Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY –DECEMBER 14, 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 Cece Belue, Trustee Karen Washington, Trustee Vivian Harris- Jones, Trustee Lauren Roman, and Trustee Jay Heiferman. President Hofeld introduced staff: Village Manager Jim Marino, Attorney Christopher Cummings, Assistant Village Manager Napoleon Haney, Director of Finance Dennis Bubenik, Public Works Director John Schaefer and Fire Chief Bob Grabowski. MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting of November 23, 2021, were presented. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Washington, Harris-Jones, Heiferman and Roman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $2,071,079.12 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, Belue, Washington, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said three items totaled 77 percent of the Claims List: A $1,045,216.70 payment to Burns McDonnell Engineers for work on the water conversion project; $319,206.25 to the City of Harvey for Lake Michigan water; $244,405.34 for employee health insurance for December. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: President Hofeld invited the audience to address the board on any subject not on the agenda. One resident asked for assistance in clearing up a fine imposed against him for a dead tree on his property. The tree had been cut down when he was cited. He was referred to Chief Grabowski for assistance. APPOINTMENT: Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to James Bruggman, a new member of the Tree Committee. OATH OF OFFICE: Chief Grabowski introduced Antonia Urbanski, the new administrative secretary for the Fire Department. Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Ms. Urbanski. OMNIBUS VOTE: The board is asked to consider a motion to pass, approve, authorize, accept, or award the following item(s): A. Meeting Cancellation/December 28, 2021: Approve the cancellation of the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees scheduled for December 28, 2021. B. Contract Renewal/Lobbying Services/Maren Ronan Ltd.: Authorize the Village President to enter into an agreement between Maren Ronan, Ltd. of Western Springs, IL and the Village of Homewood for lobbying services from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 in the amount of $3,000 per month. C. 2021 Real Estate Tax Levy Ordinances: --M-2203: Pass an ordinance levying taxes for corporate purposes and for special funds for the fiscal year commencing on the first day of May 2022 and ending on the thirtieth day of April 2023 for the Village of Homewood. --M-2204: Pass an ordinance increasing the 2021 Street and Bridge Tax Levy in the Village of Homewood. --M-2205: Pass an ordinance directing the Cook County Clerk to reduce the Village of Homewood's 2021 Levy, if necessary, to comply with the property tax extension limitation law. D. Letter Agreement/Metra/Parking Lot: Approve the execution of a letter agreement with Metra for operation and maintenance of their parking lot for an interim period. E. M-2206/Fee Schedule/Parking Lot Fees: Pass an ordinance revising the Finance section of the Village Fee Schedule to include a daily rate of $2.25 and monthly parking $35 rate for commuter parking lots. F. M-2207/Traffic Regulation Schedule/Stop and Yield Signs: Pass an ordinance revising schedules regulating the use of streets within the Village of Homewood to add stop signs and remove yield signs at the intersections of Gladville Avenue at Linden Avenue and Gladville Avenue at Burr Oak Road. G. R-3093/Approval of Executive Session Minutes: Pass a resolution approving executive session minutes from May 2021 to November 9, 2021 and authorizing the destruction of executive session audio recordings from February 2020 to May 2020. H. R-3094/Release of Executive Session Minutes: Pass a resolution determining minutes or portions thereof from executive sessions no longer requiring confidential treatment. I. Agreement/Traffic Signal Maintenance/Meade, Inc.: Authorize the Village President to enter into a service agreement for traffic signal maintenance with Meade, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $18,354.60. J. Budget Amendment/Emergency Purchase/Police Department Squad: Approve a budget amendment in the amount of $45,153.60 for the replacement vehicle and equipment after a squad was totaled in a November accident; waive competitive bidding for an emergency purchase; and authorize the purchase of one 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility from D’Orazio Ford in the amount of $35,153.60. K. M-2208/Water Sale and Purchase Agreement/Village of Flossmoor: Pass an ordinance approving a water sale and purchase agreement between the Village of Homewood and the Village of Flossmoor. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Washington to approve the Omnibus Agenda as presented. Trustee Heiferman asked Attorney Cummings if the new water purchasing agreement with Flossmoor will mandate shared costs should Homewood have any issues with the new water supplier. Attorney Cummings said there is language in the new agreement that would require Flossmoor to share costs for unanticipated requirements imposed upon the village. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Washington, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Trustees wished everyone Happy Holidays. President Hofeld made note that this would be Village Manager Marino’s last board meeting. He thanked him for all his years of service to the Village. Marino addressed the board saying it is difficult to say good-bye after more than 20 years. He thanked President Hofeld for his leadership and Attorney Cummings for his good counsel, and said he had a strong administrative team behind him, as well as a dedicated staff of village employees. The board gave Marino a round of applause and thanked him for his work on behalf of the village. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Washington to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Belue, Washington, Harris-Jones, Roman and Heiferman. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk