City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL AUGUST 25, 2014 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on August 25, 2014 in the Hammond City Council Chambers. Council President Michael Opinker presided. Council Coordinator Carmen I. Balboa facilitated. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. Invocation by Councilman Higgs. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker ABSENT: None TOTAL: 9 PROCLAMATION of the Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of August 11, 2014 and place on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to approve the claims from August 6, 2014 through August 20, 2014. Claim #4195 through claim #4521, 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 14-23 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds in the Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax Fund for the Planning & Development Department No one spoke. COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs read correspondence from the Hammond Fire Department regarding Fire Prevention Event Donations. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 25, 2014 COMMITTEE REPORTS Council as a Whole Committee - Councilman Spitale - Brought out 14-23. ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE 14-23 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds in the Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax Fund for the Planning & Development Department Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, 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. 9261 PASSED INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES None RESOLUTIONS 14R-23 Appointing Victor Franco to the Hammond Economic Development Commission Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for adoption. Councilwoman Venecz - This resolution is to appoint Victor Franco to the vacancy on the Economic Development Commission. Councilman Markovich - Whose vacancy is up? Who is he replacing? Councilwoman Venecz - Belia Ybarra. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R23 ADOPTED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 25, 2014 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved to suspend the rules to consider 14R-24. AYES: ALL 14R-24 A Resolution Determining and Certifying to the Department of Local Government Finance the Adjustment to the 2015 Levy for the City of Hammond in Lake County, Indiana Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved for adoption. Councilman Spitale - Again, this is for inter-local agreement for consolidation of public safety answering points, which is the new 911. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R24 ADOPTED Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to return to the regular order of business. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs read correspondence from new Hammond resident regarding the Hammond Homebound Fund. Councilman Hinojosa - Back in our meeting I showed a video of the water running down my driveway from all the water that accumulates in the backyard of my neighbor from the berm. We’ve sent this letter before, over and over before. Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to Stan Dostatni to send a letter to the State on the repeated collapse on the Cline Avenue berm in back of 6639 Tennessee Avenue that leads to the 169th and Cline Avenue retention pond. After each rainfall water runs down driveway next door at 6635 Tennessee Avenue. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: AUGUST 26, 2014 Councilman Hinojosa - About a month and a half ago I signed, Pat Moore signed, to have approximately $59 thousand worth of swings for the kids at the park on 169th and the Cline Avenue Service Road. It doesn’t have a name of the park but they do call it No Name Park or Chico Park. I know we acquired this land years ago. Council President Opinker - Excuse me, councilman, isn’t that 173rd? Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 25, 2014 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Hinojosa - Yes, yes, 173rd and Cline Avenue Service Road. Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to Pat Moore and Mayor McDermott on the progress of the playground equipment approved and signed by Councilman Hinojosa, Pat Moore, and approved by the Board of Public Works a month and a half ago. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: AUGUST 26, 2014 Councilman Higgs - I wanted to personally thank my colleagues who came out and supported the annual Back to School Giveaway on Saturday. We were able to provide backpacks ..... all the kids within the city limits and I’m sure they appreciate it. Personally, I want to say thank you to Councilman Hinojosa and Councilman Markovich for your help as well as Ms. King, Ms. Harris, Ms. Ola Mae Smith, Ms. Cathy hall and all of those individuals who participated on Saturday to help that be a great success in the city. Thank you so much. Councilman Emerson - It’s been about 2 months, give or take, since we’ve had the new recycling carts from Republic. I’ve gotten 99% compliments from people in the 4th District utilizing them. The only slight problem has been the schedule is a little difficult to read. You have to kind of imagine the lines of the city going down if