Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY—DECEMBER 8, 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 Lisa Purcell, Trustee Karen Washington, Trustee Lauren Roman, Trustee Jay Heiferman, Trustee Larry Burnson, and Clerk Thomas via audio conference. President Hofeld introduced staff: Village Manager Jim Marino, Village Attorney Chris Cummings in the board room; Director of Economic Development Angela Mesaros, Director of Finance Dennis Bubenik and Director of Public Works John Schaefer joined via Zoom. Assistant Village Manager Napoleon Haney was managing the Zoom feed from the Manager’s Office. 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 and all discussion. MINUTES: The minutes of the General Board Meeting of November 24, 2020, were reviewed. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Burnson and seconded by Trustee Heiferman to accept the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Dawkins, Purcell, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $599,966.46 was reviewed. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Dawkins, Purcell, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS –None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said two items on the list totaled 60 percent of the Claims List: $225,962.69 for Village employees insurance for December and $131,228.47 to Iroquois Paving for work done on the Village Hall parking lot. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: Village Clerk Thomas read one of several comments received in opposition to President Hofeld’s decision mandating restaurants stop in- service dining in compliance with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Tier 3 Mitigation Orders to fight the spread of the COVID-19 virus. As provided in the board’s public comment rules, those comments that repeated statements previously made were not read aloud. All comments were shared in writing with the Trustees and are attached to the minutes of this meeting. OMNIBUS AGENDA: Clerk Thomas presented the Omnibus Agenda: A. RESOLUTION R-3065/RELEASE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES Pass a resolution determining which minutes or portions thereof from the Executive Sessions no longer require confidential treatment. B. RESOLUTION R-3066/ APPROVAL OF EXECUTIVE SESSION MINUTES Pass a resolution approving Executive Session minutes from July 2019 to September 2020 and authorizing the destruction of executive session audio recordings from January 1, 2018 to June 1, 2019. C. AMENDMENT/ REAL ESTATE PURCHASE CONTRACT/ RELIABLE THORNTON, LLC: Approve an amendment to the real estate purchase contract with Reliable Thornton, LLC of Thornton, IL to add an additional permanent easement and additional temporary construction easement and to compensate Reliable Thornton for said easements in the amount of $23,000. D. 2020 REAL ESTATE TAX LEVY ORDINANCES: i. ORDINANCE M-2154: Pass an ordinance levying taxes for corporate purposes and for special funds for the fiscal year commencing on the first day of May 2021 and ending on the thirtieth day of April, 2022 for the Village of Homewood, Illinois. ii. ORDINANCE M-2155: Pass an ordinance increasing the 2020 Street and Bridge Tax Levy in the Village of Homewood, Cook County, Illinois iii. ORDINANCE M-2156: Pass an ordinance directing the Cook County Clerk to reduce the Village of Homewood' s 2020 Levy, if necessary, to comply with the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.  E. ORDINANCE M-2157/ REBATING LIQUOR LICENSE FEES/ COVID- 19: Pass an ordinance rebating a prorated amount equal to five months ( 5/ 12) of the annual liquor license fee to all restaurants and bars licensed for on-premises consumption of alcoholic beverages in response to state mandated COVID- 19 mitigation restrictions. F. ORDINANCE M-2158/ COMCAST FRANCHISE AGREEMENT: Pass an ordinance approving the execution of a 10-year franchise agreement between the Village of Homewood and Comcast of Illinois IV, Inc. G. ORDINANCE MC-1044/ AMENDING STANDARDS FOR LICENSING AND CONDUCTING RAFFLES: Pass an ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the Homewood Municipal Code to revise and update standards for licensing and conducting raffles. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Dawkins to approve the Omnibus Agenda as presented. Trustee Heiferman said it should be noted that the Village is working with local restaurants in any way it can, and that returning a portion of the liquor license fee was one example of the Village’s concerns for local businesses. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Dawkins, Purcell, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS –None. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS: None. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Trustees asked residents to please continue to follow state and public health guidelines to keep themselves and their neighbors healthy and reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. And, President Hofeld reminded residents that the snowflake contest is being held this year. Anyone who can identify the location of the odd snowflake can send a message through the Village drop box in front of Village Hall. The winner will get a coupon for Twisted Q. EXECUTIVE SESSION: A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Burnson to move to Executive Session to discuss pending litigation. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Dawkins, Purcell, Washington, Roman, Heiferman and Burnson. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The Board moved to Executive Session at 7:10 p.m. The Board returned from Executive Session at 8:06 p.m. A motion was made by Trustee Dawkins and seconded by Trustee Purcell to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. The meeting adjourned on voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk