City Council

v AMENDED MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL JANUARY 13, 2020 The regular meeting of the Hammond Common Council of the City of Hammond, Lake County, Indiana was held on January 13, 2020 in the Hammond City Council Chambers. Council Vice President Dave Woerpel presided. City Clerk Robert J. Golec facilitated. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. Invocation by Councilwoman Venecz ROLL CALL PRESENT: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel ABSENT: None TOTAL: 9 NOMINATION of new Common Council President and Vice President. Councilwoman Venecz nominated Councilman Woerpel as President. AYES: ALL Councilwoman Venecz nominated Councilman Rakos as Vice President. AYES: ALL Council President Woerpel now presided over the meeting. READING OF THE MINUTES Councilman Spitale, supported by Councilman Emerson, moved to accept the minutes of December 16, 20r9 and place on file. AYES: ALL APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Councilman Rakos, supported by Councilwoman Venecz, moved to accept the claims from January 3rd , 2020 through January 8th , 2020. Claim# 1 through Claim #236, inclusive. ROLL CALL A YES: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel NAYS:None ABSENT: None Motion carried CLAIMS APPROVED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 1  \__/ AMENDED MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JANUARY 13, 2020 PUBLIC HEARINGS 19R-35 A Declaratory Resolution Designating that Certain Area of the City of Hammond, Indiana Be Established as the 24 Marble Street 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 Anthony Higgs- I just would like to know what's the total property value for 24 Marble Street? Mayor McDermott - It's worth basically nothing right now. It's been empty for about 20 years, we use to have a company, Flexicor, located here. They went out of business before I took over. I walked the property about a year ago. I was scared and ... the old company was still there. I walked the company very recently, it's basically down to the dirt. All demolitions have been taken care of. It's 24 acres. We have a lot of Illinois manufacturing companies looking to move their operations into Hammond. The value it could be worth is a heck of a lot more than it's worth right now. But I don't know exactly what it's worth, but it's basically peanuts. What we're asking the Council to do is even though we don't have a specific developer at this time we did. But the deal fell apart over the holidays however we do have a developer and the developer has a couple of tenants possible and what we're asking the Council to do is to give us the ability, by passing this, you take the red tape out of the equation once we make a deal with any type of vendor who wants to lease this property. We have to come back to the Council with the incentive package. So we're asking you to do this so we can have a better chance to market this property. Councilman Kalwinski- Just to make it clear, what we're doing is creating a possibility of a package to the group. This is acknowledging that we're giving a package, this is just giving us permission to consider giving an abatement or whatever the package might be. Mayor McDermott - Absolutely true. George Stoya- I'm all for the idea of investments and all that stuff, but what I'm worried about is, I think I raised it before with this Council, is that there's no parameter set forth over when you guys discuss enabling ordinances. God only knows what the scope of either deferred tax or reductions of assess value. I don't have to tell you guys this, we're on 123 caps. Councilman Woerpel and I talked about this openly and he argues that right now it's getting nothing, and better to have something reduced assess value, than no assess value at all if we don't have a deal. Mayor McDermott - Usually when we have a company that commits to a property we figure out what type of incentive, as far as assessed value is gonna be added to our City, added to that particularly piece of property. Usually incentives packages fall within 20%, sometimes higher, depending on the property. By far the developers put in a lot more than the City of Hammond does. We usually help if it's a tax abatement, which it has to be in this case because it's not part of a TIF District. Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 2  G AMENDED MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JANUARY 13, 2020 COMMUNICATIONS Councilman Torres - I would like to announce that Hammond Parks Foundation is having its annual dinner on January 25th, 2020 at 6 p.m. Tickets are$ 25.00 in advance or$ 30.00 at the door and the event is being held in the Clipper Room. COMMITTEE REPORTS Community & Crime Watch Committee - Councilwoman Venecz - Announced upcoming meetings: Tues., Jan. 21; East Hammond Pullman Crime Watch Ophelia Steen; 6:30 p.m. Thur., Jan. 16; South Hammond Crime Watch Hammond Housing Authority; 7:00 p.m. Thur., Jan. 16; Hessville Crime Watch Jean Shepard; 7 p.m. ORDINANCE 3RDFINAL READING-FINAL PASSAGE None INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES 20-01 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance No.9405, Being: An Ordinance Amending Ordinance 8514 for an Amendment to Title XXIX Overlay Zoning Districts to establish New Provisions for Development within the Oxbow Landing Overlay Zoning District (Oxlan-OL) Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Rakos, moved the proposed ordinance to 1stand 2nd reading and referred it to the Council as a Whole Committee with a Committee Meeting on January 27, 2020 at 5: l 5p.m. and an Intent to Consider. A YES: ALL RESOLUTIONS 20R-01 A Resolution of the Hammond City Council Confirming Resolution No.19R-35 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 Torres, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for adoption. Councilman Torres- This Resolution is confirming that 24 Marble Street is open for consideration. ROLL CALL (adoption) AYES: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried RESOLUTION NO. ROI ADOPTED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 3  \'-,_,: AMENDED MINUTES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL cont. JANUARY 13, 2020 RESOLUTIONS cont. 20R-02 A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Hammond, Indiana Determining and Approving Plan Commission Resolution 2019-01 as a Written Order Approving a Redevelopment Commission Resolution No. 07-2019 as an Amending Declaratory Resolution that Modified and Amended the Boundaries of the Gateways Expansion Area and Approved an Amendment to the Redevelopment Plan for the Gateways Redevelopment Area Councilman Rakos, supported by Councilwoman Venecz, moved for adoption ROLL CALL (adoption) A YES: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried RESOLUTION NO. R02 ADOPTED 20R-03 A Resolution to Honor the Late Dr. Walter J. Watkins for Extraordinary Public Service to the People and Particularly to the Children of the City of Hammond Councilwoman Alexander - I request that the entire Resolution be read by the Clerk. City Clerk Golec reads Resolution 20R-03 in its entirety. ROLL CALL (adoption) A YES: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried RESOLUTION NO. R03 ADOPTED 20R-04 Resolution Re-Appointing Victor Franco to the Hammond Economic Development Commission Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Kalwinski, moved for passage. Councilwoman Venecz, yes, this is Victors second four year term and he met with us in caucus earlier this evening, and he really enjoys serving on this commission. ROLL CALL (adoption) A YES: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel NAYS: None ABSENT: None Motion carried RESOLUTION NO. R04 ADOPTED Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 4  ' ) AMENDED MINUTES OF THE ~MMON COUNCIL cont. JANUARY 13, 2020 RESOLUTIONS cont. 20R-05 Resolution Confirming the Re-Appointment of Carrie Hutton as a Commissioner of the Hammond Human Relations Commission of the City of Hammond, Indiana Councilman Emerson, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved for passage. Councilman Emerson- This is a re-appointment of Carrie Hutton. I personally want to thank her for serving on the Human Relations Commission. I've never heard anything bad about her and she is well qualified. ROLL CALL (adoption) A YES: Alexander, Spitale, Venecz, Kalwinski, Torres, Tyler, Emerson, Rakos, Woerpel NAYS:None ABSENT: None Motion carried RESOLUTION NO. ROSADOPTED NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilwoman Venecz- We met earlier this evening in regards to Ordinance No. 19-35, on our January 27th agenda, we do need an Intent to Consider for 19-35. PUBLIC EXPRESSION Anthony Higgs- There are parking issues when it comes to the Boys and Girls Club. Secondly, I didn't always agree with Dr. Watkins, nothing personal against him. George Stoya- I'm still wondering about Code Enforcement, is it 6 inches or 8 inches, never really got feedback on that. Councilwoman Venecz, supported by Councilman Spitale, moved to adjourn. AYES: ALL el, President Hammoncl Common Council ATTEST: Time: 6:55 p.m. dw Prepared by Robert J. Golec Hammond City Clerk 5