Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY-OCTOBER 13, 2020 VILLAGE HALL BOARD ROOM and audio conferencing CALL TO ORDER: Village President Hofeld called the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees to order at 7 p.m. The meeting was conducted by President Hofeld from the Boardroom. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: President Hofeld dispensed with the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Clerk Marilyn Thomas called the roll. Those present were Village President Richard Hofeld at Village Hall, with Trustee Barbara Dawkins, Trustee Karen Washington, Trustee Lauren Roman, Trustee Jay Heiferman, Trustee Larry Burnson, and Clerk Thomas via audio conference. Trustee Lisa Purcell was absent. President Hofeld introduced staff Village Manager Jim Marino, Village Attorney Chris Cummings in the board room; Assistant Village Manager Napoleon Haney managing the Zoom feed; Public Works Director John Schaefer present via Zoom. NOTE: Due to the Governor's emergency order because of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing recommendations, and the Village President finding that, pursuant to Public Act 101-0640, an in-person meeting is not prudent, elected officials are permitted to participate via video/audio. The public was invited to listen into the meeting live via audio. The public was invited to submit comments by email before the meeting. All elected officials were able to hear one another as well as all discussion. MINUTES: The minutes of the General Board Meeting of September 22, 2020, were reviewed. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Heiferman and seconded by Trustee Roman to accept the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $1,177,835.78 was reviewed. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Burnson and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the Claims List as presented. President Hofeld said four items totaled 53 percent of the Claims List: Payment to the City of Harvey for water was $353,207.41; Payment to ECOM joint dispatch center was $100,001.26; payment to GMX Midland (financial incentive for Panera Bread & Chik Fil A development) for $83,245.97 and $93,830.32 to Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS -None. Motion carried. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Village Clerk read a comment from Robin Predny into the record. She asked the board to address the ongoing outdoor noise issue from bands at Mama & Me Pizza on the weekends. (A copy of the comment is attached to the minutes.) President Hofeld asked Village Manager Marino for an update on the situation. Marino said he has been talking to the parties and the police have been by the restaurant to ask that the sound be turned down. He said the village has done all it can. OMNIBUS AGENDA: Clerk Thomas presented the Omnibus Agenda: A APPOINTMENT: Consider a motion to approve the appointment of Christopher Cummings to the Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District for a 4-year term ending October 13, 2024. B. REAPPOINTMENT: Consider a motion to approve the reappointment of Sheree Henry to the Veterans Committee for a 3-year term ending October 24, 2023. C. Resolution R-3064/TERMINATION OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL FUND COMMITTEE: Consider a motion to pass a resolution establishing that the agreement creating the Emergency Medical Fund Committee is terminated and that all funds held in the committee's account be transferred to the Village's General Fund to be used to purchase medical equipment. D. ORDINANCE M-2142/ZONING VARIANCE/PARKING: Consider a motion to pass an ordinance granting a variation from Section 11.4 of the Homewood Zoning Ordinance to permit a parking space in the required front yard on the property at 18514 Ashland Avenue. E. ORDINANCE M-2143/SPECIAL USE/CASINO PARKING DECK: Consider a motion to pass an ordinance granting a special use permit for construction of a parking deck at 17400 Halsted Street in Homewood, IL. F. ORDINANCE M-2144/LEASE AMENDMENT/HOMEWOOD SCIENCE CENTER: Consider a motion to pass an ordinance authorizing the amendment of the lease of Village-owned property to the Homewood Science Center, a not-for-profit corporation, for a renewable five-year term to include the property at 2020 Ridge Road. G. VILLAGE HALL PARKING LOT RESURFACING: i. BUDGET AMENDMENT: Approve a budget amendment increasing the 2020-2021 budget for the Village Hall Parking Lot line item from $0 to $41,500. ii. BUDGET AMENDMENT: Approve a budget amendment increasing  the 2020-2021 budget for the Village Hall Parking Lot line item from $0 to $93,750. iii. BID AWARD: Award the Village Hall Parking Lot Resurfacing Project bid to Iroquois Paving Corporation of Monee, IL as the lowest responsible bidder, in an amount not to exceed $135,178.64. A motion was made by Trustee Washington and seconded by Trustee Bumson to approve all items except Item E on the Ominbus Agenda as presented. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. A motion was made by Trustee Dawkins and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve Item E on the Omnibus Agenda. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS - Washington. Motion carried. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: None. EXECUTIVE SESSION: A motion was made by Trustee Washington and seconded by Trustee Roman for the board to move to Executive Session to discuss the semi-annual review of closed session minutes, and to discuss pending litigation. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. The board adjourned to Executive Session at 7:13 p.m. The board returned from Executive Session at 7:33 p.m. A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Dawkins to adjourned the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees. The meeting adjourned on voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk Public Comments received prior to the Regular Board Meeting on 10/13/2020 From: R. Predny [mailto:rpredny@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2020 6:50 PM To: PublicComments <comments@homewoodil.gov> Subject: Where is the accountability and consideration? It is Thursday evening, and I am in a Zoom meeting for work. At 6 pm, the band started playing yet again at Mama and Me. Now, I can barely hear the other people in my Zoom meeting. This is not just affecting my enjoyment of my home; this is affecting my ability to do my job and make a living. I have called Mama and Me about this. I have called the police several times. I have called the village hall. I have written to the Village Board several times. Yet this does not change. Does anyone care? No one has taken the time to contact me. No one has tried to problem solve or come up with a solution. No one from the village or the village board has acknowledged this issue at all. When I call the police on Thursday evenings and there is an officer named Laura that is working, I can always tell when she goes over and speaks to Mama and Me because the noise lessens tremendously. However, that is about the only time that there is a difference. I have been told by other officers that they understand that it's loud but it is the village that is allowing it to happen. However, the person at village hall is the one who told me to call the police. One of the officers asked if I had tried to speak with the owner. Yes, I did. I did, and she lied to me and she kept me on hold on the phone indefinitely. She doesn't care about how the neighbors are affected by the level of noise. At this point, I have to say that the village doesn't care either. There is no reason that a loud band should be allowed to play so close to a neighborhood. Our residences are closer than the 200 feet allowed by permit. Mama and Me is large enough to have seating inside, and other businesses have started seating inside. This has being going on every Thursday, Friday and Saturday since May. This is not the once in while performances of Starry Nights. This is EVERY SINGLE THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR HOURS. Perhaps you can email or send me the addresses of every village board member and the mayor? We could arrange for a loud band to play outside your own homes for 10 hours every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. How do you think that you would enjoy your home then? I'll be looking forward to your response. Perhaps a little accountability and consideration could factor into your response. Robin Predny "The greatest moment of our lives is when our mind or our body is stretched to its limits in the voluntary pursuit of something both difficult and worthwhile." Csikszentmihalyi Page 1 of 1