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CC_2024_04_15_MINUTESThe City of Lake Forest CITY COUNCIL MEETING Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting – City Council Chambers 220 E Deerpath, Lake Forest, IL 60045 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Honorable Mayor Tack called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., and City Clerk Margaret Boyer called the roll of Council members. Present: Honorable Mayor Tack, Alderman Novit, Alderman Waldeck, Alderman Powers, Alderman Notz, Alderman Preschlack, Alderman Goshgarin, Alderman Weber, and Alderman Walther. Absent: CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited by all. REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS COMMENTS BY MAYOR Mayor Tack noted that Tuesday will round out the last of the City’s Ward meetings at Gorton. COMMENTS BY CITY MANAGER None this evening OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL None this evening COMMITTEE REPORTS FINANCE COMMITTEE 1. Approval of the Comprehensive Fiscal Plan for FY2025 Jim Preschlack, Finance Committee Chairman reported that the Comprehensive Plan has been in the works for the last 7 months and includes the annual operating and capital budget for FY25, but also incorporates other financial related aspects including the Strategic Plan, financial policies, Five-Year Capital Improvement Program, five-year financial forecasting, debt obligations, pay plan and personnel. Elizabeth Holleb reviewed slides that included integration with the Strategic Plan, the General Fund with a projected surplus, City wide budget with all Funds to include revenue and expenses, and personnel costs. The General Fund Forecast was shared along with the 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan. Ms. Holleb stated the proposed plan is balanced with all operating expenditures covered from current revenues. Capital expenditures are funded from current revenues and reserves in excess of the City Council’s Fiscal Policy. The City Council had lengthy discussion on Fund targets, Aaa bond rating, the State of Illinois financial crisis, proposed grocery tax impact. Personnel cost stability, the CIP budget and pension obligations. Mayor Tack asked if there was anyone who would like to make a comment. Seeing none, he asked for a motion. COUNCIL ACTION: Approval of the Comprehensive Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2025 Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting Alderman Preschlack made a motion to approve the Comprehensive Fiscal Plan for Fiscal Year 2025, seconded by Alderman Powers. The following voted “Aye”: Alderman Novit, Waldeck, Notz, Powers, Preschlack, Goshgarian, Weber, and Walther. The following voted “Nay”: none. 8-Ayes, 0-Nays, motion carried. 2. Consideration of an Ordinance making a Supplemental Appropriation for the Fiscal Year Beginning May 1, 2023 and Ending April 30, 2024 (First Reading, and if Desired by the City Council, Final Approval) Elizabeth Holleb, Finance Director reported for council consideration, to approve a supplemental appropriation Ordinance at the end of each fiscal year for any fund that is anticipated to exceed the original appropriation. Ms. Holleb reviewed the funds that based on year end estimates provided by operating departments during the FY2025 budget development. Those Funds included Lake Forest Hospital Project Fund, Park and Public Land Fund, and Emergency Telephone Fund, The supplemental appropriation required to meet legal compliance as presented in the proposed Ordinance increases city-wide expenses for FY24 by $1,035,000. The supplemental appropriation is funded from fund balance reserves in each applicable fund. Mayor Tack asked if there was anyone who would like to make a comment. Seeing none, he asked for a motion. COUNCIL ACTION: If determined to be appropriate by the City Council, waive first reading and grant final approval of the Ordinance (page 20) making a supplemental appropriation for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2023 and ending April 30, 2024. Alderman Notz made a motion to waive first reading and grant final approval of the Ordinance making a supplemental appropriation for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2023 and ending April 30, 2024, seconded by Alderman Weber. The following voted “Aye”: Alderman Novit, Waldeck, Notz, Powers, Preschlack, Goshgarian, Weber, and Walther. The following voted “Nay”: none. 8-Ayes, 0-Nays, motion carried. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT 1. 2024 Patching & Resurfacing Project Overview (for omnibus vote consideration) Chairman Ara Goshgarian reported this patching and resurfacing project is in conjunction with Lake Bluff and MFT funds will be utilized for the resurfacing while local capital funds will be utilized for patching. Once the bid is awarded, correspondence with those impacted will be shared. The City Council had discussion on MFT tax and electric vehicle taxes along with contingency, noting that contingency is built into this project. ENVIROMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REPORT 1. Earth Month Activities, Sustainability Initiatives and Committee Updates Chairman Eileen Looby Weber noted that April is Earth Month. It is also Arbor Day and to celebrate Lake Forest has saplings available at various locations throughout the City. She reviewed a number of events happening in the next six weeks. Chairman Weber reviewed the role of the Environmental and Sustainability