Kankakee Times

Kankakee City Council met Monday, Nov. 7.

The Kankakee City Council meets at 7 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month in Council Chambers at the Donald E. Green Public Safety Center, 385 E. Oak St.

Here are the minutes as provided by Kankakee:

CITY OF KANKAKEE

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

NOVEMBER 7, 2016 7:00 P.M.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Good evening. I’d like to call the meeting to order. At this time, I would like to ask Reverend Dave Robinson from Genesis Community Ministries to come forward and lead us in prayer.

PASTOR ROBINSON: Thank you, Mayor, for having me. And, I did not forget. Father, we pause this evening and even before we pray, we just want to remember a member of our community, Nick Allen, who has lost his mother and who is being memorialized this evening. So, hear our prayer on his behalf and on behalf of his family. Our County Treasurer. And, we pray for all our representatives here this evening. And, for the process that is taking place right now in our nation as we move towards a general election. We pray, dear God, for all the candidates and for the outcome of the election. And, after all is said and done, we will come together. We will work together for the edification and the upliftment of our nation. So, hear our prayer today. And, bless us all who we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you, Pastor. At this time, to lead us in the Pledge, the class.Tammy Scheiwiller’s 2nd grade class from Taft Primary School.

MEMBERS OF MS. SCHEIWILLER’S SECOND GRADE

CLASS FROM TAFT PRIMARY SCHOOL AND ALL: Pledge of Allegiance

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Okay, let’s do roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

PRESENT: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Department Heads.

CLERK DUMAS:

PRESENT: Regnier; Young; Kubal; Bohlen; Power; Dear; Tyson; Cross; Bertrand; Yohnka; Schmitz (11)

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Moving onto the minutes. I will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the October 17, 2016, meeting.

ALDERMAN OSENGA: So moved, Mayor Epstein.

ALDERMAN CRAWFORD: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Osenga, seconded by Alderman Crawford. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? Hearing none, all those in favor, aye. Opposed, same sign.

MOTION TO APPROVE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF OCTOBER 17, 2016

MAYOR EPSTEIN: The minutes are approved. There are no Petitions. Moving onto Communications, ah, a thank you from Patrolman Samfay’s mother for the wonderful memorial in his name by the Police Department. Ah, the other item is information and then the last item is a Compliance Review that we just need to present to the Council. There’s no action that is required. Okay. Standing Committees. Building and Code. Alderman Tall.

ALDERMAN TALL: Yes, Mayor. Because we didn’t have a quorum, we were unable to conduct business.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Okay. Economic Development. Alderman Curtis.

ALDERMAN CURTIS: Thank you, Mayor.

ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Borrow the mic from Alderman Baron will you please?

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Let him borrow your mic. There’s something wrong with his.

ALDERMAN CURTIS: Thank you. We–the Economic Development Committee did meet and I do want to highlight that, ah, last time we had presented about the, ah, website being done, we have got the infrastructure video that was completed and we did present that to everybody at the Committee. Ah, that’ll be added to the website and we’re very happy about how it came out. It highlights the water, the sewer, all the utilities that somebody might need to know if they’re looking to locate their industry within the City of Kankakee. Ah, we will start our next video which will be on the retail and, ah, we hope to have the residential completed in the spring so that we have all these tools on the Economic Development website going forward. We also will not have a Economic Development meeting because it’s on Thanksgiving, but we will meet in December.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Okay. Thank you, Alderman.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Mayor.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Ah, Alderman Brown.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Ah, thank you. Ah, first of all, I want to thank the Committee and all the Aldermen that showed up on November 3, 2016, at the Library. It was a very informative, ah, clinic I thought. I wish more people had of been there. It was a Recycling Clinic and, like the Mayor said, a lot of people left more confused than ever, but the fact of the matter is, it just emphasized the importance of rinsing things out before you put ‘em in the recycle bin. And, Melissa Kahoun is here. She was part of that and I certainly want to thank her and all the presenters at that clinic and I’m looking forward to maybe doing it again. Ah, it’s something that the committee has to discuss, but I thank you for that. And, as well as I just want to announce since we did have the clinic that there’s no need for a License and Franchise meeting this coming Thursday. So, we will cancel the License and Franchise Committee for this coming Thursday.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Okay.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Thank you.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you, Alderman. Moving onto Report of Officers. A motion to pay the bills.

ALDERMAN FAFORD: Your honor, I move we approve the Report of Officers, place the money in the proper accounts and pay the bills in the amount of $1,374,664.99.

ALDERMAN TALL: I second the motion.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Faford, seconded by Alderman Tall. Are there any questions?

ALDERMAN BROWN: I do.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Alderman Brown.

ALDERMAN BROWN: You had seven closings?

MAYOR EPSTEIN: That’s correct.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Seven for the month or.?

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Well, for the last, since the last bills were paid, so the last few weeks.

