June 25, 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: Peter Hultman, 1410 Gilbert; Andrew Clark; 1226-62nd Street; John LeDonne, 1221 Parkway; Jack McGuire, 1425 Gilbert; Christine Fregeau, 1918 Elmore; Mike Kubes, 5538 Lyman; Boy Scouts: Parent Karla Twombly, 1132 Woodcrest; Parent Donnie R. Williams, 10 S 140 Suffield Dr.; Mike Twombly, Brian & Ryan Williams Others in Attendance: Sharon Douglas, AT&T Broadband, 2001 S. York Rd., Oakbrook; Al Ambrose, Northern Trust, 20 S. LaSalle; Don Zimmerman, First Baptist Church of Downers Grove, Maple & Washington; Leonard Stoecker, 605 W. Downers, Aurora Staff: Susan Brassfield, Grants Coordinator; Ann Priorello, Manager, VOC ; Jennifer Rizzo, VOC ; Deputy Police Chief Kurt Bluder; Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jackson; Fire Chief Phil Ruscetti; Mike Baker, Assistant to the Village Manager; Jack Bajor, Director, Public Works; Carol Conforti, Liquor Liaison

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.

Guests:

The Mayor recognized the presence of several scouts in the audience and asked them to introduce themselves.

Ryan Williams of Troop 101 said he is working on his Citizenship badge and attends Lake View Junior High.

Brian Williams also of Troop 101 is working on his Citizenship Badge and has 14 badges so far.

Mike Twombly of Troop 101 said he has 9 badges. The Mayor said the Scouts would receive Village pins for attending the meeting, and congratulated them on their accomplishments.

MANAGER

Bids:

Fire Station #5 Generator. Manager Ginex said this is for the installation of an emergency generator at Fire Station 5. In 2001, Fire Station 5 was renovated to house the administrative functions of the Chief and Deputy Chiefs. The generator at Station 5 only has the capacity to operate the overhead doors. The other electrically run systems are not supported by it. With the installation of the proposed generator, the entire station would remain in operation in the event of a power failure. Five bids were received with Alternate Power, Inc. the lowest bid. Funding was not in this year’s budget. Last year $43,000 for fire station generator upgrades was budgeted and went unspent, but the funds were not carried forward. Staff proposes that funds budgeted for the Village Hall generator be used for the Fire Station. Staff recommends awarding a bid to Alternate Power, Inc., in the amount of $33,191.15.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked about postponing the upgrade to the Village Hall and why it needs to be upgraded.

Mike Baker, Assistant to the Village Manager, responded that the Village Hall has several smaller generators powering certain critical systems. They discussed moving in this direction as a security measure.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked about the risks and liability to the Village if there were a long-term power failure and the Village Hall generator is not upgraded.

Mr. Baker said they are minor and do not effect the major, critical systems such as the network, computer systems, and back-ups. Certain electrical systems would still function. The back-up systems are generator powered.

The Mayor asked why the Village Hall generator needs to be upgraded. He noted that VOC has been moved from Village Hall. Mr. Baker said the VOC move reduced the amount of capacity needed. The current generators are not sufficient to cover all of the building’s power needs.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked if the intent of the new generator was to power the entire building. Mr. Baker said it was. The entire facility would not be able to be powered in the event of an emergency, but the critical elements would be powered to keep the Village functioning.

Traffic Control Sign Posts. The Manager said six bids were received. Staff has recommended awarding the contract to Allied Tube and Conduit, the lowest bidder.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked whether it will impact the price if less than 500 posts are purchased. The Manager said it is a unit cost.

Traffic Sign Materials. The Manager said staff recommends awarding an extended contract to 3M for all the items for electrocuttable film and Reflective Sheetings. It is further recommended that Vulcan Sign be awarded the contract for Hi-Intensity Sheeting. He said this is the first extension of the contract.

CBD /TIF Bond Issue Financing. The Manager asked Marty Lyons to discuss this item.

