City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL MARCH 23, 2015 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on March 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, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker ABSENT: None TOTAL: 9 READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Markovich, moved to accept the minutes from March 9, 2015 and Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to place the minutes of March 9, 2015 on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to approve the claims from March 4, 2015 to March 18, 2015. Claim # 1595 through claim #1905, inclusive. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Uylaki, Higgs, Emerson, Hinojosa, Opinker NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 CLAIMS APPROVED PUBLIC HEARINGS 15-05 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds from the Operating Balance for the Hammond Park Department 15-06 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds in the Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax Fund for the Hammond Park Department Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. MARCH 23, 2015 No one spoke. COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs read correspondence thanking the Hammond Common Council for their donation from Ms. Grey. COMMITTEE REPORTS Council as a Whole - Councilman Hinojosa - Brought out 15-05, 15-06 and 15-08. Community and Crime Watch Committee - Councilwoman Venecz - Wed., Apr. 1; Edison Community Watch; Edison School; 6:30 pm Tues., Mar. 31; Pulaski Park Neighborhood Assoc.; American Legion; 6:30 p.m. Thur., Apr. 9; Whiting Robertsdale C. W. - 6:30 p.m. - Calumet College The regularly scheduled meetings of Irving Community Watch and Edison Community Watch on the Road were scheduled for Good Friday and those have been cancelled. ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE 15-05 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds from the Operating Balance for the Hammond Park Department ($57,000.) Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved for passage. Councilwoman Venecz - This ordinance is to move $57 thousand from the Operating Balance to Special Events and Key and Clean Up Refunds. 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. 9288 PASSED 15-06 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds in the Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax Fund for the Hammond Park Department Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for passage. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. MARCH 23, 2015 Councilwoman Venecz - This will appropriate $28,777.17 from the Operating Balance Innkeepers Tax to the Hotel/Motel Fund. 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. 9289 PASSED ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. 15-08 An Ordinance Amending Ord. 5023, Amending Ord. 6042 and Amending Ord. 7402, also Known as Section 93.047 of the Hammond Municipal Code as it pertains to Reimbursement Charges for Hammond Fire Department Hazardous Material Spills Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved for passage. Councilman Hinojosa - Stated earlier, this is to update the fees. 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. 9290 PASSED INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES 15-10 Authorizing the City to Issue its Taxable Economic Development Revenue Bonds, Series 2015 (Gateways Area Project), and Approving other Action in respect thereto Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved the proposed ordinance to 1st and 2nd reading by title and referred it to the Council as a Whole Committee. AYES: ALL 15-11 To Amend Ord.’s 4109, 5039 and 4298, known as Sec.’s 121.35, 121.36, 121.37, 121.38, 121.39, 121.40 and 121.41 of the code as it pertains to Pet Shops Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved the proposed ordinance to 1st and 2nd reading by title and referred it to the Council as a whole Committee. AYES: ALL Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. MARCH 23, 2015 Councilwoman Venecz reads excerpts of 15-11. RESOLUTIONS None NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Hinojosa, moved to schedule a public hearing on 15-09 for the next council meeting on April 13, 2015. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs read correspondence regarding Legislators honoring the hosts of Veteran’s Affairs Radio Show. NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Hinojosa, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to Engineering to fix the traffic light on 171st and Kennedy so that you don’t have to wait for four minutes on 171st Street. LETTER SENT: March 24, 2015 Councilman Hinojosa moved to send a letter to the Sanitary District, the Water Department and the Port authority for copies of the registered checks for 2013 and 2014. Motion failed for lack of a second. PUBLIC EXPRESSION Adrianne Sargent - Thanked the council for taking the pet shop matter so seriously and working diligently. Would like the animal and breeder information disclosed before purchase. Mayor McDermott - Addressed Councilman Hinojosa’s complaint of the traffic light by entering it into the Hammond 311 App. Alvin Cheeks - Earl Harris raised me from a pup, so may he rest in peace. Has had large holdings in Hammond and is looking forward to the development in N. Hammond that will close out the last of the work that we done here. Looking forward to closing out the last of what I have in Hammond. I had an Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. MARCH 23, 2015 intruder so I encourage everyone to make sure they have their windows and stuff locked. Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL Michael Opinker, President ATTEST: Hammond Common Council Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Minutes approved at the Common Council meeting of April 13, 2015. Time: 6:25 pm cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5