City of Markham City Council met June 1.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
Mayor, Roger Agpawa called the Regular Meeting of the Markham City Council to order at 7:08p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Prayer led by Ald. McDowell. Roll Call was taken by City Clerk, Leslie Trimuel.
ROLL CALL: ALDERMAN PRESENT
Alderman William Barron
Alderwoman Wanda McDowell
Alderman Breanna Hampton-Houser
ALSO PRESENT:
Attorney Steven Miller
City Treasurer, Belinda Richardson
City Administrator, Derrick Champion
Sonia Khalil
NOT PRESENT:
Alderman Rondal Jones
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
May 18, 2022
Motion to approve minutes with corrections of May 18, 2022, by Ald. Barron, seconded by Ald. McDowell
Roll Call: 3 Yes/0 No/1Absent-Motion Carried
AUTHORIZATION OF CLAIMS
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Barron, to adopt Authorization of Claims and Accounts Bill list, totaling $655,990.26, with manual checks of $6,352.00 for a grand total of $662,342,26
Roll Call: 3Yes/0 No/1 Absent-Motion Carried
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
None
CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT
Members of Council members of the public with respect to the city attorney's report, starting with a proposed resolution approving the extension and renewal of the Re-Proclamation and Declaration of a continued local state of emergency, within the City of Markham, and approving the Mayor's Determination Regarding Modifications to In-person Meetings in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 1, 2022)
ADOPT RESOLUTION
22-R-682
Motion by Ald. McDowell, seconded by Ald. Barron, to adopt Resolution 22-R-682 A Resolution Approving the Extension and Renewal of the Re-Proclamation and Declaration of a Continued Local State of Emergency within the City of Markham and Approving the Mayor’s Determination Regarding Modifications to In-Person Meetings in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (June 1, 2022)
Roll Call: 3 Yes/0 No/1 Absent-Motion Carried
ADOPT RESOLUTION – not presented
A Resolution Authorizing the Sale of Surplus Municipal Real Estate Located at 2100 W. 163rd Street, Markham, Illinois 60428. (Permanent Index Number 29-19-308-005-0000)
CLERK REPORT
I have 2 flyers from the Markham Public Library:
1. Sign up now, the dates are June 20 through July 28. The time is 1pm to 3pm for grades K through sixth, join us for some summertime fun our program is a six-week incentive-based program encouraging children from kindergarten up to sixth grade to spend time reading throughout the summer months. STEM activities games prizes and movies.
2. 2022 summer reading kickoff. The Markham public library presents “To infinity and beyond” space party, dance performance by culture shock Chicago. There'll be food drinks music a bounce house and games for young ones. That's June 18th, which is a Saturday from 12 to 2pm. At the Markham Public library parking lot. That's located at 16640 South Kedzie Avenue in Markham.
MAYOR’S REPORT
I have a few items tonight, just to mention things that are going on around the community. One I wanted to mention, if no one's been down as of late to the area of 159th and Crawford, that intersection is being redone by the state it's been a process over a number of years that they've been working on it and it's starting to come together, we’re working on making sure that we keep the medians cut. So, it looks pretty nice like the rest of 159th. I am going to be meeting with IDOT officials about the upkeep and trying to make sure that we're getting the funding for doing additional work, in the meantime, we're going to make sure it looks nice. That's another area that we can be proud of in the community that looks nice, just like we've kept up the cloverleaf to make it look nice down there as well and certainly we have been manicuring it, because we have to keep up the rest of community with all this grass. So, what at least we keep the trash up out of that cloverleaf, so it doesn't look distasteful when you're coming off of the expressway, and it looks presentable when you come into the community. I can definitely say that our cloverleaf is far better than the most because we've really been working hard at it for the last few years, we're constantly upgrading what we need to do with public works and things with grass and after the summer. We’re working very hard on that obviously we're still catching up with grass and rain has been off and on but they're making their way and same thing with vacant properties and still that's been a process over the last several years. We have just made good, good, with all of that over the number of years that we've worked and we're still working hard to make sure that we have an organized effort. That is something that I think that we just have to continually work at I explained that's a part of the management that I'd had to work with the existing leadership over there about how we are consistent, and we have a methodical way, a good mannerism that we're keeping up so just want to mention that. One of the things if you have not been down to the Fair Play grocery store, I strongly suggest it. I know that I went in there last month and actually I was going back and forth over a number of months, because there were some woes back and forth about trying to make sure that we were we were doing the construction processes down there, right. I had no idea how it was going to look, but I know I was going back and forth with the building department and code department about making sure that we were doing things right and got calls back and forth and those are the woes of doing business where you're trying to make sure it's getting done right and correctly and you're following all the