Marty Lyons , Director of Financial Services, said this is to request permission to hire professional service firms to issue bonds for the coming summer and fall work associated mainly with the parking deck. Staff is proposing the issuance of $6 million in bonds for the 2002 calendar year. Staff would gauge the construction project schedule in 2003 and go out for further financing of the deck. He said that Northern Trust has been the Village’s financial advisor throughout the CBD /TIF project and has not changed their fees. Chapman and Cutler has been involved in advising the Village on the complicated bond issues when they are associated with structures such as our parking deck.

Commissioner Tully asked if these were retainer fees for both Chapman and Cutler and Northern Trust.

Mr. Lyons said that was correct for Chapman and Cutler. He said the fee with Northern Trust is set. The only variance the Village has had with Northern Trust would be out-of-pocket expenses for the production of the official statements. Northern’s fee is based on a $3,500 minimum and $1.00 per bond. Mr. Lyons said that judging from the last two bond issues, the Chapman and Cutler retainer is very close to the actual fee. Should Chapman and Cutler be called upon to do any further research with respect to taxable versus non-taxable status of the bonds, they may charge more; however, they do not anticipate more charges.

Commissioner Tully asked about the budget source for the fees. Mr. Lyons said it would be the TIF fund, as there are reserves in the fund.

AT&T Comcast Mergers. The Manager asked Doug Kozlowski to address this item.

Doug Kozlowski , Public Information Officer, said that this concerns a review of the transfer of control from AT&T Broadband to AT&T Comcast Corporation. In March 2002, the Village received documents (entitled 394 documents) which were submitted to the FCC and the Village to review the franchise transfer to AT&T Comcast Corporation. He said there was a consortium developed to review the transfer as required. This consists of a review of the financial, technical and legal wherewithal of the new entity. Based upon review of the documentation, it is recommended to consent to the transfer of control to AT&T Comcast Corporation. He said that Media One Acquisitions of Northern Illinois Inc. will continue to hold the franchise. He said the management and structure of the subsidiary will not change. Mr. Kozlowski said that staff recommends Council approval of this change of control from AT&T Broadband to AT&T Comcast Corporation as well as approval of the agreement. He said that the Change of Control Agreement is the document which delineates the item-for-item conditions of the franchise agreement.

Commissioner Tully asked what would happen if the Council did not consent, and Mr. Kozlowski said most likely, nothing as it is a statutory requirement based on the franchise agreement. AT&T would just move ahead with the transfer. He said the scope of review is limited. He said staff has worked with the company to address some of the usual customer service problems.

Sharon Douglas , of AT&T Broadband said that call centers are located in Oak Brook, Schaumburg and Tinley Park.

Mr. Kozlowski said that the complaint calls have dropped off considerably and services have improved. He said matters such as unburied cables cannot be used to hold up this transaction based on the federal rules.

Commissioner Sisul noted a sentence has been added regarding improved service. He said it seems to him they have seen this sentence before. Mr. Kozlowski said that given there is only one player, the Village tries to be hopeful.

Don Williams , 10S140 Suffield Drive, asked how this will affect the consumer, and whether there will be a rate increase. Ms. Douglas responded that there is nothing specific to the contract that will raise the rates; however, she cannot guarantee that the rates will not increase.

Planning Resource Agreement. The Manager said is for professional services. He said the Village received a proposal to provide professional consultant services to complete outstanding Special Management Areas related to the DuPage County Stormwater audit. The purpose is to complete the review and documentation of the 32 outstanding cases identified by DuPage County through the last audit. He said $25,000 of the contract would be from the engineering fund. Staff is proposing transferring $30,000 from the Sidewalk Program due to the favorable pricing in this year’s sidewalk gap program.

Staff is recommending the approval and execution of the Professional Services proposal as well as the transfer not to exceed $55,000.

The Mayor if Planning Resources worked on each of the 117 files to reduce it down to 32 files.

Jack Bajor , Public Works Director, said they did not work on every single file.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked how long it will take to resolve these 32 outstanding issues. Mr. Baker said the workload consists of mainly wetland delineation, followed by a schedule of mitigation steps to remove these from the list. He said the fieldwork will be done this season, with six months to close it out.

Commissioner Gilbert asked how this is different from what the Village contracted with Christopher Burke to do. Mr. Bajor said that few consultants do this type of work . Historically the Village has had a good relationship with Planning Resources due to their expertise in this area. He said that Burke does not have the staff.

