result is a 0% increase in the Village's portion of the tax levy and a 0% increase in the Library's portion of the tax levy, resulting in an overall decrease of 0.01% from the final extended tax levy from the previous year. Trustee Minx moved to approve Ordinance 20-24, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear awe Tr. Minx awe Tr. Ramos au Tr. Thill Tr. Travis Tr. Witko a 3. Next, Trustee Minx introduced Ordinance 20-25, Requesting an Amendment to the Village of Morton Grove 2020 Adopted Budget to Account for Expenditures From the Sawmill Station TIF Fund. 11 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting Xl. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) B. Trustee Minx: (continued) a. Trustee Minx explained that this Ordinance will amend the Adopted 2020 Budget to provide the carryover of monies from the 2019 Budget for costs associated with the Sawmill Station TIF Fund. In 2019, the Village created the Sawmill Station Redevelopment Project Area Special Tax Allocation Fund and issued revenue bonds to support development of the Sawmill Station TIF in accordance with the redevelopment agreement between the Village and IM Kensington MG, LLC. The Village budgeted expenditures of$18,635,000 from these revenue bonds as part of the 2019 budget, but only $7,904,390 of the bond proceeds were expended in 2019. The balance of the bond proceeds ($10,730,610) was or will be expended in 2020. This Ordinance will amend the 2020 Budget to provide for these expenditures. Trustee Minx noted that, as this is a first read of this Ordinance, no action will be taken tonight. Trustee Minx presented the first of four (4) Tax Abatement Resolutions: 4. Resolution 20-51, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2020 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 02-30. a. Trustee Minx explained that, pursuant to the 2021 Budget, the Village has chosen to pay for certain semi-annual note debt service payments from sources other than property taxes. In order for the County Clerk not to levy said debt service payments, it is necessary to pass this resolution and to file a certified copy of this with the County Clerk of Cook County, Illinois. This resolution authorizes the abatement (reduction) of taxes levied for 2020 (which are collected in 2021) in the amount of$514,839.95. b. She said that in July of 2002, the Board issued $5,300,000 in General Obligation Promissory Notes, Series 2002. Pursuant to Ordinance 02-30, the levy of taxes for the debt service payment for the year 2020 is $514,839.95. Trustee Minx noted that, in September of 2009, the Village Board issued refunding bonds in the amount of$4,920,000, Series 2009A, to refinance the remaining Series 2002 Notes. However, despite the refunding, Cook County will continue to levy taxes as provided for in Ordinance 02-30. Therefore, a Resolution abating the debt service for the Series 2002 Notes is required. After all abatements, the net levy for the 2002 Notes is zero ($0). Trustee Minx moved, seconded by Trustee Travis, to approve Resolution 20-51. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos Aye Tr. Thill ayg Tr. Travis Ayg Tr. Witko aye 5. Resolution 20-52, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2020 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 14-02. a. Trustee Minx explained that, pursuant to the 2021 Budget, the Village has chosen to pay for certain bond debt service payments from sources other than property taxes. In order for the County Clerk not to levy said debt service payments, it is necessary to pass this resolution and to file a certified copy of this with the County Clerk of Cook County, Illinois. This resolution authorizes the abatement (reduction) of taxes levied for 2020 (which are collected in 2021) in the amount of$320,000.00. 12 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting Xl. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) B. Trustee Minx: (continued) b. Trustee Minx said that in March of 2014, the Board issued $1,415,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series 2014. Pursuant to Ordinance 14-02, the levy of taxes for the debt service payment for the year 2020 is $486,376. She said that the 2021 Budget has allocated revenue from the General Fund in the amount of$320,000 to partially pay for this debt service. The law requires the Village to levy taxes as required by Ordinance 14-02, but then may abate said taxes pursuant to a resolution which identifies the alternative source(s) of revenue and obligates the Village Treasurer to set aside and designate those funds to pay the required bond payments. After all abatements, the net levy for this bond series is $166,376. Trustee Minx moved to approve Resolution 20-52, seconded by Trustee Travis. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear ave Tr. Minx Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill Tr. Travis Tr. Witko up_ 6. Resolution 20-53, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2020 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 15-02. a. Trustee Minx explained that, pursuant to the 2021 Budget, the Village has chosen to pay for certain bond debt service payments from sources other than property taxes. In order for the County Clerk not to levy said debt service payments, it is necessary to pass this resolution and to file a certified copy of this with the County Clerk of Cook County, Illinois. This resolution authorizes the abatement (reduction) of taxes levied for 2020 (which are collected in 2021) in the amount of$1,233,550. b. She said that in March of 2015, the Board issued $10,010,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series 2015, to refinance a portion of the 2007 Lehigh Ferris Tax Increment Financing (TIF) debt issue and to fund new capital improvements. Pursuant to Ordinance 15-02, the levy of taxes for the debt service payment for the year 2020 is $1,671,300. Trustee Minx said that the 2021 Budget has allocated revenue from the Lehigh Ferris TIF Fund in the amount of$794,800, and revenue from the General Fund in the amount of$438,750 to partially pay for this debt service. The law requires the Village to levy taxes as required by Ordinance 15-02, but then may abate said taxes pursuant to a resolution which identifies the alternative source(s) of revenue and obligates the Village Treasurer to set aside and designate those funds to partially pay the required bond payments. After all abatements, the net levy for this bond series is $437,750. Trustee Minx moved, seconded by Trustee Grear, to approve Resolution 20-53. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear Tr. Minx Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye 7. Resolution 20-54, Tax Abatement Resolution for 2020 Tax Levy Relating to Ordinance 19-15. 13 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting Xl. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) B. Trustee Minx: (continued) a. Trustee Minx explained that, pursuant to the 2021 Budget, the Village has chosen to pay for certain semi-annual bond debt service payments from sources other than property taxes. In order for the County Clerk not to levy said debt service payments, it is necessary to pass this resolution and to file a certified copy of this with the County Clerk of Cook County, Illinois. This resolution authorizes the abatement (reduction) of taxes levied for 2020 (which are collected in 2021) in the amount of$284,334. b. She said that, in November of 2019, the Board issued $5,455,000 in General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2019. Pursuant to Ordinance 19-15, the levy of taxes for the debt service payment for the year 2020 is $646,213. She said the 2021 Budget has allocated revenue from the Water Sewer fund in the amount of$284,334 to partially pay for this debt service payment. The law requires the Village to levy taxes as required by Ordinance 19-15, but then may abate said taxes pursuant to a resolution which identifies the alternative source of revenue and obligates the Village Treasurer to set aside and designate those funds to partially pay the required bond payments. After all abatements, the net levy for this bond series is 361,879. Trustee Minx moved to approve Resolution 20-54, seconded by Trustee Ramos. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. eTr. Minx a e Tr. Ramos aTr. Grear Lyse Tr. Thill Lys Tr. Travis Lys Tr. Witko Lys 8. Trustee Minx said she, too, was saddened by the cancellation of the Santa event, but felt it was a wise choice under the circumstances to postpone it until we can all gather safely again. 9. Trustee Minx wished everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and encouraged everyone to re- member the three W's: Wear your mask, Watch your distance, and Wash your hands. C. Trustee Ramos: Trustee Ramos had no formal report this evening, but wished all the residents and Village employees a happy, healthy Thanksgiving. D. Trustee Thill: Trustee Thill had no report this evening. 14 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting Xl. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) E. Trustee Travis: 1. Trustee Travis thanked everyone who for participating in the Winter Adopt-A-Planter Program. She said that Dempster Street, Waukegan Road, and the Metra station are looking quite festive! 