City of Markham City Council met May 17
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
Clerk, Leslie Trimuel called the Regular Meeting of the Markham City Council to order at 7:01p.m., with the Pledge of Allegiance. Prayer led by Ald. McDowell. Roll Call was taken by City Clerk, Leslie Trimuel.
ROLL CALL: ALDERMAN PRESENT
Alderwoman Wanda McDowell
Alderman Breanna Hampton-Houser
Alderman William Barron
ALSO PRESENT:
Alderman Joseph Bertrand Jr.
Attorney Steven Miller
City Treasurer, Belinda Richardson
City Administrator, Derrick Champion
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
May 3, 2023
Motion to approve minutes by Ald. McDowell, seconded by Ald. Barron
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
AUTHORIZATION OF CLAIMS
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Bertrand Jr. to adopt Authorization of Claims and Accounts Bill list, totaling $1,338,128.16 with manual checks of $999.00. for a grand total of $1338,128.16
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/ 0 Absent-Motion Carried
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
WAIVE 48 HOUR READING OF ORDINANCE
22-0-2360
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Bertrand Jr., to waive 48 hour reading of Ordinance 23-0-2360
An Ordinance Amending Section 53.03 Of the Markham Code of Ordinances-Rates and Charges for Municipal Water and Sewer
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
ADOPT ORDINANCE
22-0-2360
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Bertrand Jr., to adopt Ordinance 23-0-2360
An Ordinance Amending Section 53.03 Of the Markham Code of Ordinances-Rates and Charges for Municipal Water and Sewer
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
WAIVE 48 HOUR READING OF ORDINANCE
23-0-2361
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to waive 48 hour reading of Ordinance 23-0-2357
An Ordinance Authorizing the Conveyance of Surplus Personal Property Owned by the City of Markham to the Village of Robbins-1 Ford SUV
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
ADOPT ORDINANCE
23-0-2361
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Bertrand Jr., to adopt of Ordinance 23-0-2361 An Ordinance Authorizing the Conveyance of Surplus Personal Property Owned by the City of Markham to the Village of Robbins-1 Ford SUV
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
WAIVE 48 HOUR READING OF ORDINANCE
23-0-2362
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Bertrand Jr., to waive 48 hour reading of Ordinance 23-0-2362
An Ordinance Authorizing the City of Markham, Cook County, Illinois to Borrow Funds from the Public Water Supply Loan Program
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
ADOPT ORDINANCE
23-0-2362
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Bertrand Jr., to adopt Ordinance 23-0-2362
An Ordinance Authorizing the City of Markham, Cook County, Illinois to Borrow Funds from the Public Water Supply Loan Program
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
WAIVE 48 HOUR READING OF ORDINANCE
23-0-2363
Motion by Ald. Barron, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to waive 48 hour reading of Ordinance 23-0-2363 An Ordinance Authorizing the City of Markham, Cook County, Illinois to Borrow Funds from the Water Pollution Control Loan Program
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
ADOPT ORDINANCE
23-0-2363
Motion by Ald. Barron, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to adopt Ordinance 23-0-2363
An Ordinance Authorizing the City of Markham, Cook County, Illinois to Borrow Funds from the Water Pollution Control Loan Program
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
INSURANCE
Moved to Executive Session
CLERKS REPORT
Business License Rubianna Rasta Pasta Jamaican Jerk LLC - FOOD TRUCK
Business License - Queenz Café
Reading of Summer Events
OPEN FLOOR - Rubianna Rasta Pasta Jamaican Jerk LLC - FOOD TRUCK
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to open floor to Rubianna Rasta Pasta Jamaican Jerk LLC
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
Mayor Agpawa - We just have a few questions about your business. You can just tell us briefly I think most of us have some basic information that your food truck business and just what location you're going to be going into.
Belinda Dismuke – I will be located Amazon and the courthouse. Food will be 70% and 30% cold items. Ald. Hampton-Houser - I had an opportunity to speak with Ms. Dismuke today as well as an opportunity to actually sample some of that delicious food. I truly welcome her into our food truck family, I'm pretty sure she will be an awesome asset to our city.
CLOSE FLOOR
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to close floor to Rubianna Rasta Pasta Jamaican Jerk LLC
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
APPROVE LICENSE
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to approve Rubianna Rasta Pasta Jamaican Jerk LLC
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
OPEN FLOOR - Queenz Café
Motion by Ald. McDowell, seconded by Ald. Barron, open floor to Queenz Café
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
Mayor Agpawa - I know the Building Department, Mr. Champion and the Alderlady have visited and talked with you about your business. The Council may have some other questions, but you can tell us briefly about your business.
