May 14, 2002

Mayor Krajewski called the Workshop meeting of the Village Council of the Village of Downers Grove to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall.

Present:Mayor Brian Krajewski; Commissioners Marilyn Schnell, Thomas Sisul, Michael Gilbert, Sue McConnell, Martin Tully, Mark Zabloudil; Village Manager Riccardo Ginex; Acting Village Attorney Enza Petrarca; Village Clerk April Holden

Absent:None

Visitors: Press: Susie Gura, Downers Grove Reporter; Colt Foutz, The Sun Residents & Others Attending: Jim Hughes, Maximus, Northbrook, IL; Andrew Clark, 1226 62nd St.; Christine Fregeau, 1918 Elmore; Marilynn Gerloff ,4241 Highland; Erik Guldberg, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 527 63rd St.; Laurel Q. Bowen, 829 Clyde Dr.; David Shindoll and Jana Bryant, Mackie Consultants, 9575 W. Higgins, Rosemont; Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Midwestern University, 555 31st Ave; Lawrence Dziurdzik, Allen Kracower & Assoc., Buffalo Grove Staff: Ken Rathje, Director, Planning Services; Greg Zimmerman, Director, Human Resources; Dave Van Vooren, Deputy Manager for Administration; Amanda Browne, Planner; Stan Balicki, Support Services Manager, Public Works; Kurt Bluder; Deputy Police Chief; Mary Scalzetti, Director, Tourism and Events; Mike Baker, Assistant to the Village Manager; Jack Bajor, Director, Public Works; Marty Lyons, Director, Financial Services; Carol Conforti, Liaison, Liquor Commission

Mayor Krajewski explained that Council Workshop meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are video taped live and for later cable cast over cable channel 6.

The Workshop meeting is intended to provide Council and the public with an appropriate forum for informal discussion of any items intended for future Council consideration or just for general information. No formal action is taken at Workshop meetings.

The public is invited to attend and encouraged to comment or ask questions in an informal manner on any of the items being discussed or on any other subject. The agenda is created to provide a guideline for discussion.

Proclamation:

Mayor Krajewski declared the week of May 12-18 as Police Week in the Village of Downers Grove. He noted that May 15th is Police Officers Memorial Day.

Deputy Chief Kurt Bluder said that there will be an Open House on Saturday, May 18 at the Police Department. They will showcase the various entities of the Department including the SWAT team, Passo, and a variety of police equipment.

The Mayor said that on Friday there was a ceremony at Barth Pond commemorating Officer Barth who is the only Downers Grove officer to have lost his life in the performance of his duties for the Village.

MANAGER

Bids:

Heritage Festival Tent Rental. Manager Ginex said staff is recommending awarding a contract to Braun Events at a rental of $25,7979.70 of which $5,000 will be recovered.

Commissioner Gilbert asked if there was a cost for setup last year.

Mary Scalzetti , Director, Tourism and Events Commission, said there will be a setup fee this year due to the preview night. The streets will close at noon on Thursday. There is a $2,500 additional setup fee in the bid. Commissioner Gilbert asked Ms. Scalzetti whether the extra tents and tables for the 4th of July event are included, and she said they were separate.

Elevator Inspection. The Manager said staff recommends awarding a bid to Elevator Inspection Services in an amount of $17,084.00. The Village included $12,700 in the budget, and staff will be making a request for budget amendments.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked whether this Company does the inspections, and he also asked about the administrative costs. Manager Ginex said that Don Rosenthal sent him a memo to consider raising the fees to cover administrative costs.

Commissioner Tully said that 13 requests for bids were sent out, yet only two responded. He asked if they know why. He said that in the Public Service Committee they have found that there are answers to that question and he would like to see that information included in the memos.

Police Uniforms 2002/2003. The Manager said staff recommends awarding the contract for uniform items to Roy O’Herron Company, and the equipment contract to Constable Police.

Purchase of Squad Cars. The Manager said instead of seven squad cars in total, there should be eight. He said that Landmark Ford is the recommended vendor as the lowest bid. The staff also recommends deferring six of the vehicles to next fiscal year, and to go ahead with only two of these vehicles now. He said they are requesting authorization for the total eight vehicles, however.

The Mayor asked if that means they could put in the order now, but then not pay until later.

Stan Balicki , Support Services Manager, Public Works, said that typical delivery for vehicles is 90 days, with additional time for paper processing. He said that he learned that the build-out cycle for Ford is thru July. If the Village waited, the dealer might not honor the original trade-in amount. Mayor Krajewski asked if they would then be ordering two cars now, and six in the fall. Mr. Balicki said they can do that, but they would have to look at the trade-ins.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked about the possibility of using vans in the Police Department for transport of prisoners. He said he would like staff to check into the need for a van in the next go around.