ALDERMAN BROWN: That is great. Thank you.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: You’re welcome. Ah, the bills are a tad–not a tad–they’re quite a bit higher this time. Ah, just for a couple of reasons. Ah, the pension payment is there. Ah, we paid Blue Cross/Blue Shield. We had four months of KanKom. So, there are some unusual expenses that don’t occur, ah, on a weekly or a semi-monthly basis. So, that was part of the issue with the high number of bills that we’re approving tonight. Any other questions? Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien (Although, I abstain on item 71043.); Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

REPORT OF OFFICERS APPROVAL OF BILLS - $1,374,664.99

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Thank you. Ah, now we’re moving onto Unfinished Business. As you recall at our last City Council meeting, we had what Judge Judy likes to call a kerfuffle. Ah, meaning we had an unusual meeting when it came to the three items that, ah, were before us on that evening. So, we’re going to take each one separately and, ah, they’re all on the Table, so if you choose to make a motion, the first motion you have to make is to bring it off the Table. We will start with PB16-04.

ALDERMAN CURTIS: Mayor, I make the motion to remove it from the Table.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: We have a motion by Alderman Curtis. Do I have a second?

ALDERMAN BARON: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Baron to remove this item from the Table. Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

REMOVE FROM TABLE

PB16-04 - AN APPLICATION BY COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES ILLINOIS

REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE

A COMMUNITY RESIDENCE-FAMILY AT THE PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN

AS 2121 EAST MAPLE STREET

MAYOR EPSTEIN: So, the item is removed off the Table. At the last Council meeting we rejected the Findings of the Planning Board. So, now I need a motion if that is the desire of the Aldermen.

ALDERMAN CURTIS: Mayor, I make a motion that we deny the Petition based on the previously rejecting the Findings and Recommendations of the Planning Committee and also asking for the waiver of the Ordinance that requires that group homes have 1,000 foot distance between them. This distance is only 250 feet and that is the basis for the rejection.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Curtis to deny. Do I have a second?

ALDERMAN BARON: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Baron. Are there any questions? Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

MOTION TO DENY

AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A “COMMUNITY RESIDENCE- FAMILY” AT A PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 2121 EAST MAPLE STREET

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. The next item on the agenda under Unfinished Business is PB16-10. This is an application for an outdoor sign on the property known as 108 S. Alma. Ah, at the last Council meeting, we did pass on the Findings and then it was placed on the Table. If the Aldermen wish to proceed with this, again, I need a motion to remove it from the Table.

ALDERMAN TALL: Motion to remove from the Table.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Tall. Do I have a second?

ALDERMAN BROWN: I’ll second it.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Brown to remove this item from the Table. Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (13)

ABSTAIN: Crawford (1)

MOTION TO REMOVE FROM THE TABLE

PB16-10 – AN APPLICATION BY SIGN’S OF THE TIMES REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN AT THE PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 108 SOUTH ALMA AVENUE

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. At that Council meeting, we had already accepted the Findings of the Planning Board and then it was placed on the Table so at this time we would have to Suspend the Rules that would interfere with the passage of the Ordinance.

ALDERMAN TALL: I so move.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Tall.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: I’ll second it.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Swanson to Suspend the Rules that would interfere with the passage of the Ordinance. Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (13)

ABSTAIN: Crawford (1)

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Motion to place the Ordinance on Final Passage.

ALDERMAN TALL: So moved.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Tall, seconded by Alderman Swanson. Are there any questions? Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (13)

ABSTAIN: Crawford (1)

ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT AN

OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN AT A PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS

108 SOUTH ALMA AVENUE

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. The next item under Unfinished Business, PB16-11. Again, this was placed on the Table. In order to have any action, we must have a motion to remove it from the Table.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: I’d like to make that motion.

ALDERMAN FAFORD: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Swanson, seconded by Alderman Faford to remove this item from the Table. Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (13)

ABSTAIN: Crawford (1)

REMOVE FROM THE TABLE

PB16-11 - AN APPLICATION BY SIGN’S OF THE TIMES REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN AT THE PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 2131 SOUTH SCHUYLER AVENUE

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries to remove the item from the Table. At the last Council meeting we had already accepted the Findings. We had already done the First Reading. So, at this time I need a motion to do the second reading for this.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: I would make that motion.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Swanson.

ALDERMAN FAFORD: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Faford. Are there any questions? Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (13)

ABSENT: Crawford (1)

AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT AN OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGN AT A PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 2131 SOUTH SCHUYLER AVENUE

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Thank you. Moving to New Business, we have an Ordinance establishing a handicapped parking at 805 W. Park Drive. Do I have a motion to Suspend the Rules?

ALDERMAN TALL: So moved.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Tall.

ALDERWOMAN WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderwoman Wells-Armstrong. Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Motion to place the Ordinance on Final Passage.

ALDERMAN TALL: So moved.