Jamia Clark - The Cafe will be a gaming café. I've been doing this for years, then I got the opportunity to be my own boss. have been doing this for seven years, I think it will bring some joy to the community. No drama, nothing extra. I'm trying to keep peaceful; Encore will soon be Queens Café. We have not had any trouble. A lot of people come in we have truckers come in from other states. They feel they sit down and eat with us and be prepared for the gentleman. But that's okay.
Ald. Hampton-Houser - What are the hours of operation 9am to midnight.
Jamia Clark - Yes.
Ald. Hampton-Houser - You have three employees? Are you planning on hiring more?
Jamia Clark - Right now we're just going to keep it lean with family, once we see bigger things happen we'll add more.
Ald. Hampton-Houser - You say you've had previous experience of seven years? Is this your first complete ownership?
Jamia Clark - Yes, I have worked in the gaming industry for seven years.
Ald. McDowell - I do have one matter we need to bring attention to Building and Housing, are you planning to serve food?
Jamia Clark - We were saying that's something that we want to do opening up as Queenz right now, the lease is under Encore until everything gets switched over to me. When we do serve food everyone that works in this establishment will be trained, we may not even serve food because it's too much. But if we decide to serve food, everyone will get food and handling certificate. I'll talk to Robbie about that tomorrow. But honestly, I don't think that we're going to be selling food. A lot of the customers have been coming here for years. A lot of people ask what we're eating tonight, we'll go get some seafood, chicken or tacos and eat as a family, putting in to get food but we won't be actually cooking food is serving it. Ald. Bertrand Jr. - It says the proposed businesses is a small bar and video games. Jamia Clark – We'll do gaming, but I have to get a liquor license. Well, he served alcohol, but like I said it's never been where we have to call the City of Markham to come give us help. We know our customer limits, and even the ones that we don't know, we say you've had enough and not serve anymore. Mayor Agpawa - They have a gaming class license, it's a pour license to serve beer and wine. I don't know of any issues over there either. I can count on one hand; I don't know the chief might know some of that area of what's was going on.
Chief Genius - We haven't had a lot of issues.
Ald. Hampton-Houser - Is the license transferable?
Mayor Agpawa - No, she's getting our own, they're in the process of doing all that. She had to start here.
CLOSE FLOOR
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to close floor to Queenz Café
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
APPROVE LICENSE
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. McDowell, to approve Queenz Café Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent/0 Abstain-Motion Carried
MAYOR'S REPORT
First, I'd like to just mention a couple of things here, most you may know Lenora Moaton, a longtime resident her family here in Markham, passed away within the last couple of weeks, she was an employee here pretty close to 15 years. We definitely are going to miss her. Funeral services will be tomorrow and Friday. She is a big loss to us here in Markham and her family. Please keep the Moaton and family in your prayers. Also, another longtime resident, Miss Ruby Zuelle has been here as well as her family for many, many years. She just recently passed as well, but definitely another pillar in the community. We're to miss her as well. Her daughter still lives in town, just around the corner from where she lived for many years. I just wanted to mention to keep that family in your prayers. I just want to mention to the to the public and to the council about what's going on with trying to make sure that we every year we seem to have issues we have in my opinion all winter when it snows to plan for grass, and then grass gets here and it's like, it just doesn't seem like we know how to cut grass, it's very frustrating to me. It's a planning issue and management issue. The only thing you can't control is when five people don't come to work and the same day that happens. I don't think that anybody planned it that way, people had sick issues and family issues. But those are part of the things that happened but if we plan better, which we've been meeting all week, about dealing with the various things. I want the council to rest assure that I'm very dissatisfied with the way that we dealt with it. I've talked with most of you in one way or another about things in your ward. I'm conscious when all of you speak to me, I have tons and tons of notes. No sooner than you give it to me oftentimes, I'm in the community, myself right after that. reaffirming what you put out there and figuring out the best way to tackle it. I've been in extensive meetings along with the Administrator going after the plan to tackle getting all these different things done, with these properties, lots, right of ways and easements. I told a few of you I'll give some answers to you, and you will still get some solid answers about the things that are in your ward. that need to be addressed. I am certain I can't go through another year like this. I told the people I've been sitting with in these meetings, that you're not going to make me old like this every year. I think you all might remember my claim to fame was we cut grass in the snow. But we're on top of it, I just want to assure you of that. The other thing is that next week we're going to repair some of the existing speed bumps, fix them, install new ones, and we're working on permanent ones. I'll need that list; you can renew that list of where your problem areas are. We're working with the paving company to put in speed humps, so we'll have some permanent ones where you think they need to go. The challenge was getting them down, and keeping them down, the plow trucks were pulling them up, just let me know what you have, like you've been doing, and I'll disseminate it between the wards. When you give me this information, you all know that I'm right back out there and definitely right back with the crews, as well.
