Board of Trustees Meeting
Regular MeetingHomewood, IL · June 10, 2025
Minutes
Adams, Nancy
From: Melissa Kirk
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 11:24 AM
To: PublicComments
Subject: 05/27/25 Redevelopment Vote
External Sender: Use caution with links/attachments. Use caution when replying. If you are unsure please contact IT.
To whom it may concern:
I am writing to express my heartfelt disappointment with your vote for the Redevelopment of Park West Plaza,
located at 3003-3025 183rd Street, and your decision to award it. I realize now that you were not genuinely
looking for community when you awarded this bid, despite what you said; you were concerned about the least
amount of money you had to spend. While I am writing specifically for Rabid Brewing, you had two
community-based proposals: Rabid Brewing and VMB Ventures. You were not looking to support small
businesses, as you stated, but rather the big box businesses. You opted for the cheapest option for your
community rather than actual community and stability, and I guarantee you that in a few years, you will be
putting this space up for bid again because Canton was not the right choice.
I was unable to attend the meeting in person due to health reasons. Still, the number of community members
who showed up for Rabid Brewing—both in person and in the written word—should have demonstrated the
impact that Rabid has had and will continue to have on the community. Additionally, you mentioned the
strengths of Rabid’s current space yet failed to consider the growth potential that Rabid could provide in a
larger location. This oversight speaks volumes about the decision-making process and the priorities at play.
However, you chose numbers over community, and it’s disheartening that you did.
Warm regards,
Melissa Kirk
--
“Never be afraid to try something new. Remember: amateurs built the Ark; professionals built the Titanic.” - Unknown
1
Adams, Nancy
From: Bob Robertson
Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 7:50 PM
To:
Subject: Cars Kill People
External Sender: Use caution with links/attachments. Use caution when replying. If you are unsure please contact IT.
To All:
It has become increasingly apparent that much of the local press is serving more as a mouthpiece for the Greater
Homewood Party than as a source of balanced journalism. Coverage is consistently glowing, as if the party can
do no wrong. Unfortunately, that’s far from the truth. The press’s role is to question power, not cozy up to it.
We need real journalism—critical, fair, and informed—not flattery disguised as reporting.
President Hofeld and his administration are making decisions behind closed doors with little regard for public
input. Residents of this town deserve transparency and real opportunities to shape the policies that affect our
daily lives—not just press releases, staged photo-ops, and ribbon-cuttings.
One of the most glaring failures is the administration’s refusal to address our town’s out-of-control traffic
problem. Pedestrians and cyclists are put at risk every day while leadership continues to prioritize car-centric
policies. It’s as if the Greater Homewood Party values speeding cars over the safety and well-being of actual
people. Cyclists and pedestrians are left to fend for themselves while the administration continues to worship at
the altar of car culture. It’s as if they’d rather see people killed in crosswalks than rethink their policies. And the
silence from the press on all of this makes them complicit.
It’s laughably obvious that much of the media has become a propaganda arm for the Greater Homewood Party.
Many articles read like they were drafted by President Hofeld’s PR team. If some of these so-called reporters
didn’t have their noses so far up Hofeld’s , maybe they’d notice what’s actually happening in this town.
The Village government, which the press relentlessly praises, is shutting residents out of the democratic
process. Even the League of Women Voters called them out in a letter that was recently published, stating
clearly that public input is being ignored. That should’ve sparked outrage. Instead, it was buried under another
puff piece praising the administration. Does Rich Hofeld profit from deaths in this village?
This town deserves better leadership and press that acts like it gives a .
Yours Truly,
Bob Robertson
187th Street
Homewood, Illinois, USA
1
Agenda
MEETING AGENDA
Board of Trustees Meeting
Village of Homewood
June 10, 2025
Meeting Start Time: 7:00 PM
Village Hall Board Room
2020 Chestnut Road, Homewood, IL
Board Meetings will be held as in-person meetings. In addition to in-person public comment during the meeting, members of the public may
submit written comments by email to comments@homewoodil.gov or by placing written comments in the drop box outside Village Hall.
Comments submitted before 4:00 p.m. on the meeting date will be distributed to all Village Board members prior to the meeting.
Please see last page of agenda for virtual meeting information.
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Introduction of Staff
5. Minutes: Consider a motion to approve the following minutes:
From the public hearing held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
From the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees held on May 27, 2025.
6. Claims List:
Consider a motion to approve the Claims List of Tuesday, June 10, 2025 in the amount of
$1,456,414.19.
7. Presentation(s):
Communication and Engagement Manager Antonia Steinmiller will present certificates to the
Spring 2025 Citizen Academy participants.
8. Hear from the Audience
9. Omnibus Vote: Consider a motion to pass, approve, authorize, accept, or award the following
item(s):
A. Bid Award/Valve Exercising and Fire Hydrant Flow Testing Program/M.E. Simpson Company,
Inc.: Award a bid for Valve Exercising and Fire Hydrant Flow Testing Program to M.E. Simpson
Company, Inc., of Valparaiso, IN, the lowest responsible bidder, for a three-year contract in an
amount not to exceed $146,286.
B. Agreement/Jurisdictional Transfer/Harwood Avenue from Pine Road to Ridge Road: Authorize
the Village President to enter into an agreement for the jurisdictional transfer of Harwood
Avenue, from Pine Road to Ridge Road, from the Illinois Department of Transportation to the
Village of Homewood, providing the Village with direct control over a critical roadway in the
heart of the downtown business district.
C. Intergovernmental Agreement/Maintenance of State-owned Municipal Streets/Illinois
Department of Transportation: Authorize the Village President to enter into a 10-year
Intergovernmental Agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation for
Maintenance of State-owned Municipal Streets located in Homewood.
D. M-2358/Public Water Supply Loan Program/Lead Service Line Replacement Program: Pass an
ordinance providing authorization to borrow funds from the Public Water Supply Loan
Program in an amount not to exceed $4,137,498 to be used to fund the Village’s Lead Service
Line Replacement Program in the year 2026.
E. Bid Opening/Sale of Village-owned Property/17701 Bretz Drive: Request the Village Clerk to
open sealed bids received by noon on Monday, June 9, 2025, submitted for the Village-owned
property located at 17701 Bretz Drive.
F. R-3225/Assignment and Assumption/Business Development Agreement/17748-17956 Halsted
Street: Pass a resolution authorizing assignment and assumption of the Business
Development Agreement for the Washington Park Plaza Shopping Center located at 17748-
17956 Halsted Street.
G. M-2359/Solicitation of Alternate Bids and Proposals/18155 Dixie Highway: Pass an ordinance
directing the Village Manager to solicit alternate bids and proposals for the sale and
development of the property at 18155 Dixie Highway (former Delanoe's).
H. MC-1088/Municipal Grocery Retailers' Occupation Tax: Pass an ordinance approving the
implementation of a 1% municipal grocery retailers’ occupation tax and a 1% municipal
grocery service occupation tax effective January 1, 2026. Although at first glance it may
appear to be more than a 1% tax, each type of sale would only be taxed under one of the
categories, for a maximum of 1%.
10. General Board Discussion
11. Executive Session: Consider a motion to enter into executive session to discuss the following:
Collective bargaining under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)2.
Purchase or lease of real property under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5).
12. Adjourn
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