Regular City Council Meeting
Posted on 2012-05-08 11:32:15 CST
Monday, April 16, 2012
Minutes of the Regular City Council Proceedings of the City of Chicago Heights, Cook County, Illinois, Held Monday, April 16, 2012 at 1601 Chicago Road, City of Chicago Heights
A. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Gonzalez called the regular meeting of the Chicago Heights City Council to order at 7:00 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL
Mayor: David A. Gonzalez Present
Council:
1st Ward Walter Mosby Present
2nd Ward Sonia Perez Absent
3rd Ward Wanda Rodgers Present
4th Ward Joshua Deabel Present
5th Ward Richard Amadio Present
6th Ward Vincent Zaranti Absent
7th Ward Sylvia Torres Present
C. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE & MOMENT OF SILENCE
D. COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Gonzalez announced that the Chicago Heights Park District and the City would be partnering in the Earth Day Clean-up at McEldowney Park located at 15th Street and Edgewood Avenue on Saturday, April 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Alderman Mosby thanked the Believe in Brotherhood Organization, the Elks Lodge and the Emmet Kelly Lodge for helping in the very successful Easter Egg Hunt held on April 7th at Sesto Park. He announced that his next ward meeting would be held on May 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at Beacon Hill School.
Alderman Rodgers announced that her next ward meeting would be held on May 10th at 6:00 p.m. at the Chicago Heights Park District. She said that there would be an Expungement Informational Workshop at the Chicago Heights Park District on Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
Alderman Deabel announced that his next ward meeting would be held on Monday, April 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at Roosevelt Elementary. He said that his next Neighborhood Watch Meeting would be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church on Thursday, April 26th at 7:00 p.m. and that he would have a clean-up event at Wilson Woods on Saturday, April 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Alderman Amadio announced that his next ward meeting would be on Wednesday, April 25th at Greenbriar School.
Alderman Torres announced that her next ward meeting would be held on April 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the Chicago Heights Park District. She said that she was accepting collections to help Mariah Casarez, a Bloom Township High School student, attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine. She also said that she and Alderman Mosby had held a Neighborhood Block Meeting recently.
E. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Pat Haskell, 331 Standish Street, asked when the City would repair her driveway that had been damaged from water main breakage repairs in January. She experienced back-up of sludge in her basement again and asked what she needed to do about the problem. She also asked that the exposed wires in the light pole in front of her home be fixed. Mayor Gonzalez asked Jasen Zurisk, Director of Streets and Sewer, to take care of the light pole problem and asked her to meet with Mike Sabo, Director of Public Works on what needed to be done about her other problems.
Charles Dieringer, 150 Grace Lane, stated that information on proper disposal of medications was needed. He reported that the Thorn Creek Restoration Group had met the preceding Saturday and that Prairie State College was holding a clean-up of Thorn Creek Tributary C on Wednesday. He had taken a library report to Bloom Township, and wanted someone to look into whether additional library services were needed for the homeless.
F. REPORT OF CORPORATION COUNSEL
Corporation Counsel T. J. Somer reminded all that the Governor Quinn's Illinois Building Blocks Program had recently kicked off. He noted that there was up to ten thousand dollars in down-payment assistance to persons who qualified for financing and who bought a home in the City that was vacant at the time that it was appraised.
1. MINUTES: MEETING OF APRIL 2, 2012
Alderman Amadio moved, and Alderman Rodgers seconded, a motion to approve the minutes.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Motion to approve carried.
2. BILLS: APRIL, 2012 FIRST RUN.
Alderman Mosby moved, and Alderman Amadio seconded, a motion to approve the bills.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Motion to approve carried.
Alderman Deabel questioned the payment of $ 254,700 to Robinson Engineering for a lift station and the payment of $ 15,598 to URS Corporation. On the lift station, Treasurer Dee explained that the City had to make the disbursement and then submit for reimbursement under the grant that would cover the costs.
On the URS bill, Mayor Gonzalez explained that it concerned work on the old Flintkote property, and that once the City made the expenditures, it would be reimbursed by a federally funded Brownfield grant.
3. RESOLUTION #2012 - 9 : APPROVING THE USE OF CERTAIN BOND PROCEEDS TO REFUND THE INDIANA HEALTH FACILITY FINANCING AUTHORITY HEALTH SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2001 (SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS HEALTH SERVICES, INC. (OBLIGATED GROUP) AND THE INDIANA FINANCE AUTHORITY HEALTH SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2008D (SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS HEALTH SERVICES, INC. OBLIGATED GROUP) THE PROCEEDS OF WHICH WERE USED TO FINANCE AND REFINANCE CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO FRANCISCAN ST.JAMES HEALTH CENTER.
