President and Board of Trustees

123 Madison Street Village of Oak Park Oak Park, Illinois 60302 www.oak-park.us Meeting Minutes President and Board of Trustees Monday, August 30, 2021 7:00 PM Village Hall I. Call to Order Village President Scaman called the meeting to order at 7:03 P.M. She authorized a statement be read providing that the meeting is being held remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines and that it is not prudent to have people present at the Village Board's regular meeting location due to public health concerns related to that pandemic. II. Roll Call Present: 7- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla Absent: 0 III. Agenda Approval It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Robinson, that this be approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 7- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 IV. Non-Agenda Public Comment Scott Yonan read their public comment aloud. Scott Yonan: spoke in support of creating an option for a payment plan to pay off parking violation tickets, especially in consideration of the impact the pandemic has had with job loss and illness. V. Consent Agenda Approval of the Consent Agenda It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat and seconded by Village Trustee Buchanan to approve the items under the Consent Agenda. The motion was Village of Oak Park Page 1 Printed on 9/27/2021 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes August 30, 2021 approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 7- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 A. MOT 21-88 A Motion to Amend the Building Codes Advisory Commission 2021 Work Plan to Review Options to Amend the Village’s Building Codes to Require Certain Sustainability Measures Such as All-Electric Requirements This Motion was approved. B. RES 21-202 A Resolution Approving a Professional Service Agreement with GovHR USA, LLC, for Executive Search Services in an Amount Not to Exceed $32,000 and Authorizing Its Execution This Resolution was adopted. C. RES 21-201 A Resolution Approving the Renewal of the Crossing Guard Services Agreement Between the Village of Oak Park and Andy Frain Services, Inc. through June 30, 2022, and Authorizing its Execution This Resolution was adopted. VI. Regular Agenda D. ID 21-248 Discussion of Next Steps to Select a Third-Party Consultant to Serve as an Independent Facilitator Related to the Village Board’s Community Safety Goals Interim Village Manager Lisa Shelley gave an overview of this Item. Village Trustee Buchanan commented overall there is not a huge difference between the two firms. At this time she favors BerryDunn. Neither provides exactly what she would like to see as far as alternative responses to policing. Village Trustee Taglia originally supported Hillard Heintze, but after review of the responses has moved in support of BerryDunn. The success of this effort is going to hinge on the engagement with our community; based on the most recent response, BerryDunn has a more robust engagement and there is a higher chance of success using a firm who is going to engage as robustly as possible with the residents. Village Trustee Parakkat originally was in support of Hillard Heintze, but after reviewing the community engagement model, Berry Dunn’s approach is more practical. Citizens need to be involved in the long-term vision of Village of Oak Park Page 2 Printed on 9/27/2021 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes August 30, 2021 where community safety needs to go, but that cannot come at the expense of giving the police department the required resources they need to do their job effectively right now - finding that balance is important. Village Trustee Robinson commented that both firms are comparable but favors BerryDunn's co-production policing model and their response to what their landing page would look like. Village Trustee Enyia is not leaning towards either firm at this time. He would like to have more engagement with the Citizens Police Oversight Committee (CPOC) and other commissions to get their recommendations on how to look at policing in Oak Park. President Scaman responded she can see engaging with CPOC to get their input on the process once the firm is selected. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla shared her frustrations on hiring ex-police officers to recommend how to re-imagine community safety. Both firms proposals are exactly the same as far as community policing. President Scaman added she believes this Board will be able to push either firm to respond to what we need. President Scaman called for a motion. Village Trustee Parakkat motioned to recommend BerryDunn as the firm selected for the Community Safety Goal Assessment. Village Trustee Robinson seconded the motion. President Scaman requested the contract be brought back to the Board at the September 20th meeting and have that contract go to CPOC for their feedback of the scope of services. There was then some discussion regarding the role of CPOC to review the contract. It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Robinson, that this Report be approved. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 5- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Taglia NAYS: 2- Village Trustee Enyia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla ABSENT: 0 E. RES 21-166 A Resolution Approving a Funding Grant Agreement Between the Village of Oak Park and Beyond Hunger in an Amount Not to Exceed $85,000 and Authorizing its Execution Village of Oak Park Page 3 Printed on 9/27/2021 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes August 30, 2021 Michele Zurakowski: Michele Zurakowski, Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Hunger, spoke their comment to thank the board for allocating some of the ARPA funds to Beyond Hunger. They gave an overview of the services their organization provides to the community and how these funds will impact these services. Interim Village Manager then gave an overview of Items E, F, and G, and how they relate to the Board's Goals. Village Clerk Christina Waters read the following Regular Agenda Public Comment aloud. Alicia Chastain: Alicia Chastain comment is in regards to the ambiguous process the Village is using to allocate its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, and feels the village is missing an opportunity to engage with community members for their input on how to invest the ARPA funds. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested clarification on how Beyond Hunger would use their funds. Tammie Grossman, the Director of Development Customer Services, reviewed the breakdown on how the funds would be disbursed. Michele Zurakowski, Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Hunger, then added further clarification on how the organization will use their funds. Village Trustee Robinson requested clarification on any federal requirements that these funds need to be directed specifically to Oak Park residents. Interim Village Manager Shelley responded we only have to show a service area. The village is required to first report to the Federal Government how they would like to disburse the funds and then will need to get approval from the Federal Government prior to disbursement. Village Trustee Taglia recognizes the impact of food insecurity in the community and strongly supports this distribution of funds. Village Trustee Parakkat commented we may see the issues of homelessness and food insecurity rise as the stimulus checks end, and completely supports funding these entities. Village Trustee Buchanan commented her support of both allocations. President Scaman clarified the Board would not allocate additional funds without community engagement. The ARPA funds under discussion tonight Village of Oak Park Page 4 Printed on 9/27/2021 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes August 30, 2021 were given to municipalities to fund necessary services throughout the community. It was moved by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, seconded by Village Trustee Buchanan, to adopt this Resolution. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 7- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 F. RES 21-168 A Resolution Approving a Funding Grant Agreement Between the Village of Oak Park and Housing Forward in an Amount Not to Exceed $500,000 and Authorizing its Execution Lynda Schueler: Lynda Schueler, Executive Director for Housing Forward, spoke their comment aloud in support of Housing Forward receiving ARPA funds. These funds will be used to support their food, housing and employment initiatives for the community. It was moved by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, seconded by Village Trustee Robinson, that this Resolution be adopted. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 7- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 G. RES 21-180 A Resolution Authorizing the Creation of an Oak Park Business and Non-Profit Coronavirus Recovery (BNPCR) Grant Program Using American Rescue Plan Act Funding in an Amount Not to Exceed $550,000 and Approving Guidelines for the Program Village Clerk Christina Waters read the Regular Agenda Public Comment aloud. Brynne Hovde: Brynne Hovde's public comment expressed their concern that the Village is not honoring the call for community input on the disbursement of ARPA funds, and requests the Board takes intentional strides towards a proactive community engagement plan around the remainder of these funds. Village Trustee Parakkat requested clarification on how the small business owners can access these funds. Village of Oak Park Page 5 Printed on 9/27/2021 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes August 30, 2021 Tammie Grossman, the Director of Development Customer Services, responded the process will be structured to be simple and streamlined for small businesses to obtain the funds. Village Trustee Buchanan expressed concern that unlicensed businesses could not qualify for the funds. Does this apply to only licensed businesses? Director Grossman clarified that all businesses in the village are required to have a business license. Some businesses are licensed by their profession and not the Village and are issued a license at $0 fee. Approximately 1,483 licensed businesses in the Village of Oak Park, 300 of those licensed businesses are currently at the $0 status. Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested clarification if the list on the agenda item is a complete list of the businesses that are eligible for this program. Director Grossman responded the businesses on the list are businesses that have previously received Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Corona Virus Funds. Trustee Walker-Peddakotla added her concerns that the right community engagement has not been done to inform what it is small businesses and other non-profits need - this is a stop gap/ band aid in the hopes to address some of the concerns of businesses without doing community engagement. Trustee Enyia recommended the Village should seek additional input from the business community so they can speak to what they need. We should utilize our commissions in this aspect to reach out into the community for their input. Director Grossman responded that staff has done community outreach - they have spoken to the business association council, have gone to all of the business district meetings and talked to a number of building owners who are renting to these businesses. These are emergency needs that the businesses are facing based on the communications they have had with the businesses. Village Trustee Taglia reiterated how urgent the need is of the small business owners and the importance of providing these funds to these businesses quickly . PresidentScaman commented the Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee (CDCAC) would be best to review these grants. It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Buchanan, to adopt this Resolution. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: Village of Oak Park Page 6 Printed on 9/27/2021 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes August 30, 2021 AYES: 5- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Taglia NAYS: 2- Village Trustee Enyia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla ABSENT: 0 H. ID 21-247 A Presentation on Racial Equity Action Planning Interim Village Manager Lisa Shelley introduced this Item. Human Resource Director / Assistant Village Manager Kira Tchang then gave the presentation. Village Trustee Robinson requested clarification if the Board has access to the resources provided by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). Interim Village Manager Shelley confirmed the Board does have access to those resources. Village Trustee Parakkat commented on exploring what different options the village has for executing this process. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested clarification on continuing the exiting partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC) for this work. Human Resource Director / Assistant Village Manager Kira Tchang responded it is just one option to continue the work with NLC as a resource. VII. Adjourn It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Buchanan, to adjourn. The motion was approved. The meeting adjourned at 9:37 P.M., Monday, August 30, 2021. Respectfully Submitted, Village Clerk Waters AYES: 7- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 Village of Oak Park Page 7 Printed on 9/27/2021