rules, and then you have this nice jewel that winds up at the end because it's absolutely beautiful. You wouldn't know any different than any grocery store anywhere and, in the Southland, it's a beautiful store that made a great investment. So, one of the things came to mind, I wanted to congratulate the City Council, because you all had the courage when they thought of possibly not getting a renewal lease down there, you all had the courage to say, well, we're going to see what we can do, to try to find a way to subsidize what's going on down there, and you did, so they gave that money right back and reinvested into the community. So, kudos and congratulations to the Markham City Council, because you all can take the credit for that. That store looks the way it does because you trusted in them, and we have a good faith relationship. So, I know that the agreement we had went through the end of the year or something like that, but it was it was worth it. Now we have some other things that I know in the future that will go with it, so make sure you get down there. I was out of town for the Wienermobile I would have liked that, that's been around since I was a little boy. So that's the old Wienermobile that they had down there that I thought was good for PR and things like that. So, if you get a chance, let's encourage people to shop Markham now let me say this is the conversation I had with the shopping center, I'm sorry to the grocery store, if there are some options and they don't have enough healthy options for you, and you eat a certain way you need to let them know that, you know sometimes they only put things on the shelves because that's what this SKU is hitting or that scan bar scan is hitting and they're going to sell what's there but if you see something or you don't see something, it needs to be there. I told him I'm a diabetic, certain things I don't like I want non sweet items, or sugar free items and low carb items and they will supply them so let them know so we can shop here in town. I know that I'm going to have talks with the police department about making sure that we continue during our summer months, I know that they've turned up patrol in the city, but we'll need more down there to make people feel comfortable and run people off that shouldn't hang out and those types of things. So just had to elaborate about the shopping center and the things there's good things in store. Sometimes when you don't see anything you'd like well, it still looks vacant down there. Well, there's some things coming in, that's for sure they had to wait a long time for DD’s and now they're down, so I hope people are patronizing them as well. Over to something I will elaborate on a great deal tonight, I know that there'll be some mention from the council, and I'll give further report later myself, but I know that Mr. Champion and Miss Khalil are on the Zoom call tonight to talk about the trip out west that we took with the commercial and industrial retail conference that we went to and they can talk about that a little bit tonight. But we have yet to really do a rehash as a team., we had several meetings as a team before we left. We had a lot of things shipped out there ahead of us, our booths and different things that we set up and the IT team everybody else the Alder people were there on site and representing Markham in a great way, and it was a lot of work. So, I don't know I don't think any of us really had any real downtime, from the time we got there we were in that convention center, putting things together and making sure things were right. And it really paid off., a lot of people complimented us. A lot of people came by and said gee, I wish our city would do this. That much I'll say before I let them talk but it was a proud moment to be part of it, and I think we made a couple of people a little envious of us., and proud of that that in a nice business way. We need people envious that we were professional, and we were well represented. So again, I congratulate the team and their hard work and I'm proud to be a Markhamite in moments like that and we go way out west no one knows us, but everybody wants to know us now. So, you know, thank all of you. Another matter that just before we went to conference, I want to you know, we had the event where we had planted the trees with Nordson to say we made history in the planting of a lot of trees here and we’re the first in the Chicago region to plant. I can think of the name, Mr. Chapman will say it for me later what the name of it was, I can never say it right, but the tree planting that we did was historical, that we're going to be the first in the area that ever did it in the area and people don't realize how important it is. I know that we've gone through this thing where we've been cutting trees, but they were all bad, trees weeds and things like that. So, they kind of gave us a break we were talking about trees in a bad light, but we went down, and we planted new life, so I think that was a good event, we attended it and a lot of people came out that were supportive. A couple last items I wanted to mention. We have put out banners, we started on the Kedzie Parkway and we're working on the east side now to celebrate Juneteenth something that has taken a lot of growth in the last several years. At the state level and even at the federal level, to recognize Juneteenth. Markham is doing its part to celebrate the heritage of Juneteenth., and so we've got banners out. On June 18th, we'll have a food truck festival here too, to commemorate some of that celebration out front here at City Hall. We'll have a couple of little events out front but just to give some recognition and respect to the day. So, we're doing that just as we have other festivals planned this year, and