Braidwood City Council met Oct. 11.
Here is the minutes provided by the Council:
Call to Order
Mayor Vehrs called the meeting to order at 7:00pm.
Mayor Vehrs asked before we say the Pledge of Allegiance, let’s have a moment of silence for those of 9/11/2001 who lost their lives, and all first responders. Let’s keep them all in our thoughts and continue to make this a great nation as we show that we can all come together again.
Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Vehrs then led everyone with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call
Elected Officials present: Commissioner Hutton, Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Tessler and Mayor Vehrs were present. Commissioner Hibler was absent.
Appointed officials present: City Attorney Kopman, City Clerk Sue Grygiel, Chief Nick Ficarello and City Administrator Don Labriola were present. City Engineer Todd Gereaux was absent.
Public Comment
Opened and Closed at 7:03pm.
Approval of Minutes
Comm. Smith made a motion to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of August 28, 2018, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Hutton, Smith, Tessler & Mayor Vehrs) 1 Absent (Hibler).
REPORTS BY CITY OFFICIALS
Mayor
The Mayor asked everyone to keep September 22nd open for Family Day at the city park from 1-3pm.
The Mayor then asked to entertain motions on the Re-Appointments of James Canup and Charlie Hart to the Zoning Board.
Mayor Vehrs made a motion to Re-Appoint James Canup to the Zoning Board, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Mayor Vehrs, Commissioners Hutton, Smith and Tessler)
1 Absent (Hibler).
Mayor Vehrs made a motion to Re-Appoint Charlie Hart to the Zoning Board, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Mayor Vehrs, Commissioners Hutton, Smith and Tessler)
1 Absent (Hibler).
Administrator
Nothing to Report.
City Clerk
The clerk addressed her Agenda item, a request from parents of RC Junior Comets Football & Cheerleaders to hold a Tag Day on Saturday Sept. 15th from 9am-12pm.
Comm. Tessler made a motion to approve the RC Junior Comets Football & Cheerleaders to hold a Tag Day on Saturday Sept. 15th, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Tessler, Hutton, Smith & Mayor Vehrs) 1 Absent (Hibler).
Engineer
Absent.
City Attorney
Nothing to Report.
REPORTS BY CITY COMMISSIONERS
Accounts & Finances
Comm. Hibler was absent at this meeting. Comm. Smith brought up the Payment of Bills in her absence.
Comm. Smith made a motion to pay the total bills due on our Check Register in the amount of $117,535.71, seconded by Comm. Tessler. Motion approved with 4 ayes, 0 nays (Smith, Hutton, Tessler & Mayor Vehrs) 1 Absent (Hibler).
Comm. Tessler addressed the Payroll Expenses.
Comm. Tessler made a motion to approve the Payroll Expenses in the amount of $136,065.80, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Hutton, Tessler & Mayor Vehrs) 1 Absent (Hibler).
Streets & Public Improvements
Comm. Smith said his department is getting things moving. The commissioner let everyone know that he will be out of town for a few days and has all their work lined up. He said he’s having a hard time getting that road on West Cermak fixed, where the lady caught the culvert pipe on fire from burning leaves. The commissioner said he’s trying to get Bohac to do the work because it will have to be done in (2) large sections of pipe and feels if he doesn’t have help with this that it won’t get done quickly. The street department workers and John Bohac would be able to get this done and ready for blacktop before the winter. The city has the money from the homeowner’s insurance to repair this section of the road.
Public Property
Comm. Hutton also brought up the road repair on West Cermak that Comm. Smith was talking about and we’re going to need all the city workers when it comes time. Comm. Hutton said he has a water & sewer line that crosses North School St. that we’re again going to need all the city workers we can, but we still have a month and a half to get them done. Comm. Smith said he doesn’t want to wait too long like we’ve done in the past and not complete the project before winter.
Comm. Hutton said this morning we had the Fire Alarm people here and checked this entire building and found everything working ok. He said the phone had a glitch of some kind and it kept calling the Fire Department for alarms then call them back a minute later giving an all clear. So they reset the phones here and those down at the plant also.
Next the Commissioner addressed the Bid for the Walker St. water main project. Bid Letting was yesterday and will address this at our next meeting.
Comm. Hutton gave the Plant Crews Report then gave the Outside Crews Report.
Public Health & Safety
Comm. Tessler gave the numbers report provided by the Chief from 8/28/18-9/11/18. Their total calls for service were 210.
Comm. Tessler addressed his Agenda item, Resolution 18-19, Authorizing an Agreement Between the City of Braidwood Police Department and Family Guidance Centers, LLC.
