CITY OF KANKAKEE

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

JANUARY 5, 2009      7:01 P.M.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       I’d like to call the meeting to order please.  I’d like to ask Pastor Jason Savage from Kankakee Trinity Academy to come forward and open our meeting with a prayer.

 

PASTOR SAVAGE:    Let’s pray.  Dear Heavenly Father we thank you for this day and, ah, thank You for a new year.  And, we ask that You would just come here and be in this meeting and, ah, be with all the members and all the people of Kankakee County, and the City of Kankakee.  We just ask that You would impart wisdom to us all, as we conduct business throughout this entire year.  And just  be with us, help us to make the decisions that we need to make and be the citizens that indistinguishable.  And, just give us a great year.  And, we pray this in Your sweet, holy and precious name.  Amen.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Now, I’d like to ask the youth from Kankakee Trinity Academy to come forward and lead us in our Pledge.

 

KANKAKEE TRINITY ACADEMY YOUTH AND ALL:    Pledge of Allegiance

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Thank you very much.  Roll call.

 

CLERK DUMAS:

PRESENT:   Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2) 

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Department Heads.

 

CLERK DUMAS: 

PRESENT:  Kinkade; Young; Doyle; Spice; Bohlen; Power; Simms; Tyson; Shaw; Nolan; Gordon; Bertrand (12)

            ABSENT:    Leshen (1)

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Thank you.  You have the minutes of the December 15, 2008, meeting.  Do I hear a motion to approve?

 

ALDERMAN HUNTER:         Mayor Green, I trust that there’s not too much in here that’s of importance that we can’t read.  Evidently, there was something wrong with the, ah, ah, printer, I guess.  But, I’ve been advised by Ms. Smithberg that everything is okay and that we would not be passing something unbeknownst to all of us.  So, I move they be approved as recorded.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Is there a second?

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Who seconded? 

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Second. 

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Okay.  Motion by Alderman Hunter, seconded by Alderman Williams that we approve the minutes of December 15, 2008.  All in favor, AYE.  Opposed, same sign. 

 

 MOTION TO APPROVE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 15, 2008

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Petitions.  The Chair has no Petitions.  Are there any from the Floor?  Communications.  I’ve got two and these are just verbal communications.  Today, my office received a call from the United States Post Office asking us to remind anyone who is running as a municipal candidate in the City of Kankakee to not put any of your materials in the mailbox.  If so, you will be billed for those materials that are put in the mailbox.  I’m just passing the message on.  Also, I had the opportunity this afternoon to talk to Alderman Coleman.  She’s home.  She’s doing much, much better.  She.... actually she sounded very good today.  She didn’t want to come tonight.  She’s still in a wheelchair, but I think she’ll probably be at the next meeting, so...... that’s just that information.  Under Communications, we have a letter from Comcast, one from AT&T and then a thank you of support from the Track and Field Club for our support on that event.  Next, any Communications from the Floor?  Alderman Epstein.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         I don’t know if this is the proper time?

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Sure.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         To address this.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Sure.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         Ah, recently, as Chairman of the Code Committee, as I drive up and down our community, I’m sure everyone is aware of the numbers of board ups and foreclosures that are occurring.  Not just here in Kankakee, but obviously everywhere throughout the state and the country.  I did some investigating and the communities of Evanston and Oak Forest, in Illinois, have come up with an Ordinance to start to regulate these foreclosures and the procedures that are necessary for a community to get a handle on the foreclosures in order to aid in the appearance and keep the standards of the City of Kankakee up to what I think we all would want.  In that vein, Mr. Bohlen, I gave him some of the information and he has crafted an Ordinance for us to regulate the foreclosures in our community.  I’ve passed it out today, just as an information for the Aldermen.  I would like to, ah, refer it either to the Planning and Code Committee or to the Ordinance Committee for their approval and then I would like to bring it to the Council, hopefully, by the next meeting in January.  We can either put it on First Reading at that time or go ahead and pass it.  I think it’s something that’s necessary.  We need to make the owners of these properties responsible, whether they be a mortgage company, a bank or an individual because today they are being left to their own devices.  They’re not up to code and somebody needs to be held responsible so the community does not bear the burden of the appearance that we have at this time. 