Chief Genius - May I offer a suggestion, a lot of people when they see the speed bumps, they start going around on the grass. Is there a possibility that could be extended just a little bit into the ground the past the concrete?
Mayor Agpawa - We'll find a way to where they don't drive up on the curb and go around and grass and we'll work on that with Public Works.
Ald. Bertrand Jr. - Mayor you said speed humps and those are the ones that are going to put into the asphalt?
Mayor Agpawa - They won't be on plastic ones they'll remove the rubberized ones and put in the asphalt. Ald. Bertrand Jr. - Those can be extended all the way to the curb.
Ald. McDowell - The water has to flow to the gutter.
Mayor Agpawa - We'll definitely work on that with the asphalt company, they're real conscious of the gutter and curb. I think this will be a better solution, the same way when we were running around doing cut outs the humps will be done that way. Get them to me as soon as you can. This will go quick putting them in, let me know as soon as you're ready in the next couple of weeks, we'll start putting them in. Ald. Hampton-Houser - Can extend our numbers now?
Mayor Agpawa - I think you can because we should have some capital to take care of that.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR - DERRICK CHAMPION
Good evening, Council and public. The mayor signed off on a request to have funding waived, more than half of the guys who work in Country Aire will get paid with no city funds being used. Normally there is a matching 20% share contribution that the city if going to have waived due to program, PRCP, of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Also, I want to give an update on some of the development projects that are going on in Markham. Thorntons Gas Station is in the final stages of getting ready to break ground before July. Gas and Wash in working we're closely with them, they're looking at around June to start. Dunkin Donuts is going on the side of the Bank Building, they will be breaking ground this summer. We're also in discussion with Starbucks and Chipotle for the City of Markham.
ALDERMANIC REPORTS
ALD. BARRON
Good evening, Mayor Obviously, I'm getting complaints at well, understand what's going on, glad you're addressing it. I would like to wish everyone, since this will be the last meeting before Memorial Day a safe and happy holiday. We're seeing the warmer weather; we're seeing the cars speeding. I've seen more cars pulled over in the neighborhood and basically, that's where I'd like to see the thrust of things because these people flying through the neighborhoods. I had a guy the other day I mean, he went across 163rd at 65 miles an hour in the middle of the day. I couldn't get a license plate number.
Chief Genius - I just ordered two more radars for.
Ald. Barron - I don't know what the answer is, it was at my insistence that we get a stop sign at 163rd and Trumbull, I think that's worked out very well. 163rd Street in my ward and part of Ald. Bertrand's Ward we're between two schools and when Markham Park opens back up, which could be the September we're going to have the more traffic, I'm a little bit concerned with that. The only thing I can tell the citizens and anybody that's watching this is, call the police. That's all I can tell you. If you can get a license plate number, that'll be nice. But the other day, there was no way in the world I could get a license plate number, thank God there was nobody else was at the intersection. You see these accidents there was one I don't know if it was Country Club Hills or Oak Forest the vehicles were up on the curb, with the front ends knocked off. I don't know what caused the accident. But you know, life is too short to lose it in a car accident.