Public Works Uniforms . The Manager said staff is recommending a contract for outerwear be awarded to North Shore Uniform Service, and a joint contract to Modern Career Apparel and North Shore Uniform Service for uniform items. He said employees receive an annual uniform allowance dependent upon their job classification. Manager Ginex said the Village prefers to award a contract to a single vendor.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked Mr. Bajor how many employees in administration and management take advantage of the allowance. Mr. Bajor said he would get those figures and report back to the Council.

2002 Resurfacing, Project #01-02. The Manager said three bids were received, the lowest being from Harry Kuhn for $1,800,440, which was over the engineer’s estimate by $194,963. As a result, some projects will be delayed, including the resurfacing of Saratoga north of Prairie, and Lincoln Avenue between Linscott and Prince. Staff recommends going forward with Harry Kuhn for the remainder of the project at a cost of $1,556.923 plus a 4.8% contingency.

Mayor Krajewski asked whether the newly annexed properties and census were factored in to include additional MFT funds.

Marty Lyons , Director, Financial Services, said they factored in the MFT . He noted that about $60,000-$70,000 of general funds were used for patching materials for the pavement crew.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked what the unit measurement is and the comparison of cost to last year.

Commissioner Schnell asked the condition of the streets they are deferring, and the effect of delaying them on next year’s budget and future plan.

Mr. Bajor said it moves the program back. He said they hoped bids would be better next year. He said that asphalt has been especially expensive this year. Regarding the condition of the two roadways, he said staff can patch them and repair them sufficiently to wait until next year. Commissioner Schnell said they will have to look at how long they can continue to defer. She would like to see them get a better handle on the asphalt prices in the future. Mr. Bajor said that the streets are on a 7-year cycle.

The Mayor said they need to look at the records of previous years as costs are higher in some years than others.

Commissioner Sisul said the Public Service Committee could look at the condition of the streets.

Commissioner Schnell noted it could cause problems if there are a couple of years of high bids.

Commissioner Tully asked what criteria are applied when determining deferral of a street. Mr. Bajor said they look for cracks and a breakdown of the alligator ring on the wearing surfaces.

2002 Slurry Seal, Project #05-02. The Manager said that the low bid on this item was from A.C. Pavement Striping at $135,834.60 which was $35,997.44 over the estimate. Staff recommends awarding the contract to A.C. Pavement Striping.

The Mayor asked for clarification of the amount budgeted and the amount bid. Mayor Ginex said the budget amount was $99,841.

The Mayor then referred to the price increases, saying there is a $1.65 increase over prices from the last 5-6 years, which is a 90% increase of last several years and he asked staff to check with contractors and other communities and find out what is going on and whether it is going to remain at that level.

Zoning Board of Appeals Recommendations:

Case C-2-02 Rest Haven Special Use Amendment, 3450 Saratoga Avenue.

Ken Rathje , Director of Planning Services, provided a background on the petition submitted by Rest Haven Nursing Home. They propose to add more land to their existing special use in the amount of 2.37 acres. Secondly they propose two building additions. He explained the existing facilities on the site. He said there are two proposed additions, one for 7,028 square feet to house rehabilitation therapy services, and the other addition in the amount of 2,500 square feet to add the entrance way to the south side of the building. The total square footage of the nursing home will be increased to 48,600 square feet with the addition. He described the parking provisions as well as the access to the site. There are sufficient parking spaces already on site at this time. They will be increasing their total parking to 175 spaces, which is 24 more than needed. He reviewed their landscape and lighting plans which are in compliance with the Village’s requirements. Mr. Rathje said that they will also add 1.77 acre feet of stormwater detention storage to the southwest and south of the site. The Village’s consultant has reviewed the plans and found them to be consistent with the Ordinance. He reviewed the conditions necessary for a nursing home, which are all satisfied with the exception of some legal nonconforming uses. The original structure was built prior to the existing Ordinance. The nonconformities relate to the setback on the south side, and parking requirements, and these are legal nonconformities. Mr. Rathje said they did a traffic analysis and were able to satisfy the parking requirements based upon that analysis. He stated that the Zoning Board of Appeals reviewed the petition and submitted a positive recommendation to the Council.

Commissioner Gilbert asked if there are any plans to bring the buildings into conformity. Mr. Rathje said that the law allows the legal nonconformity provided the new spaces meet the requirements, including parking requirements.

