CITY COUNCIL MEETING
DECEMBER 1, 2008
7:00 P.M.
MAYOR GREEN: I’d
like to call the meeting to order, please.
I’d like to ask Father John Peeters from St. Pat’s Catholic Church to
come up and open our meeting with a prayer.
REV. PEETERS: Almighty
and eternal God, You have revealed Your glory to all the nations. God of power and might, of wisdom and
justice, through You authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted and
judgement is decreed. Let the light of
your wisdom direct the deliberations of Mayor Donald Green and the members of
the Kankakee City Council and shine forth in all of the proceedings and laws
and ordinances framed for our rule and government. May they seek to preserve peace, to promote
civic happiness and to continue to bring to all of us the blessings of liberty
and equality. We likewise commend to
Your unbounded mercy all the citizens of the City of Kankakee that we may be
blessed in the observance of Your holy thought.
May we be preserved in that peace which the world cannot give. And, after enjoying the blessings of this
life, may we be admitted to those to that are eternal. We pray to You who are our God and our Lord,
for ever and ever. Amen.
MAYOR GREEN: Now,
I’d like to ask the students from the Aquinas Academy to come up and lead us in
the Pledge.
ADRIENNE ANDERSON, JULIA
BOLLWITT, ALAINA
BOUDREAU, JESSICA BUENROSTRO,
MADISON
HARMON, NICHOLAS KING,
KYLEIGH PAYNE,
GABBY SWINFORD, DONTE WINSLOW AND ALL: Pledge of Allelgiance
MAYOR GREEN: Thank
you. Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
PRESENT: Brown;
Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn; Linneman;
Jones;
Schwade; Cox (12)
ABSENT: Diersen;
Coleman (2)
MAYOR GREEN: Thank
you. Department Heads.
CLERK DUMAS:
PRESENT: Kinkade; Young; Doyle; Bohlen; Power; Leshen;
Simms; Shaw; Nolan; Fuerst (10)
ABSENT: Spice; Tyson; Gordon (3)
MAYOR GREEN: Thank
you. You have the minutes of the
November 17, 2008, meeting. Is there a
motion to approve?
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Mayor
Green, after careful review of the minutes and checking with my colleagues,
move they be approved as recorded.
ALDERMAN HEARN: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Hunter, seconded by Alderman Hearn to approve the minutes of the
November 17, 2008, meeting. All in
favor, AYE. Opposed, same sign.
MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 17, 2008, CITY
COUNCIL MEETING
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. The Chair has no
Petitions. Are there any from the
Floor? Hearing none,
Communications. We’ve got two. We have a thank you from the Rotary Club of
Kankakee and a letter from Comcast regarding their channel line up. Ah, Cindy Fuerst has asked if she can speak
to the City Council. And, Cindy, if you
want to come forward, please do. This is
her last meeting with us. She’s jumping
ship as you well know and moving up north.
So........Cindy, we’re glad to have you here and we’re going to miss you
a lot.
CINDY FUERST: Thank
you and I just wanted to thank all of you for the opportunity to be the
Director of the Library for the past 13+
years. I feel like I was very
fortunate to have an opportunity to work with all of you and to have your trust
to establish a new library and to kind of bring in a new era of information
services and help to revitalize downtown and I’m........I really just played a
small role in that. It really was all
the people in this room that made that happen.
And, I wanted to also introduce our Assistant Director who now has the
title of Acting Director of the Library and that’s Steve Bertrand. And, he’s right here. Steve will.......the Library Board is going
to be doing a search for the new Director position, but at the last Library
Board meeting, they did appoint Steve to be Acting Director. So, thank you very much for all of your
kindness and trust these last years.
And, I’m not going to be far. I’m
doing the commute for at least six months to a year–at least. So, I’ll be around. Thank you.
MAYOR GREEN: All
right. Thank you. Thanks, Cindy. And, thanks for all of your service and your
leadership. We appreciate it. Standing Committees. Public Works.