Comm. Tessler made a motion to approve Resolution 18-19, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Comm. Tessler explained that this LLC is going to be partnering with Braidwood Police Department to help us with the CHANGE Program. They have a fully staffed company and have a lot of resources that will help achieve this Program. A reminder that the CHANGE Program is to help people in need that come to us with Drug Addiction or Substance Abuse of any kind. Thru this program we try to get them help and this company will help basically place them in a home or get them help. He said they do help the Chief a lot and now working on getting the entire Police Department pretty well trained in this and right now we have just a few Officers. Hopefully this Partnership will help expedite that. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Tessler, Hutton, Smith & Mayor Vehrs) 1 Absent (Hibler).
Planning & Zoning
Zoning Chair Michelle Serena approached the city council with the Zoning Boards recommendation on their review of Ordinance 18-16. She said that pretty much everyone was ok with it, especially that couldn’t transfer from one owner to the next. Member Duran wanted to Table it so as to see what other towns were doing. Michelle advised that it was already on the City Council Agenda and no motion was made to Table. The Zoning Board passed a motion to recommend the new language in Ordinance 18-16. The Mayor then advised that everyone look at item (e) which reads, Transfer from its current owner as of the effective date of adoption or amendment of this ordinance to another owner. Atty. Kopman said they cleaned up the language and came to light after being approached by a homeowner regarding the non-conforming use they had and the transfer was not in the current ordinance. So by amending this ordinance it brings Braidwood up to what other towns are typically doing. If you have a non-conforming use then it could go on forever and that’s why it was brought to the Zoning Board. With this item (e) it cannot be transferred. There was some confusion with some council members. Comm. Hutton has same feeling as Zoning Board Member Duran, that we should Table this to another meeting to get more information. He also said the Zoning Board recommended but we should still take our time. Comm. Smith also felt the same way with getting more information. Atty. Kopman then asked what information is it that you want and who’s going to get it? Comm. Hutton said he’d like to see the previous ordinance before the change, asking where’s the old one? Atty. Kopman said he could pull it up on his phone and Zoning Chair Serena said she had a copy of the previous ordinance if he’d like to look at it, but Comm. Hutton said it’s too late tonight. Michelle also said it’s in the Zoning Book and Comm. Hutton replied I don’t have a Zoning Book. Atty. Kopman offered explanation. So if a new zoning provision is put through by the city council and that would make some use in the city no longer in compliance with the new ordinance. You don’t stop that person from being able to use the property because they’ve had it and used it for years legally. Now the ordinance is changed now saying that’s illegal. What that means going forward of somebody else wants to do a use with a similar type of property they’d be prohibited from doing that because that’s what the ordinance now said. But the old use would continue until one of these conditions is met under 23-8 part (2), if they work to expand or to extend it. If they discontinue the use for a year and try to do it again they wouldn’t be able to do it. It’s a non-conforming use that protects people who have uses in place but you have to bring those to an end at a certain point in time otherwise you wouldn’t have brought the new ordinance forth. If their property is destroyed by a tornado they cannot restore the prior use. So what this new ordinance says if you have a non-conforming use on your property and you sell it to someone that non-conforming use stops with the new owner. Comm. Hutton questioned item (d) and said that’s the one we don’t want to get in the book and the attorney advised that (d) is already in there, this ordinance adds only item (e) and addresses nothing above that.
Comm. Tessler made a motion to adopt Ordinance 18-16 Amending Chapt. 23, Sect. 23-8 Non-Conforming Uses & Buildings adding item (e) Transfer from its current Owner as of the effective date of adoption or Amendment of this Ordinance to another Owner, seconded by Comm. Hutton. Motion approved 4 ayes, 0 nays (Tessler, Hutton, Smith & Mayor Vehrs) 1 Absent (Hibler).
Closed Session
No request made for Closed Session.
Old Business
Nothing to Report.
New Business
Comm. Smith has someone who wants to donate to the city one of the most beautiful Blue Spruce Christmas tree that’s about 12 ft. high. The person want to cut it down must be blocking some view or something and would like it donated in their name. He said he would have his men cut it down and put it up across from city hall for the tree lighting. Comm. Smith said you cannot buy one that looks as good as this one! Mayor Vehrs said that would be fine with him.
Comm. Hutton said he spoke with Comm. Tessler earlier. He said he got a phone call last night about one of our Police Officers having 20 yrs. with the Dept. which he feels should be recognized. He said he did it for Aubrey Glisson for 30 yrs. and Michelle Soucie will have 20 yrs. in tomorrow and thought it was something that should be recognized in his opinion.
Adjournment
http://braidwood.us/government/
Alerts Sign-up