The Mayor asked whether all 117 were wetlands. Mr. Bajor said that some were stormwater as well.

Commissioner Schnell said some comments were made at a previous Public Service Committee meeting. She said staff needs to be sure that the files are complete so the file has all the information that is needed for the consultants. In addition, she is concerned from a legal standpoint that some of the 32 projects are six or more years old. In some cases a person who currently has an occupancy permit from the Village may now be asked to expend money for wetland consultants or work. She would like a legal opinion as to whether the Village can do this six or eight years later. Her reasoning is that this could be between $35,000-$75,000, and the Village could be asked to spend a lot more money if the developer is not required to pay for it, which could affect other public works projects.

The Mayor said that the Council would have to review the policy depending upon the answer from Legal.

Commissioner McConnell said under section A of the agreement, regarding the scope of services, she is assuming that the information as to costs will be available to the Public Services Committee. She suggested that Planning Resources provide feedback as to the status of the 32 outstanding issues at the same time the other reports are provided. She would hope they receive at least quarterly reports. Also, under Section N regarding “extra work” she would like the word “prior” added before “approval.”

Commissioner Tully said that the estimate is based on their cursory review of the file. It could be different once the files are completely reviewed. He said that is why the files must be complete. He also said what has to be considered is what the County is going to require. The work is being done at the County’s behest, and the Village needs to know what the County will require to close the file.

The Mayor said there were problems several years ago with Car Max regarding the wetlands which had to be addressed when they sold the property. The Mayor asked how the files are being chosen for review. Mr. Bajor said that they were reviewed in random fashion. He said that some of them may be closed during the documentation.

Christine Fregeau, 1918 Elmore, asked about the $30,000 being transferred from the sidewalk fund, and where the Village stands in terms of anticipating new sidewalks bidding. Mr. Bajor responded that they are underway with the replacements. The bid on the new sidewalks will be in August or September.

Ms. Fregeau asked whether the August/September bids will be favorable and if they will be able to complete the scheduled priorities. The Mayor said he thought they would be a month ahead of last year. He asked how far in advance they can bid out the sidewalks. Mr. Bajor said the contractors are currently engaged at this time. He said he would look into how far in advance bidding can be done.

Intergovernmental Agreement – Radio Frequency/Radio Sharing. The Manager asked Fire Chief Ruscetti to address this item.

Fire Chief Phil Ruscetti said they are seeking use of a radio frequency owned by the Clarendon Hills Fire Department. Downers Grove, Westmont and Clarendon Hills have met and have agreed on the operations and an intergovernmental agreement has been established to facilitate the use of this radio frequency. He said that the infrastructure has been designed to meet today’s as well as future needs. He said the Fire Department will need four receiver sites and the proper equipment to connect the Clarendon Hills radio tower to VOC .

Commissioner McConnell asked for background as to why this is being done. Chief Ruscetti reviewed the history. He said it is necessary to do this for safety reasons due to the fire radio problem. They have tried to cure the problem by going to a UHF system vacated by Public Works. However, as most Fire Departments are on the VHF system, they wanted to keep with the VHF frequency. Motorola has an ability to provide interface between UHF and VHF system. The Fire Department tried to use that interface, but the technology wasn’t what they expected, and with the UHF they lost contact with command and control. He said this is a very dangerous situation. Therefore, they elected to go back to the VHF for the safety of the firefighters, which puts them on line with 22 other departments. He said having this partnership with Clarendon Hills is fiscally responsible, does not involve very many users and will provide a clear channel.

Commissioner McConnell asked about overlapping given that there would be three and potentially four communities using the system. Chief Ruscetti responded that the agreement stipulates that radio traffic will be held to a minimum. Computers in the cabs will provide most of the information so that dispatchers and firefighters don’t have to explain a great deal over the air to each other.

Commissioner Schnell asked whether this would finally fix the problem, as she has heard about this problem for a number of years. Chief Ruscetti said there are no absolutes. They will be going from a frequency used by almost everyone in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin to a clear channel system with a strong signal and receiver sites to allow receiving from all over the Village. He said it is a better thought-out system than they have had before. He said it seems like this will fix the problem.

