Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency Board met June 8.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
Board Members Present: Gerald Bennett, Chair-representing southwest Cook County, Rita Athas- representing the City of Chicago, Frank Beal-representing the City of Chicago, Matt Brolley-representing Kane/Kendall Counties, Karen Darch-representing northwest Cook County, Jim Healy-representing DuPage County, Mike Montgomery-representing the City of Chicago, John Noak-representing Will County, Rick Reinbold-representing south suburban Cook County, Nancy Rotering, representing Lake County, Carolyn Schofield-representing McHenry County, Anne Sheahan- representing the City of Chicago, Matthew Walsh-representing west central Cook County, Diane Williams-representing Cook County, and non-voting member Leanne Redden-representing the MPO Policy Committee
Absent: Maurice Cox-representing the City of Chicago
Staff Present: Erin Aleman, Amy McEwan, Angela Manning-Hardimon, Kathy Lane, Jesse Elam, Laura Wilkison, Stephane Phifer, Gordon Smith, Tina Fassett Smith, Tony Manno, Russell Pietrowiak, and Sherry Kane
Others Present: Heather and Garland Armstrong-Access Living, Holly Bieneman-IDOT, Elaine Bottomley-WCGL, Lenny Cannata and Mike Fricano-WCMC, Emily Daucher-McHenry County, John Donovan-FHWA, Jackie Forbes- Kane County, Scott Hennings-McHenry County, Tom Hulseman-CRGC, Daniel Knickelbein-DMMC, Tony Mattingly-Metra, Cesar Mendez, Ryan Peterson-Kendall Council, Mike Klemens-Lake County Council, Kendra Johnson and Matt Pasquini-NWMC, Kelsey Passi-Southwest Conference, Leslie Phemister-SSMMA, Nic Pryor-Gensler, David Seglin-CDOT, Troy Simpson, Vicky Smith-Southwest Council, and Joseph Surdam
1.0 Call to Order and Introductions
CMAP Board Chair Mayor Bennett called the meeting to order at approximately 9:41 a.m., and asked Executive Director Erin Aleman to call the roll:
| Mayor Bennett | Yes | Rita Athas | Yes | Frank Beal | Yes |
| President Brolley | Yes | Commissioner Cox | No | Mayor Darch | Yes |
| Jim Healy | Yes | Mike Montgomery | Yes | Mayor Noak | Yes |
| President Reinbold | Yes | Mayor Rotering | Yes | Carolyn Schofield | Yes |
| Deputy Mayor Sheahan | Yes | Matt Walsh | Yes | Diane Williams | yes |
There were no Agenda changes.
Chairman Mayor Bennett did announce that Mike Montgomery (representing the City of Chicago) would be leaving the area and resigning his position on the CMAP Board. Wishing him all the best, Mayor thanked him for his service to the Board.
3.0 Approval of Minutes
A motion to approve the minutes of the March 11, 2020, meeting as presented was made by Mayor John Noak, seconded by Diane Williams, and with all in favor carried.
4.0 Executive Director’s Report
Executive Director Erin Aleman’s report included an update on CMAP’s move to remote work on Friday, March 13, following the Governor’s advice to shelter in place. Daily check-ins with senior staff followed, nearly everyone was on line by the end of the first week, IDOT is paying its invoices, CMAP was able to successfully run payroll, and likewise is paying its bills. Aleman also gave an overview of CMAP’s regional response to COVID-19: conversations with the board and meetings with executive management, CMAP was able to situate itself as a clearinghouse for information, sharing best practices, interpreting the transportation relief packages, creating a web page devoted to COVID-19 resources, and promotion of Census 2020, in the weekly on the homepage and through social media.
5.0 Procurements and Contract Approvals
Deputy Executive Director Angela Manning-Hardimon presented the following procurements and contract approvals: a contract with Great Arc Technologies/Scarfe Consulting for consulting services for the Northeastern Illinois Development Monitoring Database: Evaluation and Recommendation, at a cost not to exceed $34,988.82; and a contract with Henricksen and their recommended alternatives for ancillary furniture, at a cost not to exceed $405,920.
