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Friday, March 29, 2024

City of Kankakee City Council met April 16.

Meetingroom05

City of Kankakee City Council met April 16.

Here is the minutes provided by the Council:

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: I would like to call the meeting to order. We will start with a prayer by Pastor Scott Graham of Real Life Church.

Pastor Scott Graham: Let’s pray. Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for this opportunity we have to come together as just a community; not democratic or republican or whatever race or religion that we may be but I value moments like this where we can come together under one.and today that is the City of Kankakee. I ask that you help us to realize that we are better together than we are apart and that Your Spirit will just be here and unify this place. Not just tonight but every time that they come together. Again, I just ask that You would have Your way and that all other agendas will take a backseat to Your agenda that You will reign Supreme in this place regardless of who sits at the tables and then and only then will our City become whole and complete according to Your plan or purpose for each and every one of us and we give You the glory for all of it. We ask in the Name of Jesus. Amen

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Pastor. The pledge will be led by Lydia Sellers, Olivia Wheeler, Trenton Wills, from the Pledge For Life Partnership’s Youth Advisory Council.

In Unison: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.

Public Comments

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay, moving on we have no Public Comments. Roll Call please.

Clerk Dumas: Present: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy.

Absent: Malone-Marshall

(13) Present (1) Absent

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Department Heads.

Clerk Dumas: Present: Dumas, Schuldt, Kambic, Power, Simms, Piggush, Nelson, Bertrand, Schmitz, Croswell, Kohler , Thank you.

Minutes Of The City Council Meeting Monday, March 19th, 2018-Regular City Council Meeting

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you. Moving on, we have three sets of minutes so we will do them separately. May I have a motion to approve the minutes for Monday, March 19th this was a regular City Council meeting?

Ald Osenga: So move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motioned by Alderman Osenga.

Ald Crawford: Second

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Crawford. Any additions or corrections to those minutes? Hearing none, All in favor.aye.

Council: Aye.

Monday, March 26th, 2018-Special City Council Meeting

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Opposed same sign okay minutes are approved. Moving on to the minutes for Monday, March 26th 2018. This was a Special City Council Meeting. May I have a motion to approve?

Ald Osenga: Motion to approve those also.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motioned by Alderman Osenga.

Ald Crawford: Second

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Crawford. Any additions or corrections to those minutes? Hearing none, All in favor.aye.

Council: Aye.

Monday, April 2nd, 2018-Regular Meeting

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Opposed same sign the motion carries to approve those minutes. Moving on to the minutes for Monday, April 2nd, 2018. This was a regular City Council Meeting. May I have a motion to approve?

Ald Osenga: Third time is a charm.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: You got it Alderman Osenga.

Ald Crawford: Second

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Crawford. Any corrections or additions? Hearing none, all in favor.aye.

Council: Aye.

Communications Presentation By The Pledge For Life Partnership’s Youth Advisory Council On Tobacco

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Opposed same sign minutes are approved. Thank you. There are no petitions and we have a presentation tonight by a group of young people from the community so we call them up now. They are from the Pledge For Life Partnership’s Youth Advisory Council on Tabacco Twenty One.

Lindsey Wilson: Good Evening Mayor and Council Members, Department Heads, Community Members. My name is Lindsey Wilson and I am from the Kankakee County Health Department, myself and Laura Sztuba also from the Health Department, along with, Brenda Wetzel, Kay.and Jessica.of Illinois Partnership have had a wonderful opportunity to work with the Youth Advisory Council Students all year as they worked really hard on issues throughout their communities to help change and education so, we are very excited to be here so without further ado, I will let the students take it away. We have the presentation up here also in your packets.

Trenton Wills: Good Evening Mayor Armstrong, Members of the Council and members of the Community. We are members of the Pledge For Life Partnership Youth Advisory Council. My name is Trenton Wills and I attend Momence High School.

Olivia Wheeler: My name is Olivia Wheeler and I attend Bishop McNamara High School.

Lydia Sellers: My name is Lydia Sellers and I attend Grant park High School.

Trenton Wills: The Youth Advisory Council is made up of students and Kankakee County High Schools who are working together to create lasting impact on our piers and our community. Thank you for allowing us to present information on Tobacco Twenty One. This is an initiative to raise the minimum age for purchasing any tobacco products to age 21. With strategies such as this, we will reduce the number of youth who use and develop addiction to tobacco products. Tonight we will be covering five topics. Why? Why are we are bringing this issue of tobacco use and teens for proposal and solution? Why now? Why is this the opportune time for our townships to adopt this ordinance? Why Here? What’s happening in the City of Kankakee that this ordinance will impact? Why does it work? What makes Tobacco Twenty One a successful strategy for reduction of youth tobacco use and future dependency and finally. What are we asking the Council members of the City of Kankakee to consider? It starts with why. Why is this a problem for our communities? Unfortunately, when we discovered the harm in cigarettes and the deaths associated with this topic of discussion. Despite the known risks, smoking and second hand smoke account for over half a million deaths each year in the United States. It’s the single greatest propensible causes of deaths in the world. This is equivalent of three fully loaded 747’s crashing and burning everyday from O’Hare. If one plane crashes, it will be in the news for months but this is the reality of tobacco use in our community. Not only does it bring death, it very often brings a slow and painful one. The next slide is just some of the ways tobacco can end a life. And it’s not just death that tobacco brings, if you look at this slide you will see how many negative affects tobacco has. Not just for the users but also for those close to them. Illinois spends five billion annually on health care cost due to smoking. I am sure some of you have your own stories on how tobacco use have affected your life. We are to do something different and prevent the addiction from ever starting.

Olivia Wheeler: This is a snap shot of what tobacco use looks like among our nations youth; 3200 people younger than 18 try their first cigarette every day. In Illinois Law, there is an estimate of 6300 kids under 18 become new daily smokers each year. E-Cigarettes and Hookah are the most commonly used tobacco products and nicotine.among youth. Cigarette use has been declining for over a decade; however, the Surgeon General recently reported that e-cigarettes use among high school students have increased 900 percent since 2011 and must be addressed. Approximately 30,000.00 teens use e-cigarettes and will smoking a combustible tobacco product such as cigarettes, cigars or hookah compared to the 8.1 percent that are non e-cigarette users. At first glance, what does this look like? This is known as a Juul. It is often mistaken for a thumb drive. These products are becoming increasingly easier to hide from teachers. Many kids are under the impression that jewels or other.do not contain nicotine. Yet, one cartridge contains the same amount of nicotine as one pack of cigarettes. It is easy to think that smoking is an adult problem but this is a dangerously short sided view. This is why it is a dangerously short side point of view, looking long term a 360 page report by the Institute of Medicine documented that raising the legal age for tobacco products will have a substantial positive impact on public health and save lives. A final reason for why now. An average of one City a week passed a Tobacco 21 Ordinance. The momentum behind this is huge. In 2015, Hawaii became the first State to raise their tobacco age to 21. California, Maine, New Jersey and Oregon have all followed suit. In Illinois, this momentum is rapidly gaining momentum in 18 cities including the Village of Hopkins Park and Lake County, adopting the Tobacco 21 Ordinances. Many other Counties surrounding us.are also working on the adoption Tobacco 21 in their communities. We urge the City of Kankakee Illinois along with the rest of our County to be on the right side of history for Tobacco 21. Now let’s talk about why the City of Kankakee should consider Tobacco 21.nearly one in three high school seniors in Kankakee County uses tobacco products. The percent would be even higher if we include hookah and e-cigarette use which has become the most popular form of tobacco use among Kankakee County Students; a very discouraging number. To break down why that percent is so important, let’s look at nicotine as a substance. During late teens and our early twenties, the brain is still developing and is more vulnerable to the facts of nicotine because the adolescent brain is susceptible to change. Using nicotine at a young age affects development in troubling and permanent ways. As you can see, nicotine is a date rape drug. Research suggests that nicotine and marijuana is both common and increasing. With the new legislation of recreation marijuana on the rising, taking action is critical. Early uses are also prone to more mental health problems, more socio economic problems, and are last-likely to ever quit smoking. To end the discussion on why now, take a look at how big tobacco companies are marketing tobacco products to youths. These products are trying to engage older adult population and they are trying to hook the next generation of tobacco users. The tobacco industry spend 295 million dollars each year on Illinois alone on marketing tobacco products but the State only spent 6.7 percent of the amount recommended by the CDC for prevention.

