City of Prospect Heights City Council met July 10.
Here are the minutes provided by the council:
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL – At 6:30 PM, Mayor Ludvigsen called to order the Regular Meeting of the Prospect Heights City Council at City Hall, 8 N Elmhurst Road, Prospect Heights, IL 60070.
Deputy Clerk Schultheis read the preamble to the meeting. Deputy Schultheis called roll. A quorum was present.
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT – Mayor Ludvigsen, Aldermen - Dolick, Cameron, Morgan-Adams, Anderson
ABSENT - all with previous notification - Alderman Dash, Treasurer Tibbits, City Clerk Prisiajniouk
OTHER OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE – City Administrator Wade, Assistant City Administrator Falcone, City Attorney Hess, Director of Building and Development Peterson, Public Works Director Roscoe, Police Chief Caponigro, City Attorney Hess, Digital Communications Technician Colvin, Assistant Finance Director Tannehill, Deputy Clerk Schultheis.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – led by Mayor Ludvigsen
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. June 26, 2023 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes - Alderman Dolick moved to approve the June 26, 2023 City Council Regular Minutes as presented, seconded by Alderman Anderson.
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES - Morgan-Adams, Cameron, Dolick, Anderson
NAYS - None
ABSENT - Dash
Motion carried 4 - 0, one absent
PRESENTATIONS - None
APPOINTMENTS, CONFIRMATIONS, AND PROCLAMATIONS - None
PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA MATTERS (Five Minute Time Limit) – None
CONSENT AGENDA - None
OLD BUSINESS
A. O-23-18 Business Request and Ordinance Increasing the Number of C-1 Liquor Licenses for Lily's Taste (2nd Reading) – Alderman Morgan-Adams moved to approve O-23-18 Business Request and Ordinance Increasing the Number of C-1 Liquor Licenses for Lily's Taste (2nd Reading); seconded by Alderman Dolick.
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES - Cameron, Dolick, Anderson, Morgan-Adams
NAYS - None
ABSENT - Dash
Motion carried 40, one absent
NEW BUSINESS
A. Requested Waiver of First Reading O-23-20 Staff Memo and Ordinance Granting Certain Variations Reducing the Required Corner Side Yard for the Property at 200 W. Willow Rd., Prospect Heights, IL (1st Reading) – Alderman Dolick moved to approve a Waiver of First Reading 0-23- 20 Staff Memo and Ordinance Granting Certain Variations Reducing the Required Corner Side Yard for the Property at 200 W. Willow Rd., Prospect Heights, IL; seconded by Alderman Morgan-Adams.
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES - Dolick, Anderson, Morgan-Adams, Cameron
NAYS - None
ABSENT - Dash
Motion carried 40, one absent
B.O-23-20 Staff Memo and Ordinance Granting Certain Variations Reducing the Required Corner Side Yard for the Property at 200 W. Willow Rd., Prospect Heights, IL (2nd Reading) – Alderman Dolick moved to approve O-23-20 Staff Memo and Ordinance Granting Certain Variations Reducing the Required Corner Side Yard for the Property at 200 W. Willow Rd., Prospect Heights, IL (2nd Reading); seconded by Alderman Morgan-Adams.
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES - Anderson, Morgan-Adams, Cameron, Dolick
NAYS - None
ABSENT - Dash
Motion carried 4 - 0, one absent
Director Peterson noted that the requester had presented a properly prepared packet for the case, and had agreed to the PZBA terms of a fence with a limited height of 4 feet
C.O-23-21 Staff Memo and Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit for a Sit Down Restaurant (Fortune's Cafe) at 1313 Unit A, N. Rand Road, Prospect Heights, IL (1st Reading) – the requester was present - Mr. Thakkar.
Alderman Cameron asked what type of food would be served? Mr. Thakkar said vegetarian, wraps, pizza and sandwiches.
Mayor Ludvigsen said that he had noticed that the other Fortune Café websites do not advertise food. Mr. Thakkar replied other locations do not require food as a component for the video gaming. He added that the Prospect Heights location would be a sit down restaurant, and will primarily be a restaurant. He noted that this would be a new concept for Fortune Café. He said that it will have a kitchen, oven, no stove tops and no hood for smoke.
The Mayor asked if the Café was vegan. Mr. Thakkar said it would not be vegan but would be vegetarian.
Alderman Anderson asked about cooking with a microwave only. Mr. Thakkar said that there would be soup and salad, and that the soup would be made fresh and transported to the Café. He said that the wraps and sandwiches would be made fresh.
Alderman Anderson wanted to know if the soup would be frozen. Mr. Thakkar said that the soup would made somewhere else and heated up in the Café.
Alderman Cameron noted that there was gaming at all of the other Fortune Cafes, and asked if the group was considering video gaming. Mr. Thakkar said yes.
Chief Caponigro noted that he had been in the food business before becoming an officer and that soup should be at 165 degrees. He was concerned about transporting the soup and having it cool down. He also asked of the owners had sanitation certificates. Mr. Thakkar replied that they did have sanitation certificates.
Alderman Cameron asked where it was being transported from - Mr, Thakkar said it was about 45 minutes to one hour away.
Mayor Ludvigsen wanted to know why there was not a full kitchen planned. Mr. Thakkar said that food would be the primary source of income.
