April regular board meeting

April 26, 2023, 6:30pm Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees

04.26.23_regular_board_meeting_agenda_updated_.pdf
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Shields Township
906 W. Muir Avenue, Lake Bluff, IL 60044
Regular Meeting of the Shields Township Board of Trustees
Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 6:30pm
 
AGENDA

1. Call to Order & Roll Call
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approval of Bills
4. Public Comment – Three (3) minutes per speaker
5. Reports

1. Supervisor
2. Assessor's Office
3. Community Service Committee
4. Road & Bridge Committee
5. Trustees

1. New Business

1. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of March 16, 2023
2. Consideration of Drainage Concerns on Safford Ave. & Talbott Ave.
3. Call to Action the Acceptance of Trustee Walk-Eich's Resignation 

1. Old Business

1. Consideration of IGA Partnership(s) with Waukegan Township
2. Discussion of Snow Removal for 23-24 Winter Season
3. Consideration of Hiring for Road Representative Position

1. Executive Session
2. Adjournment

Serving our communities since 1850

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MINUTES

04.26.23_april_regular_board_meeting_minutes_.pdf
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Minutes – Shields Township Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting April 26, 2023
­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________________________
STATE OF ILLINOIS,)
Lake County,               )
Town of Shields          )
 
            THE TOWN BOARD OF SHIELDS TOWNSHIP held its regular monthly meeting on April 26, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.
 
PRESENT      
                        Tammy Bryan              Clerk   
                        Brady Andersen            Town Trustee
                        Kathryn Walker-Eich    Town Trustee-Absent
                        David Weil                   Town Trustee
                        Jeff Urso                      Supervisor
                        Matt Garrity                  Town Trustee
 