ALDERMAN BROWN: Information
contained in the packets.
MAYOR GREEN: Planning
and Code.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN: Information
is in the packet.
MAYOR GREEN: Report
of Officers.
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS: I
move to approve the Report of Officers, place the monies into their proper
accounts and pay the bills in the amount of $1,771,862.82.
ALDERMAN CIACCIO: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Williams, seconded by Alderman Ciaccio to accept the Report of
Officers, place the money in the proper accounts, pay the bills in the amount
of $1,771,862.82. Any questions on any
individual bills? Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
AYE: Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams;
Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn; Linneman; Schwade; Cox (11)
ABSTAIN: Jones
(1)
ABSENT: Diersen; Coleman (2)
REPORTS OF OFFICERS APPROVAL OF BILLS $1,771,862.82
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. There is no Unfinished Business
and we’ll move into New Business. We
have an Ordinance for Lateral Entry into the Fire Department. These are Ordinances that we must renew
annually and there is also a Lateral Entry Ordinance into the Police
Department. You can deal with them
separately or as one.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Mayor
Green, with the Council’s indulgence, we do these Ordinances at this time every
year and I’d like to do them en masse, jointly. I’d move to Suspend the Rules that would
interfere with consideration and passage of these Ordinances at this time.
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Hunter, seconded by Alderman Williams, to Suspend the Rules that
would interfere with the passage of the Lateral Entry Ordinance into the Fire
Department and the Police Department.
Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
AYE: Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams;
Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)
ABSENT: Diersen; Coleman (2)
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. Is there a motion to put these
Ordinances on their Final Passage and Pass?
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Mayor
Green, I move these Ordinance be placed on their Final Passage and Pass.
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Hunter, seconded by Alderman Williams that these two Ordinances be
placed on their Final Passage and Pass.
Questions? Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
AYE: Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams;
Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)
ABSENT: Diersen; Coleman (2)
ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14 ENTITLED “LATERAL ENTRY
FIREFIGHTERS FOR FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION” OF
THE
MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS
ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 27 ENTITLED “LATERAL ENTRY
POLICE
OFFICERS” OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF
KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. Next, is the MFT Street
Maintenance Program for rock salt and hot patch mix for the winter, plus the
rental of equipment. Is there a motion
to accept?
ALDERMAN BROWN: Motion
to accept.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Second. Second that, Your Honor.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Brown, seconded by Alderman Hunter that we accept the MFT Street
Maintenance Program for Group 1, 2 and 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. Any questions? Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
AYE: Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams;
Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)
ABSENT: Diersen; Coleman (2)
CITY OF KANKAKEE 2009 MFT STREET MAINTENANCE PROGRAM,
SECTION 09-00000-00-GM, GROUP 1, GROUP 2, GROUP 3,
GROUP 4,
GROUP 6, GROUP 7 AND GROUP 8
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. Next, you have an
Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Kankakee and the Village of
Bourbonnais for the use of our scales.
Is there a motion to accept this Intergovernmental Agreement?
ALDERMAN HEARN: I’d
so move.
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Hearn, seconded by Alderman Williams. Questions?
Alderman Esptein.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN: How
much are they paying for this?
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: The
reason for this is because.......it’s at their request. They have seen the effectiveness of using the
scales to reduce truck traffic. The idea
was that they will use it just on an intermittent basis a few times hoping to
see what the effect is. They’ll be
paying the total actual cost.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN: Pardon
me, I didn’t hear.
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: They’ll
be paying the total actual cost including cost for the scales. The
actual amount is not........quite honestly it depends on whether
somebody........whether one of our officers who’s certified is working over-time
or not. They’ll pay his full cost. They also will appoint him to be able to
write tickets and then they’ll reimburse us for the cost..... for some amount
of the cost of the use of the scales.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN: Will
it be determined on the cost of how many tickets they write? Or......
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: No. No, it’ll be a flat amount.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN: And,
so that’s to be determined.
