City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL APRIL 10, 2017 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on April 10, 2017 in the Hammond City Council Chambers. Council President Janet Venecz presided. City Clerk Robert J. Golec facilitated. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. Invocation by Councilman Rakos ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz ABSENT: Higgs TOTAL: 8 READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of March 27, 2017 and place on file. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs is now present. APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to approve the claims from March 22, 2017 through April 5, 2017. Claim #2111 through claim #2361, inclusive. ROLL CALL VOTE (claims) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 CLAIMS APPROVED PUBLIC HEARINGS 17-08 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds in the Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax Fund for Economic Development Purposes No one spoke. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs read correspondence from Keith Smith of 1005 Bauer Street. A tree on the alley line fell on a vacant lot at 1004 Bauer and has been there since last summer. This is an eyesore and nuisance and needs to be removed. Councilman Torres read correspondence received from the Hammond Public Library. Requesting sponsorship for a few of their programs and a donation of $500. COMMITTEE REPORTS Finance Committee - Councilman Spitale - Brought out 17-08. Council as a Whole Committee - Councilman Woerpel - Brought out 17-09. Community and Crime Watch Committee - Councilwoman Venecz announced upcoming meetings: East Hammond Pullman; Tues., Apr. 18; Ophelia Steen Center; 6:30 p.m. Edison Community Watch on the Road; Golden Manor Senior Apt.; Fri., Apr. 21; 1 p.m. Hessville C.W.; Thur., Apr. 20; Jean Shepherd Center; 7 p.m. Lafayette Neighborhood Watch; Wed., Apr. 19; Lafayette School; 6:30 p.m. S. Hammond C.W.; Thur., Apr. 20; Hammond Housing Authority; 7 p.m. Whiting/Robertsdale C.W.; Thur., Apr. 20; 6:30 p.m. Columbia Crime Watch; Wed., Apr. 12; 6 p.m.; Columbia School ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE 17-08 An Ordinance to Appropriate Funds in the Hotel/Motel Innkeepers Tax Fund for Economic Development Purposes Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Woerpel, moved for passage. Councilman Spitale - Hammond Economic Development Department are requesting $18,293.51 for Marketing expenses for this year. The funds are also used for training, advertisement material, and promotional events. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9372 PASSED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. 17-09 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance Numbers 4793,516, 8553, 8576 also known as Section 99.26 of the Hammond Municipal Code, pertaining to Park Permits for Events Councilman Woerpel, supported by Councilman Rakos, moved for passage. Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Torres, moved to amend that a public hearing be held at the next council meeting on April 24, 2017 so the public can come and voice their opinions on this and find out exactly what’s going on with this Park Department. Councilman Markovich - You just gave several crime watch program meetings and at the end of your comments you made the comment that the community is not about me it’s about us. So, we’re voting on an ordinance for to allow alcohol in the parks so four members on the Park Department should not be making that decision. We have the responsibility as City Councilmen to make that responsibility because we’re in charge of that. We make the ordinances here. We represent the people. Like I said, you made the comment that community is not about me it’s about us. So that’s why I’m asking that we have a public hearing on April 24th, like I stated, so that everybody here in the city can come forth. Let the Mothers Against Drunk Driving come forth, see what they think about selling alcohol in our parks, and anybody else that might have had a kid get hit by a drunk driver or a family member that was hit by a drunk driver. Let’s open it up to the public. Let’s open it up to the community and go from there. I mean, there’s no rush on this. You know, let’s bring it out to the public. Let’s transparency. There really wasn’t too much brought out about this until Sunday’s paper, article in the paper. I mean yes it was talked about at the last council meeting. There wasn’t anything in the newspaper, but Sunday morning it came out. Like I asked questions in the caucus, you know, Anthony Spangler, I mean, who is this guy. I mean, he needs to come before the council and introduce himself and let us know what’s going on there. If he’s in charge of the team, or the manager, or whatever. Some of the people out there that’s lived here in Hammond for a long time, you could remember how that road along the south end of Riverside Park used to be open and what’s the reason why they closed it?: Because everybody was sitting back there in their cars and drinking. That’s why they closed that road. So nobody could go park along Riverside Road and park there and drink. Another case in point. Councilman Kalwinski can relate to this. We used to have an opening at Forsythe Park at 117th Street, right in the middle of the park. Well what would happen is when somebody would be caught doing something out there or drinking or whatever. Cops would come in one end but you’d have to have to have three squad cars there to catch whoever was damaging the property or anything in that respect. So, the Park Department or the Port Authority decided to close 117th Street. Now there’s