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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/11/2003 COW minutesII. II1. IV. MINUTES COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MARCH 11, 2003 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by Assistant Village Manager David Strahl, in the Mt. Prospect Park District Community Center, 1000 West Central Road. Present at the meeting were: Trustees Paul Hoefert, Richard Lohrstorfer, Michaele Skowron, Irvana Wilks and Michael Zadel. Absent from the meeting were: Mayor Gerald Farley and Trustee Timothy Corcoran. Staff members present included: Assistant Village Manager David Strahl, Public Works Director Glen Andler, Village Engineer Glen Andler and Solid Waste Coordinator Lisa Angell. Motion made by Trustee Zadel and Seconded by Trustee Skowron to nominate Trustee Hoefert as Mayor Pro Tern. Motion passed. Trustee Hoefert assumed responsibilities of Mayor Pro Tern for the meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of minutes from February 25, 2003. Motion was made by Trustee Wilks and Seconded by Trustee Zadel. Minutes were approved. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD None. 2003 ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Village Engineer Jeff Wulbecker stated that the Village anticipates resurfacing 32 streets covering e~ght miles within the Village for construction season 2003. He also stated bridge rehabilitation is scheduled for William Street bridge with structural repairs and some minor repairs at several other bridges within the community. He also highlighted the installation of streetlights on Central Road between Northwest Highway and Emerson. He also stated there are street light improvements scheduled for the Algonquin/Busse/Dempster area which has been paid for through Federal grants. He also highlighted the fact that there are streetscape corridor improvements and traffic signal improvements scheduled for this season. One of the larger projects scheduled for this season is the combined sewer evaluation which will start this year and take several years for completion. He stated Cook County is scheduled to do some patching on Euclid Avenue between Rand and River which would impact the Village, He stated that of the four lanes, one lane in each direction would remain open during the patching process. He also stated that the Route 83 railroad crossing is scheduled for replacement sometime in August. General comments from Village Board members included the following items: There were suggestions regarding signage providing warnings and detours regarding some of the projects scheduled for this season. There was alsO discuSsion regarding the curb replacement on streets where resurfacing occurs. Assistant Village Manager Strahl provided information to the Board and the press regarding the pending closure of Emerson Street between Central Road and Busse Avenue. He stated the closing will occur approximately April 1 and continue through November 30. He said the closure is necessary to facilitate the construction process for the Library. He stated the closure will occur just north of the southern entrance into the Bank One parking lot whereby the Bank One parking lot will remain useable. He stated the street will be passable for construction deliveries but not open for public traffic through the construction zone. He also stated the street will be reopened during the period that the Route 83 railroad crossing is to be reconstructed. ABANDONED SHOPPING CART DISCUSSION Solid Waste Coordinator Lisa Angell ;)rovided a summary of the program and the evolutionary steps that the Village has undertaken to try to address the problem. She stated the Village has expended approximately $70,000 over the five-year period that Public Works crews have been picking up the shopping carts. He statee the Village has also obtained approximately $4,000 fines during the same period. She stated there are several options that are available including physical barriers to keep the carts on the property, more aggressive enforcement and possibly increasing the fines to the stores themselves. General comments from Village Board members included the following items: There was a comment that Trustees felt businesses are shifting the problem to the Village since they are refusing to sign complaints for enforcement. A suggestion was made to consider contracting with a scrap collector to pick up the carts and sell them for scrap since this might be a viable business opportunity for someone who has an interest. It was commented that there are two behavior modification scenarios necessary; one is the residents or people who use the shopping carts and the other is the businesses that provide the shopping carts. A question came up regarding the possible ownership and repurchase of any carts that were retrieved. Assistant Village Manager Strahl stated that he felt the Village had gone about as far as it could with the behavior modification of the shopping cart users and should probably focus efforts on the businesses that provide the shopping carts. It seems ironic that businesses are aggressive in enforcing shoplifting but not shopping carts. Shopping carts are $100-$200 a piece and if someone were to walk out of the business without paying for merchandise that cost that amount, they would surely be arrested. The behavior modification of the businesses will probably only take place once the cost of providing the shopping cart impacts the bottom line of the business. 2 I. VII. VIII. Consensus of the Village Board was to consider a salvage contract for someone to pick up and dispose of the carts throughout the community whereby the Village is no longer in the shopping cart collection and retrieval business. If, after a short test period with the scavenger, the situation does not improve, other options can be considered including shortened timeframes and higher fines for businesses. VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT None. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Trustee Skowron announced that the Welcome New Resident spring edition is scheduled for April 26 from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m at the Central Community Center. Trustee Wilks stated that there is a Photo I.D. event for children on March 15, co- sponsored by Kiwanis and the Police Department at the Mount Prospect Public Library, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., at the Library on Feehanville Drive. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m. Respectfully submitted, DAVID STRAHL Assistant Village Manager DS/rcc