The Mayor asked whether the federal government is still working on expanding the frequencies.

Ann Priorello , VOC , said yes and no. Eventually more systems may open up.

Commissioner Sisul asked Ms. Priorello if she is happy with this arrangement proposed. Ms. Priorello said they looked at the overall call activity, and she thinks this will be an improvement. She said that Clarendon Hills runs 800 calls all year compared to the 6000 from Downers Grove. She added that the Intergovernmental Agreement stipulates there will only be four communities.

Commissioner Gilbert asked whether this is in this year’s budget. Ms. Priorello said it is in the VOC budget. They looked at adding $20,000 for a frequency search. She said she believes it will be a good partnership with Clarendon Hills.

Commissioner Gilbert said this is their third attempt at this in two years, amounting to over $120,000 to correct. It seems as though they’ve spent money for the wrong solution. Ms. Priorello said that the Fire Department has had the same technology for about 50 years. They are doing catch-up now with respect to their technology.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked if the installation of the four receivers will eliminate the flat spots and Chief Ruscetti said it would horizontally, but not vertically.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked whether the infrastructure supports our own system or can they only use it with Clarendon Hills. Ms. Priorello responded that if a frequency becomes available, the Village could take the equipment and use it as they deem necessary with a year’s notice. The only piece of equipment they could not take is the voter that is actually put in place at the Clarendon Hills site.

Regarding the coverage area, Ms. Priorello said the high rises are always a problem. Some other communities have, as a part of their building agreements, asked the builder to put in an infrastructure at the time of construction.

Commissioner Zabloudil asked that the Village Attorney research this and report back to the Council.

Commissioner Sisul said that Public Safety would like to look into this as well. He then asked whether they will be able to reach the low spots. Ms. Priorello said that UHF has problems with terrain. She said that Duputy Chief Jackson did research and found one spot near Route 53 that was a trouble area. She said that an engineer could be stationed at a truck as an operational cure. The system will give the Village capabilities upon which they can build the infrastructure, and they can work with people to add receivers if necessary.

Chief Ruscetti thanked the staff for their work on this project.

Liquor Ordinance Amendment: Outdoor Sales. The Manager asked Carol Conforti, Liquor Liaison to address this item.

Carol Conforti , Liquor Commission staff liaison, said this is regarding an ordinance amending outdoor liquor sales. She said Section 3-30(4) requires that ingress and egress to an outdoor seating area that serves liquor be through the licensed premise. This ordinance would amend this section and allow access for patrons either through the licensed establishment or directly from an outdoor area. She said one licensee is currently in violation of the existing provision. In certain instances where there is an outdoor café in front of an establishment, access to the outdoor patio area may be impossible. This amendment will amend the provision regarding this requirement and provide more flexibility to the ordinance.

Ms. Conforti said that potentially this amendment would affect 10 other licensees who hold outdoor sidewalk café licenses, and all of them would be required to appear before the Liquor Commission for approval of their outdoor seating area approved.

Commissioner Tully noted that there was a 3:2 vote by the Liquor Commission. He said that the two most important things to consider are 1) that the Village needs to encourage outdoor cafes, and 2) that the Village must remain true and enforce the Liquor Ordinance. They need to keep the tenets of the Liquor Ordinance.

Commissioner Tully noted that Slammers Sports Bar in Westmont had a gated area with a person stationed at the gate to monitor people entering or leaving the area. He said it is important that the principles and the spirit of the Liquor Ordinance are maintained. People who should not be there should not be entering, and people should not be leaving with alcohol. He said that this should go through the Liquor Commission on a case-by-case determination and would suggest stricter language regarding how they enter the area. He believes they should require that someone be posted at the entrance/exit area at all times.

Commissioner McConnell said she concurred with Commissioner Tully’s comments. She said they need to have better control, either having entrance through the front door, or having a person stationed or a gate that will not allow people to just go in and out without any control. They need to be specific as to what control means. She said “monitor” is not strong enough language.