other events planned from the city. The park district's going to be having its rib competition., they never asked me what they want to do, for Father's Day and now they want to cook ribs, so I guess I'm going to have to get a barbecue grill and go cook ribs, but I'm just kidding. They always come up with good ideas. They were able to put a car show or some type of competition together or come up with some creativity. And then of course there's some camp things that are going on for the young people, and the kids this year over the park district. Encourage the kids to get involved with that and then we will have our summer youth program for promoting work and those to get exposed to the work field and work industry there. So, you get a hold of the park district has been our point place where we send them to, to manage that effort for the city. So, we have a good cooperation from the park district. I tried to say everything in three minutes or less. No, I'm just kidding.
DERRICK CHAMPION – CITY ADMINISTRATOR
Good evening, council, mayor and the city of Markham, I just want to kind of circle back a little bit. I want to talk about Nordson Group, Green Earth Foundation. I just wanted to kind of speak to that just a little bit more, so the City of Markham did make history with the planting of the first public Miyawaki tiny forest in the Chicagoland area and in the southland. The city of Markham should be very, very proud of that. Ideally this type of planning is suited to encourage biodiversity and increase tree canopy in urban areas. So, we're really happy and grateful to the Nordson Green Earth Foundation for selecting the city of Markham to plant the first tine forest so kudos to everybody that came out and volunteered. I know we had some volunteers from school district 144 the kids were out there getting some good experience about biodiversity so that was really a big deal. So, I want to go into this real quick, I want to talk about just our ICSC Conference a little bit. I want to thank all the team that went out on the members from the Council and the Mayor, Sonia even individuals that were working behind the scenes to make this all come to light even Christina. Want to talk about the importance of being a part of this international conference Shopping Centers, Markham is going to be a regional player on the economic side, these are the types of conferences that we really have to attend. I know I talked to Alderwoman Hampton earlier, I know that there’s conference, the ICSC in Chicago. Sonia and I talked about it as well it’s going to be at Navy Pier in October. So, we definitely want to make sure that we continue to show some presence to the city of Markham. Some of the takeaways from the conference itself we had the opportunity to meet with developers, which is a big deal, those developers have relationships with a lot of the retail and restaurant businesses across this country, especially some of the larger chains. I knew we had some scheduled meetings and thank you Sonia for setting up a lot of the meetings that we have with some of the businesses there, we met with a coffee supply chain company we met with developers like I mentioned, we also wanted to make sure we talked about healthy options. That was one of the things that we scouted out, we wanted to make sure that we were targeting the type of businesses that will support healthier options for current residents in the city of Markham. So, one of the things that I think is important is that as a team, I know that you mentioned a moment ago, we are going to set sometime next week to talk about some of the takeaways from the conference. One of the things that I just want to highlight is very quickly I don't know if you can see this, but we had we had some beautiful messaging and promo items from the City of Markham and we that was a nice thing you will see the data that this particular messaging was talking about, how a perfect location to grow your business and Markham is the perfect location to grow your business and Markham, I think that we all did a fantastic job with individuals visiting our booth. We got some great reviews from some of our peers in the southland region in particular, talking about how professional the booth was and some of the promo items. But we were really excited and enthusiastic about just making the right connections at this particular conference. We have some follow up, meetings scheduled with individuals and are circling back right now, emailing following up, one to make sure that we stay on the radar to help growth in Markham, and then I'm going to say this again, in order for the city of Markham to continue to move forward, we have to continue to have a presence at a conference like this, especially from a regional standpoint, we want to make sure that we are not only going out to help grow our businesses, but we want to make sure that we're retaining businesses as well. If we have national companies and businesses here in Markham, a lot of those companies are why these restaurants are they attend ICSC conference. So, we want to find out what trends are the ones we want to find out if there's going to be closures because a lot of times you find a lot of insider information from a lot of these are national chain stores. They will let you know that they're going to be closing stores that are opening new stores. So, we want to focus more on intention as well as growth as well. I know that next week we will all get together as a team and kind of sync and talk about some of the takeaways from the conference. But I'm really proud of the team that that we assembled to go out. We kind of got into the race sort of late but it all came together to hit and kudos to everybody that made this a successful ICSC., that concludes my report.