1. Meeting Called to Order & Roll Call Supervisor Urso called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance – Supervisor Urso opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approval of Bills
   1. Town Fund expenses approval $17,155.53. Trustee Weil motioned to approve, second Trustee Garrity, passed by 4-0 on a roll call vote. 
   2. General Assistance expenses approval $1,168.52 Trustee Garrity motioned to approve, second Trustee Andersen, passed by 4-0 on a roll call vote.
   3. Road & Bridge expenses approval $6,099.05 Trustee Andersen motion to approve, second Trustee Garrity, passed by 4-0 on a roll call vote.
4. Public Comments –
   1. Jan Schnobrich – Shields township has been video recording since 1999, this is a good thing, there are times when tampering and times in recent years and not have on public network, stand before meetings participant and berating the audience costing the township for requesting recordings, the city cost a lot of money in attorney’s fees for FOI requests. Written remedial plan, matter of legal record. Shields township been through some very hard times, fraud, liable statements against townships officials. And stolen property, left without video recording and the taxpayers are losers in these scenarios, new video equipment to keep completely accurate records for future meetings, it is an absolute needer. In the past year, there volunteers been called raciest, accused of taking money under the table. Forcing the volunteer chairman closing the meeting, new sup and trustee, the trustee has the most decent and unbased since 2009. The 2009 board was outstanding, the nastiness resumed. The township should replace the audio video record. Ensure complete transparency, all matters related to township government must be cleaned up.
   2. Katy Blahunka – Annual meeting township was well attended. Members stayed to speak with stormwater management needs 6% total budget, Road and Bridge tax revenue, the R7b tax rate for 2021 .03381, $34 R&B 600 paid $64 dollar. Road and water out of curiosity the budget, none has been posted for the 2023 ending March, nor the current fiscal year, the total tax revenue for Unincorporated areas budge rev 350,000 $179 for overhead operations, 15 eng, 14, street lighting, 130 for actual repairs and maintenance. There are still a couple of roads that still need maintenance. Funds for the riad repair is limited and used wisely, the website should include, managing the water in the right of way of the roads, specific instructions to submit an issue so it may respond to.
   3. Heather Myers – I was not convinced about the speed bump issue who are affected daily, empties directly to 176 for a means of a short cut. I do not see the same urgency on Foster, I urge my neighbors. Accident by a child struck by Foster by ballpark. There needs to be more discussion with Foster resident to discuss. Curb the constant speeders, very specific areas in the neighborhood, McDonalds and the Silo. I urge the Shields Township Highway dept to do more research, bums, humps, tables and radar, many residential calming devices snowplows, garbage trucks, damaged and damage to all people, some areas want them to be removed as to the high cost of maintenance. Find the best solution fiscally responsible.
   4. Tammy Bryan – I hereby give my notice of resignation as of May 29, 2023. I will start travelling starting May 30, 2023, for the next year. Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to such an incredible organization. I have truly valued the opportunity to work with such a strong and dedicated team.
   5. Penny Groth – I have been here some 40 some years, drainage, filling in the portion of his ditch, took days for that to go down, neighbors trying to lift sewer cover, people are parking all over, main concern, west north Ave, getting busier, baseball games, more kids, closer to north, are you going to follow through with the traffic and what can be done. We had police and sheriff, best time to observe is early in the am 830 later around 4-730 we get cut through traffic. How can we curb come of the traffic, 2 of them have been there for years and not strictly enforced.
   6. Speedo tom – We have got a lot of people disobeying laws, people going through stop signs in full throttle.
   7. Wayne Spath- In regard to consideration for hiring a road representative, become an hourly position, hired provide to the board a detailed report monthly, it may be unnecessary, if we do go through with this to be accountable with a timecard, so if anything, they could be prosecuted.
   8. Janice Ahl – A retired public service employee, prof grant writer, leveraging a company, to grow or shrink services when needed, would only charge for work performed and adjusted as seasons changed. Talbot, experts, LCSWMC, watershed management board, allocation of funding grants, engineering expertise, stormwater best practices, green infrastructures. Sustainable and environmentally. Are there plans to record the meetings?
   9. Rochelle Fabrizio -Arden Shores, speed residents and guest, Forest view Drive and Cole Ave, bags of leaves. stop sign river road, barely. Children indicators have actually been hit by cars.
   10. Joe Kneesley – Consistent speeding basil, sometimes race, and does not care about the safety of the children.
   11. Libby Johnson – Basil – showed my support for speed bumps for the safety of the children.
   12. U-xinn Chang – Basil – many drivers speeding, numbers of occurrences have increased recently, for many kids who live on the street.
   13. Jenna Kneesley-Basil – strongly encourages speed hump or two, by just before the apartment complex, the number of speeders we encounter on a daily basis, drastically done.
   14. Brian Rizzo, North Ave, Starbucks – my whole house in underwater, lost my furnace, gone through tons of money because there is no money. Speeders, there is no police presence whatsoever, I see Lake County Sherriff, he is sitting down there where nobody was. People speed knowing there is no presence, maybe we can contact our reps. Walgreens has been robbed at least 6 times, we were robbed. We never see a sheriff, barely see a sheriff come through, would be nice to get some police presence.
   15. Katie Miller, Rockland Road, comments about basil, same thing on North Ave, the traffic is not slowing and a lot of kids playing, the kids are out there, we have to yell car, and the kids scatter, there are cars parked on both sides, they come around the corner so fast. From 430-700, come sit out and see.

 

1. Reports –
   1. Supervisors Report – Speeding issues, this has been talked about for a few years, I myself live in Unincorporated area. Lake County Sherriff’s, lake cook road to route 120 to Route 83, only 2 on a time at a shift. This is a real issue for all of us. I have talked to Scott Anderson about this, and thought about this, different thoughts, plows, bumps, humps tables, consider, we may put in one or two for the community, they are inexpensive and see if there are any negative or positive effects to see if we can move forward. We are going to address it, next month will update the progress and move forward.

Supervisor Urso – Nice to have good data prior to setting up the speed bump, clocking how fast or slow pre and post. The data is hard to attain, we don’t have some of the metrics in place, many residents have experience in this area. We are going to look at some that we know are really bad, ask the Sherriff if they have something. Wilmette and Skokie have them. Municipalities have fulltime police force, then addressed by police. Different strategies, people may or may not respect signs. This isn’t going to happen overnight, but I want to start the process and see where we can get with it.
Senior Citizen Medicaid discounts information will be posted to the website, more info to senior, to seek help, from rights, doctors, medications, to social gatherings, grow that in our office to have the right information.
2022 Cam reconciliation, request, they mispriced the rent, the CPI since 2016, never billed us the appropriate amount that is what is stated in the lease, have legal take a look at this for 22,000, that we are obligated to pay this. Keep everyone informed.