Commissioner Schnell said she is concerned about liquor being transferred out of the establishment to the sidewalk. She believes the Ordinance needs to be stronger. She does not think the idea of planters or a hostess is strong enough. There needs to be a clear separation by way of a gate between the dining area and the sidewalk. Commissioner Schnell said she would like to hear from the Liquor Commission. She feels the ordinance needs to be stronger.

Commissioner Gilbert asked whether the Founders Hill license needs to be renewed each year. Ms. Conforti said it does, as they have a special sidewalk café license, which is different from a normal outdoor seating area. It is an annual agreement.

Commissioner Gilbert said he is in favor of all of the café licenses going through the Liquor Commission. He said he has the same concerns regarding egress through the main doors of the facility. He said they should be very careful not to bend all of the rules.

The Mayor noted that Founders Hill initial sidewalk café license did go through the Liquor Commission.

Ms. Conforti said originally the Founders Hill plan included Grove Street and there was some discussion about going through the premises for the Grove side, but it was always understood that one would have to register with the hostess to go to the Main Street side.

Commissioner Sisul said he is getting the sense that the Council is reluctant to proceed without having the Liquor Commission look at this again. He asked if it would be acceptable to let them operate with the entrance only through the front door for the time being.

The Mayor said he thinks the Council wants this sent back to the Liquor Commission for better control. He said he is hearing that the Council wants to have a person stationed at the entrance full-time.

Commissioner Sisul asked if, while the Liquor Commission is reviewing this, would there be an objection to allowing them to operate going through the premises door.

Commissioner Tully said they are doing that now under the current Ordinance and they could continue that. They seem to be looking for something different that would require an amendment to the Ordinance.

Commissioner Sisul said there has been discussion about the need for a gate, but he wanted to clarify that they could continue to operate as they have under the current Ordinance. He said they need to consider whether the gate would be required.

Commissioner Gilbert said he is concerned about exceptions being made to future requests.

Ms. Conforti said she does not know whether Isabella/Bombaleo’s or Giordano’s would be able to have another access through the licensed premise to a front café area. However, Founders Hill does have a side door that could be used.

Commissioner McConnell said that with regards to Founders Hill they could become compliant rather easily by extending a fence to the side door, installing a gate or assigning a person there.

Commissioner Tully said that the Council has before it a revision to the Ordinance. He does not think they have to have access through the establishment in every situation in order to comply with the laws. He said there may be other options available that still allow compliance with the liquor laws. He recommended that the Liquor Commission review this further, and this may be something that has to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The Mayor said it seems as though the consensus is to allow this without ingress/egress through the facility, but the Council obviously wants control. If a licensee does not have the controls installed it would be grounds for a violation.

Ms. Conforti said she would bring this to the Liquor Commission in the July meeting explaining that the Council wants to have tighter controls included.

Ordinance Amending Temporary Use Provisions. The Manager asked Mike Baker to comment on this item.

Mr. Baker said this amendment provides for minor changes in the way that the Ordinance presently operates. Staff suggests increasing the fee to $50 if the application is submitted less than seven days prior to the event. In addition, they recommend an increase of duration of the use from 120 days to 180 days.

Commissioner Tully agreed that this should be eliminated from the Council’s approval, but he would want the application included in the Council’s packet.

Intergovernmental Agreement with DuPage County: Inspection of Newly Annexed Areas. The Manager said this concerns areas of Downers Grove Estates where some property owners had started construction projects under the County prior to the annexation to the Village. The intergovernmental agreement will allow DuPage County to complete inspections saving contractors/homeowners time and money.

The Mayor said the Council asked for this agreement so the homeowners would not have to start over again when their properties came into the Village.

Commissioner Gilbert asked why they would not make this a permanent situation. There will be a number of annexation agreements and why limit it to 180 days.

Attorney Petrarca said that the County is not willing to make this for a longer period, and she said that they are in dialogue on this.

Parking & Traffic Recommendations:

File #10-02 Fairmount Avenue – Amending Ordinance to include parking restrictions between 72nd and 75th Streets. The Manager said this area concerns the Courts of Falling Waters condominium complex. He said the area is approximately three blocks in length. There are no parking restrictions at this time. The Parking & Traffic Commission is recommending that no parking anytime signs be installed on the east side of Fairmount beginning at a point 210 feet north of the 73rd Street centerline and continue northward for a distance of 505 feet north of 73rd Street.

