CITY COUNCIL 2013/11/18 MinutesThe City of Lake Forest
CITY COUNCIL
Proceedings of the November 18, 2013 Regular Meeting
7:30 p.m. – Council Chambers
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Mayor Schoenheider called the meeting to order at 7:40 pm,
and Deputy City Clerk Margaret Boyer called the roll of Council members.
Present: Honorable Mayor Schoenheider, Alderman Novit, Alderman Waldeck, Alderman Moore,
Alderman Pandaleon, Alderman Tack, Alderman Reisenberg, Alderman Palmer, and Alderman
Adelman.
Absent: none
Also present were: Robert Kiely, City Manager; Vic Filippini, City Attorney; Catherine Czerniak,
Director of Community Development; Susan Banks, Communications Manager, Mary Van Arsdale,
Director of Parks and Recreation, Bob Ells, City Engineer, Michael Thomas, Director of Public
Works, Elizabeth Holleb, Finance Director, Jim Held, Chief of Police, Karl Waldorf, Deputy Chief of
Police, Kevin Issel Deputy Fire Chief, and Anne Whipple.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all in attendance.
There were approximately 40 present in the audience.
REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS
Comments by Mayor
Mayor Schoenheider commented that Market Square has a new owner and that The City of Lake
Forest is excited to see the new marketing plans for this great and historic community asset.
Comments by City Manager
City Manager, Robert Kiely, thanked the City Council for all their time and energy spent reviewing
the budget, and stated that the City of Lake Forest is in great financial condition.
Mayor Schoenheider thanked Finance Director, Elizabeth Holleb, and staff for all the hard work in
preparation for the meeting.
Comments by Council Members
A. Finance Committee
1. Gorton Budget Presentation
Finance Committee Chairman, George Pandaleon, introduced Mark Ventling, Gorton Community
Center Board Member, who thanked all those who shared in making Gorton a success. He went on
to say that Gorton has met its goals for 2013 and that 2014 goals include increased service to the
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community, growing awareness and participation, and initiating capital improvement projects.
Finance Committee Chairman, George Pandaleon remarked that less than four years prior, Gorton
Community Center was not financially sound and that it has made a remarkable turnaround.
Alderman Pandaleon made a motion to accept the Gorton Budget as shown, seconded by
Alderman Waldeck, Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
2. Consideration of an Ordinance Restating and Reaffirming Ordinance No. 2008-08
and an Ordinance Establishing the 2013 Tax Levy (First Reading)
Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb reported that staff is requesting approval of the first reading of
an Ordinance restating and reaffirming Ordinance No. 2008-08 and the 2013 tax levy ordinance.
She stated that these are a package of two ordinances, the first, Restating and Reaffirming and the
second, the tax levy ordinance. Both are for first reading and will be back before the City Council
on 12/2 for final approval. She added that these ordinances are time sensitive and must be filed
with the County Clerk by the last Tuesday in December. She then added that:
1. Debt service levy – imposition of set dollar limit of $2,589,906 (tax extension in 2004) should
appropriately be adjusted by an inflationary factor to recognize that cost of capital improvements
increase over time.
2. Debt service levy – recommend that this be revised to allow cap to apply to sum of any debt
service levy plus any capital improvement line item levy (allow flexibility for pay-as-you-go
financing to avoid interest costs and reduce overall costs of capital improvements).
3 .Aggregate levy – provide specific circumstances by which City Council may exceed the property
tax cap. Exception would require 2/3 vote of the City Council, could not be more than 5% and
must be used for either capital improvements or replacement of revenue lost due to the State
altering its distribution of funds allocated to local governments.
COUNCIL ACTION: Grant first reading of an Ordinance Restating and Reaffirming Ordinance No.
2008-08 and Grant first reading of an Ordinance Establishing the 2013 Tax Levy.
Alderman Reisenberg made a motion to grant first reading of an Ordinance Restating and
Reaffirming Ordinance No. 2008-08 with the change in language to approve from 2/3 to 3/4
seconded by Alderman Moore. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
Alderman Reisenberg made a motion to grant first reading of an Ordinance Establishing the 2013
Tax Levy with the amendment removing the $ 580.000.00, seconded by Alderman Pandaleon.
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
3. Approval of Ordinances Abating 2013 Tax Levies for Various G.O. Alternate
Revenue Bond Issues (First Reading)
Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb stated that staff is requesting approval of the first reading of the
ordinances abating 2013 tax levies. She explained that the abatement of these general obligation
alternate revenue bonds is possible due to the fact these bond funds have an adequate revenue
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Regular City Council Meeting
source from water sales, Cemetery revenue, golf fees, sales tax or payments from the U.S.
Treasury. Therefore, the general obligation tax levy can be abated as was planned at the time the
bonds were issued. She demonstrated the table shown below as a summary of the proposed tax
levy abatement.
COUNCIL ACTION: Grant first reading approval of the Ordinances abating tax levies for various
general obligation bond issues.
Alderman Novit made a motion to grant first reading approval of the Ordinances abating tax levies
for various general obligation bond issues, seconded by Alderman Palmer. Motion carried
unanimously by voice vote.