Lydia Sellers: So let’s investigate why does it work? After the Vietnam War, the age to vote went down to 18. The alcohol industry pushed drinking age down to age 18. Reason being that if you can vote; you can drink. What happened? The number of serious injuries and death contributed to alcohol consumption substantiate after the legal drinking age went to 18. To address this, Congress urged States to raise the drinking age back to 21 which they did. As a result, drinking among high school students dropped, due to drinking much more like smoking went down by two thirds since 1977 when the States started raising the age back to 21. Only ten percent of smokers start at the age of 21 and older. Only ten percent of tobacco sales come from 18 thru 20 year olds but 90 percent of the supplies for younger children come from the same age bracket. 65 percent of Kankakee High School seniors reported using tobacco they gotten from a friend. All most all of those supply tobacco products to those under 18 and buy for themselves under 21. Adults who are 21 and older are much less willing to buy high school kids cigarettes every day. This is the law of by which Tobacco 21 works. Eliminating teens from the sales is not enough to take a local business under. However, in Illinois it will eliminate nearly 90 percent of the addiction. This 2 percent of the market drives almost all addiction. Now, I bring you to Needham, Massachusetts. A town of 30,000.00 people from Boston and five other suburbs. In 2004, they decided they were going to raise their tobacco age to 21. They grandfathered in people already over 18 so it took three years to be in full affect. It was though that the other suburbs to follow suit but none of them did. No other suburb touched it so it didn’t seem like it had significance in being in affect but it did. A study was done by a charitable foundation that measured smoking among high school students in classrooms with over 20 suburbs in Boston. They dropped their current smoking by.percent, median smoking by 65 percent. Other suburbs did drop as well.this is the data that New York City looked at to raise the age to 21. This is the data that shows that this will work.Why did it work? Because of the cultural change in the community. The CDC reports averages 75 percent of adults favor raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21. Even nearly 70 percent of current smokers are in favor of Tobacco 21. These are just a few of the many local, state and national organizations that have endorsed Tobacco 21. In you packet of materials, you will find a list of organizations that support Tobacco 21. What we ask is that you consider the options to address tobacco use such as adopting a strong piece of Legislation to effectively implement Tobacco 21 Ordinance in the City of Kankakee. Legislation that includes e-cigarettes to penalize the sale instead of the possession. We also ask that you allow time for educational outreach before your ordinance goes into effect to inform the community of what’s happening and why it’s so important. This is the opportune time to help children, keep away from tobacco products and end this epidemic. In your packet you have a sample of an ordinance. As we discussed earlier, this 2 percent is a small sliver that drive 90 percent of the addiction.it’s been found in other cities who adopted this policy that it is not impactful on sales to shut doors down or even come close or cause financial hardship as a result of passing Tobacco 21. 78 percent of Kankakee High School seniors that reported using tobacco bought it at a store. Having tobacco and alcohol at the same age will make I.D. checks easier for store clerks. Another argument you may hear, if you are old enough to fight for our country at 18 then you are old enough to smoke. But I ask you, is 18 old enough to enlist in a lifetime of addiction? While tobacco use first starts as a choice it quickly becomes an addiction. The probability of becoming an addiction is especially high. U.S. Surgeon General.multiple studies have shown that.doubled of the veterans.

Trenton Wills: We want to leave you with a couple of quotes from the U.S. Surgeon General. To prevent the use of cigarettes among youth and young adults, we must come together as a society. We must implement proven prevention and education strategies. We must protect our nation’s young people from a lifetime of nicotine and associate theses problem by immediately addressing cigarettes as an urgent public health problem. Now is the time to take action. This call to action brings truth to all nicotine and tobacco use among teens; our peers. We need to work together as a community to address the issue and proactively take steps that are proven to work. I know we covered a lot so, I would like to finish with a video to summarize this proposal. (video now playing). At this time we would like to take any questions that you may have.

Ald Baron: If we decided we would like to go this route, who will do the community education? If we suggest not to adopt the ordinance tonight, who will do that?

Trenton Wills: Now I would like to defer to our advisors.

Lindsey Wilson: That is something that us as an organization will definitely help you with. Lead the Council and provide you with research and assist.

Ald Baron: It seems like it’s useful, especially if you educate with it and not just pass the ordinance..Explain why you are doing it.

Lindsey Wilson: Absolutely it is. Luckily with all of the momentum that’s going on in Illinois right now.likely that we would follow along with.

Ald O‟Brien: You estimate that 29 percent of high school seniors in Kankakee County use tobacco currently but that does not include.and jewel? Do you have an estimate if you included those, what would the percentage be of high school senior use?

Olivia Wheeler: Not exactly, but I do estimate that it would probably be a lot more significantly; not 100 percent but a lot more state wide.

Ald O‟Brien: Okay, Thank you.

Ald Crawford: Have any of these other Counties adopted this ordinance included vaping and.also?

Lindsey Wilson: Yes, most of them not all.they include specifically put an emphasis on many of these products.so that is definitely a key and even a statewide.

Trenton Wills: I am not sure if you actually heard but they actual vapes do not have a smell. So it is easily passed through the school. It smells like a fruity smell when it does smell so you won’t think that it is any nicotine products that is being used in the school. You would think maybe that it’ just a perfume. You would not know that it is a nicotine product.

Olivia Wheeler: Another popular smell is like candy flavors. Also another smell would be like cotton candy. You would think that it is just candy that someone is using. If you look at this, it will look like a USB Drive. Now-a-days almost every student has a laptop.

Ald Crawford: Also with the vaping; when they exhale, will they exhale anything out direct?

Olivia Wheeler: With the new Juuls, they have made them so they are smokeless but there are products that are bigger and bulkier which actually produce smoke depending on what the kid wants to do. There is an art form that they are doing, they make different smoke shapes; it’s very popular right now.

Lindsey Wilson: It’s like a water vapor so it’s not so.but there are still chemicals in it.

Ald Crawford: I think also.they are finding out.the younger kids that are vaping, they are also getting.from the vapors.

Lindsey Wilson: The buttery flavors have a chemical called Diacetyl in them and that is what’s causing irreversible lung issues.

Ald Kennedy: Okay, I have one more question. Do you have any idea what the numbers are in our local schools for smoking? Do you have any idea of that?

Lindsey Wilson: 30 percent was the IOS data in 2014. We have IOS data for 2016 but not all of the high schools took it so it is not really accurate data to represent the whole County. We are hoping to get much better numbers.

Member Of Advisory: Lindsey, I just want to report that all schools in Iroquois and Kankakee County’s have been a part of the 218 survey and they are taking it may 21st and we will have results back from that. I was at all of the Kankakee High Schools today meeting with all of the Youth Advisory Councils and I met with the Principles and they are so worried about this vaping going on. Thank you.