ALDERWOMAN WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Tall, seconded by Alderwoman Wells-Armstrong. Are there any questions? Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 32, SECTION 231 ESTABLISHING HANDICAPPED PARKING AT 805 WEST PARK DRIVE

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Moving onto Motions and Resolutions, we have two items that I believe we can combine. We have a Resolution authorizing us to intervene in another pending property tax appeal for Armstrong World Industries. This is for the year 2016. The next item is a Resolution for exactly the same thing authorizing us to intervene for a pending assessment for BASF for the year 2016. Do I have a motion to authorize us to intervene in both of those items?

ALDERMAN TETTER: So moved.

ALDERMAN DAVIDSON: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Tetter, seconded by Alderman Davidson. Are there any questions? Let’s do a roll call, please.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Tetter; Brown; Curtis; Baron; Wells-Armstrong; Tall; Faford; Swanson; Crawford; Osenga; O’Brien; Gall; Kennedy; Davidson (14)

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INTERVENTION IN THE PENDING ASSESSMENT APPEAL OF ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES DOCKET NO. 2016-152, 153, AND 154 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INTERVENTION IN THE PENDING ASSESSMENT APPEAL OF BASF CORPORATION DOCKET NO. 2016-000198, 000199, AND 000200

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. The next item is a Resolution recognizing, ah, having our support for Garden of Prayer, the Safe Haven. Is there anyone here from Garden of Prayer? We will make sure that they receive the Resolution. Do I have a motion to approve?

ALDERWOMAN WELLS-ARMSTRONG: So moved.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderwoman Wells-Armstrong.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: I second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Swanson. All those in favor, aye. Opposed.

RESOLUTION OF RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT FOR GARDEN OF PRAYER’S

THE SAFE HAVEN

MAYOR EPSTEIN: The Resolution is approved. The next two items are from the City Clerk. Ah, you have the dates–the Council dates for the year 2017 as well as the holidays that will be observed by the City for the year 2017. Do I have a motion to approve items D and E?

ALDERWOMAN WELLS-ARMSTRONG: So moved.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderwoman Wells-Armstrong, seconded by Alderman Brown. Any questions? All those in favor, aye. Opposed.

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING CITY COUNCIL DATES FOR THE YEAR 2017

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING HOLIDAYS TO BE OBSERVED BY THE OFFICES OF THE CITY OF KANKAKEE DURING 2017

MAYOR EPSTEIN: The Resolutions are approved. Do you want an Executive Session? We will need an Executive Session this evening, ah, I think for minutes. To approve minutes and the release of minutes. We have Public Comments. Bill Yohnka has signed up to speak. Bill.

BILL YOHNKA: Good evening. All of you were given one of our post cards. And, if you got one in the mail or you got one here, we’re trying to make sure that the, ah, community knows that this is coming up. Our Annual Kankakee Development Corporation lunch. This is our Annual Meeting where we, ah, in some of the years we’re electing officers. This isn’t one of those years. But, this year is different in that we have guest speakers. One guest speaker you know, our Mayor Nina Epstein will be speaking briefly there in introduction to Brian Hollenback. Brian Hollenback is from Rock Island. Rock Island Growth Corporation and I think he’s been at City Council before. But, it is really interesting to hear the kind of work that he’s doing and his group is doing. And, the coalition that he’s built in Rock Island and some of the amazing projects that they’ve taken on and now utilizing some of that expertise here in Kankakee. So, I think that’s a nice opportunity to find out more about our project, but also about the team that’s working with us to bring this into reality with our new Fountain Square Development that’s on the front of that postcard. So, that’s the 17th. Please, if you need more of these or you want to give them to others that you know, constituents who are asking questions or people who want to be there, it’s totally appropriate. So, let me know and I can get you more of those. Thanks.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you, Bill. Before we go into Executive Session, any Aldermen Comments? Alderman Swanson.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: Just wanted to make an announcement that there will not be an Ordinance Committee meeting on the 22nd.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Any other comments?

ALDERMAN O’BRIEN: Mayor, I want to note that the Housing Task Force which is normally scheduled to meet on the 15th of this month, we will not meet that day. Instead, we’ll meet immediately after the KDC Annual Meeting because of Brian Hollenback’s availability. Immediately after that meeting, he’s going to talk and kind of update us where we are on the, ah, development process. So, we will meet from 1:00 until 2:00 on Thursday, November 17, in the 3rd Floor Conference Room of the Kankakee Public Library.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Okay. Any others? Motion to go into Executive Session.

ALDERMAN BROWN: So moved.

ALDERMAN OSENGA: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Brown, seconded by Alderman Osenga. All in favor, aye. Opposed.

MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION

MAYOR EPSTEIN: We are adjourned to Executive Session.

7:24 P.M.

7:32 P.M.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Okay. Motion to adjourn.

ALDERWOMAN SWANSON: I so move.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Swanson.

ALDERMAN CRAWFORD: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Crawford. All those in favor, aye. Opposed.

MOTION TO ADJOURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MAYOR EPSTEIN: We are adjourned.

7:33 P.M.