1. Assessor Helton – In regard to the exemptions we processed through my office, we are going through the senior exemptions, we have the senior freeze, not all of the assessors help process through the office. The county, you have to provide financial information, and some have had a hard time, Lissette and Carl have been helping with these forms. One of these things I have found, they have the senior freeze, they also get their senior exemption, so we have helped with all that. We are working with AccuBase on the 2023 quadrennial assessment, things are going smoothly, we should be the first township in the county to complete theirs first. As we go through, we are streamlining, we have missed a few lands that have not been adjusted for a long time. Accubase has a camera system that we are finding home improvements on the properties, we found a parcel 5 improvements on it, there are actually 12 improvements on it with AccuBase camera system. I appreciate the board, we have a good board and working together as a team, thank Tammy for everything she has done over the years.
2. Committee Report – Ms. Blahunka April 11, Food Pantry, Myers and I do research, Myers has a long relationship with foundation, they are open to discussions. Good pantries cannot be operated by internal staff with taxpayers’ dollars. Pantries don’t have to respond to FOIAs. Highest poverty does not have Food pantries, only 10 of 18 within the township, only 5 of 10 confirmed having affiliated not for profit, 4 run donations through govt office and one would not provide information. A few large expanded Holy Trinity NC, LF, NIFB, 2 of My pantries express also have home delivery. The committee has not finalized, one we invited Phoenix Rising to present at next meeting, we agreed we need better metrics than annual report, they are using our space-rent, cooperative service agreements we give grant money, modification of the lease, to know what they are doing.

 

1. Trustees Report – NA

 

1. Old Business - NA
2. New Business
   1. March 16, 2023, meeting minutes, motion to approve Trustee Garrity second by Trustee Andersen, passed by roll call vote 3-0 Trustee Weil Abstain.
   2. Drainage concerns talbot, issue for months, meet engineer, 8 parcel area our engineer recommended homeowners can do to mitigate these issues, the neighborhoods were overbuilt, his rec is what talbot specifically, paving in August, that we same time ditch it, thinks that should mitigate some of it, what we can do is our scope that is something we can do. Storm water is aware of this; Carl and Lisette have been emailing about it. Pump on 41 should assist. Rec to homeowners’ French drains, grading, rec to Shields Township to let homeowners know, get the water redirected around the house. Landscape contractor, maybe possibly a pump. What the township can do, Talbot will get a regrade ditch this summer when we do Birch Ave.
   3. Acceptance of Trustee Walker-Eich resignation – she wanted to focus on her career, get a new refocus, personal life, our gratitude for her public service she has committed to Shields township, she made it through, and will always have a place here, we have kind words for her, her next venture is the right step for her path. Motion to Weil, second by Trustee Andersen.

 