Mayor Ludvigsen asked of the requester would consider forgoing a liquor license for a year to just operate as a restaurant. Mr. Thakkar said that liquor would be needed to supplement the food revenue. Mayor Ludvigsen said that he noted that liquor was not a primary source of revenue at their other locations as they advertised $1 beers.
Mr. Thakkar said that without liquor, the Café could not survive, as well as gaming revenue. Mayor Ludvigsen asked if the requester would come back to the Board with a full restaurant plan, because the café appeared more like a gaming café than a restaurant.
It was noted that the name "Fortune Café" gave the impression of a gaming parlor. Mr. Thakkar said that the name was the same that is used on the other cafes. He said that people that play video games don't want food, and people who want food don't play on the machines. He added that they are looking to have children and families in the restaurant.
Alderman Cameron asked of there was a refrigerator - Mr. Thakkar noted that while the renderings did not show a refrigerator there was going to be a refrigerator on the premises. A freezer will go under the counter.
Alderman Dolick stated that the freezer appears to be small. He would like an updated layout of the facility that gives the café more of the look of a restaurant.
Alderman Anderson suggested making soup at the location rather than transporting it. Mr. Thakkar said that he would consider it.
Director Peterson said that all food and kitchen set up will be national food service rated. He added that there are other restaurants in the City that have commissary service, not just Fortune Café. Mayor Ludvigsen asked if Fortune Café would be willing to open before it got its gaming license. Mr. Thakkar said that he would as they would not need to wait to get the liquor license or video gaming. - No action was taken
STAFF, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Public Works Director Roscoe - said that there had been a sanitary sewer collapse at Wolf and Old Willow Roads that had shut down the road – that area has now been reopened.
- He said that Wolf Road will be closed at the railroad tracks 7/15/2023 - 7/22/2023 to replace a crossing.
- A resident had requested information regarding Sanders Road – the turn from Palatine Road to Sanders. That's in Glenview, and the question was turned over to IDOT.
- The resident asked about the bicycle path where it crosses 83. IDOT has reviewed the situation, and the response is in our Engineer's hands as of now; but there were some signage updates to bring it up to code. There's pre-warning and a warning at the Bike Path. The crossing was repainted. It does meet the current standards.
- Natural Gas Vehicles - he noted that while compressed natural gas vehicles do produce less emissions than a regular vehicle, it is very expensive to convert. The closest refueling station is the north side of O'Hare Airport (or, about 8 miles from the City). Fuel Tanks were just updated at Public Works. The starting price tag to convert the tanks would be over $400,000. Each vehicle would cost between $10,000 to $20,000 to upgrade, Except for two 2019 vehicles, most of the Public Works vehicles are 10 years old – a conversion to natural gas would be a poor investment in an older vehicle. On the Police Department side - electric or compressed natural gas would work better in a larger city.
Director of Building and Development Peterson - Elmhurst Shopping Center fire update the casualty risk engineers for the property owners are in the process of updating structural reports. The remediation plan had the adjusters meet with all the businesses and start making their claims. It will take 10-14 days for the initial assessment reports.
City Administrator Wade - noted that a report that Treasurer Tibbits wanted the Deputy Clerk to read into the record a statement regarding the discontinuance of Zoom. The statement would be tabled until the Treasurer delivered it rather than have it read by proxy.
Mayor Ludvigsen - noted that the parade was a success, and he thanked the Hebron Church for the Hot Dog luncheon after the parade. He noted that it was thrilling to be able to ride with Congresswoman Schakowsky.
Staff and Elected Officials were thankful to have Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky as our Parade Grand Marshal, and State Representative Mary Beth Canty as guest speaker at the hot dog luncheon.
APPROVAL OF WARRANTS
A.Approval of Expenditures
General Fund $191,044.08
Motor Fuel Tax Fund $0.00
Palatine/Milwaukee Tax Increment Financing District $0.00
Tourism District $48,336.18
Solid Waste Fund $31,105.00
Drug Enforcement Agency Fund $865.18
Palatine Road Tax Increment Financing $0.00
Special Service Area #1 $0.00
Special Service Area #2 $0.00
Special Service Area #3 $0.00
Special Service Area #4 $0.00
Special Service Area #5 $2,081.69
Special Service Area - Constr #6 (Water Main)$0.00
Special Service Area - #8 Levee Wall #37 $2,817.69
Capital Improvements $34,561.97
Special Service Area - Debt #6 $0.00
Road Construction Debt $0.00
Water Fund $24,315.69
Parking Fund $50.30
Sanitary Sewer Fund $58,331.76
Road/Building Bond Escrow $2,570.00
Police Pension $0.00
TOTAL $396,079.54
Wire Payments
06/30/2023 PAYROLL $176,789.00
TOTAL WARRANT $572,868.54
Deputy Clerk Schultheis read the warrants.
Alderman Morgan-Adams moved to approve the warrants as presented; seconded by Alderman Dolick to include a TOTAL of $396,078.54, 06/30/2023 PAYROLL of $176,789.00; and a TOTAL WARRANT of $572,868.54.
ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES - Morgan-Adams, Cameron, Dolick, Anderson
NAYS - None
ABSENT - Dash
Motion carried 40, one absent
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS (Five Minute Time Limit) - None
EXECUTIVE SESSION - None
ADJOURNMENT – At 7:12 PM, Alderman Anderson moved to Adjourn; seconded by Alderman Cameron.
VOICE VOTE: All Ayes, No Nays.
Motion carried 40, Alderman Dash absent.
https://www.prospect-heights.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07102023-1342
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