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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-11-24 MinutesCALL TO ORDER I. Village President Rick Krier called the meeting to order at 7:32 p.m. and led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. Village Clerk Carol Fritzshall called the roll. Present were: Trustees Georgianne Brunner, Roy Kogstad, Shel Marcus, Rita Minx, Dan Staackmann, and John Thill. APPROVAL OF MINU'r~S a. Regarding the Minutes of the October 30, 2008 Budget Nlorkshop, Mayor Krier asked if anyone had any changes or corrections. Seeing none, Trustee Minx moved to approve the October 30, 2008 Budget Workshop Minutes as submitted, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. Regarding the Minutes of the November 1 Q 2008 Regular Meeting, Mayor Krier asked if anyone had any changes or corrections to the Minutes. Seeing none, Trustee Marcus moved, seconded by Trustee Minx, to approve the November 10 2008 Regular Meeting Minutes as submitted. Motion passed unanimously via voice vote. IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS, NONE V. SPECIAL REPORTS a. Presentation of Fire Department Poster Contest Awards Fire Chief Tom Friel said that the first week of October is Fare Prevention Week, and the Fire Department traditionally sponsors a "fire education" poster contest open to all Morton Grove schools. This is the 16`h year of the contest, and Chief Friei acknowledged the sponsorship and efforts of the members of the Village's Firefighters Association, some of whom were in attendance tonight to help present the awards to the winning students. Captain Bill Porter, Director of the Fire Prevention Bureau, explained that the posters typically have a theme and are judged by members of the Firefighters Association on several criteria, including: that the fire safety message is correct; that the message is clear; and the quality of .'~+ "_ ~ t~ ~.` ~s.~;~':... ax-,°+~;~:`Nif~l uf~Nbvam r24,b~88oar"dM2etin' `ry F. a#4` V. SPECIAL REPORTS (corrt:inued) the artwork. Captain Porter said that all the schools in the Village, public and private, are invited to participate, and, as is typical, this year 226 p:?stf:*rs were received. This year marks the 15`" annual poster contest. Winners will be awarded a plaque with a digitized photo of their poster plus a special Benjamin Franklin 50-cent piece and a certificate of participation. Captain Porter explained that Benjamin ~"`ranklin has particular significance because he had so much to do with fire service. Captain Porter, assisted by Fire Chief Tom Friel, Trustee;-liaison Rita tvlinx, and members of the Firefighters Association presented the winners with their prizes. The winners are as follows: Kinderyarterr: Jessica Nanut, Hynes School First Grade: AAadison Precht; Hynes School Second Grade: Hana Frisch, Park Viev/ School Third Grade: Tina Intarapanont, Hynes School Fourth Grade: Suha Moten, MCC Ful! Tirne Sc'ioo^ Fifth Grade: iVladiha Malik; MCC Full Time Schoch Sixth Grade' Aisha Usman, Park View School (notpresent) Seventh Grade: h1egan Keating, Jerusalem t.utl7eran School, Co-Eighth Grade: Joy Sherman, Jerusalernt.utheran Sc-~5c7t3i Co-Eighth Grade: Taida Avdic, MCC Full Tirne School Overall ~/Vinner: Madiha Malik, MCC Full Time Schoei The principal of the MCC Full Tlme School received a piaq;:ae for the school in honor of having ore of the school's student's poster named "Overall Wit r+eer". Mayor Krier thanked eve: gone for participafing, and thatll;Fac! Captain Porter, Chief Friel, and the members of the Firefighters Association for ail them' ifc.rd work in making this year's ~7pster coniest so successful. VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS ~Rgeracta items Oralyj a. Erie Poders. Mr. Poders had cdncernsregar~ing r~rdin~ar~^P~08-~2 (which reduces tYte speed liriiit on Central Avenue between. Church Strut anc C~,eEd~?load); specifically; that the street is not marked (lanes, street parking, etc.). He was s»peciaiiy concerned. about the9200.and 9300 bl.~;;ks of Luna Avenue and wondered if f uru cc,,~~ ;,~:~ in<de ore-way southbound so as is prevent people frorrrusing Lr.rna as a out-ttirourth. t~1r. Poders commended ttie Baard on their budget ~nicrlis'r;ops and said he was glad khe Village is working on increasing its revenue by enforcing train station parking and tay increasing the visibility, and therefore ttie rer;tal income,,ofiR~e Civic Genter. Mayor Krier said fvti~. Poders' edncems regarding ivuna w~,~~id be addressed when the ordinance w.as discr~ssed. ks. Patrick Kansczer. Mr. Kansoer was speaking in regard t., Ordinance 0'FS-44 (the tax levy ordinance). Fle said that, according to the lacai newspaper,'there ;a~as not going to be a tax levy increase this year. Mr. Kgnseer said that ho wantFt' ii;;cangratulate chose Board members 4vho were responsible for this anti e>r~re~=mod Q~is-gratitudca to them for fighting to "hold the line" on a tax ;evy ihrrea,e. VI. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (Agenda Items Only) (continued) c. BiII Luksha. Mr. Luksha said that he lives six houses from Central north of Church and agrees that people do speed in that area. He pointed out that south of Church Street, the speed limit is 25 mph. He felt that people should slow down-there would be less accidents and it would be safer for bicyclists. Regarding the tax levy ordinance, Mr. Luksha said that the people of Morton Grove are "all in a tough situation" and added that it was good that the Board "pulled together". VII. PRESIDENT'S REPORT Proclamation Mayor Krier Mayor Krier proclaimed the month of December 2008 as "Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month" in the Village and called upon everyone to support programs and policies to reduce the incidence of impaired drivers, and to promote safer and healthier behaviors regarding the use of alcohol and drugs during the December holiday season and throughout the year. VIII. CLERK'S REPORT Clerk Fritzshall had no formal report, but noted that the FEMA officials had visited her. She announced to the assemblage that the deadline for applying for disaster assistance has been extended to December 16, 2008. For more information, residents can call 1-800-621-3362 or visit FEMA's Website at www.fema.oov. IX. STAFF REPORTS A. Village Administrator Mr. Wade announced that the Tax LevyPublib Hearing will be held as part of the regularly- scheduled Village Board Meeting on December 8, 2008. 2. Mr. Wade said that Village staff is looking for direction from the Board as to what it wants to do about proceeding with the Dempster Street project in 2009. He said that it's the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)'s project as well as its road, but the Village does have some decisions to make. The project is 10 years old. Does the Village want to continue waiting for the funding to construct additional parking lots or does it want to go forward with the roadway improvement in the 2009 construction season? Mr. Wade pointed out that IDOT's priority is improving traffic flow, not constructing parking lots. Mr. Wade said that Dempster Street has been designated a Strategic Regional Arterial road- way because it connects the Edens Expressway and the Illinois Tollway and because approximately 38,000-40,000 vehicles use it daily. Because it has what IDOT deems as a "higher than acceptable" incidence of accidents, IDOT has proposed improvements such as intersection improvements and a continuous center turning lane in the mile-long stretch between Lehigh and Central. This would be a way of improving turning radius, alleviating congestion, and lowering the number of accidents. If there is a continuous center turning lane, 123 street parking spaces will be lost. -" " Minutes of November 24, 2008 Board Meeting IX. STAFF REPORTS (continued) b. Because this would hurt local businesses, a parking study was done and the Village proposed to replace the 123 street parking spaces with parking lots that would offer 166 parking spaces. To date, the Village has constructed three parking lots and made additional side street parking for a total of 181 spaces. c. Mr. Wade expressed concern because the Village has received a dozen grants for funding this project and those grants may expire if they aren't used soon. He turned the presentation over to Economic and Community Development Director Bill Neuendorf for more project specifics, noting that Mr. Neuendorf is taking the project over since the departure of Ryan Gillingham. Mr. Neuendorf holds a professional engineering certificate. Mr. Neuendorf said that IDOT wants to improve traffic flow; the Village wants to retain the viability of its business district. To achieve both goals, the Village suggested relocating the street parking, improving the streetscape and appearance of Dempster, and retaining or reducing the existing speed limit. There have been many meetings and discussions about the Dempster Street Project, the most recently being this past summer. Final recommendations for the project include widening the sidewalks, improving the sidewalks with trees, benches, etc.; removing and relocating the on-street parking, and installing a continuous center turn lane. The finished product would, it is hoped. inspire business owners to renovate their business' appearance and possibly entice new businesses to come in. e. Mr. Neuendorf said, with regard to this project, that timing is "an opportunity and a challenge". It would be an opportune time to replace one of the Village's oldest water mains, which runs under Dempster Street. Water mains are designed for 50 years of service; this one has been in service for 96 