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, March 21, 2022 7:00 PM Remote I. Call to Order Village President Scaman called the meeting to order at 7:01 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 Walker-Peddakotla, to approve the Agenda. 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. Minutes A. ID 22-85 Motion to Approve Minutes from Regular Remote Meeting of March 7, 2022, Special Remote Meeting of March 14, 2022 of the Village Board. It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Enyia, to approve the Minutes. 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 Village of Oak Park Page 1 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 ABSENT: 0 V. Non-Agenda Public Comment Village Clerk Christina Waters read the following non-Agenda Public Comment aloud: Chris Donovan: Chris Donovan submitted their public comment regarding the proposed redevelopment of 6401 Roosevelt Road as a parking lot/ recharging station for electric vehicles. They have not seen any reference to this redevelopment in the Plan Commission or the Energy Environment Commission meeting minutes, and feels it is important for the public to know in advance what, if any, requests would be made of the village before any decision is made to authorize a parking lot/ recharging station at the proposed location. VI. Village Manager Reports Village Manager Kevin Jackson introduced Deputy Village Manager Lisa Shelley. Deputy Village Manager Shelley gave an update that the virtual Policing Community Forum that will take place on Wednesday night from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., with an in person forum scheduled at Barrie Center on March 31 from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. VII. Village Board Committees & Trustee Liaison Commission Reports Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested an update on the Farmers' Market Manager position. Deputy Village Manager Shelley will provide an update to the Board. Village Trustee Buchanan mentioned the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation (OPEDC) plans to hold an open meeting sometime in April to explain the role of the OPEDC and take questions from the public. Village Trustee Parakkat requested clarification on if there are any plans from the Environment and Energy Commission (EEC) for Earth Day in April. Village Trustee Buchanan responded her understanding was the village was not gong to host an event at Public Works this year, and the EEC was hoping to hold an event at Scoville Park and possibly work with the Wednesday Journal to have a special pullout section in their paper. Deputy Village Manager Shelley clarified the village is hoping to hold a scaled back event and will update the Board. Village of Oak Park Page 2 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Village Trustee Enyia provided and update for the Community Relations Commission (CRC) that the Day in Our Village will be returning this summer. VIII. Citizen Commission Vacancies There was no further discussion for this Item. B. ID 22-86 Board & Commission Vacancy Report for March 21, 2022. IX. Citizen Commission Appointments, Reappointments and Chair Appointments C. ID 22-87 Motion to Consent to the Village President’s Appointment of: Environment & Energy Commission - Carly Provost-Rizor, Appoint as Member Farmers Market Commission - Julia Knier, Appoint as Chair Farmers Market Commission - Rachel Hahs, Appoint as Member Plan Commission - Frank Sullivan, Appoint as Member Transportation Commission - Aaron Stigger, Reappoint as Member Transportation Commission - Garth Katner, Reappoint as Member Zoning Board of Appeals - Debra McQueen, Reappoint as Member It was moved by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, seconded by Village Trustee Enyia, to approve the Report. 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 X. Consent Agenda Approval of the Consent Agenda It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, to approve the items under the Consent Agenda. 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 D. MOT 22-16 A Motion to Approve the February 2022 Monthly Treasurer’s Report for All Funds Village of Oak Park Page 3 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 This Motion was approved. E. MOT 22-17 A Motion to Approve the Bills in the Amount of $4,381,429.48 from February 4, 2022, through March 10, 2022 This Motion was approved. F. ORD 22-17 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 20 (“Public Health”), Article 7 (“Garbage, Weeds and Littering”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Delete and Remove Section 20-7-21 (“Institutional Customer Rates”) This Ordinance was adopted. G. ORD 22-19 An Ordinance Authorizing the Sale of Surplus Vehicles and Equipment Owned by the Village of Oak Park This Ordinance was adopted. I. RES 22-62 A Resolution Approving a Task Order for Professional Engineering Services with TranSystems Corporation for Design Engineering Services for the 2024 Austin Boulevard Resurfacing Project in an Amount Not To Exceed $146,155 and Authorizing its Execution This Resolution was adopted. J. RES 22-63 A Resolution Approving the Renewal of the Annual Software License and Support and Maintenance Agreement dated December 15, 2014, with CityView, a Division of N. Harris Computer Corporation, for the Village’s Permitting, Licensing, and Inspection Services in an Amount Not to Exceed $180,346.45 and Authorizing its Execution This Resolution was adopted. K. RES 22-67 A Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Independent