West Cook News

Village of Berkeley Village Board met Feb. 18

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

1. President Lee calls meeting to order at 6:30pm.

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

Trustees Thomas, Hammar, Salemi, Perez, Graf-Stone, Matthews, Village President Lee, Village Clerk Nowak

Also present: Village Administrator Espiritu, Village Attorney Greg Smith, Public Safety Director Tim Larem, Assistant Administrator Miller, Public Works Director Joe Wagner

4. Presentations and Appointment

5. Public Hearings

6. 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.

Village Board Minutes from February 4, 2025

Motion to Approve the Consent Agenda as presented

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Sherry Graft-Stone

Aye Sherry Graft-Stone, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Larry Hammar, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Carried 6-0

6.1 Village Board Minutes from February 4, 2025

7. Claims Ordinance

Motion to Approve Claims Ordinance #1546 in the amount of $173,578.27

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Jerry Perez

Aye Sherry Graft-Stone, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Larry Hammar, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Carried 6-0

8. Committee Reports

8.1 Administration, Finance, and Technology (Chair – Trustee Graf-Stone; Co-Chair – Trustee Mathews)

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee Graf-Stone reports met with new community garden club to discuss potential locations.

Staff is finalizing the FY26 annual budget and meeting with trustee liaisons regarding budget. The Villages Bond advisor will be presenting a multiyear capital improvement plan and will be meeting with village board. Trustee Graf-Stone gives the floor to Administrator Rudy Espiritu who introduces Assistant Administrator Justyn Miller. Assistant Administrator Justyn Miller presents the balanced FY 26 budget to the board with no tax increases from the village. He addresses concerns and questions from the board.

Monthly Report

Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Workshop

8.2 Community and Economic Development (Chair – Trustee Salemi; Co-Chair – Trustee Thomas)

Trustee Liaison Report-no report

Monthly Report

8.3 Public Safety (Chair – Trustee Mathews; Co-Chair – Trustee Hammar)

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee Mathews reports metrics looking pretty normal for fire/police departments. He gives the floor to Public Safety Director Larem who updates regarding recent activity in town. He states U-Haul trailers in parking lot are from a warrant and confiscation of illicit delta products. Gives kudos to police force especially investigators Camacho and Agate.

Monthly Reports

8.4 Public Works and Utilities (Chair – Trustee Hammar; Co-Chair – Trustee Salemi)

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee Hammar states busy weekend for public works with the recent snowfall. Public Works Director Wagner gives a report regarding a complaint about a resident who stated ejector pump was working constantly.

Public works director confirm grease and towels had clogged the sewer system. He stated that he attempted to inform the public through Facebook not to discard grease or towels through sewer.

Monthly Report

Motion to Approve a Resolution of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Approving a 2025 Community Development Block Grant Application for the 2026 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project

Moved by: Larry Hammar

Seconded by: Sherry Graft-Stone

Aye Sherry Graft-Stone, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Larry Hammar, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Carried 6-0

8.5 Intergovernmental Relations (Chair – Trustee Thomas; CoChair – Trustee Perez) Trustee Liaison Report-n

8.6 Community Events (Chair – Trustee Perez; Co-Chair – Trustee Graf-Stone)

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee Perez states residents appreciate robocall and informing residents they can reach out to village in a crisis. Lions Clubs hosting a dinner on February 28. Park District hosting more events.

9. Village President

2/21/25 - Hillside Senior Apartments Ground Breaking at 10:00 am

3/4/25 - Village Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

President Lee expressed excitement about the ground breaking for the Hillside Senior Apartments invites everyone to attend. April 1 is election day educate yourself on candidates and get out and vote. There is blood drive at the Sheet Metal Union location on Roosevelt rd. tomorrow 2-6-pm. 

Lions club dinner is being held on February 28, 2025.

10. Village Administrator

No report

11. Village Attorney

Attorney Smith reminds everyone being invited to seminar and lunch

12. Public Comments and Questions

Please limit comments to three (3) minutes in length, unless further granted by the Board

13. Enter into Executive Session at 7:37pm

Motion to enter into Executive Session to consider the:

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

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

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

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

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

6. 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, public, or public property. 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(8)

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

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

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

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Sherry Graft-Stone

Aye Sherry Graft-Stone, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Larry Hammar, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Carried 6-0

14. Action After Executive Session

15. Meeting Adjourned at 7:49pm

Motion to Adjourn

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Jason Mathews

Aye Sherry Graft-Stone, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Larry Hammar, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Carried 6-0

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