Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 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 Jay Heiferman, and Trustee Vivian Harris- Jones. Trustee Lauren Roman and Trustee Alissa Opyd were absent. President Hofeld introduced staff present: Village Manager Napoleon Haney, Village, Public Works Director John Schaefer, Director of Economic Development Angela Mesaros and Police Chief Denise McGrath. MINUTES: The minutes of the meeting of February 27, 2024, were presented. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to approve the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Heiferman, Harris-Jones. NAYS –None. ABSTAIN—Trustee Colton. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $912,820.13 was presented. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Willis to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones and President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said three items totaled 73% of the Claims List: $318,463.65 to the City of Chicago Heights for water; $255,562.46 for March employee insurance premiums; $89,096.95 to Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District. 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. MEET THE MERCHANT: Dodi Wians, a co-owner of Loulou Belle shared that the gift shop has been in downtown Homewood for eight years. It carries a variety of items, from candles to jewelry, and other specialties. They added cards after the Hallmark store in town closed. Wians said she and her partner, Lisa Komorowski, love being in Homewood and take pride in being business owners in town. OATH OF OFFICE: Clerk Thomas administered the oath to new Police Sgt. Nathan Bruni. He joined the police force in 2008 and has held a variety of positions over the years and has served as Homewood’s representative on the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force. OMNIBUS REPORT: The board is asked to pass, approve, authorize, accept or award the following items: A. 2023 Annual Report/Fire and Police Commission: Accept the 2023 annual report for the Fire and Police Commission. B. 2023 Annual Report/Economic Development Committee: Accept the 2023 annual report for the Economic Development Committee. C. M-2282/Groundwater/Royal Road and 187th Street: Pass an ordinance prohibiting the use of groundwater as a potable water supply, by the installation or use of potable water supply wells or by any other method, for certain properties along Royal Road and 187th Street, including rights-of-way within the Village of Homewood. D. Budget Amendment/Proposal Acceptance/Lead Service Line Replacement Plan/Burns & McDonnell: Approve a budget amendment of $66,983 to the water/sewer fund, and, accept and approve a proposal from Burns & McDonnell of Chicago, IL in the amount of $66,983 for professional engineering services (Tasks 1, 2 and 3) to assist the Village of Homewood in developing a Lead Service Line Replacement Plan in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requirements. E. R-3176/Establishing an Events Committee: Pass a resolution establishing an advisory committee to the Village Board, referred to as the Events Committee. A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Heiferman to approve the Omnibus Report as presented. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones and President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS: Three items were brought to the board. A. M-2283/Solicitation of Alternate Bids/3043-3055 183rd Street: Pass an ordinance directing the Village Manager to solicit alternate bids and proposals for the development of the property at 3043-3055 183rd Street in the Kedzie Gateway Redevelopment Project Area. B. R-3177/Public Hearing Continuance/183rd West Tax Increment Financing District: Pass a resolution commencing and continuing the public hearing on the proposed 183rd West Tax Increment Financing District to June 25, 2024. Regarding Items A and B, Attorney Cummings explained that both of these actions involve the former Brunswick Zone – Big Lots property currently in the Kedzie Gateway TIF. The Village’s ultimate plan is to remove the Brunswick Zone – Big Lots property and the adjacent Park West Plaza from the Kedzie Gateway TIF and create a new TIF for those properties to take advantage of the lower equalized assessed value of the former Brunswick Zone – Big Lots property that the Village acquired in late 2022. The Village has completed all steps to create the new TIF except for conducting the required public hearing. Once the public hearing is completed, the TIF Act requires that the new TIF must be created within 90 days. Since the Village recently learned that Cook County will not certify the lower equalized assessed value until later this year, Resolution R-3177 opens and continues the public hearing on the new TIF to June 25, 2024. If the county has certified the 2023 equalized assessed value by that date, the public hearing can proceed. If the county has not certified the 2023 equalized assessed value by that date, the Village can again continue the public hearing until the 2023 values are finalized. While waiting for the new TIF to be established, the Village has developers lined up for the Brunswick Zone – Big Lots property that wish to purchase the property and begin renovations now. Since the property is still in the Kedzie Gateway TIF, the Village can enter into a redevelopment agreement with the developer and once the new TIF is established, re-execute a redevelopment agreement in the new TIF. Ordinance M-2283 initiates the process required by the TIF Act to sell the property to the developer. After Attorney Cummings’ presentation, President Hofeld opened the public hearing on the proposed 183rd West TIF. No public comments were offered. On Item A, a motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Colton to approve Ordinance M-2283 directing the Village Manager to solicit alternate bids and proposals for the development of the property at 3043-3055 183rd Street in the Kedzie Gateway Redevelopment Project Area. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones and President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. On Item B, a motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Willis to approve Resolution R-3177 continuing the public hearing on the proposed 183rd West Tax Increment Financing District to June 25, 2024. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones and President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. C. Authorize the Village President to transmit a letter to the Illinois Department of Transportation in support of restriping Dixie Highway from Park Avenue to south of 175th Street in order to create a three-lane cross section that includes accommodations for on- street bicycle access. Steve Schilke of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Bureau Chief of Programming, and consultant Chris Kersten came to address the Board on plans for improvements along Dixie Highway from just south of Balagio’s Ristorante to the viaduct at the junction of Dixie Highway and Park Avenue. Schilke said it is a six-year project that should improve the traffic flow along Dixie Highway reducing it to two lanes, a bike lane and a center turn lane. The project started as a way to correct drainage issues, but it now includes traffic flow. It is moving along and the engineering work is nearing completion. However, Schilke could not directly address issues of timeliness and the impact on the ongoing flooding problems at the viaduct which will depend on the work timetable and the available money IDOT has to spend on repairs. President Hofeld also asked about installing a mirror so drivers heading north on Park Avenue can see if there are any cars coming from under the viaduct. He was told that will not happen; IDOT does not consider a mirror a traffic improvement because it visually distracts drivers. IDOT will not be making repairs to the viaduct itself because it does not own the viaduct. That is owned jointly by CN and Metra. A motion was made by Trustee Heiferman and seconded by Trustee Colton to approve a letter of support for IDOT’s proposed improvements on Dixie Highway on the west side of the viaduct. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones and President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: None. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Trustee Colton and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Roll Call: AYES—Trustees Willis, Colton, Heiferman, Harris-Jones and President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:48 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk