this room. We have more space upstairs for additional people
and everyone will have the opportunity to be
called down here if they wish to make a comment before this committee.
So, we have space upstairs for more folks.
The occupancy limit is set by the fire marshall and we will comply with that
occupancy limit. So, there's seating upstairs
and you can submit a card and we'll we'll call your name when you're ready.
Okay. Thank you everyone. I would like to call the village board meeting for
Tuesday, August 25th, 2026 to order, please. Uh, deputy clerk,
please call the role. or
» here. Whitaker
» here. >> Fowler,
» here. Chelsea Gallen >> here.
» Chessy Edis >> here.
» Chessy Elfman >> here.
» President Mendrich >> here.
» Uh the first item on the agenda um is an employee recognition. Um Chief Hutenski,
I understand you have something you'd like to share with us tonight.
» Yes.
» And while our two chiefs approach a podium and let me just explain a little
bit of what we have here. This is an unusual capacity for this room. Uh we've
taken a look at things to try to make things as safe as possible for everyone
in here. So just so you're aware of it, there's an exit door here off to the
side. There's an exit door over here that takes you directly outside. For
those of you who are watching upstairs, there's an elevator and a staircase to
get you the exit doors. We are keeping an eye on things to make sure we don't
get in a situation where it's an unsafe situation for everybody, but right now
everything's looking it's okay. And I really appreciate everybody being here
to recognize our public safety officers. Chief, go ahead.
» Thank you. >> Thank you, President Menret. Uh, Chief
Mix and I are honored to be here tonight to recognize the incredible efforts of
our co-workers. On the evening of July 3rd, Northfield officers were dispatched
to a report of a subject attempting to take their own life. Based on the nature
of the call, the police watch commander requested that the fire rescue
department also respond to the scene and staged nearby until officers were able
to ensure that the scene was safe. Officer Michael McGary was the first
officer to arrive and he was able to quickly get access to the building via
an unlocked door. Once inside the building, Officer McGary located the
victim and took immediate action to intervene and stop the attempt. At this
time, the victim was not breathing and had no pulse.
Fire rescue personnel from Engine and Nameless 29 which included myself, fire
medic Luke Lapki, fire medic Jeff Leelssa, fire EMT Frank Cambria,
paramedic firefighter Kyle Tuttle, and fire medic David Steel entered the
scene. Once we received that the scene was safe from the police department, we
began immediate advanced life support and critical care measures. After
several minutes, the victim's pulse and had been restored.
He was quickly packaged and we began our transport to the hospital. While on
route to the hospital, he became pulseless again and the fire rescue
personnel were able to continue life-saving measures and restore a pulse
for the second time. The emergency room met us on the uh
approach ramp with their staff and they were advised that we had a critical
patient and they were prepared and waiting as we pulled in. Through
immediate advanced lifesaving care given by the first responders and progressive
hospital intervention, the patient was reported to have been treated and
released after their hospital stay. The patient is now continuing their recovery
journey. This incident is a prime example of the way coordination between
first responders and specialized medical care can be critical for life-saving
outcomes. The rapid actions, seamless communications, and exceptional care
provided at every stage were instrumental in saving the victim's
life.
chiefs. Thank you very much.
Uh the next order of business um I am going to pass on the village president's
report at this point. I have some comments to make later in the evening.
Um the next order of business is public comment and I will tell you that this is
the not the public comment related to TIFF. That will happen when we open the
public hearing. And I would encourage you if you intend to speak on that topic
that you fill out one of these forms that Melissa has here at the end of the
table and I think Brett has upstairs so that we can get you in the queue. I will
call these names when we get to this segment uh three at a time so
everybody's here in the room ready to speak so we can move things along. Uh
and anyone who's coming from upstairs if you hear your name called you can make
your way downstairs. Um, so if anyone has anything they'd like to comment on
outside of TIFF, you're welcome to um approach the podium at this time.
