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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 12/08/1993 - City Council REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 8, 1993 The Regular Meeting of the McHenry City Council was called to order by Mayor Cuda on Wednesday, December 8, 1993 at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Center. At roll call the following Aldermen were in attendance: Bolger, Locke, Lawson, Bates, Baird. Absent: None. City Staff in attendance: City Clerk Gilpin, City Administrator Peterson, City Attorney McArdle, Chief of Police Joyce, Director of Building and Zoning Lobaito. Absent: Director of Parks & Recreation Merkel, Director of Public Works Batt. Mayor Cuda called to order a public hearing on the 1993-94 Annual Tax Levy. As required by law, the City Council must conduct a public hearing to consider the 1993-94 Property Tax Levy. The estimated levy set is $1,755,000.00. Mayor Cuda asked if anyone in the audience wished to comment on the tax levy. There was no response. He asked if any of the Aldermen wished to comment on the tax levy. There was no response. He asked the City Clerk if any comments had been received in the Clerk's office concerning this matter. City Clerk Gilpin responded that no written or oral comments had been received in the City Clerk's office. Mayor Cuda closed the public hearing at 7:43 P.M. Motion by Lawson, seconded by Baird, to pass the Annual Tax Levy Ordinance of the City of McHenry for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 1993 and ending April 30, 1994, in the amount of $1,755,000.00, as presented. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. At 7:45 P.M. Mayor Cuda called to order a public hearing to consider the issuance of industrial revenue bonds in the amount of $2,265,000 for the Chroma Corporation Project. Robert and Stewart Swain of Chroma Corporation were in attendance to answer any questions of the general public or the Council. The public notice published in the newspaper announced that a public hearing would be held to consider the proposed issuance by the City of McHenry of its $2,265,000.00 Industrial Project Revenue Refunding Bonds (Chroma Corporation Project), Series 1994-A, and its $1,200,000 Industrial Project Revenue Bonds (Chroma Corporation Project), Series 1994-B, the proceeds of which will be loaned to Chroma Corporation to be used by Chroma Corporation to finance the cost of refunding the original principle amount of $2,600,000 City of McHenry, Illinois Economic Development Revenue Bonds, Series 1984, the proceeds of which were used for the construction and equipping of a certain industrial building of approximately 60,000 square feet, located at 3900 Dayton Street, McHenry, Illinois, and the construction of an approximate 18,000 square foot addition to the existing building, and the equipping thereof, and for the payment of related fees and costs. The bonds and the obligation to pay principle and interest thereon shall not be deemed to constitute an indebtedness or a loan of credit of the City of McHenry, the State of Illinois, or any political subdivision thereof. Mayor Cuda asked if anyone in the audience wished to comment on the Chroma Corporation proposal. There was no response from the audience. He asked the Aldermen if anyone wished to comment on the matter. Alderman Bolger stated that Chroma Corporation was well known and an asset to the community. Alderman Baird wanted reassurance that the City would have no obligation to pay anything on these bonds, and they would not be considered an indebtedness on the City of McHenry. He was assured that the City of McHenry would not incur any indebtedness in this matter. The Mayor asked the Clerk if any comments had been received in her office concerning this project. City Clerk Gilpin replied that no oral or written comments had been received in the City Clerk's office. A five minute video presentation was available for Council members to view on Chroma Corporation's operations. It was shown at the end of the meeting. There being no further comments, Mayor Cuda closed the public hearing at 7:48 P.M. December 8, 1993 Page 2 TER MINUTE PUBLIC INPUT SESSION No one signed up to speak at the ten minute public input session. FENCE VARIATION REQUEST John Doherty and Lisa May of 3107 Bull Valley Road had requested a fence variation on their corner lot. When Mr. Doherty appeared at the Council meeting, he changed his request to extend the fence from the back west corner of the house 8 feet, instead of the 16 feet he originally — requested. Motion by Baird, seconded by Bolger, to approve the request for a fence variation at 3107 Bull Valley Road, contingent upon the fence only going westerly 8 feet instead of 16 feet, making the fence 21 1/2 feet from the pavement. