Village of Bellwood Committee of a Whole met Oct. 9.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
The Village of Bellwood conducted a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, October 9, 2023, at 3:30p.m. in the Village Board Room at 3200 Washington Boulevard, Bellwood, IL. 60104-1984.
Call to Order
The Committee of the Whole meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Bellwood was called to order by Mayor Harvey at 3:30p.m. on Monday, October 9, 2023.
Roll Call
Those in attendance were Mayor Harvey, Clerk Janel Moreland, Trustees Ciavattone, Boston, Holman, Robinson, Delgado, Nightengale, Willie Norfleet (Finance), Attorney Michael Castaldo.
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Approve Minutes of last Committee of a Whole Meeting
3. Approve Agenda for Committee of a Whole Meeting
4. Trustee Committee Reports
a. Public Works - Trustee Ciavattone, Chairman; Trustee Delgado, Member
b. Community Development - Trustee Boston, Chairman; Trustee Robinson, Member
c. Quality of Life - Trustee Holman, Chairman; Trustee Boston, Member
d. Administration - Trustee Robinson, Chairman; Trustee Ciavattone
e. Public Safety - Trustee Delgado, Chairman: Trustee Nightengale, Member
f. Finance - Trustee Nightengale, Chairman; Trustee Holman, Member
g. Ad Hoc Committees - Traffic Safety
5. Department Head Reports
a. Economic Development
i. Capital Project
ii. Developmental Projects
b. Finance Director/Comptroller
i. Utility Collection Billing and collection Status
ii. Payments of Bills
iii. Review of Revenue and Investments
iv. Inventory
v. Bidding
c. Police Department – Police Chief
d. Fire Department - Fire Chief
e. Director of Public Works
i. Street Department
ii. Water Department
f. Village Engineer
g. Building Commissioner
h. Director of Human Resources
i. Village Attorney/Corporation Counsel
i. Litigation (item to be reported on in executive session if required)
ii. Contract negotiations (item to be reported on in executive session if required), and
iii. Pending legal matters.
6. Clerk's Report- Per Mayor Harvey & Attorney Castaldo, the clerk will no longer give a report and Attorney Castaldo removed it from the agenda.
7. Mayor's Report
8. New Business - Discussion/Agenda Items for upcoming board meeting
9. Unfinished Business
10. Public Comment
11. Adjournment
Mayor Harvey requested a motion to approve the agenda for the October 9, 2023, COW meeting. Trustee Robinson made a motion and Trustee Boston seconded to accept the agenda of the regular COW meeting. Upon a voice vote, the motion was carried unanimously to approve the October 9, 2023, COW Meeting Agenda.
Mayor Harvey requested a motion to approve the minutes of the September 11, 2023, regular COW meeting. Trustee Delgado made a motion and Trustee Holman seconded to accept the minutes of the last regular COW meeting. Upon a voice vote (minus Trustee Holman), the motion was carried unanimously to approve the September 11, 2023, COW meeting minutes.
Committee Reports
Trustee Ciavattone: regular report
Trustee Boston: regular report
Trustee Holman: regular report
Trustee Robinson: regular report
Trustee Delgado: regular report
Trustee Nightengale: regular report
Ad Hoc: no report
Department Head Reports
Economic Development
Peter Tsolis reported the following:
i. Next month we will be presenting a series of properties we will be pursuing to obtain ownership. Single family homes initiatives.
ii. St. Charles downtown project. We will be presenting two ordinances that allow for recapture of funds by developer in the event this project goes forward. This is the first step in a series of ordinances that will be coming before the board in the next couple of months as this project. becomes more of a reality. The mayor's goal is to create a downtown Bellwood on St. Charles Road between 29-22nd with the first phase starting at 27th & 28th on both sides of the street. We have been in constant communication working on a plan. It will be two mixed use buildings on both sides of the street between 27th & 28th approximately 80 units, 1 three story building and 1- four story building commercial on bottom residential above with parking within the framework of the buildings. Incredible design. Very unique workforce housing program the village is moving forward with that. This allows some of the funds to be expended between now and all the new development taking place. The developer will give it back to us at the end of the day the village will own the buildings. This a very unique project, something you see on the east coast and west coast it hasn't been done in this fashion in the Midwest, Bellwood wants to be the new trailblazer with this project that is new to the state of Illinois. We will present renderings as everything comes along. This is market rate. It's not senior housing, it's for anybody. It's going to bring a brand-new look to the corner of St. Charles Road. This will knock people's socks off.