Commissioner Gilbert asked if the Village regulated where the parking is, as he thought the parking on the south side of the building seems far away. Mr. Rathje said the parking has been very well balanced, including the north side of the building which is consistent with the diminished role the north side will place in terms of traffic generation. The major area will be on the south side of the site as they are moving the location of the entrance. It is a functional plan for the patients, employees and the guests.

Commissioner Schnell asked whether there was sufficient parking for guests and patients to serve the building to the north. Mr. Rathje said that they are taking pressure off of the north side of the building, due to the south parking. Commissioner Schnell asked where the residents will park. Mr. Rathje then outlined the spaces in that area. Commissioner Schnell asked if there are handicapped spaces remaining. Mr. Rathje said that there are a number of handicap spaces remaining. There will be a total of 15, and some to the north will be relocated. In further response to Commissioner Schnell, Mr. Rathje said that the ambulance entrance will be to the south. He said staff is also comfortable with the parking to the north for the other building. He indicated that a lot of pressure for visitors parking is during nighttime hours. The physical therapy facility will not be operating during nighttime hours. He said that they were adding more parking than was required.

Commissioner Sisul asked about the daytime population. Mr. Rathje said that there are 144 beds in the nursing home, and 96 beds in the sheltered care facility. There are 150 employees, including part time, 1/3 of whom are working at any one time.

Commissioner Sisul complimented the people at Rest Haven. There have been very few problems with this complex. He said he was impressed with the facility and the grounds. Mr. Rathje said they have made huge strides in improving the property since they took it over 16 years ago.

Commissioner Tully asked if the amendment to the special use has to meet the special use criteria, or is it the overall use that meets those criteria. Mr. Rathje said typically it is the amendment that must meet the criteria. He said that if the property was built legally, it is not necessary to redesign any of the legal nonconformities, as long as the amendment is conforming.

Commissioner Tully said that the special use has to be determined to meet specific requirements. If they look only at the amendment, it might not meet the requirements. He asked if, in the final analysis, they look only at the amendment’s compliance, or at the overall use. Mr. Rathje responded that some times you must look in both directions depending upon the context of the use. Others may have to be reviewed on their own merits. It is not always clear-cut.

Case C-3-02 Midwestern University Special Use Amendment, 555 31st Street. Mr. Rathje said that the University has submitted a petition for an accessory parking structure. Universities are listed as a Special Use. He reviewed the criteria from the Zoning Ordinance for a parking deck. Mr. Rathje described the proposed deck as a two-story, three-level deck with 93,000 square feet which will park 933 cars. It would be built on an existing surface level parking lot site. Mr. Rathje then described the deck dimensions and materials to be used. They will use precast concrete slabs which are to be constructed off site, and they are architectural grade structures. In addition, there will be two glass-enclosed stair towers. Mr. Rathje said that upon completion of the deck, the total number of parking spaces on the campus will be 1,761, including 78 handicap spaces. Regarding lighting, Mr. Rathje said the University attempted to be considerate of their surrounding neighbors. He then described the lighting levels in the Council Chambers to provide an idea to the Council of what the lighting levels for the University grounds would be. He said the proposal is for the parking deck top level to have between 0.8 and 5.3 foot candles. Interior areas will be about 25 foot candles, with 10 foot candles on the ramps, and 5 foot candles between the cars. He noted that the petitioner has indicated that the lighting would be timed based upon the closing time for various buildings. Mr. Rathje said that the deck is proposed to be 51’ south of the north boundary line, and 25’ east of the west boundary line. In regard to landscaping Mr. Rathje said the University has worked with the Forest Preserve and Park District taking into consideration the impact on Lyman Woods. He noted also that the plan will provide 1.9 acre feet of stormwater detention for the parking deck. He noted that the Zoning Board of Appeals felt this would be a great addition to the campus. He added that the University will be adding programs for a Ph.D. in Psychology to their curriculum.

Commissioner McConnell asked about the height of the parking deck as compared to the other buildings. Mr. Rathje responded that the parking deck is 22’ in height, which is the height to the peak of a tall one-story house. It is a fairly low structure. Mr. Rathje said he believed the Library building to be somewhat taller than the proposed deck. He added that the University has gone to some expense to build a longer and lower deck which would also be in keeping with the general architecture of the campus.

Commissioner McConnell then asked about the security measures they intend to take for the parking deck. Mr. Rathje said that they have an excellent campus security system. They have security cars driving around on a relatively frequent basis. Mr. Rathje said it is a controlled population, and this is not near pedestrian traffic.

