Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2024 VILLAGE HALL BOARD ROOM CALL TO ORDER: President Hofeld called the meeting of the Board of Trustees to order at 7 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 Vivian Harris-Jones, Trustee Lauren Roman and Trustee Allisa Opyd. Trustee Jay Heiferman was absent. President Hofeld introduced staff present: Village Manager Napoleon Haney, Village Attorney Chris Cummings, Director of Economic and Community Development Angela Mesaros, Public Works Director John Schaefer, Police Chief Denise McGrath and Assistant Village Manager Terence Acquah. MINUTES: The minutes of the Public Hearing held on April 23, 2024 for the 2024-2025 budget, the minutes of the April 23, 2024 regular Village Board meeting, and the April 30, 2024 Special Village Board meeting were presented. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Opyd and seconded by Trustee Willis to approve the minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Willis, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $873,168.96 was presented. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Willis, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd with President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said three items made up 55 percent of the Claims List: $82,023.96 to Thorn Creek Sanitary District; employees health insurance for May was $254,391.39 and payment to E-COM was $147,163.06. APPOINTMENT: President Hofeld nominated Philip Mason to fill the vacancy on the board following Trustee Anne Colton’s resignation. President Hofeld noted that Mr. Mason has served on the Economic Development Committee and recently agreed to serve as the Village Treasurer. A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Willis to approve the appointment. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Willis, Harris-Jones, Roman and Opyd with President Hofeld. NAYS – None. Motion carried. Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Mr. Mason, who then took his seat on the dais. OATHS OF OFFICE: RECORDS CLERK: Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Laura Docter, a new records clerk with the Police Department. She came to the village with a wealth of experience, and her last position was with the Flossmoor Police Department. POLICE PROMOTION: Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Michael Chmielewski who was promoted to the rank of sergeant with the Police Department. He has been with the department since 2016. ASSISTANT VILLAGE MANAGER: Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Terence Acquah who joined the staff as assistant village manager on April 29. Mr. Acquah has a master in public administration degree from DePaul University. He most recently was superintendent of public works in Bolingbrook. PRESENTATIONS: The board was asked to approve Resolution R-3182 honoring retiring Police Sergeant Curt Weist. He had 24 years of service with the Police Department and spent many years as the DARE officer working in the schools. Police Chief McGrath thanked him for his years of service with the Police Department and his constant attention to duty and his years of friendship. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Willis, Harris-Jones, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS: Clerk Thomas read a proclamation calling on Village residents to wear orange on June 7 for National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Anthony Graves who works to prevent gun violence thanked Trustees for their support. PUBLIC WORKS WEEK: Clerk Thomas read a proclamation declaring the week of May 19-25 as Public Works Week in the Village. Public Works Open House is May 18. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: President Hofeld invited members of the audience to address the board on any subject not on the agenda. No comments were offered. OMNIBUS VOTE: Consider a motion to pass, approve, authorize, accept, or award the following items: A. Reappointments/Fire and Police Commission/Ethics Commission: Approve the reappointments of Patrick O'Meara to the Fire and Police Commission for a three-year term ending on May 14, 2027, and Richard Lites to the Ethics Commission for a three-year term ending on May 14, 2027. B. R-3183/IRMA Delegate: Pass a resolution appointing Assistant Village Manager Terence Acquah as Delegate and Finance Director Amy Zukowski as Alternate Delegate to the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency pool effective May 14, 2024. C. Contract Renewal/Leaf Pickup Services/Homewood Disposal, Inc.: Approve the contract renewal for leaf pickup services to Homewood Disposal, Inc. in the amount of $29,671.15 for the dates of November 6, 13, and 20, 2024. D. Budget Amendment/Bergstein's NY Deli & Sandwich Shop/18064 Martin Avenue: Approve a budget amendment of $90,000 to the General Fund for the incentive payment to Bergstein’s NY Deli & Sandwich Shop and the property owner.  E. Purchase/Wheeled Excavator/Alta Equipment Company, LLC: Waive competitive bidding due to purchasing through a Joint Governmental or Cooperative purchasing program, Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Advantages; and, authorize the purchase and delivery of a Volvo EWR130E Wheeled Excavator from Alta Equipment Company, LLC of Orland Park, IL in the amount of $377,505. F. M-2293/Purchase and Sale Agreement/DP Homewood LLC/3043-3055 183rd Street: Pass an ordinance authorizing the Village President to enter into a purchase and sale agreement with DP Homewood LLC for the property at 3043-3055 183rd Street in the Kedzie Gateway Redevelopment Project Area. G. M-2294/Solicitation of Alternate Bids and Proposals/2018-2020 Ridge Road: Pass an ordinance directing the Village Manager to solicit alternate bids and proposals for the sale and development of the property at 2018-2020 Ridge Road in the Downtown TOD Redevelopment Project Area. H. R-3184/Redevelopment Agreement/R. Scott Donkel LLC/2059 Ridge Road: Pass a resolution authorizing the Village President to enter into a redevelopment agreement with R. Scott Donkel LLC to reimburse $56,240 in TIF eligible expenses for the renovation of the building at 2059 Ridge Road in the Downtown TOD Redevelopment Project Area. I. M-2295/Special Use Permit/119 Tranzit/17803 Bretz Drive: Pass an ordinance granting a Special Use Permit for a motor vehicle rental use in the Limited Manufacturing District for “119 Tranzit” at 17803 Bretz Drive. J. R-3185/Tax Increment Financing Revenue Note Issuance: Pass a resolution authorizing the Village President to issue a Tax Increment Financing Revenue Note in the amount of $4,718,377.70 as provided for in the Redevelopment Agreement between HCF Homewood LLC (Hartford Building Developer) and the Village of Homewood. Trustee Roman asked about alternate bids for the Village-owned property at 2018-2020 Ridge Road. She appreciated that someone has come forward to purchase the building, but she asked that before a purchase agreement is presented to the Board, the Village advertise the building to a wide audience. Trustee Roman also asked for an understanding on the $4.7 million note. Attorney Cummings said the Village is obligated to approve the note because as part of the redevelopment agreement the board agreed to reimburse the developer up to $7 million. The $4.7 million is the amount of TIF eligible expenses incurred by the developer. Since the Village is not reimbursing the Developer upfront, interest on the unpaid TIF reimbursable expenses is also a TIF eligible expense and will help the Developer reach the $7 million in TIF reimbursements it needs to make this project viable. Cummings stated that the TIF note is not a general obligation of the Village and any remaining principal balance at the end of the TIF is forgiven. Trustee Opyd also asked the Village to advertise so that alternate bids may be solicited for the 2018 Ridge Road property. She thanked Gun Violence Awareness Day supporters for their efforts. A motion was made by Trustee Willis and seconded by Trustee Opyd to approve the Omnibus Report as presented. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Willis, Harris-Jones, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION: Trustee Willis welcomed Trustee Mason. Trustee Harris-Jones reminded residents the Art & Garden Fair will be May 31 and June 1. Manager Haney said the Homewood Metra Station (west side) will reopen on Monday, May 20. Elevators will be installed June 28. Trustee Mason said he was honored to serve on the Village Board, and he looks forward to doing great work for the community. Trustee Roman welcomed Trustee Mason. She said positions are most often filled from our committees or involvement in the community. There always is some kind of involvement in the community before being named a Trustee. She urges interested residents to reach out to the Mayor or Trustees to learn how to get involved. Trustee Opyd welcomed new Trustee Mason. She extends her congratulations to Curt Weist on his retirement. ADJOURN: A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Willis, Harris-Jones, Mason, Roman and Opyd with President Hofeld. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk