CITY COUNCIL 12-19-1996THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST
COUNCIL AGENDA
December 19, 1996
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 7:30 p.m.
Honorable Cornelius B. Waud, Mayor
Samuel J. Henry, Alderman First Ward Gail T. Hodges, Alderman Third Ward
John A. Andersen, Alderman First Ward Henry T. Chandler, Alderman Third Ward
Abigail G. Fassnacht, Alderman Second Ward Mary Ann Pekarek, Alderman Fourth Ward
Howard J Kerr, Alderman Second Ward G. Bishop Gallagher, Alderman Fourth Ward
REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS 7:32 p.m.
1. Comments by Mayor
2. Comments by the City Manager
3. Comments by Council Members 7:40 p.m.
A. Finance Committee Report
1) Consideration of an Ordinance Establishing the Tax Levy for 1996 (Final Approval) 7:50 p.m.
PRESENTED BY FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JERRY HENRY
The annual tax levy must be filed with the County Clerk before the last Tuesday in December. The 1996 tax levy was discussed by the Finance Committee at their meetings on November
16 and December 2, 1996.
The tax levy to be approved includes the needs of the City, as well as for the independent and quasi-independent boards (Recreation Board, Library Board and School District 67). A
summary of the proposed levies are as follows:
1995 Levy Proposed 1996 Levy Change 1995 - 1996
$ % City General Purposes $11,757,607 $12,168,921 $411,314 3.50% Recreation Board 788,479 751,930 (36,549) (4.64%) Library Board 1,623,338 1,663,921
40,583 2.50% Total City $14,169,424 $14,584,772 $415,348 2.93% School District 67 $14,838,664 $15,584,712 $746,048 5.03% GRAND TOTAL $29,008,088 $30,169,484 $1,161,396 4.00%
The proposed tax levy for 1996 reflects a 2.9% increase over the 1995 tax levy extensions for the City, Recreation, and Library operating funds. This increase is in full compliance
with the property tax cap limit of a 2.5% increase, plus new growth which is estimated at 1.7%
NOTE* - Since first reading approval of the 1996 tax levy ordinance on December 2, 1996, the proposed levy for City general purposes has been increased by $70,000, while the Recreation
Board levy has been decreased by $70,000.
This change reflects the tax levy amount needed to fund the Senior Citizens Program under the new Senior Resources Commission. This change also eliminates senior funding from the
Recreation Board and transfers the responsibility to the General Corporate Fund. A memorandum from Fred Jackson, Executive Director of Recreation, outlining this change is attached
for your review beginning on page 7.
Recommended Action: Final reading approval of the proposed tax levy ordinance for 1996 which received first reading approval on December 2, 1996.
(Staff contact person: Robert Shaffer 615-4222.)
2) Consideration of Ordinances Relating to Abating 1996 Tax Levies for Various General
Obligation Bond Issues (Final Approval) 8:00 p.m.
PRESENTED BY FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JERRY HENRY
a) An Ordinance Abating $51,125.00 of the Tax Being Levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest of the 1990 General Obligation Bond Issue ($266,125.00)
b) An Ordinance Abating $55,175.00 of the Tax Being Levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest of the 1991-B General Obligation Bond Issue ($350,175.00)
c) An Ordinance Abating $77,805.00 of the Tax Being Levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest of the 1992-C General Obligation Bond Issue ($1,307,805.00)
d) An Ordinance Abating $17,625.00 of the Total Tax Being Levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest on the 1993A General Obligation Refunding Bond Issue ($557,625.00).
These ordinances provide for the abatement of 1996 taxes levied for the various outstanding general obligation bond issues. The tax levies for all bond issues are established and
recorded with the County Clerk at the time the bonds are issued. Therefore, in order to reduce the bond tax levies, an abatement ordinance must be approved and filed with the County
Clerk before December 31, 1996.
A summary of the proposed tax levy abatements are noted below:
Bond Issue Original Tax Levy Tax Abatement Net Bond Tax Levy 1990 G.O. Bonds (Gen. Imp.) $266,125.00 $51,125.00 $215,000.00 1991B G.O. Bonds (Gen. Imp.) 350,175.00 55,175.00 295,000.00 1992C
G.O. Bonds (Refunding) 1,307,805.00 77,805.00 1,230,000.00 1993A G.O. Bonds (Refunding) 557,625.00 17,625.00 540,000.00 TOTALS $2,481,730.00 $201,730.00 $2,280,000.00
Copies of the abatement ordinances are attached for your review beginning on page 9.
Recommendation Action: Final approval of the ordinances abating tax levies for various general obligation bond issues which received first reading approval on December 2.
(Staff contact person: Robert Shaffer 615-4222.)
3) Consideration of Ordinances Relating to Abating 1996 Tax Levies for Various General Obligation TIF Bond Issues (Final Approval) 8:10 p.m.
PRESENTED BY FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JERRY HENRY
a) An Ordinance Abating the Total Tax Being Levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest on the 1992A General Obligation TIF Bond Issue ($187,550.00)
b) An Ordinance Abating the Total Tax Being Levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest on the 1993B General Obligation TIF Bond Issue ($698,112.50).
c) An Ordinance Abating the Total Tax Being levied in 1996 for the Annual Payment of the Principal and Interest on the 1991A General Obligation TIF Bond Issue ($294,750.00).
These ordinances provide for the abatement of 1996 taxes levied for the various outstanding general obligation TIF bond issues. The tax levies for all bond issues are established
and recorded with the County Clerk at the time the bonds are issued. Therefore, in order to reduce the bond tax levies, an abatement ordinance must be approved and filed with the County
Clerk before December 31, 1996.
A summary of the proposed tax levy abatements are noted below:
Bond Issue Original Tax Levy Tax Abatement Net Bond Tax Levy 1991A G.O. Bonds (TIF) $294,750.00 $294,750.00 $0 1992A G.O. Bonds (TIF) 187,550.00 187,550.00 0 1993B G.O. Bonds (TIF)
698,112.50 698,112.50 0 TOTALS $1,180,412.50 $1,180,412.50 $0
The abatement of the $1,180,412.50 for the various general obligation bonds for the Tax Increment Financing District will be paid with capitalized interest set aside from bond proceeds
as planned at the time the bonds were sold and tax increment collections from the TIF District.
Copies of the abatement ordinances are attached for your review beginning on page 13.
Recommended Action: Final approval of the ordinances abating tax levies for various general obligation TIF bond issues which received first reading approval on December 2.
(Staff contact person: Robert Shaffer 615-4222.)
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
APPROVAL OF MINUTES 8:20 p.m.
Recommended Action: Approval of the minutes of the November 23 and December 2, 1996 Council meeting attached beginning on page 16.
RESOLUTIONS
1. Approval of a Resolution Authorizing the Expenditure of Funds to Rehabilitate the Walden/Bluff’s Edge Bridge 8:25 p.m.
PRESENTED BY CITY MANAGER ROBERT R. KIELY, JR. (615-4271)
The historic Walden/Bluff’s Edge Bridge was built in 1901 and spans Lake Forest’s largest lakeside ravine. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1972 but continues to be a popular
scenic crossing for pedestrians and cyclists alike. The bridge was threatened to be demolished because of its severely deteriorated condition, and on December 4, 1995 City Council approved
a motion to preserve the bridge. A condition of this approval was the raising of between $75,000 and $100,000 by an independent committee formed for that purpose. Attached on page
26 is a copy of the City Council minutes from December 4, 1995 explaining the action taken.
The Lake Forest Preservation Foundation spearheaded a community-wide drive to raise money to assist the city in funding the necessary structural repairs and restoration. Interested
residents, civic groups and concerned friends from throughout Lake Forest and neighboring communities have raised over $90,000. Representatives from the Preservation Foundation will
be present at the December 19 Council meeting to report to the City Council on the success of their fundraising efforts.
Attached as page 28 is a copy of the resolution authorizing the city to proceed with rehabilitation of the bridge and committing expenditure of funds to complete the project. Attached
beginning on page 29 are copies of diagrams illustrating the rehabilitation project.
Recommended Action: Approval of a resolution authorizing the expenditure of funds to implement the rehabilitation of the Walden/Bluff’s Edge Bridge and engagement of Wiss, Janney, Elstner
Associates, Inc. for preparation of the necessary construction drawings.
ORDINANCES
1. Consideration of an Ordinance Establishing the Park and Recreation Board (Final Approval) 8:45 p.m.
PRESENTED BY CITY MANAGER ROBERT R. KIELY, JR. (615-4271)
In 1995, the Master Park Plan Committee completed work on a comprehensive park and facility plan for the City. This plan was adopted by the City Council and incorporated into the recent
update of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. It identified a number of deficiencies in the City’s parks system and set forth recommendations to address the current and future park and recreational
needs. These recommendations have been closely analyzed by the City Council, Recreation Board and staff.
