City Council

MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on September 10, 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 Council President Venecz. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Markovich, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz ABSENT: Spitale TOTAL: 8 READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale is now present. Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of August 27, 2018 and place on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Markovich, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to approve the claims from August 22, 2018 through September 5, 2018. Claim #5174 through claim #5382, 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 None COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Higgs thanked everyone who came out for the unveiling of the Ms. Pearline Jenkins Honorary Street. I appreciate your presence and thank you all for coming. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 COMMUNICATIONS cont. Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Torres, moved to send a letter regarding property at 1137 Morris Street and also 118 Morris Street where they cut the laws but they are not picking up the tree limbs. I am requesting a letter go to Code Enforcement in regards to addressing those concerns and whoever, I don’t know who they are hiring to do it, but I would hope that they would pick up the tree limbs that are sitting on the property as well. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: September 12, 2018 Councilman Torres received correspondence regarding the Calumet Avenue Bridge between Michigan and Sibley. There is going to be a delay because of problems they came upon. I am going to get in touch with the Communications Director to make sure there is a sidewalk with a safety rail, guard rail or whatever they put for the purpose of pedestrians, not only kids but the disabled using electric scooters too. I am going to communicate with this guy and see if that is in the plans of the design of it. Councilman Higgs also sent a letter in regards to the completion of the project on Calumet Avenue. They responded that they are behind due to design issues and gave a tentative schedule for the project. COMMITTEE REPORTS Community & Crime Watch Committee - Announced upcoming meetings: Fri., Sept. 21; Community Watch at Silver Birch; 2 p.m. Tues., Sept. 18; East Ham’d Pullman C.W.; Ophelia Steen; 6:30 p.m. Fri., Sept. 14; Edison C.W. on the Road; Golden Manor; 1 p.m. Thur., Sept. 20; Hessville C.W.; Jean Shepherd Center; 7 p.m. Wed., Sept. 19, Lafayette Neighborhood Watch; Lafayette School; 6:30 p.m. South Ham’d C.W.; Thur., Sept. 20; Ham’d Housing Bldg; 7 p.m. Whiting/Robertsdale C.W.; Thur., Sept. 13; Calumet College; 6:30 p.m. ORDINANCE 3RD READING - FINAL PASSAGE None INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE 18-16 Amending Ord. No. 8108, known as Sec. 33.03 of the Hammond Municipal Code as it pertains to EMT’s/Paramedics Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved the proposed ordinance to 1st and 2nd reading and referred it to the Council as a Whole Committee. Councilman Higgs recommended that Sharon Daniels, Head of Personnel, be invited to the Council as a Whole Committee Meeting. AYES: ALL Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS 18-17 BZA: Z-18-06; For Variance of Use from Zoning Ordinance to allow for a Private Club/Lodge located at 1230 170th Place within the City of Hammond, IN Petitioned by St. Michael’s Ukrainian Hall Councilman Woerpel, supported by Councilman Rakos, moved to approve the petition for variance on the St. Michael’s Ukrainian Hall property as submitted. Councilman Woerpel - Basically what this is, is it’s for the old St. Michael’s Hall. The short version of it is they are not changing any of the ... it will remain a hall. It’s just kind of transferring the variants that the hall had in conjunction with the church if they sell the hall for private ownership. Councilman Woerpel - There are conditions on here. Can I ask Atty. Yahne to come up and explain that please? Atty. Yahne, Attorney for Petitioner - It’s a petition for variance of use that was approved by the BZA. We have a few conditions on there. One is .... and they’re all gonna be spelled out in the minutes. I haven’t actually seen the minutes. I was here at the hearing but I can tell you they have to do with the parking lot. We have to have a cross easement parking agreement so the church can use the hall’s parking lot, the hall can use the church’s parking lot. That when we reconfigure the lots that we allow for eleven extra spaces. Then finally, we have an area where there’s an encroachment because some pavement goes into what would be otherwise the green strip between the street and the parking lot. ROLL CALL VOTE (variance approval) AYES: Markovich, Spitale, Kalwinski, Torres, Higgs, Emerson, Woerpel, Rakos, Venecz NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried 9/0/0 VARIANCE OF USE Z-18-06 APPROVED Councilman Woerpel - The Finance Committee Hearing scheduled in the Council Chamber for tomorrow night at 4 p.m. has been changed to Thursday the 13th at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Also the Department Head Meeting on the budget that was scheduled for this Saturday is now scheduled for Wednesday, September 19 at 4:30 p.m. Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to have a letter sent to all the department heads so they’re notified as well as the Hammond Times so that they are aware of it because I don’t see anyone from the Hammond Times here as well as I didn’t see them at Ms. Pearline’s unveiling of her street, but however, we certainly want them to be notified so that there is no confusion in regards to the budget. AYES: ALL Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Torres, moved to send a letter. From Calumet Avenue to Sohl on Fayette, there are a number of tree limbs and high growing grass. I’m requesting hat Public Works is notified and if they can get over there and cut and clean that as quickly as possible so that it’s presentable in our city I would appreciate it. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: September 12, 2018 Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS cont. Councilman Torres, supported by Councilman Higgs, moved to send a letter to INDOT regarding the overpass between Michigan and Sibley. I’m asking them, are there any plans in the design to include to widen that pedestrian sidewalk with either a rail guard or any safety provisions for pedestrian and disabled people with motor scooters. His name is Matthew Dietchley, he is the Communications Director of the Northwest District of INDOT. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: September 12, 2018 Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Torres, moved to send a letter to Code Enforcement in regards to the property on Eaton Street, the 1100 block of Eaton (1108, it’s a yellow house) was formerly owned by Ethel Floyd, which has been vacant for a number of years and is an eyesore on the 1100 Eaton. And also the property at 1020 Drackert, which is also vacant and has been vacant for a number of years, so I can get a status on what’s exactly going to happen with that property and any other properties in relations to the 3rd District that are may be possibly on the demo list and what the status of the property is. AYES: ALL LETTER SENT: September 12, 2018 Councilman Higgs - I did receive a letter from the Hammond Fire Department regarding Fire Prevention Week. It says, “Once again we celebrate the Fire Prevention Week on October 6, 2018. The department will hold a one day open house event at Station 8, located at 6350 Parrish in an effort to provide raffle prizes and snacks in an attending public the Hammond Fire Department is seeking financial donations to assist the offsetting costs of the event. The donations are appreciated. My consideration may be given and look forward to your continued interaction. Sincerely, Michael Opinker, Chief Inspector, Bureau of the Fire Prevention and Public Education.” Certainly, I’m very much interested and I’m also interested if there are any fire detectors that are available and can be given out in the community. I’m certainly interested in that as well. I plan on attending this event and I look forward to being there. Council President Venecz - Just an FYI Councilman, the American Red Cross is giving away free fire detectors. They were at National Night Out and they were accepting names for anyone who was looking for a free fire detector to be installed in their home. So they can contact the American Red Cross. PUBLIC EXPRESSION George Howard - Last week we had the opportunity to celebrate an icon in the community, Miss Pearline Jenkins. At 936 Conkey Street we were able to rename the street after this lady who did a lot in the community. There are many here who were affected by her work in the community. I request that we save 936 Conkey Street which is scheduled for demolition. We have tried to go through City ordinance Commission and Inspection Office to no avail. I am out of ideas. I need the help of the council. If we could meet with Mr. Kelly as to what we believe is viable in saving this home I would be obliged. I have submitted the request to rehabilitate the home. This is not a power contest I just want to save the home. It would be remiss to the city to rename the street and then demolish her home when someone’s trying to save it. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4 MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 PUBLIC EXPRESSION cont. Rho-el Blackmon - Would like some clarification of the demolishing of Ms. Pearline Jenkins home. Why wasn’t the community informed about this? I’ve know her all my life. Our mothers were friends. Hoping it’s not true. There are homes on that block that are in worse shape than hers and I haven’t heard of them getting demolished. Jean Ishmon - Is here concerning Pearline Jenkins home. She was an integral part of our community and to a lot of us growing up, particularly me. I’ve also known her all my life. She did a lot of things in this community. She was very active in the city. She was a part of the Human Relations Commission. She was the President of the Hammond NAACP for several years. She was well respected in the City and the State. She got the Sagamore of the Wabash Award and several others. We would like to preserve her home. George Stoya - Regarding the discussion of the EMT’s and from what I gather from it the so called given if you meet a quota of participants the voluntary nature of supplying EMT’s, I just wanted to bring to the Council’s attention, it’s just speculation, but you cannot just contract away your duty of due care. You can contract somebody to do the EMT work but should they mess up what I’m leery of, and I’m requesting the Council to ask Atty. Berger to look into it, but Hammond might still be a deep pocket. Councilman Higgs, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL Janet Venecz, President Hammond Common Council ATTEST: Robert J. Golec, City Clerk Time: 7:15 p.m. cb Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5