City Council - Regular Meeting

open ja you can actually anything down time call meeting order now please rise I ask you to join me in a moment of reflection on the business that's before us this evening please join me to Pledge of Allegiance iedge alleg super of the United States of America to the rep for it stands one nation indivisible and jice please take the roll Alderman Brennan here Alderman Begley here Alderman basso here Alderman lowski Alder key Alderman Scully Alderman mcgrogan Alderman Clifford here all right no special presentations uh under consent calendar we have the approval of minutes of the city council meeting from February 4th 2025 along with the approval of the payroll and the voucher list for the period ending February 14th 2025 need a motion to approve said so move move by Al Clifford there second second second by Alderman Begley discussion roll call Alderman Brennan yes Alderman Bley yes Alderman basso hi Alderman key yes Alderman Scully Alderman mcran Alderman cord hi all right no seal bids to be open tonight uh under City officials just a word uh this week obviously we've had a uh little bit of coldness coming through town uh keep an eye on your neighbors you know we especially if they're a little bit older or something like that checking on them once in a while make sure they're you know getting you know things are working out in their their location so city clerk anything thank you Mr Mayor no uh reports tonight City Treasurer thank you mayor the treasures report for the period ending December 31st general fund began the month with 6,266 187 revenues were $

844 329 expenses $2,800,000 249 other source $16,669.24 53 revenues were 6,326 24 expenses for the month 9, 4,704 other source use 1, 85994 giving an ending cash balance in All City funds of 28,749 that concludes my report all right with that I'll entertain a motion to approve the treasures report Bren and second by Elman Clifford discussion all in favor I oppos motion carries City attorney is not with us tonight any Communications anyone have okay citizens wishing to address the council anyone okay if not uh standing committees all m m grin uh Mr Mary I just have two things nothing uh that's uh published on the agenda but mostly just comments uh at the last meeting we uh members of the finance committee U after quite a bit of deliberation over a period of time we wrapped up uh finalizing the formation of uh uh coming up with the job description categories and everything for all the employees and also salary ranges and things of that nature and that work that worked out good um and then uh the second thing is uh since we're in February I was going to try to do this uh at the last meeting but I

wasn't uh here for that um we up to 24 uh the year end in pretty good shape and as Jim Dam the treasurer just pointed out we're in real good shape we had expensive month there with expenses but the bulk of that 9 million a lot of it was internal transfers it's not actually money that was out the door for uh various uh vendors or anything but uh when we approached the year uh we did the 20124 budget um we were looking at a budget of about 13, 846 ,000 in round numbers and then we actually um finished up the year in pretty good shape we were at a surplus we came in just over 15 million and then with some adjustments and like some transfers and things uh year at the actual year end we were just a tad under um 800,000 to the plus side I think it was actually like 791 um I rounded off eight for my notes and then um the um couple of Main reasons that we had such a great year um was uh in the permit area that was number one we were about $600,000 to the plus side um with a little gain comes a little pain there was the direct result of a lot of um storm damage that people incurred and then um another one on the main expense was uh just there's a couple areas um two of the biggest are uh the expense of running the city and the administrative area which um our our budget was 33 we did a great job I thought coming in at about 3.2 million so just under by about 100,000 and um then uh when you look at the overall budget for the police um that budget comes in on the on the target was

5.1 and we were like almost dead on and it was just a um a little bit uh over the 5.1 so uh while and all the the budgeting process on those items was like really uh uh very accurate um and then uh just you know in general since um uh you know it's a it's a city and there's a lot of attention going on nowadays with what's going on in Washington DC and of course Illinois which you know we're in the opposite uh category we you know we have a surplus budget um and the at the federal level obviously um you know there's big problems and also in Illinois in fact um I wish I could be like our friend uh Mr mus because then I could um maybe do some additional cutting but um uh the main revenues and main drivers during the year uh we picked up about a little over half a million dollars in interest because of the balances we're keeping um our property taxes uh for both the city and the police came in at um about 3.8 million uh and revenue um the cell towers and uh the comp cast fees that we charge for uh these for them to do business within our town uh was a little bit over 500,000 um and as I mentioned in my other remarks the permits was 600,000 and then uh the a big the biggest one miscellaneous state tax uh trickle Downs that we get was like uh about 4.5 million and um so that's you know what comprises the budget and it you know it's more than just um a couple of uh things that we just throw together it's there's a lot I mean we're looking at the pages it's this thing and um so