Kankakee Development Corporation (Kdc) And Central Parking Corporation Is Requesting A Sreet Closure Of The 100 And 200 Block Of South Schyuler Avenue And The 100 Block Of North Schuyler Avenue (Closing The Intersection Of East Merchant Street And South Schuyler Avenue) To Host Their „Sunset Stroll On Schuyler” On Friday June 15th, 2018, From 5:00 P.M. Until 8:00 P.M.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you. Pete? Okay, while he’s doing that I am going to skip real quickly and take care of some business while he is cleaning that up. I am going to go to Item F under our Communications. Kankakee Development Corporation (KDC) and Central Parking Corporation is requesting a street closure. I just asked.Alderman Curtis and I met and had some discussion, this will be a new event for the community so at this time if you could just speak to that for us? Thank you.

Ald Curtis: Thank you Mayor. The Kankakee Development Corporation and working with the City of Kankakee and the Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce added a new event this year called Sunset Stroll on Schuyler. What we are proposing to do is bring the community together with an event and drive the Community and local businesses downtown Kankakee.in June.closing the 100 block of Schuyler up by Rigo’s and the Majestic to the 100 block of South Schuyler to the 200 block of South Schuyler. At that time we will have entertainment under the arch. We will have vendors, similar to what you see at the Farmer’s market on Saturday morning. We are going to be encouraging people to visit all the business establishments in the downtown area from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Our goal is to expose the community to the local businesses that we have downtown. So we are requesting a street closure starting at 3:00 o’clock throughout for people to set up a couple hours before the event.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you. Okay, If there are no objections, I will go ahead and combine Items C,D,E,F,G AND H, pertaining to.On the Rox is Item C requesting a noise permit for entertainment day. D). is Kankakee School District requesting permission to host their first Annual 5k Walk. E). Kankakee County Historical society is requesting a street closure on South Eighth Avenue for the Rhubarb Festival. F). is the event Alderman Curtis just described the Sunset Stroll on Schuyler. G). Is South Pointe Youth For Christ requesting permission to host their Youth For Christ Tag Day and the finally, Kankakee High School (SADD) Students Against Destructive Decisions requesting a street closure to host their Mock Car Wash. So if there are no objections, I will combine. Alderman Faford?

Ald Faford: Can you explain to me for the SADD, what street do they want to close? They have got the 800 block of South Eighth; the intersection of Curtis and Jeffrey. Those streets aren’t together. We can’t close Curtis and Jeffrey. That’s the traffic coming in from the west.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Is there anybody here from that group? They want to do it Friday April 27th.

Ald Swanson: I think the point is that Jeffrey is a State route. So, I think that.

Ald Faford: If they made it further East we would be fine. Curtis is the first road that gets you back in town from Jeffery at that point. So anybody coming from the West is going to be stuck.

Ald Crawford: We have a member of School District 111 here.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay, who’s here?

Angela Shay: I am texting right now trying to find out.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Neil, any recommendations?

Neil Piggush: I was just looking it up.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: I thought you would be looking it up. Any recommendations?

Neil Piggush: I think they are talking about the 800 block of Eighth down to Jeffrey Street ending at Jeffrey.

Ald Faford: I have no problem with that.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay. The intersection of Curtis and Jeffrey. So the 800 block down to the intersection. That’s how you are reading it. Is that correct, Neil?

Neil Piggush: Yea, once second here. Sorry.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: That’s okay. We have never had a big issue about a street closure so that’s okay.

Ald Faford: The problem with this is that we can’t close that.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: I understand.

Neil Piggush: From what I am seeing hear, the 800 block of Eighth Avenue is by Small Park

Ald Faford: Small Memorial Park.

Neil Piggush: Yea, so I am not quite clear on what.

Pat Power: It looks like it terminates at the intersection. So, you’re not blocking.you’re not blocking Curtis off but they are blocking Jeffrey on the Eighth.

Ald Faford: They want to block Jeffrey over Eighth?

Pat Power: Yea, that’s what it seems to say as I read it. I don’t think they are asking to block that whole intersection up to where.you are talking about.

Ald Faford: They say the 800 block of South Eighth to the intersection of Curtis and Jeffrey.

Pat Power: So it intersects.

Ald Faford: The 800 does not intersect Curtis at all.

Pat Power: That’s right. This is not a good description.

Ald Faford: The intersection of South Eighth is right in front of the Civic Auditorium.

Pat Power: It won’t intersect there

Ald Faford: They can go from Eighth Avenue up to Jeffrey. If they want to close Jeffrey over to Curtis but they have to leave Curtis open so that anybody coming from the West.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Hold on. Ms. Shay?

Angela Shay: She’s intending it to be the area right in front of the high school. So that would be from Curtis to Jeffrey. From Curtis to Eighth Avenue, I explained to her that is a State Route.

Ald Faford: They want to close Jeffrey.

Neil Piggush: Yea, they can’t close Jeffrey; that’s a State Route.that’s 115.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: So you want.

Angela Shay: I asked if she had a secondary option and she said that their secondary option won’t involve any road closures

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay then, we will strike it from.Okay, Thank you very much. Okay, so there are no objections we will consider Item’s C, D, E, F, G, with an update from the representative of the Kankakee School Board, striking Item H. May I have a motion to approve?

Ald Swanson: I so move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderwoman Swanson.

Ald Faford: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Faford. Any discussion? Alright, all in favor.

Council: Aye.

Presentation Recognizing National Volunteer Month

Mayor-Wells Armstrong: Opposed, same sign. Thank you Alderman Faford. Alright, we will go to a Presentation Recognizing National Volunteer Month. As you all know, something is recognized and observed. April is National Volunteer Month. So to continue are tradition of promoting our community positive things that are going on in the community and positive people in our community. I want to take a few moments to recognize four people from the City of Kankakee. I am going to start with a couple poems I found. I did not write them so I won’t take the credit. One is called.

“Dedicated Hearts” Dedicated hearts like yours Are not so easy to find. It takes a special person to be So generous and kind. To care so much for your fellow man Is a quality all too rare. Yet you give of your time and talents, For all in need to share. So thank you for being a volunteer, We're privileged to work with you. We want you to know how appreciated you are, Not just today, but the whole year through.

“To Be a Volunteer” To be a volunteer, it takes. Generosity, a willingness to give your time to others Understanding, because their lives might be very different from your own Empathy, an ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and feel what they must feel Compassion, to truly care about making someone else's life better Patience, because the process doesn't always go as smoothly as it might Dedication, to stick with the project and see it through All four of these people have shown these qualities and so much more, so thank you for all that you do.

So, I am going to call you up one at a time. We will start with Perry Wright. I am going to ask Alderman Gall to assist me. This is Perry L. Wright, born and raised in Kankakee. He returned to the area after serving in the United States Army. Perry personally believes that it is important to give back to the community in programs that were instrumental and keeping him out of trouble as a youth. Coach Perry, knows that volunteering help make the youth that he works with and his community stronger. Perry, has enjoyed volunteering at the Kankakee Jaycees Organization for 19 years. Coach Perry looks forward to working with the talented youth and their families every season. So Perry oversees the Kankakee Jaycees. He has done this for a long time as President and that includes recruiting kids to play baseball, parent volunteers, find someone to run concessions, making schedules, coordinating tournaments. There is a lot of work that goes into that; getting volunteers to do that so, we appreciate everything you do Perry. Next we have Patricia Santoya Marin, I love saying your name. Co-founded.Latino and Latino.group of volunteers to address education, youth, immigration, health, and education initiatives. She served as Volunteer Executive Director for two years. She has been on the Public Library Board and Hypocrisy’s down at the Clinic. She is Kankakee School District Bi-Lingual Parent Night volunteer. Local high school immigration DOCA volunteer for Sultan, Graduated from the Kankakee Partnership Citizen Academy, Attended the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Community Trainings, Volunteer smoke detector installer with the Red Cross, Youth for Christ at St. Teresa Youth Volunteer, Kankakee Development Project volunteer. Sisters City Kankakee.How do you say that?

