Kankakee Times

City of Kankakee City Council met Nov. 19.

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 Apostle Johnie Smith and go on to the pledge of allegiance by City Council. Moving on to Public Comments we have: Marc Wakat, Kim DeYoung, Robert Ellington Snipes, Allie Chouinard, Rev Robert Bushey. and Dawn Broers

PUBLIC COMMENTS

MARC WAKAT: (withdrew).

KIM DEYOUNG: I am here to speak on the zoning code amendment requested by Fortitude. I am a lifelong resident, nurse at Riverside, Instructor at KCC and my children and grandchildren have gone through the school district. I am also a member of the First Church of Nazarene. We took a homeless person into our home that was sleeping in Alpiner Park and we helped him for a while and this led us to getting involved with Fortitude. I have seen the changes that Fortitudes makes with their street ministry. We requested to be a PAD shelter and or church is behind us. I plead that you pass this amendment to serve the community.

ROBERT ELLINGTON SNIPES: There are street lights on Maple but on Warren right in front of LCC it is very dark. There is a lot of student

programs coming up and more light is needed. The Police are doing a great job but there needs to be more light. I have talked with Mr. Rowe on an issue and that has been resolved. The other item is Adjudication meetings at 3:00P.M. The majority of people work and get off around 4:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. I don’t recall reading any minutes where City Council voted on the time being changed from 6:00P.M. If you are accommodating lawyers you must also accommodate the people, especially if they have to be here. I had to take off for an Adjudication Hearing. The problem is I sat for 45 minutes while they were negotiating. Negotiate some other time. When you set a Hearing, be mindful that you have other people’s time in hand. The time set for Adjudication needs to go back before the Council for the better interest of the people.

ALLIE CHOUINARD:

I am speaking on behalf of Fortitude Community Outreach. I work in the local ER. Since late October, we have cared for homeless individuals. The ER is not for homeless. Our religious Hospital treat everyone the same; homeless individuals get a full work up. We clean them up, take their vitals, draw their blood, test their urine and the doctor sees them. Each test takes over an hour to get results and when everything comes back normal they are discharged back into the cold. A homeless man was put in trauma due to no room and minutes later a bleeding patient came in. We need a place for the homeless. Our current system is failing individuals.

REV ROBERT BUSHEY: I am the Pastor of Central Christian Church in Bourbonnais, a resident of Kankakee County and I am here in support of Fortitude Community Outreach and the PADS Shelter. I host the.Housing for Kankakee County where we discuss issues between all agencies that care for those looking for housing and dealing with homelessness which is HUD mandated group. We meet the first Thursday of the month at 9:00.Our congregation is the second congregation to sign on to be a PAD Shelter on Tuesday Evenings when we can get this up and running. Homelessness is an issue throughout our County. Shelters such as the Salvation Army are a thing of the past. We want safety and protection for our citizens. We need your support tonight.

DR. DAWN BROERS: I am the Founder and Executive Director of Fortitude Community Outreach. I am here asking for your support for zoning to allow a non-profit to operate a Sheltering Program within the church. I have worked as a Social worker and actively engaged as a leader in the homeless provider community and I have served on the Salvation Army Board. I began Fortitude weekly homeless outreach in January 2017. Last summer out local onsite shelters closed. I receive calls every week asking where to send the homeless be it individuals or families and it became clear that something needed to be done. PAD Shelters have been a need in the community for years but were not accomplished. A fulltime leader was needed to get it started and partnerships. I took the lead and coordinated partnerships. The Salvation Army will not reopen. We have partnered with them in many ways. Fears in the homeless have been misplaced. Safety is almost never a problem. Please vote in support of the amendment.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Thank you. Roll Call of City Council.

CLERK DUMAS: PRESENT: Tetter, Brown, Baron, Curtis, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Malone Marshall, Kennedy (14) Present (0) Absent

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG:Department Heads.

CLERK DUMAS: PRESENT: Hunt, Schuldt, Kubal, McGrath, Schiel, Piggush, Nelson, Bertrand, Hoffman. Thank you.

MINUTES

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Thank you. Moving on to the minutes for November 5th, 2018.motion to approve. ALD OSENGA: So move.

ALD CRAWFORD: Second.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG:Motioned by Alderman Osenga and Seconded by Alderman Crawford. Any edits or corrections? Hearing none.all in favor? 

COUNCIL: Aye.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Minutes are approved. Moving on to Petitions.

PETITIONS

ITEM 7A: PB2018-9-1 Ordinance Granting a Conditional Use Permit to allow Special Waste Disposal Inc. to Operate a Non-Hazardous Pretreatment Facility in the City of Kankakee, Illinois, located at 1149 East Brookmont Boulevard, Parcel #17-09-28-303-015 and #17-09-28-303-012 (1st & 2nd reading).