Commissioner Tully complimented the petitioner on their attempts to deal with all the concerns of their particular site including the surrounding residential neighbors and Lyman Woods. He noted that they worked with several agencies to see that the impact on the surrounding area is minimal. He then asked whether additional surface parking would require a special use. Mr. Rathje said they would require a special use because it would relate to stormwater detention, greenspace, etc.

Commissioner Tully said he thought the Ordinance provides the Council authority to request that certain steps are taken to ameliorate any perceived impact on the surrounding area. He said that the petitioner has offered to take special steps and construction techniques to lessen its impact on Lyman Woods. They have agreed to use environmentally friendly materials for de-icing the deck. He asked whether it is within the Village’s power to make that a condition. Mr. Rathje said that the two lower levels do not drain into the surface area. They also have an enclosed area which will limit the amount of salt affecting the surrounding area. In addition the contractor recommends that the deck be washed out at least twice a year to protect the steel and concrete. He added that the Council is free to place conditions on the petition if it so chooses related to protection of the surrounding community.

Commissioner Tully then asked Dr. Goeppinger, President and CEO of Midwestern University, how many Downers Grove residents are students or are on the staff.

Dr. Kathy Goeppinger , President and CEO , Midwestern University, said she did not have exact figures available. She noted that 450 students reside on the campus. She said she could obtain their figures if the Commissioner wanted them.

Commissioner Tully then asked about the appraisal of the properties to the north, and why they did not utilize comparable figures. Dr. Goeppinger said they hired an appraiser at their own expense, however, it was a hands-off situation. They did not tell the appraiser how to do the job because they wanted an objective analysis.

Laurel Bowen , 829 Clyde, said she was representing the Pierce Downers Heritage Alliance. She said she has not seen the landscaping plans; however, comments made by the plant ecologist of the Forest Preserve indicate that the area adjacent to Lyman wood could use some improvement. She said that it was also stated that the buffer zone requires more transitional space. Ms. Bowen said that they would like the Council to consider the need for such a large facility and consider the possibility of establishing some type of public transportation for students who don’t reside in the Village, or to encourage carpooling for special events. Ms. Bowen said regarding lighting, she referred to a study recently conducted by the Field Museum ornithologist who noted that due to the high light levels, many birds that fly at night are disoriented by the lighting. She suggested lower light levels next to Lyman Woods.

The Mayor said that the Council would welcome comments after reviewing the new landscape plan. He said it seems as though they have done a very good job in working with the Pierce Downers Heritage Alliance, as well as other agencies.

Case C-4-02 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Special Use Amendment, 525 63rd Street. Mr. Rathje said that the petitioner proposes adding land to its special use, increasing the land area to 4.45 acres. They are also seeking to build two building additions, one on the north side of the church adding 3,000 square feet, and the second addition would be 6,999 square feet to the school to accommodate five classrooms, a library area, two offices, bathrooms, and storage and mechanical areas. He said that parking is presently 79 spaces and will be increased to 110 spaces, based upon the Zoning Ordinance requirement for churches. Mr. Rathje said that all setbacks significantly meet the R-1 zoning district requirements. He said that stormwater detention will be 2.12 acre feet which exceeds the requirement. There are two homes that are served by septic systems that will hook up to the Sanitary District. He noted that there has been extraordinary cooperation from the neighbors regarding this petition and from MCI in obtaining permission to run sanitary lines across MCI ’s property. The Zoning Board of Appeals forwarded a positive recommendation to the Council.

Commissioner Schnell asked whether the new structures will be sprinklered and the existing structures will be retrofitted. Mr. Rathje said they are discussing this with the Fire Prevention Bureau, and it is an ongoing discussion. He said there was conversation as to exactly what areas have to be sprinklered. Mr. Rathje said the petitioner understands they must work out the sprinkler situation.

Commissioner McConnell said they are increasing the size of the sanctuary significantly and asked what the traffic impact would be. Mr. Rathje said there are only 110 parking spaces. The principal use of the sanctuary is on Sunday morning which is a non-peak hour. The other use for the property is school, which generates a low number of cars. He noted that the County has looked into the entrance and exit levels to provide for adequate turning radiuses.

The Mayor asked about the 29’ foot setback. Mr. Rathje responded that there is a 25’ easement for the Sanitary District. He said he thinks it is a Sanitary District easement. The Mayor asked if they need 25’ and Mr. Rathje said that they can put landscaping in the 25’ area. He said he would get more information on that issue. The Mayor asked that they check with the Sanitary District to see how many feet they really need.

Plan Commission File 1076, Planned Development Amendment for the Old Steven’s Restaurant, 2001 63rd Street.

