HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/09/1989 FC mintuesMINUTES OF THE MEETING
FINANCE COMMISSION
March 9, 1989
I Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Herbert L. Weeks Public
Works Facility conference room. Members in attendance were Richard Bachhuber,
Ann Smilanic, Tom Pekras and Paul Davies. Also present were Village Manager
John Fulton Dixon, Finance Director David Jepson, Assistant Finance Director
Don Mazza, Planning & Zoning Director David Clements, Inspection Services
Director Chuck Bencic, Public Works Director Herb Weeks and Deputy Public Works
Director Glen Andler. Trustee George Van Geem arrived at 8:30 p.m.
II Planning & Zoning Budget
Director Dave Clements began the agenda with an overview of the Planning &
Zoning Department's responsibilities and a presentation of the Planning &
Zoning 1989-1990 budget.. The department's responsibilities are fourfold:
A. Day-to-day planning which includes permit review, zoning questions and
interpretation and interaction with the public.
B. Long Range Planning including implementation of Comprehensive Plan
which is the "blueprint" of the Village's future.
C. Economic Development Program which concerns drawing residential,
commercial and industrial developments to the Village which all have
an effect on the economic health and climate of the Village.
D. Community Development Block Grant Programs which provide economic
assistance to low and moderate income persons, the handicapped and the
elderly, rehabilitation of Central Business District including store-
front remodeling and right-of-way improvements.
The current fiscal year brought the highest level of activity in recent memory
and should continue into the new budget year. Projects such as Kensington
Business Center, Lexington Old Orchard, Brentwood, Harvest Heights and Lake
Center Plaza have taken considerable time this fiscal year and will continue.
However, when this activity slows down, the emphasis will need to be on
redevelopment such as Village Commons townhomes. Staff will be spending
significant time on identifying these redevelopment areas. The Department's
staff of four professional planners bring a total of over 67 years of
experience.
Also included in the activities of the Department are support of the Plan
Commission, ZBA, Sign Review Board, Business District Development and Re-
development and Village Board in all of the areas mentioned above.
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The Department's budget request totals $798,750. Of this total, $272,800 or
approximately 34% comes from the General Fund revenues. The balance comes from
Community Development Block Grant Programs. The proposed budget program
includes storefront facade on Northwest Highway, TIF Target Areas D and F. New
programs include handicapped rehabilitation access at Village Hall, the Mount
Prospect Library and Senior Center, asbestos removal at the Senior Center and
contribution to the Suburban Primary Care Council. The Suburban Primary Care
Council provides medical assistance to uninsured residents. Emphasis will also
be placed on developing the old Public Works site on Pine.
Commissioner Richard Bachhuber asked how much longer the Village would continue
to receive CDBG funding. Mr. Clements replied that he expects the funding to
continue for at least the next several years at current levels. Ms. Smilanic
asked if Human Services would be in charge of the medical assistance program.
The Suburban Primary Care Council administers the program out of its Wheaton
headquarters. Ms. Smilanic asked whether the interns in the budget were
college students and could they contribute much to the program. Mr. Clements
replied that these interns are students in a BS or MS program with good design
skills. They are not involved in the policy end, but provide support so that
the planners can do more with policy.
Commissioner Davies asked about the need for the improvements for handicapped
access. Federal regulations require it.
Other discussion centered on asbestos removal and the residential single-family
rehabilitation loan programs.
III Inspection Services
Director Chuck Bencic began his presentation with an overview of his depart-
ment's functions and activities. The department has been in existence since
May 1 when Code Enforcement from Fire and Engineering from Public Works were
combined. The present makeup of the department includes the Engineering
Division, Environmental Health Division and Building Code Division. The
Building Division issued 2,123 permits in calendar 1988 valued at approximately
$56,000,000 compared to 1,200 permits valued at $22,000,000 in calendar 1984.
The 1988 permits generated $650,000 in building fees and almost. $350,000 in
other fees. The division performed 8,400 inspections in 1988 compared to 2,500
in 1984. This large increase is due to the increase in general construction
activity and a large backlog of inspections where owners or developers have not
requested the final inspection of their project. The department has stepped up
its activity here to make the list smaller.
Environmental Health Division is responsible for inspection of restaurants, day
care centers, apartment rentals, and swimming pools. The division performed
1,100 inspections and 1,600 reinspections in calendar 1988. Reinspections are
return visits for compliance testing. It also handled 734 service requests for
such items as landlord/tenant disputes, solid waste complaints, animal control
and insect./rodent control. Food establishments are receiving a high priority
in the current year and will continue into the new budget year. A minimum of
one inspection each six months is programmed with more frequent visits if the
case warrants.
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Engineering Division is responsible for plan review and inspection of private
development. The division had approximately 50 programs in active status
during the past year. The programs included those in the Planning & Zoning
Department. Other activities of the division include public improvements
including streets, wat.ermains and sewers. Major projects are the MFT program
of street maintenance and resurfacing, shared cost sidewalk program, bridge
inspection and repair and traffic studies. EPA and IDOT regulations have
added considerably to the cost of improvements as well as placing time demands
on the department. Computer-aided drawing programs aid the department in
keeping up with the flow.