1. Old Business

s.  IGA partnership with Waukegan Township – been working on for months, Blahunka and Schnobrich, great reports and metrics, another point of access, people in our community, shields township and Waukegan township, great resources, amazing facility, caseworkers knowledgeable, great system in place, IGA would have us the ability, we can call over Waukegan for help to review. Hope you guys consider this this evening. Motion to approve Andersen, Weil second.
For the people of North Chicago, how will they find out about I, after Waukegan executes their side of the IGA, there will be a press release, on both websites, community leaders will advise. Win across the board for people, for everybody. Passed by roll call vote.
Snow removal 23-24 season – no action, just discuss, we are aging trucks, 20 plus years, serious expenses, budget 40k, we used a sub 1 mile road, we will have a lot of savings, reach out to other municipality and township, get a better idea to sub out our snow, more of gathering information. Any talking points about snow removal? One of our larger line-item costs. Looking for a long-term solution, we have a 30-year-old truck, the day is coming soon, do we reinvest or do we subcontract. Garrity – look into this. Andersen – upcoming expenses we should expect in the next 2 years – maybe wise to sub. Weill – good to see the numbers.
SU do what is best for the taxpayer.
Hiring for a road representative position: Has recommended Dan Rogers. Posted the new position, have we received 1 resume. We have heard from many residents. My duty to disclose to the board, I lease the property owned by Rogers Family, my private business relationship, I recuse myself and any vote to any decision. Turn it over to you guys for discussion: Garrity motion to discuss, second Weil. Where we are – the applications, one private company apply. Part of their job was to meet with stormwater management. The GA moved Highway Commissioner position from Shields township that was affected by that. Avon hired back their Highway Commissioner. A lot of residents are concerned about ditches water issues, speeding, fair and equitable to provide a resource for people to call and meet stormwater management. The roads committee recommended this. Carl and Lisette have been meeting and calling county, sign guys, a lot of people, they have been doing great. We had a 6-person office that went down to 2, that’s how this came to be. Garrity asked if it is necessary to fill that role. My thought we need to have someone, plan or something, with real water issues that can come out and look at it a not wait 30 days. Rob is great, very good at his specific things, sometimes things are of bigger scope. I have no specific recommendation, but the idea for a part time volunteer, paid position, Dan was volunteer, but after the scope, being a lot larger than anticipated Dan would like to apply. Janice Ahl, don’t have price for subs, depends what you want to expend on services. There are times if I had someone with more experience and tap into resources, I am not the guy to talk to the excavator, I do not have experience in engineering or digging a ditch. Mr. Rogers has this knowledge. We have not hit a problem yet, sometimes it could have been solved sooner if we had the knowledge or contacts. I don’t have enough experience, new to the roads.
Did this person apply? Janice Ahl sent them a note, they did the engineering for his property, she was familiar with both companies. They did not apply. One gentlemen Tony Vazquez but has no experience did apply.
What if you subcontract someone as an on-call basis, instead of hourly.
Who chooses, person or company, we had a cutoff of the applications, extended it beyond and still haven’t found much, except for 1 person, does not have the qualifications. The only one who has applied was Dan Rogers, Scott may do it voluntarily. He is aware of the position and has not applied. Are we having a structed hiring process, we need to determine a cutoff date, vote on what is in front of them and move on the next, we have a closed application process. Leave it on the agenda still in front of us, looking for options, Garrity is for a part-time position, Weil – part-time subcontract not an employee, Time we need in minimal, could be temporary, we can look at the contract each quarter, this would be ag good time to try this, the rainy season in front of us Accountability, report,
Mr. Hucker, if we have an allocated amount and apply to the engineering budget line item. Having the engineers tell us what to do, I rely heavily on engineers for everything we do. Just an option in your bucket for your contract portion you are looking for.
My only concern is we want to do the best for the dollar amount. The current engineer charges per hour $200, concern is wanting to utilize when we have them look at the drainage issues.
Forest view between 2 neighbors throwing dirt in the ditch, 4-5 hours and multiple threats, rob didn’t want to go out there, carl had to assist, these instances are not for an engineer. During appeal season carl cannot dedicate this time to these types of issues. What is the best value for the taxpayers?
Set up a price range, pay any person, no matter what the scope may be, at the next meeting we can vote on that. This amount per hour, this number of hours per week, or we could do nothing, our staff has been doing it.
Do we need this person to facilitate that, need to have funds available to make the recommendations.
Budget a year that would sustain this position, no more than?? Maybe grow the road committee, we should look at both options, we can’t do nothing??
The IGA would include the whole scope, we need to bridge to get to that point, our goal – city of lake forest considers us we would be so lucky. For this evening, a recommendation on this position, if we are going to hire a part time person, to set compensation and then allocate the time for next meeting, see what comes in, or other options, we go that route, lets something concrete so the discussion can come to conclusion. Management position – to work with Rob and being efficient, how many hours a week, some weeks zero and some weeks 20, depends on what the project is, Birch Ave, someone should go out there. Most of these people for part-time already have a job, on call might be hard for someone who is already working another position, not leave the expertise to Rob for some of the tasks or issues. The Road Committee seems like they have someone who can do all this stuff, after a certain amount of volunteering time it was amounting to a lot of work, we haven’t gotten anywhere on pay. Eng budget is 20, less than 25 as the previous commissioner, 15 is our initial thinking on range. Hourly basis not to exceed per week, 20 hours be the cap. Amount 25 per hour. Set a position no more than on a call basis, the trustees do not have to fulfill the position, may come forward or a different direction, perimeter is set.  Close the application process EOD May 10, 2023.  Contractor 1099 basis no W2.

1. Executive Session - NA
2. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 8:07 p.m. by Supervisor Urso, motion to adjourn Trustee Walker-Eich, and second by Trustee Andersen.