Amanda Browne , Planner, said that the petitioner is proposing construction of an outdoor seating and dining area as part of the old Steven’s Restaurant renovation. The property is part of a planned development which requires an amendment for the proposed use. The outdoor seating area will be to the immediate south of the structure and will be approximately 1320 square feet in area, of which 600 square feet is hard surface for tables and chairs. In addition, there will be densely planted landscaped and greenspace area. The Plan Commission found that the proposed plan satisfies the minimum ordinance requirements with regard to setbacks, landscaping/greenspace and parking. The landscape/greenspace exceeds the requirements by 46%. They will also have a surplus of 46 parking spaces for the site. Ms. Browne noted that there will be two additional handicapped spaces added to the parking as well. The Plan Commission found that the provisions are consistent with outdoor seating areas and exceptional uses in Planned developments. The Plan Commission forwarded a positive recommendation.

Council Input Comment Card. The Manager said this card is the result of comments from Commissioner Gilbert a few months ago to improve communication at the Workshops. He asked Mike Baker to provide additional information.

Michael Baker , Assistant to the Village Manager, said he developed the card as requested by Council. The objective is to track the citizen input process at Council meetings and Workshops. He said they surveyed other communities to learn their procedures and found there are a variety of unique aspects to each community. Mr. Baker said he provided a series of alternatives to the Council. He presented the card. They are asking citizens who are interested in speaking before the Council to complete the card and submit it to the Village Clerk prior to speaking. He indicated that the Council will re-evaluate the system of how citizens will speak before the Council. Mr. Baker then reviewed the details of the card, which requires information that allows the Village to follow-up with responses to the resident. He said there are informational features on the card providing guidelines for addressing the Village Council, as well as incorporating keys to effective communication based on the six Character Counts pillars. Mr. Baker said the back of the card provides for tracking and other avenues for citizens input and information.

Commissioner Gilbert said that one of the goals of this system is to allow citizens to obtain better response from the Village, or to get on a Workshop agenda or subcommittee. He said he was pleased to see the Character Counts pillars integrated into this process. He said that this is not intended to be restrictive. It allows the Village to track requests and information.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked how this works in other communities. Mr. Baker responded that Naperville uses a summary sheet system. Most of the people he spoke with said they had this in place for some time and have experienced no problems . Commissioner Zabloudil asked whether staff observed the use of the cards in action, and Mr. Baker said he did not.

Commissioner Tully acknowledged the work of Mr. Baker and Commissioners Schnell and McConnell on this project. He said that he was pleased to learn that the public practices and policies in Downers Grove are much more liberal than other communities. He is concerned about the present form, and that filling out the card will have a chilling effect on the resident. He thought one of the goals was to offer guidance to the speakers in how best to communicate to the Council and others. Commissioner Tully said that filling out a card in order to speak will not work in a Workshop from a practical matter. He said he thought it could work in a Council meeting, however. He likes the idea for follow-up information and having it available for contact and follow-up to be put in the CRC system. He said that he likes the concept but not specifically in the form presented tonight.

The Mayor said that the card could be used if an individual wants an answer back. They would not have to use it if they just want to make a comment.

Commissioner McConnell said she has been approached by a number of citizens who stated that if they had some guidelines and better understood how to address the Council, they would be more likely to do so. This is not meant to limit, but to encourage citizens to speak by providing tools and guidelines. She said that the Naperville Park District uses a similar system, and it apparently works well. She said she would have no problem in modifying this. The Character Counts Coalition is excited that the Council has taken on something like this, embodying the six pillars. She said that they would ask other government bodies to use a similar format.

Commissioner Schnell said that sometimes citizens are intimidated or do not feel they are being listened to. The guidelines put responsibilities on both the citizen and the Council. She said she would like a card they could take with them with the guidelines and six pillars specified, as well as expectations and other ways to communicate, such as Coffee With the Council, etc. She added that the Character Counts Coalition would like to display a framed printed document of the six pillars behind the Council in the Chambers. The Coalition is looking for the Village to be a trendsetter.

The Mayor asked if the Council members had any problems with putting the six pillars in the Chambers. There were no objections. He said that they could display the six pillars in the Council Chambers as well as at Public Works.

Commissioner Tully said he would like to see one card, printed front and back, including guidelines.

Manager Ginex said he understood they would like the guidelines on the agenda in addition to a card that could be used for follow-up for more information.

Commissioner Sisul said that the intent of this concept deals with the conduct being suggested. He said they need to help people address the issues. It is difficult for a person to know if their comments are relevant. He said there should be a way to help residents focus on things the Council needs to hear from the citizens. He said he was hoping to be able to provide details as to the information the Council is looking for.

