West Cook News

Village of Franklin Park President and Board of Trustees met Oct. 3.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

II. CALL TO ORDER: President Pedersen called to order the Board of Trustees of the Village of Franklin Park in regular session at 7:00 p.m. 

III. ROLL CALL; ESTABLISHMENT OF QUORUM 

Village Clerk April J Arellano called the roll: 

Present at Board Meeting: Barrett F. Pedersen (Village President),  April J Arellano (Village Clerk), Joseph Montana (Village Attorney), Trustees (Present in the Room): Ms. Special, Mr. Hagerstrom, Mr. Ruhl and Mr. Johnson (Present in via teleconference): Mr. Ybarra 

Department Heads: Lisa Anthony (Health and Human Resources Director), Mark Stewart (Battalion Fire Chief), Mike Vonesh (Code Enforcement Officer), Dan Corcoran (IT Director), John Schneider (Community Development Director), Frank Grieashamer (Village Treasurer), Joe Thomas (Utilities Director), Nick Weber (Water Department Supervisor), Mike Witz, (Director of Police), and Thomas McCabe (Village Engineer), Rudy Repa (Village Planner) 

The Village Clerk declared a quorum was present 

Motion made by Mr. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Hagerstrom to authorize Mr. Ybarra’s participation via teleconference due to Covid precautions 

Roll Call: Ayes – Mr. Hagerstrom, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Ruhl, Ms. Special, and Mr. Ybarra Nay – 0. Absent – Ms. Avitia, Abstain – 0.

IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS (Limit to 2 minutes per speaker, Ordinance 1415-G-43) Franklin Park business owners, Ms. Ella Core of P.R. Striech and Sons, 

Mr. Gino Pintore of CRM North America, Mr. Peter Anwar of Advanced Metalcraft and Mr. Robert Manella, raised their concerns over the Village’s ordinance prohibiting the use of permanent storage containers and how it would affect their operations. 

Mr. Gino Pintore requested the board to review their proposed revisions to the ordinance. Copies of the proposed revisions were presented. 

V. COMMITTEE REPORTS 

A. FINANCE AND SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEES (Mr. Johnson, Chair) 

1. MR. JOHNSON STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A REPORT FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT 

2. MR. JOHNSON ANNOUNCED THAT THE VILLAGE IS COLLECTING NAMES OF FRANKLIN PARK VETERANS WHO WISH TO HAVE THEIR NAME ENGRAVED ON THE VETERAN’S MONUMENTS. PLEASE CONTACT THE CLERK’S OFFICE BY OCTOBER 15TH IN ORDER FOR THE NAMES TO GET ONTO THE MONUMNET FOR OUR VETERAN’S DAY SERVICE 

B. WATER AND SEWER/FLEET MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE (Ms. Avitia, Chair) 

1. MS. SPECIAL ON BEHALF OF MS. AVITIA’S ABSENSE STATED THAT THERE WERE 2 POTHOLES THAT WERE REPAIRED 

2. MS. SPECIAL STATED THAT 2 TRUCKS PARTICIPATED IN THE FALL FEST PARADE LAST WEEK 

3. MS. SPECIAL STATED THE ELEVATED TOWER WILL BE PUT BACK IN SERVICE NEXT WEEK 

C. POLICE AND FIRE COMMITTEE (Mr. Ruhl, Chair) 

1. FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MR. RUHL REPORTED ON A RECENT FIRE AT TASTY BREADS, 9445 FULLERTON. IT ORIGINATED IN A CONVEYOR THAT RAN THROUGH A CHILLER UNIT THAT HAD EXTREMELY LIMITED ACCESS. 12 MINUTES LATER, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE INFORMED OF AN ALARM FOR AN AMMONIA LEAK. THIS ALL RESULTED IN A 2ND ALARM FIRE RESPONSE AND A HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE. BESIDES THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL TEAM, ALL FRANKLIN PARK UNITS, AND APPROXIMATELY 13 OTHER TOWNS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE. ALL CREWS DID A GREAT JOB, AND FROM START TO FINISH WAS LESS THAN 2 HOURS TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, MONITOR FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS (NONE WERE FOUND OR LEAKED), AND PICK UP ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT 

