City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL AUGUST 11, 2014 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on August 11, 2014 in the Hammond City Council Chambers. Council President Michael Opinker presided. City Clerk Robert J. Golec facilitated. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. Invocation by Councilwoman Venecz. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker ABSENT: None TOTAL: 9 PRESENTATION regarding the Successes of the Advanced Placement Training & Incentives Program by Ms. Hayden & Ms. Morris READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of July 28, 2014 and place on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF THE CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved to approve the claims from July 23, 2014 through August 6, 2014. Claim #3873 through claim #4191, inclusive. Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to amend in claims: #4192 Community Center Dev. Corp. City Clerk $100.00 #4193 Ham’d Firefighters Assoc. Golf Outing City Clerk $775.00 #4194 Battle of 119th Street BBQ Common Council $100.00 ROLL CALL VOTE (amendment) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 AMENDMENT ADOPTED ROLL CALL VOTE (as amended) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 CLAIMS APPROVED (as amended) Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 11, 2014 PUBLIC HEARINGS None COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to send a letter to Redevelopment as it relates to the 900 block of Kenwood and Rhode. The weeds are still growing up there and I am requesting that they have someone cut them down around the fire hydrant and that property. It makes the community not only look bad but its just adjacent to a new Haven House that was developed there on Ames Street, the corner of Ames. LETTER SENT: AUGUST 12, 2014 COMMITTEE REPORTS Council as a Whole - Councilman Uylaki - Brought out 14-24. ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE 14-24 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 4497, Amended Ordinance 4923, Amended Ordinance 7630 also known as Section 72.012 of the Hammond Municipal Code as it applies to Towing Fees Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for final passage. Councilman Markovich - Does anybody have what the old fees were? Councilman Higgs - I do. I have a copy. Councilwoman Venecz - We got those at the last meeting. Councilman Markovich - Can somebody please say what those were? Councilman Higgs - We can make a copy. Councilman Markovich - That’s fine. Council President Opinker - Yes, I have that here, Councilman Markovich. Councilman Higgs - I guess while we’re waiting I can go over that ordinance somewhat in details additional revenue will be generated from the increase of the towing fees throughout the city. Certainly we all know we need additional revenue, so. That’s why I’m supporting this particular ordinance. Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to amend in on page two, “Be it further ordained by the Hammond Common Council that this ordinance shall be in full force and effect from January 1st, 2015 and after its passage by the Common Council...” Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 11, 2014 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. Councilwoman Venecz - The reason for this is the towing contracts are going to be re-bid and this effective date of January 1st will give us time to accomplish that. Council President Opinker - Any discussion? Councilman Markovich - This says for police ordered tows, okay. So does that mean when people on the outside are towing other cars for other reasons, are they gonna apply these same fees, Kris? City Atty. Kantar - Police ordered tows are, in the simplest terms, a police ordered tow... let’s say my car is in my driveway and it won’t start and I call a tow truck. That rate is between me and the tow truck driver. However, let’s say somebody’s parked their car in a snow drift and left it there to the point is crusted over and they go and slap an orange sticker on there, those are police ordered tows. So it’s not just anytime a tow occurs in Hammond, it’s those that are police dispatched. Councilman Markovich - See, because some of these towing companies advertise $50 for a tow. City Atty. Kantar - Correct, that would be a private rate. Councilman Markovich - They’re not gonna go ahead and start jacking their fees up on everybody. City Atty. Kantar - That would be a private business decision. Whatever the market would bear. Councilman Higgs - Let’s go over the fees and how it relates to the increases. Regular towing/Flat bed Tow was initially $125, it will be $180. Service call previously was $75, will be $100. Inside storage per day it was $40, it will be $50. Outside storage per day was $30, will become $40. Oil dry was $35, will be $40. Wrecking was $60, now will be $75. Use of “Go Jack” equipment was $60, will be $70. Clean up was $30, will become $40. Tow of the city, police and fire vehicles, no charge. Councilwoman Venecz - I would like to correct the councilman. That is winching, not wrecking. ROLL CALL VOTE (amendment) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 AMENDMENT ADOPTED ROLL CALL VOTE (as amended) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9259 PASSED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 11, 2014 INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES None RESOLUTIONS 14R-22 A Declaratory Resolution of the Hammond City Council Designating That a Certain Area of the City of Hammond, Indiana Be Established as an Economic Revitalization Area to Which Deductions from Assessed Value May Be Requested by an Applicant to the Common Council of the City of Hammond Pursuant to Indiana Code 6-1.1-12.1 Councilman Uylaki, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for adoption. Councilman Higgs - Can you give me some clarity how exactly this is gonna be allocated? Africa Tarver, Director of Economic Development - This is the first step for a company to apply for a tax abatement. Munster Steel will be applying for a