CITY COUNCIL 2017/02/21 MinutesThe City of Lake Forest
CITY COUNCIL
Proceedings of the Tuesday, February 21, 2017
City Council Meeting - City Council Chambers, 6:30 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Honorable Mayor Schoenheider called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm,
and City Clerk Margaret Boyer called the roll of Council members.
Present: Honorable Mayor Schoenheider, Alderman Waldeck, Alderman Beidler, Alderman Pandaleon,
Alderman Newman, Alderman Reisenberg, Alderman Moreno and Alderman Buschmann.
Absent: Alderman Tack, Alderman Reisenberg
Also present were: Robert Kiely Jr., City Manager; Catherine Czerniak, Director of Community Development,
Victor Filippini, City Attorney; Susan Banks, Communications Manager; Michael Thomas, Director of Public
Works; Karl Walldorf, Chief of Police; Pete Siebert, Acting Fire Chief; Mike Strong, Assistant to the City
Manager along with other members of City Staff.
There were approximately 75 persons present in the Council Chamber.
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 6:30 pm
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all those present in the Chamber.
REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS
COMMENTS BY MAYOR
Mayor Schoenheider stated that no action will be taken on the Resolution relating to the Chicago-
Milwaukee Service Proposal but will be delayed until the March 6, 2017 City Council meeting when both of
the Third Ward Aldermen will be present.
A. 2017-2018 Board & Commission Appointments
ELAWA FARM COMMISSION
NAME OF MEMBER APPOINT/REAPPOINT WARD
BARRY HOLLINGSWORTH APPOINT AS CHAIR 2
COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the Mayors Appointment
Alderman Moreno made a motion to approve the Mayors appointment, seconded by Alderman Beidler.
Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
B. Consideration of Various Items Relating to Rail Service and Pedestrian Safety within the
City of Lake Forest.
PRESENTED BY: Robert Kiely, City Manager
Norman Carlson, President of Metra Board
Donald Orseno, Executive Director of Metra
James Messmore, Senior VP, Hanson Professional Services
Proceedings of the Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Regular City Council Meeting
City Manager Bob Kiely provided an in-depth background on both rail lines in Lake Forest and the initiatives
the City has worked on, including helping to establish the Sunrise Service at the East Train Station as well as
looking into developing an underpass and an Amtrak stop at the Telegraph Road Station. He acknowledged
the letters and emails from residents regarding the Chicago-Milwaukee Environmental Assessment and
provided a background of what has occurred since the topic was brought to the City Council’s attention at
its November 7, 2016 meeting. At that meeting, a Resolution was passed asking the Federal Rail Association
(FRA) to extend the deadline for public comment. Since that date, the City held a public forum on the
subject, gathered input from residents, and submitted them to the Federal Rail Association for
consideration. Mr. Kiely explained the essence of the new proposed Resolution. Mr. Kiely introduced Norm
Carlson, President of the Metra Board.
Mr. Carlson reported on Metra’s operating goals and the challenges Metra faces daily with transit times and
on-time performances. He stated that Metra began discussions in 2002 with IDOT and WisDot about adding
the third rail so that trains are allowed to continuously move and pass one another when necessary. Mr.
Carlson emphasized that the third rail is not for holding trains, but for “moving trains”. He introduced Don
Orseno, Executive Director of Metra.
Mr. Orseno provided further detail about the rail lines and service operations, explaining how Metra
believes that these infrastructure improvements are necessary in order to maintain the levels of high service
to commuters and dealing with the complex issues of combining commuter trains, freight trains and Amtrak
trains. Mr. Orseno introduced Richard Oppenheimer, Assistant Superintendent of Metra, who gave a
presentation.
Questions were taken from the City Council members by the Metra officials.
Mayor Schoenheider announced that anyone wanting to make public comment will have three minutes. The
following persons offered their opinions to the City Council:
Sue Stoehrmann, 1690 Harvard Ct.
Tom Sarsfield, 1808 Princeton Ct.
Nancy Coolley, 1751 Stanford Ct.
Rick Cusack, 1126 Pine Oaks Circle
JoAnn Desmond, 1681 Yale Ct.
Rick Dall, 1660 Cornell Ct. PASSED
Bruce Schultz, 1144 Pine Oaks Circle
Roderick Johnson, Arbor Ridge
Rommy Lopat, 410 E. Woodland
Ron Coolley, 1751 Stanford
Amy Keaton, 1305 Gavin Ct.
Pam, 1895 Bowling Green Drive
As a follow up to public comment, Mayor Schoenheider noted that the demand for Amtrak from Wisconsin
to the City of Lake Forest is high from the employers and employees in Lake Forest. The City Council and
Mayor thanked Metra for attending the meeting. Mayor Schoenheider again stated that the City Council
will delay voting on the proposed resolution for two weeks so that the City Council can sort through all the
residents’ comments on this complex issue.
