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January 10, 2013 City Council Meeting Minutes

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CALL TO ORDER

The regular meeting of the Hickory Hills City Council was called to order by Mayor Mike Howley on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 7:31 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mayor Howley led the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL

Upon roll call, the following were present:

  • Mayor, M. Howley
  • Aldermen, D. Ferrero
    T. McAvoy
    M. McHugh
    J. Stachnik
    J. Szeszycki
    B. Waight
    S. Zimmerman
  • City Clerk, D. Catizone
  • City Treasurer, D. Schramm
  • City Attorney, V. Cainkar
  • City Engineer, T. Lang
  • Chief of Police, A. Vodicka
  • Public Works Director, L. Boettcher

    • Building Commissioner, John Moirano was absent. There being a quorum present, the meeting was called to order.

OPEN TO PUBLIC

Alderman Szeszycki moved to open the meeting to the public. Alderman McAvoy second. Roll Call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

No one spoke during this portion of the meeting.

CLOSE TO PUBLIC

Alderman Ferrero moved to close the meeting to the public. Alderman Waight second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS

Alderman McHugh moved to approve the minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting of December 13, 2012 as printed subject to deletions or corrections. Alderman Stachnik second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

REPORTS OF CITY OFFICIALS

    MAYOR

    Justice Willow

    Mayor Howley noted the Justice Willow Water Commission meeting will be held on January 24th. Currently, the City does not know the water increase they will issue.

    Jimmy John’s

    Mayor Howley announced the Grand Opening of Jimmy John’s will be Tuesday, January 28th.

    Resignation

    Mayor Howley reported that he has received a notarized letter of resignation from 3rd Ward Alderman Lou DeRose. This will take effect as of December 29, 2012. Mayor Howley thanked Mr. DeRose for his 8 years of service to the City of Hickory Hills and wished him well. Due to the close proximity of the April election, the Mayor will not fill this vacancy.

    Alderman McAvoy also thanked Mr. DeRose for his service and wished him well.

    CITY CLERK

    Clerk Catizone reported she is in receipt of a request from St. Patricia School to place signs around the City regarding their Feb. 3rd Open House. The signs would go up on January 18th and be taken down on February 4th. No objections were noted.

    Clerk Catizone noted the newsletter deadline will be February 15th and the newsletter will be sent out the first week of March.

    Clerk Catizone noted the boxing for the troops will take place on January 22, 2013 at the Community Center.

    Clerk Catizone reminded the Council the winners of the Lights of Hickory Hills will be present to collect their prizes at the next meeting on January 24th.

    Clerk Catizone reminded the Council when discussing the water increase to please keep in mind that the increase be divisible by three. Last year the City increased the water rate over three months, with a third of the increase going into effect each month.

    CITY TREASURER

    Treasurer Schramm presented the Treasurer’s Report dated December 31, 2012 for approval. Alderman McHugh moved to approve the Treasurer’s Report dated December 31, 2012. Alderman Ferrero second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

    CITY ATTORNEY

    No report.

    CITY ENGINEER

    Mr. Lang reported he would like to schedule a meeting with the Mayor, 2nd Ward and 4th Ward Aldermen and Mr. Boettcher with regards to the 91st Sidewalk project. Some issues have come up and he would like to have an onsite meeting.

COMMUNICATIONS

BILLS PAYABLE

Alderman Szeszycki moved to approve the bills payable for the first half of January, 2013 in the amount of $446, 785.28. Alderman McAvoy second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

Customary Bills Payable

Alderman Szeszycki moved to approve the customary bills payable for the second half of December 2012 in the amount of $339, 744.40. Alderman Ferrero second. Roll Call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

STANDING COMMITTEES

    Szeszycki/Finance

    Alderman Szeszycki deferred his report to under Unfinished Business.

    Stachnik/Public Safety

    No report submitted.

    Zimmerman/PublicWorks

    88th Avenue Reconstruction
    Public Works Director Boettcher reported street lighting with new poles remains a work in progress, with Com Ed connection still required. Most new street lights could be operational by end of January. Sidewalks are usable with missing walks filled in with stone and stone ramps installed, but a couple of stone walkways remain to be fixed.

    Sanitary Sewer Televising
    Mr. Boettcher reported National Power Rodding (NPR) has televised 94, 000 linear feet or 81% of the sanitary project to date and expects to complete televising by the end of January under good weather conditions. The contractor has discovered a collapsing 12 foot pipe with a large hole directly below the storm box culvert on 99th Street. This will need to be fixed as soon as possible. Mr. Boettcher noted the budgeted funds are available and he will schedule the work to be completed.

    McHugh/Bldg./Facilities

    Alderman McHugh informed the Council that Building Commissioner Moirano is under the weather and Marilyn will be taking the calls. He should return shortly.

    Waight/Law & Ordinances

    Alderman Waight is in receipt of two business certificate applications for 1) Wholistic Therapeutics located at 7667 W. 95th Street. This business offers physical therapy. 2) Sunworld Cleaning located at 8907 W. 95th Street. This is a drop off cleaning service. No objections were noted.

    DeRose/Health & Environmental Control

    No report submitted.

    Ferrero/Community Affairs/Youth Advisory

    Alderman Ferrero thanked those who participated in the Lights of Hickory Hills Contest.

    Alderman Ferrero noted that there was a very large turnout at the Children’s Christmas party.

    McAvoy/Chamber/Business Development

    No report submitted.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

At this time a discussion was held on water rates. Treasurer Schramm and Alderman Szeszycki led the discussion and distributed two handouts with the 2013 proposed water/sewer rate increase summary and the water sewer rate increase options. The City does not have a definite increase from Justice Willow as yet. The options include:

  1. Absorb the full projected water sewer operating cost increase in 2013 through a water rate increase from $5.25 to $5.95 per thousand gallons or a 13% increase (no line increase), and increase sewer line change from $3.30 to $4.00 per month or a 21% line charge increase (no rate increase).
  2. Absorb the full projected water sewer operating cost increase in 2013 through a water line charge increase from $3.00 to $8.70 per month or a 290% increase (no rate increase), and increase sewer rate from $1.00 to $1.15 per 1, 000 gallons or a 15% increase (no line increase).
  3. Absorb the water sewer cost increases in 2013 through a line charge and rate increase for both water and sewer. Water rate increase from $5.25 to $5.90 (12% increase) and a line charge increase from $3.00 to $3.60 per month (20% increase). Sewer line charge increase from $3.30 to $3.50 or a 6% increase, and sewer rate increase from $1.00 to $1.10 per 1, 000 gallons (10% increase).

The projected $270, 000.00 shortfall was discussed. The Council reviewed these three options for discussion purposes only. A decision cannot be made until definite numbers are given to the City by Justice Willow Water Commission.
Treasurer Schramm noted he felt Option 3 is the most logical in his opinion.

Alderman Szeszycki also discussed the way the sewer connection revenues are generated and how each building connection is calculated.. Treasurer Schramm distributed a memo with the proposed sewer connection rates. This will be discussed at the January 24, 2013 Committee Meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

Mayor Howley suggested the January 24th Committee meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. and be devoted solely to the water/sewer rate discussion.

ADJOURNMENT

Alderman Ferrero moved to adjourn the meeting until the next regularly scheduled or specially called meeting. Alderman Waight second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, McAvoy, McHugh, Stachnik, Szeszycki, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

Meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.