SONIA KAHILL.
I just want to say what a success ICSC was, our city received many compliments on our booth and our presence. I'm really excited for what's to come for Markham through ICSC Vegas, with the new vision that the Mayor and the City Council have.
MAYOR
Okay, well, we'll get we'll be rehashing everything and regrouping on the next week or so what's more for the community to know what's up and coming. So, we'll get together as a team and again, congratulations to everybody on a great, great job and we'll represent it so thank you with that.
ALD. BARRON
Good evening, I just wanted to compliment the guys saw them hanging the flags today, they look very nice along Kedzie Avenue. We went through the holiday weekend, and it was very uneventful, you know, from a police standpoint and a fire standpoint. We're still we're still working on; I’ve got properties that some would probably need to be demolished and others need to be researched to figure out a lot of these priorities. There was actually quite a bit of interest with some of these properties by other people, so if we could, if we can advance this along, I think that it's going to make the community look so much better. Just a word of caution., kids are out of school., so you know, don't think that they see your car, okay, be careful. You know, one of the things I'd like to see Public Works do is paint that white light line at all the stop signs, It really does catch people's attention. And you know, usually we do it when kids going back to school but with the kids being out on the street. I just like to see us do it now. If it's possible it’s a good time to do it. Well, I mean, I think got their hands full. I mean right now with grass cutting and everything else that we're doing, but we I think two guys could probably do a ward a day. You know. So, other than that, Mayor, I understand that people might not understand this conference that you attended, but you know if we're going to go to the next level. Now I was I was asked to go because but I’m not a good traveler. Also, I have a family reunion coming up so but I support I supported everything that was done. And, you know, we do if we want if we want to, we're changing everything. Commercial and Industrial and talent and it's going to take a while and nothing's going to be done overnight. But we need to attract new faces, new businesses, and that will solve that will help us with another problem. We have, which is real estate taxes, because the bigger the tax base, the lower the burden will be a homeowner. So just want people that, you know, they complain about their tax bill, and we're actually trying to do something about that. But I mean, we're not consulted about putting your taxes together. The only thing that we do is we have to submit to the county, our budget and all the other the other 22 taxing bodies don't consult the city of Markham and we have no say. One other thing I wanted to bring up I have a lot of new people are listening, there seems to be a misconception about easements on your property, I just went through an extensive program with the CUDD and Water Reclamation. I gave up another 25 feet of my land, I didn't give up the land, I gave up the ease of rights and access so that the new ditch can be maintained. I'm still responsible for that land, most of the easement rights like mine is basically in the 4th Ward the only one that has open drainage, you know people think that the culvert that is underneath their driveway belongs to the city of Markham, it doesn't it’s your culvert. When it fails, you know you have to replace it, some people have easements in the back of their property and that is for the power company and any other utility company that needs to get in there and do any maintenance or fixing. The one exception is that there might be some areas in town where there's been a dedicated alley that was put in now that would belong to the city of Markham. But the other easements you didn't lose that property., the best way for you to understand that is to look at a plat of survey of your property and it's going to show you how far your property goes. I've had this discussion in the summer a lot with people, basically over culverts and stuff like that. I've tried to assist people or Public Works has tried to help some people along which we will continue to do, but that property and culvert belongs to you. That is the end of my report.
