Board of Trustees

13539 MINUTES of a regular meeting of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Skokie, Cook County, Illinois held in the Council Chambers at 5127 Oakton Street at 8 p.m. on Monday March 7, 2022 With Skokie and the entire State of Illinois in Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan, Skokie Village Board meetings are in-person in the Council Chambers at Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street. Village Board meetings begin at 8 p.m. and will continue to be broadcast live on the Village’s YouTube channel as well as on SkokieVision cable television channels 17 (Comcast) and 25 (RCN). Meetings also are re-broadcast on the cable channels in the weeks following each meeting, and the videos are archived on the Village’s YouTube channel. Public comments may be submitted to publiccomments@skokie.org; comments received prior to the meeting or during the meeting will be provided to the Village Board and will not be read aloud. Public comments also can be mailed or hand-delivered to Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, Illinois, 60077, Attention: Village Manager’s Office or placed in the exterior drop box on the west side of Skokie Village Hall. Each Village Board meeting agenda includes time for public comments, and individuals wishing to speak on an issue will be allocated three minutes to address the Village Board. Pledge of Allegiance led by Village Clerk Pramod Shah. The Clerk called the Roll. Those present were Trustees Sutker , Robinson, Khoeun, Johnson, Pure Slovin , Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Trustee Klein apologized for his actions at the last Board Meeting. Motion to approve the Consent Agenda with the exception of Item B & C on the Corporation Counsel’s report. Moved: Trustee Sutker Seconded: Trustee Pure Slovin Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Johnson, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: None. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED * Approve, as submitted, minutes of regular meeting held Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Omnibus vote. * Approve Voucher List #20-FY22 of March 7, 2022. Omnibus vote. Proclamations and Resolutions. A. Proclamation 50th Anniversary of Orchard Village – March 2, 2022 Mayor Van Dusen read a Proclamation recognizing the individuals with disabilities in our community and their journey towards independence. The Village of Skokie and our elected officials congratulate Orchard Village and its staff for their dedication and tireless commitment for the safety and well-being of their clients. Susan Kaufman from Orchard Village accepted the plaque. Appointments, Reappointments and Resignations. * A. Appointments Beautification & Improvement Commission: Bahram Khazeni, Fred Lisiewicz, Rachel Rosenberg, Valerie Shuman, Brook Sprague, Anne VanOsdol Board of Health: Jan Shiffman Commission on Family Services: Daniel Stalilonis Zoning Board of Appeals: Israel Pollack Omnibus vote. Mayor Van Dusen recognized the new members and thanked them for their willingness to serve. 13540 Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Trustees Monday, March 7, 2022 Page Two Presentation and Reports. A. Presentation Presentation of the 2021 Community Survey Results by Ann Tennes, Director of Marketing and Communications. The Village of Skokie National Community Survey was done by the National Research Center. Some overall highlights of the 2021 Skokie Community Survey responses include: Ratings for Skokie government remain strong, with resident ratings quite positive and higher than national benchmarks. Residents value Skokie’s educational and cultural opportunities for their contributions to community livability. Health and wellness services also are valued and appreciated by the community. Most residents view Skokie as safe and inclusive. Three-quarters of those responding praised the overall feeling of safety in the community. Moreover, 91% of respondents gave Skokie high ratings for attracting people from diverse backgrounds. This rating is much higher than national benchmark comparisons and ranks Skokie first out of a total 111 communities that posed the question in resident surveys. Michelle Kobayashi from the National Research Center answered questions from the Board. Report of the Village Manager. A. Resolution 22-3-R-1528 Motion to approve a Resolution Endorsing the 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region. Edith Makra, Director of Engineering initiatives for the Metropolitan Mayor’s Caucus provided a presentation and answered questions from the Board. Beth Demes spoke in favor of the Resolution. Moved: Trustee Khoeun Seconded: Trustee Robinson Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Johnson, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: None. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED B. Food Service Inspectional Services – Health Inspection Professionals, Inc., Lombard, IL. Motion to concur with Mayor and Board to approve a contract for food inspectional services to be awarded to Health Inspection Professionals, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $53,600 per fiscal year. Moved: Trustee Johnson Seconded: Trustee Klein Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Johnson, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: None. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED *C. Mowing Services – Langton Group, Woodstock, IL - $59,332.26. Motion to award a contract to Langton Group, Woodstock, IL in the amount of $59,332.26 for mowing services in the amount of $59,332.26 Omnibus vote. Report of the Corporation Counsel. CONSENT: *A. Ordinance 22-3-Z-4592 Motion to adopt an ordinance establishing a PACE area and establishing a PACE Program to Finance or refinance the acquisition, construction, installation or modification of energy projects, and other matters related thereto. This item is on the consent agenda for second reading and adoption. Omnibus vote.  13541 Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Trustees Monday, March 7, 22, 2022 Page Three B. Ordinance 22-3-C-4593 Motion to adopt an ordinance designating a business district to be known as the Old Orchard Center Business District, Skokie, Illinois, and approving the Business District Plan in relation thereto, and making a determination and finding of a blighted area thereto. This item was removed from the Agenda. Moved: Trustee Sutker Seconded: Trustee Pure Slovin Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: Johnson. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED C. Ordinance 22-3-C-4594 Motion to approve an ordinance authorizing and implementing a Business District Municipal Home Rule Retailers’ Occupation Tax and a Business District Municipal Home Rule Service Occupation Tax within the boundaries of the Old Orchard Center Business District, Skokie, Illinois, and amending Chapter 98, Article VII, of the Skokie Village Code pertaining to a Business District Municipal Home Rule Retailers’ Occupation Tax and a Business District Municipal Home Rule Service Occupation Tax. This item was removed from the Consent Agenda. Serge Khalimsky, General Manager of Westfield, Mayor Van Dusen, Manager Lockerby, and Len Becker, Economic Development Manager answered questions from the Board and residents. These residents spoke against the Ordinance-Matt Jarvis, Terry Socol, Chaya Moskovits and Emi Yamauchi. Moved: Trustee Sutker Seconded: Trustee Klein Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: Johnson. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED 2022-2023 Community Development Block Grant Public Hearing #4. Davorka Kirincic, AICP, Deputy Community Director/Neighborhood Services, Manager/CDBG Administrator presented the Public Hearing. Background The term of the five-year Consolidated Plan began May 1, 2020 and will continue through April 30, 2024. The elements of the Consolidated Plan address community issues as they relate to low/moderate-income residents. The one-year Action Plan serves as the annual funding application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for CDBG funding. It includes the Village’s strategies to address community development needs, project and activity descriptions, and certifications regarding Skokie's eligibility to apply for federal funding. In addition, the Action Plan addresses the Village's continued efforts to prevent homelessness, aid persons with special needs, enhance the supply of affordable housing, reduce lead-based paint hazards, enhance social services, and promote citizen participation in the CDBG process. Furthermore, the plan provides updates on the number of Housing Choice Vouchers in use in Skokie and planned coordination between various Village departments and social service providers in the Skokie area. The HUD requires the Consolidated and Action Plans of all communities receiving CDBG entitlement funds. Motion to approve the one-year Action Plan so it can be submitted to HUD. Moved: Trustee Pure Slovin Seconded: Trustee Khoeun Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Johnson, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: None. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED 13542 Meeting of the Mayor and Board of Trustees Monday, March 7, 2022 Page Four Public Comment. The Village received Public Comments thru email from Laurel Stein, Michael Okmin, Jennifer Gilbert, J. A. Ginsburg, Alisse Mawrence, Lisa Silverman, Yemimma Lipschultz, Kelly Oldfield, Mary Cobb, Chaya Moskovits, Matt Temkin, Margaret Thomas, David Hoelscher and Elana Horwitz concerning the increase tax at Westfield Old Orchard. Mayor Van Dusen stated that our hearts go out to the Ukrainian people during this tragedy. He mentioned organizations that residents can contribute to: Direct Relief, Mercy Corps, Save the Children and Ukraine Crisis Relief fund. Adjournment. Motion to adjourn at 10:15 p.m. Moved: Trustee Sutker Seconded: Trustee Klein Ayes: Sutker, Robinson, Khoeun, Johnson, Pure Slovin, Klein and Mayor Van Dusen Nays: None. Absent: None. MOTION CARRIED ------------------------------- Pramod Shah, Village Clerk Approved: ---------------------------------- Mayor Van Dusen Items marked with an asterisk (*) indicate they are part of the Consent Agenda that contains routine items or items which have already been discussed by the Mayor and Board at a previous public meeting and require a second reading. Items on the Consent Agenda are passed in one vote at the beginning of the Board Meeting. Prior to the vote on the Consent Agenda, the Mayor will inquire if there is any matter which anyone wishes to remove from the Consent Agenda. If there is an item on the Consent Agenda which you wish to address, please inform the Mayor at that time you wish to remove it from the Consent Agenda.