Contractor Agreement with HR Green, Inc., for Building Permit Application Plan Reviews and Inspections, for the Fiscal Year 2022 to Change the Not to Exceed Amount from $1,000,500 to $1,010,500, to allow for Health Plan Reviews and Health Inspection Services Due to a Staff Shortage in the Health Department and Authorizing Its Execution This Resolution was adopted. L. RES 22-70 A Resolution Approving a Task Order for Professional Engineering Services with Edwin Hancock Engineering Co. for Design Engineering Services for the 2023 Division Street Resurfacing Project in an Amount Not To Exceed $264,942 and Authorizing its Execution This Resolution was adopted. M. RES 22-71 A Resolution Authorizing the Submission of a Statewide Planning and Village of Oak Park Page 4 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Research Program (SPR) Grant Application with the Illinois Department of Transportation for a Vision Zero Plan This Resolution was adopted. XI. Regular Agenda H. ORD 22-20 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 3 (“Alcoholic Liquor Dealers”), Article 8 (“List of Licenses for Each License Class”), Section 3-8-1 (“Number of Licenses Permitted to be Issued Per License Class”) and Section 3-8-2 (“Licenses by Name and Address Per License”) of the Oak Park Village Code for the Issuance of a Restaurant Class B-1 Liquor License to The Little Gem, Inc., DBA Encore by Little Gem and to Delete Certain Liquor Licensees from the Village Code Village Trustee Parakkat recused himself from the discussion. Village Attorney Paul Stephanides introduced the Item and gave an overview. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested clarification on the businesses in the Ordinance that have been crossed out. Village Attorney Stephanides responded those that are crossed out are being deleted from the code as they no longer are in need of a liquor license. It was moved by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, seconded by Village Trustee Robinson, to adopt the Ordinance. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 6- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, Village Trustee Robinson, Village Trustee Taglia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 ABSTAINED: 1- Village Trustee Parakkat N. ORD 22-18 An Ordinance Amending Chapter 7 (“Buildings”), Article 7 (“Signs”) of the Oak Park Village Code to Amend Various Sections of Article 7 Village Manager Jackson introduced Development Customer Services Director Tammie Grossman to provide an overview of this Item. Village Planner Craig Failor then gave a brief presentation overview of the recommended amendments to the sign code. Village Trustee Robinson requested clarification regarding how many businesses will be affected by these changes and what is the opportunity for businesses to be compliant. Village of Oak Park Page 5 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Village Planner Failor responded these restrictions would be in place going forward and it is not meant to be retroactive. It was moved by Village Trustee Robinson, seconded by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, to adopt the Ordinance. 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 O. RES 22-69 A Resolution Approving a Services Agreement with Flock Group Inc. for License Plate Recognition Cameras and Software for an Amount Not to Exceed $112,500 for a Two-Year Period, Authorizing its Execution and Waiving the Village’s Bid Process for the Agreement Village President Scaman made the recommendation to consider postponing the vote on this Item until the first week of April to allow Village Manager Jackson some time to better understand the Item, and to allow the community to weigh in on the topic who have not had the opportunity to do so in light of the number of public comments that will be heard at the end of the meeting. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla agreed to postponing the vote being it is Village Manager Jackson's first day on the job to allow him time to understand everything that is going on with this vote. Village Trustee Enyia agreed with Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla. Village Trustee Robinson requested clarification on any impact to the contract if they decided to delay the vote. Village Trustee Buchanan agreed to have an intensive discussion tonight and listen to all the public comment and delay the vote due to the newness of the Village Manager and the complexity of the issue. They also requested an update from staff regarding the traffic safety issues that have resulted from the reckless driving in Oak Park. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla commented there are traffic calming measures that can be done. They understand there is a backlog of petitions but wondered if there was a possibility for the Transportation Commission push through those traffic safety measures for the particular area affected by the increase in reckless driving. Village Trustee Taglia commented they are comfortable with the Village Manager's newness to the role and are prepared to vote on this Item Village of Oak Park Page 6 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 tonight. Village Trustee Parakkat commented they are as prepared as they can be on this topic at this point and is ready to take a vote on this Item. Village Trustee Enyia commented he does not feel that enough of the community has been engaged on this topic since this was initially a southwest Oak Park issue, but now this Item is expanding to more cameras