March 11, 2021 City Council Meeting Minutes

March 11, 2021 City Council Meeting Minutes

CALL TO ORDER

The regular meeting of the Hickory Hills City Council was called to order by Mayor Mike Howley on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 7:34 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mayor Howley lead the pledge of allegiance.

ROLL CALL

Upon roll call, the following were present:

  • Mayor, M. Howley
    Aldermen, D. Ferrero
    B. Fonte
    H. Kman
    M. McHugh
    P. Purtill
    J. Stachnik
    B. Waight
    S. Zimmerman
  • City Clerk, D. Catizone
  • City Attorney, V. Cainkar
  • City Engineer, M. Spolar
  • City Treasurer, A. Vodicka
  • Police Chief, C. Hobart
  • Public Works Director, S. Lehr
  • Building Commissioner, J. Moirano

There being a quorum present the meeting was called to order.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Alderman Waight moved to open the meeting to the public. Alderman Stachnik second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, Fonte, Kman, McHugh, Stachnik, Purtill, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

Mr. Tom Seminara
7824 W. 89th Pl. Apt. 2W
Hickory Hills

Mr. Seminara questioned if the City was looking into obtaining COVID vaccines for seniors. Mayor Howley noted the City has approached a pharmacy to request vaccines and also to give permission to use the Community Center as a vaccine site. No word as of today.

Mr. Seminara also questioned as to why the baseball/softball fields at Martin Park are seldom used. Mayor Howley referred this question to the Park District.

CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC

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

JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS

Alderman Fonte moved to approve the minutes of the regularly scheduled meeting of February 25, 2021 as printed subject to deletions or corrections. Alderman Waight second. Roll call: Aldermen Fonte, McHugh, Kman, Purtill, Stachnik, Waight, Zimmerman aye. Alderman Ferrero pass. So approved.

REPORTS OF CITY OFFICIALS

MAYOR

Mayor Howley gave an overview of the Hills Chamber Banner Program.

Building Commissioner Moirano gave an update on Ricky Rocket Fuel Center on 95th Street. They are open but still need to finish landscaping.

CITY CLERK

Clerk Catizone noted the deadline for newsletter articles is Friday, March 12th.

CITY TREASURER

Treasurer Vodicka reported the budget worksheets have been sent to the department heads.

CITY ATTORNEY

No report submitted.

CITY ENGINEER

Mayor Howley opened the Public Hearing for the purpose of discussion on the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program:

City Engineer Mike Spolar gave a background overview:

Water pollution degrades surface waters making them unsafe for drinking, fishing, swimming, and other activities. As authorized by the Clean Water Act, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls water pollution by regulating sewers and ditches and the areas tributary into these sewers and ditches that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States and detention basins
In 2003, the Illinois EPA (IEPA) required all Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4’s) to file a Notice of Intent (NOI) to describe how they were going to comply with the statewide general permit conditions. Each MS4 community was required to obtain an NOI and have a fully implemented program, addressing each of the six minimum controls (as identified by the EPA). The NOI was last updated by the City in 2013 and expires on February 28, 2021. The City is currently working on an update to the NOI and has 150 days to submit it to the IEPA.
In the past years, Mr. Spolar has described how the City met the six minimum control measures, but that information is now available on the City’s website.
Instead, he just highlighted some key items that occurred in this past reporting period.

1) Information is available on City’s website related to Flood Risks, Clean Water beginning at your home, Auto Maintenance, Hazardous Leaks and Spills, and the Refuse, Recycling and Yard Waste program.
2) Additionally, the NPDES Annual Report and the Current NOI are also available under the Public Works City s page.
3) The Waste Management At Your Door Program that provides a responsible method to dispose of numerous unwanted items, including paint, motor oil, electronics, batteries and unused garden chemicals.
Examples of the City’s 6 Minimum Control Measures from the NOI are as follows:
1) Public Education and Outreach is done with newsletter articles and information on City Website
2) Public Participation/Involvement is performed at the annual Public Hearing for NPDES
3) Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination is accomplished with the updates to the City’s storm sewer atlases.
4) Construction Site Runoff Control is performed by having standards for silts fences and erosion control devices for construction projects
5) Post-Construction Runoff Control is handled thru City Ordinances
6) Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping is completed with training of City staff, street sweeping, and recycling of used materials.
There was no public comment at this time. Mayor Howley
closed the Public Hearing.

Mr. Spolar reported a bid opening for the 2021 Miscellaneous Resurfacing Program was held on March 8, 2021. The following bids were submitted.

Lindahl Brothers, Inc. $385,511.97
Gallagher Asphalt Corp. $417,836.22
D Construction, Inc. $433,241.42

The Engineer’s Estimate of cost for this project was $460,503.00.

Therefore, Mr. Spolar recommends awarding the contract to Lindahl Brothers, Inc. for the bid amount of Three Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Five Hundred Eleven Dollars and Ninety-Seven Cents ($385,511.97). Alderman Waight moved to award the contract to Lindahl Brothers, Inc. in the amount of $385,511.97. Alderman McHugh second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, Fonte, Kman, McHugh, Purtill, Stachnik, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

COMMUNICATIONS

BILLS PAYABLE

Alderman Kman moved to approve the bills payable for the first half of March 2021 in the amount of $470,850.30. Alderman Fonte second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, Fonte, Kman, McHugh, Purtill, Stachnik, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Kman/Finance

No report submitted.

Stachnik/Public Safety

Chief Hobart announced that Radio Operator Susan Howard has requested a retirement date of March 31, 2021. He is seeking Council approval to hire a replacement full-time radio operator to start on April 1st to maintain the operation in its current setup. Alderman McHugh moved to approve the hiring of a full-time radio operator as of April 1, 2021. Alderman Ferrero second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, Fonte, Kman, McHugh, Purtill, Stachnik, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

Zimmerman/Public Works

No report submitted.

McHugh/Bldg./Facilities

Alderman McHugh reported all is running smoothly at Parkview Apartments.

Purtill/Laws & Ordinances

No report submitted.

Fonte/Health & Environmental Control

No report submitted.

Ferrero/Community Affairs/Youth Advisory

Alderman Ferrero reported the Community Affairs Committee is working on a food drive event in place of our Arbor Day Tree Sale. This food drive would be held on Saturday, May 1st from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at City Hall. More details to follow.

Waight/Chamber Business Development

No report submitted.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

None.

NEW BUSINESS

Alderman Purtill asked if the City would reconsider the Street Fair for a later date. No decision was made at this time.

ADJOURNMENT

Alderman Ferrero moved to adjourn this meeting until the next scheduled or specially called meeting.
Alderman Waight second. Roll call: Aldermen Ferrero, Fonte, Kman, McHugh, Purtill, Stachnik, Waight, Zimmerman aye. So approved.

Meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.