The total proposed department budget is $714,985. This is $72,000 less than in
the current year because of the Central Road contractual engineering charges of
$99,000. If this is taken into account there is a slight increase. A word
processor replacement and a personal computer purchase are the only new items
in this budget.
Discussion of the budget began with the backlog of final inspections.
Mr. Bachhuber asked if 12 inspections a day was a reasonable figure.
Mr. Bencic replied that some were drive by's such as driveway or fence permits,
and some could be 2 - 4 hours as are final inspections of buildings. The
department could get as many as 20 a day depending on the complexity of the
inspections. There was considerable discussion involving the inspection of
restaurants and other environmental type inspections.
Dave Jepson asked about the status of Kensington Development. Mr. Bencic
replied that there are 10 - 12 vacant lots with six in process of building.
Discussion then centered on the amount of undeveloped parcels and the amount of
time necessary to review the plans.
IV Public Works
Public Works Director Herb Weeks gave the Commission a brief tour of the new
Public Works Facility before beginning his presentation. The department has
completed the relocation from its old facility. The new location relieves
congestion, provides more productivity and centralizes all department activity.
Streets Division has 14 service programs with responsibility for 19 public
buildings, 150 miles of streets and more than 19,000 parkway trees. The
proposed budget totals $3,887,640, up 8.90. The budget includes an increase in
bridge maintenance with an evaluation of the Lincoln Avenue bridge and complete
rehab of the Emerson Street bridge. An increase in crack filling is also
proposed to aid in maintenance and life of the streets. $1,015,000 is proposed
for street resurfacing and reconstruction including $140,000 for Central Road
widening shared with the City of Des Plaines. Salt costs are up mainly due to
a 2790' increase in price. Leaf removal costs are rising due to maturation of
the trees in the Village. The beautification program along rights-of-way is
scheduled to continue. New equipment in the Street proposal are one additional
pool car, a backhoe and a semi -trailer truck to be used in various capacities
to aid in maintenance activities such as leaf hauling, snow removal and
landscaping.
The Water/Sewer Division maintains approximately 165 miles of watermains, 300
miles of sanitary sewers and 1,900 fire hydrants.
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The Division's budget is proposed at $5,973,535 which is $460,135 less than the
current budget. However, $875,000 for Prospect Meadows and SSES projects
contained in this year's budget, do not appear in the 1989-1990 request. Taking
this into account, a "real" increase of $415,000 is proposed, the majority made
up of an increase of $200,000 in wat.ermain replacements, $60,000 in SSA #5 and
$60,000 for debt service on the new Public Works facility. The watermain
replacements are necessary as the division had over 110 main breaks since
March 1, 1988. Another large expenditure is the painting of the elevated
storage tank on Northwest Highway for $155,000. This was last performed in
1982 with a cost of $125,000. It was moved up to this year's budget because of
the pace of development in the area. Another $75,000 is planned for the second
year of the booster pump replacement program. The division is also proposing
an expenditure of $25,000 for an automated meter reading program aimed at
commercial, industrial and multi -family housing units.
Discussion began with the replacement of four part-time Street and Water
Division employees with two full-time positions. Concern was mentioned about
not seeing a savings of operating costs because of the new facility. Savings
is coming in the form of increased productivity, response to emergencies and
maintenance of equipment. It enables the department to pay attention to other
areas virtually ignored while at the old facility. Ms. Smilanic brought up
concern that the combination of part-time positions into two full-time
positions added costs for benefits. Mr. Weeks replied that this was proposed
to provide continuity and control in the parts room.
The balance of the meeting centered on the state of the Village's infra-
structure. Deterioration of streets, watermains, sewers and storage facilities
were causes of concern. The failures of these are accelerating faster than the
Village can address them. The Commission was seriously concerned that the
Village not neglect the problems and that the remedies be adequate to prevent
the problems from reoccuring. The Commission feels that more education needs
to be provided to the community about the state of infrastructure. More groups
becoming involved would aid in letting the Village Board know their concerns
and possible solutions.
V Recommendation
The Commission voted to recommend the Planning & Zoning and the Inspection
Services budgets as presented. The Public Works budget was recommended with
several caveats. The elevated tank repairs and painting was a matter of
concern resulting in a 2-2 vote. The personnel changes were recommended with
the expression by one member that some savings should be realized in the other
areas of the department's budget.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of the Finance Commission's role in other
areas of financial management. This topic will be discussed at a future Commission
meeting.
The next meeting will be on March 16, 1989 at 7:30 p.m. in the Finance Department
Conference room. The Commission will draft its recommendation to the Village Board
at that time. Adjournment was at 11:55 p.m.
Res ectfu y Submitted,
Don Mazza, Ass s t Finance Director
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