West Cook News

Village of Berkeley Village Board Met March 2.

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 and Perez Absent: Clerk Rivera

Also present: Village Administrator Espiritu, Assistant to the Village Administrator Miller, Police Chief Larem, Public Works Superintendent Wagner, Village Attorney Smith and Assistant Village Attorney Brogan

4 Presentations and Appointment

4.1 Employee Pinning Ceremony

4.1.1 Rudy Espiritu-ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) – Highland Park City Manager Ghida Neukirch – Congratulations!

4.1.2 Tim Larem-Certified Police Chief in Illinois (ILACP) – Hazel Crest Police Chief Mitchell Davis – Congratulations!

4.2 Swearing in of Police Officers:

4.2.1 Full-Tine Police Officer Ismael Vazquez – Congratulations!

4.2.2 Part-Time Police Officer Michael Duffek – Congratulations!

4.3 Village of Berkeley Partner Agency Annual Reports

4.3.1 Berkeley Community Garden Club

Kathleen Chmura and Melissa Heflin represented the Berkeley Community Garden Club and shared that they are asking for a donation of $1000. They will use this for a dumpster for a clean-up in April. They have created individual bins for each garden bed, they hope to obtain more dirt, make the garden beds stronger, need plants for around the front of the Garden Club site, and will order T-shirts.

This year they will not hold any events due to the pandemic.

However, they will be glad to participate in any events that the Village will hold. Kathleen said they will continue to work with the Library and that the Library is a great partner to them. Some of the schools provide 8th graders to do service hours. They have already reached out to a couple of schools for safe opportunities for school kids to serve their communities. The Garden Club will continue to donate produce to Food Pantries.

President Lee shared that there may be an October Fest at the Prairie Path between Hillside and Berkeley but this is dependent on the Pandemic. President Lee thanked The Garden Club for their community service. Trustee Washington commended the Garden Club on their budgeting. He asked when they think they would be self-sustained? Kathleen said that they really don’t know that answer, but to give them until next year and they will see where they are at.

4.3.2 Berkeley Neighborhood Watch – Did not attend. Will be moved to a later date.

4.3.3 Berkeley Little League – Did not attend. Will be moved to a later date.

5 Public Hearings

No Public Hearing.

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 February 16, 2021

7.2 Executive Session Meeting Minutes from February 16, 2021 (Not for public release)

7.3 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes from February 23, 2021

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 #1458 in the amount of $461,369.21

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 team has been very busy. They are focused on the Budget and they are still working on Cell Tower agreements. Trustee Graf-Stone thanks the Administration Team as well as the Department Heads for keeping them updated on any changes with Corona Virus information.

9.1.2 Motion to Approve a Resolution of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Approving a Resolution for a 2021 Community Development Block Grant Application for the Prairie Path Lighting and Path Enhancements Project.

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

MOTION CARRIED

9.1.3 Motion to Approve a Resolution of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Approving a 2021 Invest in Cook Grant Application for Phase II Engineering Costs for the Industrial Pedestrian Connector

Project.

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

MOTION CARRIED

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

9.2.1 Trustee Liaison Report – Trustee Washington thanks the Village, Staff and everyone for their work during the pandemic, for keeping them informed of the Pandemic information and for keeping themselves and the community safe.

9.2.2 Motion to Approve a Resolution of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Approving a Proposal from Sikich, LLP for Auditing Services for Fiscal Years 2021 through 2024 in an amount not to exceed $139,543

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

MOTION CARRIED

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

9.3.1 Trustee Liaison Report – No report

9.3.2 FY 2021-2022 Police Initiatives Presentation – Chief Tim Larem Chief Larem gave a presentation to inform the Board “What they are doing and the changes for the future.” The Police Department is always busy. Drugs and pistols are something they deal with on a monthly basis. Last year, fourteen pistols were recovered and this year, five or six pistols to date. There are lots of changes that will happen due to the law changes. The Police Department will be getting new body cameras and dash board cameras and they will require more training to name a few. The administrative process will also change. Chief Larem said that now is a good time to look into the Red-Light Camera on St. Charles and Wolf due to construction that will be taking place when the schools come down and other construction that will be taking place in town. There will be heavy semi-truck traffic as well as heavier traffic in general. The Red-Light Camera will help protect our children, residents and assist the Police Department. Some Police roll changes will occur to accommodate the new law changes. The technology/software will be outstanding in the Police Department, cameras will automatically turn on, and will be able to track many things. The Police reporting will improve as well.

9.4 Fire and Health (Chair – Trustee Grenier; Co-Chair Trustee Perez) 9.4.1 Trustee Liaison Report – No report.

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

9.5.1 Trustee Liaison Report – New Vactor was delivered last week. Some construction and clean up taking place on the Southwest side of town.

Trees R Us are working on the trees North of St. Charles and West of Taft.

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 on March 10 there will be a Neighborhood Watch meeting at 6:30 pm. You can attend in person or on-line.

10 Village President

10.1 President’s Report

10.1.1 3/16/2021 Village Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Congratulations to Village Administrator Espiritu and Police Chief Larem for their accomplishments it shows leadership throughout the Village. As well as, Superintendent Wagner, Assistant to the Village Administrator Miller, and Fire Chief Kuryla. It is well deserved.

Welcome back Assistant Village Attorney Liz Brogan.

11 Village Administrator – CMAP is looking for feedback from the Board. Those that have not met with them yet, please contact them as they will be moving on to the Hillside next week.

Great News! Coronavirus is going down. They are watching for the variants of the virus closely. Continue to stay safe.

12 Village Attorney – No report.

13 Public Comments and Questions

Dan O’Connell, Resident – Mr. O’Connor asked if the minutes from the Ad-hoc meeting from the Park District were available? Village Administrator said yes, they will be going uploaded to the Village’s website once the minutes are approved by the committee. Mark Dodgson, Resident – Thank you all for the great work that is done. Checked in the Real Estate numbers. This community is in demand and it’s because of the management of the Village.

14 Executive Session

14.1Motion 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)

Enter into Executive Session at 7:46 p.m.

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

MOTION CARRIED

Exit from Executive Session at 8:26 p.m.

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

Voice Vote

MOTION CARRIED

15 Action to be Taken as a Result of Executive Session

16 President Lee adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m.

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

Voice Vote

MOTION CARRIED

https://www.berkeley.il.us/vertical/Sites/%7BB4877CC9-5533-47FA-94DE-B3C09F1665AB%7D/uploads/Board_Meeting_Minutes_March_2_2021.pdf