Board of Trustees Meeting

VILLAGE OF HOMEWOOD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 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 Vivian Harris-Jones, Trustee Jay Heiferman, Trustee Phillip Mason, Trustee Lauren Roman and Trustee Allisa Opyd. Trustee Julie Willis was absent. President Hofeld introduced staff present: Village Manager Napoleon Haney, Village Attorney Chris Cummings, Director of Economic and Community Development Angela Mesaros, Fire Chief Bob Grabowski, Director of Public Works Josh Burman and Assistant Village Manager Terence Acquah. MINUTES: The Village Board reviewed the following minutes: the July 23, 2024, regular Village Board meeting; the of July 23, 2024 183rd West TIF Public Hearing; and the of July 23, 2024 Bond Issue Notification Act public hearing. There were no comments or corrections. A motion was made by Trustee Heiferman and seconded by Trustee Roman to approve the three sets of minutes as presented. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. CLAIMS LIST: The Claims List in the amount of $1,095,579.08 was presented. There were no questions from the Trustees. A motion was made by Trustee Mason and seconded by Trustee Opyd to approve the Claims List as presented. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. President Hofeld said four items totaled 76% of the Claims List: $147,023.36 to Alpha Prime Wireless for radios for Public Works; $339,793.70 to the City of Chicago Heights for Lake Michigan water; $254.933.49 for employees health insurance for August; $89,424.00 for Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District. HEAR FROM THE AUDIENCE: President Hofeld invited any audience member to address the board on any subject not on the agenda. A representative from the local Air Force recruiting office wanted it known that there was a recruiting office in the area should anyone have questions or be interested in joining the military. APPOINTMENTS: President Hofeld asked trustees to approve the appointments of Jim Gannon as the Village Treasurer; of Jeannette LaPlante who will serve a five-year term on the Beautification Committee through Aug. 13, 2029; and Robert Lynch who will serve a three-year term on the Tree Committee ending Aug. 13, 2027. A motion was made by Trustee Mason and seconded by Trustee Harris-Jones to approve the appointments. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. Clerk Thomas administered the oath of office to Mr. Gannon, Ms. LaPlante and Mr. Lynch. PRESENTATION: Clerk Thomas read a proclamation marking the 50th anniversary of Emergency Medical Services by the Homewood Fire Department. Chief Grabowski said the fire department had a reception for those who were among the first to serve as EMS/Paramedics. He called Fred Sierzenga to the podium so Mr. Sierzenga could share how he chaired the committee to raise funds for the first two ambulances. Volunteers went door-to- door to raise $44,000 for the first ambulance. Between 1974 and 1991, the campaigns raised about $500,000 for the paramedic program. Chip Woyner, one of the first paramedics, read a poem written about paramedics. It highlighted how their efforts have saved people and given them hope. The job of a paramedic is an enormous part of any firefighter’s role. Chief Grabowski said the paramedic program started in 1974 with 134 calls. Today three-quarters of the fire department’s 4,000 annual calls are for paramedic assistance. President Hofeld thanked paramedics, past and present, for all they do or have done for the community. OMNIBUS VOTE: The board is asked to pass, approve, authorize, accept, or award the following items: A. Acceptance of Proposal/Passageway Lighting/Chicago Lightworks: Waive competitive bidding and accept the lowest quote received from Chicago Lightworks, of Lisle, IL; and, authorize the purchase of ten (10) Color Kinetics Red, Green, Blue, White (RGBW) lights and one (1) Pharos controller from Chicago Lightworks, of Lisle, IL, in an amount not to exceed $27,228. B. Purchase Approval/Village Hall Uplighting/Chicago Lightworks: Waive competitive bidding due to the inability to identify a vendor that could provide reasonable pricing for the equipment and technical assistance; and, authorize the purchase of twenty-three (23) Ilumipanel Red, Green, Blue, Lime (RGBL) LED lights and one (1) Pharos controller from Chicago Lightworks, of Lisle, IL, for a total amount not to exceed $49,758. Labor/installation and electrical work will be handled by Public Works staff. C. M-2300/Special Use Permit/ReLax Massage/18719 Dixie Highway: Pass an ordinance granting a Special Use Permit for a massage therapy use in the B-3 General Business zoning district for ReLax Massage at 18719 Dixie Highway. D. MC-1082/Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment/Indoor Commercial Places of Assembly: Pass an ordinance amending the Homewood Zoning Ordinance to allow indoor commercial  places of assembly as a special use in the M-1 zoning district and revising parking requirements for commercial and non-commercial places of assembly and schools. E. M-2301/Special Use Permit/Variance/Soulistic 360/17811 Bretz Drive: Pass an ordinance regarding the property at 17811 Bretz Drive granting a special use permit to allow the operation of an indoor commercial place of assembly in the M-1 zoning district; and approving a variance from the Homewood Zoning Ordinance by allowing an indoor commercial place of assembly to be located on a local road. F. R-3193/Class 8 Classification/Wind Creek, LLC/17420 Halsted Street: Pass a resolution supporting a proposed Class 8 classification for certain property within the Village of Homewood and the Village of East Hazel Crest, within the Northeast Tax Increment Redevelopment Project Area in Homewood and the Halsted Street redevelopment project area in the Village of East Hazel Crest for the property at 17420 Halsted Street owned by Wind Creek, LLC. G. R-3194/Class 8 Classification/1005 175th Street: Pass a resolution supporting a Class 8 classification under the Cook County real property assessment classification ordinance for real estate at 1005 175th Street. H. Redevelopment Agreement/Ford of Homewood/3233 183rd Street: Authorize the Village President to enter into a redevelopment agreement with Steve Phillipos, owner of Ford of Homewood of Homewood, IL for up to $2,451,422 in incentive payments to be paid over the remaining 20-year life of the Kedzie Gateway Tax Increment Financing District for the property located at 3233 183rd Street. I. Budget Amendment/Emergency Storm Debris Removal: Waive competitive bidding due to costs attributable to an emergency event; approve a budget amendment and transfer of $68,670.88 from the Contingency Fund