DeKalb Times

City of Sandwich City Council met Nov. 25.

Here is the minutes provided by the council:

Mayor Robinson called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call was taken:

Present: Mayor Robinson, City Clerk Ii, Aldermen Chmielewski, Dell, Kelleher, Killey, Kreinbrink, Redden & Surratt

Also present: Attorney Harrill, Department of Public Works / City Engineer Horak.

Chief Bianchi & EMA Director Ciciora

Absent: City Treasurer Webber

Audience Comments: Mary Plante spoke regarding snow removal and on-street parking. She requested signage stating prohibiting on-street parking for snow removal.

Kim Miner, Genelle Wilson, Martha McAdams, Nancy Johnson and Jennifer Carrigan spoke in favor of a cannabis dispensary.

Consent Agenda: Motion made by Alderman Surratt, and seconded by Alderman Dell, to adopt the Consent Agenda as amended. Aye: Aldermen Chmielewski, Dell, Kelleher, Killey, Kreinbrink, Redden, Robinson & Surratt Nay:0 Motion carried 8:0

b. Approval of Regular Council Meeting Minutes of November 18, 2019

c. Approval of November bills totaling $ 95,772.83

d. Approval of 2020 Holiday Schedule

e. Approval of 2020 Meeting Schedules

f. Ordinance 2019-15 entitled “An Ordinance Amending Chapter 50, Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, Article VI, Controlled Substances, of the Sandwich City Code”. Said Ordinance amends language in the Municipal Code that will update the use of cannabis in accordance with State law effective January 1, 2020

g. Resolution 19-13 entitled “A Resolution Amending the Property Tax Abatement Qualifying Criteria and Definitions in the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone – City of Sandwich”.

Items Removed from the Consent Agenda: a. Approval of minutes from the Committee-of-the- Whole of November 11th, 2019. No further action was taken.

Mayor Robinson:

Ordinance 2019-16 entitled “An Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code of the City of Sandwich by the Addition of Article VI of Chapter 22 Businesses Prohibiting Cannabis Business Establishments” presented for first reading. The Ordinance prohibits the sale of cannabis including, but not limited to, business establishments, cultivation and dispensing.

Council thanked the audience for their input adding that the comments were appreciated and well presented. Several from the Council spoke explaining their reluctance to commit in the hopes that more information would become available. Aldermen Killey and Surratt said they are now in favor of allowing the sale of cannabis decreasing those against to three – Aldermen Dell and Redden, and Mayor Robinson.

Mayor Robinson will be reaching out to the Plan Commission, that meets the second Tuesday of each month, for recommendations and restrictions on the location allowing facilities to produce and sell cannabis products. The goal is to have a recommendation by the December 16th meeting.

Ordinance 2019-17 entitled “An Ordinance Amending Chapter 6, Alcoholic Beverages, Article I, In General, Section 5, Hours of Sale of the Sandwich City Code” presented for first reading. Council may waive first reading. Ordinance amends the Municipal Code by changing the sale to no sale of alcoholic liquor between the hours of 1 AM – 6 AM daily. Additionally, establishments selling alcohol would be allowed to be open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Easter. The Council favored changing the hours for the sale of alcohol on Sunday, but some balked at removing the ban of sale of alcohol on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Easter. Some felt that restaurants would be closed on Christmas Day but remain open for Easter dinner. Recognizing that lifting the ban might be distasteful to some, Alderman Dell felt the City should be pro-business and compete with neighboring communities that do allow alcohol sales on those holidays.

Ordinance 2019-18 entitled “Ordinance Abating the Tax Heretofore Levied for 2019 to Pay the Debt Service on a Portion of $5,600,000 General Obligation Waterworks Refunding Bonds Alternate Revenue Source) of the City of Sandwich, DeKalb and Kendall Counties, Illinois” presented for first reading. The City has sufficient funds to pay the principal and interest on the bond and directs that the respective Counties abate taxes for said bond issue. This matter will be placed on the December 9th agenda for passage.