across the village. Police Chief LaDon Reynolds then gave a presentation overview of this Item. The following persons spoke their Agenda Public Comments aloud: Michael Baldwin: Michael Baldwin spoke there public comment urging the Board to not delay implementing the FLOCK system. They spoke that this is not just a southwest Oak Park issue, but a village issue and asked the Board to answer their call and support the police and their community with voting yes on installing the ALPR cameras. Brynne Hovde: Brynne Hovde spoke their public comment in response to the comments and narratives heard at the last Board meeting regarding the ALPR cameras, and expressed their desire to try other options over implementing the ALPRs, including waiting to see what impact the cameras that were installed on the 290 highway have on that section of Oak Park, conducting a thorough racial equity assessment of the system, and wait for the report from BerryDunne. Village Clerk Christina Waters then read the following Agenda Public Comments aloud: Jim Terretta: Jim Terretta submitted their public comment requesting the Board inquire about the chain of custody for the data of the FLOCK cameras and ensure it is owned fully by the Village of Oak Park and that FLOCK cannot access it. Lotus Lindez: Lotus Lindez submitted their public comment in opposition to the FLOCK cameras, and feel that adding this level of public surveillance will continue to exaggerate and enforce local economic disparities enflamed by policing practices. They asked the Board to vote no on the Flock camera budget motion and indicate to the Police Chief that while they support him, the Board is not supportive of installing Flock cameras as a first response to addressing crime in Oak Park. Village of Oak Park Page 7 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Meghan Carter: Meghan Carter submitted their public comment in opposition to the FLOCK cameras as they do not increase public safety, and expressed data privacy and budgetary concerns. They stated we need to value our privacy and our own and our neighbors' quiet enjoyment of our community. We need a plan that furthers community safety that doesn't compromise those values. Yoko Terretta: Yoko Terretta submitted their public comment asking the Board to vote no on the Flock camera budget motion and indicate to the Police Chief that while they support him, the Board is not supportive of installing Flock cameras as a first response to addressing crime in Oak Park. They feel the company is trying to manipulate the community to get access to the data. Sara Muriello: Sara Muriello submitted their public comment asking the Board to approve the contract for the Flock cameras. They want to stay in OP but need to know that the people given the privilege of representing the community will make fighting this up tick in crime a priority and feel that Oak Park's reputation is at stake. Sue Haas: Sue Haas submitted their public comment urging the Board to vote no on the installation of Flock cameras in Oak Park. Suzanne Feeney: Suzanne Feeney submitted their public comment asking the Board to vote no on the budget motion to indicate the Board is not supportive of installing Flock cameras as a first response to addressing crime in Oak Park. They asked to delay this decision and have a proper evaluation which includes hearing from stakeholders outside of the police and Flock representatives. As a quick response, please implement traffic calming measures as soon as possible. Robert Biggins: Robert Biggins submitted their public comment in support of license plate readers to give the police department any resource available to make our neighborhoods safer. They requested the need for speed bumps to alleviate speeding through the streets in southwest Oak Park. Paul Gorre: Paul Gorre submitted their public comment in support of the license plate cameras. Nubia & Ramon Durazo: Nubia & Ramon Durazo submitted their public comment in support the license plate readers for their neighborhood. Molly Wulkowicz: Molly Wulkowicz submitted their public comment expressing their deep concern about Oak Park police installing and using a Village of Oak Park Page 8 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 FLOCK camera system, of top concern being the high rate of errors.They feel the FLOCK cameras are not an equitable, safe solution, and that the Board has an obligation to seriously investigate and consider all the dangerous ramifications of installing this kind of invasive technology in Oak Park. Maggie Karnick: Maggie Karnick submitted their public comment expressing their support to move forward with adding ALPRs in southwest Oak Park. They feel there is a true urgency with spring coming and the usual rise in crime that comes with it. Crime is out of control in their area, please help. Midge and Jim Cogan: Midge and Jim Cogan submitted their public comment expressing their support for license plate readers to catch criminals and reduce crime in Oak Park neighborhoods. They want the village board to support this vote tonight. Miran Baric: Miran Baric submitted their public comment expressing their support for APLRs to empower the Oak Park Police Officers so they can do their jobs effectively. Lenor D'Silva: Lenor D'Silva submitted their public comment expressing their support for the initiative for ALPRs (License Plate Readers), for a safer Oak Park believing it will help solve crimes and serve as a deterrent against future crime in the village. Laura & Eric Reeb: Laura & Eric Reeb submitted their public comment expressing their concern regarding the installation of the FLOCK cameras. They feel the decision is being hastily made and may be the result of fear mongering and urged the Board to do a little more research and put a little more thought into the decision. Kathy Rush: Kathy Rush submitted their public comment expressing their support for APLRs. Kathryn Humphreys: Kathryn Humphreys submitted their public comment against the implementation of the FLOCK camera system which they feel is ineffective and unnecessary. This money should be spent on items that actually make a difference in beginning to turn over the systemic issues that are at the root of any issues, not on a knee-jerk surveillance state system that does nothing to make a true difference. Kelly Bencola: Kelly Bencola submitted their public comment urging the Board to vote no to approving funds for FLOCK cameras. They feel that installing these cameras would be a crucial turning point for the Village - a Village of Oak Park Page 9 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 turn from being a community where we build relationships with our neighbors to one where we view all who live here and pass through our village as suspicious. These cameras and this process does not reflect who we are as a Village. Jim Schwartz: Jim Schwartz submitted their public comment requesting the Board to vote no on the budget motion and indicate to the police chief that the Board is not in support of installing Flock cameras in Oak Park. Jenna Leving Jacobson: Jenna Leving Jacobson submitted their public comment requesting the Board to vote no on the Flock camera budget motion, and would rather the Village and Police Department invest in evidence-based crime prevention to address crime and safety in the community. They are also in support of support a Safe Firearm Storage campaign. John E. Figel: John E. Figel submitted their public comment expressing their support for the license plate readers, asking that the camera program gets pushed through quickly before something tragic happens. Community Members in South Oak Park: Community Members in South Oak Park submitted their public comment in opposition to the installation of FLOCK cameras. They expressed their concern by the speed at which this conversation is moving, and asked the Board to allow the research to be thoroughly conducted before they install these cameras. They requested that efforts be focused on traffic calming - specifically focused on temporary speed bumps and 4 way stop signs. Frank E. Stachyra: Frank E. Stachyra submitted their public comment expressing their support for the Automatic License Plate Reader Camera. They believe it will be an effective law enforcement tool that will help keep their southwest Oak Park neighborhood safer than it is now. Eugene White: Eugene White submitted their public comment in support for cameras to keep their neighborhood safe. Liz Lukehart: Liz Lukehart submitted their public comment urging the Board to vote "no" on the Flock Camera System. They feel there is little evidence to show this technology increases community safety, and good evidence to show it has a high error rate and ends up disproportionately impacting Black and Brown community members. They feel it is neither an equitable, nor fiscally responsible decision and is in direct opposition to the Board's stated core values, as well as its community safety and racial equity goals. Village of Oak Park Page 10 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Deborah Stewart & Roy Plotnick: Deborah Stewart & Roy Plotnick submitted their public comment expressing their alarm at the uptick in violent crime they have experienced in southwest Oak Park, and are satisfied that installation of the Flock system can provide a valuable crime-solving tool and help with more timely responses to criminal incidents for those tasked with our public safety in the Village. Dave Enderle: Dave Enderle submitted their public comment in support of the installation of ALPR cameras as a relatively low cost and easy solution which can identify those vehicles known to have committed a crime that the police can then be notified of their whereabouts and respond accordingly. They also asked why have there not been speed tables and a cul de sac at Lexington and Harlem. Camile Lindsay Kumi: Camile Lindsay Kumi submitted their public comment asking the Board to vote no to the ALPR funding that the police department is requesting. Their research suggests that ALPRs used in neighborhoods like ours do not reduce crime in general or violent crime specifically, and they are unwilling to support purchasing equipment to solve crimes if it means that equipment will have a disparate negative impact on Black and Brown people. Ben Newton: Ben Newton submitted their public comment in support of Automated License Plate Readers. They expressed concern that there were 3 dozen shots fired in front of their home from three different cars and they still don't know who fired these shots.They encouraged the Board to ask the Police Chief how many additional arrests the cameras will allow and how many additional officers it would take to make the same number of arrests, and then follow up in a year and see if they are worth the cost. Ann & Terry Roach: Ann & Terry Roach submitted their public comment in support of the FLOCK system. They expressed their concerns about the increase of crime in their southwest Oak Park neighborhood. They feel identifying criminals using FLOCK may help decrease repeat offenders from coming back to cause more car jackings, gun fight chases and other possibly deadly acts. Andy Sjostrom: Andy Sjostrom submitted their public comment in support for the proposed ALPRs as proposed by FLOCK. They expressed their concerns regarding the increased level of careless/reckless driving and dangerous joy-riding of people using the east/west streets as by-passes, as well as a car-jacking of their neighbors. While they do not believe that adding ALPRs to the neighborhood should be the only aspect to addressing this problem, they do believe it would be beneficial to getting a handle on what seems to be a trend that should be curtailed before it gets Village of Oak Park Page 11 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 worse. Amelia Mutso: Amelia Mutso submitted their public comment in support for the Police Chief's request to bring the ALPRs from FLOCK to Oak Park. With spring upon us when there is a usual up tick in crime, they encourage the village leaders to vote in support of installing these in Oak Park. Abby Baric: Abby Baric submitted their public comment asking the Board to vote to get the ALPR cameras. They feel they would make a huge difference and one more second of not doing anything is another opportunity for something horrible to happen. Cathy Flowers: Cathy Flowers submitted their public comment asking if detailed due diligence been conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Flock Safety Cameras, have they produced metrics outlining the actual crimes captured using their technology, and is there any particular reason why this initiative is bypassing the Village Bid Process? They asked for the board to please vote no on Res 22-69 and not rush this through the process as it will have a lasting impact on Oak Park. Jacquelyn Rodriguez: Jacquelyn Rodriguez submitted their public comment urging the Board to vote no to any new funding to the police department. They feel it is premature to fund anything at this time as we have not been given the Berry Dunn report, this hasn't been mentioned to the CRC, and we haven't yet created a formula for governing for racial equity (which is in the board goals). Kelley Clink: Kelley Clink submitted their public comment asking that instead of cameras, the board and police department use traffic calming measures to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe in Oak Park. They support converting 2- way stops to four way stops, implementing more crossings such as the pedestrian light at Harvey and Chicago, re-introducing slow streets, increasing safe bike lanes, and speed bumps. Helen Quinn Pasin: Helen Quinn Pasin submitted their public comment asking the Board to vote no on Flock. John Duffy: John Duffy submitted their public comment urging the Board to conduct a full vetting of how FLOCK surveillance technology will impact our community, its values, and its vision and path to be a welcoming, racially just, and safe environment for all. They added the evaluation should include a racial impact assessment process and a full understanding of how FLOCK technology may compromise individual privacy and how its data is being used by ICE in ways that will violate the Oak Park ordinance Village of Oak Park Page 12 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 on non-cooperation with finding and deporting undocumented immigrants. Cassandra West: Cassandra West submitted their public comment appealing to the Board to not approve FLOCK cameras as a so called "solution to crime". The feel it is not a solution, and this not-fully-vetted decision appears rushed and misguided. They requested the Board to wait for the Berry Dunn report and the new village manager to have time to assess the situation. Michelle Major: Michelle Major submitted their public comment asking the Board to vote no on the Flock camera budget motion and indicate to the Police Chief that while they support him, the Board is not supportive of installing Flock cameras as a first response to addressing crime in Oak Park. Jenna Holzberg: Jenna Holzberg submitted their public comment expressing their concern about the planned implementation of FLOCK cameras around the Village. They are deeply concerned and very confused how and why cameras are being used as a solution to address the pervasive behavior of unsafe driving on our village streets as cameras do not deter nor do they prevent unsafe driving. They feel it is only through the application of thoughtful traffic calming infrastructure can we begin to address speeding and cut-through traffic on our residential streets. Thomas H. Ptacek: Thomas H. Ptacek, a member of the Civic Information Systems Commission (CISC), submitted their public comment that the CISC is currently tasked with recommending a privacy policy to post on the Village website, and suggests that the Village go further than this. Oak Park should have a policy stating its privacy principles, and, in addition, it should consider a resolution making those privacy rules binding for all Village staff, across all departments. Oak Park should lead on privacy by having privacy rules with teeth, and model them for the rest of Chicagoland. Cooper Quintin: Cooper Quitin, a representative of the privacy advocacy group Elecronic Frontier Foundation, submitted their public comment expressing their concern that ALPR is a powerful surveillance technology that can be used to invade the privacy of individuals as well as to violate the rights of entire communities, and that law enforcement agencies have abused this technology. In addition to deliberate misuse, ALPRs