line item to the Public Works Landscape and Maintenance Budget in order to pay invoices for emergency storm debris removal performed by Winkler Tree and Lawn Care of LaGrange Park, IL and to rent commercial- grade equipment from Steve Piper and Sons, Inc. of Naperville, IL to dispose of storm debris for a total amount not to exceed $68,670.88. J. Authorization of Payment/Traffic Signal Maintenance/Meade, Inc.: Waive competitive bidding due to utilizing a vendor currently under contract for traffic signal maintenance; and, authorize payment in the amount of $25,111 to Meade, Inc. of Willowbrook, IL for the replacement of traffic control handholes located at the intersections of 183rd and Dixie Highway and 183rd and Harwood Avenue. K. R-3195/Dissolution/E-COM Emergency Telephone System Board: Pass a resolution suspending the operations and dissolving the E-COM Emergency Telephone System Board. President Hofeld asked Manager Haney to outline the lighting proposals in Items A and B. He said the first proposal is to have LED lights along the alleyway between the Hartford Building and its neighbor to the west. The lighting will be a safety measure between the parking lot and Ridge Road. The lights will be colored until 10 p.m. when they will be white lights. The lights on the Village Hall will put emphasis on the classic features of the 1931 building and light the gateway between the Metra station and Dixie Highway. This updates the current system. Both projects are funded with American Rescue Plan Act money from the federal government’s pandemic relief funds. Manager Haney said it took the Village months to find a company that could satisfy the needs and stay within the village’s budget. Joel Lauth of Chicago Lightworks said Color Kinetics is used globally, including on the London Eye and the NY Empire State Building. The lights beautify areas and surveys have found that when buildings are lit they attract people to the space. The alley can have color during business and later set for white lighting. President Hofeld asked for comments from the audience, none was offered. Trustee Heiferman asked that Item C-special use permit- be voted on separately. Trustee Opyd asked if staff spoke with other businesses to see if they would be impacted by the new lights. Haney said during a demonstration the light did not spill into areas outside the alley. She asked how the lights would show the mural that would be painted on the walls in the alley. Assistant Village Manager Acquah said the lights are not intended to light the mural. They are primarily for safety. A motion was made by Trustee Roman and seconded by Trustee Opyd to approve the Items on the Consent Agenda, except for Item C. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. Trustee Heiferman said he asked that Item C be rejected because it does not meet the standards set in the Village ordinances. Attorney Cummings said the Homewood Zoning Ordinance provides that the Village Board has the final authority to grant or deny a special use permit. Trustee Mason said he did not believe the proposed business aligns with the Southgate community. Trustee Roman agreed. She too watched the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and did not feel the petitioner addressed the questions asked and a massage parlor does not fit with the neighborhood. Trustee Opyd wonders if the proposal should be tabled for more information that may satisfy her fellow Board members. Attorney Cummings advised that the Board should focus on the intended use, not the individuals seeking a special use. The Village Board should make its decision based upon the special use standards set forth in the zoning ordinance. Those standards include whether the proposed special use is consistent with the uses and community character of the neighborhood surrounding the subject property. At this point, the Village Board’s options are to approve the special use, approve the special use with conditions, refer the matter back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for further consideration, or deny the application. Trustee Heiferman said he reviewed the petitioner’s written responses in the special use application, the staff presentation, and staff comments. Then he watched the video and thought the petitioner did not really address the concerns about how the business does not relate to other businesses in the neighborhood. Trustee Heiferman made a motion to deny the special use permit, seconded by Trustee Mason. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion to deny the special use permit carried. Old Business: A. M-2302/Amendment/Kedzie Gateway Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area: Pass an ordinance amending the Redevelopment Plan and Project for the Kedzie Gateway Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project by removing the Great American Bagel Plaza and the former Brunswick Zone-Big Lots properties from the existing TIF. B. M-2303/183rd West Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area: Pass an ordinance approving the redevelopment plan and project for the 183rd West Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area. This TIF is comprised of the Great American Bagel Plaza and the former Brunswick Zone-Big Lots properties. C. M-2304/183rd West Redevelopment Project Area: Pass an ordinance designating the 183rd West Redevelopment Project Area. D. M-2305/Tax Increment Allocation Financing/183rd West Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area: Pass an ordinance adopting Tax Increment Allocation Financing for the 183rd West Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area. Before the vote, Attorney Cummings said this is the final step for the 183rd Street West Tax Increment Financing District. The properties commonly referred to as Brunswick Bowl/Big Lots and Great American Bagel Plaza were split off from the Kedzie Gateway TIF so that redevelopment could begin. This new TIF is for those two parcels. Trustee Mason made a motion to approve Ordinances M-2302, M-2303, M-2304 and M-2305. Trustee Harris-Jones seconded the motion. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. General Board Discussion: Trustee Harris-Jones said her visit to MABAS was very informative and she appreciated what is being done for Homewood residents. Trustee Opyd agreed that the training was interesting, and she was glad to know Homewood is involved in MABAS. Adjourn: A motion was made by Trustee Opyd and seconded by Trustee Roman to adjourn the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees. Roll Call: AYES --Trustees Harris-Jones, Heiferman, Mason, Roman and Opyd. NAYS –None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Thomas Village Clerk