Patricia Marin: Yuriria.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong:Yuriria volunteer.and I know Patricia is one of the two.I mean.pillars in the Hispanic Community.is another one. Patricia came to the community and stepped in to help our Hispanic citizens and we appreciate having you here and being so engaged in the community. Next we have Duane Tucker “Tuck”. Native of Kankakee Illinois, retired from the Illinois Department of Corrections in 2010 after 34 years of service. He was assigned to Dwight Correctional Center during his career. Served as Correctional Officer, Lieutenant, Chief of Security, Superintendent, and Assistant Warden of Operations. He has been active in Volunteering, since 1975. President of the Kankakee Colts Youth Football and Cheerleading League, President Will Cook Youth of the Kankakee Youth Association, Board of Commissioners Kankakee Valley Park District, Board of Commissioners for River Valley Recreation Association, Mentor Kankakee School District 111, Mentor Lincoln Challenge Academy, Former Coach Kankakee YMCA Youth Softball and Basketball, Former Coach Kankakee Valley Park District Youth Basketball, Coach Kankakee Colts Varsity Team,.Attendant for Turkey for Tots. As youth, Duane participated in numerous community sports programs. They made him who he is today. In return, he has spent a lifetime advocating for youth leadership and enrichment. Thank you for everything you do. I told him I wouldn’t mess up his fro. Last but not least, Carolyn Mitchell.been a resident in Kankakee for the last 14 years. During her residency in the City, she has committed much of her time to giving back in many areas of the community with a special focus on the youth. If you know Carolyn, you know she loves kids. She is a true believer that through one hug at a time, you can make a difference and that is why she passionately serve the children in our community with her giving hands. She is the President and Founder of the H.U.G Organization. That stands for Help Us Give. She is the President and Founder of T.E.E.N Time to Encourage & Enrich Now, she is the current President of Kankakee Jaycees Little League so she is following Perry’s footsteps. She is entering her second year, big shoes to fill. Currently serves as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Kankakee Colts Youth Football and Cheerleading Organization, volunteer’s with Will Cook Youth Association. In the past she has volunteered at Kankakee Valley Park District for the Rec Center Youth Programs. She has organized two community clean ups in the City of Kankakee and she volunteered for Turkey for Tots.with children for Christmas. You do a lot and she is a mom of three children. So, we appreciate everything you do as well. Thank you. There is a lot of work to do in the community and when there are tragedies that happen in the City of Kankakee, that’s when you see what a wonderful community we have. It’s people like this that that help make this community wonderful everyday so, we want to thank you again for all that you do.I love your medals.they are almost like the Olympics but not quite but if anyone of you would like to say anything at this time, I would like to give you that opportunity.

Perry Wright: First of all I would like to thank the person that brought me to the Jaycee’s.back to the Jaycee’s, Chris Jones. I know you know Chris Jones. We went to school together and played baseball. He was hounding me for 2, 3, 4 years to come down here and help man we need some help down here at Jaycee’s. I said no I don’t have time Chris. He just kept hounding me and finally, I just gave in and he quit as soon as I got started. It was like a year or two then he said hey man I’m done. Can you take over? Okay, I will do it. He left and it’s been 19 years now. I asked him a couple years after I took over, I said hey, can you come back and help me? I ain’t got the time man. Anyway, I would like to thank Chris for reaching out to me and saying you know, come help out and volunteer. I would like to thank my family; my wife and my daughter. My family, my players, my players back there and the parents back there. They are so much supportive of me in my 19 years. It’s just amazing. I enjoy doing.I enjoy doing what I do. It’s not about me it’ about the kids of the City of Kankakee and I just love doing what I do. I want to thank the City of Kankakee, Mayor Chasity Armstrong for acknowledging me and also Carolyn Mitchell and Duane Tucker, he helped me out a lot. I can always call him anytime if I need some help or anything and he is always there for me. But like I said, I enjoy volunteering. I will keep doing this as long as they want me to. Thank you.

Patricia Marin: So, I don’t have 19 years of service, but.I’m flabbergasted. But I would like to thank my City and my Alderman O’Brien and Alderwoman Gall for coming in as my husband and I arrived in the City about three years ago. Coming into our humble home and introducing us to the City and allowing us to be part of the civic engagement here. So thank you and thank you as well to.who is not here tonight. I just mentioned.hey can I help here or there and many doors opened and I got an opportunity to engage with many folks here. So thank you.

Duane Tucker: I would like to say, thank you to Mayor Wells-Armstrong and to the Council and to my family; my wife and daughter. All that I could evolve in community sports, is not been.really don’t gravitate towards sports but it’s been a pleasure. I thank you for the honor and to everyone here I have had the opportunity to work with. I would like to keep serving the fine City of Kankakee.

Carolyn Mitchell: Well, volunteering comes with a lot of sacrifice, and dedication and sleepless nights and the sacrifice on my family’s behalf. I run a nonprofit organization out of my house and we have donations of clothing and baby items or family with needs based on income. So my kids have spent many, many, many hours sorting clothes and making care packages.me and my three kids have done this together. It’s because of.the community especially, the young ladies that I organize TEEN. So we focus on girls from age 9 to about 16. I have seen and heard everything. We have cried and prayed and laughed together and it’s just the difference that I can do with the girls. And to share a little personal experience, all the giving that I have done has came back to me. Because I had a little incident with my pre-teen son this weekend and the community came back and hugged me. So it all comes back to you the giving hands. Youth sports, I absolutely do it because I love it. It is tireless and it is stressful but it is fun and the parents are interesting.but it is the kids. The kids can look at you like a Mom or a Dad. They know that they can count on me for a ride, dinner, clean socks, for a shoulder to cry on and a hug or just to tell them to get out there and do their best. That’s the victory and I love the City of Kankakee so I am happy to serve everyone here.

Standing Committees Public Safety – Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Alderwoman Gall. Okay, moving on to our Standing Committee Reports. We will start with Public Safety and that’s Alderman Brown.

Ald Brown: Thank you Mayor. The Fire Department Report was submitted by Chief Schuldt and the bills were just regular bills for the month and the highlights are there. The main thing is the number of structural fires they had for the month. You can see they had 14 and those total $294 thousand and. that’s more than we have had in a long time. I am sure everybody knows about the fire down on Indiana and there are some other places to so.so that’s important. The most important thing is the City of Kankakee Fire Department, along with, Mike Casagrande for the Fire Fighter Community Hero Award and you need to give him a hand because that ceremony.will be presented to them on May 3rd, 2018 in Chicago. I Congratulate you Fire Department. He said he gives Mike and the Fire Department all the credit but I think he has something to do with that too, just for the record. This Police Department, had a couple bills that were questionable but that bill was.the.bills we will get those cleared for next month. It says here that Alderman Curtis asked for a report of shots fired. He wanted it in a form that we keep in the Part 1, Part 2, Index. You have that report on your desk, every Alderman have it on shots fired in your Ward so that was done. I thank Chief Dumas for that. But the month, they had 200 traffic citations in the month of March.200 and that’s way beyond what we had.I can’t remember how many times we have had 200 for that. That’s high..Seize we had 7 or 8 of those.turned out to be $3500.00 and that’s high.that’s really, really, high. Kudos to the Chief and Deputy Chief.and that’s the report.

License And Franchise – Thurday, April 5th, 2018

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay, Thank you. Moving on to the License and Franchise. Alderwoman Gall.