2. Trustee Travis noted there's still time to submit photos for the Community Relations Commission's fall photo contest, themed "Morton Grove Strong." Photos must be submitted by December 31, 2020. There is a link on the Village's website to upload photos, or they can be emailed to crc(c mortongroveil.orq. 3. Trustee Travis wished everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. a. Mayor DiMaria asked Trustee Travis to convey the Village's thanks to the Community Relations Commission members for the great job they do. F. Trustee Witko: 1. Trustee Witko presented Resolution 20-55, Authorizing an Agreement with Core & Main of Carol Stream, IL for the Purchase of the New Sensus Analytics Water Meter Reading System and an Agreement with Sensus USA, Inc. for the Installation and Annual Operation of the Web-Hosted System. a. She explained that, in May of 2010, the original Sensus Fixed-Based, FlexNet MDM Meter Reading System was installed as part of the last Village-wide water meter change-out program. The MDM System allows the entire Village to be read from one fixed-based antenna located on top of the North water tank at 8820 National Avenue. The MDM Reading System monitors and sends alerts to the Water Billing Division, so that notifications can be made to homeowners of abnormally increased water usage within their home. Other system options monitor for low water usage that may be due to water meter failure. The current 10-year old MDM system-installed server software has passed the manufacturer's end of life and is no longer supported by Microsoft. b. Core and Main of Carol Stream, IL is the exclusive sole source area distributor for Sensus USA, Inc. Sensus USA will administer the proposed work to migrate preexisting software to a web- hosted solution with all current features and functionality of the current MDM Meter Reading System, along with other customer service enhancements. The Sensus agreement will provide a complete "turn-key" upgrade system migration with Sensus USA, Inc. with a five (5) year term that will be automatically renewed for an additional five years at a 3% increase. The one-time fees and year one hosting fee total cost is $26,335. c. Trustee Witko said that staff recommends the system-wide conversion and replacement of the current outdated MDM server software with the new Analytics Web-Hosted Meter Reading System. Trustee Witko then moved to approve Resolution 20-55, seconded by Trustee Travis. 15 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting XI. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) F. Trustee Witko: Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos aye Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye XII.OTHER BUSINESS Mayor DiMaria wished everyone, on behalf of the Board, Village staff, and his family, a Happy Thanksgiving. He said he knows 2020 has been a trying year, but he was sure that everyonerY9 could find something to be grateful for. The mayor said he was grateful that we live in such a wonderful, community-driven Village, and that we're all getting through this together. He said there was no doubt in his mind that everyone will come together once all this comes to an end, and hoped it would be by next summer, so Morton Grove Days can go on and we can all celebrate life again, not just the Fourth of July. XIII. WARRANTS Trustee Minx presented the Warrant Register for November 23, 2020 in the amount of 2,890,639.37. She moved to approve the Warrant Register as presented, seconded by Trustee Ramos. Motion passes: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear aye Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos eYe Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis aye Tr. Witko aye XIV. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS 1. Rudy Vilk wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving. He wanted to know why he never gets an explanation. He felt that if he's said something wrong, he should be told. Mr. Vilk said he's sent personal letters to the Board, and after Board meetings, people talk to him, but not during the Board meetings. He also commented on Corporation Counsel Liston. a. Mayor DiMaria stated for the record that he and staff have responded to Mr. Vilk countless times, and have also met with him. Mayor DiMaria noted that he, the Board members, and Village staff form a team, and he leads the team. 2. Mr. Czerwinski said he had two additional residents' comments. One was about the Environment and Natural Resources Commission (ENRC). The authors expressed strong support for Vision Morton Grove's call on the Village and the ENRC to take the following actions with regard to the Morton Grove Sustainability Plan and its implementation: The sustainability plan must include measurable goas through every chapter in order for it to be a meaningful document; The ENRC must have a process for periodic and ongoing evaluation as part of the sus- tainability plan in order to evaluate progress toward the measurable goals, assess the impacts, and reflect on how these impacts can be improved; 16 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting XIV. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) The ENRC should allow ample time for resident review and input before finalizing the adoption of the sustainability plan so that the process can be transparent and inclusive; Arrangements should be made for residents to safely attend ENRC meetings virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. a. The authors asked if the Village would commit to these four actions. Mr. Czerwinski said the letter reflected comments from Tracy Balke, Lorri Fishman, Lamija Memidzan, Kulsum Sadiq, Catherine Terdich, and John Terdich. 3. Mr. Czerwinski had one final comment, from JoAnn Rapp, who addressed her comment to Mayor DiMaria, stating the she has heard him say, at many meetings, how he values residents' input and how he wishes more residents would attend meetings. Given that, and coupled with the inherent hazards of in-person participation during the pandemic, Ms. Rapp wondered if the mayor would direct staff to set up the readily available communication tools so that residents could participate in all board and commission meetings from their homes and be able to engage in two-way live communication in real time. 4. Mayor DiMaria responded, saying that everyone knows that he values residents' input. He has often said that if he doesn't know there's a problem, he can't help solve it. Mayor DiMaria said most of his job as mayor is to listen to residents and solve issues and problems that arise. He invited everyone to contact him at any time with any concerns. a. Mayor DiMaria said he had met with Ms. Rapp and her organization on several matters, including the social worker issue. He has listened to their concerns and stressed that he shares their goals. The 2021 budget increases funding for social services by $60,000 over and above funds allocated for a part-time social worker. The increase is fully supported by the entire Board. Her group has stated many times that it wants the Village to hire a full-time social worker. The Village has explained its position several times, which is reasonable—the Village wants to prudent and look at all of the options before hiring a full-time social worker. He added that the Village did have a full-time social worker at one point, but realized it wasn't the right position at the time. If it is the right thing to do now, Mayor DiMaria said he was sure the Board would support such hiring, but right now, as Mr. Czerwinski said earlier, the Village is investigating several options to determine the best way to provide these services. This takes time, and he asked for patience. He said the Village is exploring options to partner with other communities and Niles Township, not because we don't want to hire a full-time social worker, but because it may not be the best thing to do. He assured Ms. Rapp that the Village isn't ruling out such a hiring, but saying it needs to look at various options and be prudent and diligent. b. Mayor DiMaria pointed out that the purpose of a Village Board meeting is to conduct Village business. Residents' input is very important and the Village Board meetings offer two opportunities for residents to give their views and input. He said he was very proud of that and the Village will continue it. He noted that communication is definitely challenging during COVID, as evidenced by his earlier technical difficulties. He said, "We will continue to work together for the best interests of the Village, whether virtually or in-person." c. Mayor DiMaria said the Village values Ms. Rapp's organization's input and felt the Village has been really good at listening to and actually implementing some of the organization's thoughts and ideas. He thanked Ms. Rapp, and reminded everyone that his door is always open, and his phone number is 312-363-9595, commenting it's not very often you'll find an elected official giving out their cell phone number publicly. 17 Minutes of November 23,2020 Board Meeting XIV. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) d. Mayor DiMaria said he was proud to be the Mayor and proud to serve everyone in the Village. He said people should never hesitate to reach out to him, whether via Facebook, phone, or text message, reminding them, "I'm here to serve you and do what's right for the Village of Morton Grove." He concluded his remarks by wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. XVIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Board, Trustee Minx moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Trustee Witko. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Grear awe Tr. Minx aye Tr. Ramos gig. Tr. Thill aye Tr. Travis Tr. Witko gig The meeting adjourned at 8:26 p.m. PASSED this 14th day of December, 2020. Trustee Grear J Trustee Minx Trustee Ramos Trustee Thill Trustee Travis Trustee Witko APPROVED by me this 14th day of December, 2020. Daniel P. DiMaria, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 15th day of December,2020. iif.GGw Eileen Scanlon Scanlon Harford, Village CI Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by Teresa Cousar 18