Otherwise, I'll move on. >> Okay, great. Uh, the next item of
business is the approval of bills and dispersements from July of 2026.
May I have a motion to approve the bills and dispersements from July 1st, 2026
through July 31st, 2026? >> So moved.
» Second. >> Okay. Patrick, are there any items you
wish to point out? >> Thank you. Not this month.
» Okay. Any comments or questions from the board
or comments or questions from the public?
Okay. Deputy Chief, please call the role.
» Trusty Ort. >> Yes.
» Trusty Whitaker. Yes. >> Trusty Fowler.
» Yes. >> Trusty Gallen.
» Yes. >> Trusty Edis.
» Yes. >> Alman.
» Yes. >> Motion carries.
» Okay. Thank you. The next item on the agenda is the omnibus vote for the
consent agenda items. Um this is the section of our agenda where
one vote can be called to approve a number of items. Are there any items
that any board member would like to have removed from the consent agenda for
discussion? Okay. Hearing none. Uh, will the deputy
clerk please read the consent agenda items into the record?
There are four items. The first is the approval of the minutes from July 21st,
2026. The second is the ratification of the purchase of fire turnout gear from
Conway Shield in the amount of $26,114.
The third is the authorization to execute an agreement with Gualt Hamilton
for construction management services for the 2026 asphalt program. And the fourth
is the adoption of an ordinance waving the formal bidding process authorizing
disposal and authorizing a contract with Silverstar Technology of Rolling
Meadows, Illinois for a security camera system in the amount of $17,852.
May I have a motion and a second? >> Motion to approve the consent agenda.
» Second. >> Any comments or questions from the
board? >> Deputy Clerk, please call the role.
» Trusty Orth. Yes. Whitaker.
» Yes. Fowler.
» Yes. >> Gallon.
» Yes. >> Pussyas.
» Yes. >> Elfman.
» Yes. >> Motion carries.
» Okay. The next item of business is to conduct
uh a public hearing for the proposed village center tax incremental financing
district. May I have a motion and a second to open the public hearing?
» So moved. >> Second. All those in favor?
» I >> opposed.
Okay. I am calling to order the public hearing for the village center tiff at
7:13 p.m. on August 25th, 2026. I will stop here again and remind you if
that you would like to make comments, you need to fill out a comment card so
that we can call your name and you can come to the podium and make your
statements. Um you can also decide at some point in the evening that you don't
wish to make comments. Um if if you don't come to the podium, we'll move on.
And I would encourage you um we know that this is an important issue and if
you we are going to stay to the three minute uh time frame because I already
have this many comment cards. So I would like to try to keep us to that uh
number. But I have a couple of things that I want to say before we get started
tonight. As we open this public hearing, I want to convey some thoughts about
what will happen here tonight. Northfield residents have always been
able to come together and talk about issues gracefully and with mutual
respect for all opinions. I hope that those who are here tonight can continue
that tradition as we move through these proceedings.
I also want to be clear about something. Our schools are important to this
village and so is a vibrant downtown. This isn't a choice between the two. We
want Northfield to have both excellent schools for our families can be proud of
and a village center that's alive with businesses, restaurants, and places for
neighbors to gather. That's the Northfield we're all working toward. And
it is with that lens that we will be approaching tonight's discussion.
I want to reiterate what I said in an email I sent to residents this
afternoon. We are working with the three affected school districts to negotiate
an agreement that supports both our students and our villages needs. There
have been three meetings between the superintendent and the village to date
and this morning we received the first draft of an intergovernmental agreement
based on those conversations. We have not yet had the chance to
thoroughly review the draft, but we are at the table with our partners at the
schools working in good faith toward an agreement that serves the interest of
both the schools and the village. I'll be honest, reaching that agreement
will likely require some compromise on both sides and it may be uncomfortable
at times, but that's the work of good governance and it's work we're committed
to seeing through. With that, Greg, would you please provide an overview of
the process for this evening?