MAYOR
I just mentioned that one of the things that has been my goal, I haven't been able to express it, but I'd like to see it happen eventually is that I would like to eventually city-wide start really working our culverts and ditches in terms of to clean out effort. So, we team up city wide and really go after that, you know, just in every part of the community. Then you know we can definitely just as you were trying to make it clear, the other wards can make it clear about what the easement situations are, what the sidewalk issues are, because we get them all the time. So those are the things that we go back to ward meetings and we talk about where responsibilities are and where we could just be better about being in a partnership with our community about where the funding could come from where we can get community block grant money to help with some of the ditches, culverts and sidewalks, some of the trees that are on the on the street side of the sidewalk and you know we constantly have it all the time where it interferes with sewers me and Alder lady Hampton just went through that so I'm glad you brought that up. One thing I will mention as far as I know we haven’t, Todd mentioned to me I think he's got a lot of the speed bumps. I do have a list from some of you if I don't have them. Once he's done this week, I want to try and see if we can get a couple of streets done next week and start putting them out. So, I do have a few of you have the streets to start with, if you, don’t you get one or two or whatever we’re going to be putting them out in pieces because we're trying to catch up with everything. But I do want to get to your ward.
ALD. HAMPTON-HOUSER
Good evening, City of Markham as a whole I have a list here and I haven't you know, in order that I was going to go in, but I think I'm going to mix that up a little bit because I just want to reiterate as well in reference to our easements, thank you, Ald. Barron for elaborating on exactly how the easements and the culverts actually work. I do have to say to Ward 1, we have been in the easements, the abandoned homes, the lots as well this week working on cutting those as well. What I do express to the homeowners or even if they're not the homeowners or whatever to the investors of that particular property is that they must maintain it, maintain the easements as well. I think it's a matter of just trying to educate individuals like Ald. Barron there was just starting to let them know the responsibilities that they have as well coming into a home ownership or even as even as a renter that they are responsible for that. But what we're doing again, which we've been doing for the last three years, is trying to clean up our easements areas as well. And of course, we get a lot of rain. So, you know that just someone's on top of it, but please be patient we are trying to handle that, and we do work with a small crew. I always have to say here, we didn't grow up that size overnight, so please don't expect us to get it down overnight. It takes time, Public Works they work for the entire city. They don't just work for one ward, they work for the entire city, so we have to be a little patient with them. I appreciate you all for doing that as well. Moving on Mayor last week, we had a couple of shootings in Ward 1, random shootings individuals traveling through the city of Markham and just decided to shoot up some homes in the city of Markham. From my knowledge, you know, it never had ever been to this extent that we had three homes in my ward completely shot up they were not completely shot up but have bullet holes. It's the domino effect every time something happens it's always a domino effect behind everything. Now the homeowner is distraught., now the homeowner has to actually figure out how to pay for that or submit it to their insurance company. Now they have to pay the deductible now that insurance goes up, it's such a domino effect. I did have a conversation with our Deputy Chief and expressed to him exactly what the homeowners are actually going through, those who are the victims of the shooting and of course I informed them you know, it's still under investigation. We still trying to figure out exactly what transpired, why didn't happen or whatever the case may be. But I do want to say if you do have cameras on your home, please let the police officers come view or investigators come by if they, need to look at your video, please let them look at your video. I don't think we need to call your lawyer to get approval to get the authorization or whatever the case may be. But we can't solve these issues and these problems that we have on our own, it takes all of us as a village. Number two, Ward 1 is having a bingo day, on June 6th and June 9th, the first Monday and the first Thursday of each week. The first Monday of each month. we will be over in Ward 1 at Markham King Park, but will we be in the new gymnasium, we’ll be having bingo so it's going to be on June 6th and June 9th. Come on out to games refreshments, prizes and fun the time will be from 11 to 1pm. So please be expecting this flyer in your doorway, not in the mailbox. Please get it out look at it and come on out and just have a little good time with us. Okay, the trip to Vegas for the ICSC was an awesome trip, I