MIKE HOFFMAN: This project is located just east of Panozzo Produce. The site is about 1 1⁄2 acres and zoned as light industry. It is a Non-hazardous waste treatment facility that produces approximately 50 pounds of waste per day mostly petroleum coolant contaminant waters. We decided to treat this as a conditional use. Reviewed by the Planning Board and recommended for approval with a series of conditions including: the applicant provide a site plan with circulation and screening, a plan for improving the exterior of building along with replacement of windows all consistent with a 8ft fence around the property; providing all permits to the City.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Motion to suspend the rules that interfere with the passage of the ordinance.

ALD BROWN: So move.

ALD TETTER: Second.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG:Motioned by Alderman Brown and Seconded by Alderman Tetter. Roll Call

CLERK DUMAS:

AYES: Tetter, Brown, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, Gall, Malone Marshall, Kennedy

ABSTENTIONS: Curtis, O’Brien,

(12) Ayes (0) Nays (2) Abstentions

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Motion carries. May I have a motion to place the ordinance on final passage?

ALD BROWN: So move.

ALD TETTER: Second.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG:Motioned by Alderman Brown and Seconded by Alderman Tetter. Roll Call

CLERK DUMAS:

AYES: Tetter, Brown, Baron, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, Gall, Malone Marshall, Kennedy

ABSTENTIONS: Curtis, O’Brien,

(12) Ayes (0) Nays (2) Abstentions MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Motion Carries.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Before I go into Item B, I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. I know that the issue of homelessness

in our community is on everyone’s heart and people are compassionate about it. When the Salvation Army closed last year, the City received a lot of calls and people were angry about the issue. This was on the agenda in October and because we had a disconnected with communication the Fire Department has some questions so I postponed the Ordinance. I asked that even though we had holidays coming up that we would address this issue. The Ordinance Committee decided not to meet until January and that is why I put it on the agenda tonight. It is cold, we are dealing with record cold temperatures right now, we have already had a snow and I am very concerned about this issue. I just want to remind City Council Members that when all of us became elected in the City of Kankakee, that we took an oath under the State Constitution, the Preamble States; “We the People of the State of Illinois, Grateful to Almighty God for the Civil, Religious, and Political Liberty He has permitted us to enjoy, seeking His blessing upon our endeavors in order to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the people; maintain and represent orderly government, eliminate poverty and inequality; assure legal social and economic justice; provide opportunity for the fullest development of the individual; ensure domestic tranquility; provide for the common defense; secure the blessing to ourselves and prosperity. So, I just want to remind you that Public Safety is not just about addressing gun violence, it’s not just about crime. This is a public safety issue because it impacts people’s lives. I have worked closely with the Fire Department and I want to thank Chief Schuldt and Cassagrande who could not be here tonight.I did have him to prepare a report of what he’s done and I did enclose that with the update that I send to you weekly. I hope you had the chance to review it.

He is in support of keeping everybody safe. Also, Dr. Broers has referred to the letter from the Salvation Army that I just received today and I did distribute to all of you on Council and I hope you had a chance to review that as well. Many people on the Council express that they want the Churches to support the Salvation Army to help them get open and that is just not an option as indicated in the letter. I won’t read the letter.often times I have heard that our churches are not stepping up and not working together and I think that this is a great response to an issue that has been going on in our community where people are coming together and people are finding a common purpose to serve and to help others. I believe that this is very important. I have listened to many of you and I have talked with many of you over the last few days. So as we move to Item 7B: PB2018-9-5 Ordinance Authorizing an Amendment to the City Zoning Code regarding Emergency Shelters and Temporary Use Permits as Requested By Fortitude Community Outreach. With Feedback from one of the City Council Members, I was asked to make sure that we add for a R1-Residential District that there is language that requires a Conditional Use Permit on a case by case basis. Can I have someone to please make a motion?

ALD GALL: I so move Mayor.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Motioned made by Alderwoman Gall.

ALD KENNEDY: Second.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Seconded by Alderwoman Kennedy. Any discussion? Alderman Curtis?

ALD CURTIS: The language for the R1.How.Will that be sent to use? How will that go forward.How will it read out?

MCGRATH: With the motion that is being made, motion to suspend the rules. With the motion to suspend the rules we will add the language into the ordinance.

ALD CURTIS: (inaudible)

MCGRATH: Yes.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: So, we have a motion to suspend the rules by Alderwoman Gall and a second by Alderwoman Kennedy. Roll Call

CLERK DUMAS: AYES: Tetter, Brown, Curtis, Lewis, Tall, Faford, Swanson, Crawford, Osenga, O’Brien, Gall, Malone Marshall, Kennedy

ABSTENTIONS: Baron,

(13) Ayes (0) Nays (1) Abstention

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG:May I have a motion to place the Ordinance on final passage

ALD GALL: So move.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG:Motioned made by Alderwoman Gall.

ALD KENNEDY: Second.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Seconded by Alderwoman Kennedy. Any discussion? Alderman Brown?

ALD BROWN: Just a brief statement. For years as you have stated, we have asked the Faith based Community to pick up some of these social issues so they can help us out because government can’t solve all the problems. When you talked about Churches, I specifically mentioned in the past, all they were talking about were places inside of Kankakee.inside the City limit of Kankakee. Well this is not about the city limits of Kankakee. It has been taken up with the County of Kankakee and that is the part I am like. So it is not about Kankakee, it is about working together with Bradley and Bourbonnais, because when we pass it.Bradley and Bourbonnais will pass it as well. I think this is a good thing for the Community as a whole and the County of Kankakee.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Thank you. Alderman Curtis, you have a question as well?