 

MAYOR GREEN:       The Chair’s suggestion is that many of these issues are code issues.  That’s the rationale for the board up of many of the homes in the community, not to take it away from one Committee or the other.  But, I would think we would logically refer it to the Code Committee to review.  I would think anyone who is a member of this City Council, of course, is welcome to attend that meeting and establish the input on that so we can come back with some kind of a draft of this document to let the City Council make its final comments on it.  So, the Chair will use its prerogative and refer this to the Code Committee.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         Fine.  We will take it up at our meeting this month, then.  Thank you.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       As long as we’re here, what’s your meeting date this month?

 

ALDERMAN HUNTER:         15th.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         We’re the 15th of, is it the 15th, of January and we meet here in the Resource Center. 

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Okay.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         And, I certainly invite any Aldermen, after they’ve had a chance to look at this draft copy.  You can also go to Evanston or Oak Forest on their web sites and see what those communities have done to try to regulate the same situation that we have here.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Alderman, if you have the information on those two communities, if you’ll give that to my office, I’ll have Nancy mail that information to all the Aldermen so they can do it with the web site address.

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         Okay.  I will do that.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       So, they’ll have the opportunity to do that.  Okay thank you.  Any other Communications?  Standing Committees.  Public Works.  Alderman Brown. 

 

ALDERMAN BROWN:          Mayor, there is just one item under Public Works.  If you’ll recall at the last meeting we came to this Council and we asked you to rebid the fuel bid for Public Works because no one bid on it.  As of this meeting, we have two bids on that.  And, those two bids, one is Huot Oil and it’s a local vendor and the other one is Petroleum Traders.  There was two bids and the local bid won it.  So, at this point in time, I would ask the Council and I would make that in the form of a motion to accept the low bid from Huot Oil.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Is there a second?

 

ALDERMAN SWANSON:                 I’ll second it.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Brown, seconded by Alderman Swanson to approve the low bid for fuel for the next year to Baron-Huot Oil Company.  Questions?  Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2) 

 

RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD THE 2009 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC

WORKS FUEL BID TO BARON-HUOT OIL COMPANY

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Anything else, Mr. Brown?

 

ALDERMAN BROWN:          No.  Thank you.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Okay.  Planning and Code Committee.  Alderman Epstein. 

 

ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:         Ah, the information is provided.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Okay.  Budget Committee.  Alderman Baron.

 

ALDERMAN BARON:           Ah, the first item that we took up doesn’t require any action by the Council tonight, but I do want to draw your attention to the fact that at our next meeting, City Council, we’ll probably be receiving a report from–in regard to the CAFR which was passed out to us at the meeting and which was passed out to you tonight.  CAFR is the annual report that’s put together on behalf of the City.  It’s an award-winning publication.  It helps us when we attempt to sell bonds.  We have–it’s not required by the law, but it’s a compilation of all the financial reports of the City.  And, as I said, it’s.......it’s a document that’s very relevant when we go to bid to try to sell bonds or do anything.  It’s helped our credit rating and you now have copies of it.  I’d recommend that in those slow moments that you.........maybe not so slow moments..........

 

MAYOR GREEN:       If you want to go to sleep in a hurry, it’s good reading.

 

ALDERMAN BARON:           Yeah, right.  Pick it up and take a look.  The one action that we....... two things we’d ask for action.  Number one is the.....an agreement with Schubert Trucking Company which is a new trucking company in the Eastgate Industrial Park and which is also TIF 4.  They have asked.......they have just built a new building, $350,000.00 purchase price and they’ve built a 5,760 square foot facility.  This is a new business to our community bringing 35 primary jobs which is the sort of jobs that we’re looking for.  They’ve asked us to enter into a TIF agreement with them to...........ah, to rebate the increase in real estate taxes which will result because of the new construction–because of their new facility, for the life of the TIF which is another two or three years.  Ah, so, I would move that we enter into a TIF incentive agreement with Schubert Trucking to rebate the increased real estate taxes that would come into the TIF as a result of their construction.

 

ALDERMAN HUNTER:         Mayor Green, I second that motion for creation and retention of 35 jobs.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Baron, seconded by Alderman Hunter to create the agreement between the City of Kankakee and Schubert Trucking.  Any questions?   Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2)  

 

CONSIDERATION OF A TIF INCENTIVE AGREEMENT FOR SCHUBERT

TRUCKING, INC., IN THE TIF EASTGATE DISTRICT

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Before you go on, Alderman Baron, this same agreement will be implemented with MTS Company in Eastgate.  That’s one– we wanted to complete this one first because that gives us the pattern for doing it.  That agreement, though, will be for the increase in taxes that they’re paying over what they currently are incurring.  So, just for your own information.

 

ALDERMAN BARON:           Ah, occasionally, we need to update our property inventory for indistinguishable.  We last had an inventory given to us at the cost of $5,200.00 ten years ago.  We need..........we need to do this again for our insurance purposes.  Industrial Appraisal is a firm that’s agreed.... it’s a firm that’s agreed to this for $4,700.00.  It will perform an update on the City’s property inventory and indistinguishable.  I would move that we enter into an agreement with Industrial Appraisal to perform such an inventory at the cost of $4,700.00. 

 

ALDERMAN HUNTER:         Second it, Your Honor.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Baron, seconded by Alderman Hunter to approve the agreement between the City of Kankakee and Industrial Appraisal Services for all of the property the City of Kankakee owns.  Questions?  Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2)  

 

PROPOSAL FROM INDUSTRIAL APPRAISAL TO PERFORM AN UPDATE ON

THE PROPERTY INVENTORY AND ACCOUNTING COST RECORD RELATED

TO “PROOF OF LOSS” FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.

 

ALDERMAN BARON:           Thank you.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Thank you.  Ah, now we’ll move onto Approval of Bills and Report of Officers.

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Mayor, I move to approve the Report of Officers, place the money into the proper accounts and pay the bills in the amount of $2,363,780.10.

 

ALDERMAN CIACCIO:        Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Williams, seconded by Alderman Ciaccio to accept the Report of Officers, place the money in the proper accounts, pay the bills in the amount of $2,363,780.10.  Any questions on any of the individual bills?  Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Schwade; Cox (11)

            ABSTAIN:   Jones (1)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2)  

 

REPORTS OF OFFICERS  APPROVAL OF BILLS - $2,363,780.10

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Unfinished Business, there is none.  Ah, New Business, we have an Ordinance which is establishing a No Parking Zone on the north side of Station Street from Wall Street to 350 feet east of that location.  I need a motion to........

 

ALDERMAN DIERSEN:        I move we Suspend the Rules that would interfere with the passage of the Ordinance.

 

ALDERMAN LINNEMAN:    Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Diersen, seconded by Alderman Linneman to Suspend the Rules that would interfere with the passage of this Ordinance.  Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2)  

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Is there a motion to put this Ordinance on its Final Passage and Pass?

 

ALDERMAN DIERSEN:        So moved.

 

ALDERMAN LINNEMAN:    Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Diersen, seconded by Alderman Linneman.  Questions on the Ordinance?  Roll call.

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2)  

 

ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 32, SECTION 172 ESTABLISHING

NO PARKING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF STATION STREET FROM

WALL STREET  TO 350 FEET EAST

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Next, is a Handicapped Parking Ordinance at 481 N. Adams Street.  And, we also have a second one in there which is a rescission of 457 S. Alma.  You can deal both.........

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Pardon.

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Can we combine them?

 

MAYOR GREEN:       We can if you so desire.  Do you want to Suspend the Rules, Alderman?

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Yeah, I make a motion to Suspend the Rules that would interfere with passage of the Ordinances.

 

ALDERMAN CIACCIO:        Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Williams, seconded by Alderman Ciaccio to Suspend the Rules that would interfere with the passage of the Ordinance for Handicapped Parking at 481 N. Adams and the rescission of one at 457 S. Alma.  Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2) 

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  Is there a motion to put these Ordinances on its Final Passage and Pass?

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     I so move.

 

ALDERMAN CIACCIO:        Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Williams, seconded by Alderman Ciaccio to put these two Ordinances on their Final Passage and Pass?  Any questions?  Roll call. 