Finance Director/Comptroller
Willie Norfleet reported the following:
i. Utility billing - Up $120,000 compared to last year at this same time. The higher portion of the increase is for the over 90 days. January we will start making a real effort to get collections from those that are delinquent to bring in revenue.
ii. Collection of funds compared to last year this time August, we're up $189,000. Collections year to date or overall revenue for the village we're up $4million dollars and that is without the money from property taxes that will start coming in December.
iii. Our expenditures are within line and we're able to handle some of the things we didn't anticipate.
iv. This is the last time I'll mention interest. We have $60K of interest money earned in general funds. For September we had a few thousand come in. We're already at $55k for the month. Fairly well consistent.
Police Department
Chief Allen reported the following:
i. Currently have three officers in the field training program. All are doing well.
ii. We have a new records clerk, Miss Kelly in training.
iii. Officer Dorsey's father passed away.
iv. Participated in the Tour de Proviso last Saturday.
Fire Department
Lt. Ted Marcos sitting in for Fire Chief Ritz reported the following:
i. It is fire prevention month we are conducting tour for the schools at the station. Starting tomorrow firefighters will be going to grade schools in the community teaching fire prevention safety.
ii. At the end of the month Borg Warner asked us to come over to teach fire prevention and fire safety.
iii. The female firefighter went to her first fire in Maywood and did very well.
Director of Public Works
Marty Walker reported the following:
i. The street resurfacing continues the 1st three phases are complete Madison & Washington was the latest to be resurfaced. Next week the next phase will begin, which will include Wilcox, Monroe, Linden, those streets over there. We are looking to expand and do additional streets. We are looking to move forward with St. Charles Road. We sent out a RFP and we have a winner. That information will be coming soon.
ii. We are hydrant flushing on the south side. Madison, Bellwood Avenue to Mannheim is coming up next, then we'll be going to Warren Street.
iii. Clean up week went very well. Next year we'll be putting flyers out there to get more people to participate in clean up week.
iv. Meter replacement about 95% complete working on the 5% a lot of those are vacant homes.
v. ComEd is doing tree trimming in town for the next three months. Most of the trees are on private property. If you see branches on parkway ComEd put them there.
vi. We are looking to replace the fuel stations at the street department, they're in bad shape. We put out an RFP and we have a winner.
vii. Cernan Drive pump station - we're looking to put a garage at Cernan Drive.
viii. We are looking to purchase garage doors at the fire department (8 doors) a RFP went out for that as well and we have a winner for that. It will be for the fire department and water department.
ix. 2023 leak detection will start next month. They pick up leaks on the resident's side and once we get that report we'll go to the residents and let them know they have a leak on their side of the b-box.
x. We are looking to remove the spoil from water main breaks and sewer repairs for the past two years. We have a winner for that RFP as well. We believe it's going to be about 200-300 loads. We have a location where we keep the spoils at the street department, and we have to remove that as well, as soon as possible.
Village Engineer
Chuck Hodges from Hancock Engineering reported the following:
i. Cook County Subrecipient agreement for 2023., The village applied for $300,000. It has to be approved. It's for alley reconstruction. There are 2 alleys North - South alley between Bellwood Ave. & Bohland Avenue from Vanburen to Jackson and north side of the alley of 32nd Avenue to 31st Avenue between Addison creek and Vanburen street.
ii. Cook County invest in cook program also has a intergovernmental agreement. They're only looking for the village to review. It goes back to Cook County for them to finalize and back to the village for action.
iii. Chuck sent something to the mayor about the train station. We will forgo that location.
Building Commissioner
Jim Stock reported the following:
i. The senior building inspection is on the 28th. Construction was still going on so much of the 1st floor could not be evaluated. We created a list of things that needed to be corrected and weren't done.
ii. Dunkin Donuts is on hold right now for the equipment, it should be coming in the last of October. Should be done inside and outside but can't do anything else until the equipment comes in.
iii. The mayor said that someone stole something from us. A community very close to ours has stolen the entire design of the seniors building. They're going to build another building just like ours and using the same team. Imitation is the best form of flattery, so if you're driving down Mannheim going to the airport, you'll see the same exact building, but we told them they at least had to change the color.