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. MAYOR — STATEMENT AND REPORTS Mayor Cuda reported he had met with Circuit Clerk Vernon Kays and Court Administrator Lou Czarny to discuss installing the County's computer system into the traffic court at City Hall. They will come back to the Council with a cost sharing proposal. Mayor Cuda also submitted a letter from the McHenry Municipal Association President urging the formation of a consortium to discuss cable matters with all cities which have the same cable company. City Administrator Peterson was authorized to contact President Yocius to see what he had in mind. Mayor Cuda also distributed a response to the Corps of Engineers Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Chain 0' Lakes Fox River Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) . The Aldermen were asked to review the document and report back at another meeting. If they were in agreement with the document, a motion would be made to adopt the response and submit it to the Corps of Engineers. Chief Joyce reported that as a result of a drug arrest on September 20, 1989 at 3608 W. James Street, a check for $31,938.00 was presented to the Police Department as their share of the forfeiture in the drug case. He requested that this money be used to purchase mobile computers for McHenry squad cars. Motion by Locke, seconded by Lawson, to seek bids for mobile computers for the McHenry Police Department. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. ANNUAL RESOLUTION Motion by Bolger, seconded by Lawson, to pass a resolution scheduling Council meetings for the 1994 calendar year, as presented. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. City 'Administrator Peterson reported that design engineering should begin on Brookside Park and for the playground parking lot in Whispering Oaks Park, including the access road for the parking lot. December 8, 1993 Page 3 Motion by Bolger, seconded by Locke, to retain Smith Engineering to do design engineering work for Brookside Park and the Whispering Oaks parking lot, and access road. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. City Administrator Peterson reported that there are two projects which should be considered for upgrading and revision because they are dangerous intersections. They are Route 31 and McCullom Lake Road, and the intersection of Industrial Drive and Route 120. The staff suggested retaining Hampton, Lenzini, & Renwick to do design engineering for these two projects. They would present their findings, which would detail the scope of service and their fees. Alderman Locke objected to including Front Royal Drive in the Industrial Drive/Route 120 project. He felt it would bring more traffic through the Whispering Oaks subdivision. Motion by Bolger, seconded by Locke, to seek engineering proposals for the McCullom Lake Road/Route 31 intersection. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. Motion by Bolger, seconded by Lawson, to seek engineering proposals for the Industrial Drive/Route 120/Front Royal Drive intersection, even extending the study perhaps to have Industrial Drive cross the railroad tracks in a northerly direction. Voting Aye: Bolger, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: Locke. Absent: None. Motion carried. COMMITTEE REPORTS Alderman Bates, Chairman of the Parks & Recreation Committee, reported that at its last meeting, the matter of changing the name of Green Valley Fen to Wheeler Park was a recommendation of the Park Committee. Reverend Joe Wheeler was one of the first pioneers and settlers in the City of McHenry. Motion by Bates, seconded by Bolger, to change the name of the Green Valley Fen to Reverend Joe Wheeler Park. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. Alderman Bates announced that a Parks Committee meeting would be held on December 21, 1993 at 7:30 P.M. at the Lakeland Park Community Center. Items for dicussion would be: to continue discussion on the Park Master Plan, discuss development of Brookside Park, and discuss the use of the Lakeland Park Community Center as a rental unit. Alderman Baird, Chairman of the Building, Zoning, Planning & Development Committee, scheduled a Committee meeting for January 11, 1994 at 7:30 P.M. to discuss updating the building fees and approve a final draft of "P" tickets for the Building Department. He also suggested that either the Finance Committee or the Park Committee contact the schools to see if rental fees could be re-negotiated so as not to negatively affect the park program fees. Motion by Baird, seconded by Lawson, to refer the matter to the Park Committee for a recommendation on working with the schools to reconsider rental fees. Voting Aye: Bolger, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: Locke. Absent: None. Motion carried. December 8, 1993 Page 4 Alderman Bates questioned a complaint which was filed with the McHenry County Board of Review on a request of McHenry Commons for a reduction in assessed value of its property. The City Administrator and the Mayor will contact the Superintendent of Schools to inquire how they are responding to these requests for reductions in assessed valuation. It was suggested that possibly all taxing bodies should join in filing papers of intervention if it would result in large losses of tax money for the taxing bodies. ADJOURNMENT -—. Motion by Bates, seconded by Lawson, to adjourn. Voting Aye: Bolger, Locke, Bates, Lawson, Baird. Voting Nay: None. Absent: None. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:17 P.M. r j CITY CLERK ' MAYOR