Commissioner Schnell said she agreed that people do not always understand the process. She said that perhaps each board should look at this issue to provide a primer for each of the boards. She added that the public needs to have an understanding about what is or is not relevant.

Commissioner Sisul said that Chairs of the Commissions make introductory remarks at the meeting. This could be a brief discussion of the board and the issues.

Laurel Bowen , 829 Clyde Drive, said she spoke about a year or so ago of this being a dilemma. The public needs to know what they are allowed to say and what type of questions they are allowed to ask. She suggested that a poster board with allowable items would provide information to the citizens who don’t know what can be discussed in advance.

Commissioner Gilbert said it is difficult to cover those things in advance for specific issues. He said he thought the Village could do a better job regarding informing the public of what can and cannot be discussed.

Commissioner Sisul said that they should go to the Boards and Commissions and perhaps have them carry it on to the Council.

Commissioner McConnell said that the thought to come up with the card presented today was in fulfillment of her assignment.

Commissioner Schnell said that perhaps they could better utilize the web page as well. She said they would have to go back to the Boards and Commissions for guidance as well.

Parking & Traffic Recommendations:

File #04-02 Parking Restrictions on Florence Avenue between Indianapolis and Chicago Avenue. The Manager said the Commission recommended that there be regulatory control at this intersection, with no parking anytime and no parking between driveways.

Commissioner Tully said these restrictions were put in previously due to a safety consideration when an ambulance could not go through the street due to the excess traffic during drop-off and pick-up times. He said the restrictions have already been in place and there has been an improvement to the problem.

Commissioner Gilbert asked why they posted the stop sign on Florence as opposed to Indianapolis. Mr. Bajor said it was based upon routing of the traffic and the traffic counts.

Commissioner Tully said that the problem was with the morning drop off and afternoon pick up of students at Lester School on the south side entrance. Vehicles are all on Florence and would not stop going east or west on Indianapolis. Now they have to stop before proceeding onto Indianapolis.

File #07-02 Parking Restrictions on Forest Avenue north of 41st Street. The Manager said the Commission recommended restricted parking at any time on both sides of Forest at the corners from 41st Street to a point 50’ north.

Commissioner Schnell said they need to monitor this because of the problems caused by parking closer to the blind hill. She did not think that this would solve the problem of parking in the area.

Commissioner McConnell said that originally the motion was defeated to limit the parking to one side of the street. One of the issues raised by the Police was an increase in speeding if no parking was allowed on both sides. She asked if they were placing anyone in jeopardy with this solution. Mr. Bajor said that people do have a tendency to travel faster where there is reduced parking. Commissioner McConnell said she would like to see some feedback from the Police Department.

File #21-01 Parking Restrictions on Oakwood Avenue between Grant Street and Ogden Avenue. The Manager reviewed the restrictions as no parking anytime from Ogden to a point 200’ south of Ogden; restricted no parking between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. from a point 200’ south of Ogden to a point 460’ south of Ogden Avenue, including Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays; and restricted 2-hour parking from a point 480’ north of Grant Street to a point 105’ north of Grant Street, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

Commissioner Schnell asked how this will be signed, as it is complicated. Manager Ginex said they will measure for the signage.

Amend Liquor License Fees.

Carol Conforti , Liquor Commission Liaison, said that a cost center analysis was conducted regarding the fees charged by the Village. She said that the report is divided into categories such as annual license fees, application fees, outdoor seating, etc. It also includes a cost analysis of staff time.

Commissioner Zabloudil said he liked the approach of the analysis and asked how they arrived at the costs. Ms. Conforti responded that each licensee is charged with a core base of fees. She referred to a chart in the report that itemized costs of supplies, control buys, other standard cost. The minimum based fee is $300, and then each class is broken out by administrative time. She noted that some licensees do require a lot more administrative time.

Commissioner Zabloudil said that there was no amount listed for attorney costs in the Legal Department. Ms. Conforti said that the time she spends with the Village Attorney regarding a license is included and can vary. She said they do account for all costs as much as possible, including her time. In response to the Mayor, Ms. Conforti said that her time is 3/4 legal and 1/4 liquor. She said 1/4 of her salary is allocated throughout the fees.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked how they arrived at the $811.50 fee for General Administration for a Class A license. Ms.Conforti said that they estimated the number of hours spent on each application by category. General Administration includes her time and legal’s time.

In further response to Commissioner Zabloudil, Ms. Conforti said it is difficult to compare the Village’s program with other communities due to the number of programs that the Village provides. She noted that some communities use the license fees as revenue, while the Village’s fees are meant to be fair.

