Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY -NOVEMBER 9, 2021 VILLAGE HALL BOARD ROOM CALL TO ORDER: President Hofeld called the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees to order at 7 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: President Hofeld led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Clerk Marilyn Thomas called the roll. Those present were Village President Richard Hofeld, Trustee Lisa Purcell, Trustee Vivian Harris-Jones, Trustee Lauren Roman, and Trustee Jay Heiferman. Trustee Karen Washington was absent. President Hofeld introduced staff: Village Manager Jim Marino, Attorney Christopher Cummings, Director of Finance Dennis Bubenik, Economic Development Director Angela Mesaros and Police Chief Denise McGrath. MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting of October 26, 2021 were presented. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to approve the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Harris-Jones, Heiferman and Roman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $2,285,264.28 was presented. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Heiferman to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said four items totaled 85% of the Claims List: $721,415.91 to Burns & McDonnell Engineering for work on the water project; $341,691.04 to the City of Harvey for Lake Michigan water; $245,668.78 for November employee insurance premiums; $632,268.75 to Zion Bank for repayment of bonds. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: President Hofeld invited the audience to address the board on any subject not on the agenda. No comments were offered. APPOINTMENT: President Hofeld nominated Chenise “CeCe” Belue to fill the vacant trustee position. He said he had interviewed six candidates and consulted with former trustee Barbara Dawkins before making the selection. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Roman to accept the nomination of CeCe Belue for trustee. She will serve through April 2023. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Trustee Belue. President Hofeld next nominated Barbara Dawkins to serve on the village’s Economic Development Committee for a two-year term through Nov. 9, 2023. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Roman to accept the nomination of Barbara Dawkins. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. REAPPOINTMENT: President Hofeld asked the board to approve the reappointment of Deborah Baldauf, Carolyn Bury and Karl Persons for a three-year term on the Homewood Tree Committee. A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to accept the reappointment of Deborah Baldauf, Carolyn Bury and Karl Persons. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. OMNIBUS VOTE: The board is asked to consider a motion to pass, approve, authorize, accept, or award the following item(s): A. Intergovernmental Agreement/Health Inspections/Cook County Department of Public Health: Authorize the Village President to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Cook County Department of Public Health for the Provision of Environmental Health Inspectional Services for the period of December 1, 2021 through November 30, 2022. Inspections are conducted at all food establishments in the village. B. Budget Amendment/Agreement/Stationary License Plate Readers: Amend the budget in the amount of $4,500.00 and authorize the Village President to enter into an agreement with Flock Group Inc. for the purchase of six stationary license plate readers in the amount of $61,500.00. The police department uses one at 175th and Halsted Street. The department will be updating the equipment and adding equipment at five other strategic locations. C. M-2199/Purchase and Sale Agreement/18255 Dixie Highway LLC: Pass ordinance M-2199 approving a contract to sell the real estate at 18225 Dixie Highway, the former location of Bogart’s Charhouse, to 18255 Dixie Highway, LLC, contingent upon the parties negotiating a redevelopment agreement for the property. D. Approval/Dixie/Miller TIF minutes: Approve the minutes from the Dixie/Miller Court TIF District public hearing held on September 22, 2020. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Roman to accept the Omnibus Report. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS -- TAX LEVY: Finance Director Bubenik presented the proposed 2021 levy of $6,881,974. This is a 3.8 percent increase over last year. Under the state’s tax caps, municipalities can increase the levy by the Consumer Price Index, which is 1.4 percent, and new construction, which the village is estimating at 3.3 percent. This brings the total to 4.7 percent, but because the debt levy is not subject to tax cap rules, that decreases the overall levy from 4.7 percent down to 3.8 percent. The village included $644,850 to be levied for 2020 debt obligations. The village continues to allocate more money to pensions to meet 90% of its obligations. The board is expected to vote on the tax levy at its next meeting. M-2200/SPECIAL USE PERMIT: The board was asked to approve an ordinance granting a special use permit/parking variance for a new business at 2413-15 183rd Street. The beauty salon business is moving from 18350 Kedzie Ave. and is required to have one parking space per employee and two spaces per chair. This would require the business to have 10 designated spaces. It now is allocated five spaces. The owner has made arrangements with other property owners and Walt’s Foods to allow use of parking spaces to accommodate her business. The Planning & Zoning Commission gave its approval to this arrangement. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Heiferman to approve the ordinance granting the special use permit. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. PRESENTATION of 183rd STREET TRAFFIC STUDY: Engineers Stephen Boden and Stephen Crede of Burns & McDonnell Engineers were hired to conduct a traffic study for the 1.83 miles of 183rd Street between Park Avenue on the west and Halsted Street on the east. The firm conducted traffic counts over a 13-hour period on April 13, 2021, analyzed 438 crash reports between 2016 and 2020 and offered suggestions to improve safety along 183rd Street. The traffic counts show there is no true “peak time” on the roadway. Traffic builds throughout the day. The study found almost half of the crashes were rear ends; 18 percent involved injuries; 76 percent of the crashes were in daytime with dry conditions. Crash analysis showed Dixie Highway at 183rd Street had the most crashes. The traffic study was prompted by a fatal accident in 2020 at the intersection of Center Avenue and 183rd Street. The engineers offered several suggestions that can improve the non-aligning intersection, including a permanent traffic signal a temporary signal, a four-way stop sign. Despite the village’s attempt to eliminate left turns from Center by installing a barrier in the middle of 183rd Street, drivers are making illegal U-turns. The traffic study included 60 suggestions for improvements along 183rd Street, from converting the four-law road to three-lanes with a turn lane in the center to improved lighting and making side streets one-way traffic. After the presentation, President Hofeld invited residents to offer their comments. Speeding along 183rd Street continues to be a problem, and more police patrols are needed. Police Chief Denise McGrath said traffic stops are part of every officer’s daily responsibilities, but it is difficult to stop speeders who will slow down when they see a squad car. Another resident pointed out the illegal U- turns drivers are making on 183rd Street to get around the barriers blocking drivers from crossing 183rd to reach the other side of Center Avenue. She asked for better signage to let drivers know a U- turn is illegal. A Park Avenue resident said he routinely sees drivers going south on Park Avenue making illegal left turns onto 183rd Street. He suggested cameras be installed but was told the village is not allowed to install traffic cameras. He asked for better signage. President Hofeld said several immediate improvements for better signage would be acted upon. Trustees will take the traffic study under advisement and select long-term solutions so the engineering firm can assist with county, state and federal funding options. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Trustees welcomed Trustee Belue to the village board. President Hofeld announced the village-funded leaf pick-ups will be Nov. 17 and 24. EXECUTIVE SESSION: A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Roman to move to Executive Session to discuss the purchase or lease of real property. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The board moved to Executive Session at 8:15 p.m. The board returned from Executive Session at 8:55 p.m. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. The meeting adjourned on voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk