FINANCE COMMITTEE 2011/01/18 Minutes
The City of Lake Forest
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Proceedings of the January 18, 2011 Meeting
6:30 p.m. – City Hall Council Chambers
I. Call to Order and Roll Call
Chairman Grumhaus called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Mayor Cowhey,
Chairman Grumhaus, Aldermen Novit, Widman, Moore, Morsch, Looby and Palmer. Absent:
Alderman Schoenheider. Quorum present. There were nine people present in the audience.
Staff present: Robert Kiely, Jr., City Manager; Kathleen Reinertsen, Finance Director; Louise
Breckan, Assistant Finance Director; Ramesh Kanapareddy, Assistant City Engineer; Michael
Thomas, Superintendent of Public Works; Diane Hall, Senior Accountant; Carina Walters,
Assistant City Manager and Victor Filippini, City Attorney.
II. Consideration of Minutes from the Finance Committee Meeting Held on December 6, 2010
Alderman Looby made a motion to approve the minutes from the Finance Committee
meeting held on December 6, 2010. The motion was seconded by Alderman Novit. The
motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
III. CBD Advocacy Group
Mr. Michael Rummel, member of the CBD Advocacy Group reviewed a status report on CBD
activities with the committee. He stated that the CBD Advocacy Group hears input from
various constituency groups and considers specific initiatives in support of the City’s Central
Business District. The CBD Advocacy Group is interested in the committee’s input, ideas and
questions. Mr. Rummel reviewed the following initiatives being considered with the committee;
parking time limits, reduced employee permit parking fees and directory signage. The
Committee briefly discussed the initiatives. No decisions were made but will be discussed at
future budget meetings.
IV. Municipal Partnering Initiative
Mr. Michael Thomas, Superintendent of Public Works stated that Lake Forest and seventeen
nearby communities are participating in this partnership. The municipalities have an economy
of scale when working together to purchase shared services and commodities. The goal is to
save money with the larger projects but the challenge will be deciding the start date of the
project for each of the participating communities. Mr. Thomas added that the projects would
be bid and that the City Council would be approving the bids.
V. Award of Purchase for Equipment included in the FY2012 Capital Equipment Budget
Mr. Michael Thomas, Superintendent of Public Works, stated that he is requesting to order the
equipment before the start of FY2012 because 1) the State’s contract with Navistar
Corporation expires February 14, 2011 and 2) Chevrolet accepts police car orders until March
15th of each year, price increase is made after that date. Alderman Looby, Chairman of the
Public Works Committee, stated that the Public Works Committee discussed and agreed that
the equipment should be ordered now to take advantage of the prices.
There being no further discussion, a motion was made by Alderman Looby, seconded by
Alderman Novit to award the purchase for 1) one tandem axle chassis and accompanying
equipment to Prairie International in the amount of $144,089 2) four police cars to Shepard
Chevrolet in the amount of $95,180 and 3) two single axle dump trucks to Prairie International
in the amount of $278,888. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – January 18, 2011
2
VI. Approval of an Ordinance Amending Ordinance No. 10-26 Establishing the Lake Forest Special
Service Area 38 (Holland Ct Curb and Storm Sewer System)
Ms. Kathleen Reinertsen, Finance Director stated that on April 7, 2010, the City Council
approved Ordinance No. 10-26 which established Special Service Area 38 – Holland Ct Curb
and Storm Sewer System. This project has been completed. A letter was mailed to the
owners of the affected properties informing them that they could pay for these improvements
by lump-sum or a 15 year tax levy. The tax levy option includes a 5.37% annual interest rate.
One property owner has paid the City in full and the remaining five property owners have
chosen to pay by tax levy. Therefore, Ordinance 10-26 must be amended to include a special
tax roll. Once approved, the amended ordinance must be filed with the county.
There being no further discussion, a motion was made by Alderman Looby, seconded by
Alderman Novit to approve the ordinance amending Ordinance No. 10-26 Establishing the
Lake Forest Special Service Area 38 (Holland Ct Curb and Storm Sewer System). The motion
carried unanimously by voice vote.
VII. Other Business:
December Flash Report: Chairman Grumhaus reported there are no concerns at this time.
VIII. Opportunity for the Public to Address the Finance Committee: None.
IX. Adjournment
There being no further business, Alderman Palmer moved, seconded by Alderman Novit to
adjourn the meeting at 7:25 p.m. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
Respectfully submitted,
Louise Breckan
Assistant Finance Director