years. The cost estimate to replace the water main is $1.5 million. The good news is that, if the Village replaces the water main during the reconstruction of Dempster Street, the Village wouldn't be burdened with the full cost of the reconstruction. The new water main would improve water pressure and reliability. The total cost for the Dempster Street project is $10,320,977, which includes $4.3 million for roadway construction and $3.9 million for parking lots. Mr. Neuendorf summarized the sources of grants-there are 12. Morton Grove's "Ibdal match" is virtually nil. He mentioned that there are three Federal grants, five State grants, and one township grant...and each grant only covers certain things. At this point, the project is scheduled to use 17% of Village funds, with 40% coming from the federal government and 43% coming from the State. The Phase 1 drawings were approved a year ago. The Phase 2 drawings are being reviewed. 181 parking spaces have been created. Mr. Neuendorf said the State is in no hurry to fund the remaining $3.9 million for the parking lots. The Village has already waited for eight years, and is not on IDOT's schedule for 2009, 2010, or 2011. He agreed with Administrator Wade that the grants may expire if they aren't used soon, although he noted that Village staff has been diligent about reviewing the grants and requesting extensions of time and/or renewals. But if the funds aren't used soon, they will not be around. g. Mr. Neuendorf said that another concern is that construction and labor costs are increasing, commenting that the Dempster Street project cost has already increased 10% since the Phase 1 drawings were approved. If the Village continues to wait, there will be additional inflationary costs which the grants do not cover... so the Village would have to cover them. Therefore, the Board needs to decide how to proceed. If the Board decides to wait, the traffic delays on Dempster will continue; the street will continue to deteriorate and to look run down; funding could be lost; the water main will continue to decline; grants could be reallocated. If the Board decides to proceed, staff recommends a bond issue for the water main replacement or the use of the Enterprise Fund Balance. Minutes of November 24, 2008 Board Meeting IX. STAFF REPORTS (continued) Construction could begin as early as summer of 2009. Replacement of the water main would. likely take 6-8 months. Mayor Krier said that Corporation Counsel Liston was looking into whether a resolution or an ordinance would be needed. He added that the State is looking to balance its budget and it's quite conceivable that the Village could lose some of the State's funding. Trustee Kogstad asked about the impact of this construction on local businesses. Mr. Neuendorf said it would definitely have an impact, but the project could be done in phases. It's too early to determine the construction phasing at this point. But the Village would make it clear that the construction cannot shut down local businesses. He said he would recommend an approach wherein both sides of the street would be done at the same time and traffic would be detoured around that particular point. k. Trustee Staackmann said that it might be advantageous to do this while the economy is slow and there are so many empty storefronts. Trustee Marcus asked about the truck traffic being detoured. Mr. Neuendorf agreed that trucks might need "special" re-routing. m. Mr. Wade said that staff is maintaining a dialogue with IDOT and would Tike to know the Board's position as soon as possible. B. Corporation Counsel; Ms. Liston had no report. X. TRUSTEES'REPORTS A. Trustee Brunner: Trustee Brunner reported that the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) said that the Village recycled 1,608 tons of paper in asix-month period, resulting in the Village receiving a check for 545,000. The bad news is that the price for recycled paper has dropped dramatically. It's unlikely the Village will receive that kind of money again; nevertheless, Trustee Brunner encouraged everyone to recycle, recycle, recyle! Trustee Kogstad: Trustee Kogstad had no report. C. Trustee Marcus: Trustee Marcus had no report, but wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. ::. -. 'Minutes of November 24, 20086oard. Meeting] X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) D. Trustee Minx: Trustee Minx presented Resolution 08-61, Authorizing the Village of Morton Grove to Acquire Property Commonly Known as 8733 Narragansett Avenue, Morton Grove, Illinois. This property is located within the Lehigh/Ferris TIF District and will be land-banked for future redevelopment. The purchase price is $290,000 and the closing will take place on or before December 31, 2008. Funds for the purchase of this property are contained in the 2008 Budget in the Lehigh/Ferris TIF District Fund. Trustee Minx moved to approve Resolution 08-61, seconded by Trustee Thill. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner afire Tr. Kogstad ~ Tr. Marcus Tr. Minx aye Tr. Staackmann ~ Tr. Thill aye 2 Next, Trustee Minx introduced for a first reading Ordinance 08-43, Adopting the Budgets for All Corporate Purposes of the Village of Morton Grove and the Morton Grove Library for the Calendar Year Effective January 1, 2009 and Ending December 31, 2009. She explained that 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 October 16, 2008. The Village's total budget is $51,574,586 and the Public Library's budget is $3,034,607, for a grand total of $54,609,193. There were no questions about the Budget. Trustee Marcus pointed out that he understands the reasoning behind the Library's levy and will support it. 3. Trustee Minx then presented for a first reading Ordinance 08-44, An Ordinance Levying and Assessing Taxes for the Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois, for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2009 and Ending December 31, 2009. She said that, with budget expenditures of $51,574,586, the amount necessary to be levied for 2008 property taxes is $12,006,873. By law, the Village is required to levy an additional $2,264,388 for debt service payments authorized by general obligation notes and bonds, for a total levy (before abatement) of $14,271,261. However, the Board intends to adopt several resolutions that will immediately abate $2,264,388 from the levy, resulting in the net levy, as intended, of $12,006,873. Trustee Minx pointed out that the abatement resolutions are on tonight's Agenda but will not be voted on until the December 8 Board Meeting. They can't be voted on until the Budget ordinance passes. Trustee Minx wished everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. ~.' ~ ~ ~ ~ Minutes of November 24, 20086oard Meeting X. TRUSTEES' REPORTS (continued) E. Trustee Staackmann: Trustee Staackmann presented Resolution 08-62, Authorizing a Contractual Agreement with CDW-G to Provide Coordination of a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement and the Purchase of Microsoft Software Licensing for Operating and Productivity Software for All Village Desktop Computers. The Village is required to maintain licensing for the software it uses in daily operations. Trustee Staackmann moved to approve Resolution 08-62, seconded by Trustee Minx. Trustee Brunner noted that the total licensing expense is $69,984 with a year 2008 payment of $23,328. She asked if this is a three-year licensing agreement. Trustee Staackmann said it is. Trustee Brunner said the resolution covers 130 desktop. computers; she wondered if laptops are included, too. Trustee Staackmann said they are,, There being no further discussion, Mayor Krier called for a vote on Resolution 08-62. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner a~+e Tr. Kogstad afire Tr. Marcus Tr. Minx afire, Tr. Staackmann ~ Tr. Thill 2. Trustee Staackmann thanked the Public Works Department for the excellent job they've been doing on leaf pick-up, and clarified that leaf pick-up ends on December 5, 2008. F. Trustee Thill Trustee Thill presented for a first reading Ordinance 08-42, Authorization to Amend the Legal Speed Limit on Central Avenue Between Church Street and Golf Road Within the Village of Morton Grove. He explained that the Traffic Safety Commission had recommended this to create a safer environment for residents living on Central Avenue as well as the general public. This will reduce the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph on Central between Church Street and 500 feet south of the Golf Road center line. Trustee Thill asked if there could be a two-week grace period after the new speed limit signage is in place so that people have a chance to get used to the new speed and "break the habit" of going 35 mph (or more). XI. OTHER BUSINESS NONE XII. WARRANTS Trustee Minx presented the Warrant Register for November 24, 2008, in the amount of $512,122.94. She moved to approve the Warrants, seconded by Trustee Brunner. '" ~ Minutes of November 24, 2008 Board Meetinga, XII. WARRANTS (continued) There was no discussion or questions about any Warrant items. Mayor Krier called for a vote on the Warrants. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner a~ Tr. Kogstad afire Tr. Marcus Tr. Minx ~e Tr. Staackmann aye Tr. Thill aye XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS Gary Bailey. Mr. Bailey works for the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Counsel, which is the exclusive bargaining agent for police officers below the rank of Sergeant. He has worked with Morton Grove's officers for many years and said he was present tonight on their behalf and at their insistence and direction. He said that, on November 10, 2008, the union member- ship held a meeting to discuss a vote of "no confdence" in Police Chief Paul Tasch. A vote of no confidence has been referred to as a way to communicate to the community and Village management that the union's membership perceives the police chief to be "incompetent, disinterested, non-communicative, and/or uncaring". The motion passed overwhelmingly. The union members wanted this vote to be made public to the Board and the citizens of Morton Grove. a. Mr. Bailey said that the decision to take this vote and publicize its outcome was not made in haste or without consideration of the implications to the Village. It was not done for political purposes or to embarrass or humiliate the Chief. The union membership passed this vote to alert residents and the Board that their efforts to bring the Village the best service possible are being undermined and endangered. They passed this vote to alert the Village that the problems are such that they are genuinely concerned with the future of the police department. The vote was taken with the best interests of the Village foremost, and with recognition that there could be retribution for those who supported the measure. b. Mr. Bailey said that, in the years since his appointment, Chief Tasch has caused a steady deterioration in the morale of the Police Department. Failure to respond to officers' needs has contributed to this, and alienating officers under his command has caused a serious impact on the respectfidr his leadership. His failure to address the glaring morale problems has caused the union membership to question his priorities for the department. Mr. Bailey went on to say that the chief's tenure has been marked by lack of communication; he has replaced direct contact and the open sharing of information with silence. This leaves the membership feeling that the chief is indifferent to their concerns. They feel a "climate of secrecy' has replaced a previous "open door" policy. Veteran officers have departed, stating that they could no longer work under his management. Current officers are evaluating their employment options, should working conditions not improve dramatically. The membership feels that safety issues seem to have faded from importance. They allege that the chief has failed to request updated technological capabilities; that important training opportunities have decreased, and some have even been eliminated. Other failings were noted as well. c. Mr. Bailey said that the Village Administrator, Mayor Krier, and Corporation Counsel Liston met with union representatives last week and were alerted that this vote had been taken and the intention to make the vote and the union's concerns public. Certain police department rules prevented a more specific discussion of concerns from taking place, but Mr. Bailey said the membership is pleased that those Village representatives are interested in hearing their concerns. " Minutes of November 24, 2008 Board Meeting XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) d. Mr. Bailey concluded by saying the police officers took an oath to protect the residents; they put themselves in harm's way when it's needed and risk their lives. They are thankful for the opportunity to serve the Village and want the police department to be the best in the country. They hope Village management will listen to this appeal tonight and take action to prevent any further harm from coming to the police department. 2. Deputy Chief Mark Erickson. Deputy Chief Erickson, accompanied by and speaking for the command staff (rank of Sergeant and above), stated that the services provided by the police department would not be diminished in either the delivery of services or the professionalism of the officers due to any form of public or private disagreements related to contract or labor issues. Deputy Chief Erickson said that the Morton Grove Police Department is a pars-military organization. Its members do not want to be accused of disobedience or insubordination. This type of organization requires its members to adhere to a structured chain of command. This chain of command is necessary to establish the authority of the Chief of Police to designate command and to establish the accountability of supervisors and officers.. Through State statutes and local ordinance, the responsibilities of the Chief include the management, direction, and control of the operations and management of the department. It is the opinion of the members of the supervisory and command staff that they are required to support the Chief in this process. Deputy Chief Erickson and the command staff encouraged the use of venues in place to work through common differences to realize a reasonable work environment for all. He reiterated the dedication members of the Village's