Ald Gall: Thank you Mayor.Com Ed informed us about the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act that was passed known as.it establishes policies and goals which help utilities make proper investments to achieve these goals. Amongst the actions called for was the deployment of the Smart.from 2012-2018 improvements in infrastructure in Kankakee by Com Ed was they trimmed 709 miles of vegetation replaced or refurbished 2.4 miles of residential cable, replaced or reinforced 254 poles and inspected overhead lines for.circuits. They installed 24 distribution automation devices with fewer outages and you may have noticed an improvement of less and shorter power outages when situations happen, 51 manhole assessments and a complete switch over to Smart Meters. She also informed us on ways residents can save on their electric bill. Simply go to comed.com, click on ways to save and you can schedule an energy assessment to take advantage of some free home energy upgrades. As always.Com Ed never knocks on your door and asks for your bill. That’s a problem or issue that we face. We continued our discussion on Business License. Our City Clerk attended our meeting and shared the process of notifying businesses and how the license are enforced. We discussed different ways to improve.to get exempt businesses to still register and show proof of insurance even though they don’t have to pay the fees. We discussed the raffle license and peddlers license and hope to have some better.via ordinance on those, And that’s it. Thank You.

Budget Committee–Monday, April 9th, 2018

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Alderwoman Gall. Moving on to the Budget Committee and that will be Alderman Baron.

Ald Baron: Mayor and members of the Council. I would just like to hit on a couple highlights. 1. For eleven months we reviewed an incline and expenses to eleven months and the revenue through eleven months is 84.32 percent of the budget. The expenditures are 90.65 percent of budget. Now, that may not sound to be wonderful but however, the thing we have to realize.pronounced at the end of the fiscal year is that we continue to improve income, we continue to improve revenue sometime after April 30th. So if you are looking at these numbers and think oh my God, we are totally off budget. Well, that’s not.we typically approve between 1.4 and 1.7 million dollars in revenue after the end of the fiscal year. So, the Comptroller was very positive actually. She was able to look.she’s had years of experience looking at where we should be at this time. So, we are okay. We are going to.I just wanted to clarify that. The second.that I would like to highlight is we have not only received the tax.report for the County and in light of our recent Citywide discussion concerning reduction of real estate taxes and increase of sales taxes we should talk about it right now because its fresh on our minds. The amount of money we asked for in our levy from the County was 16,574 million. What just came in were the EAV figures for last year. So that’s the figure.199,478 million. We had applied what we are asking for the County verses what it is we are asking against.which is the EAV so that turns out that our rate. the tax rate for the year that we will be getting our taxes right now is 8.30 or 8.31 percent.from last year. The.basis for our tax deduction next year. That is all because of the lack of rebounding.the whole point of doing the real estate tax reduction is to create a world in Kankakee that we are going to have an increase in value, increase in property taxes, and increase in EAV. This more than anything highlights why we did what we did. So, that’s an important number 8.31 percent and the third thing.that I just want to mention that.it’s an interesting fact that a new State Law allows the City to intercept income tax refunds from those that owe the City money. New thing.Kris Schmitz of the Legal Department has done a.job of handling this and it shows up in our budget in section 36.already we are at 115.99 percent of what’s budgeted. That’s a new source of revenue. It makes sense. Those are the two things I have.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Alderman Baron and I saw Kris back there making faces. We praised you on the Budget Committee because I shared conversations earlier in the year.fiscal year about this program put in by our Comptroller, State and it’s been really beneficial to the City as Alderman Baron said, we have been able to collect a lot of revenue from being able to use the program. So, I just want to thank you for your work and getting it implemented for the City. You have done a great job with it.

Reports Of Officers Approval Of Bills - $ 173,722.75

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Moving on to the Report of Officers. May I have a motion to approve the bills?

Ald Faford: Yes, I move that we approve the report of officers, place the money in the proper accounts and pay the bills in the amount of $173,722.75.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motioned by Alderman Faford.

Ald Tall: Second the motion.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Tall. Any Discussion? Roll Call Please.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron (abstain from 2801 and 1078), Lewis, Tall (No on check #73259, 73269 and 73289), Faford, Swanson, Crawford (Yes on all except bill 73289 until that contract comes to City Council for approval), Osenga, O’Brien, Gall (Aye but I am going to abstain on check# 2801 and 1078)), Kennedy

(13) Ayes (0) Nays

New Business:

Engineering Proposal From Piggush Engineering Inc., For The City Of Kankakee Downtown Tif Streetscaping Project For Additional Survey Work

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Next we have an Engineering proposal from Piggush Engineering Inc., for the City of Kankakee Downtown TIF Street Scaping project for additional survey work and I will defer to Neil.

Neil Piggush: From the last City Council meeting, the discussion that was had regarding the survey limit with in the TIF District, I believe I sent the Council an updated TIF map with what was originally proposed scope as well as the added areas. You should have that I your packet. So that is what this proposal is for the additional survey. The other areas I included are: Indiana, Court Street and a section of Dearborn that are within the TIF.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: May I have a motion to approve the proposal?

Ald Tetter: So move Your Honor.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motioned by Alderman Tetter.

Ald Lewis: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderwoman Lewis. Discussion? Alderman Crawford?

Ald Crawford:.Additional Cost.(inaudible)

Neil Piggush: 3120.correct.yep.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: And again, this is in case the apartment complex is not able to be built. If Rock Island.is not able to secure the additional tax credits. This is our plan B.

Ald Tall: My question is to Alderman.Alderwoman Kennedy.

Where you able to get your section in that you wanted to look at for the TIF?

Ald Kennedy: Not able to.(inaudible)

Ald Tall: Okay, Thank you.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Any other discussion? Roll Call Please.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Kennedy

Abstentions: Baron (conflict of interest), Gall

(11) Ayes (0) Nays (2) Abstentions

Recommendation To Accept The Proposal By Clara Hall For Transcriptional Services To Transcribe The Minutes Of The City Council For The City Of Kankakee

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. Nest Item on the agenda is a Recommendation to Accept the Proposal by Clara Hall for Transcriptional Services to Transcribe the Minutes of the City Council for the City of Kankakee. May I have a motion to accept the proposal?

Ald Brown: Motion to approve.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motioned by Alderman Brown.

Ald Tetter: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Tetter. Any discussion? Alderman Crawford?

Ald Crawford: Is this a contract that is gonna to go through the 2018?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: It will be for fiscal year 2019. So starting May 1.the new fiscal year. Roll Call

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy

(13) Ayes (0) Nays

2018 Motor Fuel Tax Street Maintenance Program Section 18-00000-00-Gm, Group I & Iia, Pei Job No.18022.0301

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. Moving onto Item C the 2018 motor Fuel Tax Street Maintenance Program, I will defer to Neil.

Neil Piggush: Thank you Mayor. This is the materials portion of our annual street maintenance program. Public works has materials such as: salt, cold patch, hot mix and stuff. So, this is that program for Public Works for their needs.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: May I have a motion to accept the street maintenance program?

Ald Swanson: I so move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderwoman Swanson

Ald Tall: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Tall. Any discussion?

Ald Baron: I have a question.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alderman Baron?

Ald Baron: Does part of this include engineering fees?

Neil Piggush: It does.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Roll Call. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Alderman Curtis go ahead.

Ald Curtis: This is.one hundred percent of this money goes to Public Works is that what this is for? This isn’t for street overlays and things of that nature, this is this is for?

Neil Piggush: Yes, this is the materials the use to maintain the streets.

This is not for any contract work on the streets.

Ald Curtis: Thank you.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Any other questions? Okay, Roll Call please.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Kennedy

Abstentions: Baron, Gall (11) Ayes

(0) Nays (2) Abstentions

First Reading:

Ordinance Amending Chapter 34, Section 101.4 General Provisions, Regulations And System Of Charges Environmental Services Utility, Kankakee County, Illinois Fiscal Year 2018-2019

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. Moving on to Item D we have an ordinance Amending Chapter 34, Section 101.4 General Provisions, Regulations and System of Charges Environmental Services Utility, Kankakee County, and I will defer to Mr. Simms at this time.