4. Consideration of an Ordinance approving a Fee Schedule, Ordinances adopting
new fees related to Sanitation, Parks and Recreation, Electric Vehicle Charging
Station and Landscape Licensing, and an Ordinance amending City Code to
Authorize the City Manager Authority in Administering Fees (First Reading)
Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb stated that staff requests approving the first reading of the
proposed Ordinances. She explained as part of the budget process, all departments are asked to
review their user fees. Departments have provided supplemental memos justifying their
proposed fee adjustments and new fees. The new fees include a sanitation fee of $8.00 to be
billed quarterly on water bill, Parks & Recreation watercraft sand storage fees, electric vehicle
charging station fee of $1.00 per hour as discussed, and a late fee for Landscape Licenses
Contractors after June 1. She added that a comprehensive fee schedule was provided, which
clearly identified the proposed fee increases highlighted in yellow and the proposed new fees
highlighted in orange.
She added that to more effectively administer the collection of the City’s revenues; it is
recommended that the City Council approve an Ordinance providing the City Manager specific
2013 Debt Service Levy and Abatements
Levy per County Cemetery Golf Water .5 NHRST Int Rebate Net Levy
2008 829,206.26 829,206.26
2009 279,845.00 279,845.00
2010A 0.00 0.00
2010B 172,500.00 (77,625.00)94,875.00
2010C 259,311.26 (90,758.92)168,552.34
2011A 507,262.50 (142,100.00)(159,237.50)(205,925.00)0.00
2011B 2,475,300.00 (106,907.50)(2,049,382.50)(319,010.00)0.00
2013 587,235.00 587,235.00
5,110,660.02 (142,100.00)(106,907.50)(2,208,620.00)(524,935.00)(168,383.92)1,959,713.60
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Regular City Council Meeting
authority to reduce and/or waive fees in specific circumstances in the best interests of the City,
and to establish the appropriate means of payment for specific fees and charges. The Ordinance
proposed would allow fee reductions or waivers up to $5,000, and it is proposed that any
reduction or waiver that exceeds $1,000 be reported to the Finance Committee as an
informational item.
COUNCIL ACTION: Grant first reading to the proposed ordinances.
Alderman Moore made a motion to grant first reading to the proposed Ordinances, seconded by
Alderman Pandaleon. Motion carried by voice vote. Let the record show that Alderman Reisenberg
voted “nay”.
OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Schoenheider read the Omnibus items for consideration. A discussion for understanding
item # 5 took place by the City Council.
ITEMS FOR OMNIBUS VOTE CONSIDERATION
1. Approval of the October 21, 2013 City Council minutes.
2. Resolution of Sympathy for Wayne Cole
3. Resolution of Sympathy for Dan Kirtuza
4. Approval of Health Insurance Contract Renewals
5. Approval of Three Year Contract with Credentials Solutions
COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the Five (5) Omnibus items as presented.
Alderman Reisenberg made a motion to approve by Omnibus vote designation items as noted,
seconded by Alderman Moore. The following voted “Yea”: Aldermen Novit, Waldeck, Moore,
Pandaleon, Tack, Reisenberg, Palmer and Adelman. The following voted “Nay”: None. 8 Yeas, 0
Nays, motion carried.
Information such as Purpose and Action Requested, Background/Discussion, Budget/Fiscal Impact,
Recommended Action and a Staff Contact as it relates to the Omnibus items can be found on the agenda.
ORDINANCES
1. Consideration of an Ordinance Approving a Recommendation from the Building
Review Board. (Final Approval)
Director of Community Development Catherine Czerniak reported on the following recommendation
from the Building Review Board, presented to the City Council for final consideration. On November 4th
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Regular City Council Meeting
the City Council approved first reading of the Ordinance for this project. The Building Review Board
recommended approval of the demolition of the existing residence and approval of a replacement
residence, garage and landscaping. The revised plans presented to the Board reduced the size of the
replacement house to 80% of the allowable square footage and shortened the length of the house to
reduce impacts to neighboring backyards. The Board also directed that due to the tightness of the
properties in this area, the flat topography and the neighbors’ concerns, the review of the final grading
and drainage plans be completed at the front end of the process. Since the last City Council meeting,
engineering staff has confirmed that the grading and drainage plans approved for this project properly
directing storm water flows away from neighboring homes and toward the back of the lots.
City Engineer Bob Ells reiterated that the plans meet Stormwater requirements.
COUNCIL ACTION: Grant final approval of the Ordinance approving the petition in accordance
with the Building Review Board’s recommendation.
Alderman Reisenberg made a motion to grant final approval of the Ordinance approving the
petition in accordance with the Building Review Board’s recommendation, seconded by Alderman
Moore. The following voted “Yea”: Aldermen Novit, Waldeck, Moore, Pandaleon, Tack,
Reisenberg, Palmer and Adelman. The following voted “Nay”: None. 8 Yeas, 0 Nays, motion
carried.
NEW BUSINESS
None
ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Alderman Palmer reminded residents of the upcoming Community Forum discussion at Gorton
Community Center on Thursday, November 21 at 7pm on the topic of “ Neighbor Disputes: Rights,
Resources and Resolution.”
Mayor Schoenheider reminded residents of the annual tree lighting ceremony on Friday
November 29, and wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business. Alderman Palmer made a motion to adjourn, seconded by
Alderman Reisenberg. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote at 8:45 pm
Respectfully Submitted,
Margaret Boyer
Deputy City Clerk
A video of the City Council meeting is available for viewing at the Lake Forest Library and on file in
the Clerk’s office at City Hall. You can also view it on the website by visiting
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Regular City Council Meeting
www.cityoflakeforest.com. Click on I Want To, then click on View, then choose Archived Meetings
Videos.