HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/14/2003 COW agendaMeeting Location:
Mt. Prospect Community Center
1000 West Central Road
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
AGENDA
Meeting Date and Time:
Tuesday, January 14, 2003
7:00 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
Mayor Gerald L. Farley
Trustee Timothy Corcoran Trustee Michaele Skowron
Trustee Paul Hoefert Trustee Irvana Wilks
Trustee Richard Lohrstorfer Trustee Michael Zadel
II. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 26, 2002
III. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD
IV. LEVEE 37
In 1997, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Feasibility Report and Environmental
Impact Statement focused on lessening urban flood damage along the upper Des Plaines
River watershed including the Prospect Heights/Mount Prospect area. The report estimated
that the two most recent major flood events in 1986 and 1987 caused regional damage in
excess of $100 million. The report suggested a series of levee ad detention projects along
the River that would lessen the frequency of flooding and the attendant damage to residents
and businesses that flows there from.
One of the projects with the highest cost/benefit ratio is the "Levee 37" project and would run
between Euclid Avenue and Palatine Road along the east side of River Road. Along with the
"backwater valves" previously installed by the Village, the Levee would afford the northeast
area of the Village a significant degree of flood protection. Due to the high cost benefit ratio,
the Army Corps recommends it as one of the first projects to be constructed.
Mount Prospect Mayor Gerald Farley and Prospect Heights Mayor Ed Rotchford have been
working with the Corps, Cook County Forest Preserve, Illinois Department of Natural
Resources and Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission since 1997 to secure approval
and funding for the Levee 37 project. While the process has been painfully slow, it appears
final approvals and a Federal appropriation may be at hand. There will be a 20% local
funding match required from the two communities. The exact amount will be determined in
the near future.
NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING BUT BECAUSE OF A
DISABILITY NEEDS SOME ACCOMMODATION TO PARTICIPATE, SHOULD CONTACT THE VILLAGE
MANAGER'S OFFICE A T '100 SOUTH EMERSON, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056, 847/392-6000,
EXTENSION 5327, TDD #847/392-6064.
VI.
VII.
At this time, staff would like to provide an update on the status of the project, including
characteristics of the construction, estimated local costs and a likely timeline. Included in the
package is some background material. Appropriate staff will be present to answer questions
and facilitate discussion.
2003 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE DISCUSSION TOPICS
Over the past several years, the Village Manager's Office has attempted to better manage
the flow of information, which comes to the Village Board through the Committee of the
Whole Agendas. As you know, Committee of the Whole meetings are designed specifically
to allow for more extensive discussion of pending policy, finances, Code changes and
various items of community interest. The Committee of the Whole also serves as a forum for
discussion of items, which are unexpected, controversial, or of an emergency nature.
The evening's discussion will consist of reviewing suggested topics, discussing briefly the
rationale and need for discussion and the potential timing for bringing such items forward.
Board members, as well as staff, were asked to provide any suggested topics that they
would like to have considered. These items are included in the accompanying package. In
the past, the Village Board has engaged in a polling process, which identifies subjects that
have the support of the Board for research and review. Appropriate staffwill be available to
answer questions and facilitate discussion.
LOCAL ETHICS FORM
Chapter 8, Article I of the Village Code, entitled "Officers; Employees" contains, among other
things, local rules and regulations governing "Conflicts of Interest" (8.115). Paragraph F.
provides that a local Disclosure Statement be filed annually with the Village Clerk. A Village
Board member has raised concerns that the local Disclosure Statement might be overly
intrusive in the breadth of wholly personal information required on the form. The Village
Manager requested that Corporation Counsel draft a "revised" Disclosure Statement that
might be more narrowly worded and still accomplish the purpose of assuring that a Village
official is neither doing business with the Village nor receiving any benefit from the Village
that is not available to any other resident on the same basis.
Attached is both the current Disclosure Statement and a draft revised Statement. The draft
Statement limits the information requested to situations where the Village official/employee or
immediate family has dealings with the Village either individually (Zoning/Code violations) or
through an entity doing business with the Village. Also attached is a copy of the "Statement
of Economic Interest" all elected/appointed officials are required to file annuallywith the Cook
County Clerk.
Appropriate staff will be in attendance to answer questions and facilitate discussion.
VILLAGE MANAGER'S REPORT
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT
H:\GEN\Cow~Agenda\011403 COW Agenda.doc