A motion by President Rick Reinbold to approve the procurements and contracts, as presented, was seconded by Mayor John Noak, and with all in favor carried.
6.0 DRAFT FY 2021 Budget and Workplan
Deputy Executive Director Angela Manning-Hardimon gave an overview of CMAP’s FY 2021 draft budget that included the following: a review of CMAP’s operations (comprehensive planning and implementation of ON TO 2050), UWP funding in both the core (CMAP, Pace, Metra, CDOT, CTA, Council of Mayors, and DuPage County) and competitive programs (CTA and Metra); the various sources of revenues (Federal, State match, local dues, State Planning and Research funds, and other funding) and expenses (personnel, contractual, occupancy and operating) and explained both increases including $1.45 million in personnel (CMAP’s total number of funded positions remains constant at 107; however, FY 20 CMAP purposefully underfunded personnel expenses by 4% due to experiencing a higher vacancy rate); $2.7 million in contractual; and nearly $135k in occupancy, decreases ($247k in operating) in expenses over FY 20. Presented again this month as a draft, forwarded to IDOT by May 1, the final FY 2021 Budget and Workplan will be presented to the Board in June for approval.
7.0 ON TO 2050 Plan Amendments
Deputy Executive Director for Programming Jesse Elam reporting on the two ON TO 2050 Plan Amendments--Improvements to I-55 at Airport-Lockport Road and IL 126 involving the reconstructing and reconfiguring the interchange at IL 126, constructing a new interchange at Airport-Lockport Road, and making ancillary improvements; Improvements to I-55 from I-80 to US 52 and US 52 from River Road to Houbolt Road Involving an expansion of the interchange at IL 59 and adding lanes to I-55 along with adding lanes and making ancillary improvements to US 52. This was originally presented in March and staff explained the evaluations they prepared that was also included in the Board packet. The two memos will be released for public comment beginning April 10, and will run through May 11, 2020. Following that public comment period, the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee are expected to vote on the amendments in June.
8.0 Legislative Update
Deputy Executive Director Laura Wilkison presented a federal legislative update that included a description of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, described the elements of each of the respective phases of the Act: I and II, emergency aid package (agency funding, FMLA/SNAP, and unemployment insurance); and III, response package (state and local relief funds; $25b to transit; passenger rail, harbor maintenance, and aviation funds; and health and human services (labor, commerce & SBA, CDBG, etc.) and CMAP’s role in providing information and direction for municipal partners, MPO processes for transit funding, and work with state agencies on funding distribution. Phase IV is expected by early May—could be a stimulus package (currently proposed to include reauthorization, but may only be more emergency funding) and CMAP’s role (building regional consensus and addressing the goals of ON TO 2050).
Director of Governmental Affairs, Gordon Smith, delivered a very brief State Legislative Update reporting that the General Assembly were under a shelter in place order since early March; the Senate and House are working in groups around committee structure (appropriations); and anticipate a return by the end of May to conduct essential work.
9.0 Other Business
Briefly, RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden gave an update of stimulus funding for transit under the CARES Act.
There was no other business before the Board.
10.0 Public Comment
Garland Armstrong-Access Living, addressed the board regarding pedestrian protections in the way of flashing signals at three intersections: in Des Plaines, at the downtown and Cumberland Avenue Metra stations, and in Jefferson Park, near the Metra station at Milwaukee Avenue.
11.0 Next Meeting
Chairman Mayor Bennett suggested that the CMAP Board is scheduled to meet next on May 13, 2020, and it is expected to be another on-line meeting.
12.0 Adjournment
At approximately 10:43 a.m., a motion to adjourn by Jim Healy, seconded by Mike Montgomery, and with all in favor, carried.
https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/documents/10180/1124851/BoardMinutes04-08-2020v3.pdf/6d0572ee-2fe6-5dae-e533-7d633bdff79a
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