Committee as to provide policy guidance and input on capital and operating budget initiatives that forward the City’s long history of proactive environmental and eco-conscious planning. The Committee also consistently works on efforts for greater public education and communication to raise awareness and engagement on sustainability issues. The Committee identified four priority areas through both internal and external engagement processes which include: Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting 1. Opportunities for the City to build upon small successes including Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Climate resilience) 2. Waste Management/Reduction 3. Stormwater Management 4. Health & Wellness ITEMS FOR OMNIBUS VOTE CONSIDERATION 1. Approval of April 1, 2024, City Council Meeting Minutes 2. Approval of the FY25 Personnel Policies and Practices, Administrative Directives, and Pay Plan Changes 3. Approval to authorize the City Manager to Execute a two-year Professional Services Agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney for Concession Services at Deerpath Community Park with Kemper Sports Management 4. Authorization to Dispose of City Property to the Highest Bidder, Kevin Hill, for the Sale of the 2003 Freightliner Union City Building Maintenance Section Van in the Amount of $6,631 5. Approval of a Purchase of a Replacement Cemetery Section, Medium Sized Utility Truck, to CIT Trucks (chassis) in the Amount of $54,886 and Lindco Equipment Sales (body) in the Amount of $28,299 for a Grand Total Cost of $83,185 6. Award of the Low Bid for the 2024 Patching & Resurfacing Project to Schroeder Asphalt Services, Inc., and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement in the Amount Not to Exceed $1,085,000 7. Approval of Design Engineering Services for the Scott-Wisconsin and Griffith-Woodland Storm Sewer Improvements to Gewalt Hamilton Associates Company, Inc., and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement in the Amount of $40,400 to Include a 5% Contingency in the Amount of $2,020 for a Total Cost of $42,420 Mayor Tack asked members of the City Council if there were any items that they would like removed or taken separately. Seeing none, he asked for a motion. COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the seven (7) omnibus items as presented. Alderman Preschlack made a motion to approve the seven (7) Omnibus items as presented, seconded by Alderman Weber. The following voted “Aye”: Alderman Novit, Waldeck, Notz, Powers, Preschlack, Goshgarian, Weber, and Walther. The following voted “Nay”: none. 8-Ayes, 0-Nays, motion carried. Information such as Purpose and Action Requested, Background/Discussion, Budget/Fiscal Impact, Council Action and a Staff Contact as it relates to the Omnibus items can be found on the agenda. OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting 1. Consideration of a Resolution Approving a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Acquisition of the Building and Property Located at 1925 Field Court for Adaptive Reuse as a New City of Lake Forest Police Facility, and approval of Contracts for Building and Site Assessments and a Space Needs Analysis. (Approval of a Resolution and Approval of Contracts Motion) Mayor Tack made opening comments that included that 95% of Community-Wide Survey respondents ranked overall safety as a very important factor when choosing to live in Lake Forest. With the results of the Community Survey in hand and understanding the limitations of the existing Public Safety Building, the City Council began discussions about making planning for a new police facility a priority. The process has moved faster than anticipated and I am excited that we’re here tonight to consider a potential property. City Manager Jason Wicha gave an overview of what the Council can expect to hear this evening. It included the need for a new facility, the exploration process, 1925 Field Court building and site, Purchase Sale Agreement details, due diligence, whole Building and Site Assessment along with a space needs analysis. Mr. Wicha reported that Space and needs in the 1960's were quite different and while Policing has evolved over the past 30 years a more diverse department with specialty positions is the normal and expectations of the Community are higher than ever and rightfully so. Mike Lange, Deputy Chief of Police reported on the challenges and opportunities at hand. Public Safety Building constructed in 1960s for both Police and Fire. Current building and site does not adequately accommodate personnel, vehicles, and equipment for both departments. And a new Police facility designed to accommodate modern police practices, technology, training and equipment. City Manager Jason Wicha reported that after City Council identified a new police station as a priority earlier this year, staff began identifying and evaluating possible locations for a new police facility, along with available land for a new building with the necessary on site parking is limited. Mr. Wicha went on to say, the search focused on sites that could accommodate the specialized needs of a Police Facility without conflicting with existing uses or development in the surrounding area, and without negatively impacting the community’s character. Additionally, studies were conducted of police facilities recently constructed in other nearby communities. And the costs associated with land acquisition, new construction, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings were researched. City Manager Wicha stated 1925 Field Court was determined to provide the greatest opportunity for adaptive reuse to meet the City’s needs. As a three story, 98,304 square foot building located in Conway Park, while the building exceeds the currently anticipated square footage needed for a Police Facility, it provides flexibility for the future and opens the door for discussions with other public safety agencies that may be interested in available office space. The building lends itself to configuring both publicly accessible and secured areas both inside the building and outside, on the site. It has a full underground garage with 66 parking spaces which is optimum for police vehicles and provides for secure and safe passage into the building while accommodating some specialized needs of a Police Facility. The proximity of the building to the City’s Municipal Services Facility where police vehicles are maintained and fueled and is a compatible and complimentary use to the established offices uses in Conway Park and is permitted by the current zoning. Lastly the presence of the Police Facility will be low key but could be significant in attracting new tenants to the park due to an increased sense of security. Mr. Wicha went on to say, negotiations with representatives of the seller, DP West Lake at Conway, proceeded quickly resulting in the Purchase Sale Agreement that is presented to the City Council for consideration this evening. The City has the unique financial opportunity to acquire the vacant office building at 1925 Field Court for a competitive price of $3.5 million (or $37 per square foot of office space) and renovate it into a police station. In 2022, the property was appraised at $12.5 million. The economically advantageous proposed purchase price would not have been possible five years ago and likely won’t be possible 3-5 years from now. Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting He further explained the City has the right to terminate the PSA for any reason or no reason prior to the expiration of the examination period and receive a refund of its earnest money deposit (except for the non- refundable portion of any extended earnest money, if applicable). Interior buildout of the space would follow acquisition of the property and completion of the Space Needs Analysis. The Space Needs Analysis will identify essential elements of a modern Police Facility, “should haves,” and “nice to have” spaces and components. Planning for the buildout of the interior would occur as a next step in this process, over the course of several months. Once the City owns the building, the planning process for buildout of the interior will engage residents with relevant expertise and invite opinions, ideas, and questions from the community as has traditionally occurred with significant projects such as the Water Treatment Plant expansion project and most recently, the Deerpath Park Athletic Fields. City Manager Wicha summarized what a unique opportunity this is. In alignment with the City’s commitment to financial stewardship and environmental sustainability, adaptive reuse is more cost-effective and environmentally responsible than constructing a new facility and given the competitive price the City has the opportunity to purchase the 1925 Field Court property for, the investment to acquire the property and renovate now would be significantly less than what the City would pay to purchase land and construct a new facility sometime in the next 7-10 years. He said for comparison, the Village of Wilmette is also considering funding a new police facility and a recent report’s preliminary estimated showed projected costs for a new facility between $53 million to $55 million, not including land acquisition. With a shortage of undeveloped land in Lake Forest, there aren’t many viable locations for building a new police station. Moving forward with this property would have the benefit of enhancing police operations while providing significant long-term savings to future generations of Lake Foresters. City Manager Wicha then shared next steps if approved that included a due diligence period from April to July that would include space need analysis, whole building and site assessment and a Phase 1 Environmental site assessment. Kevin Zelk, Deputy Chief of Police stated that in anticipation of possible Council action to enter into a Purchase Sale Agreement, the City issued two Requests for Proposals (RFP). The RFPs were issued recognizing that the Purchase Sale Agreement would require the City to move quickly to comprehensively assess the condition and suitability of the building and site for a new Police Facility and gain an understanding of the estimated short- and long-term costs associated with the site and building. The specific building being considered was not disclosed in the RFPs, pending City action. Both RFPs were issued using the standard City processes for soliciting proposals and were posted through online databases as well as sent directly to firms known to have expertise in the topic areas. Deputy Chief Zelk reported that, Importantly, both RFPs highlighted the importance of an expedited process to assure that comprehensive information is provided to the City Council within the due diligence period provided to allow an informed decision to be made on whether to proceed with the purchase of the property. Four firms responded to each RFP. A team of City staff from various departments reviewed the