West Cook News

Village of Berkeley Village Board met Jan. 21.

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 Employee Service Awards

4.1.1 20 years – Pat McManus – Congratulations!

4.2 I-294 Illinois Tollway Expansion Update

4.2.1 Rocco Zucchero (Tollway) and Cory Foster (ComEd)

Mr. Zucchero thanked President Lee, Village Administrator Espiritu, Fire Chief Kuryla and Public Works Superintendent Wagner for the working relationship and complimented how well they represent the Village of Berkeley. Mr. Zucchero provided an update to the Board and guests on the overall Central Tri-State Project and followed-up from last week’s meeting and what updates will be provided at the Town Hall Meeting on January 29, 2020 here at the Village Hall. At certain areas one or two lanes will been added for operational capacity where needed, as well as, adding flex lanes and inside bus lane. As for the construction Project standpoint, that work will continue through 2020.

This year, 2020 the 290/294 interchange construction project will start. It will not be too invasive within the community but will it will be seen when driving on 294. Some shifting of traffic will be made throughout 2020. Drastic changes on the existing ramps will be made. They are one of the most congested areas on the entire tollway system. It carries the most amount of trucks. A big configuration and a lot of work will be happening there. This project will take until 2025-2026 to be completed. Other work throughout the community will be improvements to Butterfield Rd., Electric Ave., Prairie Path and St. Charles Rd. The timing of this work has yet to be decided. They will continue to give updates throughout the year.

Mr. Foster thanked President Lee, the Board and Clerk for the opportunity to represent ComEd in front of them. Mr. Foster started by saying that as Mr. Zucchero mentioned this project has been a very collaborative effort between ComEd, Tollway, as well as the Village of Berkeley. Mr. Foster thanked President Lee, Village Administrator Espiritu, Assistant to the Village Administrator Justyn Miller and President Lee’s team for support of the project, as well as making sure it is a win-win for all. This project is extremely robust, comprehensive and extensive. Com-Ed has to play a role in this initiative in terms that they make sure they relocate four towers that are on the tollway existing property.

Last week’s meeting was very good and many concerns were brought up that were addressed (property values, Electric Magnetic Field (EMF) and the construction schedule). Another significant item that came out in the meeting is the positioning and relocation of the tower on Elmhurst side to Berkeley side. The Tollway and ComEd wanted to let the Village of Berkeley know that they looked at all options to explore whether or not they would be able to least impact the Village of Berkeley and they were not able to do that with tower 28 and 29 because they were land locked on the western portion side. They will make sure that they comply with the construction schedule hours of operation. Four structures will be installed, two along Electric and two along Calvin. At the next meeting on January 29, 2020 they will have visuals for residents to see and get a better idea of what the towers will look like.

President Lee thanked Mr. Zucchero and Mr. Foster for their presentation and look forward to seeing them on January 29th. Village Administrator Rudy Espiritu thanked them as well and reiterated the positive working relationships we have with the Tollway and ComEd.

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 January 7, 2020

7.2 Executive Session Minutes from January 7, 2020 (not for public release)

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 #1431 in the amount of $445,250.21

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

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 – Trustee Graf-Stone informed the Board that the two main topics that staff is working on is the Tollway project and the new Budget.

9.1.2 Monthly Report

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

9.2.1 Trustee Liaison Report

9.2.2 Monthly Report

9.2.3 Second Quarter Financial Dashboard - Village Administrator Rudy Espiritu gave an update on the Financial Dashboard. Six months into the fiscal year, the General Fund is balanced. Trustee Washington clarified when you see the red light on the dashboard, obviously it looks bad. However in this case the red light is reflective of prediction, not performance so it’s what is created as a budget (which is a prediction) against actuals.

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

9.3.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Salemi informed the Board that the Trustee Liaison report and the Code Enforcement Report from Commander Bednar were in the package. Trustee Salemi hopes all were able to review. They were good detailed reports and residents are complying.

President Lee talked to the Apprentice Union on Taft. The Day of Service may be able to be expanded. More information in the Spring.

9.3.2 Monthly Report

9.3.3 Motion to approve an Ordinance Amending the Berkeley Village Code Regarding the Regulation of Cannabis

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

MOTION CARRIED

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

9.4.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Grenier mentioned to the Board that they have come up with a plan for the work that is needed to be done on

the 2nd floor of Village Hall.

Phase 1 – Getting the Duct work done.

Phase 2 - Have variable air volume dampers and thermostats put in for each room. That way each room can control the heat.

9.4.2 Monthly Report

Fire Chief Kuryla gave an update on the Firefighter training report. 95% of our firefighters are full-time firefighters in other communities.

During the 2019 training calendar year, which started January first and ended December 31st 2019, members of the Berkeley Fire Department completed a total of 6139.5 hours of training on various topics. These topics include ISO and IDOL (OSHA) required training along with company level basic and advanced firefighting skills and NFPA recommended training. All training is objective driven and is a mixture of classroom and hands on training. All hands-on training is completed in compliance with the fire marshal’s training objectives and meets the standards of the certification that the objectives are pulled from. Training has improved.

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

9.5.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Hammar gave the floor to Superintendent Wagner who gave the Board an update on the Water Survey.

Associated Technical Services (ATS) completed its annual leak detection survey for the entire Village on January 2, 2020. From 9 leaks only 1 was actually a water main break, the other eight were service leaks. From all 9 reports none of these surfaced.

Regarding performing sidewalk operations – sometimes there will be a decision that the sidewalk will not be cleared due to safety precaution.

9.5.2 Monthly Report

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

9.6.1 Trustee Liaison Report – MLK Breakfast was very well attended. Contracts for the music in the park are being worked on.

10 Village President

10.1 President’s Report

10.1.1 1/29/2020 Annual Tollway Town Hall at 6:30 p.m.

10.1.2 2/4/2020 Village Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Thank you to Trustee Perez for being the liaison for 3 years for the Chambers of Commerce.

7 organizations that need a liaison between the organization and the Village Board will be as follows: President Lee – Berkeley Youth Baseball Association Trustee Perez – Neighborhood Watch

Trustee Salemi – Hillside Berkeley Chamber of Commerce

Trustee Graf-Stone – Berkeley Community Garden Club

Trustee Hammar – Berkeley Park District

Trustee Washington – Berkeley School District 87 Trustee Grenier – Berkeley Public Library

Giving Tree Program - $4552 – go to families in need at School Dist. 87 (Thanks to Businesses, Village Administrator Espiritu, Individuals and Trustee Hammar for their generosity.)

Met with BYBA proposed the parade is included with Memorial Day. We will have a nice ceremony with BYBA. Invited the Baseball teams to participate in Memorial Day Parade in uniform.

11 Village Administrator – No report.

12 Village Attorney – IL General Assembly put together a property tax relief task force which has come up with a series of recommendations that the General Assembly may be taking up to try to reduce the property tax burden on taxpayers. A couple of their recommendations that may be moving through the next legislative session include potential major changes to how TIF districts operate moving forward. For example they are looking at capping the life of a TIF district from 23 currently allowed down to the 10 – 15 year range. The IML is an opposition to that existing TIF district which is going to be affected and new ones going forward.

Property Tax Extension Increase Freeze is also in consideration. th 2020 session dates for the IL General Assembly, they get back to work on January 28. Mid-February is the bill introduction deadline.

Things will really start to happen in mid – late May in the final action deadline occur in the House and the Senate.

13 Public Comments and Questions

Dan O’Connor – revenue from the Video Gaming where does it go? Village Administrator Espiritu responded that it goes to the General Fund

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

16 President Lee adjourned the meeting at 7:55 pm.

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

MOTION CARRIED

https://www.berkeley.il.us/vertical/Sites/%7BB4877CC9-5533-47FA-94DE-B3C09F1665AB%7D/uploads/Board_Meeting_Minutes_January_21_2020.pdf