The Mayor asked about the fire hydrants. He said he would prefer to have the no parking restriction on the other side of the road from the fire hydrants.

Commissioner Zabloudil said that perhaps P&T should look at this, because their determination may be caused by the curvature of the street.

Commissioner McConnell said in reading the minutes, you don’t get the full impact of what that street is like and why this is such an issue. She said it became abundantly clear when she drove that area.

File #06-02 Norfolk Street at Saratoga Avenue and at Barrett Street – Amending Ordinance to install stop signs on Saratoga and Barrett, plus the installation of crosswalks on north side of Barrett and north side of Saratoga Avenue. The Manager said this recommendation is for a crossing guard at these intersections, and this will be studied before the school year begins. P&T is recommending the installation of two stop signs, one at the northwest corner of the intersection of Saratoga Avenue and Norfolk Street to direct traffic proceeding southerly to come to a full stop, and the second at the northwest corner of the intersection of Barrett Street and Norfolk Street to direct traffic proceeding southerly to come to a full stop. Also, P&T recommends the installation of two crosswalks, one across Saratoga Avenue at the north side of Norfolk Street and the second across Barrett Street at the north side of Norfolk Street.

Grant Application: FY 2002 Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Program. The Manager said the Bureau of Justice Assistance makes funds available. This grant is being submitted for a bar coding system for evidence in the Police Department. He said that DuPage County has agreed not to share funds, therefore, the amount will be $13,253 with a match of 10% for a total of $14,726.

Commissioner McConnell asked what the bar coding is used for.

Deputy Police Chief Kurt Bluder said this allows them to code the evidence and enter information into the computer. It is a more efficient way to handle and identify evidence, what it is for and when it can be destroyed. It can eliminate paper files for each piece of evidence.

Ameritech Under grounding Contract/Parking Deck. The Manager said that the Village has been attempting to acquire the necessary land for the parking deck. One of the elements includes the under grounding of utilities. Ameritech has quoted $42,277, and that quote is six months old. To avoid price increases, they need to conclude this quickly otherwise there may be a 3%-4% price increase each 30 to 60 days. Ameritech would require an advance of $10,000 to hold at the quoted price.

Commissioner Tully asked whether this had been budgeted. Manager Ginex said it was.

STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS

Finance and Administrative Committee

Commission Zabloudil said that their Committee met and discussed fee waivers this evening. They will be providing a revised ordinance as well as a number of different points to consider in the ordinance. The ordinance is a talking point for going forward.

Public Safety

Commissioner Sisul said the Committee has not met, but referenced a meeting this morning of the Fire Department and Village officials regarding downtown businesses and building codes. It was not technically a public safety meeting, but did concern those issues. He said it was a good discussion.

Public Services

Commissioner Tully said that the Public Services Standing Committee’s main topic of discussion concerned stormwater. They had four agenda items: 1) The final report the Committee has prepared with respect to the status of the 1997 DuPage County Stormwater audit. This has been distributed to the Council. 2) The Planning Resources proposal discussed earlier in tonight’s meeting. 3) The timetable for the appointment of Mr. Hall as the Village’s Stormwater Administrator. He said Mr. Bajor intends to ask the Council to have Mr. Hall take over no later than August 6. He said they discussed the Village’s resources and if they are sufficient to meet the substantial obligations of a full waiver community. Further, the Committee is suggesting written County approval prior to Mr. Hall’s appointment. 4) The Public Works Department’s progress in meeting the criteria the County outlined with respect to the current probation. We are half way through the one-year probation, and there are still a number of things that need to be accomplished to meet all the requirements of the probation to be taken off probation in December and go beyond that to be a successful full waiver community. He said that they would like permission for Public Works to provide another report as to the status of probation as an agenda item for the November/December Public Services meeting. He said there will be a meeting on July 18 between Village staff and the County regarding the progress already made.

