West Cook News

Village of Berkeley Village Board met Nov. 5.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

1 President Lee called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

2 Pledge of Allegiance

3 Roll Call

Present: Trustees Hammar, Salemi, Grenier, Graf-Stone, Washington, Perez, President Lee

Also Present: Village Administrator Rudy Espiritu, Assistant to the Village Administrator Justyn Miller, Fire Chief Michael Kuryla, Police Chief Timothy Larem, Public Works Superintendent Joseph Wagner, Assistant Attorney Liz Brogan and Village Attorney Greg Smith.

4 Presentations and Appointment

4.1 Proclamation Honoring Michael Fluker for His Volunteer Service to the Youth in the Village of Berkeley – Congratulations!

5 Public Hearings

No Public Hearings

6 Public Comments and Questions (Consent Agenda Items Only)

No Public Comments or Questions.

7 Consent Agenda

The matters listed for consideration on the Consent Agenda are routine in nature or have all been discussed by the Board of Trustees previously and are matters on which there was unanimity for placement on the Consent Agenda at this meeting.

7.1 Village Board Meeting Minutes from October 15, 2019

7.2 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes from October 22, 2019

7.3 Motion to Approve a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement for the Provision of Environmental Health Inspection Services between Cook County and the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois

Trustee	Motion	Second	Ayes	Nays	Absent	Abstain
Larry Hammar			X
Diane Salemi	X		X
Raymond Grenier			X
Sherry Graf-Stone		X	X
Herb Washington			X
Jerry Perez			X

MOTION CARRIED

8 Claims Ordinance

8.1 Motion to Approve Claims Ordinance #1426 in the amount of $381,989.49

MOTION CARRIED

9 Committee Reports

9.1 Administration, Zoning and Technology (Chair –Trustee Graf-Stone; Co-Chair Trustee Washington)

9.1.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Administration continues to be very busy.

9.1.2 Motion to Approve an Ordinance Creating Article 12-11C of the Berkeley Zoning Ordinance Regarding the Prohibition of Recreational Cannabis Business Establishments

Trustee	Motion	Second	Ayes	Nays	Absent	Abstain
Diane Salemi	X		X
Raymond Grenier			X
Sherry Graf-Stone			X
Herb Washington			X
Jerry Perez		X	X
Larry Hammar			X

MOTION CARRIED

9.1.3 Motion to Approve a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Master License Agreement for the Collocation of Small Wireless Facilities Located within the Municipal Rights of Way between the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois and Chicago SMSA Limited Partnership D/B/A Verizon Wireless

Trustee	Motion	Second	Ayes	Nays	Absent	Abstain
Sherry Graf-Stone	X		X
Herb Washington		X	X
Jerry Perez			X
Larry Hammar			X
Diane Salemi			X
Raymond Grenier

MOTION CARRIED

9.2 Finance and Economic Development (Chair – Trustee Washington; Co- Chair Trustee Salemi)

9.2.1 Trustee Liaison Report – No report

9.2.2 Motion to Approve a Resolution of the Village of Berkeley, Illinois

Establishing an Estimated Annual Tax Levy for Tax Year 2019

Village Administrator Rudy Espiritu gave a presentation and informed the Board and guests that this is done annually and the Village has less than 20 days when the Village Board will adopt the property tax levy for tax year 2019 on December 3, 2019. The recommended levy for tax year 2019 is $4,902,804.

The Truth in Taxation statute requires a comparison between the prior year levies to the current year levy. Because the 2019 estimated levy is no more than 105% of the amount extended in the prior year, the Village is not required to have a public hearing and publish a notice in a local paper.

The Village is required to file the tax levy by the last Tuesday in December with the Cook County Clerk’s Office. This year, the last Tuesday occurs on December 31, 2019.

This estimated levy is a ceiling, and not a floor. The Village can later pass a levy that is lower than the estimated levy, but cannot pass a levy that is higher than the estimated levy without further Truth-in- Taxation requirements. As part of the Property Tax calculation that was discussed by the Village Board last year, the Board elected to use a total aggregate increase of no more than 5%. Under the Truth-in- Taxation law, a 5% increase is allowable to all taxing bodies without the requirement for a public hearing and notice.

The Pension Code requires the Berkeley Police Pension Board to annually certify the amount sufficient for the Village to meet its contribution to the pension fund. They are requesting that the

Village contribute $931,998 to the Police Pension Fund as part of the levy. In 2016, the recommended amount from the Police Pension Board was $657,913. Because of the recommendation to keep the tax levy flat from the previous year, only $489,250 was levied for Police Pension. Hence the increase in previous years in the police pension levy is due to help “catch up” where no increase was levied. Based on the relatively low increase in the police pension fund contribution this year, it looks as though the levy has now “caught up” to the police pension fund and smaller increases are expected going forward.

The Library Board has officially approved its levy with a 1.95% increase, levying $396,197.

