Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2024 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: Clerk Marilyn Thomas called the roll. Those present were Village President Richard Hofeld, Trustee Julie Willis, Trustee Anne Colton, Trustee Vivian Harris-Jones, Trustee Jay Heiferman Trustee Lauren Roman and Trustee Alissa Opyd. President Hofeld introduced staff present: Village Manager Napoleon Haney, Village Attorney Chris Cummings, Assistant Village Manager Tyler Hall, Economic and Community Development Director Angela Mesaros, Director of Public Works John Schaefer and Police Chief Denise McGrath. MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting of December 19, 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 Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $2,454,980.91 was presented. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said five items totaled 90 percent of the Claims List: $261,297.90 to Chicago Heights for Lake Michigan water; $419,250 for final payment to Gallagher Materials for street repairs; $254,007.24 for employee health insurance for January; $906,148.00 for workmen’s compensation insurance; $374,080.05 to M&J Underground for repairs to the Marlin Lane water main. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: President Hofeld invited anyone in the audience to address the board on any subject not on the agenda. No comments were offered. One comment did come in electronically and was shared with board members (attached). MEET THE MERCHANTS: Director Mesaros introduced Dan Turvey of Dan's Classics, 18009 Harwood. He has owned the shop for two years and had worked there under the previous owner. The team at Dan’s Classics works on cars that date before 1980. The team can do all repairs except paint and upholstery. OATH OF OFFICE: Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Officer Peyton Nigro. He has completed Cook County Sheriff’s Basic Law Enforcement Police Training Academy and is now in the Homewood Police Department Field Training Program. OMNIBUS REPORT: The board is asked to pass, approve, authorize, accept or award the following items: A. R-3171/Redevelopment Agreement Assignment/HCF Homewood, LLC: Pass a resolution approving the assignment of a redevelopment agreement and TIF note proceeds to CoVantage Credit Union of New Lenox, IL to secure a long-term real estate loan given to HCF Homewood, LLC. B. Agreement/Subrecipient Grant/Cook County: Authorize the Village President to enter into a Subrecipient Grant Agreement with Cook County for sidewalk replacement/installation, drainage, and crosswalk implementation as part of the Ashland Avenue sidewalk improvement project for a funded amount of $80,000. C. R-3172/Illinois Department of Transportation: Pass a resolution for the Village to obtain permits from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to perform work within the IDOT right-of-way throughout calendar year 2023 to the end of December 2024 in accordance with State requirements. D. R-3173/Motor Fuel Tax Funds: Pass a resolution appropriating $86,000 of Motor Fuel Tax Funds for the purpose of maintaining streets and highways under the applicable provisions of the Illinois Highway Code. E. M-2277/Proposed 183rd West - Tax Increment Financing District: Pass an ordinance convening a joint review board and calling a public hearing for the proposed 183rd West - Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Redevelopment Project Area Plan, the designation of the 183rd West - TIF Redevelopment Project Area, and the adoption of tax increment allocation funding. F. Annual Report/Ethics Commission: Accept the 2023 Annual Report for the Ethics Commission. G. Annual Report/Foreign Fire Tax Insurance Board: Accept the 2023 Annual Report for the Foreign Fire Tax Insurance Board. H. Annual Report/Appearance Commission: Accept the 2023 Annual Report for the Appearance Commission. I. Annual Report/Planning and Zoning Commission: Accept the 2023 Annual Report for the Planning and Zoning Commission. J. Annual Report/Beautification Committee: Accept the 2023 Annual Report for the Beautification Committee. K. Annual Report/Tree Committee: Accept the 2023 Annual Report for the Tree Committee. Before the vote, Trustee Colton said she appreciated the planned work for improvements to sidewalks along Ashland Avenue. She also asked for further information on Item A. Attorney Cummings explained that the agreement matched almost word-for-word to an agreement the Village Board had approved in 2022 with developer HCF Homewood LLC. The new agreement was required because the developer obtained a loan from a new lender for longer term financing now that construction is completed. This is on the agenda to ratify the action because there was no time to get it before the board before the end- of-the-year deadline for papers to be signed. Had the papers not been signed, the developer could have incurred several thousand dollars in increased costs, and the Village may have been obliged to pay additional incentives to the developer. She thanked Attorney Cummings for his explanation. She said she had no problem with the Village’s decision to help the developer, but she questioned the process and whether it offered transparency. Trustee Heiferman said the Village’s action on the loan papers was proper and he believed made perfect sense since it was not costing the Village additional money. In accepting the annual reports from various commissions and committees, he lauded the more than 50 Homewood residents who volunteer their time to serve the Village. Trustee Harris-Jones also thanked the volunteers who serve the Village. She had served on the Beautification Committee before joining the Village Board. She urged others to volunteer. Trustee Roman also commented on the number of volunteers who support the Village. She made note that as it relates to the HCF Homewood loan, the TIF funds (from the Village) only go to the lender if the lender fulfills the developer’s obligations should the developer default. Trustee Opyd thanked staff for the reports and information on the HCF Homewood loan agreement. The information is helpful to her as a new trustee as she works to get up to speed on Village Board issues. A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the Omnibus Report as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Anticipating a winter storm, Trustees urged residents to use caution on the roads and when out walking. Trustee Roman applauded the start of a Citizens Academy to educate community members on the workings of the Village. She also thanked Public Works staff for all their special efforts this time of year. President Hofeld offered his condolences to the family on the passing of Larry Kinsella. Mr. Kinsella had served as chair of the Plan Commission. A motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Colton to move to Executive Session to discuss the purchase or lease of real property under 5 ILCS 1202(c)(5) and setting a price for the sale or lease of property owned by the public body under 5 ILCS 1202(c)(6). Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The Board moved to Executive Session at 7:25 p.m. The Board returned from Executive Session at 7:42 p.m. A motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. The meeting was adjourned on voice vote. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk  PUBLIC COMMENTS – for the Tuesday, January 9, 2024 Board Meeting From: Kris Condon Sent: Sunday, January 7, 2024 9:36 PM To: PublicComments <comments@homewoodil.gov> Subject: Request for inclusion in Board Public Comment Good Evening: Please accept the enclosed for the public comment section of next Tuesday's Village Board meeting. Thank you very much. Respectfully, Kristine M. Condon --- Dear President Hofeld and Members of the Homewood Village Board of Trustees: For the past several weeks, Chicago-area news outlets have covered the stories of migrants being dropped off by train, bus, and airplane at suburban locations, leaving them to find their own ways to Chicago processing centers. A cursory review of the Chicago collar county map reflects that communities along transit lines and interstates are most often targeted, and these targets are moving closer and closer to Homewood. I think many residents would like to hear concrete plans on the Village of Homewood’s strategy for addressing the humanitarian, law enforcement, and/or social service issues surrounding these intercity dropoffs. There is urgency to make provisions for partnerships with healthcare, social service, faith-based, and/or legal partners as a matter of human rights and of public safety and further, to communicate those provisions, as appropriate, to residents. I am not asking the Village Board to engage in philosophical or political discourse on the federal and/or state governments’ approach to the migrant crisis. However, an opportunity exists for Village leadership to be proactive in both responding to a dropoff in our village and in communicating your plans to your constituents. Thank you for listening to my concerns. Dr. Kristine M. (Kris) Condon Homewood, IL 60430