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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/01/1979 CWC MinutesI a a �t r s ect r# F Mount Prospect, Illinois INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM*dig( TO: Mayor & Board of Trustees FROM: Village Manager SUBJECT: Coffee With Council - 12-1-79 DATE: December 3, 1979 Mayor Krause, Trustees Floros, Farley and Miller, together with Village Manager Burghard, met in the Trustees' Room on 12-1-79 at 10 a.m. for Coffee With Council. During the session, approximately 10 persons attended from time to time. 1.. Mr. Thomas Maloney of 302 N. William raised questions about the advisability of closing off Gregory at Rand. He reported that since the closing, traffic. has built up somewhat on William in an effort to enter Rand Road from Isabella. Mr. Pete Schuster of 303 N. William was also in attendance and confirmed the observations of Mr. Maloney. Mr. Schuster suggested that the Village consider making William one way northbound, or that another street such as Thayer be opened to Rand to provide for additional access to and from Rand Road. Mayor Krause reported on the meeting called by her earlier in the week with the Illinois Department of Transportation officials and that the IDOT position was based upon safety and their feel- ing that any opening on Gregory would bring additional traffic to the local neighborhood. Village Manager Burghard stated that we can expect some increase in congestion and confusion in the area until people find alternate routes better suited to their movement needs and time constraints. Note: Staff is to take no action on these discussions at this point. 2. Mr. & Mrs. Kalal, owners of the Pesche's Florist property on Golf Road, addressed the Trustees and explained why they were seeking to sell the property and secure zoning changes. The Kalals indicate that their tax bills for the property were too high to sustain their current flower business, and they needed to sell the property in order to stay financially sound. Mayor Krause and Trustee Floros explained the Village procedures in zoning matters, and encouraged the Kalals to attend the Building Committee meeting on 12-10 when this matter will be reviewed. Note: Staff is to take no action on this matter at this time. 3. Mr. John Czerechowicz of 1105 Wedgewood Lane inquired as to the status of the Georgen development on Rand Road, and indicated that he and his neighbors on Wedgewood were in opposition to the development and the developers intent to buy the park land Printed on 100% Recycled Paper Coffee With Council - 12-1-79 Page 2. in the vicinity in order to reduce the density. Additionally, Mr. Czerechowicz reported that the previous hearings have demonstrated a need for some additional sanitary sewers out there because some of the lots apparently are on septic fields, and he understands that if the development does not proceed, there may be a need for a new sewer line, and that in the spring the septic fields there will cause the same kinds of problems. Mayor Krause suggested to Mr. Czerechowicz that he contact the Prospect Heights Park District and let them know about the neighbors concern for the sale of the property, and also suggested that the Park District may not be able to sell the property if it was dedicated for a public park purpose. Mr. Czerechowicz also mentioned that the residents in Wedgewood currently pay Propsect Hights Library tax as well as a Mt. Prospect Library tax, but are not allowed to use the Prospect Heights Library. Mayor Krause suggested that this may be a requirement in law inasmuch as when they were annexed to Mt. Prospect there were probably some outstanding debt issues for the Prospect Heights Library and their property would still be encumbered with the payment of those debts. However, the Mayor suggested that since they do pay the tax, the Village should consider approaching the Prospect Heights Library District and require that they also provide services to those residents. Furthermore, the Village Manager was requested to ask the law firm of Ross, Hardies to check into the history of this matter and see whether or not some additional information can be provided Mr. Czerechowicz so that he can tell his neighbors how they should proceed with the Prospect Heights Library. Note: The Health Department, together with Public Works, should review the sewer situation in the area, and if there are, in fact, septic fields that no longer function adequately, they should be so cited so that we do not have a septic problem in the spring. The matter of the Georgen development has been continued at the request of the developer, and if my recollection of the zoning ordinance serves me, it might be that some time has transpired between the original Zoning Board hearing and action by the Village Board, there may be a need to remand the matter to the Zoning Board. The Community Development Department should clarify this issue and pro- vide instruction to the Building Committee and to the developer. Mr. Geick will contact Barbara Baran and provide her some basic background information regarding the Prospect Heights Library question. (Carol Fields brought this matter to my attention a couple of weeks ago at the time of the referendum and she may have some documents.) Barbara Baran's office will then provide us with a brief history of the matter and tell us whether or not we can inform the residents Coffee With Council 12-1-79 Page 3. in Wedgewood Terrace if they have an appeal process or must continue paying the taxes. The Community Development Department should follow up with a letter to Mr. Czerechowicz as soon as they determine whether or not the zoning case is still a viable matter before the Building Committee. 