think we did a lot of good networking, and the most important thing of that trip was because we do have a comprehensive plan here, and this does fit into our comprehensive plan on how we want our city to look and move forward with new businesses as well. So, the trip was an awesome trip, and I can't wait for us to sit at a table put together information that we received from very reputable businesses and move it to the next level and see if we can make sure we can get some of those businesses into our community as well. I received a couple more phone calls from seniors in Ward 1 in reference to grass cutting, I was informed we have met our maximum in reference to senior cutting grass cutting. So only thing I can say is I apologize for those who contacted me on too late, but we do have a maximum that we have to cut off and we've met our max. So, my apologies to you all for that. Public Works again like I stated was getting an award today award one, making sure that they can maintain the vacant homes and lots, so I humbly appreciate Public Works for coming over and doing a great job, kudos off to them. Mayor in the Canterbury Shopping Center, I think we need to have a little bit more control in reference to where people are actually parking, people are actually parking in the no parking zone area or the fire zone area they'll pull up to the establishment they want to go to or whatever and their cars are just parked on the main street is just a little bit too lax. We have a lot of cars; it's just speeding through there as well, so I think we're going to have a conversation with the Chief and see if we can you home in on that a little bit more. Memorial Day I had an opportunity to actually visit Martin Luther King Park I had a conversation with Miss Brown today in reference to trying to have a little bit more control over there as well. Thank God it was no shootings what took place over was vehicles parked at the venue. Of course, you know families can come out and you know enjoy themselves and have a good time, but I think we need to actually have a little bit more of a plan that we can utilize to try to keep those vehicles and stuff outside the park area. And of course, the speeders and as well. Mayor so thank you so much for moving forward with the speed bumps, I think that's going to be an awesome thing, I'm pretty sure we’ll slow down a lot of the speeders that are actually in our ward.
ALD. MCDOWELL
Good evening, Mayor, City Council and residents that are present tonight in the Second Ward. This week, I've had a chance to visit some of our new residents who are actually moving into my ward. I introduced myself, gave out postcards, telling them some of our dos and don’ts and just welcoming them to the neighborhood, that seems to be working out really well in the Second Ward. We're having a lot of people bringing in pit bull, so I've been talking to them and telling them about their dogs, and I just don't understand why you buy a house and know you don't have to gate and have a pit bull, I don't know that's a little too crazy. Also 157th Oakley, we need to clean those alleys up, I received a phone call from some of the residents where they're coming back there and dumping.
MAYOR
Okay, I was over there today but I can't put my head around it, I was over there, was there something there today?
ALD. MCDOWELL
Yes, and they pointed out the two houses that people that are dumping.
MAYOR
Let's talk about that because I saw some things with parking, we need to address with the police department. We need we need an ordinance over there. We've talked about.
ALD. MCDOWELL
Also 163rd, Winchester I received a call from one of the residents about the sidewalks and they are really bad. They want to know if there's anything we can do because the kids are riding bikes, one little girl fell and injured herself because the sidewalks are so bad over there.
MAYOR
We can, I think I got a call about that too, so we can look at that one.
ALD. MCDOWELL
I sit as the liaison on the Library Board and the library board members are asking that the Council please come and support them on June 18th which is a Saturday from 12 to 2 for Juneteenth. I told them that we do have other events going on, but I will ask the Council to see if they can kind of split some of their time, they are also asking any events that the councils are having in their ward, if they can invite the library right now the library bus is down but they're willing to bring the table and set up books. So, they really want to be a part of what we're having as a Council and last on June 25th, from 10 to 1, I’m inviting all of those is ward 3 to come out and have pancakes with your Alderwoman., we 100 strong residents to come out. Let's hear all the new ideas that going to take place in Ward 2, I'm looking forward to seeing you. Those who have not had their booster shots or still need shots, we will have team that will be able to give those shots, that will take place at the fire station. June 25th from 10 to 1.
MAYOR AGPAWA
Thank you. I didn't mean to interject in your reports just said someone had called about to sidewalks and I did it got away from so that's the only reason why I chatted.
MOTION TO OPEN FLOOR TO PUBLIC
Motion by Ald. Barron, seconded by Ald. McDowell to Open Floor to Public.
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent-Motion Carried
RESIDENT – ROBERT HICKEY
I reside on Blackstone first of all, I'd like to thank you, congratulate you and your mayorship, and thank you so much for cleaning up our community my questions are to Ald. Bill, my question is the project they did on the creek wasn't specific in terms of what I originally agreed to, like 13 years ago when we signed the contract, my property is in trust with my family. We signed over the property rights to give them that amount of land, now, what Alderman Bill just mentioned was that we still own that property, but I was under the impression that I signed off 4500 square feet of my land for the project. You know, when Ald. Donna came to me and explained everything, you know, she was the only reason that project ever got done. God bless her, that there would not be a clear cut. There would be trees still standing, viable trees that you know they’ve been there for 50 years and would still be standing, and that's not the case. Okay I used to be able to walk out my back door and have nothing but trees, you know, 30-40 feet high, and now I have Creek full of rocks, that people are coming to my yard for the first time in 18 years and playing on the rocks. My question is how soon they are going to do the landscaping that was supposed to be done between August and December, that still has not been one tree planted, one shrub planted, I work for a major landscaping company we do drain tile and all that. But my question is, are they going to be putting in any trees or any shrubs because I already see erosion from my property. I know that Ald. Barron’s property took the hardest hit because of how he was located and so he lost more property than anybody. The thing is that my property floods the worst out of anyone because I ‘m at the very corner where the creek meets my cul-de-sac and how soon are they going to put up the fence? Because when I talked to the guy from LOC, as the construction is that wherever there was a fence, there will be a fence. They put up the fence last year we went all the way up to the concrete box for the sewer under the street, well, that's no longer there. Now there's kids, just two days ago I saw eight-year-olds playing around on the rocks. What happens to me if they come into my backyard, fall down and get hurt? Now I'm in a position of liability, I've talked to many other neighbors and friends and want a fence up for security reasons. Thank you for putting so many more police officers on the agenda because we need safety and now as Ald. Bill said kids are out of school, what more influx can I anticipate you know, my property you could walk out my backyard and that's your house right or across the creek. Now they put up fences for whoever had fences, but they have not put up the fence on Central Park, I believe that's very much a safety hazard and a security issue. So those are basically my questions.
MAYOR AGPAWA
Well, let me tell you this. I have to you know, first let me just be kind of reasonably brutally honest. The e city had nothing to do directly with the work.
RESIDENT – ROBERT HICKEY
I respect that.
MAYOR AGAPWA
Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t care, and I’m not equally concerned to the max about what you’re concerned about because I am because everything you’ve mentioned is right, where I started cleaning up Central Park and putting up a fence and cutting trees and everything else before they even did that and try and I was mad that they took the fence down that I had put up. You know, it was you know was like pulling teeth to get fence up and you in the council was we weren’t even used to doing stuff like that, you know, but I had to go out there to kind of do that and fortunately the council understood what I was trying to do but I was really trying to acclimate to do things like that. So, the landscaping the trees, the shrubs, the fence. I’m going to work with Ald. Barron he knows. He knows some of the movers, if you will, that he can put me in touch with him. We’ll work on it together to get as many answers to this as we can with your fence replacement, because we did some fence replacement by people on Central Park, I remember we did some of that ourselves. I’ve definitely got an issue with people cutting through people’s yards, that’s a big issue to me. The police department can certainly help out with patrol and then you can also notify me and Ald. Barron, we’ll get together, and we’ll notify the neighbors about do you know kids can’t go to people’s property.
RESIDENT – ROBERT HICKEY
You know, the kids coming off the school bus is shorter for time to come down the street right next to my yard.
MAYOR
Well, we'll talk in the neighborhood, we need to talk to school on the bus issue.
RESIDENT – ROBERT HICKEY
Over time you want tranquility like everybody else. All the trees, I can start putting like greenhouses up and stuff because I can use my property and affordably now. Yep, 4500 square feet, right for nothing. And I would just like to be able to continue on with them. Absolutely. I'll make sure I reach out to you right away.