police department have to their mission and to the community. He assured the residents that they will continue to provide the best possible ser- vice to the Village and that they are committed to making Morton Grove the safest place in which to live and work. 3. Chief Paul Tasch. Chief Tasch said that this is the first time he is hearing a lot of these comments. He thanked everyone who has supported him, and stated that he has done nothing "illegal, immoral, unethical, or detrimental to the Morton Grove Police Department." He said his good name has been tarnished, adding that he's disappointed in the way in which this matter has been pursued. He said he has always been and will continue to be available, not only to the FOP membership, but to any member of the Police Department who wants to discuss any issue with him. Chief Tasch concluded by stating that it's his goal, as shared by the command and supervisory staff, to ensure that the MGPD continues to be a professional law enforcement agency that provides quality service to the citizens of Morton Grove. 4. Mayor Krier, speaking for himself and the entire Board, stated that the actions taken by the FOP attorney tonight are disturbing. The FOP's attorney has assured Mayor Krier that there are no allegations being brought against Chief Tasch regarding any illegal activity or corrup- tion or immoral act. Mayor Krier said that he has been assured by Chief Tasch, Deputy Chief Erickson, the supervisory and command staff, and representatives of the FOP that the Department has and will continue to operate effectively, and that public safety is in no way being jeopardized by the FOP's action. Mayor Krier said, in essence, the FOP's attorney has come before the Board at a televised meeting and has attacked the Police Chief, a man with an impeccable 35-year record of service. He added that, once an attack is made, even if it is untrue, the damage is done. Mayor Krier said he found it troubling that Chief Tasch was given no prior indication of the FOP's action. The FOP hasn't provided any basis or accusation for this attack. "" Minutes of November 24, 20086oard Meeting XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) Mayor Krier said that no one has come to him, Corporation Counsel Liston, the Village Admin- istrator, or any elected official to voice any concerns. There are no facts to support this attack, and Chief Tasch has no means to defend himself. He asked that everyone respect Chief Tasch's due process rights and to not pass any judgment whatsoever against the Chief unless or until specific charges are alleged and proven. Speaking for the Board and the administration, he said that nothing in the FOP's action to date has shaken any of their confidence in Chief Tasch. In the next few weeks, the Village and FOP will begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. He said he hoped this wasn't an attempt by the FOP to strengthen their bargaining position. A resident (Mike) said he empathized with Chief Tasch. He asked, regarding the property the Village had purchased on Narragansett, if it would be demolished. He also asked why the Village wouldn't proceed with the Dempster Street project, especially when it sounds like we have enough parking spaces now, Mayor Krier said that the Narragansett property will likely be demolished; it's been the Village's practice. Regarding the Dempster Street project, the $1.5 million cost of the water main replacement is the biggest concern about going forward. 6. Melinda Mumford. Ms. Mumford commended the Board on televising the Budget Workshops. Regarding Ordinance 08-43, she wondered what the Capital Improvements are for 2009. Also the projected revenue for Public Works is $480,000 versus expenditures of over $700,OOO...it's a shortfall of $290,000-where does that money come from? She also commented that, since 2006, many Village streets are in need of repair. Ms. Mumford wondered why the Village wasn't putting more money towards street repairs. She was concerned about the decrease in revenue from real estate transfer taxes, and wondered if the condition of the streets might be a contributing factor in the decline of said revenue. a. Ms. Mumford also asked if the Village's TIF Districts are generating more revenue now, and thought it was unfortunate that that revenue has to stay in the TIF Fund. She wondered if the Village was trying to force people out by having such high property taxes, or if it was trying to force seniors out. Why hasn't senior housing been accomplished? b. Regarding Resolution 08-62, the software licensing, she wondered if it was necessary for the Village to spend ahalf-million dollars on information technology. She also wondered why the Village pays so much for consulting fees-why can't the Village just ask the people what they want?, She asked what