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Yes.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Let
me pose a question to you. They’re going
to pay for personnel services and the
rental of the use of the scales. Will
they, in addition to that, pay the Police Department for any other services
that we may be losing as a consequence of that?
In other words, if a guy is operating the scales and he sees a crime in
progress, he’s going to leave those scales and he’s going to go arrest the bad
guy. Is there any provision in there in
which because...............
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: No.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: We
won’t have our personnel indistinguishable
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: No.
There will be a Bourbonnais Police
Officer with them at all times who will actually write the ticket. Our people, our personnel will act as expert
witnesses if and when the ticket goes to court.
Because we didn’t want to tie up our personnel–I’m not answering your
question directly, but I’ll get to it eventually. Give me.......give me about a half a
minute. We didn’t want to tie up our
officers for the routine going to court to seeing if the case was going to go
to trial. These will all be done by adjudication,
not done by–not taken to the Circuit Court.
So, in answer to your question, no, we don’t–quite frankly I didn’t
think about it. I don’t anticipate that
they’re going to be chasing down a lot of bank robbers during the course of
running the scales. I hope not anyway.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Let
me pose a question to you. Now,
Bourbonnais is not part of our.........do they dispatch out of KanKom for
Bourbonnais?
MAYOR GREEN: No. They’re our backup.
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Yeah.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Oh. So, but they find it important to utilize our
scale. But not to be a part of the
KanKom system, per se.
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Well,
I think this is a two-way street. There’s
a benefit derived.......to be derived by diverting trucks off of Route 45 and
Route 50 whether we divert them at Bourbonnais or whether we divert them at the
City Limits in Kankakee, that’s the benefit to be derived. And, ah, the assistance given to Bourbonnais
to help them reduce truck traffic will have at least a..............some effect
on reducing truck traffic in Kankakee.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Did
Beard interface with Kinkade or you or the Mayor?
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: This
came from Chief Beard and Chief Kinkade.
We’ve met.......I’ve met again with, ah, Sgt. Miller who’s the head of
our traffic unit. We all have some
concerns and this is going to have to be tinkered with once we start it to see
if it’s working effectively or not.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: That’s
why you probably have questions here tonight.
I’m sure other people, you know, seated around these tables have
concerns as well, too.
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Well,
I think the concerns are valid. I have
concerns also. But, I think we’ve got
to...........if we’re going to do the cooperative effort, then we have to see
how it works. And, if it doesn’t work,
then we’re going to have to change it.
It’s that simple. Neither party
is bound for a long-term on this agreement.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: We’re
going to have a brother working in Bourbonnais which is–they have a homogenous
department out there don’t they?
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Well,
if Sgt. Miller is working, there will be a diverse, diverse appearance, to the
enforcement.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Protect
Sgt. Miller.
ATTORNEY BOHLEN: And,
we’ve assured him he will be protected.
ALDERMAN HEARN: I
am just glad to see that we have two departments trying to come together,
trying to do something for the communities.
And, they’re working
together. And, I think we need more and
more of that and hopefully some day, ah, maybe people won’t believe this, but
hopefully some day there’ll be one Fire Department, one indistinguishable
for the whole metropolitan area. But,
that’s a long ways down the road. So,
don’t everybody get excited.
MAYOR GREEN: Well,
we get a little closer all the time.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Maybe
you’re right. ‘Cause I know Manteno has
a diversified, ah, Police Department, Bradley has a diversified Police
Department. Maybe Bourbonnais will see
that if, indeed, maybe we can have an African-American President, most
assuredly they can have an African-American patrolman. So, maybe this is just, ah, a trial, in terms
of hoping that they diversify their Police Department.
MAYOR GREEN: Any
other questions? We’ve had a motion and
a second. Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
AYE: Brown; Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams;
Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)
ABSENT: Diersen; Coleman (2)
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR THE PROVISION OF A
JOINT USE OF A PORTABLE ROADWAY SCALE AND POLICE
SERVICES
IN RELATION THERETO BY AND BETWEEN THE VILLAGE OF
BOURBONNAIS AND THE CITY OF KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. Next, I’m asking for your
appointment of Bruce Payne to the Kankakee Valley Airport Authority Board to
take over the unexpired term of George Hawker.