2. MR. RUHL REPORTED ON THAT ON OCTOBER 1ST, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A FIRE AT BURGER KING ON FULLERTON AVENUE

3. FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, MR. RUHL REPORTED ON SEPTEMBER 27, TACTICAL OFFICERS WERE IN THE AREA OF FULLERTON AND MANNHEIM UNINCORPORATED LEYDEN, COOK COUNTY AND OBSERVED A SUBJECT WEARING A SKI MASK EXIT HIS VEHICLE AND APPROACH THE PARKING LOT OF JJ PEPPER AND HEARD GUN SHOTS. A FOOT CHASE ENSUED AND 1 MALE SUBJECT ARMED WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. A VEHICLE WAS SPOTTED LEAVING THE SCENE THAT LED TO A VEHICLE CHASE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT MANNHEIM ROAD AND IRVING PARK ROAD, 2 MALES SUBJECTS WERE FOUND INSIDE WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS 

4. MR. RUHL REPORTED THAT ON SEPTEMBER 28, FRANKLIN PARK POLICE OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN A POLICE CHASE WITH A TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO WAS ATTEMPTING TO STEAL A VEHICLE OUT OF CHICAGO. A FOOT CHASE ENSUED AND OUR OFFICERS WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE SUSPECT INTO CUSTODY IN THE AREA OF BELMONT AVENUE AND RIVER ROAD IN SCHILLER PARK. THE SUSPECT OVER TO THE CHICAGO POLICE 

D. STREETS, ALLEYS AND FLEET MAINTENANCE (Mr. Ybarra, Chair) 

1. MR. YBARRA STATED THAT THERE ARE TWO ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT RELATING TO THE UTILITIES DEPARMENT. FIRST ONE WAS FOR AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE VACATION OF A PORTION OF A PUBLIC ALLEY AND THE SECOND FOR THE PURCHASE APPROVAL OF TWO BASE DUMP TRUCKS WITH SPREADERS AND PLOWS 

E. PROPERTY, PLANNING, ZONING, AND BUILDING COMMITTEE (Ms. Special, Chair) 

1. MS. SPECIAL REPORTED LISA MANZO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF BUILDING WILL BE ATTENDING THE ACCELA SOFTWARE CONFERENCE IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH THIS WEEK. THIS IS THE SOFTWARE THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT USES TO TRACK BUILDING PERMITS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, CONTRACTOR LICENSES AND MONITOR THE VARIOUS INSPECTION TYPES. MS. MANZO IS TAKING CLASSES, SEMINARS AND WILL BE UPDATED ON NUMEROUS NEW OPERATING TRENDS AND EXPLORE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES, PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE UNIFIYING THE FUTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT 

2. MS. SPECIAL REPORTED 36 CONTRACTORS APPLIED FOR LICENSES, 60 BUILDING PERMITS, 8 ELECTRICAL PERMITS, 5 SIGN PERMITS, 1 DUMPSTER PERMIT AND 10 FIRE PERMITS WERE APPLIED FOR A TOTAL OF 84 PERMITS. SHE ANNOUNCED 12 PROPERTY CLOSINGS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, 9 NEW BUSINESS APPLIED FOR OCCUPANCY AND 1 NEW BUSINESSES WERE ISSUED OCCUPANCY CERTIFICATES 

3. MS. SPECIAL STATED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE A REPORT FROM THE ZONING DEPARTMENT

F. HUMAN RESOURCES, SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AND SENIOR SERVICES COMMITTEE (Mr. Hagerstrom, Chair) 

1. MR. HAGERSTROM STATED THE VILLAGE WILL BE HOSTING A SENIOR HEALTH FAIR ON OCTOBER 21, 2021 FROM 10 AM TO 2 PM. THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CLERK’S OFFICE HOSTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S MOBILE CLINIC. OSCO WILL BE ONSITE TO PROVIDE FLU SHOTS 

2. MR. HAGERSTROM STATED THAT THE VILLAGE IS NEED OF SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACTOS FOR THE SENIOR SNOW PLOWING PROGRAM, IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED HAVE THEM CONTACT BARB COLLLINS 

3. MR. HAGERSTROM ANNOUNCED THAT THE VILLAGE WILL CO-HOST A HOW TO APPEAL YOUR PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT WITH COMMISSIONER MICHAEL CABONARGI, ON OCTOBER 27TH AT 6PM AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT 

