Village Board Meeting, Sept. 29, 2017

Present: Trustees Dodd, Kurzman, Leonard, Wolf, Plunkett, President Bielinski
Absent: Trustee Sullivan
 
Public Comment: Three audience members indicated that they wished to comment. The co-president of the League of Women Voters of Wilmette read a statement on behalf of the LWV-W about National Voter Registration Day and County Wage and Sick Time Ordinances. A resident read a statement about County Wage and Sick Time ordinances. After this statement, President Bielinski announced that in the upcoming issues of The Village Communicator, the entire President’s message is dedicated to the minimum wage issue: his opinion and recounting of what has occurred as well as his rationale for supporting the opt out. 
 
Next another resident read a statement about County Wage and Sick Time ordinances and several other concerns.  The final statement was notable as the Village President interrupted the resident, initially to refute a statement the resident made about the Land Use Committee.  After this initial interruption, the President continued questioning the resident, refuting details of the resident’s statement, reading emails that the resident had sent to a business in the community, and accusing the resident of harassing businesses and misrepresenting the Village’s actions. Approximately five minutes passed in this manner at which point Trustee Kurzman asked if he might interject.  President Bielinski agreed and Trustee Kurzman stated that he “could not stand by idle while a resident was being treated in this manner while advocating to his beliefs”; that he was not comfortable with how the meeting was proceeding. President Bielinski acknowledged that the resident should be allowed to complete his statement. The resident completed the statement and then left the room.
 
President Bielinski subsequently apologized for “losing his cool” and also offered a defense of his actions.  At the time of the apology, the resident who had made the statement was no longer present.
 
Trustee Kurzman requested removal of two items from the Land Use Consent Agenda:
Item 3.5:  Appointment of Land Use Committee as a Special Zoning Committee to review the Village Board vote requirements for Zoning Board of Appeals recommendations.
Item 3.6:  Introduction of Ordinance #2017-O-59 regarding technical amendments to the Zoning Ordinance.
President Bielinski read each item to Trustee Kurzman and asked if he wanted that item removed from the consent agenda, Trustee Kurzman responded “please” to each; the items were removed.
 
Consent Agenda minus the above mentioned items passed with all Trustees voting in favor.
 
President Bielinski read a Proclamation declaring October National Domestic Violence Month. A resident read a statement regarding the work of Shalva, an agency that provides services related to domestic violence for the Jewish community in metropolitan Chicago.
 
Significant Topics Discussed:
 
There was a motion and second to approve Items 3.5 and 3.6.  The floor was opened to Trustee Kurzman who stated he wanted to bring awareness to Items 3.5 and 3.6.  Trustee Kurzman asked several questions about the purposes of the ordinances, looking for clarification and was answered by Lisa Roberts, Assistant Community Development Director, sitting in for Mr. Adler Community Development Director.
 
1) RE Item 3.5: Trustee Kurzman asked why it is necessary to expedite Zoning Board of Appeals matters. Ms Roberts replied that it was not the intent to expedite matters rather the issue is that Zoning Board member attendance has become a problem and it is often not possible to take a vote on items.  Without a vote, the item then proceeds back to the Village Board without a positive recommendation which can be misinterpreted as a negative vote.  There was discussion of this problem. Trustee Leonard noted that attendance is a problem; the Land Use Committee intends to discuss options for increasing attendance or possibly the way ZBA members are recruited.  The Zoning Board of Appeals can only consider items based on existing zoning code; the Land Use Committee can evaluate the appropriateness of the Zoning Code itself. 
 
2) RE Item 3.6  Trustee Kurzman asked why we need a special Zoning Committee. Counsel and Village Manager commented that any change to zoning code requires that there be a special zoning committee.  Trustee Kurzman noted that it is concerning at a time when we are working to address storm water management, that we are becoming more lenient in our application of ordinances. He stated that more prudent Land Use will eventually be the only way we have left to handle storm water.  Trustee Dodd stated that the technical amendments in this Ordinance represented more of a “cleaning up” of the zoning code including removing some contradictions in the code.
                                        
Mr. Frenzer provided an overview of the Budget and thanked the Budget team.  In answer to a Trustee’s question, he confirmed that nothing in the budget would preclude any of the stormwater options that the Board is currently considering.  Future meetings at which the budget will be reviewed were publicized.
 
 
Issues Referred to Other Committees or Organizations: N/A

Other Items of Interest:
1. Next Budget Workshop: October 3, 7:00 pm
2. Finance Committee Meeting: November 13,
Agenda: MInimum Wage/Earned Sick Time
3. Land Use Committee Meeting
 
Votes:
 
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee

Consent agenda
Dodd
Y
Kurzman
      Y
Leonard Y
Bielinski Y
Wolf
Y
Sullivan
Absent
Plunkett Y

Item 3.5
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Absent
Y

Item 3.6
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Absent
Y

 
Next Meeting of Village Board: Tuesday, October 10, 2017
 
Observer: Allyson Haut                     Meeting Length: 1 hour