Director of Human Resources
Tonita LeShore reported the following:
i. We sent out letters for our 2024 calendar. Last year we had 58-60 ads.
ii. Village of Bellwood & District 88 will be partnering for the Hispanic Heritage Celebration, which in on Saturday, October 14th from 11am-2pm at Roosevelt Middle School.
iii. On October the village will be hosting a board of review with the proviso township assessor's office at 6pm in the community room.
BOEM -
Mike Sabel reported the following:
i. Participated in the 911 silent parade.
ii. Assisted Hillside with the homecoming parade.
iii. Assist with the Tour de Proviso bike ride in Westchester.
Village Clerk - Per Mayor Harvey & Attorney Castaldo, the clerk will no longer give a report and Attorney Castaldo removed it from the agenda and the Clerk was not asked to report.
Mayor
Mayor Harvey reported the following:
i. Thank everyone that came out to the bike ride Tour de Proviso hosted by Westchester this year. About 500 people signed up but due to the cold I think we only had about 350-400 people that came out. Riverside did it two years ago. I don't think Westchester got to that plateau, but they did a good job. The ride is coming to Bellwood next year, so we have to really put on a big shoe. We're going to be starting real soon putting committees together. This is going to be the 5th year. We decided that every 5 years one of the starting cities will be the host.
ii. Surviving Warriors -- wonderful balloon release. I try to hold my tears back because it's very touching. I would like to thank the surviving warriors and we look forward to doing it again next year.
iii. Neighborhood Watch Meeting - the last meeting was one of the best. We would like to thank the police and fire department for coming out. It was a meet and greet of the new employees. Our next meeting will be October 19th. It will be the last one of the season, and it's going to be on Domestic Violence. On October 18th we're supposed to be wearing orange sharing our Unity for Domestic Violence Month.
iv. Kudos to the police department. There was a lady preying on our seniors, knocking on their doors and once she got into their home, she would take their valuables. She did this to Georgina Lane and Senior Suites, she pulled the fire alarm. She had been doing this for years and was involved in a string of robberies.
v. Mr. Boston reported - Veterans Day Celebration on November 11 at 11am will be at Memorial Park teaming up with Bellwood for the veterans of Bellwood to have a first veteran's day ceremony. It's noted the 11th hour, 11th day and 11th month because that was World War I cease fire in 1918. We'll have a program and some refreshments. 3101 Washington Blvd. Memorial Park.
vi. Bellwood Lyon's club requested permission to solicit candy on October 12th & 13th to help needed children and adults that are in need of eye exams and glasses.
New Businesses
Attorney Castaldo reported the following:
Most of the items have already been reported on.
i. Item D - The finance department will be purchasing new copiers. The documents are in Dropbox.
ii. Item I - The building department proposing an amendment to the village code sidewalk maintenance. The property owner adjacent to the sidewalk is not only responsible for maintenance but also replacement.
iii. Item J - Still working through the insurance renewal.
iv. Fire Department elevator still need repairs to be done and that will be on the agenda as well.
v. In Dropbox you'll see that we have a special meeting this Wednesday at 3:30pm.
Unfinished Business
None.
Public Comment
Mayor Harvey requested a motion to open the floor for Public Comment. Trustee Ciavattone made a motion and Trustee Holman seconded to open the floor for public comment.
All Trustees were in favor of opening the floor for public comment. Upon a voice vote, the motion was carried unanimously. Mayor Harvey declared the floor for public comment open.
Hearing no Public Comment. There was no public in attendance. Mayor Harvey asked for a motion to close the floor for Public Comment.
Trustee Delgado made a motion and Trustee Boston seconded to close the floor for public comment.
All Trustees were in favor of closing the floor. Upon a voice vote, the motion was carried unanimously. Mayor Harvey declared the floor for public comment closed.
Adjournment
Mayor Harvey requested a motion to adjourn the Committee of The Whole. Motion made by Trustee Nightengale seconded by Trustee Delgado to adjourn the meeting. Upon a voice vote, the motion was carried unanimously. Mayor Harvey declared the meeting adjourned, with no further business to come before this Board, this meeting stands adjourned at 4:10p.m.
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