you’re green, or orange or whatever your route is. But I would encourage people to recycle. If for no other reason that was a private company.... if you don’t recycle, and some people still don’t, it can’t be made any easier. You’ve got a garbage can. You’ve got a recycling can. I’m assuming everyone takes their garbage out. The problem is people seem to think that it’s inconvenient to actually take the recycling... as we used to do it it was inconvenient in a way. Putting it in bins and carrying it out to the front if you have an alley. If you don’t do that though eventually the rates to cart our garbage complete with cans and bottles and plastic and paper will have to go further to a landfill, thus raising the price of what you pay to have your garbage removed. So it’s early on. Hopefully we’ll have some idea if people are actually doping it because it’s been made so much easier. So I’d just like to encourage people to do that if you haven’t done it. Thank you. Councilwoman Venecz - I’d like to announce some upcoming community and crime watch meetings: Wed., Sept. 3 Edison Community Watch Edison School 6:30 p.m. Thur., Sept. 4 Edison Community on the Road Golden Manor 6:00 p.m. Fri., Set. 5 Irving Community Watch Irving School 9:15 a.m. If anybody is interested in what’s going on in your neighborhood, if you have any questions of the community policing officers, I recommend that you attend one of these meetings because that is how change happens. One gesture, one person, one moment at a time. Councilwoman Venecz - The Northgate Church which is located at 2820 165th Street is having Jam Night on Friday night, Aug. 29th at 7:00 p.m. It is their 2nd Annual. I have not been before but it certainly sounds like it could be a lot of fun. So mark your calendar. Councilwoman Venecz - Mayor’s Night Out is this Wednesday. It gives everyone an opportunity to come out and ask the Mayor and any of the department heads any questions that you may have. It begins at 6:30. It will be at the Wolf Lake Pavilion. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 25, 2014 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Markovich - For the past three weeks there’s been a lot of sports going on on t.v. and there were some kids that is a suburb of Hammond. They’re over here north of us, it’s called Chicago and they have this team called Jackie Robinson West. And they won the United States World Series. I know a lot of us were watching it. They were professing it that a lot of the major league ball teams were watching it in the locker rooms while these kids were playing their heart out. Listening on the radio coming here that there was over 700 thousand viewers watching the Little League game on t.v. Which was five times more than what the people watch the Cubs and it was ten times more than the people watching the Sox. So it shows you that there is a lot of fun and excitement watching the Little League games. And I think what happened when the major leaguers went on strike a few years back that people thought that life was gonna end with baseball. But the little leagues have come out and that’s where it’s all at, these kids play from the heart. They’re doing it for free. They’re not getting paid. And it was an enjoyable thing for them to watch and they’re gonna have their big parade Wednesday. Councilwoman Venecz - I would like to elaborate on that just a little bit. I was so very impressed with those kids, their determination, and their focus, and their discipline. It was really quite impressive. But it brought me back to a conversation that I had had with a gentleman by the name of Ken Crandall who has a traveling team that’s over at what the old Edison Little League Field . Back in 1972, I did look this up, Hammond Edison Little League was at the World Series. They played Tai Pei and they ultimately lost. Ken Crandall has the old scoreboard that says 1972 U.S. Little League Champions. So, we do have a bit of history here in Hammond with that. Unfortunately we had the same outcome as the kids from Chicago. But it was great to watch the kids. Great to watch the involvement of the parents. As I said, the discipline of these children was just phenomenal and a true pleasure to watch, without the egos. Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Markovich, moved to send a letter to the City Controller’s office and the Park Department on the 2011 and the 2012 Festival of the Lakes Finance Reports. Councilman Markovich - Are you sure you don’t want the 2014? Councilman Hinojosa - Yes, Mr. President, I’m gonna include the 2014, even if they could bring it at the budget hearings. I’m sure they’re still working on them. Council President Opinker - What about 2013? Councilman Hinojosa - 2013 we already ahve. Council President Opinker - All in favor? All opposed? AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: AUGUST 26, 2014 PUBLIC EXPRESSION Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. AUGUST 25, 2014 None Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL Michael Opinker, President Hammond Common Council ATTEST: Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Minutes approved at the Hammond Common Council meeting of September 8, 2014. Time: 6:35 pm cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 6