MANAGER ’S REPORT

Manager Ginex reminded the residents that the water conservation plan is presently in effect. The Village does not have the pumping capacity to meet the peak demand during summer months. He said at times the peak demand needs to be supplemented with the water stored in our reservoirs, which affects fire protection and other primary uses for water. The restrictions were put in place in 1991, and the water usage has gone up over the years due to the growth in the community and increasing demand for water by our residents. The State was empowered by the Supreme Court to monitor the control of the amount of water being drawn from Lake Michigan. The State Division of Natural Resources was tasked with implementing a Water Conservation Program to reduce outdoor consumption of water, particularly lawn sprinkling. He reviewed the Village’s regulation stipulating that between May 15-September 15 the water conservation is in effect. Properties with even numbered addresses within the limits of Downers Grove or in an unincorporated area connected to our water system may only water lawns and gardens, wash cars and fill swimming pools on even numbered days of the month, and odd numbered addresses may do the same on odd-numbered days of the month. No watering will be permitted between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., as well as 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Those with new trees, sod or shrubs can receive a permit for three weeks at a fee of $30.00. They are able to water every day during specific times. The average daily use of water is 6.5 million gallons. This last month the Village is at 8.4 million gallons per day. He said that the water patrol has been instituted to issue warnings. Over the weekend, 163 warnings were issued. There have been 40 warnings issued per day for the last two days. Five $50.00 citations have been issued.

ATTORNEY ’S REPORT

Attorney Petrarca said she was presenting eight items: 1) A resolution consenting to the change of control of the cable television franchisee from AT&T Corporation to AT&T Comcast Corporation; 2) A resolution authorizing execution of an agreement for professional services between Planning Resources, Inc. and the Village of Downers Grove; 3) A resolution authorizing execution of an intergovernmental agreement between the Village of Clarendon Hills, the Village of Downers Grove, and the Village of Westmont for a Fire Department Communications Network; 4) An ordinance amending temporary use provisions; 5) A resolution authorizing execution of an intergovernmental agreement between the Village of Downers Grove and the County of DuPage for building permit review and inspection services; 6) An ordinance amending traffic regulations on Fairmount Avenue; 7) An ordinance amending traffic regulations; and 8) A resolution authorizing submittal of grant application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance for FY 2002 Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Program.

VISITORS

Andrew Clark , 1226 62nd Street, presented the Council with an analysis of the outside stairways at Village Hall and the Police Department conducted by Peter Hultman and himself. He said the survey was taken of the six stairways outside these buildings because he felt the stairways had problems. He said Mr. Hultman fell at the east stairway a little over a year ago, and there was corrective action taken on that stairway. Mr. Clark said there are irregularities in the steps, treads, risers and pitches of the stairs and landings, which could be a cause for disaster. He reviewed the analysis and said that they believed corrective action should be taken. Mr. Clark referred to a diagram on page 7, and stated that based upon the Village Ordinances, they found 187 violations in the six stairways, including tread depth, pitch, riser height, landing pitch, handrail height, etc.

The Mayor asked the Public Services Committee to place this on their next agenda. He asked that they also find out when these stairways were poured. Mr. Clark said they were poured 22 years ago.

Mr. Baker said that on June 14 a company came out to analyze the stairs and supplied a proposal to the Village which would resolve many of the problems. The Mayor asked that staff work with the Public Services Committee and give them the report. He also asked that they notify Mr. Clark as to when the Committee will meet.

Mr. Clark said that the stairs should be ripped out completely as they have hidden problems. Slight variations can throw off the balance, and he wants to make sure they are measured right.

Peter Hultman , 1410 Gilbert, said he received a copy of the estimate of repair and it doesn’t address 1/10 of the extent of the problems.

Rev. Don Zimmerman of the First Baptist Church asked that the Council consider the fee waivers for the current construction at the church. He said that waiving the fees for the church is a wonderful way to express the Village’s appreciation for the work they are doing in the community.

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Commissioner McConnell and Commissioner Tully both said they were looking forward to seeing the residents attend the Heritage Festival this weekend.

The Mayor said the Council will have a booth. He then congratulated the American Cancer Society on the Relay for Life. They raised $135,000 last year. Their goal for this year was $125,000, and they have already received $207,000. He congratulated the community on the hard work given to this project.

There being no further discussion, the Workshop meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

April K. Holden Village Clerk tmh