Grundy Reporter

Channahon Village Board Committee of the Whole met March 5.

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

Village President Missey Moorman Schumacher called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with Trustees Greco, Host, Perinar, McMillin, Scaggs and Slocum present.

Also present were Village Administrator Thomas Durkin, Director of Community Development and Information Systems Mike Petrick, Finance Director Heather Wagonblott, Director of Public Works Ed Dolezal, Chief of Police Shane Casey, Village Attorney David Silverman and Village Clerk Kristin Hall.

VP Moorman Schumacher informed everyone present that anyone who speaks at the meeting shall be deemed to have given his/her consent to the recording of their likeness and speech. This meeting is being recorded.

Village President

Administration Department:

Discussion – An Ordinance Amending Title III, Chapter 31, “Officials and Employees”, of the Village of Channahon Code or Ordinances

Durkin stated the VP and Board had previously limited the authority of the Village Administrator to authorize purchase orders, contracts and expend funds of the Village to $5,000 for budgeted items. He stated the limit was set in 2003, 15 years ago. Village staff recommends the spending limit to be increased to $10,000. He stated the increase is consistent with the general increase of goods and services. He stated that recently a heating unit at the waste water treatment plant failed which required the purchase of a new heating unit totaling $8,000. This required board approval prior to purchase. He further stated the Board meeting was several days later resulting in a delay that put the Village at risk of additional equipment failing due to inadequate heat. He stated that the current process will remain in place in that an expense over $1,000 is entered as a purchase order which is approved by the department head, Finance Director and the Village Administrator and that the invoice will not be paid until the Board has approved the bills list.

Discussion – A Resolution Approving the Execution of a Settlement Agreement and Release (Ryan-Inspired)

Village Attorney David Silverman stated he was hoping that would be ready for tonight but it’s not and that no action will need to be taken on this item.

Community Development & Information Systems:

Discussion – Ridgeline Property Group

• An Ordinance Approving an Annexation Agreement with Ridgeline Property Group

• An Ordinance Annexing Certain Property

• An Ordinance Amending the Zoning of Certain Property to I-1 and Granting a Special Use Permit for a Planned Unit Development

• Plat of Subdivision – Lion Subdivision (Ridgeline Property Group)

Petrick stated that all the items tonight are related to the Ridgeline proposal and that the Annexation Agreement is on for second read. He stated there was public hearing on this item at the last Village Board meeting. He further stated the remaining items, an Ordinance Annexing Certain Property, An Ordinance Amending the Zoning of Certain Property to I-1 and Granting a Special Use Permit for a Planned Unit Development and Plat of Subdivision are listed as pending since they wouldn’t be applicable until after the closing of the property, should the Board approve the Annexation Agreement. He stated that the developer has put together some additional information based on questions and comments from the previous meeting.

Mr. Pete Harmon, representative of Ridgeline Property Group, presented a slideshow and addressed comments and concerns from the last Board meeting. He went over slides showing the infrastructure improvements that our part of their proposal, which represent a significant improvement that is being done without tax abatements or incentives. He stated they have been working on the sound barrier with the neighbors and have agreed to go the entire 450 feet in length. He provided the Board with information on what the market is like for this type of building. He presented line of sight drawings, coming into Channahon from the East and West, and what you would see when the building and landscaping is completed. He feels like it will blend in with what is currently there. He stated that they will be contributing significantly to the traffic signal at the Frontage Road and they have been working with the neighbors. He stated the many benefits they will be bringing to the Village.

Trustee Scaggs asked how many jobs would be created there.

Mr. Harmon stated it is a speculative building, so they do not have a user for it but gave some comparable numbers from other buildings in the regions of similar size.

Trustee Slocum asked if this is such a niche, why aren’t more people building smaller buildings.

Mr. Harmon stated it is related to individual preference. He stated 1 million square foot buildings were not the norm a few years ago and he doesn’t like it when a 1 million square foot building remains vacant for an extended period of time. He stated he doesn’t like to play in that ring, this is what he has done in his time in industrial real estate for many years and it has worked well for him.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated she truly believes that in regard to truck traffic we can either benefit from it or be run over by it. She stated that she is on the Will County Freight Advisory Board and 63% of the truck traffic here is just passing through. She feels that this is a smaller warehouse and the piece of property has a limited number of uses and the benefits of the infrastructure improvements.

Don “Doc” Gregory, resident of Channahon, stated he is President of the Will/Grundy Building trades and there is a lot of building guys here with him tonight. He stated these guys work hard everyday and work 6-8 months out of the year. He stated when winter comes they slow down. He stated they need work and from start to finish probably 200 guys will be working to get this building built. He stated that this is what pays into our funds and keeps our insurance going. He stated the Village is doing a great job at trying to control the truck traffic. He stated that infrastructure improvements will help keep the taxes low. He urged the Board, not only for the jobs but for the Channahon residents, to vote to approve this annexation agreement.