Proposed Tax Levy Discussion: Wes Levy from Lauterbach & Amen, reiterated Alderman Redden’s comments from last week’s discussion pertaining to the increase to the police pension fund from $378,518 in 2018 to $654,691 in 2019. Consequently, other funds will be reduced such as Corporate that will be reduced from $401,250 in 2018 to $278,900 in 2019. The police pension fund has been underfunded for years. It was quickly noted that underfunded public safety pensions are a statewide problem, and the Sandwich police pension fund is currently only funded at 41%, but with this increase will meet the required 90% funding requirement in 2040. The City has based the pension contribution on the annual actuary report and communication from the Sandwich Police Pension Board. Because of the increase in the police pension, the Council was cautioned that hard decisions will need to be made regarding capital projects because of this fund reduction. The 2019 tax levy request will be an increase of 4.95% at $1,548,591.00 and represents a tax increase of $19 per $100,000 EAV (equalized assessed valuation). Mr. Levy also noted that the levy does not exceed the maximum 5% increase, therefore no truth-in-taxation notice or public hearing is required.

Announcements: City Hall will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 28th & 29th, in observance of Thanksgiving.

Mayor Robinson shared information on a public open house regarding the extension of commuter rail service into Kendall County. The Kendall Extension Study Project Team, in coordination with Metra, will host an open house on December 2nd between the hours of 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM at the Plano Community Library. A second identical public open house will be held the following day, December 3rd, between the hours of 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM at the Oswego Village Hall. Metra has requested that Sandwich be represented at both meetings. Economic Development Director, Jim Teckenbrock, will attend the Plano meeting. The Mayor reached out to the Council for a volunteer to attend the Oswego meeting on December 3rd.

Under the terms of the DeKalb County Community Foundation Economic Development Grant program, the NIU Center for Governmental Studies has again approached the City to schedule two strategic planning meetings. Suggested dates were January14th and 28th at the FVOA facility. Mayor Robinson requested everyone to check their calendars.

Foster, Buick, Conklin & Lundgren, LLC: No report

City Clerk Ii thanked the audience for implementing the new sign-up format for audience comments. City Treasurer Webber: Absent

Director of Public Works / City Engineer Horak

2019 Leaf Vacuuming Program: For the week of Thanksgiving, leaf vacuuming will commence on Monday, November 25, 2019 for all wards (including Sandhurst and Fairwinds). The City crew will make one pass in each area in order to complete the entire City by Wednesday. The final week of the season’s program will end the first week of December.

ZBA Meeting: A Zoning Board of Appeals regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Annex, 128 E. Railroad Street, Sandwich, IL 60548. A public hearing will be held on file ZBA 2019-02 (400 N. Reimann) for applicant John Ferrario owner of C. Skye Enterprises LLC, requesting a variance to allow an eight-foot tall fence to be installed in a front yard of an M-2 Zoning District.

Chief Bianchi: No report

EMA Ciciora distributed USB drives to the Council containing the City’s Emergency Operations Plan.

Alderwoman Chmielewski: No report

Alderman Dell: No report

Alderman Kelleher: No report

Alderwoman Killey advised that the next finance committee meeting will be held on Monday, December 2nd, 2019.

Alderman Kreinbrink wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Alderman Redden: No report

Alderman Robinson: No report

Alderman Surratt extended his apology to WSPY reporter, Jim Wyman, following a heated moment at last week’s meeting regarding a phone call. Alderman Surratt explained he had a new phone and not recognizing the phone number, did not realize the voice mail had not been set up properly to accept a message.

New Business: None

Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Council, motion made by Alderman Redden and seconded by Alderman Kelleher to adjourn the Regular Council meeting at 8:15 PM. Motion carried unanimously by viva voce vote.

http://www.sandwich.il.us/MINUTES/rc112519.pdf