CITY OF KANKAKEE

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MARCH 1, 2010 7:00P.M.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: I’d like to call the meeting to order and I would ask that Rev. Ed Kannapel come forward and lead us in prayer, please.

REV. KANNAPEL: Heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus. We thank You for Your holy spirit. Thanks for all Your blessings. We pray, Lord, the men and women here, confess their sins to God. Repent of their sins and turn from them. Receive Jesus for their savior and read their New Testament. That’s where it says we pray Lord, you are always in their minds when they make decisions for the City Council, for the people they represent so do it properly and in order. For Your glory, honor and praise. Amen.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Now, I would like to ask the children from Edison Primary School to come forward and lead us in the Pledge. Come right up here.

LAVENDAR ASHFORD, INDIGO CHILDS, COURTNEY

COLEMAN, JOHN DUNLAP, AYANNA HODGES, JOHN

MAASS, STEFAN SAMPSON, TAELIVIA TAYLOR, ROCIO

TECALERO, VINCENT WILLIAMS, AND AALIYAH WILSON

FROM EDISON PRIMARY SCHOOL AND ALL: Pledge of Allegiance.

ATTORNEY BOHLEN: Turn around and the Chief’s going to take your picture.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you to the children from Edison and moving onto the Agenda, I would like a motion to approve the minutes........oh, I’m sorry. Roll call.

CLERK DUMAS:

PRESENT: Brown; Hunter; Browne, R.; Baron; Ciaccio; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Davidson; Cox (13)

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Department Heads.

CLERK DUMAS:

PRESENT: Kinkade; Young; Doyle; Spice; Bohlen; Power; Simms; Tyson; Banasiak; Bertrand; Yohnka (11)

ABSENT: Rodriguez; Gordon (2)

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Now, I would like a motion to approve the minutes from the February 16, 2010, meeting.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Mayor Epstein, I move that we approve the minutes of the February 16, 2010, meeting.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion made by Alderman Hunter. Do I have a second?

ALDERMAN OSENGA: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Second by Alderman Osenga. Any questions, corrections? Hearing none, all those in favor, aye. Opposed same sign.

MOTION TO APPROVE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16, 2010

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Motion carries. I have no Petitions. Are there any Petitions from the Floor? Communications. A, B, and C are information items only. Item D is a change of date. We had previously approved this bicycle club request for September and they are changing their request to August 8. Do I have a motion to approve?

ALDERMAN LINNEMAN: So moved.

ALDERMAN SCHWADE: I second it.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion made by Alderman Linneman and seconded by Alderman Schwade.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Is that the gentlewomen from the 2^nd Ward who seconded it?

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Yes, it is. She’s still gentle. All those in favor, aye. Opposed, same sign.

MARK STEFFEN AND THE KANKAKEE RIVER BIKE CLUB ARE REQUESTING

A REVISED DATE OF SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 2010, FROM 6:30 A.M. UNTIL

4:00 P.M. FOR THEIR ORGANIZED BIKE RIDE EVENT

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Thank you. Standing Committees. Public Works, Alderman Brown.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Information is in the package.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Planning and Code. Alderman Swanson.

ALDERMAN SWANSON: Information is in the packet.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Report of Officers. Do I have a motion to approve the bills?

ALDERMAN FAFORD: I make a motion to approve the Report of Officers, place the money in the proper accounts and pay the bills in the amount of $1,292,633.55. Applause Thank you. Thank you. Well written.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Well done, Alderman Faford. I have a motion by Alderman Faford. Do I have a second?

ALDERMAN CIACCIO: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Ciaccio. Are there any questions on the bills? Roll call, please.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Brown; Hunter; Browne, R.; Baron; Ciaccio; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; Linneman; Schwade; Davidson; Cox (12)

PASS: Jones (1)

REPORTS OF OFFICERS APPROVAL OF BILLS - $1,292,633.55

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Under New Business, we have a recommendation to award the contract in the amount of $191,516.72 to Gallagher Asphalt for Brookmont Boulevard. Mr. Tyson would be happy to answer any questions. The good news is, the award came in considerably less than we had anticipated. Dave, would you like to speak to the contract?

DAVID TYSON: Sure. This was money that we got for emergency road repair program. Brookmont Boulevard was our designated street. We went out for bids on it. Originally, the estimated cost was $281,000. This bid came in at $191,500. The next low bid was $50,000 higher than this. This is actually going to save the City money because now the engineering costs that were going to be paid for out of Capital will be able to be paid for out of emergency road repair money at no cost to the City.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Thank you. Any questions for Mr. Tyson?

ALDERMAN HUNTER: I would move to, ah, accept the low bid....bidder........of Gallagher Asphalt in the amount that was indicated at $191,516.72. And, yes I did recognize the, ah, this particular company and I was hoping that Mr. Gordon would be here, ask him some questions if, indeed, they had filled out their certifications to do work in the City of Kankakee. I assume they’ve done so. Do you know, Dave?

DAVID TYSON: I could find out for you tomorrow, but it was part of the bid package and they know before we sign the final contract with them that that has......those papers have to be on file with the City.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: My motion stands.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion made by Alderman Hunter. Do I have a second?

ALDERMAN OSENGA: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Osenga. Any other questions? Alderman Baron.

ALDERMAN BARON: Yes. Dave this is for, what, resurfacing of Brookmont Boulevard from Schuyler to 50?