sometimes misread plates, leading to dire consequences. They feel if the Oak Park Village Board goes ahead with the plan to install ALPRs, they will be subjecting their own residents to a Pandora's Box of surveillance. Alicia Chastain:Alicia Chastain submitted their public comment asking the Board to please vote no on the Flock cameras tonight. The Village is Village of Oak Park Page 13 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 rushing this decision and failing to make a case for why Oak Park needs to be heavily surveilled. They feel the Flock cameras will not deter crime or mitigate traffic issues, the Village is not doing its due diligence while making this decision so quickly, and asked the Board to please honor their commitments to meaningful community collaboration and racial equity. Burt Blanchard: Burt Blanchard submitted their public comment expressing their support for the installation of vehicle/ license plate cameras. Anne McNamee-Keels: Anne McNamee-Keels submitted their public comment expressing their concern about the safety of community members in Oak Park, and asked the Board to vote no on the budget motion for Flock cameras and delay the decision until after a full evaluation of the program, including a racial equity assessment. They feel the FLOCK cameras have not been proven to meaningfully deter crime, and an expensive new program that doesn't deter crime and in fact may lead to mistaken identifications by police puts citizens at more risk, not less. Rachel Poretsky: Rachel Poretsky submitted their public comment expressing their concern that yet another student was involved in traffic violence this morning on the way to school when they were knocked off their bike by a hit and run driver. They urged the Board to take action and to implement connected bikeways, slower speeds, safe crossings (including the permanent removal of beg buttons so that people always get a walk light), convenient and secure bike parking, fewer car parking spaces in favor of public space, and encouragement and support for kids to bike or walk to school and adults to bike or walk or use transit to their destinations. Rebecca Malinowski: Rebecca Malinowski submitted their public comment that the Village of Oak Park should not adopt the FLOCK surveillance technology. They expressed serious concerns raised by the experts at the Brennan Center, including high error rates, privacy and data security concerns, data sharing concerns, lack of transparency and access controls, and disparate impact concerns. Paul Muriello: Paul Muriello submitted their public comment in support of immediate installation of license plate readers in the Village, and feels the village can do this the right way and protect our safety, our privacy, and our property. Maggie McMahon: Maggie McMahon submitted their public comment expressing their concern regarding FLOCK cameras. They feel the village needs an entire traffic reassessment, not cameras in some spots -- dangerous driving is pervasive here and the 2-way stops surrounding Village of Oak Park Page 14 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 schools and parks are an accident waiting to happen. Jennifer: Jennifer submitted their public comment stating the Flock cameras are not the solution to reducing unsafe driving practices that present a real danger to pedestrians and cyclists in the Village. The Village should instead invest in traffic calming infrastructure to address this very serious and too often deadly issue. Meeting went into Recess at 9:08 P.M. Meeting Reconvened at 9:15 P.M. Village Trustee Taglia then read out loud some concerning comments he received regarding the FLOCK cameras and their being used as surveilling and criminalizing people of color. He asked Chief Reynolds for his thoughts on the comments. Chief Reyonolds responded it is not his intent, or his staff's intent, to utilize this technology in that fashion. Village Trustee Buchanan posed a set of scenarios as it relates to the use of FLOCK cameras to which Chief Reynolds responded to. Village Trustee Robinson requested clarification again as to if there are any consequences if they delay this decision. Chief Reynolds responded there were some fees waived if they locked into a contract by March 25th, so there will be some financial repercussions. Village Attorney Stephanides confirmed there was a $3,500 discount for entering into the contract by March 25th. Village Trustee Robinson added they feel comfortable that they have heard from a significant portion of the community with multiple perspectives and points of view. Given there is a time sensitive element to this contract, the Board should heavily consider that as they decide whether or not to move forward with a vote tonight versus delaying it two weeks, and what the value is that is gained in the delay. Village President Scaman requested clarification on the contract going from implementing eight cameras to twenty cameras. Chief Reynolds responded staff felt it would be prudent to approach this holistically and include all the zones and the entire community to have the benefit of this tool and not just southwest Oak Park. Village President Scaman requested clarification on how staff would approach inaccurate reads for license plates. Chief Reynolds responded it is incumbent upon the responding officer to Village of Oak Park Page 15 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 verify the information - physically identify the plate number is the same number identified in the system, verify the VIN number, and also have a conversation with the driver. Village President Scaman requested clarification on the FLOCK cameras being used as a tool not necessarily in stopping crime but in solving crime. Chief Reynolds responded the village has had the opportunity working in partnership with other municipalities to borrow this technology as an investigative tool to solve crime; in 2021 there were 29 instances where they were able to recover 28 vehicles, in 2019 they had 6 instances resulting in 2 arrests related to license plate readers; in 2020 there were 15 arrests, and so far in 2022 there have been 6 incidents resulting in 4 arrests, all of these through the use of automatic license plate readers. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla expressed their concerns regarding this Item and statements made regarding this technology being a completely unbiased system. They then asked for clarification regarding where the 20 cameras would be installed. Chief Reynolds responded there are no specific locations as the contract has not been finalized, but the plan is to place them in areas where they would have the most value based on the data. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested clarification on who has final say as to where the cameras would be located. Chief Reynolds responded he does in collaboration with the Village Manager's office. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla expressed concerns that the contract stipulates that FLOCK has the final say as to the location. Chief Reynolds differed questions regarding the contract to Village Attorney Stephanides. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla requested clarification on who owns the data that is collected from the ALPRs. Chief Reynolds responded it is his understanding that the village owns the data. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla added they do not believe the village owns the data based on page 13 of the contract. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla reiterated their concern to the use of this technology, its being used as a tool for spying on the public, and the lack of data security. Village President Scaman requested clarification regarding the privacy policy the Village of Oak Park would have and what kind of transparency there could be around that policy. Village of Oak Park Page 16 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Chief Reynolds responded staff would work with the company to ensure those two things are congruent, and that he would review the specifics as it relates to their policy and report back to the Village Manager's Office and the legal department to ensure they are addressing those items appropriately. Village Trustee Enyia commented their understanding regarding the contract language relating to the placement of the cameras is the company can advise on placement of the cameras to obtain optimal visual recording, but the village has the final say as to the placement (location) of the camera itself. They also added it is a fallacy to think the company could not offer a discount of some kind after the March 25th date. Village Trustee Enyia expressed their concern that they are jumping very quickly to the most drastic solution - they understand the need for tools for the police to do their jobs but that this is not the tool needed right now. People are still going to commit crimes even if they see cameras. They do not feel that they have heard from enough of the community or that they have captured enough feedback from the majority of the people in Oak Park for something that is going to impact as many people as it will. Village Trustee Parakkat commented nothing they are seeing regarding this technology, as it stores and retains data, comes anywhere close to the surveillance that is possible with the data that is currently already available through cell phones and social media in terms of being able to trace and track someone. Village Trustee Parakkat then requested clarification on if they the contract can be revoked at the end of the two-year agreement after they have had a chance to review how the technology is actually working in terms of solving crime. Chief Reynolds responded in the affirmative. Village Trustee Robinson commented for them it comes down to two points - accuracy and usage. The police department is already using license plate and other types of information that FLOCK cameras pick up, although currently they have to go and talk to residents to get footage from their Ring cameras or eyewitness testimony. They believe implementing the FLOCK cameras is a way to get highly accurate information into the hands of the police department in a more efficient and cost effective way. Regarding usage, they believe there are already guardrails in place to protect against misuse and illegal use of this information, both in respect to the contract and in the way that the police policy and protocol requires staff to use this information. They do not see the benefit of delaying the vote on this Item. Village of Oak Park Page 17 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 Village Trustee Buchanan commented they have spent a lot of time over the last few weeks researching this Item, including speaking with three attorneys, watching the RBO meeting, communicating with racial equity leaders in the community, and reading articles on both sides of the issue. They have run into misunderstandings on both sides of the issue, including: that the cameras will make the neighborhoods safer, for which there is no evidence