Mr. Richard Simms: Mayor and Council, the process that is occurring is the Superintendent of Environmental Services Utility position needs to be filled shortly and in that process, I have been discussing with the Mayor that the requirements of Chapter 34 has three conditions. 1. That you be accredited a graduate of an Engineering School. 2. That you have eight years of experience in Municipal Management and Engineering. 3. That you have a Professional Engineer’s License in the State of Illinois. I pointed out that that could be limiting in terms of your ability to fill that job because Professional Engineering Licenses is not as readily available they are not used in the industry. You would be competing with the consulting department and other government institutions in that. When we drafted this ordinance the City owned a regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.sewer system that resulted in the Kennedy Pump Station. Some of you have seen the Pumping Station s you go by there. That work was done with Federal and State money; a lot of consulting and a lot of engineering planning to do and Supervision of construction. Since that has now been completed and complaints go to KRMA, it is my suggestion that you might be more successful in filling that position if you eliminate a Professional Engineers License as the Utility no longer does any design. Also the Utility does not do any construction. Any design or construction work is done by contract in the private sector. So my suggestion: she may want to consider amending the ordinance to.to replace the Superintendent.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: And if I understood correctly, you said we have not been doing design in the City of Kankakee for 20 years or so?

Mr. Richard Simms: That is correct.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alright. May I have a motion to suspend the rules that will interfere with the passage of the ordinance?

Ald Tall: I so move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Tall.

Ald Swanson: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderwoman Swanson. Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy

(13) Ayes (0) Nays

Second Reading:

Ordinance Amending Chapter 34, Section 101.4 General Provisions, Regulations And System Of Charges Environmental Services Utility, Kankakee County, Illinois Fiscal Year 2018-2019

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. May I have a motion to place the ordinance of final passage?

Ald Tall: So move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Tall.

Ald Swanson: I’ll second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderwoman Swanson. Any discussion? Alderwoman Kennedy?

Ald Kennedy: You just knew I had something to say.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: I.I know.

Ald Kennedy: I just wanted to say again for the record. I would prefer that the Engineer have a Professional License because when plans are giving to the Engineer who is the Supervisor for the Utilities department, I would like to know that he is competent or she is competent enough to actually read that plan and understand what’s being handed to them. I do understand that we have another Engineer in the City of Kankakee, however; that is just my opinion. I prefer that.that department since it has been a very umm lucrative department that. they would have their own Engineer to read those plans.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Alderwoman Kennedy. Any other discussion? Alderman Curtis?

Ald Curtis: With the retirement that is happening shortly here, what’s the plan for replacement? Are we going to be doing a search for this position or what’s our plan going forward?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: The plan is too umm make an Interim Superintendent and umm continue a search. Any other discussion? Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Swanson, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall,

Nays: Curtis, Faford, Crawford, Kennedy

(9) Ayes (4) Nays

First Reading:

Budget And Annual Appropriations Ordinance For The City Of Kankakee Environmental Services Utility, Kankakee County, Illinois Fiscal Year 2018-2019

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Moving on to Item E. Budget and Annual Appropriations Ordinance for the City of Kankakee Environmental Services Utility, Kankakee County, Illinois-Fiscal Year 2018-2019. Mr. Simms, is there anything you wanted to highlight?

Mr. Richard Simms: I guess I failed to point out to the Utility Board when we discussed the budget. The budget for the Utility is required by your Revenue Bonds to be implemented and in place by the beginning of the fiscal year. That is why it comes late in April prior to the General Fund budget. So this budget has to be in place by May 1st to comply with your Sewer Revenue Bonds. The budget is in standard format and line by line there isn’t a lot of variations from prior years. I do want to point out a couple of highlights. We are project total expenditures of $18,395,092.00 compared to last year’s budget we are currently finishing up with $17,770,000.00. That’s a differential of about $600,000.00 and increase of about 3.5 percent. But I also want to point out that $400,000.00 of that increase comes from your assessment from KRMA because you know the City is the majority owner and user of the KRMA Plant and KRMA’s debt increase is beginning to be implemented. So, $400,000.00 is actually a pass through from KRMA. So, the fact is there is a 1.2 percent increase in expenditures which is well within the inflation area and that would include any salary negotiations that have not been completed and.I think it is a probable record low budget as you know we rarely exceed our budget and we usually comes in under budget. If you compare that to our projections of revenues of $18.that is an access of.so we are projecting a 5 percent increase in revenues and a 1.3 percent increase in expense so we actually are projecting to build your reserves. In addition, I pointed out to the Utility that we are pretty conservative on our revenue projections. Our industrial revenue has been growing rapidly. Some of you are aware of the activities currently at CSL Behring which happens now to be a major sewer customer and in meeting with them; they implied that the new building the 6 or 7 story building will begin to be utilized in July. We are not even seeing that yet and we are seeing an expansion in usage. We fully expect the Utility revenues to be at a higher rate than projected but to be careful we are just projecting a budget of a surplus which will build into your capital reserves.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Mr. Simms. May I have a motion to suspend the rules which will interfere with the passage of the ordinance?

Ald Tall: So move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Tall.

Ald Baron: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Baron. Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy

(13) Ayes (0) Nays

Second Reading:

Budget And Annual Appropriations Ordinance For The City Of Kankakee Environmental Services Utility, Kankakee County, Illinois Fiscal Year 2018-2019

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. May I have a motion to place the ordinance of final passage?

Ald Tall: So move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Tall.

Ald Baron: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Baron. Any discussion? Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy (13) Ayes (0) Nays

Ordinance Amending Chapter 32, Article Xi, Division 1, By Adding Section 32-186 Of The City Code Of The City Of Kankakee, Illinois Off Street Parking In Established City Owned Parking Lots.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. Moving on to Item F we have an Ordinance Amending Chapter 32, Article XI, Division 1, by adding Section 32-186 of the City Code of the City of Kankakee, Illinois Off Street Parking in Established City Owned Parking Lots and I will defer to Pat.

Pat Power: Thank you Your Honor. This ordinance ugh.actually I thought it was in place a long time ago. It is an ordinance a parking ordinance regulating City owned parking lots. AS I look through our ordinances I noted that we had no such ordinance in place. We have several City parking lots but no real enforceable regulations as to the parking in those lots. It came to my attention because of some problems that we were having in the parking lot directly the West of City Hall. There are a lot of people who chose to park any which way including blocking the exit of the parking lot into the alley way between the parking lot and the restaurant to the West. So I drafted this ordinance, this is the first time you are seeing it. Whatever you want to do with it I am sure it is fine and you will do whatever you think is appropriate. You might want to study it and look at it but as it’s drafted it covers parking between the lines drawn on all of our parking lots. Prohibits parking in any other way, particular ways that might block entrances and exits to the lots and it limits the parking in those lots for 24 hours. So you want.we have had some problems where people just left their vehicles there for some time in some of our parking lots. And it would be posted of course but, if this ordinance is violated it calls for immediate towing from the lot so we have it posted to that affect. Again, that’s the ordinance roughly speaking this is the first time you are looking at it. I don’t know, maybe you want to refer it to the committee to study it but that’s what this is.

Ald Brown: I’m confused, I thought we did an ordinance and no one can park in that alley. We did no parking in that alley. So if somebody is parking in that alley, it automatically.

Pat Power: The problem is they are parking in the parking lot blocking the alley.

Ald Brown: Oh.

Pat Power: They are not parking in the alley so.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alderman Tall?

Ald Tall: Did we attach a fine to this also or towing?

Pat Power: There is a fine provision, nothing more.except towing.

Ald Tall: Thank you.

Ald Tetter: Your Honor?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alderman Tetter?

Ald Tetter: I want to make certain that this applies to all of our parking lots in the City?

Pat Power: That’s correct.

Ald Tetter: Also to that the lots that the Chairperson of the Committee talked about that when we were discussing it at that Committee.