one way in and one way out, or basically you come in, you go out the other way. Because that’s a one way. So that’s another case in point. You know, why we trying to control vandalism in the parks in that respect. So, you know, I’m just asking for the public hearing and then like Councilwoman Venecz says, it’s not about her, or me, or anyone of these council, it’s about community. So let’s give the community a chance to voice their opinion. We had one lady, Laurie, who stated her reasons in the caucus and whether we’re gonna ... she might get a chance to get up again under Public Expression, but possibly this ordinance will be done and over with then. But that’s all I’m asking. We’re here to represent the people. We’re not here to represent ourselves and that would be the best thing to do. Bring it out on the floor front. Show that there’s transparency. It’s not a done deal, like it was accused of me in the caucus that I said it was a done deal. Well, if it’s not a done deal let’s open up to the public then. Let’s prove me wrong then. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. Councilman Woerpel - If the councilman would like to amend that motion to suspend the rules and hear from the public now, I’m willing to do that. Councilman Markovich - I made a motion for the 24th. You can either vote it up or vote it down. I’ve given my reasons, now if there’s eight other councilmen here, if they want to speak in favor of or against a public hearing, representing their constituents I welcome them to say something then. ROLL CALL VOTE (amendment for public hearing) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Venecz NAYS: Woerpel, Rakos ABSENT: None Motion carried 7/2/0 AMENDMENT ADOPTED Council President Venecz - There is a motion on the floor for final passage of 17-09. Councilman Rakos, do you want to rescind your second? Councilman Rakos - No. Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to table since there will be a public hearing on the 24th. Refer back to Council as a Whole. Council President Venecz - Clerk Golec, what do I do? There are two motions on the floor. City Clerk Golec - Motion to table is always in order. Council President Venecz - Motion top table 17-09 to April 24th. Clerk Golec, roll call vote. ROLL CALL VOTE (table) AYES: Markovich, Kalwinski, Higgs NAYS: Spitale, Torres, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz ABSENT: Motion failed 3/6/0 MOTION FAILED Councilman Markovich - We’re scheduling a public hearing on the 24th , why would you take action on it tonight? Councilman Woerpel - We just did that with the abatement that we’re having that we are now going to schedule a public hearing for in New and Unfinished Business tonight. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. Councilman Markovich moved to refer 17-09 back to Council as a Whole. Councilman Higgs - Point of order, the original motion has been already made so now we need to actually vote on 17-09, which we already voted to have a public hearing at the next council meeting, which makes no sense to me why we’re voting on something that we’re having a public hearing at the next council meeting. So, can somebody please help me understand where we’re at here with this. Council President Venecz - Where we are is there is a motion on the floor for final passage of 17-09. City Clerk Golec - There was a motion to refer it back to Council as a Whole. Council President Venecz - I’m so confused. Okay, so motion to refer to Council as a Whole. Is there a second on the motion? Councilman Woerpel - Can we have a discussion when there’s no second? Councilman Higgs - Second. Council President Venecz - Okay, so we have a motion to refer to Council as a Whole. Any discussion? Councilman Higgs - I thought it was already with the Council as a Whole. So then we voted to actually have a public hearing on this motion at the next council meeting. But then we refer it back to voting on the motion that’s on the floor. Council President Venecz - Well, we’re just rolling with the way the votes fell. Councilman Woerpel - It is my understanding that we are now going to vote on 17-09 with the amendment that there will be a public hearing on April 24th on it. Council President Venecz - Correct, but this ordinance has been amended that if it passes tonight there’ll be an amendment on it that there’s a public hearing on April 24th. That’s what we are voting on now, correct? Council President Venecz - That is correct. Well, no. What we are voting on now is the motion to refer to Council as a Whole. Which we just had a Council as a Whole this evening. So, Clerk Golec, roll call on the motion to refer to Council as a Whole. ROLL CALL VOTE (refer back to Council as a Whole) AYES: Markovich, Kalwinski, Higgs, Emerson NAYS: Spitale, Torres, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz ABSENT: Motion failed 4/5/0 MOTION FAILED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. Councilman Markovich - If we voted to have a public hearing on the 24th that would be the same night after you have the public hearing that you would do final passage and adoption of 17-09. If you’re gonna go ahead and vote on 17-09 with the amendment the question would be to our attorney, are we passing this ordinance tonight then with a public hearing after the fact? That would be the question. Councilman Woerpel - If we vote on this and we vote no, then there is no public hearing on the 24th because that’s what the amendment says. He’s the one that amended it. Nobody else did. Councilman Markovich - Yeah, but the amendment passed. Councilman Woerpel - Okay, and then you tried to table it and that didn’t pass. So now we’re voting on the motion. Councilman Markovich - I’m just trying to clarify everything here so we don’t get into trouble later on and bad publicity that why would you pass an ordinance ahead of time before you just voted for a public hearing? Council President Venecz - I think we already have the bad publicity. So, we have a motion on the floor for final passage of 17-09. Any discussion? Councilman Markovich - We’re still planning on having the public hearing on the 24th? Council President Venecz - That’s the way the vote went. Councilman Markovich - That’s what I’m trying to explain to you. Council President Venecz - Well, you tell me how to rectify this. Councilman Markovich - I made a motion to table. Council President Venecz - And it failed. Councilman Markovich - I made a motion to send it back to the Council as a Whole. Council President Venecz - And it failed. Councilman Markovich - Nobody understands, I think, what’s going on because why would you vote on it if you’re still gonna have a public hearing with it. Why would you vote it up or down now when you’re gonna have a public hearing? The only way this is gonna work is if you vote yes to pass this ordinance, 17-09, because you got an amendment of a public hearing. That’s why I gave us the opportunity to forward it back to the Council as a Whole or to table it, and then you can bring it out after the public hearing. That’s the way it works when you pass an ordinance. That’s why I’m trying to help everybody out. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 6 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. Councilman Higgs - To rectify it, what Councilman Markovich would need to do is rescind his amendment of 17-09 and take it out of the ordinance. That would be the only thing to rectify. Councilman Markovich - No, because then they’d pass it tonight. There’s nothing to rectify. Councilman Higgs - That would be the only way. I wasn’t here for the last meeting due to family emergency, but I guess this all started then so I see it’s ongoing. This issues with these liquor licenses. But the reality of it is it makes no sense to pass 17-09 with an amendment in it with a public hearing. It’s a disaster. Councilman Spitale - What does out attorney have to say about the situation, please? Council Atty. Berger - I agree it doesn’t make sense but I think the council can do it even though it doesn’t make sense. Council President Venecz - I would entertain a motion to put this on the table until later in the meeting. Councilman Woerpel - I made a motion, I guess, at the wrong time. Let’s suspend the rules, the public’s here, let them come up and speak and then we can. Councilman Rakos - Second. Councilman Markovich - We already passed an amendment to have a public hearing on the 24th. That’s already stated. That’s been voted on and passed. The reason being is like I stated, there wasn’t anything in the newspaper until Sunday’s paper when they said, “Beer coming to Riverside Park”. People don’t know about it. They didn’t know that there was going to be a council meeting tonight that’s gonna handle this. The Council person’s here in their all wisdom decided to have a public hearing on the 24th, and that’s what we’re doing. Then after you have the public’s input that’s when you would vote on it. Take it out of committee and then vote on it, up or down, whatever you want to do. But at least you want to give the community and the constituents the chance to go ahead and voice their opinion on it. Council President Venecz - We are trying to unravel this quagmire and Councilman Woerpel made a motion to Suspend the Rules to allow for the public to speak. There was a second by Councilman Rakos. We are voting on that now. Councilman Higgs - Point of Order. I was not allowed to finish discussion. Again, as I stated previously, it makes no sense to vote on an ordinance tonight that we’ve already amended in to have a public hearing. It makes us look like fools. ROLL CALL VOTE (suspend rules to allow public to speak on 17-09) AYES: Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: Markovich, Higgs ABSENT: None Motion carried 7/0/2 RULES SUSPENDED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 7 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. The following spoke on 7-09: Laurie Czulno Mary Ellen Slazyk Humberto Prado David Sutkowski Matt Mamula George Stoya Councilman Woerpel, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to return to the regular order of business. AYES: ALL Councilman Woerpel - Five people just spoke. Three of them just said that they’re not opposed to a beer here or a beer there and alcohol in a park. A group of people that got kicked out of Riverside Park are making it sound like this whole ordinance is about letting the Lakers serve alcohol in Riverside Park. This ordinance transfers the control to the Park Board to make the decision on whether or not they want to issue licenses just like the Port Authority Board sets the slip fees, the slip permits, the rates for the golf course, the green fees, all of that. When it comes to the Park Board, the Park Board has no say so. This ordinance can work in reverse, like I explained in caucus, when I was on the Park Board and we were made aware of this it came to a shock to us when Mark Heintz said if this guys wants to serve alcohol at Riverside Park you as a Park Board have no say so in this. All four of us on the Park Board were like, “Well, what if we didn’t want it?” That don’t matter. If the City Council says they can do it, they can do it. So what is the Park Board for? It’s there by state statute. This slight of hand, and anybody can get drunk anywhere, and the baseball players are gonna be drunk while they’re playing the game, that’s nice. This isn’t about