City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL JUNE 11, 2018 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on June 11, 2018 in the Hammond City Council Chambers. Council President Janet Venecz presided. Council Coordinator Carmen I. Balboa facilitated. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. Invocation by Councilwoman Venecz. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz ABSENT: None TOTAL: 9 READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of May 29, 2018 and place on file. AYES: ALL Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to suspend the rules to introduce 18R-30. ROLL CALL VOTE (suspension of rules) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RULES SUSPENDED 18R-30 Resolution Recognizing and Honoring Lauren Alyssa Calvillo and Designating the 5500 Block of Beall Avenue as “Honorary Lauren Alyssa Calvillo Memorial Avenue” Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved for adoption. Councilman Torres - This is a resolution, of course, honoring Lauren Alyssa Calvillo. Excuse me if I get a little emotional. But, she was murdered in the 5500 block of Beall Street while protecting and shielding some children. Guiding them, scurrying them, into the house. The council unanimously asked to be the sponsor, so I ask them to please vote yes on this. Let me just say, if I may, first of all the family is here and it is just amazing the kind of love that Lauren has generated in the three years now since she has fallen. But I find it also amazing that such a person at a young age was so courageous to have the sense of mind to react the way she did. You know it’s only common sense that when you hear gun fire you run for cover or duck and hide. Then after that you assess the situation and react accordingly. I know first responders, people in the military, that’s how they’re trained to do. But not Lauren, she just covered those kids up. I could just see her frantically scurrying them into the house. She sacrificed her life for this purpose. No hours of training, she had no hours of training, she just did Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 SUSPENSION OF RULES cont. Councilman Torres cont. - it naturally. I never met Lauren until that day at the wake. But at that funeral she looked so peaceful and calm. She just had a smile on her that I noticed. Like a satisfaction. I smile that you might refer to that of the Mona Lisa. Where it just said that at least the kids are safe. You know we have about nine honor streets in the city of Hammond and I know that all of them are worthy for the contribution or deed they did for the city, but none of them ... well, let me just say that Lauren is just as worthy for sacrificing the ultimate price, her life. So, with that I just ask my colleagues to vote unanimously to pass this resolution. Thank you. Councilman Higgs - First of all, I would like to send my condolences to the family in the loss of your beloved one. I would like to have that resolution read in its entirety if we could. Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Woerpel, moved to add the entire council as sponsors. AYES: ALL Council Coordinator read the resolution in its entirety. 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. R30 ADOPTED Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to open the floor to the family to speak. Family members spoke. Councilman Torres, supported Councilman Higgs, moved to return to the regular order of business. AYES: ALL Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved for a five minute recess to allow the family to decide if they would like to stick around or leave. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Rakos, moved to return to the regular order of business. AYES: ALL Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to approve the claims from May 23, 2018 through June 6, 2018. Claim #3259 through claim #3477, inclusive. ROLL CALL VOTE (claims) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 CLAIMS APPROVED PUBLIC HEARINGS R17 A Declaratory Resolution of the Hammond City Council Designating that a Certain Area of the City of Hammond, Indiana be Established as the Oxbow No. 1 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 George Stoya - I’m not opposed to this. That’s probably because I don’t know enough about it. But I kind of, sort of, it just seems like I call it the Oxbow contradiction or paradox, which take your choice. Because it’s so odd that we’re trying to develop or create economic development and attract corporations, I guess, and other commercial ventures into Hammond and we’re doing it for the purposes of building our tax base or sustaining it, and yet they’re getting a get out of jail free card here and I guess we’re approving or whatever it is, promoting, that’s the word I’m looking for, deductions from the AV, or assessed value. I mean, I don’t know enough, I mean, we have the TIF’s going and you know, the improvements to that, the value to the improvements are taken off the tax rolls, what do we have left? I mean, I fear that there’s gonna be this big redistribution of the tax burden away from the commercial ventures to the homeowners or anybody else. It will be made up in fees, costs, who knows what. I just think it will be oppressive in the future. And so I just wondered if, you know, is there some sort of economic algorithm or something like that, that justifies. I mean we’ve got a few of these resolutions tonight it seems. And again, I’m not opposed to it, I just don’t know enough about it and being that you guys