I need a motion to approve the appointment.
ALDERMAN BARON: I’d
so move.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN: I’ll
second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Baron, seconded by Alderman Epstein. Roll call.
CLERK DUMAS:
AYE: Brown;
Hunter; Epstein; Baron; Williams; Ciaccio; Swanson; Hearn (Ah, I’m glad you
all that don’t have the airport in your territory made the motion to approve.
ALDERMAN BARON:
Oh, I..........
ALDERMAN HEARN:
But, that’s okay.
ALDERMAN
BARON: I will withdraw my motion.
MAYOR GREEN: Yeah,
but he lives in Baron’s ward.
ALDERMAN BARON:
I respectfully withdraw my motion.
ALDERMAN HEARN: No, we’ll leave it stand like it is,
but I just wanted you to know where the airport was. But, I will go ahead and say aye.
ALDERMAN EPSTEIN:
He lives in our Ward.);
Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Cox (12)
ABSENT:
Diersen; Coleman (2)
MOTION TO APPOINT BRUCE PAYNE TO REPLACE GEORGE HAWKER
ON THE KANKAKEE VALLEY AIRPORT AUTHORITY BOARD
MAYOR GREEN: Alderman
Hearn, you’ve got the biggest ward in town.
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS: You’ve
got all the toys.
ALDERMAN HEARN: indistinguishable
know that goin’ in.
MAYOR GREEN: Next,
Motions and Resolutions. We’ve got two
Resolutions establishing the City Council dates for 2009 and also establishing
the holidays observed by the City in 2009.
We need a motion to approve.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Mayor
Green, motion to approve..........oh, did somebody else have their hand up?
UNKNOWN: The
largest ward.
ALDERMAN HUNTER: Oh,
the 4th Ward. I’ll yield to
the largest ward in the City.
ALDERMAN HEARN: Go
right ahead.
ALDERMAN HUNTER:
Thank you. Motion to approve items A........12A and B.
MAYOR GREEN: Is
there a second?
ALDERMAN HEARN: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Hunter, seconded by Alderman Hearn to approve 12A and B, the two
Resolutions. All in favor, AYE. Opposed, same sign.
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING CITY COUNCIL DATES FOR THE
YEAR 2009
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING HOLIDAYS TO BE OBSERVED BY THE
OFFICES
OF THE CITY OF KANKAKEE DURING THE YEAR 2009
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries. And, last, is a Proclamation
recognizing Saturday, November 22, (2008,) as Kankakee High School
Football Team Day. I did that before
they went to the playoffs and I’m asking for your approval at this time.
ALDERMAN SCHWADE: So
moved.
ALDERMAN JONES:
Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Schwade, seconded by Alderman Jones. All in favor, AYE. Opposed, same sign.
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2008
AS
“KANKAKEE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM DAY”
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
carries.
ALDERMAN BROWN: Mayor.
MAYOR GREEN: Yes,
Alderman Brown.
ALDERMAN BROWN: Is
there going to be an occasion where we going to invite them to the City?
MAYOR GREEN: I
would think we should. And, maybe the
next meeting would be the ideal time to do it.
ALDERMAN BROWN: Okay.
MAYOR GREEN: Nice
bunch of young men, really. And, they
did a heck of a job. Came real close to
getting there. Any comments from the
Aldermen? Questions? Hearing none, we don’t need an Executive
Session and I’ll entertain a motion to adjourn.
ALDERMAN HEARN: So
moved.
ALDERMAN WILLIAMS: Second.
MAYOR GREEN: Motion
by Alderman Hearn, seconded by Alderman Williams. We stand adjourned.
MOTION TO ADJOURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING
7:18 P.M.