Pat Power: It applies to all City owned parking lots. These are some of the things you might want to consider. I.I.So.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: I’m going to go ahead and refer it to the Ordinance Committee. I would like for it to go through the Committee and the people kind of digest it and put your heads together adding suggestions you may have. I will go ahead and refer to Ordinance.

Recommendation To Award The Bid In The Amount Of $126,661.60 To R&R Inc., For The South Roosevelt Sewer Main Project Pei Job No.18019

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay, alright.Thank you. Moving on to Item G Recommendation to Award the Bid in the Amount of $126,661.60 to R&R Inc., for the South Roosevelt Sewer Main Project and I will defer to Neil to share about that.

Neil Piggush: Thank you Mayor. This is for the replacement of the sewer main for the block of South Roosevelt between Bourbonnais Street and River Street umm this would be an ESU funded project so. We had six bidders 2:30pm on April 11th and the lowest of the six was R&R Construction in Bradley.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: May I have a motion to approve the recommendation?

Ald Osenga: Motion to approve Mayor.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Osenga.

Ald Crawford: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Crawford. Any discussion? Alderman Baron?

Ald Baron: That was the.

Neil Piggush: No this is just a contract for R&R.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Any other questions? Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy (13) Ayes (0) Nays

First Reading:

Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 2014-12 Establishing “Public Safety Fee” Of The City Of Kankakee

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Moving on to item H we have an Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 2014-12 Establishing a Public Safety Fee for the City of Kankakee and this relates to the safety fee that’s on the Aqua Illinois bill. It expires May 1, 2018 this generates.I believe $975,000.00 of revenue generation from this particular fee. May I have a motion to suspend the rules that will interfere with the passage of the ordinance?

Ald Baron: I will so move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Baron.

Ald Brown: I second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Brown. Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall

Nays: Kennedy

(12) Ayes (1) Nays

Second Reading:

Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 2014-12 Establishing “Public Safety Fee” Of The City Of Kankakee

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion to place the ordinance of final passage?

Ald Baron: I so move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Baron.

Ald Brown: I so second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Brown. Any discussion? Alderwoman Swanson?

Ald Swanson: I just.I know that a lot of people are up in arms over this. I just really want the public to know that we have had this enforced for four years and we are just renewing it for another four year term. So it is not new caps or new fees going towards this. I just wanted to make that.get that clarified.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Correct. Thank you. Any other.

Ald Kennedy: I have a question?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alderwoman Kennedy?

Ald Kennedy: Is it the exact same amount? Is it the exact. Is it the exact same amount?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: $10.00 fee.yep. Any other discussion? Roll Call. I’m sorry, Alderman Curtis?

Ald Curtis: Is the $20.00 for business the same too? Is that the same increase.is that what we did before?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Yes. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay, Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy

(13) Ayes (0) Nays

Appointments:

Frank Korhler – Interim Director Of Community Development Agency

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. Under Item I we have an appointment of

Frank Koehler - Interim Director of Community Development Agency. I had our HR Director distribute his contract and his resume. Frank can you just give a brief update? You walked in and hit the ground running. So we.you heard of Cliff leaving, you contacted me, we acted quickly because we had several financial matters grants and that sort of thing that we needed someone to be able to handle those things so if you can just give us a brief update.

Frank Koehler: Thank you Mayor. I know the last couple weeks I have been interacting with the people of the State of Illinois Department Housing Authority just to make sure we are current on all of our contractual obligations with them and the grants that we receive from them. I have also made contact with HUD to let them know of the changes which have taken place. Also, interacting with the EPA with the B. grant. That is a grant that we received back in 2014 due to expire in 2017. We did get a one year extension of that and so we have about 6 months remaining in approximately $130,000.00-$140,000.00 funds remaining to be used and we are going to try to find the appropriate realization of those dollars. I have been told they would not be fond of an additional extension of that grant and also if we don’t spend the money that we are awarded then they tend to then look at little jaundiced at the future grant request moving forward. Jan Gathing and Gloria Dowdy, the women in the office are just doing an unbelievable job and I know enough to stay out of their way. I am trying to find out.at the same time interacting with TIF map. I met with Hitchcock Design Group to try to get some feeling from them as to where things will be moving. We are going to have to do a housing study as a part of our TIF because the impact of residential areas, I don’t think that was built by the timetable Cliff was setting up. So we are looking at a revised timetable for that and moving forward, interacting with Neil and Pete and Hitchcock to make sure we have the right property going in to accomplish what we want to set out along those lines. My constraints are Accessibility grant the information passed onto us by Mercy Housing and we are going to see what we can do in that area. There is also a grant we are looking at in part service to enhance access to the ugh river. Ugh so we look to do something to be ugh consistent with the TIF or a little outside the TIF to expand that impact. I have set up a meeting with Dana from the Park District to talk about some opportunities to utilize the.monies and just interacting with different providers in the city to let them know the staff changes that have taken place. Also, just asking questions about six to ten times a week doing zoning verification of properties and so I am following up on those calls as well.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: We did just get an abandon properties grant.$40,000.00.

Frank Koehler: Actually we got two grants. One is a $40,000.00 grant for abandon properties. We requested $75,000.00 while the monies can be used anywhere from demolition to lawn cutting. The way the grant was worded on the application, it was for to reimburse the city for lawn care on all those vacant properties and there were specific properties within that. So, that money is basically a reimbursement to the City for the cost expended for those properties and that’s a good thing. We also received a $150,000.00 grant for a land bay program. So we will be working closely to the.consultant that are working with the housing authority in implementation of that grant and they will be going to a conference in Milwaukee next month to talk about reclaiming abandon properties they may be out there as well. We will continue to look at what grants that are out there.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you. As you all can see from his resume and hearing his report, he has a very extensive background. May I ask for a motion to approve?

Ald Tetter: So move Your Honor.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Tetter.

Ald Brown: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Brown. Discussion Alderman Tall?

Ald Tall: Yes, recently I asked if we can look at the FEMA grant for West River Street; if we have the extension we were asking for? We were purchasing property to litigate the flooding that recently happened and we have no answer yet.

Neil Piggush: I can speak to that Mayor if you would like. We have requested the extension. We are waiting for word back. There’s some transitioning of funding sources within that grant within the Federal Government. So we are waiting to get a conference call set up regarding FEMA to move forward with that but we did request the extension so we are waiting to hear back.

Ald Tall: Do you know how many houses we had left to purchase in that grant?

Neil Piggush: I believe we had acquired.I believe we had acquired twenty within the study area but I can get that information for you though.

Ald Tall: Thank you.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Any other discussion? Alderman Crawford?

Ald Crawford: Yes, I would like to make a recommendation to where when we have these contracts that are coming up through that are being voted on, that maybe we push them through the Budget Committee first so we can kind of have discussion over them instead of just getting them a day or two before, or the Friday before and then vote.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Any other discussion? Roll Call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy

(13) Ayes (0) Nays

Motions And Resolutions:

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion carries. Moving onto motions and resolutions. Item A is a Proclamation Declaring April 2018 as Child Abuse Prevention Month that should have been in your packet; information only. So, may I have a motion to adopt?

Ald Brown: Motion to adopt.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Brown.

Ald Tetter: Second.

Mayor-Wells Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Tetter. Any discussion on that? All in favor?

Council: Aye.

Resolution Authorizing The Execution Of The Amended Pooling Agreement And By-Laws With The Illinois Public Risk Fund

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Opposed same sign. Motion carries. The next item is a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of the Amended Pooling Agreement and By-Laws with the Illinois Position Risk Fund. I will defer to Pat.