 

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE:  Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Linneman; Diersen; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)

            ABSENT: Hearn; Coleman (2)  

 

ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 32, SECTION 231 ESTABLISHING A

HANDICAPPED PARKING SIGN AT 481 NORTH ADAMS AVENUE

 

ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 32, SECTION 231 RESCINDING A

HANDICAPPED PARKING SIGN AT 457 SOUTH ALMA AVENUE

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion carries.  The Chair has no Appointments tonight.  There are no Motions and Resolutions.  Are there any Aldermanic comments or questions?

 

ALDERMAN HUNTER:         Mayor Green, a couple things.  One, is relatively new and the other one is not.  We’ve been dealing with it for some period of time.  We have been in contact with the widow of the late Elmer Wilson regarding a honorary street designation for the 300 block of North Dearborn.  Many of you know, or knew, Rev. Wilson.  He was a trailblazer and one of the first African-American police officers, past high school basketball star, athlete, member of the ARBEZ organization which was a civil rights group–that’s zebra spelled backwards–a labor leader, County Board member and, of course, he was an outstanding school board member, ah, with the Kankakee School District 111.  As a consequence of that, we think this would be fitting and proper that we do so and I’ve cleared this through Alderman Cox and he concurs with us providing for an honorary street designation for Rev. Elmer Wilson.  So, hopefully, at the next Council meeting we can do that.  And, Public Works–Dennis is around right?–will get the street signs made and have it ready.  Also, we’ve been toying and discussing this next item for years.  It’s been bouncing around to different locations.  It was going to be Court Street, it was going to be Greenwood.  It was going to be River Road.  What other streets?  We considered of having it for 308.  We even talked about at 308 having a cornerstone out there being Dr. King Drive.  We’d like to see if we could work something out with our neighboring communities inasmuch that Kennedy goes–ties into all three communities of Kankakee, Bradley and Bourbonnais.  We’d like to see if we could, ah, do an honorary street or make Kennedy Drive Kennedy-King Drive.  But, we’re gonna’ make contact, ah, post haste, with our neighboring communities to the north and see if we can get some concurrence.  You may recall some years ago, and under a different administration, there were some issues up in Bradley in terms of Dr. King and the proposal we had of.......of providing for the designation of Kennedy Drive being made part of Dr. King Drive.  Going through those three communities we had some issues.  So, hopefully, we won’t have those particular problems presently.  So, I’m just gonna’ advise you guys that we’re going to hopefully come back next Council meeting.  If not next Council meeting, the first Council in February.  That’s black history month, ah, and try to do the designation for Dr. King.  So, I’m just advising you of that and govern yourselves accordingly.  Thank you.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Any.........yes.

 

ALDERMAN COX:    It’s South Main in Bourbonnais.  It’s Main Street.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       It is.  I think probably if we end up doing it as an honorary designation, it’s probably the easiest way to do it through all communities. 

 

ALDERMAN HUNTER:         Whichever way will work.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Yeah.  And, I’m willing.........I’ll write a letter to both the other communities tomorrow and just say that we’ve discussed this and we’re asking if we can do this in unison.  That’s really the most logical.  Alderman Williams.

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Mayor Green, to piggy back off of Alderman Hunter’s earlier comments about the ink for the reports.  Are we updated on ink now?

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Are we what?

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Are we updated on the ink refills for printing out the minutes?

 

MAYOR GREEN:       You’d have to speak to my secretary.

 

NANCY SMITHBERG:          No, it’s not me.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Who prints ‘em?

 

NANCY SMITHBERG:          They’re copies off of your machine.

 

CLERK DUMAS: What about them?

 

NANCY SMITHBERG:          They can’t read ‘em.

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     ‘Cause I’m blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other one so I had trouble.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       We’ll check it out, Alderman.

 

CLERK DUMAS:        We’ll check that.

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Okay.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Any other comments or questions?  If not, I’ll entertain a motion to adjourn.

 

ALDERMAN SWANSON:                 So moved.

 

ALDERMAN WILLIAMS:     Second.

 

MAYOR GREEN:       Motion by Alderman Swanson, seconded by Alderman Williams.  We stand adjourned. 

 

MOTION TO ADJOURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING

 

                                                                                                                                                7:25 P.M.