DAVID TYSON: Schuyler to Route 50.

ALDERMAN BARON: Okay. And, this is from federal funds?

DAVID TYSON: It came from federal funds, but it was state allocated money for emergency road repair. What it’s going to consist of is milling, putting actually cold pack indistinguishable mill the road down indistinguishable Brookmont Boulevard was originally constructed, I believe, in 1973. So, we’ve gotten a good life out of it, indistinguishable and the indistinguishable.

ALDERMAN BARON: indistinguishable I was just going to say, and support our request for funding of some sort from the federal government for the Brookmont Boulevard underpass.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Hear. Hear.

ALDERMAN BARON: It’s a fair amount of money that’s being put into that.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: We’ve repaired the road on both sides of that underpass. Now we just need the money for the underpass.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Just wondering where the railroad is over on Brookmont. I wish we could do the same thing over on Court Street at the bus stop there along by Walgreens–the railroad tracks there. It’s kind of bumpy over there. Yeah, and I agree with Alderman Brown that it’s getting worse. So, hopefully, whenever it’s time to do the Court Street tracks, that it’s done in the same style, same quality as you’ve done over on Brookmont.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Any other questions? Roll call please.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Brown; Hunter; Browne, R.; Baron; Ciaccio; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Davidson; Cox (13)

RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD THE CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $191,516.72 TO GALLAGHER ASPHALT CORPORATION FOR THE BROOKMONT BOULEVARD FROM SCHUYLER AVENUE TO ILLINOIS ROUTE 50 EMERGENCY ROAD REPAIR PROGRAM, SECTION 10-00000-01-GM, TEI JOB NO. E09089

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. There are no Appointments this evening. Moving onto Motions and Resolutions. You have included in your packet a Resolution appointing Anjanita Dumas, our City Clerk, as Deputy Freedom of Information Officer and, as well, the Open Meetings Act Officer. Do I have a motion to approve?

ALDERMAN JONES: Motion to approve.

ALDERMAN SWANSON: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Seconded by Alderman Swanson. Any questions? All those in favor, aye. Opposed, same sign.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Alderman Brown.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Just a quick comment. I’m trying to schedule a workshop, so to speak, for those people that present this, ah, Freedom of Information in seminars here in Kankakee and I was wondering if the City is interested in joining with me and partner with me in order to do that? I have several departments in Kankakee County and Iroquois County who need the information. And, the people that does for the Municipal League has a packet that I’m interested in purchasing it for Iroquois County in particular. So, I’m wondering if the City would be interested in to partnership with me and trying to bring people down here to explain this Freedom of Information Act because it is a new act. The time is.....the times change and there might be some more things change. And, one of the things that changed is the officer–the Freedom of Information Deputy Officer. And, I don’t know how that works and outside of the Clerk’s office, but I just thought I would ask.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: I’d be happy to talk to you about that when we speak on Friday.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Okay.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Okay.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Could we do a roll call of the appointment?

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Sure. Would you like that? It’s a Resolution actually. Would you like a roll call?

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Yeah. It calls for an appointment. Yeah, I’d like to.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Anjanita.

CLERK DUMAS:

AYE: Brown; Hunter; Browne, R. (Maybe–yes, yes.); Baron; Ciaccio; Faford; Swanson; Osenga; Linneman; Jones; Schwade; Davidson; Cox (13)

RESOLUTION APPOINTING ANJANITA DUMAS DEPUTY FREEDOM OF

INFORMATION OFFICER AND OPEN MEETINGS OFFICER

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion carries. Are there any Aldermen’s questions or concerns? We have had a request for an Executive Session tonight to discuss Personnel so we will do that after the Aldermen’s questions.

ALDERMAN BROWN: Mayor, I have just more of a question for Dave Tyson. Ah, listening to the news on how these State Police and everybody’s gettin’ hit by these drivers, I was wondering is there a way that basically we can have these bus stops indistinguishable so that these buses are pulling maybe off the street to pick these people up? I’m just worried about one of these days, somebody’s gonna’ run into the back of those buses that’s stoppin’ in the middle of the street, ‘cause I’ve seen, in the mornin’ time, people come pretty close to runnin’.........well pretty close to stoppin’ to those buses.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Well, they are stopping at the designated bus stops. Is that correct?

ALDERMAN BROWN: Yes.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: And, those are........

ALDERMAN BROWN: On the street.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: On the curb area of the street.

ALDERMAN BROWN: The people are on the curb, but the buses are......

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Stopping in the middle of the street? Ah, Carole Franke....Carole are you still here? Yes. Carole is our representative to the Metro Board and, Carole would you like to bring that issue up at the next Metro Board meeting?

ALDERMAN BROWN: Thank you.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Any other questions? A motion to go into Executive Session.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Motion to go into Executive Session to discuss Personnel.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Hunter, seconded by...........

ALDERMAN BROWNE: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Alderman Rich Browne for us to go into Executive Session. All those in favor. Mr. Simms, would you please stay?

MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL

7:18 P.M.

7:50 P.M

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Then I’ll need a motion to adjourn. Doors are open.

ALDERMAN JONES: So moved.

ALDERMAN HUNTER: Second.

MAYOR EPSTEIN: Motion by Alderman Jones to adjourn, seconded by Alderman Hunter. We are adjourning at 7:51 P.M.

MOTION TO ADJOURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING

7:51 P.M.