James Rushing, resident of Channahon and owner of the property, confirmed that Mr. Harmon has worked closely with the residents to come up with a solution that works. He stated that he has talked to all of the residents and they all agree on the sound barrier, adding that they would like it to be 12 feet tall.

Trustee Slocum stated that his concern is about building a community. His opinion is that this building is going to set the tone for this intersection. He stated the biggest complaint from residents is we don’t have shopping or restaurants, that’s what his focus is on. He stated that this Board used to pride themselves on not allowing warehouses in, like surrounding communities have. He stated he would like to keep that area for commercial.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated this is consistent with our current comprehensive plan. She stated that trying to anticipate what a board will do in the future is impossible. She stated, in her opinion, is putting in the infrastructure that will make the land to the north developable.

Trustee Scaggs stated that everyone wants shopping and retail. He stated that half of the shopping malls are going to be gone in the next 5-10 years. He stated that everyone is ordering everything on-line. He stated that in 2016 we told them to go ahead and now we are here to approve it and there are some people that are against it.

Petrick stated that the at the current growth rate, 50% of shopping will be done on-line by 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Trustee Perinar stated this Board has already agreed to build over 3 million square feet, which has created a lot of jobs. Her concern about this structure is about how close it is located to the highway. Her concern is what people will see when coming to Channahon.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated that she drives down East and West on U.S. Route 6 every weekday. She feels this is one of the better-looking structures as there are many older industrial uses along Route 6 east of I-55.

Trustee Greco stated every morning when he wakes up and looks out his window to see IDI and Venture One’s warehouses. He stated that when he looks at those warehouses he sees jobs, the infrastructure that they help build and he sees a diversified tax base.

Trustee Host stated that a year ago, she heard everyone encourage this development. She stated this fit within the plan that we developed. She stated the goal was to develop that intersection with safety first and she knows that this development is paying for part of that traffic signal. She stated that having a stoplight there is essential. She stated that this is tax-savings for all residents of Channahon with all the infrastructure improvements. She is excited about the opportunity and feels that the developer has gone above and beyond.

Jean O’Donnell, resident of Channahon, expressed her concerns regarding the traffic. She feels that we will have to avoid U.S. Route 6.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated that U.S. Route 6 is under construction and this has added to traffic delays. She stated that the intersection at the East Frontage Road is being widened and traffic lights will be there which will control the traffic movements better that what is occurring now.

George Skorup, resident of Channahon, stated no one can look 20 years in the future and determine what the traffic will be. He stated you have to address it as it comes. He stated he would like to see this get approved.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated last week she was in Springfield and in Washington, DC and the message from the State and Federal was you are on your own when it comes to significant transportation funding. She stated the Federal funding went from 80/20 to 20/80, so she stated on a good day the federal government might contribute 20%.

Jonathan Steitz, resident of Channahon, expressed his concerns regarding the infrastructure as well as the trucks and traffic.

VP Moorman Schumacher stated that this Board is very cognizant of infrastructure and stated the improvements that are being made due to these warehouses and the development in the area.

Finance Department:

Wagonblott stated that we did receive the CAPHR award for the 17th year in a row.

Discussion – Fiscal Year April 30, 2018 Audit Engagement Letters

Wagonblott stated as we near the end of fiscal year 2018, we are in the planning stages for the upcoming audit. She stated the outside accounting firm, Miller Cooper & Co, Ltd. has prepared the two audit engagement letters for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018. She stated one letter is for the Village audit and the other letter is for the TIF audit. She stated the fees are consistent with the original fee proposal received last year during the audit RFP process which was $36,300 ($28,000 for the Village, $4,500 for the police pension fund and $3,800 for the TIF). She stated after the engagement letters are signed by the required parties, the preplanning meeting will be held by the audit firm and village staff to get the audit process underway.

Discussion – An Ordinance Establishing an Administrative Procedure for Assessing and Determining Claims under PSEBA

Wagonblott stated this is up for second read, it was discussed at the last Board meeting. She stated this is essentially adding addition verbiage to the current ordinance to better define a catastrophic injury and to outline an appeal process for the affected employee.

Discussion – An Ordinance Amending the Village of Channahon Code of Ordinances with respect to the Fee for Video Gaming Terminals

Wagonblott stated this was up for discussion at the last meeting and is only a first read tonight. She stated the proposed ordinance would increase that fee from $100 to $125 per machine effective January 1, 2019 and would remain at $125 until January 1, 2022 where it would increase from $125 to $150 and that’s where it would stay until such time as another ordinance was brought before the Board. She stated that the increase is to cover the cost of administration procedures.

Police Department:

Chief of Police Shane Casey stated he had no formal items.

Public Works Department:

Director of Public Works Ed Dolezal stated he had no formal items.

Communications:

Grundy County Economic Development – 2017 Building Permit Summary Sheet

Public Comment

Executive Session

The Committee of the Whole was adjourned at 6:58 p.m.

http://files.channahon.org/public/BOARD_MTG/Minutes/2018/2018.03.05%20Comm%20Minutes.pdf