Commissioner Zabloudil said they should round up not down. He said they should look at the full package to recoup some costs.

Commissioner Sisul said the tradition has been to keep the fees on a cost factor, as they have not wanted to go to a revenue status with the fees.

The Mayor asked if the salary includes the benefits. Ms. Conforti said it does. They averaged the salaries for police officers and included benefits.

Commissioner McConnell said she thought they should go forward with the modifications, and look to a broader basis in preparation for next year. She also thought they should incorporate some level of prevention activities and incorporate that into the fees next year. She said they should look at the whole picture because schools and other agencies have activities. Ms. Conforti said that the Village donates funds to Downers Grove North and South for the Graduation with Pride program, with the barbecue and lock-in.

Commissioner Schnell said programs aimed at the youth in the schools should be done in partnership with the existing programs in the schools, or with other groups.

Agreement for Geotechnical Engineering Services (Resurfacing & Slurry). The Manager said this Agreement is in the amount of $28,873 to Claude Hurley. The Mayor asked how long Claude Hurley has been doing this. Mr. Bajor said he would have to look into that. The Mayor asked if they know whether he is higher 200-300% higher than anyone else. Mr. Bajor said it is not that high and he will look into it.

Technical Amendments Ordinance. The Manager said this item is basically an Ordinance to clear up some technical errors in the Ordinance.

Banking Deposit Resolution.

Marty Lyons , Finance Director, said this is basically a housekeeping item. A depository has been added related to processing Village health insurance claims. There is a correction to be made to add Midwest Bank. In addition, the Bank of Commerce typo will be corrected. He indicated that there are no fees associated with the Village’s transaction accounts.

Renewal of Opting Out of HIPPA Law.

Greg Zimmerman , Director, Human Resources, said that the Village has opted out of HIPPA since it was instituted, and by doing so it saves the Village 2%-4% in health costs.

Pay Classification Review – 2002. The Manager said the goal in regard to this review is to determine whether the Village’s pay plan is consistent and equitable. He said that modifications were made in November. In order to be consistent they use Maximus, who created the Village’s current pay plan, and Metro Net/City Salaries for comparative data. For competitiveness, they aim to achieve an overall pay plan at the 60th percentile of comparable communities. Positions are compared with like positions in other communities, as well as within the Village’s own organization. He indicated that in order to remain competitive for bargaining and non-bargaining positions, they need to move the pay ranges. The Manager said that one of the major points of the plan is that they have separated the review of salary increases from the pay plan, unless an individual falls out of the range. If an individual falls out of the range, they would be brought up to the level. He asked Jim Hughes of Maximus to provide additional information.

Jim Hughes , Maximus, Inc. reviewed the philosophy of the plan, saying that the target is to fall within the 60th percentile of the pay-rate midpoint of comparable communities. He said they should review the pay ranges on an annual basis. Mr. Hughes said that they compared current pay date of comparable positions with other communities. He described the analysis Maximus performed and explained the updated salary ranges.

Commissioner Gilbert asked what the recommendation is. Mr. Hughes said that their analysis has identified pay ranges that represent the 60th percentile.

Mr. Lyons said that Attachment B is the revised pay plan. The line that says the 60th percentile represents the best fit line.

Mr. Hughes said that Attachment C shows a chart representing the benchmark jobs. He described the chart in detail.

Commissioner Gilbert said that the Council’s direction is to put the midpoint of the pay grades at the 60th percentile, but he said that they are not meeting that. Mr. Hughes said the Village is meeting it. He said that the brackets are at the 60th percentile. Mr. Lyons said that Commissioner Gilbert is correct that none of the individual brackets is at the 60th percentile. Averaged all together they are at the 60th percentile. He said they did a review of each job and assigned points to the job. The jobs are related together through the points assigned. He indicated that one bracket will include a number of points, which eliminates the need for 138 pay grades.

Commissioner Gilbert said that if the midpoint of the pay grade is to be at the 60th percentile, not many of them are at the 60th percentile. Mr. Lyons said that if each of the pay grades were at the 60th percentile, that would cause compression. There should be a uniform spacing between grades. There was more discussion regarding how the Village is seen as falling within the 60th percentile. Commissioner Gilbert said based upon the figures he was seeing, the Village is not in that percentile area.

The Mayor said that there seems to be a problem with the scoring, in that 15 or 20 individuals are not performing the job that was originally evaluated and determined to fall within a particular job grade. He asked how to correct that problem. Mr. Hughes said that the information they used was based on the questionnaire, and not based on job performance. Mr. Zimmerman said that when there is a substantive change in an individual’s job, they create a new CPQ . The Director then monitors the performance of the individual.

