Will County Gazette

City of Lockport Committee of the Whole met Sept. 18.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

REGULAR MEETING of the Committee of the Whole of the City of Lockport, Illinois was held on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 in the Board Room, 3rd Floor, of the Central Square Building, 222 E. Ninth Street, Lockport, Illinois. Mayor Steve Streit called the Meeting to order at 8:08 pm.

ROLL CALL

PRESENT: Mayor, Steve Streit

Alderwoman, Renee Saban

Alderwoman, Joann Bartelsen

Alderman, Darren Deskin

Alderwoman, Christine Bergbower

Alderman, JR Gillogly

Alderman, Patrick McDonald

Alderman, Jonathan Pugh

Alderwoman, Susan King

ABSENT: NONE

ALSO PRESENT: City Clerk, Kathleen Gentile

City Administrator, Ben Benson

City Attorney, Sonni Choi Williams

Finance Director, Lisa Heglund

Chief of Police, Richard Harang

Director of Public Works and Engineering, Brian Lovering

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies

PRESS: Cathy Wilker, LCTV

ITEMS RECOMMENDED TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSENT OR ACTION AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING

CA-1. 2025 Annual Schedule of Meetings for Lockport City Council, Committee of the Whole, Planning & Zoning, Board of Police Commissioners, and Heritage & Architecture

City Administrator, Ben Benson, presented the Staff report.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the October 2, 2024 City Council Meeting

CD-1. Text Amendment to Chapter 155 (Sign Code) of the Lockport Code of Ordinances/PZC Case #2024-005

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report. DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the October 2, 2024 City Council Meeting

CD-2. Site Improvement Grant Request for 16716 W. 159th Street, Rocco's Pub, in the Amount of $10,000, to Repave the Existing Gravel Parking Lot, Replace the Fence and Construct a New Trash Enclosure

Director of Community & Economic Development, Lance Thies, presented the Staff report.

Discussion among the Council ensued; questions raised about remaining funds available for grants. The City has a list of requests for grant funding, that will exceed the funding available; Council will need to make decisions before the end of the year.

DIRECTION: Add to the Consent Agenda for the October 2, 2024 City Council Meeting

AT-1. Amendment to Chapter 134 of the City Code to Create Two Classes of Tobacco Licenses and Regulations

City Attorney, Sonni Choi Williams, presented the Staff report. The Amendment to the City Code will create two classes of tobacco licenses. Some current classifications exempt businesses from the tobacco license limitations, like grocery stores, etc. Two smoke shops within Lockport would be exempt from the limitation on ads.

Discussion among the Council ensued. The store within the Coom’s plaza does not currently meet the definition of tobacco shop within the City’s code. Based on the amendment to the code, the store would need to remove all paraphernalia from the storefront, and the store would become 21+ only. January 1, 2025, would be the effective date of the updated Code.

DIRECTION: Add as an Action Item to the Agenda for the October 2, 2024 City Council Meeting

AT-2. Amendment to Chapter 134 of the City Code to Prohibit the Sale of Psychoactive Drug or its Analog

Request to setup a Special Committee and Special Meeting to be held in Council Chamber on September 25, at 5:30.

ADJOURNMENT AND EXECUTIVE SESSION

MOTION BY PUGH, SECONDED BY SABAN TO ADJOURN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING at 7:49 PM AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION CLOSED MEETING UNDER SECTION 2(C)(11) OF THE OMA REGARDING PENDING OR PROBABLE OR IMMINENT. VOICE VOTE ON THE MOTION.

AYES – SABAN, BARTELSEN, BERGBOWER, DESKIN, GILLOGLY, MCDONALD, PUGH, KING

NAY - NONE

ABSENT – NONE

ABSTAIN – NONE

8 AYES, 0 NAY, 0 ABSENT, 0 ABSTAIN – MOTION CARRIED

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