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Minutes COW 7-19-2010Committee of the Whole July 19, 2010 7:00 p.m. A meeting of the Village of Lemont Committee of the Whole was held on Monday July 19, 2010 in the Board Room of the Village Hall at 418 Main Street in Lemont, Illinois. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Reaves called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and acknowledged that the following were present: Trustees Ron Stapleton, Debbie Blatzer, Cliff Miklos, Rick Sniegowski. Absent were Paul Chialdikas and Jeanette Virgillio Also present were Village staff members Ben Wehmeier, Ralph Pukula, James Brown, Ed Buettner, Chief Kevin Shaughnessy, Mark LaChappell and Village Attorneys Dan Blondin and Jeffery Stein DISCUSSION ITEMS Discussion Revised Plans for Courtyards of Briarcliff Estates Mayor Reaves opened discussion by stating that after previous COW meeting discussion, if the layout changed to the recommendations of the Board then they would vote for the project. Mayor Reaves also said that Citgo called today and are still opposed to the project. Mayor Reaves passed along a note from Absent Trustee Virgillio stating that she is content with project as long as berm has heavy landscaping. Other discussion included Vegetation screening for lots 21-24, removal of 2"a gazebo and screening between R4 and Townhomes, and timeframe for beginning mass grading. Rick Responte stated that upon engineering approval, they would like to begin water and sewer work this fall followed by mass grading. Further discussion included the removal of deck posts to a cantilevered deck design. Discussion was closed and project will be up for vote on the second meeting in August. Discussion of Special Use for NTS Trailer Jim Brown opened discussion regarding a request for special use for container storage yard. The petitioner is willing to clean debris off site and pay recapture fees. Public hearing centered on entrance and exit concerns. PZC wanted a restriction on time of operation from 8-5, and also wanted a termination of special use upon property transfer. Trustee Stapleton brought up discussion regarding detention area. Mayor Reaves stated he would like to see this project move forward and the site cleaned up. Administrator Wehmeier added that a traffic engineer did review the entrance and exit concerns that were brought up by the PZC. Discussion closed. Discussion of Amendment to Heritage Park Annexation Agreement Jim Brown opened discussion. This amendment is for an increase in density and impact fees for parks and recreation. Phil Cullen has applied for final plat and fees must be paid upon approval. Public hearing has been posted. Discussion continued regarding the completion of work for water and utilities before Main St is resurfaced. There was also discussion on adjoining project getting started. Discussion closed. Discussion of Fapade Grant Program Jim Brown opened discussion. There is $30,000 budgeted out of tiff and he would like to handle it differently. It is felt that applicants should have to apply before beginning construction. Suggested a committee be formed to discuss and make recommendations to the Board. Committee members will include Trustees Virgillio and Stapleton. Discussion Closed. Discussion of Special A~pro~riation Ordinance Administrator Whemeier opened discussion. We are required to pass an approved appropriation Ordinance. At the time this is larger than we have the money to spend. This is standard as usual. Discussion Closed. Discussion of Senior Discount Rates for Sewer and Water Ralph Pukula opened discussion. Seniors get discounted water and sewer rates and have not been increased since 1978. Public Works is proposing a 3% annual increase to the discounted rates. There are approximately 1100 senior accounts, if this is started in October the increase would be from $12.10 to $12.40. Trustee Blatzer commented that we are spending more on senior programs than we get back. Trustee Stapleton agreed that he was for the rate increase. Mayor Reaves stated that this discussion should wait until the next budget year due to the economy. Trustee Sniegowski asked what the impact of the increase would be. Mayor Reaves figured around $9,500 at the most. Administrator Wehmeier stated that the Municipal Code fees will be updated and will reflect the change. Discussion closed. Discussion of TIF District Capital Plan Administrator Wehmeier opened discussion. Original downtown TIF will close in 4 years. This is infrastructure related. Will start assembly of cash flow charts based on project completion. Board Discussion Continued. Discussion closed, Discussion of Proposed grease Trap Ordinance Mark LaChappell opened discussion. This Ordinance draft originally came into being with the blockage of a sewer line along Warner Ave due to large amounts of grease. Building Department staff met with a retired MWRD inspector and worked on gathering information from other municipalities and reclamation districts to draft a local Ordinance for maintaining grease traps in the Village. The Ordinance was tabled and more recent sewer blockage and complaints have brought the issue back to light. Discussion with the Board continued. Trustee Sniegowski would like to see this in place and would also like to see a list of other municipalities that currently have similar Ordinances in place. Discussion closed. Discussion of Proposed Vacant Property Ordinance Ed Buettner Opened the discussion. Due to the number of vacant properties and the need for better enforcement and inspections of these properties we would like to propose an Ordinance to require the inspection of properties which have been abandoned or left vacant foe a period of 3 Months. Discussion among the board and Village attorneys began. Mark LaChappell added that we are currently telling banks and property preservation companies that inspections are required. This is just putting an Ordinance in place to support our requests for these properties. He added that banks are calling into the Village and inquiring if we have an ordinance in place that covers these properties and we have to tell them no. More discussion was brought up for a more detailed Ordinance and a need for a vacant property registry. The decision was made to go ahead with the simple Ordinance and to then work with the Village attorneys to draft a more detailed Ordinance and registry for future adoption. Discussion closed. Unfinished Business No Unfinished Business New Business Administrator Wehmeier opened discussion regarding the capital improvement bonds for water and sewer. This discussion is needed for the water softeners to be replaced on State and Houston Streets. The cost would be at least $500,000 each and could be as much as $750,000 each. The question was raised on how old these softeners were. Administrator Wehmeier answered that these were purchased used from Orland Park and were easily 50 plus years old. Discussion was raised about refinancing bonds to add money to the general fund. Depending on State payments to the Village we would like to get this done for the next fiscal year. Discussion closed. Administrator Wehmeier opened discussion regarding public improvements for the Glens of Connemara. The developer of this subdivision has now made the decision to add the completion of public improvements. to the responsibility of the association with a special assessment. The question for the board is this; he can legally do this to the association, since the annexation agreement states that the developer is responsible for the completion of the public improvement should the Village start pulling the letter of credit to finish the public improvements? Discussion was raised with the Village attorneys on the legality of the developer passing this to the association. The board was unanimous in requesting the letter of credit to be drawn upon. Discussion closed. Administrator Wehmeier opened discussion of the revised engineering plan for the proposed scuba business in the quarries. The drawings are still not really engineering drawings. Discussion began regarding the success of the filter system and the size of the road for two way traffic. Discussion closed. Audience Participation No Audience Participation ADJOURNMENT Mayor Reaves adjourned the meeting at 9:45 PM