are such great public servants, I just wondered if there could be some explanation as to what’s going on because I’m in the dark. I venture to say half of the city, if not all of the city is in the dark and you guys keep that information to yourselves and, you know, I’m worried about 2020. I always worry about 2020. It means the big hammer, and when it comes down it’s gonna hurt. This city has survived one beating with the tax caps and I don’t know how we’re doing with that. I mean, that’s an ongoing process. So, If it’s gonna become compounded come 2020 when everything becomes absolute and all of the things outside of the cap are brought into the cap that’s gonna be something. So, I just don’t know how much are we giving away. Again, is there an algorithm to justify our payout at the end. What’s the time line on it, if any? Or is it just, I don’t know how to classify it, I call it like a paradox or a contradiction, maybe that’s just rhetoric. Anyways, so it goes. Councilman Woerpel - Just to answer your question, George, it’s not a get out of jail free card. It doesn’t matter the length of a tax abatement. We’re gonna collect half the taxes no matter what the length it we’re gonna Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 PUBLIC HEARINGS cont. Councilman Woerpel cont. - collect half the taxes over whatever period of time it is. We were collecting no taxes on that property because the city owned that property. There were no TIF dollars used, it’s my understanding there were no TIF dollars used to build that hotel. Phil Taillon, Chief of Staff - No. Not at all. So to answer Mr. Stoya’s question, I think it’s a fair question, by the way, I think it’s a legitimate question and a good one from a Hammond resident, in 2008, when the property at Oxbow Landing went up for sale is right at the same time that we had a little recession in the United States. I’m sure everybody remembers that very well. It was very difficult to get anybody to do any type of development of any kind throughout the entire city. Even the properties right off of the expressway, that have a huge traffic count going by on a very busy expressway. Hampton Inn was the first group to come in and actually purchase the property. They purchased it, they paid full price for it, just FYI. At the time that we had the discussion with them was the talk about, okay, we’ll potentially be prepared to give you a tax abatement because we need to start spurring development at this site, when nobody else was willing to come in and do anything. Now it took several years because the owner of the Hampton Inn could not get financing for his hotel. Banks stopped loaning money back in 2008 when the recession occurred, okay. So there was nothing going on for several years to the point where I remember that even the council was mad with our economic development team saying, “Hey, what’s going on over there?” It was nearly impossible to bring groups in. So at the time, to try and push the development forward we told Hampton Inn we’d be willing to support a potential tax abatement, but only if they used 100% Union Contractors. At the time the owners of the Hampton Inn sat down with the business trades manager and worked out a deal and made sure that all the Union Contractors were very supportive of this. Now when that happened, during that period before they started construction, BW3's then came to the table. They came to us and they also asked for an incentive. It was a TIF incentive at the time. We agreed to do it, because again, I don’t want to say we were desperate, but there was not a lot of activity going on. Like Councilman Woerpel just stated, zero percent of zero is zero. If there’s no taxes coming in, it doesn’t matter what you’re abating, you’re still getting zero. So at the time we did offer an incentive to Buffalo Wild Wings and they came in and started construction. That was right at the time where things started taking off. As soon as they started seeing some development occurring on that site, our phones started ringing a little bit. Then when we were going to folks and saying, “Hey, we’ve got this great site right off the expressway”, we started seeing that people were actually interested. The Buffalo Wild Wings bond that we used through that TIF incentive has already been paid off. Which just tells you that the increment that is coming in, in the Gateways Allocation Area, which is what we call it, is already doing very well and is able to pay off any debt that we potentially incur because we incentivized. The Byway Brewery received a very small incentive. I think it was somewhere in the range of $100,000. The reason for that was because there were soil issues with the ground. When the Riverpark Apartments were demolished some debris was left over. So they received a very small incentive. Holiday Inn Express received no incentive. They not only paid full price for the property, they paid above the average per acre price for that site. So as things moved forward, less incentives are needed. Because the way we look at incentives in the city of Hammond is, but for that incentive, this project will not occur. We do not go into a project and say, “Hey, we want to give you money. Will you accept it from us?” We go to them and say’ “What is it going to take to incentivize the project or what will it take but for us, our help, that this project will not move forward.” We put it on them to prove that to us, that it’s needed. Again, the second Oxbow Landing, the office complex that we have the ground breaking for tomorrow at 2 p.m., this is