Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2023 VILLAGE HALL BOARD ROOM CALL TO ORDER: President Hofeld called the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees to order at 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: President Hofeld led trustees in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Deputy Clerk Nancy Adams called the roll. Those present were Village President Richard Hofeld, Trustee Lisa Purcell, Trustee Julie Willis, Trustee Anne Colton, Trustee Vivian Harris-Jones, and Trustee Jay Heiferman. Trustee Lauren Roman was absent. President Hofeld introduced staff present: Village Manager Napoleon Haney, Village Attorney Chris Cummings, Assistant Village Manager Tyler Hall, Director of Economic and Community Development Angela Mesaros, Fire Chief Bob Grabowski, and Police Chief Denise McGrath. MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting of August 8, 2023, were presented. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to approve the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Willis, Colton, Heiferman, and Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $679,290.12 was presented. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Colton to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Willis, Colton, Heiferman, and Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said two items totaled 69 percent of the Claims List: $311,149.20 to M & J Asphalt Paving Co. for street work; $159,527.04 to RA D’Orazio Ford Inc. for two police and three public works vehicles. HEAR FROM AUDIENCE: Residents were invited to address any subject not on the meeting’s agenda. No comments were offered. APPOINTMENT: A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Purcell to approve the appointment of Gerald Fritz to the Ethics Commission to a three-year term through Aug. 22, 2026. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Willis, Colton, Heiferman, and Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. Motion carried. Mr. Fritz was not in attendance. He will be sworn in at another time. OMNIBUS VOTE: Consider a motion to pass, approve, authorize, accept, or award the following item(s): A. Reappointment/Tree Committee/Tony Greep: Approve the reappointment of Tony Greep to the Tree Committee for a three-year term ending on August 22, 2026. B. Reappointment/Economic Development Committee/Phillip Kosanovich: Approve the reappointment of Phillip Kosanovich to the Economic Development Committee for a two- year term ending on August 22, 2025. C. M-2262/Special Use Permit/Solar Energy Collection System/1000 Maple Avenue: Pass an ordinance granting a special use permit to allow a solar energy collection system, ground, one to five acre, and variations to locate within the front setback and to exceed the maximum height, at 1000 Maple Avenue, subject to the conditions listed in the ordinance. D. M-2263/Special Use Permit/Crematorium/17803 Bretz Drive: Pass an ordinance granting a special use permit to allow the operation of a crematorium at 17803 Bretz Drive, in the M-1 Limited Manufacturing zoning district, with the condition that the applicant must comply with all local, State, and Federal certifications and licenses. E. Agreement/Property Registration Services/Hera Property Registry LLC: Authorize the Village President to enter into an agreement with Hera Property Registry LLC of Melbourne, FL for the tracking and reporting of all vacant and foreclosed properties within the Village of Homewood. Before the discussion on the Omnibus Report, Trustee Heiferman asked that Item D be voted on separately. A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Willis to approve Items A-B-C-E on the Omnibus Report. Trustee Heiferman said he was excited to see the solar panels for INX. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Willis, Colton, Heiferman, and Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. Motion carried. Director Mesaros was asked to speak on the particulars of Item D, a request for a special use permit for a crematory at 17803 Bretz Drive, a vacant unit in a business condominium grouping. Since 2008, the village has allowed for a crematory as a special use in the M-1 district. The Planning & Zoning Commission did hear a request for a special use permit at its Aug. 10 meeting. The final vote was 4-2, which was a majority to allow the business Manna Crematory to open. However, she noted there were concerns among the commission members and the residents who addressed the commission. The business condominium owners also told the commission that the petitioner, Mr. Jeffrey Sachs, did not have his lease approved. Mr. Sachs addressed the board outlining his 31 years of working with funeral homes. He said the crematory he proposes to build will not be open to the public, but rather will serve funeral homes. He said he’s had experience with cremation from his jobs with funeral homes, most recently at Burns Funeral Home in Crown Point, Indiana. He had planned to build his crematory in South Holland, but that option didn’t come to fruition. Several representatives of Cremation Society of Illinois, in business in Homewood since 2012, spoke against giving Mr. Sachs a rezoning arguing he doesn’t have any direct experience at operating a crematory. Safety is a primary concern, and the representatives believe Mr. Sachs lacks certification and experience needed to open this business. Mr. Sachs said he was waiting to be certified until the crematory location is finalized. He said the company that would build the crematory recommended this. Rae Rosado, owner of Rabid Brewing, said her business would be two doors down from the proposed location. When she was looking for a location, she moved as far away as possible from the existing Cremation Society of Illinois which is at the opposite side of the industrial park from her business, and despite that there are times an unpleasant aroma from that facility is present. Putting a second crematory two doors down from a brewery would likely have a direct impact on her business and her customers. Trustee Colton asked that the special use permit be tabled until more is learned about the business, and the trustees have a chance to review the Planning & Zoning Commission’s minutes. Trustee Heiferman agreed. He watched the video of the commission’s meeting and felt there still were questions to be answered. President Hofeld reminded the board that anyone operating a crematory must comply with all state and federal protocols and certifications. He questioned the compatibility of putting a second crematory in that business strip that features a brewery, a plumbing business, batting cages and a bat company. On advice of Village Attorney Cummings, the president suggested the item by deferred for consideration at a future date. A motion was made by Trustee Heiferman and seconded by Trustee Purcell to defer consideration of Item D until a future date. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Willis, Colton, Heiferman, and Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. Motion carried. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Trustee Willis reminded residents to keep hydrated and out of the sun, (especially as the temperature is expected to reach 100-degrees). A motion was made by Trustee Purcell and seconded by Trustee Colton to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Purcell, Willis, Colton, Heiferman, and Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:23 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk  Public Comments - Board of Trustees Meeting - August 22, 2023 From: Wilma Hardney Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2023 12:56 PM To: PublicComments <comments@homewoodil.gov> Subject: Fw: Permits- Hardney 1. Why are we being denied the use of our permit which has an expiration of 12 months? 2. Where is the Ordinance that states all repairs need to be listed regardless if they are being completed in the required timeframe of one (1) year?