City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL FEBRUARY 23, 2015 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on February 23, 2015 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 Councilman Higgs. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker ABSENT: Spitale TOTAL: 8 READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to accept the minutes from February 9, 2015 and place on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to accept the claims from February 4, 2015 to February 18, 2015. Claim #920 through claim #1251, inclusive. Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to amend in claims: Claim #1252 Youngheim, Jeff Inspection $10,000. #1253 School City of Ham’d Robotics Common Council $ 100. ROLL CALL VOTE (amendment) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 CLAIMS AMENDED ROLL CALL VOTE (as amended) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 CLAIMS APPROVED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. FEBRUARY 23, 2015 PUBLIC HEARINGS 15-02 Vacat ing an 80 foot port ion of Sheffield Ave. lying bet ween 2704 Sheffield and 2340 Sheffield No one spoke. COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs read correspondence from Morton High School regarding Advanced Placement Student Conference on February 28, 2015 from 8 am to 3 pm. COMMITTEE REPORTS Council as a whole Committee - Councilman Hinojosa brought out 15-02. ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE 15-02 An Ordinance Vacating an 80 foot portion of Sheffield Ave. lying between 2704 Sheffield and 2340 Sheffield Avenue in the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved for final passage. Councilman Kalwinski - This is as the Clerk read, it’s a vacating of the old Sheffield Avenue where it ran and it is now tore up and part of park land at the new Wolf Lake extended park. So it’s important that we vacate the land and replat it in the near future, thank you. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9284 PASSED INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES 15-05 Appropriation - $57,000 - Hammond Park Department Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. FEBRUARY 23, 2015 Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved the proposed ordinance to 1st and 2nd reading by title, referred it to the Finance Committee with a Public Hearing set for March 23, 2015. AYES: ALL INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES cont. 15-06 Appropriation - $28,777.17 - Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax to the Hammond Park Department Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved the proposed ordinance to 1st and 2nd reading by title, referred it to the Finance Committee with a Public Hearing set for March 23, 2015. AYES: ALL 15-07 Designating the 1100 block of Merrill Street as “Honorary Arnold Ridgell, Sr. Street” Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved the proposed ordinance to 1st and 2nd reading by title and referred it to the Council as a whole Committee. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs - At the last meeting I stated that I would be honoring a couple of people within my district and one is Mr. Ridgell who is one of the founding members of the Disability Commission here in Hammond and as the council meeting goes on in the end we’ll read the ordinance in its entirety. RESOLUTIONS 15R-04 Recommending an Amendment to the City of Hammond Arboricultural Specifications Manual Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved for adoption. Councilman Kalwinski - It’s been a couple decades since our tree ordinance has been updated and given the rash of devastation on the ash borer phenomena it makes sense to update our tree ordinance to make sure that the trees that are suitable for planting get listed on the ordinance and the ones that are not get listed on the ordinance as well and this is that recommendation to do that. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. FEBRUARY 23, 2015 NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 RESOLUTION R04 ADOPTED NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Markovich, moved to suspend the rules to consider the passage of 15-07. 15-07 An Ordinance Designating the 1100 block of Merrill Street as “Honorary Arnold Ridgell, Sr. Street” Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved for passage. Clerk Golec reads the ordinance in its entirety. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Markovich - He mentioned that Arnold came in 1968. I graduated from Tech in ‘69 and went to Purdue from ‘69 to ‘73 and I can remember Arnold with his bandana and his hat on in his wheelchair and it was a pleasure to meet him and work with him. He was a feisty guy and you know what, there’s an offspring here in the audience and she’s just as feisty as her father was. I’d just like to mention that. Thank you. Councilman Emerson - You know, as a veteran and a veteran that attended college, after reading the ordinance I would totally would like to help honor by co-sponsoring this ordinance if I could. Councilman Higgs - Thank you, Councilman Emerson. Councilman Markovich - I’d make a recommendation we put all city council members as sponsors of this ordinance. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9285 PASSED Councilman Higgs - We also have a proclamation that I would like to read. Councilman Higgs and Councilman Markovich read a proclamation honoring Leo Harwell. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. FEBRUARY 23, 2015 ROLL CALL VOTE (proclamation) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 MOTION CARRIED Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to return to the regular order of business. Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to create a special committee for Community and Crime Watch. Councilwoman Venecz - As you know, I’m very involved in the community and crime watch groups here in the city of Hammond an having a special committee would allow me to make the crime watch announcements without the announcements getting mixed up with the business that’s conducted under New and Unfinished Business. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. ROLL CALL VOTE (Community and Crime Watch Committee) AYES: Markovich, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: Spitale Motion carried 8/1/0 COMMITTEE FOR COMMUNITY AND CRIME WATCH APPROVED Councilwoman Venecz - And as I do at every meeting I would like to announce all of the community and crime watch meetings that are coming up before our next council meeting for those who wish to do good in their community and know what’s going on in their neighborhood. Coming up on Friday, March 6th, Irving Community Watch will meet at Irving School, 9:15 am. Wed., Feb. 25, Jefferson Crime Watch will meet at Jefferson School at 6:30 pm. Wed., Mar. 4th , Edison Community Watch will meet at Edison School at 6:30 pm. Edison community Watch on the Road will meet Fri., Mar. 6th , 1 pm. at the Golden Manor Senior Apartments. Pulaski Park Neighborhood Association will meet Tues., Feb. 24th at the American Legion on Gostlin. And that is how change happens, one gesture, one person, one moment at a time. Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to send a letter to the Street Department Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. FEBRUARY 23, 2015 in reference the honorary sign. I’d just like to know the date of them posting the sign so we can try to arrange to have some type of ceremony when the signs are posted on Merrill Street. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: FEBRUARY 24, 2015 Councilman Emerson - Yesterday morning, Sunday, I received a early morning phone call from a former Legion member who said that Mr. Clyde Colgrove passed away yesterday morning. The reason I think it’s germane to our meeting is he was very active in Hammond with the American Legion. Active with the Department of Indiana. Started a scholarship at Post #168 for one boy and one girl that we ran for several years. It was his main idea of many that he did at the regional level and the state of Indiana for the Legion the district level, and even further back if it weren’t per him, as he told me with our Clerk Golec who wasn’t Clerk back then, in Hessville, fighting to keep Miller School open. Apparently at that time, I don’t know if it was budget problems, I don’t know why but they were threatening to close the school so he went around to the neighborhood and really worked to keep it open. So I just wanted to pass that on here. He spent a long time helping people and it happened rather suddenly but, you know, it’s not a given that we’re here. So, the wake is at Smits Funeral Home. I’m sure it will be in the paper Thursday and the ceremony on the following day, Friday, at Post #180 in Highland. So, thank you. Councilman Higgs - Councilman Emerson, how many years have they been in business here in Hammond? Councilman Emerson - Has who been in business, Councilman? Councilman Higgs - Didn’t you speak on terms of Mr. Korellis who passed away? NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Emerson - No. It was Clyde Colgrove. Councilman Higgs - Well let me send my condolences to the Korellis family. Mr. Korellis passed away and I know they’ve had a roofing business here in Hammond for a number of years so I certainly want to send my condolences to their entire family. City Clerk Golec - I would just like to add some words what Councilman Emerson talked about, Mr. Colgrove. We had fought the closing of Miller School at that time and he along with myself and two other homeowners put up the equity in our homes to guarantee the attorneys that they would receive their pay which came to at the end of that a little over $17 thousand. So that’s how committed he was in believing Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 6 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. FEBRUARY 23, 2015 in his community that he would put up the equity in his house to fight for what we thought was the right thing for the kids in our area. PUBLIC EXPRESSION Adrianne Sargent - Bringing awareness about a new pet shop called Hug a Pup. The owner informed me the reason she brought her business to Hammond was to escape a humane ordinance set to go into effect in Chicago where she currently has another puppy store. Her puppies come from her own dogs and her Amish friends, non regulated breeders, and other friends. Basically puppy mills and back yard breeders. Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL Michael Opinker, President ATTEST: Hammond Common Council Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Minutes approved at the council meeting of March 9, 2015. Time: 6:30 pm cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 7