Minutes of August 23, 2005
Barrington Area Council of Governments Executive Board
at the Cuba Township Office.
Members present were K. Darch, Barrington; R. G. Abboud, Barrington Hills; S. Gifford, Deer Park; J. VonderHaar, Lake Barrington; D. Nelson, Cuba Township; B. Sauer, North Barrington; G. Dawson, Barrington Township; M. Pecora, South Barrington; and L. Kuskowski, Tower Lakes. Staff present were: J. Agnoletti and L. Peterson. Others present: S. Boeder, C. Kosner, T. Gooch, R. Wareye, A. Fessler, and J. Tansor.
The Board meeting was called to order by Vice Chairperson Gifford at 7:31 P.M.
Minutes
Kuskowski moved and Dawson seconded the motion to approve the Minutes of the June 28, 2005 meeting. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
Treasurer's Report
The July 2005 Treasurer's Report was unanimously ratified by roll call vote following a motion by Nelson and second by Darch. The August 23, 2005 Treasurer's Report was unanimously approved by roll call vote following a motion by VonderHaar and second by Kuskowski.
Public Comment/Community Reports
None
Health and Life Insurance Plan Options
Agnoletti reviewed Munao's request to investigate employee health insurance benefits as a shared service for BACOG members. Agnoletti contacted the Village of Barrington regarding their coverage. The Village is discussing in its Administrative Committee the possibility of including BACOG members into their plan. BACOG staff contacted Carol Kosner, RJ. Kosner Enterprises, Inc., who handles the township's health insurance benefits and was recommended by Cuba Township Trustee Art Rice. Kosner distributed and reviewed a folder of information that included points of consideration and a proposal on how to proceed with investigating an umbrella of coverage. She introduced Russ Wareye, a certified insurance counselor, who specializes in employee benefits. Questions were answered and discussion was held on Village of Barrington's coverage, how to proceed with examining health insurance coverage and how Kosner charges for her services. The board came to a consensus to have BACOG and member staff to collect data and forward it to Kosner so she can proceed with investigating health insurance options for BACOG; and to have Agnoletti follow up with the Village of Barrington.
Introduction to NICOR Local Government Contact
Jim Tansor, NICOR Regional Community Relations Director for Lake and Northern Cook County introduced himself and distributed his business card. He explained his role. Craig White is the NICOR Regional Community Relations Director for McHenry and Kane counties.
Summary Presentation: Healthier Barrington Needs Survey 2005
Syl Boeder, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, gave a presentation on the history, process and results of the Healthier Barrington Needs Survey 2005. Mary Pecora exited the meeting.
Middle School Liaison Officer Shared Cost Proposal
Agnoletti stated she sent a packet in July to BACOG members with the proposal to share funding for the Middle School Liaison Officer. She reviewed the contents of the packet. Sauer indicated his board voted in favor of funding the officer. Art Fessler, Principal, Station Middle School, described the services the liaison officer provides for students and faculty at the two middle schools. Abboud said his Board questioned why funding for the officers at the middle schools would be shared by BACOG members and not at the other schools. He suggested that funding be divided by residency of students per school for all DARE and liaison officers. The board discussed Abboud's suggestion. The Village of Barrington will get the number of students by village for Countryside School from CUSD 220. Nelson stated Cuba Township is favorable in its support for funding, but the funding will come out of the next budget. Gifford reported Deer Park voted against funding the officer, because they questioned why school tax dollars or a local organization isn't funding the officer, plus Deer Park also has students going to CUSD 95. Gifford invited Darch to make a presentation to his Board. Sauer suggested BACOG consider a regional police force. Discussion was held on dispatching and police services. Dawson stated Barrington Township will support funding for the officer. He contacted two communities within CUSD 220 and Barrington Township: Hoffman Estates declined to provide funding for the officer and Inverness is reviewing the request. Lake Barrington, South Barrington and Tower Lakes have not formally discussed the proposal yet. Discussion continued on general police services offered by members with police departments and needs by villages that contract their police services. The board directed staff not to research a regional police force and that police service needs will be handled by the villages individually. Discussion was held on emergency response and emergency management plans. The board came to a consensus to put the Middle School Liaison request on next month's agenda and that an item regarding emergency response does not need to be placed on the agenda at this time.
ComCast Proposal-Shared Channels & Broadcasting
Agnoletti noted her July 2005 letter to ComCast outlining BACOG's request was transmitted with the packet. A ComCast representative indicated the first proposal they put together was priced too high and was not shared with BACOG. Agnoletti reported ComCast is putting together another proposal for infrastructure costs where live broadcasting would only be available out of the Village of Barrington and other communities would need to provide their own tapes to broadcast out of Barrington. ComCast's preliminary figure for this proposal is an estimate not to exceed $50,000. The ComCast representative indicated a full proposal should be ready for presentation at the September meeting. Darch indicated she was not aware of the proposal and that her village is putting through an ordinance regarding the village's ComCast channels. Agnoletti reviewed the June Board discussion. Discussion was held on the preliminary ComCast figure. Agnoletti asked members to review her July 2005 letter and contact her with any changes.
GIS Committee Recommendations re BAGIS 5
Agnoletti indicated the recommendation by the committee for the BAGIS 5 update and training falls within the amount budgeted for BAGIS. Nelson moved and Kuskowski seconded the motion to accept the recommendaitons of the GIS Committee, and to authorize the Executive Director to enter into a contract with Patrick Engineering in an amount not-to-exceed $11,500 for BAGIS update and training, and to enter into a contract with NIPC in an amount not-to-exceed $2,000 for training. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
Presidents' and Supervisors' Reports
Tower Lakes: Kuskowski reported the village is in the process of refinancing a bond issued 10 years ago for an SSA used for the water treatment plant and pipes. The village has begun National Incident Management System (NIMS) training.