that the use of cameras will decrease crime (the cameras are not a crime fighting tool); or that people will be surveilled (these cameras do not film people, they take pictures of license plates). Village Trustee Buchanan then expressed their concern over the high error rates of the cameras and the impact of a license plate alerting the police in error and what the response could be if the car is full of young black men versus a white family. Village Trustee Buchanan added they are choosing to listen to their black residents' concerns, and prioritizing their concerns, over the lackluster evidence that thee cameras will make a difference in out safety. Village Trustee Taglia commented they have listened very carefully to the concerns of residents regarding privacy, which is something he takes seriously. He strongly and respectfully disagrees with the idea of Oak Park becoming a surveillance state or that there would be spying on behalf of the police. As a resident and Village Trustee, they personally do not want to see stolen vehicles freely traveling throughout the village, and believes, as a body, the majority of the Board have spoken in favor of giving the police department the tools necessary to do their jobs effectively. Village Trustee Enyia added the Board agreed as one of their goals to have BerryDunn complete the safety study and report back with the results of their study prior to moving forward with this, and recommended waiting a few weeks to get the results back from the contractor and use that data. Village Trustee Parakkat commented this is a complex issue; a $100,000 investment towards community safety in a community like Oak Park is a very small investment to make. Regarding the community safety study work being done by BerryDunn, they feel this feeds into their work and can help give enough information to better support decisions that come out of the study. Village President Scaman commented the mistrust that exists in our nation and the trust that we have to rebuild in our own community is well worth the two weeks delay. Village President Scaman then asked for a motion to table the Item and bring it to the next meeting and to remove the FLOCK budget amendment Village of Oak Park Page 18 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 from the next Item. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla moved to table the Item. Village Trustee Enyia seconded the motion to table this Item. It was moved by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, seconded by Village Trustee Enyia, to table this Resolution. The motion was approved. The roll call on the vote was as follows: AYES: 4- Village President Scaman, Village Trustee Buchanan, Village Trustee Enyia, and Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla NAYS: 3- Village Trustee Parakkat, Village Trustee Robinson, and Village Trustee Taglia ABSENT: 0 P. ORD 22-9 An Ordinance Amending the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Budget Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla moved to adopt the Ordinance with the removal of the FLOCK camera budget amendment. Village Trustee Robinson requested clarification regarding the $150,000 request for businesses for proof of vaccination that is still included in the Item since the vaccination order has been lifted. Director of Development Customer Services, Tammie Grossman, responded the Board approved that program back in January and the village has since given out a lot of the funding, but the budget was never amended. This request is needed to amend the budget to account for the funds that have already paid out. It was moved by Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla, seconded by Village Trustee Buchanan, to adopt the Ordinance as amended. 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 XII. Call to Board and Clerk Village Clerk Waters had no comment. Village Trustee Enyia thanked the Board for being considerate and trying to find the best in our community and do what is best by all of our residents. He would like to address the traffic safety on Taylor Street and move up their traffic safety petition in the Transportation Commission and possibly look at making their street a one way street to help mitigate the residents' concerns - as well as look at the traffic concerns and remedies for Lexington Street and Maple Ave. He also expressed support for the voters Village of Oak Park Page 19 Printed on 4/5/2022 President and Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes March 21, 2022 in Oak Park to be able to petition the Board with issues for the Board to vote on. Village Trustee Parakkat wished the community a Happy St. Patrick's Day and a Happy Holi. Village Trustee Walker-Peddakotla expressed her support for Village Trustee Enyia's comments and suggested looking into implementing a "Notice of Appearance" system, which is used in the state legislature, as a more effective way to gather what the community thinks about an issue. Village Trustee Robinson had no comment. Village Trustee Taglia had no comment. Village President Scaman mentioned Jenna Jacobson had submitted a public comment regarding safe firearm storage, and added the Board would work to share that information as a village. XIII. Adjourn It was moved by Village Trustee Parakkat, seconded by Village Trustee Robinson, to Adjourn. The motion was approved. The Meeting adjourned at 10:50 P.M., Monday, March 21, 2022. Respectfully Submitted, Deputy Clerk DeViller 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 20 Printed on 4/5/2022