City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL NOVEMBER 18, 2013 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on November 18, 2013 in the Hammond City Council Chambers. Council President Michael Opinker presided. City Clerk Robert J. Golec facilitated. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. MOMENT OF SILENCE was observed for the victims of the tornados throughout the Midwest and six victims that perished in southern Illinois. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker ABSENT: None TOTAL: 9 READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of October 23, 2013 and place on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to approve the claims from October 23, 2013 through November 13, 2013. Claim # 5348 through claim #5677, inclusive. ROLL CALL VOTE (claims) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 CLAIMS APPROVED PUBLIC HEARINGS 13-50 An Ordinance Appropriating the Proceeds of the Annual Action Plan and Dealing with Other Matters pertaining to the Expenditure of Plan Proceeds for Program Year 2014 No one spoke. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. NOVEMBER 18, 2013 COMMUNICATIONS None COMMITTEE REPORTS Council as a Whole Committee - Councilman Kalwinski - Brought out 13-50 and 13-51 under New and Unfinished Business ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE 13-50 An Ordinance Appropriating the Proceeds of the Annual Action Plan and Dealing with Other Matters pertaining to the Expenditure of Plan Proceeds for Program Year 2014 Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved for final passage. Councilman Spitale - This ordinance is to apply for funds for the CDBG. The budget is just about the same as it was last year, the amount asked. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9235 PASSED INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES 13-52 Transfer - Various City 2013 Budgets - $640,000.00 Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved that the proposed ordinance go to 1st and 2nd reading by title and referred it to the Council as a Whole Committee. AYES: ALL 13-53 Transfer - Hammond City Court - $17,547.89 Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, that the proposed ordinance go to 1st and 2nd reading by title. AYES: ALL Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to suspend the rules to consider 13- 53 for final passage. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. NOVEMBER 18, 2013 Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved for final passage. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: Higgs ABSENT: None Motion carried 8/1/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9236 PASSED INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES cont. Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to return to the regular order of business. 13-54 Designating Certain Areas within the City as Economic Revitalization Areas for Purposes of Residential Real Property Tax Abatement Citywide Housing Infill Program (CHIP) Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved that the proposed ordinance go to 1st and 2nd reading by title, referred it to the Council as a Whole Committee, with a Public Hearing on 12-9-13. AYES: ALL RESOLUTIONS 13R-37 A Resolution of the Hammond Common Council Amending the Development Agreement among the City of Hammond Redevelopment Commission, City of Hammond Economic Development Commission and Marina District Development regarding the Marina District Development Project Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for final adoption. Councilman Kalwinski - My understanding is that this was necessary to do because we are changing the structure of the $3.5 million into, instead of giving it in one lump sum we’re going to disperse it in two different time periods to .... $2 million will go into bonds, I believe, and $1.5 million into bank loans. So we have to in order to satisfy the developer we have to restructure this to have two different deposits, I believe. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: Higgs ABSENT: None Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. NOVEMBER 18, 2013 Motion carried 8/1/0 RESOLUTION NO R37 ADOPTED NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 13-51 INTENT TO CONSIDER : CP-13-11: Petition of the Hammond Plan Commission An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 8514, for Purposes of Amending Various Titles to Incorporate Provisions for the Regulation of Pawn Shops and Alternative Financial Businesses Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for final passage. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9237 PASSED NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilwoman Venecz - As I do at every meeting, I would like to inform the public of the Community and Crime Watch Meetings that are available to all of us here in the City of Hammond for those who wish to do good in their community and for those who wish to work towards the betterment of their neighborhood. Mon., Nov. 25 Columbia C.W. Columbia School 6:30 p.m. Tues., Nov. 19 E. Ham’d Pullman C.W. Ophelia Steen Center 6:30 p.m. Wed., Dec. 4 Edison Community Watch Edison School 6:30 p.m. Thur., Dec 5 Edison Com. on the Road Golden Manor Senior Bldg Wed., Dec. 4 Harrison Park C.W. V.F.W. 5:00 p.m. Thur., Nov. 22 Hessville C.W. Gene Shepherd Center 7 p.m. Fri., Dec. 6 Irving Community Watch Irving School 9:15 a.m. Wed., Nov. 20 Jefferson C.W. Jefferson School 6:30 p.m. Lafayette Neighborhood Lafayette School 6:30 p.m. Thur., Nov. 22 S. Ham’d C.W. Ham’d Housing Authority 7 p.m. Tues., Nov. 26 Pulaski Park Neigh. Assoc. American Legion/Gostlin 6:30 p.m. Council President Opinker - On behalf of myself and the Hammond City Council, I would like to wish everybody a nice, blessed, happy and healthy Thanksgiving. We don’t have another meeting until the 9th of December. So we won’t be in session then. Councilman Emerson - Same to you as well, and your family, and all my colleagues a Happy Thanksgiving Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. NOVEMBER 18, 2013 and everyone. I just wanted to thank everyone that came out on Veteran’s Day to the Iraqi or Operation (unclear) Freedom Memorial at Lyman and Douglas. Council people that made it, thank you very much, and everyone else. It’s difficult, Veteran’s Day was on a week day and not everybody was able to make it. A lot of volunteers, a lot of work went into it. We had a lot of elected officials out there. Home Depot contributed a lot. I would just point out that it’s the only, in this area, the only memorial to Iraqi vets and I think it may catch on. You know, we’ve been there for over ten years and it’s high time we honored those and the families that gave so much. So I just wanted to say thank you. Councilman Kalwinski - The Ham’d Mohawk’s are sponsoring a Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, Thanksgiving, and they are going to transport forty military personal from the Great Lakes Naval Station to the Mohawk Club and serve them dinner and they’re also going to provide internet access for those who want to use that or Skype with family and they’re also going to provide phones during that day so that they can be in contact with loved ones. They’re open to people who want to volunteer or provide goods for that day and if you’re interested in doing so please contact the Hammond Mohawk’s at 933- 9823. Kudos to the Mohawk’s for doing this. I’m proud of them as an organization in Hammond, stepping forward and doing a kind act for the military personnel and Region. PUBLIC EXPRESSION None Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilwoman Venecz, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL Michael Opinker, President Hammond Common Council ATTEST: Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. NOVEMBER 18, 2013 Approved by the Hammond Common Council at the meeting of December 9, 2013. Time: 6:25 pm cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 6