the Village does with its old computers-does it sell them or donate them? c. Ms. Mumford also felt that services to seniors were being cut, in spite of the fact that the Civic Center (senior center) is generating more revenue than ever. She asked if something could be done about that. d. Ms. Mumford felt there was a serious traffc problem at Theobald and Central. She had attended many Traffic Safety Commission meetings about this but was told there was no money in the 2008 Budget to address the problem. She wanted to make sure that funds would be allocated in the 2009 Budget for this. She felt children's lives were in danger and thought there should be a cul de sac there, with the traffic rerouted to Frontage Road. e. Mayor Krier asked Ms. Mumford what senior services were cut. She couldn't answer and took the statement back. 10 XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) f. Mayor Krier said, regarding Capital Projects, there was an ambulance and a few other things, but in general, that budget has been cut. Regarding street maintenance and repair, he said the Village would like to do more streets, but again, it's a budget issue. The Village used fund balance monies over the last couple of years to do more streets. He said the Village is not trying to "force anyone out", it's just that money is tight and there's not much coming in. g. The Village is proposing a 0% tax levy and is using its fund balances in order to achieve this. The TIF District is generating more revenue but it's a fallacy that "we can't take money out of there'. Increment must stay there but when the TIF expires, the EAV will be higher and there will be more revenue to spread around. Regarding senior housing, the Board is committed to it and is reviewing an option for senior housing at the Domicile property. Mayor Krier pointed out that the Village will have to "step up° and make a financial commitment to senior housing as developers are reluctant to build senior housing that is affordable. Eric Poders. Mr. Poders said his previous questions/concerns regarding Ordinance 08-42 and Luna Avenue hadn't been addressed. He said he hoped they would be addressed at the December 8, 2008 Board Meeting. At the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, a woman had testified that she had gotten hit in a vehicular accident or. Luna, so it is a serious concern. Mr. Poders also commented that some positions at the Civic Center have been eliminated, in spite of the fact that the revenue generated by the rental of the Civic Center has increased from $27,000 in 2002 to $118,000 projected for this year. b. Regarding the TIFs, in the 2008 Budget, due to delays in property tax revenue, there was no percentage increase in the tax basis, in spite of the fact that incremental property values in the Lehigh/Ferris TIF are $1.9 million and $660,000 in the Waukegan Road TIF. There are many street improvements earmarked in 2009 in those TIFs-almost $2.8 million in capital improvements. The TIFs are generating revenue but all of it is being spent in the TIFs, while the rest of the Village suffers. Now that Mr. Gillingham is gone, Mr. Poders asked what's going to happen with the Village and its streets? He, too, felt that there were too many consultants. c. Regarding computers, Mr. Poders said the Village doesn't have to lease them, noting that buying things doesn't have to hurt if one can extend the useable life of things. He commended the Public Works Department for being excellent at that. There are people that are active in the Village who truly care, but many times they aren't listened to. Their recommendations and ideas aren't being heard. He hoped the Village would move forward in 2009. He also hoped that more residents would be present for the Public Hearing on December 8`h and asked if the Library's levy was going to remain at 6.2% or if it was going to be a 0% increase. Mayor Krier said the Library's levy would be 6.2%. 8. Pat Kansoer. Mr. Kansoer observed that the Board is considering dropping the speed limit on Central between Church Street and Golf Road from 35 mph to 25 mph so it is uniform all the way. It is also considering moving forward with a construction project on Dempster. If there's construction on Dempster, where will the traffic go? Will it be going north down Central to Golf? Is that where the trucks will go, and is Central rated for the weight of the trucks? He felt the Village needed to look closely at this. It sounds good on the surface, but all of the consequences need to be considered. it XIII. RESIDENTS' COMMENTS (continued) 9. Bill Luksha. Mr. Luksha said that, with the 35 mph speed limit on Central, people generally go 40 or 45 mph. He thought the Village was correct to reduce the speed limit. Regarding the attack on Chief Tasch, he felt it was very unfortunate that this was brought out in public. He said that he had some issues with the police service prior to Chief Tasch's appointment and since he's been the Chief, he feels there's been more police "presence" in the Village, that he's made improvements. Mr. Luksha wondered if there was an ethics ordinance in the Village that restricts companies who do business with the Village from contributing to local politicians or political parties. He said he's done some research on this and learned that one political party received contribu- tions from Groot and S.B. Friedman Associates in 2005, and, in the 2005 election, one party spent and collected close to $40,000. He felt it was time to "remove this temptation" from local politics. 