for 2025 we're going into the year with um a projected uh increase about 4.59% and um you know we as I said our 2024 number was 13 million 836 we're going to be slightly higher at 14, 470 which is about half a million dollar and um all of that we have you know air mark for different things we have quite a bit of expenses uh always in the um two two main areas one um you know the uh Public Works maintain the street sewers and also um uh you know we spend quite a bit of money uh uh taking care of the rck lake gather and things of that nature so that's the end of my report thank you very very informa Al brother appreciate it public safety Alman basso oh yes mayor I have two items on the agenda item number8 motion to approve an ordinance for 2019 Chevrolet police Tahoe VIN number one g n i l CDE e C1 kr30 2534 to be declared Surplus and sold to the Crestwood Police Department for the sum of $12,500 proceed seeds from the sale will be deposited back in the drug assd forfeiture account by byman Clifford discussion roll call Alderman Beckley yes Alderman basso I Alderman key yes Alderman Scully yes Al MC Grogan yes Alderman Clifford hi Alderman BR yes item number nine motion to approve an ordinance for 2015 Chevrolet police Tahoe VIN number 1 gnlc d e C8 hr30 3413 to be declared Surplus and sold to

the S Village Police Department for the sum of $8,900 proceeds from the sale will be deposited back into the drug acid forfeiture account by bass second second by discussion roll call Alderman basso hi Alderman keyth Alderman Scully Alderman mcran Alderman Clifford hi B yes yes i' just like to comment on the drug assd forfeit your account um it's it's a sad thing to note but our Police Department um regularly seizes uh drugs and normal operations of uh everyday life and Payless Heights uh through police stops and car searches and things like that the dollar amounts that they get by participating in such a program is u in my mind astronomical I wish I wish it was a zero but because of the situation it's kind of a a good from a bad also um I would like to comment on a couple other situations again uh for scams some notable in our community uh palis sites resident has fallen prey to a 15,000 Bitcoin scam um again I don't know how it is that we can uh protect ourselves and our family members from such scams uh I don't know how we can uh sooe each other and and promote uh safety and diligence and such things but uh be alert to that situation protect your assets and uh um follow up with a loved one or a trusted uh advisor if you can before you make any moves um also so a local man is being

blackma blackmailed by an online hookup person again be especially careful if you're online looking for love okay because it it could go bad as it does in so many instances so that's we keep repeating such things but it's a it's a common scem what that all about there was the guy down the road here that was rhetorical it's a truth I think I figured it out um and again none of us is um too smart or too educated or too Street Savvy uh to be caught up in a scam and as you as you readers of the regional noted last week a commissioner from a uh nearby community made kind of light of the fact that he himself was scammed u in a simple uh Tollway email that he received that said he owed $6 or something and Miss told and he immediately hit the button and then before he knew it he was making purchases in Asia and Japan and etc etc that's how fast the scam hit and and how fast it hit his account so uh be aware of those things once agains is not going to contact you at tax time for any information or any action so and if you get a Call of that nature or an email um or a US mail uh just uh ignore it throw it in the garbage and um I know there's two sides at least two sides to every story but um the cameras the cameras that our Police Department operate and the cameras that are in our town and in our life do a great job in helping us combat crime or at least capture some of the criminals um well our cameras in the city located