proposals based on qualifications of team members, experience, understanding of the scope of the project, expertise in the topic areas, and cost. Mr. Zelk gave an overview of the RFP that invited qualified firms to submit proposals to conduct a whole building and site assessment. The assessment includes, but is not limited to, evaluating the structure of the building, the various mechanical systems, elevators, life safety components, and environmental conditions. The Concord Group is comprised of an experienced and skilled group of engineers. Recent projects include buildings assessments for the City of Chicago, City of Racine, WI, and the Village of Elmwood Park. These assessments included evaluation of structural elements, mechanical systems, life safety systems, ADA compliance and more with a focus on current conditions and life expectancy of the various building components as well as evaluation of the outdoor elements of the site. Of note, The Concord Group has a Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting professional cost estimator in house to provide valuable information on anticipated short-term repair, replacement, and maintenance costs as well as longer costs as building components reach the end of life. Kevin Zelk, Deputy Chief of Police stated that FGM Architects is a leader in the planning and design of police facilities. Members of the FGM firm regularly participate in public safety conferences leading discussions and educating others on this topic. Lake Forest Police Department personnel have benefited from these sessions and have seen members of the firm in action and have been impressed. Current and recent projects, in a long list of FGM projects, include a space needs analysis for the Village of Wilmette Police Department and leading the Village of Rosemont in adapting a large office building for the Police Department. In 2020, FGM designed the award-winning Mount Prospect Police Facility which was an adaptive reuse of an existing building. The City Council had lengthy discussion on a number of topics throughout the presentation that included Lake Forests survey results on public Safety being the number one priority, the PSA, needs vs. wants, the ability to fulfill obligations to the citizens, the site, the current Public Safety Building and the opportunities that exist for the Fire Department. Is 90 days enough, contingency amounts on the contracts, timeline, avoiding substantial costs into the future, the financial opportunity and uniqueness of the circumstance, advantage to adaptive reuse of a building, aspects of each RFP, how Policing has changed, and continues to change in the future, the economic environment that has created the opportunity to think strategically about this building. City finances are in order to allow for this opportunity. Mayor Tack asked if there was anyone from the public who would like to comment. Seeing none he asked for a motion. COUNCIL ACTION By motion: 1) Approve a Resolution approving and authorizing the execution of a Purchase and Sale Agreement with DP West Lake at Conway to acquire the Real Property at 1925 Field Court for the purchase price of $3,500,000 with a 90 day due diligence period and authorizing payment of an earnest money deposit in the amount $100,000. 2) Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with FGM Architects for a Space Needs Analysis for the Police Department in the amount of $24,400 plus a $6,100 contingency for a total of $30,500. 3) Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Concord Group for a whole building and site assessment at 1925 Field Court Department in the amount of $19,950 plus a $5,000 contingency for a total of $24,950. 4) Authorize an advance from 2025 funding to cover work completed, if any, prior to May 1, 2024. Alderman Notz made the following motions, Approve a Resolution approving and authorizing the execution of a Purchase and Sale Agreement with DP West Lake at Conway to acquire the Real Property at 1925 Field Court for the purchase price of $3,500,000 with a 90 day due diligence period and authorizing payment of an earnest money deposit in the amount $100,000, and Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with FGM Architects for a Space Needs Analysis for the Police Department in the amount of $24,400 plus a $6,100 contingency for a total of $30,500, and Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with Concord Group for a whole building and site assessment at 1925 Field Court Department in the amount of $19,950 plus a $5,000 contingency for a total of $24,950, and Authorize an advance from 2025 funding to cover work completed, if any, prior to May 1, 2024, seconded by Alderman Weber. The following voted “Aye”: Alderman Novit, Waldeck, Notz, Powers, Preschlack, Goshgarian, Weber, and Walther. The following voted “Nay”: none. 8-Ayes, 0-Nays, motion carried. ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION/COMMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS Proceedings of the Monday, April 15, 2024 City Council Meeting ADJOURNMENT There being no further business Mayor Tack asked for a motion to adjourn. Alderman Weber made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Alderman Preschlack. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote at 8:16 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Margaret Boyer, 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 www.cityoflakeforest.com. Click on I Want To, then click on View, then choose Archived Meetings Videos.