Trustee	Motion	Second	Ayes	Nays	Absent	Abstain
Herb Washington	X		X
Jerry Perez			X
Larry Hammar			X
Diane Salemi			X
Raymond Grenier			X
Sherry Graf-Stone		X	X

MOTION CARRIED

9.3 Police and Property Maintenance (Chair – Trustee Salemi; Co-Chair Trustee Hammar)

9.3.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Salemi reported that Code Enforcement is busy trying to finish up before winter comes and there is a lot to be done.

Police Chief Larem – Officer Justin Patti turned in his resignation to seek other opportunities outside of law enforcement, effective December 1, 2019. We wish him well. PT Police Officers are out of the academy and are in field training. They are progressing nicely. The Full Time list has been exhausted and Chief Larem is working with the Police and Fire Commission to get a test date established and work through that as quickly as possible.

9.4 Fire and Health (Chair – Trustee Grenier; Co-Chair Trustee Perez)

9.4.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Grenier informed the Board that the Fire Department did not get the Regional Grant for the radios that the Fire Chief Kruyla was looking for. Fire Chief Kruyla is applying for other grants.

9.4.2 Motion to Approve a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Update of the Cook County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan

Trustee	Motion	Second	Ayes	Nays	Absent	Abstain
Jerry Perez			X
Larry Hammar			X
Diane Salemi			X
Raymond Grenier	X		X
Sherry Graf-Stone		X	X
Herb Washington			X

MOTION CARRIED

9.5 Public Works and Utilities (Chair – Trustee Hammar; Co-Chair Trustee Grenier)

9.5.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Hammar informed the Board that some trees are coming down and some are being planted. Still working on the water meters. Letters are going out to about 12 homes before water is turned off. They believe these homes may be unoccupied.

9.6 Community and Intergovernmental Relations (Chair – Trustee Perez; Co- Chair Trustee Graf-Stone)

9.6.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Perez informed the Board that our Holiday Fest is coming up December 7, 2019. They are looking to see if they can put heaters near the Gazebo for guest and singers. The Holiday trees will be coming in and placed across the street of the Village Hall for the annual Holliday tree contest. Trustee Perez has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for 3 years. He attended a luncheon today and Mayor Tamberino was present. He talked about what they are trying to do in different areas of Hillside. Where the Menards use to be on Wolf, they have submitted documentation in to make it a Water Retention Pond.

Working on the Music in the Park schedule. They are thinking of having one day of Music in the Park in June and the rest in July.

10 Village President

10.1 President’s Report

10.1.1 11/11/2019 10.1.2 11/19/2019 10.1.3 11/20/2019

Veterans Day. Village Offices closed.

Village Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Proviso Township Assessor Property Tax Appeals Workshop at 6:00 p.m.

President Lee thanked the Board, Staff, Planning and Zoning, residents and everyone that had input on the decision that was made tonight about opting out Recreational Cannabis Business Establishments. President Lee believes it was the right thing to do. As for the suggestion of Referendums from Planning and Zoning, this has to be used wisely. President Lee believes they accomplished what they wanted to accomplish by the pursuit they did. In 5 or 10 years, this may change, but for now he believes they all made the right decision.

The pond will be enhanced in the near future.

11 Village Administrator – No report

12 Village Attorney – Village Attorney Smith informed the Board that Veto session has begun in Springfield last week. They have been very busy, one of the topics is the Pension Consolidation. They anticipate a lot of action and more headlines that will be of interest to the Village.

13 Public Comments and Questions

No Public Comments or Questions.

14 Executive Session

14.1 Motion to enter into Executive Session to consider the:

a. Appointment, Employment, Compensation, Discipline, Performance or Dismissal of Specific Employee(s) 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1)

b. Collective Bargaining, Salary Schedules; categorically 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(2)

c. Appointment/Removal for Public Office or Attorney 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(3)

d. Consideration to Purchase, Lease (Buy), or Acquire Specific Real Estate Property 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(5)

e. Setting Price for Sale/Lease Specific Real Estate Property 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(6)

f. Security Procedures and the use of personnel and equipment to respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably potential danger to the safety of employees, students, staff, the public, or public property. 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(8)

g. Probable or Imminent and Pending Litigation 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(11)

h. Establish Reserves or Settle Claims (Tort) 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(12)

i. Consideration of Release of Executive Session Minutes 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(21)

15 Action to be Taken as a Result of Executive Session

No Executive Session

16 President Lee adjourned the meeting at 7:12 pm.

Trustee	Motion	Second	Ayes	Nays	Absent	Abstain
Larry Hammar			X
Diane Salemi	X		X
Raymond Grenier			X
Sherry Graf-Stone		X	X
Herb Washington			X
Jerry Perez			X

MOTION CARRIED

https://www.berkeley.il.us/vertical/Sites/%7BB4877CC9-5533-47FA-94DE-B3C09F1665AB%7D/uploads/Board_Meeting_Minutes_November_5_2019.pdf