a hid and run vehicle incident on past couple weeks they are identifying a quick change scam artist that hit the CVS and a couple other CVS uh around the suburban area I don't know you're probably not familiar with that scam if you're not in retail but it's pretty similar to um which cup is the ball under only it's played with real dollar bills and uh it's to confuse the person that's sitting uh at the register in a store this Shuffle of money goes so fast that an individual can get overwhelmed and be scammed the CVS was short at about $1,500 for purchase excessive amount of purchase of gift cards so that's uh another plus to the cameras also cameras uh helped the police department recently identify and capture the suspects in the Payless highest convenience store armed robbery so that that arrest also um secured a got one more gun off the off the streets for us and um finally surveillance surveillance videos identified a van and driver in a reported child luring case at a palis height bus stop so all these interest all these incidents are scary situations for most of us and for average citizen and I'd like I'd like to just say that um the police department are doing such a fantastic job and every Aid that they have and every tool that they can use is an asset to our community and our safety and that's into my report thank you yeah bass I think i' just like to address the fact that you notice in your motions that the money goes back to the drug acid forfeiture uh fund and I think it's important to know that this is a long running program that started I think in the 70s or 80s actually where we have some cases we have officers who are detailed to various federal agencies and anything they get they capture basically

we get a p portion of that and just for example we have not purchased uh General funds a squad car in probably 25 or 30 years uh the whole whole police station was actually paid for uh by the uh drug asset forer for money that goes back all the way to U when that F cus yeah CU I know yeah I know in the 70s we did that when we did the the fire police station because I was involved in financing that originally so but it's a great program and we just uh last week we had a swearing in ceremony for we had a young man one of our officers a poak who went to uh uh went to the FBI now for the same same type of program so it's it's a good program for us one one last thing and uh I should have just mentioned it Alderman B so we could have just brought it up but another uh scam that um I just uh received one within the last week is someone text someone said oh we finally resolved the situation and you're going to get this refund of like $541 um which account do you want us to send it to do not respond to that you know first of all I didn't have any $540 coming back I didn't know what they were talking about but if you weren't paying attention so yeah throw it in my you know Chase account or whatever bank account so you know I mean they are very clever so great all right thank you Alman Bassel mpal grounds of property alond Begley thanks mayor I don't have a report this evening all right planning zoning all SK uh no report this week uh this month uh or this meeting Mr may all right Recreation all uh thank you Mr Mayor I'd like to make a motion to approve pay number six to Simpson construction the amount of 209727 and. 72 for work completed for the pool Improvement project move bman key is there second second second bman Clifford discussion roll call Alderman

ke yes Alman Scully yes Alderman mcran Alman Clifford Alman Brennan yes Alman Begley I then I'd like to make a motion to approve use of rooms at independent middle school for the summer camp programs element keys or second second second M Clifford discussion all in favor I I oppos motion carries then I'd like to make a motion to approve hiring J&M displayy fireworks in the amount of $20,000 for the July 3rd 2025 Independence Day celebration and that's the same price that we paid last year move by element key is there a second second second Mel Clifford discussion roll call Alderman Scully yes Alderman mcran yes Alderman Clifford hi Alderman Brennan Alderman Begley Alderman B Hi and then I'd like to make a motion to approve FP United Landscaping proposed on the amount of 16,560 and no sense for spring and clean fall up Spring and fall cleanup at The Parks swimming pool and rec center m m keys or a second second second by Alman Clifford discussion rule call Alderman mcran yes Alman Clifford Al Brenan Alder Begley Al B Al key Alder Scully yes and then I'd like to make a motion to approve the payment $7,777 membership contribution to swis move by Alman key is there second second second by Alman Clifford discussion roll call Alderman Clifford hi Alderman Brennan yes Al Begley Al bass Alder ke Alderman Scully Al yes that concludes report Mr Mayor thanks ke roads of construction Al M Clifford yes uh thank you Mr Mayor uh motion to approve soliciting for bids for the 2025 mft resurfacing program that's a city road program about