Mayor Schoenheider then introduced Jim Messmore, Senior Vice President of Hanson Professional
Engineering Services.
Proceedings of the Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Regular City Council Meeting
Mr. Messmore gave a presentation on a proposed pedestrian underpass at the Telegraph Road Train Station
and took questions from the City Council. The City Council had a lengthy discussion on the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Metra. Mayor Schoenheider remarked that the City has been working on this
initiative for quite some time. City Manager Robert Kiely added, to clarify, that the (Federal Railroad
Association) FRA controls the freight trains.
City Manager Bob Kiely asked Mr. Messmore to clarify the differentiation between an Environmental
Assessment and an Environmental Impact Study. Mr. Messmore stated that he thought it highly unlikely
that the FRA would conduct an EIS in this case as all the proposed work is being done in the right of way.
Mr. Messmore answered additional questions asked by members of the City Council.
Mayor Schoenheider asked for a motion to authorize the Mayor and City Manager to execute an MOU or
similar agreement with Metra to permit the City to proceed with final engineering of the pedestrian
underpass utilizing the bridge technique which will necessitate the periodic closing of Metra’s tracks near
the Telegraph Rd. Station.
COUNCIL ACTION: If determined to be appropriate by the City Council, approve the following actions.
1. Authorize the Mayor and City Manager to execute an MOU or similar agreement with Metra
to permit the City to proceed with final engineering of the pedestrian underpass utilizing the
bridge technique which will necessitate the periodic closing of Metra’s tracks near the
Telegraph Rd. Station.
2. Approve the attached Resolution regarding commuter service in the City and the design
alternatives proposed in the Chicago-Milwaukee Intercity Passenger Rail Corridor draft EA
released October 6, 2016.
Alderman Moreno made a motion to authorize the Mayor and City Manager to execute an MOU or similar
agreement with Metra to permit the City to proceed with final engineering of the pedestrian underpass
utilizing the bridge technique which will necessitate the periodic closing of Metra’s tracks near the
Telegraph Rd. Station, seconded by Alderman Pandaleon. The following voted “Aye”: Aldermen Waldeck,
Beidler, Pandaleon, Newman, Moreno and Buschmann. The following voted “Nay”: None. 6- Ayes, 0 Nays,
motion carried. Item #2 will be held over until the Monday, March 6, 2017 City Council meeting.
COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER
COMMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
ITEMS FOR OMNIBUS VOTE CONSIDERATION
1. Approval of the February 6, 2017 City Council Meeting Minutes
2. Approval of the February 13, 2017 Special City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes
Proceedings of the Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Regular City Council Meeting
3. Consideration of an Ordinance Amending Section 159.047 of the City Code, as Recommended
by the Plan Commission. (Final Approval)
4. Approval of the purchase of semi-ruggedized computers for fire department use as budgeted
in FY2017
5. Consideration of a Recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals in Support of a
Special Use Permit Approving the Relocation of an Existing Special Use, the Lake Forest/Lake
Bluff Historical Society. (First Reading, and if Desired by the City Council, Final Approval)
6. Consideration of Ordinances Approving Recommendations from the Building Review Board.
(First Reading and if Desired by the City Council, Final Approval)
7. Consideration of an Ordinance Approving a Recommendation from the Historic Preservation
Commission. (First Reading and if Desired by the City Council, Final Approval)
8. Authorization to Issue Reimbursement for City Work Costs Related to Clean-up of the City’s
Former Municipal Services Site.
9. Award of Bid for the Replacement of an Administrative Vehicle for the Fire Department
Included in the FY2018 Capital Equipment Budget
10. Award of Bid for the Replacement of a Sewer Cleaning & Vacuum Machine Included in the
F.Y. 2018 Capital Equipment Budget
11. Award of Bid for the Replacement of Track Loaders for the Parks & Forestry Sections
Included in the F.Y. 2018 Capital Equipment Budget
12. Award of Bid for a Replacement 16’ Self-Propelled, 4WD Rotary Mower for the Parks Section
Included in the F.Y. 2018 Capital Equipment Budget
COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the twelve (12) Omnibus items as presented
Mayor Schoenheider asked members of the Council if they would like to remove any item or take it
separately. The City Council had discussion on items 10, 11 and 12. Mayor Schoenheider asked for a motion
to approve the twelve Omnibus items as presented.
Alderman Beidler made a motion to approve the twelve Omnibus items as presented, seconded by
Alderman Moreno. The following voted “Aye”: Aldermen Waldeck, Beidler, Pandaleon, Newman, Moreno
and Buschmann. The following voted “Nay”: None. 6- Ayes, 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 AFFECTING CODE AMENDMENTS
NEW BUSINESS
Proceedings of the Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Regular City Council Meeting
ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business. Alderman Pandaleon made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Alderman
Moreno. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote at 9:26 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted
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 www.cityoflakeforest.com. Click on I Want
To, then click on View, then choose Archived Meetings Videos.