City Council

TOWN OF CICERO TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, September 3, 2019 At 7:00 PM Call To Order: Present: Chris Lutz Absent: Chad Amos Craig Penwell Jack Russell Dan Strong Declare a quorum present. Others Present: Jan Unger, Clerk Treasurer Charlie Cambre, Park Superintendent Jim Hunter, Police Chief Lance Overholser, Fire Chief C.J. Taylor, Cicero/Jackson Township Plan Commission Director Aaron Culp, Town Attorney Bruce Freeman, Storm Water Management Board President Approval of Agenda: Ms. Unger stated she would have an update on the SRF Loan under the Engineer’s Report. Mr. Amos made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Mr. Russell seconded, motion passed. Approval of Prior Minutes: Town Council Executive Session Memorandum, August 20, 2019 – Town Council Meeting Minutes, August 20, 2019, 7:00 PM – Mr. Penwell made a motion to approve the minutes listed above. Mr. Russell seconded, motion passed. Approval of Claims: Mr. Penwell made a motion to approve the claims as presented for September 3rd. Mr. Penwell seconded, motion passed. President’s Report: 1. President Lutz informed the Council that there will be a baseball meeting on September 10th at Red Bridge Community Building at 7:00 pm. It will include Ultimate Sports, HHASA and the Mr. Lutz representing the Town to review this year’s season and plan for next year. 2. President Lutz informed the Council that there will be a 911 Executive Board Meeting at 8:00 am on Monday, September 9th. Mr. Lutz stated that he is unsure that he will be able to attend, if he cannot he will be looking for someone from one of the other entities or fire or police to attend. Petitions by Citizens: 1. There were none. Page 1 of 4 Council Committee Reports: 1. OTC – Mr. Morrow stated that the Dine on the Causeway event was successful. Thankfully the weather cleared off and made for at great evening. Mr. Morrow stated they sold 325 tickets which was a record number. Ms. Strong stated that the cleared $19,000. They would like to proceed with the design for the Pocket Park at Short and Jackson Streets. They currently have $9,500 and the plan to add $10,000. The estimated cost of the work is approximately $40,000-50,000 and they plan to apply for a grant. Mr. Morrow showed an exhibit of the drawing by Evan Smith of how the Pocket Park would look. a. A second item for OTC was the Street Dance. Mr. Morrow stated it would be held on September 14th on North Byron Street. There will be a ribbon cutting of the completion of the Façade Project at 5:30 that evening. Ms. Strong stated that there will be a ribbon on the door of each establishment that participated in the Façade Project, bringing attention to those buildings. b. Mr. Morrow stated that they were working with Ms. Kmicikewycz on the Kiosk to be installed in the Pocket Park. Mr. Cambre stated that the footer for the Kiosk will be poured tomorrow. c. Mr. Strong stated that the Dine on the Causeway was a very successful and nice event. 2. EDC – Ms. Sue Baker informed the Council that EDC has secured an exclusive sponsor for the first-year maintenance and upgrades on the Kiosk. MI Homes has agreed to $2,000 to assist with that venture. EDC will be contributing the additional $400. Mr. Cambre stated with that part being covered and the Council had originally agreed to contribute $500 he was asking the Council to pay for the electrical hookup for the Kiosk which will cost $885.00 and will be installed by Jeff Rednour. Mr. Cambre, when asked by Mr. Strong, replied that parks would be assisting with the electrical installation. Mr. Amos made a motion to approve up to $885.00 from the Council Budget to pay Mr. Rednour for the electrical to the Kiosk. Mr. Strong seconded, motion passed. 3. SWU Management Board Report – Mr. Freeman stated that they are working with the property owner on Shoreline Drive to setup a meeting to discuss the issue of water directed to the street. 4. Façade – Discuss under OTC. 5. Nickel Plate Reindeer Express – Mr. Strong stated that there is nothing this evening and asked for this to be removed from the future agendas. Legal Counsel Report- Aaron Culp: 1. Mr. Culp asked the Council to extend a certain employee’s FMLA time 30 days as discussed in executive session. Mr. Amos made a motion to extend the employee’s FMLA time 30 calendar days from the end of the FMLA allowed. Mr. Penwell seconded, motion passed. 