West Cook News

Village of Berkeley Village Board met May 6

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  Trustee McKelvy joins board once sworn in and Trustee Hammar exits 

Also present: Village Administrator Espiritu, Village Attorney Smith, Safety Director Larem, Public Works Director Wagner 

4. Presentations and Appointment 

Oaths of Office administered by the Honorable ShawnTe Raines- Welch, 4th District, Cook County Circuit Court - Invocation by Mark Dodgson 

1. Village President Robert E. Lee Jr. 

2. Village Clerk Belia Nowak 

3. Village Board of Trustees 

a. Jason Mathews 

b. Teresa McKelvy c. Roger Thomas 

4. Library Board of Trustees 

a. David Ditchfield 

b. Shawn Dooley 

c. Christina Hawn 

d. James Marino 

e. Denise Mason-Smith 

5. Park District Board of Commissioners 

a. Teresa Larem 

b. Paul Smith 

6. Planning and Zoning Commissioner Larry Hammar 

Congratulations to all our candidates and thank you to Honorable ShawnTe Raines-Welch for conducting the oaths for all our village members. 

State of the Village Presentation - Village President Robert E. Lee Jr. Mayor Lee presents the State of the Village. 

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. 

Motion to Approve the Consent Agenda as presented 

Moved by: Diane Salemi 

Seconded by: Sherry Graf-Stone 

Aye Sherry Graf-Stone, Teresa McKelvy, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Carried 6-0

1. Village Board Minutes from April 15, 2025 

2. Executive Session Minutes from April 15, 2025 (not for public release) 

6.1 Village Board Minutes from April 15, 2025 

7. Claims Ordinance 

Motion to Approve Claims Ordinance #1551 in the amount of $868,741.65 

Moved by: Diane Salemi 

Seconded by: Jerry Perez 

Aye Sherry Graf-Stone, Teresa McKelvy, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, 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 

● The Planning & Zoning Commission met last month an is recommending the special use permit for the upstairs banquet facility as an accessory use for the Gallery Restaurant. This special use permit will be brought before the Village Board at our next Board meeting 

● JK's restaurant was sold and the new owners are in the process of remodeling the restaurant to open their restaurant, Very Berry Good Pancake House. They are hoping to open next month. 

● Staff conducted interviews with 3 architecture firms to complete the space needs analysis and will be making a recommendation to the Village Board at a future Board meeting 

● The Village was interviewed by both CMAP for a ADA transition plan and also for an Invest in Cook grant application for Taft Ave, in conjunction with the Village of Hillside 

Motion to Approve an Ordinance Amending an Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance of Not to Exceed $6,000,000 General Obligation Bonds of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois, for the Purpose of Financing Capital Improvements throughout the Village 

Moved by: Sherry Graf-Stone 

Seconded by: Diane Salemi 

Aye Sherry Graf-Stone, Teresa McKelvy, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez 

Carried 6-0 

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

Trustee Liaison Report-no report 

8.3 Public Safety (Chair - Trustee Mathews; Co-Chair - Trustee Vacant) 

Trustee Liaison Report-no report 

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

Trustee Liaison Report-no report 

Motion to Approve a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement between the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois and Visu-Sewer of Illinois, LLC for the 2025 Sanitary Sewer System Rehabilitation Project in an Amount Not to Exceed the Grant Funding of $400,000.00 

Moved by: Diane Salemi 

Seconded by: Sherry Graf-Stone 

Aye Sherry Graf-Stone, Teresa McKelvy, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez 

Carried 6-0 Motion to Approve a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement between the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois and Baxter & Woodman, Inc. for Phase III Engineering of the 2025 Section 6 Sanitary Rehabilitation Project in an Amount Not to Exceed $60,600.00 

Moved by: Diane Salemi 

Seconded by: Sherry Graf-Stone 

Aye Sherry Graf-Stone, Teresa McKelvy, Diane Salemi, Jason Mathews, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez 

Carried 6-0 

8.5 Intergovernmental Relations (Chair - Trustee Thomas; Co- Chair - Trustee Perez) 

Trustee Liaison Report 

Trustee Thomas reports 

● The Library is currently working on a significant tech upgrade, with both staff and public PCs being replaced over the next several weeks. 

● The Library is hosting a Mother's Day story time and craft on Saturday, May 10th at 10:30. 

●  The Library is currently raising painted lady butterflies. There will be a family-friendly butterfly release on Saturday, May 24 at 10:30, along with a butterfly-themed Story Time and Craft. 

●  Saturday June 14th is the Kick-Off to our summer reading program. We will be celebrating at Berkeley Park from 11:00 to 1:00- all ages can register for summer reading, there will be bingo, a face painter, a kid's building contest with Public Works, and more activities. All free and open to everyone.

8.5. Community Events (Chair - Trustee Perez; Co-Chair- Trustee Graf-Stone) 

Trustee Liaison Report- 

Trustee Perez advises all the next neighborhood watch  meeting is being held on May 15 2025. Lions Club will be conducting free hearing tests on July 16 2025.

9. Village President 

1. Village President Report 

2. 5/17/25 - Volunteer Celebration, Wall of Mayors & Time Capsule Dedication 

3. 5/20/25- Village Board Meeting at 6:30 pm 

Motion to Approve a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of a Fourth Amendment to the Employment Agreement between Rudy Espiritu and the Village of Berkeley 

Moved by: Diane Salemi 

Seconded by: Teresa McKelvy 

Aye Sherry Graf-Stone, Teresa McKelvy, Diane Salemi, Roger Thomas, and Jerry Perez

Nay Jason Mathews

Carried 5-1 

10. Village Administrator 

Administrator Espiritu thanks everyone for the honor of working at the village. 

11. Village Attorney 

Attorney Smith reminds everyone of the upcoming Elrod Friedman seminar. 

12. Public Comments and Questions

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

13. Executive Session

Motion to enter into Executive Session to consider the:  Discipline, 

1. Appointment, Employment, Compensation, 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)

14. Action After Executive Session 

15. Meeting Adjourned at 7:54pm

https://berkeleyil.community.highbond.com/document/6950/?lastModified=638840477777370000