Alderman Amadio moved, and Alderman Rodgers seconded, a motion to approve the resolution.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Motion to approve carried.
There were no comments at this time. Comments were made by the city council and public during the Public Hearing held earlier at 6:50 p.m.
4. ORDINANCE # 2012- 24 : AMENDING CHAPTER 31 OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS CODE OF ORDINANCES AND ADOPTING REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONSUMER INSTALLMENT LOAN BUSINESS LICENSES.
Alderman Amadio moved, and Alderman Mosby seconded, a motion to approve the ordinance.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Motion to approve carried.
Corporation Counsel Somer stated that the ordinance required a special City license for this activity, and it limited the number of these businesses in the City to six, which was the current number operating.
Alderman Deabel felt that six businesses was too high, and that although the ordinance did not permit hours of operation between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., the number of hours that the businesses could be open was excessive.
Mayor Gonzalez commented that his administration had finally put restrictions on these types of businesses as well as on cash for gold and liquor stores, and that it would continue to do so, with the goal of reducing the number each time one went out of business.
5. RESOLUTION #2012 - 10 : APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE ILLINOIS STATE COMPTROLLERS OFFICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE DEBT COLLECTION PROGRAM.
Alderman Rodgers moved, and Alderman Mosby seconded, a motion to approve the resolution.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Motion to approve carried.
Corporation Counsel Somer explained that under the agreement the City would provide the state with a list of its debtors. If those debtors had any refund coming from the state, the state would withhold the amount owed the City and after the appeal process was completed, forward the funds to the City. Roger Wood, Municipal Collections of America, collection consultant to the City, answered questions from the city council on the matter.
6. RESOLUTION # 2012 - 11 : APPROVING ROAD CLOSURES FOR PORTIONS OF DIXIE HIGHWAY, CHICAGO ROAD AND THE ROUTE 1 CUTOFF FOR THE INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION PARADE AND FIREWORKS DISPLAY.
Alderman Mosby moved, and Alderman Rodgers seconded, a motion to approve the resolution.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Cicely Barber, Community Relations Director, explained road closures for the parade on Saturday, June 30th between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and road closures for the fireworks on Tuesday, July 3rd from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
7. RESOLUTION #2012 - 12 : APPROVING A COOK COUNTY CLASS 8 ECONOMIC INCENTIVE APPLICATION FOR THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AT 803 HALSTED STREET. (applicant: Hardy Evans)
Alderman Rodgers moved, and Alderman Amadio seconded, a motion to approve the resolution.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Joe Kudra, Director of Economic Development, explained that the resolution of support would assist in a reduction of real estate taxes on the property, enabling the proprietor to implement his businesses at 804-808 Halsted. Hardy Evans, business proprietor and property owner, described what he hoped to establish there and answered the city council's questions.
8. ORDINANCE #2012 - ___25 : AMENDING ORDINANCE #2011-5 MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING MAY 1, 2011 AND ENDING APRIL 30, 2012 OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Alderman Rodgers moved, and Alderman Mosby seconded, a motion to approve the ordinance.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Amadio, Torres
Nays: Deabel
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
A discussion on the matter followed. Treasurer Dee explained that the amendment was a bookkeeping clean-up between the Corporate, Water, Sewer and Special Events Funds. The amendment put revenues and expenses properly into each of those funds, rather than classifying them as bookkeeping transfers between funds throughout the year. The due-to and due-from amounts that had built up over the years in those funds would be eliminated, with no net change to revenues and expenditures.
Mayor Gonzalez further explained that an independent accounting firm had been hired to audit the expenses of the water and sewer departments to verify actual costs incurred by those departments. The current budget classified these costs as transfers from Water to Corporate, because the Corporate Fund was paying for these costs. This made it look like revenues were transferred from Water Fund to Corporate Fund, when they were actually reimbursements from Water back to Corporate. The amendment would reclassify the costs in the Water Fund that the Corporate Fund was paying, eliminating the transfers between funds.
Alderman Deabel commented that the Water Fund should be a Water Fund; that's what the money was for.
ADJOURNMENT
At 8:05 p.m. Alderman Rodgers moved, and Alderman Amadio seconded, a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Ayes: Mosby, Rodgers, Deabel, Amadio, Torres
Nays: none
Abstain: none
Absent: Perez, Zaranti
Attest:
____________________________
City Clerk Lori Wilcox
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