Pat Power: This is a amended that was forwarded to us Illinois Risk Fund which is our insurer. I have gone through this and I discussed it with the attorney’s in charge of the fund and the only amendments are frankly just technical amendments to try to make it easier for them to administer. Much of it is.allows them to communicate with us through email or other digital means rather than sending letters but there is no change in substance to our agreement with them. They are asking us to do this and I recommend it and that we do adopt it.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: May I have a motion.

Ald Kennedy: So move Mayor.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderwoman Kennedy.

Ald Swanson: I’ll second it.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderwoman Swanson. Any discussion? Alderman Osenga?

Ald Osenga: Yes, I noticed there is discussion down in Springfield of trying to combine Police and Fire Pension Funds. This has nothing to do with that when we were talking about pooling agreement. This has nothing to do with that?

Pat Power: Nothing what so ever.

Ald Osenga: Okay, Thank you.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Any other discussion? Roll Call. I’m sorry. All in favor.

Council: Aye.

Resolution Authorizing Expenditure Of The City Funds Consistent With Fiscal Year 2017/2018

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Opposed same sign. Motion carries. Finally, we have a Resolution Authorizing Expenditures of City funds Consistent with Fiscal year 2017/2018. So as you know fiscal year 2018 ends this month on April 30th. We are staring budget discussions. Elizabeth is ill today so she is not here. Thank you Maureen for standing in for her. We are starting discussions and meetings with Department Heads but until we get a budget passed we need to pass a resolution for continuing spending.

Ald Baron: Mayor, I move.this is something we have done every year and this resolution authorizes the continuing spending concurrent with the budget that ends at the end of the month until the 3rd Monday of July of this year the second meeting or until we pass a budget whichever comes first. I move that we adopt the resolution.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motion made by Alderman Baron.

Ald Tetter: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderman Tetter. Since that’s done we will do discussion. Roll call.

Clerk Dumas: Ayes: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Kennedy (13) Ayes (0) Nays

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: We do not have a need for an Executive Session and next we have Alderman comments. Alderman Baron?

Ald Baron: This is a meeting that’s.that has sort of crept up on us. I am sure you know that six months ago when Richard Simms announced his retirement; six months seemed like a long time and this isn’t going to happen, Richard Simms has been here for a long time.the day will never come. As I am sure you know, Richard Simms has been associated with the City of Kankakee for longer than anyone sitting in this room has. He has.I don’t know the number of years but I know that he has been associated with the City for approximately 32 years and at the rate of 24 meetings.City Council meetings; he may have missed one or two along the way but that would bring us to about 782 City Council meetings. I had to think about that for a second but it’s not.aside from his attendance of meetings there is not a question about his service at all. Richard has left his imprint and it is a major imprint on KRMA that is something basically the City of Kankakee KRMA that he was around and in the formation of the Kankakee Metropolitan Agency the Sewer Plant which is our main.which has allowed CSL to expand and benefit the entire community. Richard was there.I don’t know if I could say it was his idea but it probably was.ESU.the whole formation of City government with the Environmental Services Utility is the brain child of Richard Simms and you may or may not know this but he has been involved on all of these projects for over thirty years in the City of Kankakee. The City would be a lot different if he weren’t ever here and he goes about his job quietly. Of course if anybody has ever dealt with him knows that he is extremely talented and I know there are many ways we are going to miss him. I would just like to thank Richard for his service. As I said, there are ways that we will never know how he has positively impacted the City. So, Thank you Richard.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Do you have anything you would like to say?

Richard Simms: Would you like a comment? I’ve been quiet for thirty one years for a reason. You know, when you look back that far not only did I attend a lot of meetings I dealt with a lot of Alderman too.but that’s a different. I thought about the projects we undertook. We undertook the elimination of eight by passes to the Kankakee River. People don’t realize that whenever it rained the sewage use to go to the river; we eliminated those and we built the original Sewage Treatment Plant those are big deals, I realize that. Other things we did during this time, that Depot and the vote of this Council. Excuse me, Illinois Central said we will give it to you for a $1.00 and there was a long discussion on that until finally the Alderman decided to do it. They let the Utility be involved in the restoration and the Depot has become kind of a central focus for the City. We were involved with the Library the Old Library which sat empty for a long time and we were working in that case with Mayor Green. We got a some grants and we said why don’t you let us try to restore that and now of course, that is the Administration Building which freed up this building because the Police Department had deplorable conditions, right? And we were able to do a project to upgrade that. The Hydro Electric Plant, I don’t know if you realize it but that sat for years and years and we were able to get a grant for that and reactivate that so there has been a lot of interesting projects but here’s what I want to point out to you. I didn’t have the authority to do any of those things. I worked on them and I worked with the City on them. I worked with four Mayors and I worked with more Council Members. But it is because the Council Members listened and thought about it and decided that it was a good use of funds and it is a good thing to do. So, I don’t want to take any credit away from the fact because you made good decisions, you made the City a better place and I appreciate being a part of that so I clap for you.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: We will talk before you leave but I just want to publically Thank you because you could have retired and you stayed on a year to help me transition and I appreciate your guidance and your expertise and your support. But we will talk before you leave. Thank you.

Ald Baron: Mayor?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alderman Baron.

Ald Baron: I told you we did not know all the things he was involved In over the years and just to think of the Depot and City Hall and Public Safety Building that was Richard Simms also.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Yes, anything else? Alderman O’Brien?

Ald O‟Brien: United Way Kindergarten Improvement Results.presenting the survey.that is the survey we did last year.Kankakee County. They are going to.the results and also talk about ideas on what to do with the results. Review the educational results between birth and Kindergarten age 6. Tomorrow at the Library from 5:00 P. M. if you can be there that would be great. Also.I heard about recently.especially since the flooding in March. It is the accumulation of debris upstream of the Schuyler Avenue bridge.there are.trimmings.docks and stuff there. As it starts to get warmer.there is a certain odor that comes along. It’s not a pleasant odor.disturb their enjoyment of their neighboring property of the people on both sides of the river. So I talked with the IDOT office. They said when they are done filling pot holes they would get to it. It did not seem like they would get to it anytime soon. I just wanted to know any City.assist and could move that along. The residents would be most appreciative. Thank you. (mic to high)

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Thank you Alderman O’Brien. Alderwoman Kennedy?

Ald Kennedy: Ward clean up yet.(inaudible)

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Actually, we have been in discussions with it. It also came up during our strategic planning session and Tomora is going to be taking a lead to work with it and DPW and the respective Alderman and Alderwoman of the Wards to get something coordinated. That was one thing that really took us back when our facilitator commented on that. Of course, coming from out of town with fresh eyes she commented on how the City looks and we could really benefit from a cleanup. We took a lot of her feedback and notes to heart. The plan is to follow up with a meeting in the month of May. Thank you.

Ald Brown: Mayor?

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Alderman Brown?

Ald Brown: Do we have any information on those properties by the Bowling Alley? Are we going to get those donated or not?

Pat Power: I made the.proposal to them. They were talking about having to share some sort of clear title. Which.I have a problem with that.I ask for them to provide proof of clear title and they wouldn’t do it. I will give them a call tomorrow and see if maybe they rethought that.to donate it to us because this is a Bank and they are going to write this off and they are going to write it off at a high evaluation. We are not going to take to any appraisal that they use, then it will come off the tax roll.and they won’t be paying any taxes. But I will call them and rattle their cage; I haven’t talked to them in a couple of weeks.

Ald Brown: Thank you.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Okay.Do you have a question? May I have a motion to adjourn?

Ald Swanson: I so move.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Motioned by Alderwoman Swanson.

Ald Kennedy: Second.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Seconded by Alderwoman Kennedy. All in favor, aye?

Committee: Aye.

Mayor Wells-Armstrong: Opposed same sign. We are adjourned.

https://citykankakee-il.gov/perch/resources/editor/city-council-mtg-minutes-april-16th-2018-meeting.pdf

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