West Cook News

Village of Berkeley Village Board met June 17

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 McKelvy, Mathews, Perez, Salemi, Graf-Stone, Thomas, Village President Lee, Village Clerk Nowak

Also present: Village Administrator Espiritu, Assistant Administrator Miller, Village Attorney Willits, Public Safety Director Larem, Public Works Director Wagner

4. Presentations and Appointment

Police Officer Oaths of Office

• Zach Brichta

Congratulations Officer Brichta and welcome to the team!

Police Commendation Awards

• Evan Trader

• Rudy Camacho

Public Safety Director Larem presented awards to officers Trader and Camacho. Congratulations and great job! Thank you for your service. ComEd Annual Report – ComEd External Affairs Manager Calandra Davis

Thank you Ms. Davis for your report.

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

Carried 6-0

6.1 Village Board Minutes from May 6, 2025

7. Claims Ordinance

Motion to Approve Claims Ordinance #1553 in the amount of $328,872.59

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Jerry Perez

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

Carried 6-0

Motion to Approve Claims Ordinance #1554 in the amount of $202,873.48

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Jerry Perez

Aye Teresa McKelvy, Sherry Graf-Stone, 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 Thomas)

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee Graf-Stone reports the team is the middle of working on the preliminary audit with field work beginning next month. She congratulates the Village on attaining the 2023 & 2024 GFOA audit awards. She also informs all the bond rates have not changed, the team will be issuing bonds within the next 30 days to pay for road improvements.

Administrator Espiritu informs all regarding the budget, funding and projects. He explains the Village ended the year in a good position with another budget surplus.

Motion to Approve an Ordinance Amending Section 3-1-4 of the Village Code of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Adopting the Annual Fee Schedule

Moved by: Sherry Graf-Stone

Seconded by: Diane Salemi

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

Carried 6-0

Motion to Approve an Ordinance Amending Section 9-2-8(A) of the Village Code of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Regarding Fees Related to Water and Sewer Service

Moved by: Sherry Graf-Stone

Seconded by: Diane Salemi

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

Carried 6-0

Motion to Approve an Ordinance Amending Section 5-4-3 of the Village Code of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Regarding Fees Related to Refuse Collection Charges

Moved by: Sherry Graf-Stone

Seconded by: Diane Salemi

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

Carried 6-0

Motion to Approve a Resolution for Maintenance of Streets and Highways by Municipality under the Illinois Highways

Code for FY 26

Moved by: Sherry Graf-Stone

Seconded by: Diane Salemi

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

Carried 6-0

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

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee McKelvy wants to discuss a couple of items.

One is the property for sale in the Village.

The second if promoting/recruiting for the food truck area and she presented a business plan. Receives consensus from the board to go with a month-to-month lease and at a lower amount.

Justyn Miller presented information regarding the signage requested at different locations along St Charles Rd. The proposed sign for 5319 St Charles will be brought back to planning and zoning with more information including better measurements. The other signage requested were approved by majority vote.

Monthly Report

Food Truck Park Marketing and Recruitment Discussion

Motion to Approve an Ordinance of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Granting a Sign Variation Relative to 5245 St. Charles Road

Moved by: Teresa McKelvy

Seconded by: Sherry Graf-Stone

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

Carried 6-0

Motion to Approve an Ordinance of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Granting a Sign Variation Relative to 5319 St. Charles Road

TBD

This item was referred back to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Motion to Approve an Ordinance of the Village of Berkeley, Cook County, Illinois Granting a Sign Variation Relative to 5345 St. Charles Road

Moved by: Teresa McKelvy

Seconded by: Sherry Graf-Stone

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

Carried 6-0

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

Trustee Liaison Report-no report

Monthly Reports

8.4 Public Works and Utilities (Chair – Trustee Thomas; Co-Chair – Trustee Perez)

Trustee Liaison Report-no report

Monthly Report

Motion to Approve a Resolution of the Village of Berkeley, Illinois Waiving Competitive Bidding and Authorizing the Purchase of Zonescan AI Leak Detection Loggers from Gutermann Inc. at a Cost Not to Exceed $142,120.00 Director Wagner provides a review on detection loggers.

Moved by: Roger Thomas

Seconded by: Jerry Perez

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

Carried 6-0

8.5 Intergovernmental Relations (Chair – Trustee Mathews; CoChair – Trustee McKelvy)

Trustee Liaison Report-no report

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

Trustee Liaison Report-Trustee Perez informs all the Berkeley Park District will be holding a bike rodeo on July 3 along with other festivities. The library will be have a hearing bus sponsored by Lions Club on July 16 from 11-4pm, Proviso township will also be having a hearing bus on August 15. The next neighborhood watch meeting is being held June 19, 2025. Music in the park series kicks off on July 10, 2025.

9. Village President

6/19/25 Juneteenth Holiday (Village Offices closed)

6/27/25 Berkeley College Scholarship Applications due @ 4:30 p.m.

7/4/24 Independence Day Holiday (Village Offices closed)

7/10/24 Electric Nights Music in the Park: Horizon (R&B/Soul/Funk)

7/15/25 Village Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

President Lee begins by informing all Berkeley Connects has been delayed in mailing, but will be going out soon. He would like to commend the Berkeley Park District along with the Berkeley library for working to bring community together and trying new things. There will be a community round table being held on July 26, 2025. President Lee informs the audience that all solicitors should be registered with the village. Proviso Township is having Juneteenth event.

10. Village Administrator

Administrator Espiritu states the grant team has successfully obtain Illinois Transportation Enhancement grant for $2.4 million dollars and $500,000 from Invest in Cook for the Taft Avenue Corridor project. Congressman Chuy Garcia is awarding $1 million dollars for the north side of town for lead service lines. Administrator Espiritu thanks the grant team, the village has received $18.8 million worth of grants in the past nine years.

11. Village Attorney

no report

12. Public Comments and Questions

Please limit comments to three (3) minutes in length, unless further granted by the Board Andre W-Thank you. Hosting a band in his garage on July 5.

Kathleen Johnson-question when street cleaning is done and asked what can be done regarding noise from the Tollway project.

Jack Ronan-would like to develop basketball court, would like to get a movement to get the Mayo clinic to relocate to Berkeley.

13. Executive Session

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)

Carried

14. Action After Executive Session

15. Meeting adjourned at 8:36pm

Motion to Adjourn

Moved by: Diane Salemi

Seconded by: Jerry Perez

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

Carried 6-0

https://berkeleyil.community.highbond.com/document/7302/?lastModified=638878646183400000