4. Mr. & Mrs. Storck, 400 S. Pine, thanked the elected officials present for their action on the parking restrictions on Pine Street, and inquired as to when the signs would be in- stalled and enforcement established. The Village Manager indicated that the ordinance had been passed at the most recent Board meeting and that in accordance with law, restrictions would not become effective until 10 days after passage. Mr. & Mrs. Storck also inquired as to why summer crossing guards are provided some form of protection from the sun, and why winter crossing guards are not provided any windbreak protection. The Village Manager indicated that this matter would be examined. Note: Public Works should proceed as it does normally and install the signs, and the Police Department should begin immediate enforce- ment. Additionally, I would like to have a memo from the Police Chief indicating whether or not we do provide any kind of sunshield for the summer crossing guards, and what the approximate expense would be to provide some form of windbreak protection for the winter cross- ing guards. 5. Mr. George Anderson and Mr. Cy Thomas, from the Senior Center, were present and discussed with the elected officials present some of the operations of the Senior Center and the recent formation of the American Association of Retired Persons. Mr. Anderson was opposed to the formation; Mr. Thomas was in support of the formation. Throughout the discussion, however, it was clear that we are encountering some difficulties with participation and attendance at the Senior Center. There is a growing feeling on the part of some of the seniors that the Center should be reserved either entirely or at least primarily for Mount Prospect residents, and then either not at all or secondarily to people from outside the community. This matter has come up from time to time, and we may not be able to resolve it administratively and may require some action on the part of the Mayor and Board of Trustees. Note: The Director of Health Services is to begin discussion with the Advisory Council and the staff as to what a proper policy state- ment would be for people attending the Senior Center. I know that it is difficult when a resident comes in with a guest from outside the community to tell the resident that he or she may participate but the guest must leave. I don't believe anyone is looking for that kind of prohibition; however, if we are providing certain kinds of health services and counseling services to residents outside the community, and if these necessitate a delay in service to our residents, then we do have a policy problem that is going to have to Coffee With Council 12-1-79 Page 4. be addressed. 2 think that the best way to administer that is through some basic staff discussion, and some discussion with the Advisory Council, and then to my office and eventually to the Mayor and Board of Trustees. 6. Trustee Farley suggested that it may be necessary for the Mayor and Board of Trustees to involve themselves with some of the School District discussions regarding the abandonment of some of the schools, particularly Sunset and Gregory. Trustee Farley thought it would be a good idea if some of our elected officials meet with some of the School District members to evaluate some of the alternatives to disposal._ Mayor Krause indicated that she had already had some discussion with the President of School District 57, and, in fact, Mount Prospect has four elementary School Districts within our boundary and that the School Districts are addressing the issues in various ways to involve citizens input, and that it should be the policy of our Village Board to allow the School Districts to evaluate the situation, and if there is a proven need for the Village to get involved at an early date, then the matter should be discussed. Note: The staff is not instructed to take any action on this matter at this time. 7. Mr. George Anderson indicated that he had observed numerous obstacles in parkways that may be of danger to our snowplowing operations this winter. Mr. Anderson particularly mentioned rocks in the parkway in the,400 and;500 blocks of North Emerson. The Village Manager responded that the Public Works Department periodically does require people to remove such obstacles if and when it is determined that they are hazardous to our plowing operations or normal public safety. Note: Public Works Department is to continue its usual policy. 8. Mr. Czerechowicz inquired as to whether or not the Village was having a rash of burglaries inasmuch as in the past two weeks four homes in the Wedgewood Terrace area had been burglarized between 3:30 and 4 p.m. The Village Manager responded that there had not been any report of a community -wide rash of burglaries and that this matter sounded like a neighborhood problem, probably related to youths in the area because of the time and the localized efforts of the breakers. Note: The staff is to take no action on this matter unless the Village Manager's information is incorrect. Adjourned at 12 p.m. TLB:msw cc: Department Directors ,Z`I