Clifford is there second second second by Begley discussion all in favor I oppos motion carries next motion to approve payment for two to 2025 International hv507 Dump Truck chass 3 h a e d t a r 1s L 6953 39 and 3 h a e d t a r 2s l69 5513 through the sourcewell co-op in the amount of $228,900 move byman Clifford is there second second moment bigley discussion uh so everybody knows what these are the two new trucks are out here in the back there are just the chassis the frame and everything and these are replacing trucks that uh from 2003 or before that's Al along there and uh they're ready to be outfitted here and they'll be used for uh various purposes uh such as uh chipper snow plowing digging dirt removal a lot of heavy construction stuff so that's what the that's all about though go call Alderman Begley yes Alderman basso Alderman key yes Alderman Scully Alder mcov Alderman Clifford Alman BR yes okay next is motion to approve a resolution to CO's portion of Harlem Avenue on Friday July 4th for the annual independent skip truck skip the bodies for the trucks number 17 Jack oh I'm sorry motion to approve the purchas of dump bodies the plow for the 2025 International hv507 tub

trucks 3 HD a a t a r 1sl 695 339 and 3 h a d t2sl 695 513 with Henderson products through the NPP contract number PS 22170 in the amount of 2361 102 move Alman Clifford second by Alman mcran discussion roll call Alderman basso I Alderman ke yes Alderman Scully Alderman mcran Alderman Clifford hi Alderman Brennan Alderman Beckley yes sorry I didn't mean to go out order I that want skip you all the big numbers you need both things just trying to skip next motion to approve resolution to close portion of Harlem Avenue on Friday July 4th for the annual Independence Day Parade between the hours 10:00 a.m. and 2: p.m. bman Clifford is there second second second bman basso discussion all in favor opposed motion carries and lastly motion to approve payment to Morris engineering for services and various projects throughout the city in the amount of $3,726 74 B Clifford is there second second second B Paso discussion roll call Alderman key yes Alderman Scully Alderman mcran Alderman Clifford Alderman Brennan yes Alman Begley Al bass hi yeah and so you know the RO program this year's got some extensive programs on there we're going to be redoing uh the situation heral Avenue basically reconstructing that for water drainage Cypress Avenue over in the fourth ward in the house of D mwd we put that off last year to the money did some various roads with it now that the mwd is that that we're going to go back there and uh they're through with that and we'll be fixing that fixing that up to along with various streets in each of

the wards for this year that's it all right license permits and franchises Alman ludowski is out of town I know Alman Clifford's going to take his three yes he call me and ask me to take this um I'll read the motion motion to approve the 2025 2026 vehicle sticker design from submissions by the elementary school students I believe you have a couple in front of you uh there's uh it's not it on your iPad uh those two you hold yeah yeah this so there's two there there's one thereo pardon you got that paper well there's one of this here's the Gazebo one do you have one over there did I give it to you the other one is the oh excuse me here we go it's on the I got it here we go and this one here these two these two are what we're voting on everybody I think you got them in your iPad and everything like that these are what the kids designed and were submitted to us so uh Brent Mr lowski asked me to take uh put it to a vote on which one you want and one with the most votes is going to be our city sticker for the upcoming year so with that I guess you could so we just do one and two then okay so first one is the bird on a branch for like a little better uh let me just first say they're both amazing they're both okay great jobs both both kids did Super jobs and I'm sure the rest of the kids who didn't make the finals did a great job too they all tried and that's the main thing and you want us to raise our hands I think that's the easiest way well the one with the one with the Gazebo and the Cardinal I put as number one okay right and the

one with the the bird and it says palis Heights 2025 I numbered at number two okay all you got to do is vote for one see the other one's got to come out to winner vote for one and okay okay off for uh one you want to CLK you want to just drop this down and call oh I am okay take a okay let's take a r it's three people okay get those three in case you forget the mayor the mayor said number one for number two then two three what's your vote okay so number two all right all right which was number two is the Gazebo right I do a recount number two is the Gazebo yes no no number two end up number two was at the last second the numbers Chang I got I I wanted vote for the uh U the Gazebo okay let's let's do this again okay number one is the Gazebo okay number one's the Gazebo vote for number one raise your hands one four can we shut off the TV you yeah he please turn the one two three four okay then the second one is a birdy Gaz Evo wins congratulations to our particip congratulations yeah there were some more but they limited it too think that so but uh thanks a lot for that so the motion was to approve the vehicle sticker designed by submissions from the schools which was uh number two to gazebo on and the next motion would be to direct the City attorney to draft an ordinance to adopt excuse me alterate