To better meet the park and recreational needs of the City, the current administrative structure of the Recreation Department was modified to have the Executive Director of Recreation
serve as a department head of the City and report to the City Manager. Recreation Department employees will be employees of The City of Lake Forest and governed by those Personnel Policies
and Practices.
In addition to bringing alignment on the administrative side, it is important that the governing policies be consistent and unified. To that end, it is recommended that the Recreation
Board and the Public Facilities Committee be dissolved and a new seven member Park and Recreation Board be established to report directly to the City Council.
Board members would serve five year terms and be appointed by the Mayor with concurrence of the City Council. The board would be advisory to the City Council, submitting any major policy
considerations to the City Council for ratification.
The board would oversee all park and recreational activities in the City including, but not limited to, the Recreation Center, the beach, the golf course, and all public parks. It would
be responsible for not only identifying recreational opportunities but also the method for financing the programming and capital costs. Importantly, this board would be structured consistent
with Illinois State Statutes to preserve the existing taxing power provided to the current Recreation Board.
The composition of the new board would include members of the two existing boards and interested members of the community. Importantly, board members must represent the entire community
and all forms of recreational activities. New board will be recommended at the December 19 Council meeting with the new board taking office in January, 1997.
Attached beginning on page 31 is a copy of the proposed ordinance which received first reading approval on December 2.
Recommended Action: Final approval of an ordinance establishing the Park and Recreation Board.
2. Consideration of an Ordinance Providing for Senior Resources Commission (Final Approval)
PRESENTED BY CITY MANAGER ROBERT R. KIELY, JR. (615-4271)
Section 27-64 of the City Code provides for a Senior Citizens Commission comprised of five members reporting to the Lake Forest Recreation Board. The proposed restructuring of the Recreation
Board provided an opportunity to re-evaluate the role and reporting responsibilities of the Senior Commission to best meet the present needs of the senior citizens in Lake Forest and
Lake Bluff.
It is recommended that the proposed Senior Resources Commission have a greater responsibility and visibility within the community and report directly to the City Council on issues facing
senior citizens, much like the advocacy role served by the CROYA commission for youth issues. The ordinance attached beginning on page 33 was drafted by members of the current Senior
Citizens Commission and reviewed and approved by the City Attorney and City Manager. Under the proposed ordinance, the senior citizens program manager, Joyce Foster, will report directly
to the City Manager. The proposed ordinance received first reading approval on December 2.
Recommended Action: Final approval of an ordinance establishing the Senior Resources Commission.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
1. Appointments to Park and Recreation Board 8:55 p.m.
Mayor Waud will recommend appointments to the newly established Parks and Recreation Board.
Recommended Action: A motion to appoint individuals to the Parks and Recreation Board.
2. Appointments to Senior Resources Commission 9:00 p.m.
Mayor Waud will recommend appointments to the newly established Senior Resources Commission who previously did not serve on the Senior Citizen Commission. Attached beginning on page
35 are copies of personal data sheets on individuals recommended for appointment who previously did not serve on the Senior Citizen Commission.
Recommended Action: A motion to appoint individuals to the Senior Resources Commission.
3. Acceptance of Phase I of Public Improvements in the Meadowood Park Subdivision 9:05 p.m.
PRESENTED BY CITY ENGINEER KEN MAGNUS (615-4329)
The Phase I improvements in the Meadowood Park subdivision were completed on November 29, 1996. These improvements included construction of the detention ponds, installation of water
distribution system, storm and sanitary sewers, and replacement of the curb, gutter, roadway base and binder courses. In order for the building permits to be issued, the City Council
must accept these improvements.
Phase II improvements will be undertaken next spring and include the final roadway surface, installation of sidewalk and street lights, and final restoration work.
Recommended Action: Acceptance of the Phase I public improvements in the Meadowood Park Subdivision.
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL 9:10 p.m.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION
EXECUTIVE SESSION
ADJOURNMENT 9:15 p.m.
Office of the City Manager
December 13, 1996
The City of Lake Forest is subject to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who require
certain accommodations in order to allow them to observe and/or participate in this meeting, or who have questions regarding the accessibility of the meeting or the facilities, are required
to contact City Manager Robert R. Kiely, Jr., at (847) 234-2600 promptly to allow the City to make reasonable accommodations for those persons.
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