ALD. HAMPTON-HOUSER
Good evening, residents of the City of Markham. I do want to send out my condolences as well to Ms. Lenora on her passing and also to the family of Mrs. Zuelle as well. I think I'm probably in the same boat all the Aldermen, I have had quite a few residents that have been concerned in reference to our grass cutting, I just asked them to bear with us a little bit because we are actually trying to come up with a better method on how to actually are handle it I have to honestly say 95% of them are patient enough to wait and the other half you know, they have no choice but to wait. I do ask my residents please be patient with us. Thank you, Mayor for moving forward with the speed bumps. I humbly appreciate that very much. I know that concern as well to the residents in Ward 1. It does come up quite often, during different meetings and I'm glad that I'll be able to put that information in the newsletter and pass it to our residents. I do want to just commend you, Mayor and board for having such a tenacious spirit about our city on how we see a vision to move our city forward and the efforts that you are actually taken to make it happen. I know it takes a lot of communication and meetings and making sure that you know what is in the best interests of our city. I just want to give you accolades, I'm not sure exactly where we would be at this particular time. So, I just wanted to say thank you all so much for really being true troopers. I'm seeing a future of where we're trying to go and I just want to say thank you. on that part. I did want to let the residents of Markham know as well. We have started cutting our fields and our senior homes. Just like last year, we have gotten a lot of rain at the very beginning and little spurts here and there, the grass is a little bit tall but just give us a little opportunity and we will be able to be a little bit more consistent in making sure that we keep our residents homes, senior cuts and our fields cut as well. I thank you for the patience of our residents in Ward 1. I had a couple of meetings with a few of them the last couple of days and just tried to explain to them exactly what's going on. We won't be here again before Memorial Day just asking everybody to be safe and be careful. We have a lot of graduations and proms that's going on at this time as well, you see crowds or whatever, please residents, be a bit more patient traveling through areas, there are quite a few cars out during that particular time so just be a little careful.
DERRICK CHAMPION – CITY ADMINISTRATOR
I just wanted to update on Buddy Bear because I didn't mention them, just a quick status. The Planning and Zoning approved the zoning change. The next step for Buddy is that they're working on getting Julie to mark off com ed and the gas warnings.
ALD. MCDOWELL
Good evening, Mayor, City Council and all those that are present on this evening. The report on this evening for the 2nd Ward, if you see any vacant cars parked on a vacant property, please call the police. I want to thank our police chief for responding very quickly on Sunday, I noticed a black vehicle parked in a vacant home. Nobody was there in five years, I called the police chief he responded very quickly, he said major squad cars there, but I had no idea there was actually someone in the car. There was a young man in a car with a three-year-old baby and he was taken into custody, he had a warrant for his arrest. The baby was released to someone. I just want to encourage the residents to be on the lookout if you see cars that you know nobody lives there and you see a vehicle called the police. I thank God that I call because I had no idea that somebody was in the car. So, thank you, chief and the staff that did a wonderful job on Sunday. Also, cleanup week Mayor we had a little bit confusion with some of the residents that did not know clean up week took place last week. I still have some trees and stuff that was pulled out, can we Public Works pick them up?
Mayor Agpawa - We can pick them up, just give me a note we'll take care of it or Mr. Champion. Ald. McDowell 161s and Sussex they're speeding so badly right at the corner of the house. She's asking to see if we could possibly put some guardrails right there. They're running it all into the grass. I actually went over there the grass is really damaged.
Mayor Agpawa - Yes, we talked about that we, we can do that, we'll install it.
Ald. McDowell - Also last, I want to send my condolences to Ms. Zuelle, many of you know in the studio, she was on the she loved to bowl, she was excellent at it, also she was a member of our Markham Community Block Club. Ms. Zuelle was known for her poetry, she always gave wonderful poetry Remember that family in prayer, the service is going to be on this Saturday at Christ Temple at 10 o'clock.
ALD. BERTRAND JR.
Good evening, Council and residents of Markham, I have been on the job for less than seven days. Mayor Agpawa --- You started a long time ago. (lol)
Ald. Bertrand Jr. - I want to mention the work that's been done in regard to the grass issues. I have fielded many, many questions and calls. If it rains, we don't cut grass so it's going to take some time to get back on track. I do know about employees that don't come to work. That report at this time. Mayor Agpawa - Congratulations on your report tonight.
ALD. HAMPTON-HOUSER
Just want to mention I had just brief conversations in reference to the speeders and some of the ways that we want to actually try to curb some of the speeding. I want to just make sure that I get an opportunity to express as well to those who are listening that trust me, we definitely are working on our speeders, and we do have some ideas on how we can subside some of it.
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
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
MOTION TO MOVE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion by Ald. Hampton-Houser, seconded by Ald. Barron to move to Executive Session for the purpose of Insurance Renewal
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/0 Absent-Motion Carried
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Ald. Bertrand Jr. seconded by Ald. Hampton-Houser to adjourn at 8:55p.m.
Roll Call: 4 Yes/0 No/ 0 Absent-Motion Carried
https://www.cityofmarkham.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05172023-232
Alerts Sign-up