Clifford do we take a vote on I think we need to take a vote on number 20 okay go ah you call roll in okay right right what's Mo motion to approve the uh gazebo as the 2025 26 vehicle sticker all in favor oppos motion carries okay okay next is motion on that okay motion is to direct the City attorney to million and we're wrot on a bird here so yeah well next is motion to direct City attorney to draft an ordinance to adopt the 2024 IC codes with amendments move by m Clifford is there a second second V brenon discussion roll call I just on motion all in favor oppose motion and that has to do with the building codes and updating amendments local codes such as the city adopted Chicago city codes that were amended such as the electrical codes things of that nature and updating the building department with certain software and stuff other than that that's the end of Mr L delski's report thank you thank Jack appreciate it Water and Sewer Alman Brenan thank you Mr Mayor no report this evening all right right business and economic development Al key uh thank you Mr Mayor no report cable TV nothing this time old business citizens wishing to ask questions new business Mr Mayor yes I have something um and they're going to pull us up so first of all I think we're all blessed to have um the Public Works does a great job on the S removal um I think we're you know one of the best um uh towns and cities anywhere in any suburb in the whole area you can see it when you drive around visiting your friends neighbors uh kids and stuff so it and so we always talk about this and I you know I've been talking about this

you know I just wanted to maybe have Adam um look into this I um had some calls you know there's so many people um I mean in town we're getting to be probably a little bit more balanced but there are a lot of older people in let's say my age group and even older especially in some of the um in the single family properties especially so U one of the things we've brought up before and we always had a reason not to do it is it it aggravates a lot of people that when they when the plows come by they do a great job get it down to the to the asphalt but what happens usually even on these smaller snowstorms we've been having what ends up in front of your driveway is is the worst part of the show Ling for either the person or the service and so um and we've talked about it before about maybe getting an F-150 or something to go along and just shoot stuff and it's always a little bit like well how do we how would we do that well I I was doing a little research and um is it possible to pull this up there's a machine like a front loader this I actually have it here but um this I think she's going to show this I wasn't sure everybody could see this and it's pretty quick like about two seconds but are you going to be able to pull that up I'm working on it it's a pretty clever uh setup we have to pass this around will that tie into the um it's started to take up your time

but here do you have any more drawings for us to look at yeah just kind of artic bucket yeah you see that this arm it's like it's a Contraption on the front on the front motor Ma Bo so when you would get to the driveway instead of having stuff pile up in front of your driveway um I was hoping that she could show it it goes out like this see it okay pretty cool and um got it yeah so it's you know it it's just something to think about I'm not sure would work but it it would save a lot of people a lot of back pains for sure and um and you know we already have we already have the the the big machine and it would almost be like acquiring the right angle the arm which is basically a right angle to sweep it and it would push it to the side of your driveway yeah and then you know it would save a lot of people u a lot of aggravation I I don't even know if it would work well why don't you refer to uh Adam and see we that's I thought Adam get a demonstration of it up at the road thing now yeah take a look at it co that's the I know that all right uh business any c any questions back up a give a slight report on the roads this

that Adam asked me that we had 13 events with snow so far this year and we used 27 tons of salt and 225 gallons of liquid brine during those 13 events also report on a uh ongoing situation at Route 83 three in O Park Avenue uh we finally got words to wide out and what we got to do and not do but there'll be two flashing lights installed for East and westbound traffic similar to the ones we have at the rec center at the Crossing there to make that crossing over a little bit safer to get onto the bike path entrance there so that's upcoming working on that and part of that requirement in in cooperation with Trinity High School they're doing some construction or expansion is uh the entrance ways uh to the East are going to be revamped there'll be no more crossing the striped lines coming in the opposite way that those were designed for and with that I that's okay but we what we have to do and uh what we're going to do is lengthen the existing turning Lan so now those cars will come in and turn there on Oak Park and into the school okay good which makes it lot safe and everything there so that hopefully we'll get all done by the end of the spring we're opening so but that's just a little safety update on good all right any other old business citizens have any questions new business a motion to adjourn all in favor thank you stay warm meeting Dr br from8 [Music]