Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY-OCTOBER 27, 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 video 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; Finance Director Dennis Bubenik, Public Works Director John Schaefer and Director of Economic Development Angela Mesaros 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 October 13, 2020, were reviewed. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Burnson and seconded by Trustee Washington 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 $117,051.95 was reviewed. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Washington and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: The Village Clerk read two comments 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 second comment from Geoff Nuneman applauded the appointment of Karen Gallagher to the Beautification Committee and thanked the committee volunteers for their work supporting the efforts of residents to keep their properties beautiful. (Copies of the comments are attached to the minutes.) President Hofeld asked Manager Marino for an update on the noise issue. Marino said he did visit Mama & Me Pizza on a Friday and a Saturday night. One of those nights he did agree that the music was very loud, and asked the manager to get the band to reduce the volume. Marino said he thought there was improvement. He also learned that the bands will only be playing for another two weekends. OMNUBUS AGENDA: The board reviewed Items A through I for approval: A. APPOINTMENT: Approve the appointment of Karen Gallagher to the Beautification Committee for a 5-year term ending October 27, 2025. B. REAPPOINTMENT: Approve the reappointment of Barbara Ferrari to the Storm Water Resources Committee for a 3-year term ending November 8, 2023. C. INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT /COOK COUNTY HEALTH INSPECTIONS: Authorize the Village President to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Cook County to provide environmental h ealth inspection services relating to food service sanitation and retail food store sanitation. D. ORDINANCE M-2146/REDEVELOPMENT PLAN/ DIXIE HIGHWAY-MILLER COURT TIF: Pass an ordinance approving the redevelopment plan and project for the Dixie Highway/Miller Court tax increment financing redevelopment project area. E. ORDINANCE M-2148 /REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA/DIXIE HIGHWAY- MILLER COURT TIF: Pass an ordinance designating the Dixie Highway/Miller Court redevelopment project area. F. ORDINANCE M-2147/TIF INCREMENT ALLOCATION FINANCING/DIXIE HIGHWAY- MILLER COURT TIF: Approve an ordinance adopting tax increment allocation financing for the Dixie Highway/Miller Court tax increment financing redevelopment project area. G. ORDINANCE M-2145/EXTENDING OUTDOOR LIQUOR SERVICE: Pass an ordinance extending outdoor food and liquor service to April 30, 2021. H. ORDINANCE MC-1042:/CHARGES FOR BURGLARY AND ROBBERY FALSE ALARMS: Approve an ordinance regarding charges for burglary and robbery false alarms. I. VEHICLE PURCHASE/POLICE VEHICLES: i. BUDGET AMENDMENT: Approve a budget amendment for $5,000 increasing the 2020- 2021 budget for the #8 Patrol (E) line item 01-3-812-55-7707 from $51,000 to $56,000 for the purchase of a 2021 Ford Utility Police Interceptor AWD - Hybrid Vehicle. ii. VEHICLE PURCHASE: Waive the competitive bidding process due to a joint cooperative purchasing program and approve the purchase of a 2021 Ford Utility Police Interceptor AWD - Hybrid Vehicle through the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (SPC) through Currie Motor Commercial Center in Frankfort, IL for a total outfitted price of $55,325 (SPC Contract #152). iii. VEHICLE PURCHASE: Waive the competitive bidding process due to a joint cooperative purchasing program and approve the purchase of a 2020 Ford Expedition XL 4-door from the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (SPC) through Kunes Country Ford of Antioch, IL for a total of $59,000 (SPC Contract #171) from bond proceeds in line item 35-3-831-55- 3525 (Vehicle Purchases - Bond Fund). A motion was made by Trustee Washington and seconded by Trustee Burnson to approve the Omnibus Agenda as presented. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS: ORDINANCE M-2149/SPECIAL USE/FITNESS CENTER AND EVENTS BUSINESS: Pass an ordinance granting a special use permit to allow a fitness center and events business at 18675-18677 Dixie Highway. Economic Development Director Mesaros briefed the board on action by the Planning and Zoning Commission voting to recommend that the special use not be approved. The major concern was parking at this location. The fitness center will be similar to the yoga center that previously occupied one of the spaces. The events center was being planned for business meetings, bridal showers, etc. The petitioner Zenovia Love spoke to the board asking for approval for her two businesses. The commission report said Ms. Love petitioned for a special use for the events portion of the business. She said the businesses would have no more than 15 people at a time, but she said she had hoped the board would approve her proposal for no more than 30 people at a time because she was able to rent 30 parking spaces at a location across Dixie Highway at a vacant building in Flossmoor. She would have extended hours into the late evenings Monday through Saturday, and until 6 p.m. on Sundays. However, President Hofeld told her that there were not 30 parking spaces at the Flossmoor site. Trustees also raised concerns about people having to cross a major thoroughfare where there are no crosswalks. Ms. Love then agreed to reduce the number of persons using the businesses to 15 people at a time. A motion was made by Trustee Washington and seconded by Trustee Heiferman to approve the special use as originally presented to the Village Board, with a limit of no more than 15 persons using the space at one time. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. DISCUSSION/LIQUOR LICENSE REQUEST/DON GOYO FINE MEXICAN CUISINE: board discussion regarding a liquor license request for Don Goyo Fine Mexican Cuisine located at 17536 Dixie Highway. Finance Director Bubenik said the petitioner, Laura Carbajal de Garcia, had talked about opening the restaurant in June 2019, but the village never heard anything more. It was the building inspector who told Bubenik that work was proceeding on the restaurant that should be open in two months. Bubenik requested Ms. Garcia submit a new letter requesting a liquor license. A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Burnson to instruct staff to develop paperwork to amend the village ordinance to allow for a liquor license for the business Don Goyo Fine Mexican Cuisine. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. 2020 REAL ESTATE TAX LEVY DISCUSSION/PRESENTATION: A presentation and discussion regarding the draft 2020 Real Estate Tax Levy. Finance Director Bubenik gave a review of the proposed levy. The village will have a total 2020 levy of $6,737,322. The 2020 levy is allowed under Tax Cap rules from the state to increase by both 2.3 percent for the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and another 2.5 percent for the estimated value of new construction. That 4.8 percent increase will be allocated between pensions (levy up 12 percent) and day-to-day operations (levy down 5.8 percent). The Village paid off its general obligation bonds from 2017, and sold 2020 bonds at a rate of 0.85 percent. The levy allocations are: $2,243,708 for day-to-day operations, and $3,851,290 for pensions. Bubenik said Homewood's share of a property tax bill is only 10 percent. He gave an example of a $6,000 tax bill. The homeowner pays $600 to the village. This 2020 real estate tax levy, if approved in December, will increase taxes by $32 or $2.70 per month on that $600. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Trustee Dawkins urged the Halloween trick-or-treaters to have a safe holiday. She also urged everyone to get out and vote in the Nov. 3 national election. Trustee Burnson reminded everyone to follow the CDC guidelines to protect themselves and others from the COVID-19 virus. President Hofeld said the state was going to be closing restaurants for in-person dining. He urged everyone to support Homewood businesses who would be serving carry-out. A motion was made by Trustee Washington and seconded by Trustee Roman to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Roll Call: AYES-Trustees Dawkins, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS-None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:41 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk  PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER 11, 2020 MEETING mailto:rpredny@yah> From: R. Predny <rpredny@yahoo.com oo.com 3, 2020 8:59 PM Sent: Tuesday, November To: M arino, Jim Subject: Re: Disappointment in Homewood Elected Officials and Po lice Department Mr. Marino, I see that Mama and Me is having bands again this upcoming weekend, beyond what you have stated here. Last Friday, the band was again at such a loud volume that I could hear it inside my house, and I have recorded it. It was not a reasonable volume. I let it go and did not contact you or call the police because you stated it would be the last evening. Yet, here we are again. Am I to assume that it will be like this again this coming Friday and Saturday evenings? Your requests for lowered volume do not do anything. The owner does not abide by the lowered volume. You, your assistant manager, the mayor and myself have all requested lower volume. The voh1me continues to be loud, and I can hear it inside my house, as I have expressed over and over again, and as I've now recorded. You went over to the restaurant and asked her to lower the volume, which she did while you were there, but then the volume was turned up, which was shown in the recordings I forwarded to you. Should I go ahead and start my legal proceedings? Is that the only way that this is going to stop? I will include Mama and Me, the Village of Homewood, and the Homewood Police in my legal proceedings since none of you has visited my home and none of you has made a true effort to resolve this issue. I have plenty of evidence to show that I have tried to pursue the chain of command and diligently documented my efforts without any resolution. I am sorely disappointed to have to send another email. This has been going on for almost 5 months now, and I first contact the village in August. It is now November. 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