Barrington Hills: Abboud noted roadwork is continuing and that the village entered into a contract with Cuba Township for snow removal. Abboud presented conceptual site plans for the Rt. 59 Equestrian commercial development and the Duda properties. The village is continuing work on its comprehensive plan update.
Lake Barrington: Trustee VonderHaar reported roadwork is being done in the Pheasant Ridge subdivision and that the village is refinancing its SSA #3 bond with a general obligation bond. Four monitoring wells are being drilled in areas affected by the Wauconda IGA; they will be checked on a quarterly basis. VonderHaar noted there is an area in Lake Barrington with a 60084 zip code that falls within the Wauconda School District. This area does not receive general Barrington area mailings/information. She asked if there is a way for those people to be included on Barrington area mailing lists. A planning company was hired to work on their comprehensive plan and Baxter Woodman is surveying the roads, ditches and culverts to develop a five year maintenance plan.
North Barrington: Sauer reported that a program tripling the amount budgeted for roadwork was approved. A fencing ordinance was passed. The village is in litigation over fines charged to a resident who cut trees down without a permit. Sauer met with Hawthorn Woods Village President Keith Hunt to discuss development of the Taubman property, now with DiMucci. North Barrington and Hawthorn Woods entered into a boundary agreement for the property a few years ago. Sauer expressed concern over drainage into Wynstone from a berm being built on that site with fill from the Rt. 22 bypass project which contains material from a chemical plant.
Barrington Township: Dawson stated the Township teamed with the Rotary Club to provide school supplies for 14 children. Ninety people received air conditioning assistance funding and seventy-eight people have signed up for heating assistance. The Township participated in the Giving Garden which provided 700 pounds of produce to the food pantry. The Township will be participating in the Community Expo at Good Shepherd Hospital Health & Fitness Center on September 9th and 10th.
Barrington: Darch reported a Village Manager, Denise Pieroni, was hired. Plans for the Barrington Park District Jewel Tea Park, and Shops at Flint Creek to be located at the Carton Craft site, were approved. The Shops at Flint Creek will break ground in September and be anchored by Staples. The Cook Street Plaza commercial space is 70% leased. She explained the color coded system that is part of the conservation ordinance that was passed to conserve water resources. Discussion was held on the notification of and legalities of restricting use of well water use. Abboud mentioned water levels were measured for some area wells recently and that another measurement should be taken to check on recharge rates. Agnoletti stated it should probably done with the well volunteer network but that costs for measuring a well were quoted at $600 per well a few years ago. She mentioned there was consideration of having volunteers trained to measure well levels but there are legal and liability issues that need to be reviewed.
Cuba Township: Nelson thanked Abboud for using Cuba Township services.
Deer Park: Gifford reported a landowner dismissed its lawsuits against the Trustees, Village President and Village regarding development of 1.8 acres on the Southeast corner of Lake Cook and Quentin.
South Barrington: Trustee Pecora announced Bill Rose donated $500,000 towards building a meeting room expansion on village hall. The village sold 13 acres to a developer for a water detention area.
Director's Report
Agnoletti reported the following:
- McHenry County Groundwater Management Plan Disks: Distributed prior to the meeting. Agnoletti served on the steering committee that developed the plan.
- Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce map: Distributed prior to the meeting.
- She thanked Cuba Township for hosting its first BACOG meeting.
- BACOG Committee Members: New appointees to the committees, and those who are not being asked to continue, have been notified by letter.
- Planning Group: The group has begun looking at each community's Economic Development plans and are thinking about presenting to the BACOG Board. They are looking into a market analysis for the region and will also look at Rt. 14 as a possible development corridor. The group is considering integrating their work into the BACOG Comprehensive Plan.
- A Plan Commissioner/Zoning Board workshop is being planned for this Fall. The Board confirmed interest for a training program.
- Community Drug Prevention Coalition (CDPC): The parent survey on attitudes and opinions about drug and alcohol abuse is done and will take place in early 2006. The group is working on distribution and funding. The Survey group is meeting on September 6th and the whole coalition will be meeting on September 27th.
- Duda project/McHenry County Board: Abboud indicated Agnoletti will be asked to testify on the Village's behalf.
Committee Reports
Agnoletti reported on the following:
GIS Committee: The Committee will be meeting on September 19th to work on an additional data layer which will more accurately define the municipal boundaries.
Legislative Committee: A meeting is being scheduled to discuss a legislative event that will be being jointly hosted with the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC). The event is tentatively scheduled for October 7th. Agnoletti recounted discussion of an IML-organized teleconference on eminent domain and the Kelo decision. The Lake County Municipal League (LCML) is surveying its members on how many times they used eminent domain in the last 20 years. The Board agreed Agnoletti may survey the BACOG communities. Agnoletti was asked by the IML to invite BACOG members to participate in a strategy session for the Affordable Housing Planning & Appeals Act (AHPAA) legislation. She reviewed legislative ideas developed from recent sessions she participated in. Agnoletti will forward information on the upcoming meeting to the board members. Agnoletti asked if any member would offer their attorney to serve on an "attorney's committee" to develop legislative language for amendments. Abboud asked Agnoletti to contact him to discuss the matter further.
Adjournment of Executive Board Meeting
The Executive Board meeting was adjourned at 11:16 p.m. after a motion by Dawson and second by Abboud. Motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted by:
Loretta Peterson |