Riverside Park. This is about, should the Park Board have the right to make a decision on whether or not alcohol is allowed in their parks? If we give them that right, every argument here, when the issue does come up, those meetings are posted in the paper and everything. They’re public meetings. You can go there and tell them what you’re telling us. All I’m saying is treat the Park Board the same way you do every other board in this city. You know, I hear people on the radio and on Facebook and this and that, talk about centralized government and there’s only one or two making all the decisions and we’re all puppets. I’m asking you, let them make the decision. They’re the ones that are charged with running the parks. Just like the Port Authority is charged with running the Port Authority. It’s no more complicated than that. You can confuse the issue because you lost your baseball field all you want to. It’s not the issue. The issue is should the Park Board have the right to issue permits like every other board does in this city. Councilman Torres - That was my point. We’re just giving the Park Board, from what I understand of the ordinance, the right for them to control the city parks like they do with everything else. They can refuse or they can grant. In the long run it’s excise is gonna be the one that gives you the license anyway. Myself, as a councilman, I got three city parks in my district, if we go with this ordinance by granting the park board, let them grant it. For whatever reason they abuse it or just give every John six pack a permit and then they go through excise and they get granted, we can come back to the Council because we still have privilege with that decision and even later on rescind this thing if it’s gonna cause that much commotion. I’ve been to parks where Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 8 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. Councilman Torres cont. - picnickers can get an alcohol permit and it seems to work out for them. But I’m sure they’re not gonna go crazy, the Park Board, I’ve been to a few meetings in the Park Board and they’re a responsible board. There’s some good members. All of them are responsible people that they’re gonna take case by case basis I assume. So, I don’t know what the commotion is. Councilman Emerson - You know I too have gone to some Park Board meetings, like Councilman Torres, and they are a good group. But I want to just go back several years ago. I was past commander of Post #168 American Legion Post in Hammond. Before I was commander, the Post history goes that we would have our annual picnic in August at Wicker Park and I always felt that was a bid odd. We had it there because you could serve beer at the annual American Legion picnic. So then one year before we were at Wicker Park we actually went to Cook County Illinois in Lansing, in another state and had our picnic because we couldn’t have it in Hammond. S I thought that was a bit odd. We then went to the Mohawk’s but we had to pay. Then we build the picnic grounds on State Street. We built that all. So, I thought I would share that bit. Last year my wife and I and some friends attended a softball game at Oil City Stadium in Whiting. Ironically, they were playing the Lakers. So I went to the concession stand and they not only had beer they had specialty beers. I thought that was interesting. So, you know, if anything it sounds a little bit, in that regard, we’re behind the game a little bit. So, in regards to other permits and requests, you know, a couple years ago we had somewhat of a debate over increasing the per meeting costs. It was $35 and we raised it to $200, as I recall, not for all committees but for a good deal of them. I thought that’s pretty good. When I want to make a home improvement I have to go to Code Enforcement, get a permit. When I want to have a garage sale, as was mentioned in caucus, you know, I have to go to Board of Works. When I want to have a block party I got to go to Board of Works. I don’t go to City Council. So I think in lieu of what we agreed to do a couple years ago, or maybe it was last year, we increased the per diem or whatever for people on these committees. I think at some point it’s an organizational culture thing that we need to trash them to make the right decision. If I had (unclear) every yard sale or someone wants to put a garage sale sign up and they put it on a post instead of in their yard on a wire. I don’t know. I mean, I’m not saying that I wouldn’t do it if this Council shows we have to do that and that then that’s fine. I wanted the job. But I think at some point you have to invest in the culture of the city and that’s the committees, that’s all these boards. You know, we complain, “Oh man, we got to give them a raise”, a couple years ago. So, alright, enough about that. So, lastly, we used to have a family reunion every year and this was mentioned, family picnic, and when the grandparents passed away, you know, that kind of died out. No pun intended. And we used to have it at Cal Park on the east side, and many of you know where that is. You could literally throw a stone from Cal Park and hit Hammond. One of the things my uncles used to complain about was they had to go to get the permit every year. You’d think it was a big deal. I remember as a kid them complaining about it. Where do think they had to go? The Chicago Parks and Recreation Department. They didn’t go to the City Council. I know we’re not Chicago but we’re a lot like Chicago. We’re the biggest city in Lake County. So that said, in closing, so it’s not the end of the world, the vote, we voted on ... it may seem like it to some people, I mean we voted on a lot of other (unclear) but I think it’s an opportunity for us to make (unclear) so I will support this ordinance (unclear) if it’s passed tonight. Councilman Higgs - (unclear) (tape malfunction) Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 9 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE cont. ROLL CALL VOTE (passage as amended) AYES: Spitale, Torres, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: Markovich, Kalwinski, Higgs ABSENT: None Motion carried 6/3/0 ORDINANCE NO. 9373 PASSED INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES None RESOLUTIONS 17R-13 Approving and Authorizing the Issuance and Sale of Revenue Bonds of the City of Hammond, Indiana, to Procure Funds to Finance Certain Projects Recommended by the Hammond Port Authority, Together with Expenses in Connection with the Issuance of the Bonds Councilman Kalwinski, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for adoption. Councilman Kalwinski - (unclear) (tape malfunction) Councilman Markovich - (unclear) (tape malfunction) and they’re giving us all the information, in that respect. Because they want to stay here. And they’ve been coming here time and time again probably for the last three months and I like I asked them tonight, “What are you coming back here for already? Now what?” You know, and here they are back again. But yet an $18 million bond thing, you know, all in one night, no information or anything. It’s like I stated earlier. I’ve been receiving calls. You know, Clark is the only school in the city of Hammond that does not have a baseball or football field next to its school. It’s two blocks away. Two blocks away and the kids don’t even want to park there or the teachers, but yet they want to park in the residential area and take up the parking places. Because they don’t even want to walk two blocks. Clark School to where, if and when they want to build this football field or baseball field is one mile away. Now are we gonna start running shuttle busses from Clark High School to take these kids to practice then. Hell, they don’t even want to practice during the wintertime in football when it’s 90 to 100 degrees because it’s too hot. You think they’re gonna want to walk another mile just to go practice. So, I mean, I’m not against this resolution but I think we should have a public hearing on it. Since we’re already having one on the 24th on the liquor license we probably should have one for the Port Authority. Let them in the meantime tell us what their projects are and tell us what they’re planning on doing. Show us some financial statistics. You know. Councilman Woerpel - I’ve only been here seven months, he’s been here a a hundred, you know full well, Councilman, that there are other boards that make decisions that have to come in front of us for approval. I believe it is the Economic Development Department, or something, they can pass something on their board and if we take no action on it it becomes law. To sit there and grandstand and act like everybody’s keeping everything in the dark and nobody knows nothing, nobody knows nothing, but they’re calling him left and right, but nobody knows nothing. We can play this game all night on every issue but you know exactly what you were saying. You make it seem like something’s trying to be hid here. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 10 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 RESOLUTIONS cont. Councilman Woerpel - Call for the vote. ROLL CALL VOTE (to call for the vote) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos NAYS: Venecz ABSENT: None Motion carried 8/1/0 MOTION CARRIED ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R13 ADOPTED NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilman Woerpel, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to have a public hearing on resolution 17R-12 on April 24, 2017. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs - I want to thank Home Depot and, of course, Commissioner Repay and the dumpster company for helping me with the clean up week from the 3rd to the 7th in the 3rd District. It was a huge success. I really, really, appreciate everyone participating and getting involved and thank you so much for helping to try to alleviate some of the clutter in the 3rd District. Thank you. Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to Anthony Spangler requesting that he appear at the next council meeting for the public hearing on April 24, 2017. Councilman Markovich - I would also copy that letter to the Park Department so that they know about it because they probably know how to get a hold of the Spangler guy whoever he is. City Clerk Golec - The Clerk will need an address. Councilman Markovich - Right, that’s what I’m saying, to get it to the Park Department too. City Clerk Golec - How do we cc the Park Department without an address going to Mr. Spangler? Councilman Markovich - Change that to the Anthony Spangler and to the Hammond Park Board requesting that Mr. Spangler appear and that the Clerk get the address and all the necessary information from the Park Department for Mr. Spangler. I so move. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 11 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. ROLL CALL VOTE (send letter) AYES: Markovich, Torres, Higgs NAYS: Kalwinski, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz ABSENT: Spitale Motion failed 3/5/1 MOTION FAILED Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Markovich, moved to send a letter to Public Works and to Gary Gleason in regards to the guard rail at State Line and Wildwood. There’s no need for it to be sitting there and so they can remove it and probably use it in a better location. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: APRIL 11, 2017 Councilman Rakos - I came into the office today, our secretary Debbie Jimenez is still not been able to come back yet and I wish her the best, and thank Susan Stafford for filling in and getting us these packets together including minutes from the various boards, including Port Authority and Park Department. Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Woerpel, moved to send a letter to Code Enforcement in regards to 410 and 412 Detroit and Washington Street. There’s a dumpster but they keep putting all kinds of debris in the back of there where this apartment complex is and for some reason or another it hasn’t been picked up. I spoke with Tim and he seems to think that they are going to court but for some reason or another it still has not been picked up. So I would like a letter sent to Gary Gleason and also Public Works in regards to that. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: APRIL 11, 2017 Councilman Emerson - I just want to mention the 4th District we had our first good citizen award, presented to Sarah Foster, Thursday night. The president was there. I’ll just read the plaque. “In recognition for going the extra mile in service to the people in the 4th District of the city of Hammond. Presented this day of April, 2017". Sarah is retiring. She was, among other things, I won’t take a lot of time, the Indi-Illi Crime Watch person that spearheaded that and she .... it’s got a new name now but at any rate, I just wanted to mention that. Council President Venecz - And I do believe she headed up that Crime Watch for over 10 years. Councilman Markovich - I’d like to have our attorney issue a subpoena for Anthony Spangler to appear at the next City Council meeting on April 24th for the public hearing. Council Atty. Berger - The council can issue subpoenas if it’s investigating something. I don’t know of any investigation that would call for the subpoena. Councilman Kalwinski - I’d like to thank Carl Woodridge and the DNR. They came out last week to cut the dead trees along the channel at Calumet Avenue from Cline Avenue going south to about Canal. They into an Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 12 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Kalwinski cont. - agreement with BP and myself last year to get some new plantings of trees and bushes along the perimeter of BP property and they stepped forward. They didn’t have to take down the trees that were dead but they did come out to do that last week and I think they may still be there this week. There were upwards of sixty dead trees, there could be as many as a hundred, in that vicinity. So again, thank you to the DNR and Carl Woodridge for taking that responsibility up. Councilman Spitale - I’m gonna give you as much of the information that I can remember. There’s a young lady who is helping out the Veterans. I’m working with her, Councilwoman Venecz also, she made some Easter baskets for the veterans. The address was what I was asking Councilman Higgs, it’s on Harrison ... Councilman Higgs - The only barbershop that I know of that’s on Conkey that currently exists is on Harrison and Conkey. On the corner. Councilman Spitale - The address I don’t have but it’s on Harrison and Conkey on the 15th from noon to about 4, there’s been 100 Easter baskets made out for the veterans. I’ll be there to help hand them out. I don’t know if we can get it onto the radio in time but I thought I’d just bring it up here today. Hopefully word will get out. Those of you that might be veterans or know some. It’s the first time trying it here. This lady was successful in doing it in other areas. She moved here to Hammond and wants to get it started. So hopefully we can make a go of this for the first time doing it. The money and proceeds were all from herself and hopefully I’ll see some veterans the on the 15th. Councilman Higgs - Who’s Got Game, East Hammond’s 13th Annual 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament will be sponsored by Councilman Higgs at Martin Luther King Park on Saturday, June 17th, 2017. Age groups from 10 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 18, and 19 and up. This is an annual event. I look forward to seeing you out there. We give out bikes to kids that come out there and we also have entertainment and it should be a fun filled day. I look forward to seeing you there. PUBLIC EXPRESSION Dave Sutkowski - As I understand it the public hearing on 17-09 will now be held after the ordinance was passed so people will still be able to speak even though the ordinance has been passed. Now, will the Park Department have a Public Expression period to discuss this issue? It was referred to that someone was here tonight from an organization who’s upset that after 25 years being on the baseball field were removed. Where you referring to me? Mary Ellen Slazyk - We’re not talking about a permit for a one day event, we’re talking about a long term thing here where they will be selling liquor for a profit. The Park Board is appointed. They aren’t supposed to represent the people, you are. That is foolish in my opinion. As well as having the public hearing after the fact. This is distressing. You passed the buck and the people will suffer for it. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 13 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. APRIL 10, 2017 PUBLIC EXPRESSION cont. Councilman Rakos, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL ________________________ Janet Venecz, President Hammond Common Council ATTEST: ________________________ Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Time: 7:35 pm cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 14