personal property tax abatement and the first step for a property to be eligible or personal property to be eligible is the area that they are located in has to be designated and economic revitalization area. So this is the first step. They’ll still have to go before you for another ordinance and a resolution, as well as the statement of benefits. But this is a preliminary step. Councilman Higgs - Do you have a general idea of how many jobs this company is planning on? Ms. Tarver - We have representatives from Munster Steel here. Would you like the current employee count or proposed? Councilman Higgs - If they are planning on hiring Hammond residents in the future or hiring more residents. A general idea, that’s all. Munster Steel representative - We currently employ approximately 40 people, which will be relocating to Hammond in the next six to eight weeks. We plan on hiring about seven more in the next three years. Councilman Higgs - Africa, what’s the total amount of the investment? Munster Steel representative - The total investment or the investment of the new equipment? Councilman Higgs - Total investment. I know that you get tax breaks on the new equipment, am I correct? Munster Steel representative - Correct. Councilman Higgs - And what’s the total investment? Munster Steel Representative - Approximately $9 million. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 11, 2014 RESOLUTIONS cont. Councilman Higgs - What’s the starting salaries for these jobs in your company? Munster Steel Representative - Average salary is about $40 thousand a year plus benefits. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION R22 ADOPTED NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 14-25 INTENT TO CONSIDER - Zoning - Amendment to a Preliminary Plan of PUD for Douglas Pointe and a Planned Unit Development District Ordinance for Parcel E located at the Northwest Corner of Hyles Blvd. and Sohl Avenue Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for passage. Councilman Higgs - The only thing I have to say in regards to this particular project, I think it’s gonna be a great investment in our city. Not only that I would hope in the near future there are other projects of such nature that take place in the 3rd District as well as in our city. 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. 9260 PASSED Councilwoman Venecz - For those who are interested in doing good in your neighborhood and finding out what is going on in our city, I’d like to read a list of the community and crime watch meetings that are coming up. Columbia C.W. Mon., Aug. 18 Columbia School 6:30 p.m. E. Ham’d Pullman C.W. Tues., Aug. 19 Ophelia Steen Ctr 6:30 p.m. Hessville C.W. Thur., Aug. 21 Jean Shepherd Ctr 7:00 p.m. Lafayette Watch Wed., Aug. 20 Lafayette School 6:30 p.m. S. Ham’d C.W. Thur., Aug. 21 Ham’d Housing 7:00 p.m. Whtg/Roberts C.W. Thur., Aug. 14 Calumet College 6:30 p.m. For those who, as I said, are interested in knowing what’s going on in your neighborhood this an excellent opportunity for all of you to come and ask questions of the community policing officer who patrols your particular neighborhood. You can ask them discreetly about any occurrences that are happening in your neighborhood or any problem areas in your neighborhood. So I encourage everyone to come out. And that is how change happens, one gesture, one person, one moment at a time. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 11, 2014 Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to send a letter to several departments within the city. 230 Williams Street there’s a tree that needs to be picked up; 5948 Park Place there’s a Cut and Clean that needs to be taken place there where the weeds and grass are growing high; 10 Webb there also needs to be a Cut and Clean so I would hope the Inspectors would go out and inspect; 36 Carroll Street needs to be boarded up. 34 Carroll Street needs to be demo’d and the alley needs to be cleaned adjacent to that; 47 Mason, the front of the house is a lot of bags and weeds in front of there as well; the 100 block of Highland there is a large pot hole that needs to be repaired. Council President Opinker - Motion by Councilman Higgs, second by Councilman Hinojosa, to send a letter to all these different departments. Sounds like Code Enforcement, Street Department. Councilman Higgs - Board of Works. Council President Opinker - Board of Works. All those in favor? All opposed? AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: AUGUST 12, 2014 Councilman Higgs - I certainly want to send condolences to the Franks family as well as to the Smith family. Two families who I have known most of... my entire life actually. Pastor Franks had a church down the street from where I was born and raised on Morris, on the corner there. So I certainly want to send condolences to Mother Franks and to the Franks family in the loss of their child as well as their sister. Of course to the Smith family in the loss of Ms. Dolores Smith who also passed away. Councilman Markovich - One lady I’d like to talk about who has never been able to come to a council meeting, while I was on the council, was my mother. Tomorrow was her birthday and she would have been 100 years old, but she passed away 31 years ago. So I just want to make that for her. Councilman Higgs - I’d like to make an announcement as well again the Back to School Giveaway will be August 23 at MLK Park from 12 to 2. The kids are welcome throughout the city to come out and get school supplies so that they can have a very, very exciting school year. 13th Annual Back to School Giveaway. Thanks be onto God. PUBLIC EXPRESSION No one spoke. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 6 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 11, 2014 Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved to adjourn AYES: ALL Michael Opinker, President Hammond Common Council ATTEST: Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Minutes approved at the Common Council meeting of August 25, 2014. Time: 6:35 pm cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 7