10. Mike said, regarding the Dempster Street project, that he had heard a while ago that there was a federal transportation grant (a CTA/Metra/Pace transportation grant) to run express buses from Evanston to O'Hare. This is a project that was going to begin, he thought, in 2009. !s that something that IDOT and the Village is aware of and considering when thinking about whether to proceed with the Dempster Street construction? He also wondered if there would be another Dempster Street presentation coming up to discuss the traffic rerouting issue. Mayor Krier said he frequently receives letters from the CTA and Pace about cutting lines that service Morton Grove. The Village sent a letter to the governor today asking him not to cut the transportation and distribution funding. Regarding another Dempster Street presentation, Mayor Krier said there will be another one, but it's premature to do so right now. 11. Jim Quinn. Mr. Quinn said it was inappropriate and insensitive for the FOP union to do a "chop job" on the police chief with no prior warning and in public. It should have been handled in a private meeting. The way it was handled says bad things about that union. He felt that it was related to the upcoming labor negotiations and felt that "work rules" would be the union's main issue in the negotiations. Mr. Quinn felt the union's tactics had harmed the Village and, as a taxpayer and a happy citizen, he resents it. 12. Trustee Marcus said that, as liaison to the Police and Fire Commission, he's worked with Chief Tasch and has found him to be very professional, a man of honor and integrity. He felt Chief Tasch had always had an open door policy. Trustee Marcus said he was proud of the chief and has always been proud of the police department, but he concurred with Mr. Quinn in that the representative of the FOP's approach was, in his opinion, unprofessional and unethical. He felt the best way to resolve problems is for the parties to sit down and discuss the issues and come to a common agreement. That would have been better for the Board and the Chief. Trustee Marcus said he respected and supported Chief Tasch. 12 Minutes of November 24, 20086oardMeetieg XIV. ADJOURNMENT/EXECUTIVE SESSION A Special Meeting was called for November 24, 2008, prior to the regularly-scheduled Village Board meeting. At the Special Meeting, which began at 7:00 p.m., Trustee Minx moved to adjourn to Executive Session, seconded by Trustee Marcus, to discuss personnel matters. Motion passed: 6 ayes, 0 nays. Tr. Brunner ~ Tr. Kogstad a rye Tr. Marcus afire Tr. Minx afire Tr. Staackmann ~ Tr. Thill afire The Executive Session began at 7:02 p.m. Clerk Fritzshall called the roll. Present were: Mayor Krier, Trustees Brunner, Kogstad, Marcus, Minx, Staackmann, and Thill, and Clerk Fritzshall. Also in attendance were Village Administrator Wade and Corporation Counsel Liston. There being no further business, Trustee Minx moved to adjourn the Executive Session. Trustee Marcus seconded the motion, which passed unanimously via voice vote. Trustee Minx then moved to adjourn the Special Meeting. Trustee Marcus again seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously via voice vote. The Special Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m. At the conclusion of the regularly scheduled Board Meeting, there being no further business, Trustee Minx moved to adjourn to Executive Session to discuss personnel, labor negotiations, real estate, and to review past Executive Session Minutes. Trustee Brunner seconded the motion, which passed unanimously via voice vote. The Board adjourned to Executive Session at 9:25 p.m. 13 %_ ~ Minutes of November 24, 2008 BOard Meeting PASSED this 8th day of December, 2008. Trustee Brunner Trustee Kogstad Trustee Marcus Trustee Minx Trustee Staackmann Trustee Thill AP OVED b thi 8th d of December, 2008. t Richard rier, Village President Board of Trustees, Morton Grove, Illinois APPROVED and FILED in my office this 9th day of December, 2008. ~~ ~~ ~ Carol A. Fritzshall, Village Clerk Village of Morton Grove, Cook County, Illinois Minutes by. Teresa Cousar 14