G. STAFF REPORTS AND COMMENTS; DISCUSSION ON AGENDA ITEM NONE 

VI. CONSENT AGENDA 

(Items on the Consent Agenda will be enacted/approved by one motion. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless so requested by a member of the Village Board, in which case that item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in the normal sequence of the Agenda) 

Village Clerk April J Arellano read aloud public recital of Consent Agenda items 

1. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM: 

THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES HELD ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022 

2. APPROVAL OF VOUCHER EXPENDITURES LIST IN THE AMOUNT OF: $ 1,332,384.19 

3. RESOLUTION NO. 2223 R 

A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A CLASS 6B REAL ESTATE TAX ASSESSMENT APPLICATION BY 2233 WEST STREET LLC FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OF AN INDUSTRIAL FACILITY LOCATED AT 3600 RIVER ROAD, VILLAGE OF FRANKLIN PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

4. ORDINANCE NO. 2223 VC 

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER SIX OF TITLE SIX OF THE VILLAGE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF FRANKLIN PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS (ELIMINATE VARIOUS HANDICAPPED RESERVED PARKING SPACES)

5. ORDINANCE NO. 2223 G  

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE VACATION OF A PORTION OF A PUBLIC ALLEY ADJACENT TO 9960 PACIFIC AVENUE AND RUNNING DIAGONALLY BETWEEN KING STREET AND HAWTHORNE AVENUE IN THE VILLAGE OF FRANKLIN PARK, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

6. MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACQUISITION OF TWO (2) 2023 FORD F-750 DIESEL REGULAR CAB BASE DUMP TRUCKS WITH SPREADERS AND PLOWS FROM ROESCH FORD COMMERCIAL TRUCK CENTER, BENSENVILLE, ILLINOIS AND MONROE TRUCK EQUIPMENT, JOLIET, ILLINOIS, AS PART OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS PROCUREMENT PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $453,596.00 (OR $226,798.00 PER TRUCK), TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS AND AUTHORIZE THE OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS OF THE VILLAGE TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS AND TAKE SUCH FURTHER ACTION TO EFFECTUATE SAME 

Motion made by Mr. Johnson and seconded by Mr. Hagerstrom to approve the Consent Agenda Roll Call: Ayes – Mr. Hagerstrom, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Ybarra Mr. Ruhl and Ms. Special, Nay – 0. Absent – Ms. Avitia, Abstain – 0. 

VII. OLD BUSINESS 

 None 

VIII. NEW BUSINESS 

None 

IX. COMMENTS FROM THE CLERK: 

Clerk Arellano briefly went over the Clerk’s month report for September, 58 passports were processed, 51 photos taken, 1 voter registration, 43 FOIA requests completed, 39 garage sale registrations, 33 notaries performed and 2 block parties approved 

X. COMMENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT: 

Mayor Pedersen announced 

XI. CLOSED/EXECUTIVE SESSION 

Mayor Pedersen stated there is a need for Salary Schedules for One or More Classes of Employees 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2), and Collective Bargaining Negotiations Matters 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2) 

Motion made by Ms. Special, seconded by Mr. Johnson to go into Executive Session at 7:23 p.m. for “Salary Schedules for One or More Classes of Employees 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2), and Collective Bargaining Negotiations Matters 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(2)” 

Roll Call: Ayes –Mr. Hagerstrom, Mr. Ruhl, Ms. Special, Mr. Ybarra and Mr. Johnson. Nay – 0. Absent – Ms. Avitia Abstain – 0 

RETURNED FROM CLOSED SESSION AT 7:41 P.M. 

Village Clerk, April Arellano, stated to let the record reflect that all members returned. No action was taken in Closed Session 

Ms. Lisa Anthony, Health and Human Services, gave an additional brief update on the Snow Removal Update. She stated that the Village is short of contractors and only has 1 who is willing to step up, advertising has been unsuccessful and might have to limit the amount of seniors on the program or plowing services 

XII. ADJOURNMENT 

Motion made by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Hagerstrom to adjourn at 7:59 p.m. 

Voice vote carried 

https://www.villageoffranklinpark.com/assets/1/7/BM20221003.pdf