2. Public Safety LIT Update - Mr. Culp stated that Arcadia needed to hold their Public Hearing again. The DLGF had 30 days to respond Resolution and they did not get that done. Arcadia will hold their meeting on September 10th, it will go to the auditor on the 11th. Hopefully the auditor will get information out to the cities/towns by the 16th. There was a discussion on the date for Cicero to hold their public hearing. Two Council would be absent on October 1st and they would like to attend. It was determined that they Council would try to hold this public hearing on September 26th. Mr. Russell inquired how long there was to file after completion and Mr. Culp stated 10 days. Page 2 of 4 Cicero/Jackson Township Plan Commission Report - C. J. Taylor, Plan Commission Director/Dan Strong, Plan Commission President. 1. Mr. Taylor stated he had e-mailed out the following report for September: September 2019 Permit Revenue: August 2019 = $8,235 YTD: $55,77 August 2018 = $7,510 YTD: $46,099 Difference: Month = $ 725 10% YTD: 9,678 21% We have issued a total of 20 building permits for August 2019. 15 have been inside the corporate limits (of which 8 have been new homes). We have issued 5 in Jackson Township (of which 1 have been new homes). We are continuing code enforcement to get some properties cleaned up in town as well as out in the township. Town Engineer Report-Mr. Keith Bryant – Mr. Bryant was not available but sent the following report: 1. SRF – I & I Reduction Project: Bids as received at the August 20 Council meeting have been reviewed. The low bid appears to be in order. We have reviewed with the Town’s financial consultant, Bakertilly. They are working with the IFA (financial arm of the SRF Group) and have scheduled for a loan closing on October 30, 2019 (see attached schedule). We will move forward with the post-bid SRF submittal package preparation. Construction can begin following the loan closure. 2. MI Homes / Tamarack Development: The project construction continues. Basically, all piping is installed but the developer is still awaiting the installation of their lift station equipment. 3. Morse Landing Section 1 / Hidden Bay Front Lift Station Improvements: A preconstruction meeting was held on August 26. The Contractor, Watson Excavating, begin work at the Hidden Bay lift station this week. Structures for the Morse Landing lift station are expected to be delivered in about 2 weeks. 4. East Jackson Street Project: The contractor Schutte – Lookabill (SLC) is working on the curb and sidewalk and streetlights on the north side of the road at this time. Ms. Unger stated with regard to the SRF Loan for the I & I project that BakerTilly needed to know how many years the Council wanted to go on the Bond, 20 or 35. Ms. Unger talked with each Councilman to see what their thoughts were. There were benefits and drawbacks to each. Ms. Unger had informed BakerTilly that there seemed to be a consensus to go with 35 knowing that additions improvements were going to need to be made in the near future. Ms. Unger stated that she has distributed information to the Council this evening with a letter from the attorney and from BakerTilly outlining the SRF Bond. Ms. Unger asked the Council to ratify deciding on the 35-year Bond term. Mr. Penwell made a motion to ratify the term length for the SRF Bond for the I & I project to be 35 years. Mr. Strong seconded, motion passed. Old Business: There was none. New Business: Page 3 of 4 Council To Consider Rescinding Ordinance 08-20-2019-2 2020 Salary Ordinance. Mr. Amos made a motion to approve rescinding Ordinance 08-20-2019-2 2020 Salary Ordinance. Mr. Strong seconded, motion passed. Miscellaneous 1. Schedule a Redevelopment Commission meeting. Tom Pitman can meet on October 1st at 6:00 pm if that works for the Council. Mr. Amos and Mr. Penwell will not be available on October 1st. They would like to be at the meeting if possible. Ms. Unger was directed to contact Mr. Pitman and see what he had in mind for the meeting in addition to the timetable for the proposed TIF Districts. The best date for the Council would be October 10th if Mr. Pitman is ok with that. Comments By Citizens 1. Mr. Cambre stated that they had a wonderful car show at Red Bridge on Labor Day. It was the 28th show. They had approximately 200 cars. Signatures on Official Documents! Motion To Adjourn: Mr. Amos made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Russell seconded, motion passed. CICERO TOWN COUNCIL SIGNATURES: AYE NAY Christopher J. Lutz Chad B. Amos Craig S. Penwell Richard J. Russell, V Dan Strong Attested: Janice L. Unger, Clerk Treasurer The Next Cicero Town Council Meeting will be on September 17, 2019, at 7:00 PM at the Cicero Town Hall. Page 4 of 4