ALD CURTIS: A statement.by all means, I have expressed tot a lot of people that what Fortitude is doing is a great thing. It is something that we need to address in our community. My concern is that with this certain ordinance in front of us, the language in this ordinance, there are some missing parts to it and part of that is right now with this approval of this Ordinance with how it is written tonight, a temporary Homeless Shelter could happen in any type of property and any zoning district in the City of Kankakee. I am not saying it’s a bad thing. Many of you remember years ago, my seatmate and I had a very difficult decision with a group home in our area, we went back and for the about it. Ultimately, we decided to that was the best thing for our neighborhood and that was a good thing. That went on a conditional Use Permit and there were hearings and discussions on it. My concern is within an R1 Single Family District where you have single family units, I am not saying that a Homeless Shelter couldn’t be in that area but I think that needs to have a Conditional Use Permit through the Planning Commission and come to the City Council on a case by case basis. When you live in an Industrial zoned, or Commercial zoned area or Multiple Family area, you expect that there will be other things whether it is a phone shop or a restaurant.you expect those things. When you are in an R1 District, you don’t expect that on Friday night that the house next to you becomes a temporary shelter. So, I am not against it, I am for it I just think there needs to be additional language. So my question is, if we approve this tonight, How do we get the language that we discussed earlier about the R1 District on a cases by case basis? Does that come back to us and we approve? We see the language tomorrow or documentation.

MCGRATH: If Alderwoman Gall and Alderwoman Kennedy are willing to amend their motion and the second to add that language to the Ordinance.we can put that in the motion and I will add it to the language and the final version will be emailed out to the whole City Council sometime tomorrow.

ALD CURTIS: With that, May I also request that it be detailed in the minutes, how it will get down?

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Do you want them to amend?

MCGRATH: Yes.

ALD GALL: I amend my motion to include an amendment to the Ordinance.

MCGRATH: Correct. To include language that any Shelter in the R1 District, submit to the Conditional Use Permit Commission before being allowed to serve that function.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Is that okay Alderman Curtis?

ALD CURTIS: Yes.

ALD KENNEDY: Second.

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Okay, so we have an amended motioned on the floor made by Alderwoman Gall it’s been Seconded by Alderwoman Kennedy. Any further discussion? Alderman Osenga?

ALD OSENGA:

Thank you Mayor. As a former police officer of.years, I have some concerns.What we are doing here. There is a church in close proximity to a grade school.I have insurance concerns. What are the liabilities to the City of Kankakee? We need to review this.that hasn’t been done because everybody knows if we get sued, whoever has the deepest pockets. We should review this as planned and bring it back. I understand it is cold but this issue should have been brought up in April or May.until waiting to the last minute and now we have all these issues (inaudible).

MAYOR WELLS-ARMSTRONG: Thank you Alderman Osenga. I just want to let you know that before the weather became frigid this was on the agenda in October. I made a plea to the Ordinance Committee at that time.I stated that I know holidays are coming up but I am asking you all to please review this before the weather gets cold. I was told that the Ordinance Committee wasn’t going to meet until January and we cannot wait to January to address this. I just want to bring Dr. Broers up because you have raised a concern about safety so you can address this and thank you for your concerns.

DR. BROERS:

Yes thank you. So in regards to safety, we have modeled our program after.programs up north. Most notably the Dupage.but we also researched the South Suburban program because they are more likely demographically like us. We are following their protocol the way they run their shelters. We believe that everyone have a right to shelter is someone is not able to follow our rules then they are not able to stay in our Shelter and they go on a “No Serve” list. In regards to liability, we carry our liability insurance for the churches so if anything that happens that is Fortitude related, will fall under our liability insurance. Is there any other question I can answer for you?

ALD OSENGA: Transportation.How will they get from one location to Another (inaudible)?

DR. BROERS: The Metro Bus.

ALD OSENGA: I listened to your video yesterday that you had and I saw that was a big concern for you. The Metro Bus doesn’t run a lot of the times when.people need to leave. The Metro Bus starts around 8:00 A.M.

DR. BROERS: Individuals have to leave the churches at 7:00 A.M. Some of the routes begin earlier than 8:00 A.M. Sunday nights when the routes leave at 3:00-4:00 we will be looking to organize church buses to provide that transportation to fill in that gap. So, individuals will leave the building at 7:00 A.M. For some that are earlier they will have to leave at 6:15-6:30 to get to that first bus. Some of them may have to wait at the bus shelter for a small amount of time but they are waiting at bus shelters all over the community, some are sitting there all day to have some sort of shelter so that isn’t anything new to them to be walking around the community.

For complete information, please go to, https://citykankakee-il.gov/perch/resources/editor/city-council-mtg-minutes-november-19th-2018-meeting.pdf