Commissioner McConnell said that the question appears to be whether they have the right positions in the evaluation so they can be graded properly, and what to do if someone is not performing the duties of the position. They would have to redo the CPQ .

Mr. Lyons said that these are 1999 job descriptions. Changes need new CPQs and new evaluations. He said it is the Director’s responsibility to review the position and make changes as required. The Mayor said that the director has the responsibility to change the CPQ .

Mr. Zimmerman said that every employee is asked to review the job at least once a year. That is how they keep up to date on changes in the positions.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked when was the last time a performance evaluation was done similar to Exhibit A. Mr. Lyons said it was done last year. Commissioner Zabloudil referenced the Switchboard/Receptionist grade. He asked if that position needs to be adjusted by 26%. Mr. Lyons said that based on an external comparison, all other things being equal, that is what they should do. However, other communities may have higher point values for similar positions due to different responsibilities. He said that aspects of the pay plan changed somewhat to reflect market conditions related to the internal pay structure. The change is based on the linear regression analysis performed by Maximus. The line changed at the low end from 1.4% to 6.4% at the top end. The slope and steepness of the pay plan changed to reflect market conditions related to our internal pay structure.

Commissioner McConnell said they have come a long way in their philosophy by moving to a merit-based evaluation.

Commissioner Tully said he understands that the Resolution would revise the pay ranges but not in-pocket pay. He asked if there are employees who will fall out of the range. Mr. Lyons said that there was a tendency for employees in Grades 12-13 and above, who were hired at higher than the minimum pay in their range, to fall out of the range.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

There were none.

MANAGER ’S REPORT

Manager Ginex said the gypsy moth spraying has been delayed until May 21. They should be at Lyman Woods by 8:00 a.m.

The Manager said that there will be a meeting on Friday, May 17 in the Council Chambers at 2:00 p.m. for comments and questions regarding the issue of news boxes in the Village.

ATTORNEY ’S REPORT

Attorney Petrarca reviewed the 15 items to be presented to the Council: 1) an ordinance authorizing special use at Rest Haven West Nursing Home to permit an addition to the existing structures; 2) an ordinance authorizing special use at Midwestern University to permit an addition to the existing structures; 3) an ordinance authorizing special use at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church to permit modification to the site including parking and landscaping elements; 4) an ordinance approving an amendment to Planned Development #1 to approve an outdoor seating area for the property located at 2001 W. 63rd Street; 5) an ordinance amending traffic regulations on Florence Avenue and Indianapolis Avenue; 6) an ordinance amending parking restrictions at the intersection of Forest Avenue and 41st Street; 7) an ordinance amending parking restrictions on Oakwood Avenue; 8) an ordinance amending certain fees related to liquor licensing; 9) a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement for engineering services between the Village of Downers Grove and Claude H. Hurley Company; 10) an ordinance making certain technical amendments to the Downers Grove Municipal Code; 11) a resolution designating designated depository institutions for the Village of Downers Grove; 12) a resolution to opt-out of compliance with the provisions of the Federal and Illinois Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acts for the Village Health Plan Year beginning May 1, 2002; 13) a resolution amending the Downers Grove compensation plan to adopt a revised plan dated May 21, 2002; 14) a resolution in support of H.R. 1097 establishing FDA authority over tobacco products; 15) an ordinance amending Special Service Area Number 2 in the Village of Downers Grove to provide for an extension of the term of the Special Service Area and providing for a public hearing and other procedures in connection therewith.

MAYOR ’S REPORT

The Mayor congratulated Good Samaritan Hospital for the opening of their Cancer Care facility.

In addition, Rosol Development had their groundbreaking on Saturday.

The Mayor said there was a memorial for Officer Barth on Friday. He said that he spoke with the Barth family, and said it is a difficult process for them because they have to go and testify each year to address the parole board on the issue of paroling the individual who is incarcerated for Officer Barth’s death.

The Mayor said that there will be a meeting on Thursday with IDOT and METRA regarding the Belmont underpass.

The Mayor said that members of the Economic Development Committee would like to have a meeting scheduled with the Council to discuss Council guidelines and directions for the EDC . He asked the Manager to schedule that meeting.

Mayor Krajewski said that the Council has completed its first year with the Standing Committees. He said everyone has done a good job on the Committees. He asked that the Chairs of the Committees go to the Village Manager for whatever information they need and their time frame.

The Mayor said that the Village Attorney is preparing a Resolution for Council consideration regarding the Chairman of the various Subcommittees.

There being no further discussion, the Workshop meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

April K. Holden Village Clerk tmh