RESIDENT – KARYN MCGARY
Good evening, everyone, I would like to commend you before I put in my complaint. I have been very pleased when I walk down 159th Street, I moved here about 15 years ago, and when I walked down 159th Street it looked like a dump, just trash everywhere, and after complaining to the prior Mayor about the appearance. I was very pleased during the holidays, that Markham decided to decorate 159th I’m very proud of my street and of my community, because this is a hub, we’re in between two major expressways, the Toll and then 157. Now my complaint is I talked to Ald. Barron today, I was not aware that the easement was my responsibility, so I’m going to follow up and check because that's an awful lot to do. The easement where I live is always runs not from just from the corner, but all the way down. It's just bad, the only reason that I've never complained to the city about doing anything because I think it's just also with people coming into my yard, people breaking into my garage and taking things out. So, I said hey, but overall easement
I’m not going to worry about that because it's a security issue. There's no gate, but I do have one concern with overgrown weeds where they are in plain view. I have a garden that I plant every year on the side of my garage, and on the side of my neighbor's fence which I'm told part of that property is mine. She does not bother to cut her weeds, she lets them grow like big, tall bushes, it just makes my property look really bad. Being that I'm trying to maintain I'm about the only one I believe on the whole block, that even has my yard treated. Well, I also have concern and I said maybe she doesn't think that there's a problem with it because I walk further down 157th and I noticed the community center and I noticed it needs trimming, the bushes are on the wall with it climbing up the gate. I would like to know when we can get to that, when we can do something to beautify our park., because I used to before the pandemic, I used to take walks across I57 and you notice they have a beautiful playground for the children. That’s not the case where I live, the bushes are overgrow, weeds are overgrown., I was told a few years ago, they had plans for that park that they would want to revitalize it and they were going to do something with the gate. I would just like to know if we can just clean up my but right now, I'm not getting that from my community. I would just like to advocate that we do something to just beautify Markham. Just continued the work that we've started. I have abandoned building on my block with overgrown grass, and then there's a lot that needs to be tended to and I would like to know if that can be taken care of because I'm very particular. I'm very funny about the way things look and I'm embarrassed when I have individuals coming to visit me, I generally ask them not to turn down that main street on 159 I ask them to turn down Central Park when coming down when they're getting off 159th because I don't want my family and friends to see that. So, I would just like to know we could finish, unify Markham because our property values have not come back up like they have in other areas, I think it has something to do with the condition of the community.
MAYOR AGPAWA
I didn't ask for your address, I’ll get with you offline and me you Alderman will get together on it. These are things that are well within our reach, so you know these are things s there's no excuse for it. I mean, we can definitely tell you why something is not happening, but it's not an excuse, it's just the reality of whatever's going on but it's in our reach to straighten it out. The building is being taken down it is something that I'm going to be talking with the council about, because we've got a couple of projects that I'm going to approach the council about what the police department building and the Public Works building expansion in the future in the same a lot of money to do that. I was talking with finance, and we've got people to come out to meet with the board about it. We want to try and take down that building. so, what that does, maybe we'll get some nice townhomes or something like that over there, or over 55 Community gated because we've got we've got ideas to try and make that area really nice. So sorry about the park too because the park we had a whole thing going on with the park we could probably get with Mr. Champion, and we could add to the top of the list to do that small park. I saw the kids out to play a little basketball at one point a little bit I thought we were kind of keeping up with it. So, we have to get back on our on our horse and take care of that. Let's get together., later on, I'll get your information, your number and I'll stay in touch, and we'll help straighten it out, it's not a hard fix.
RESIDENT – KARYN MCGARY
Question once again about the easement let's say I find out my responsibility or Markham’s responsibility is clean, what are you going to do about security?
MAYOR AGPAWA
Give me an opportunity to get with Ald. Barron and get over there, take a look at it with you. We figured out, we'll work with you and any resident about security and certainly something being clean. That's again, those to me in public service, we’ll find a way to meet you about whatever your needs are, and we know that you can't take care of a whole corner or whatever, we’ll see what we can do. You know, we'll work with you. Okay. You know, I mean, I want to make this clear, and I think all of us understand this.
MOTION TO CLOSE FLOOR TO PUBLIC
Motion by Ald. Barron, seconded by Ald. McDowell to Close Floor to Public. Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent-Motion Carried
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell to adjourn at 8:10p.m.
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/ 0 Absent-Motion Carried
https://www.cityofmarkham.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06012022-198
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