a perfect example. The last time Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 PUBLIC HEARINGS cont. Mr. Taillon cont. - we had an agreement with ATG, which is the group that’s constructing it, I believe we gave them an incentive of somewhere around $1.7 million for the $7.5 million project. The second time around they are building a mirror office building and they’re building four retail buildings alongside of it. And it’s the same exact incentive and again, there’s other factors that go into this. Partially because we support Union contractors and we want to get Union workers working, but also because sometimes to bring certain types of retail to our city we have to mitigate some of the risk that comes along with that. So, I want to be very clear with Mr. Stoya, and like I said, I think it’s a fair question, it’s a very good question. We’re not frivolous when we’re talking with groups about coming to Hammond. But, Hammond has different demographics than other cities in this area. Whether you want to say to the South of Lake County or whatever. If I was the Economic Development person in St. John I’ll bet you it’s a lot easier to sit in my office and let the phone ring and let people say you’re average income in this area is this high so we’re just gonna move in. It doesn’t work that way with Hammond. We have to work hard. We have to be aggressive . We have to be proactive to bring businesses in. It took us many years to get Starbucks to come to Hammond. BW3 said no for, I’ve been here ten years, they said no for the first five while I was here until we finally pushed them hard enough where they came in. Of course, they are very successful. They’re doing very well. But that’s how we approach it. We definitely don’t look at it like let’s just offer them anything and see what sticks. We look at the numbers. We see the increment that’s gonna be generated over a certain period of time. We basically tell ourselves or we try never, ever to go above 30% of what they’re gonna bring to the city and obviously we try and go a lot less than that if possible. Councilman Woerpel - I just wanted to reiterate, because I used to believe it too, that a tax abatement meant they’re paying no taxes and that’s just not true. If it’s a three year, a five year, or a ten year abatement, it averages out to about 50% of what you would have collected over that period of time. A TIF District, I know you asked a question about TIFing and the TIF Districts a couple weeks ago and it’s not like we don’t get that money. It’s just that money stays within that district. George Stoya spoke from the audience. Mr. Taillon - And the last thing I want to say is we built a fire station based on the increment that came in from the Gateway Allocation Area. We’re getting a new hockey ring in this area because of increment that’s coming in. When you talk about 2020, we’re gonna sell a bond, obviously that was approved for the Oxbow Landing new office complex and the hockey ring project. I mean, because of the increment that’s been generated now, I mean, I would suggest that these are going to be very easy to pay off . As the years go on, and these developments get on the tax rolls, more and more dollars are going to be coming in and then eventually you close the Allocation Area and all of those tax dollars then go to the normal process, which flow through the County and go to all the different taxing entities. So that’s how it’s supposed to work. And you do close the Allocation Area when it’s time to close the Allocation Area. Which we’ve done, I think, on three occasions at least since I’ve been here. Councilman Higgs - The question I had is in regards to George’s question for 2020, are you afraid that at that point all the responsibility will come on the taxpayers. Is that what you’re trying to say? George Stoya spoke from the audience. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs - Basically, it’s more so since the City Engineer is here I just wanted to make him aware that NIPSCO has been cutting trees down around my district. I don’t know what other districts. What happens once they cut the trees they leave the logs on the property of the property of the owners. So the city is not able to remove the tree logs from the property because it has to be in the parkway or not on their private property. So if somehow another you could convey that to NIPSCO, if they could possibly set the trees in a proper location so that the city could pick them up versus setting them on their property because once you cut a bunch of logs and put them back on their property most people can’t afford somebody to come cut them up. But what’s happening is NIPSCO is cutting them all and we had a bill for $79 thousand on the claims this evening in regards to a number... I don’t know if that was particularly it but I think the claim had something to do with the trees. Maybe so or maybe not, but what I’m trying to tell you is what’s happening is that they’re cutting the trees and they’re leaving the logs on people’s property. The problem is that people can’t afford to pay for someone to get the logs off their property. I understand, you know, they don’t want the trees to fall on the NIPSCO poles and cause an outage but if you’re gonna cut the logs at least have a way of taking them with you, not just leaving them on people’s property. So maybe you can somehow or another discuss it with them or who ever owns it, maybe it’s the tree company, I don’t know. But it’s my understanding, I’ve seen NIPSCO trucks and tree guys out there too, so maybe they’re working hand in hand. Maybe you could help with that so that it’s not an issue with people calling me all day and night saying, “They left logs on my property.” Because the city can’t go on their personal property and remove the logs. Council President Venecz - Is that a letter? Councilman Higgs - Yes. Council President Venecz - Is there a second? Councilman Torres - Second. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: JUNE 15, 2018 COMMITTEE REPORTS Community and Crime Watch Committee - Councilwoman Venecz - Announced upcoming meetings: Wed., June 13; Mt. Zion Pleasantview Plaza; Community Watch Meeting; 2 p.m. Tues.; June 19; East Hammond Pullman C.W.; Ophelia Steen Center; 6:30 p.m. Thur., June 21; Hessville C.W.; 7 p.m.; Jean Shepherd Center Thur.; June 21; South Hammond C.W.; Hammond Housing Bldg.; 7 p.m. Thur. June 14; Whiting/Robertsdale C.W.; Calumet College; 6:30 p.m. ORDINANCE 3rd READING - FINAL PASSAGE None Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 6 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES None RESOLUTIONS 18R-26 A Resolution of the Hammond City Council Confirming Resolution No. 18R-17 that Designated and Established a Certain Area of the City of Hammond, Indiana as an Economic Revitalization Area to which Deductions of 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 Woerpel, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved for adoption. Councilman Markovich - Can somebody explain where this area is and what’s involved in this? Councilman Woerpel - This is the Oxbow No. 1 Economic Revitalization Area. It’s the property Chief of Staff Taillon was talking about with the buildings a couple of minutes ago. It’s the Confirmatory Resolution of the abatement we’ve started. Councilman Higgs - Councilman Woerpel, how long has this been in existence? Councilman Woerpel - This is the first time this has been in my packet. I mean. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption of 18R-26) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R26 ADOPTED 18R-27 A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Hammond, Indiana Granting Waivers of Noncompliance Pursuant to Indiana Code 6-1.1-12.1-11.3 with respect to an Assessed Valuation Deduction (Tax Abatement) for the Tangible Real Property of Hammond Hospitality, Lcc (D/B/A Hampton Inn and Suites) Councilman Woerpel, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved for adoption. Councilman Woerpel, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to amend in 18R-27A in its entirety. There are a few changes in the actual wording of it. Councilman Higgs - What are we amending in from the previous one? Councilman Woerpel - Under Statement of Benefits, that identified real property improvements and instead of that it says, “ attached hereto as attachment A”. It would be in the, “Whereas, Hammond Hospitality LLC” down Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 7 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 RESOLUTIONS cont. Councilman Woerpel cont. - here. Then Attachment A is provided in the new document. Then in the back on page four or five, the line, “the City Council grants an assessed valuation deduction (Tax Abatement) from eligible and qualified tangible real property improvements with an abatement schedule and the abatement percentages provided below pursuant Section17(b) of the Act consistent with the above abatement period as it relates to the Project”, and then the abatement period schedule is attached that shows the graduated abatement that averages out to 50% of the taxes they would have paid over the 10 year period. Then the part where it says, “Be it further resolved”, right after the part of, “in a letter date May 31, 2018 to the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development”, the words, “attached hereto as Exhibit A” were added in. ROLL CALL VOTE (amending in 18R-27A) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 AMENDMENT ADOPTED ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption as amended) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R27 ADOPTED (as amended) 18R-28 A Resolution of the Hammond City Council Approving Certain Form CF-1s as Filed with the Common Council of the City of Hammond as the Designating Body by Applicants Previously Approved for Economic Revitalization Area Deductions from Assessed Value, Pursuant to Indiana Code 6-1.1-12.1 Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Woerpel, moved for adoption. Councilman Markovich - I would appreciate if Africa Tarver would come to the podium and introduce all four of the companies that are coming here asking for these tax abatements and just introduce themselves and who they are and what they are. Maybe give the taxpayers a little bit about what their business is and what they do here. This is the first time that this is being done with the CF1's, publicly. In the past they were just being filed and there was no follow up. So this is the first time it’s coming before the City Council for these companies to come before the council for approval. In the past it was just filed but there was no approval by the City Council as far as these CF1 forms. You just filed them with the office and that was it. Africa Tarver, Director of Planning & Development - No, actually they came before you last year and we have some people that are repeating that came before last year. Councilman Markovich - I stand corrected. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 8 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 RESOLUTIONS cont. Council President Venecz - So, Councilman, are you making a motion to suspend the rules? Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to suspend the rules to allow Africa Tarver, Director of Planning & Development, to speak. AYES: ALL Ms. Tarver - Today you have four companies that are here. They are here as part of the compliance for their approval, for your approval for the compliance form. These companies have received an assessed valuation deduction, commonly known as a tax abatement, for improvements that were done to their property. One of the conditions is that they annually have to come before the council. They have to complete a compliance form that basically says that they are in compliance to the statement of benefit forms which you approved for the assessed valuation deduction, or an abatement. The companies that you have before you tonight, and I’ll ask that they come forward, I feel that they can best do justice to tell you what their companies do: Munster Steel represented by Jean Robbins Krosan Development represented by Don Santacaterina Korellis Roofing represented by Brian Enright American Stair Corp. represented by Peter Fitzsimmons Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to return to the regular order of business. AYES: ALL ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption of 18R-28) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R28 ADOPTED 18R-29 Resolution Authorizing the Hammond Fire Department to Apply for a 2018 State of Indiana Administered Federal Grant From the State Homeland Security Program (Shsp) Councilman Rakos, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved for adoption. Councilman Rakos - This is a $30 thousand reimbursable grant sought for the purposes of preparing Active Shooter Response Kits to enable the Fire Department to place these kits on every department vehicle. You need to pass this resolution so that they can apply to get the money back from the Federal Government or State Government. They are already using their own money to get the equipment and then they are gonna apply for the grant. ROLL CALL VOTE (adoption of 18R-29) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 RESOLUTION NO. R29 ADOPTED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 9 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Torres, moved to send a letter to Code Enforcement in regards to 936 Conkey Street. The property has been abandoned for a number of years and hasn’t...I haven’t seen it on the demo list to be torn down so I’d like to know what the status is because the windows are broken out and the next block over there are a lot of nice homes and the residents are complaining about the property not being up kept. What is the status? AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: JUNE 15, 2018 Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to the City Engineer about three items. Instead of requesting every time I’m just gonna read item by item, if it’s okay. 1) First of all there are ten streets scheduled for re-paving and the residents, they know, and they keep asking me when is re-paving gonna start. What is the month or date or something. 2) White Oak, the 5400 block of White Oak is scheduled for ornamental lights. Again, residents want to know when is theirs gonna start. 3) Traffic on Michigan, especially between White Oak and Hohman, keep getting complaints of speeding traffic. Of course I know there’s additional traffic because of the bridge, it was down on Calumet and so forth. But this was happening even before then. If there can be something, a study of some sort to see how we can slow traffic down. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: JUNE 15, 2018 Councilman Higgs - I see the City Engineer is here and the pot hole on the 1100 block of Drackert Street has been filled in, so thank you for that. But we recently submitted a letter to your office in regards to having a overlay done on Eaton Street. There are a couple of ones that are there so I figured is we just do the street from the 800 block to the 1100 block of Eaton that would probably dissolve the problem of what’s actually going on over there. So, if you could look into it and find out the status. And also on Waltham they started the ornamental lighting but they haven’t completed the project as of yet. That was actually supposed to have been done last year and they’re just now getting to it this year and so we’d like to know a finish date on that. I so move. Councilman Torres - Second. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: JUNE 15, 2018 Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to Code Enforcement. There’s a house on 1141 Roosevelt that has been vacant for several years. It has not been boarded. Reports of vagrants getting in and the residents would like to know if it could be boarded. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: JUNE 15, 2018 Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 10 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to the Park Department. 833 Chicago there’s a dead tree on the parkway. It was overlooked with the Chicago Avenue Construction. The homeowner would like to see it taken down. If they could see what they can do about it. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: JUNE 15, 2018 Councilman Higgs - July 4th Celebration at Wolf Lake. A fun filled, all American celebration at the pavilion. Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. and the Hammond Port Authority are proud to announce the details of the Annual 4th of July Celebration at Wolf Lake. The Annual Naturalization Ceremony will begin on July 4th at 5:30 p.m. at the pavilion. The Bill Porter Orchestra is guaranteed to put you in a patriotic mood when they perform after the ceremony completion. Fireworks wrap up the evening at approximately 9 p.m. This is a free event. Councilman Markovich - This Saturday, the 16th, the Lake County Waste is gonna hold a shredding event on Conkey Street, I believe starting at 9 o’clock to 1 o’clock. Businesses aren’t allowed to bring any paper but residents are allowed to bring four bags to get shredded of your personal information. Just for your information. Additionally, we received a copy of some legal notices that tomorrow at 5:30 the School City of Hammond Board of School Trustees at 41 Williams Street is gonna have a public hearing and it’s to discuss the proposed contract of Dr. Watkins as the Superintendent of the School City of Hammond effective July 1st, 2018. They’re gonna hold a public hearing at which public comment is heard. The current Superintendent contract will remain at $165,489 and all other terms and conditions of the Superintendent contract will remain in full force and effect. All citizens interested in commenting are encouraged to attend. Now you know we all got our tax bills and we’ve all been getting calls about how their taxes went up but the majority of that tax bill was on the school portion of your tax bill. Additionally, then there’s another legal notice, and this is all in The Times on Thursday, May 31st, School City of Hammond Board of School Trustees contract of Walter J. Watkins. Duration of contract, January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2018. Yearly salary $165,489 and the Superintendent’s 3% contribution to the teachers retirement fund to be paid by the School City of Hammond. Fringe benefits, automobile. When the automobile is used for personal business gasoline is to be furnished by the Superintendent. Now you all know that Dr. Watkins has been involved in several car accidents with the School City vehicle and we’re all liable for that. So I don’t know what the outcome of all of that’s been. Life Insurance policy of $300 thousand. A Tax Sheltered Annuity of $18,500 by the School Corporation each school year. If Superintendent is employed for less than a school year then the amount to be prorated. Ten days paid vacation on a 230 day work year issued days to be paid. The thing about it is there’s another one, a regular teachers contract for the same date. The regular teacher contract is between the School City of Hammond Corporation and Walter Watkins as a teacher. As a teacher defined in their code of 20-18-2-22. In exchange for the teachers services described below, the corporation and the teacher agree. Now he’s gonna be a teacher and he’s gonna be a Superintendent at the same time, I guess. He shall teach in the schools of the corporation for the school term beginning January 1st, 2018. Well, 2018's already gone and done, we’re looking at July 1st, and ending on December 31st, 2018. It’s got some other things in here. The Corporation shall pay for his services under the contract. The total salary of $165,489 during the school year. So, now, whether he’s gonna be a Superintendent or a teacher, I’m not saying another $165 thousand, shall pay the amount in installments. It can be cancelled and so forth. But, the thing about it is this contract here is by the teacher, which is him, and the Superintendent, which is him. So he’s gonna be signing his own teacher’s contract and he’s gonna be signing also as the Superintendent. So, being that if you read the legal notices or it’s brought to the Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 11 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JUNE 11, 2018 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Markovich cont. - attention like it was to ours, there’s a meeting at 5:30 at 41 Williams Street about all of this. If you’re interested or want to know what’s going on and, you know, the next part of your tax bill’s gonna kick in next year when the part for the building of a new Hammond High School is gonna kick in. It’s not the City Council that did this. You know, don’t blame us. I know you’re calling us about your tax bill going up. It’s the School City and that’s where it’s going and that’s when it’s happening. You know, comment was made about 2020, you know, about what’s gonna happen there when that all happens. If you care, again, tomorrow at 5:30 . It’s kind of early because people don’t get home from work at that time yet but the meeting is there at 5:30 tomorrow for that public hearing and I’m just letting everybody know, you know, you have time and information, you know, to go see what’s going on. Councilman Higgs - Just for clarification, did I hear you say that he’s gonna sign his contract and he’s gonna be the Superintendent and a teacher? How can you be in two positions at one time? Councilman Markovich - I don’t know. I’m just reading what it says here. This agreement is with the Superintendent and the teacher. But, the School Corporation President will sign off. Councilwoman Venecz - So, I guess that’s why we’ll all go to the meeting tomorrow, correct? Councilman Markovich - We’re gonna try. PUBLIC EXPRESSION None Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Woerpel, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL Janet Venecz, President Hammond Common Council ATTEST: Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Time: 7:25 p.m. cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 12