» I'll borrow your microphone. Thank you, Pre. President Mendrich. Um, yes. So,
the the TIFF Act establishes a number of steps the village must take when
considering whether to uh create a TI district. The village has taken many of
these steps over the course of the past few months, including evaluating the
properties in the TIF district, analyzing the eligibility of those
properties under the TIFF Act, preparing an eligibility report and redevelopment
plan, creating an interested parties registry, making the plan available to
the public, setting a public hearing date. This happened back in June. That's
why everyone is here this evening. uh and convening the joint review board
which is comprised of representatives from each of the taxing districts. Uh
the JRB met twice, once in July and then once earlier this month to review the
proposed tiff district and related documents. That brings us to tonight the
public hearing. The hearing serves a couple of purposes. First, it allows the
village board to review the proposed redevelopment plan and project, which is
the TIFF proposal, and evaluate whether or not the proposal is consistent with
the TIFF Act standards and criteria. Uh the village's tiff consultant Caitlyn
Johnson with SB Freriedman will present on that topic in a couple of minutes. Uh
but the public hearing also provides the public an opportunity uh to provide the
board with feedback concerning the proposed tip district. As well to be
clear, the village board is not voting on the tiff district proposal tonight.
There are three ordinances that the board ultimately must consider if there
were if they were to approve a tiff district and those are not on tonight's
agenda. Instead, the public hearing tonight is an opportunity for further
dialogue concerning the proposed TIFF district and all interested parties uh
and there are many will have an opportunity to address the board during
the hearing. After public comment is concluded, the board may consider
closing the public hearing. Once the hearing has been closed, the TIFF act
provides a time frame during which the ordinances necessary to establish the
tiff district can be presented to the board for consideration. That time frame
is between 14 and and 90 days after the hearing is closed. I'll now turn it over
to Caitlyn Johnson with SB Freriedman uh to discuss the eligibility findings and
the redevelopment.
Okay. So, um
we're we're not we're not quite ready. Um, I think the first thing before we
get into SB Freriedman's report, I'm sure all of you have um heard us talk
about this or me talk about this, but the goals and vision for this um this
area um we have concerns that um our village um is not performing as we might
have hoped. We have a 47,000 square foot empty storefront in our buil in our
village. Um, we are looking for a vibrant, walkable, um, downtown that is
a safe place for our families to gather and students to gather and and for
residents to really be able to come together and enjoy our community. Um,
the vision that I see in my head is a vibrant uh former Mariano space um with
the Skoi Valley Trail adjacent to it with a brand new library um sitting
where it currently sits with a brand new post office and um having streetscapes
and having a HAP road that has safe crossings for residents. So when we talk
about our vision, those are the things that we're talking about. We have also
um as as many of you know gone back and reaffirmed the uh 2040 comprehensive
plan that a group of residents put together. Um it does talk about some of
the things that I have already discussed. Um but you when the HAP road
committee got together and did their work on what a new HAP road could look
like um uh Francisco Gonzalez Pledo who is a a resident and a renowned architect
um put together some drawings because we think that sometimes people need visuals
and not just words. So, I wanted to just share some of the visions that he came
up with for Hap Road, but I think that they uh piqued all of our interest in
trying to create a downtown that that has uh you know, again, dedicated
walking paths, places that people can cross the streets safely to get to and
from our businesses. Um, again, another view of what could be
um our downtown. This is not to say that this is what we will have, but just some
visuals of what a new downtown for Northfield could look like.
Um, again, I mentioned the library. This is the initial design for the library.
Um, it is a gateway into our community from Willow Road and HAP. Uh, that
sidewalk that you see there coming off the left of the screen goes all the way
out to Willow Road. creates an entry into our village there as well. The
library is on the east side. The post office sits on the west side and the
connecting building on top is is more of library space that they can use for
other programming. Um some people have asked me why we need a new library and
frankly um the library came to us and said we need more space. we can't do the
programming we'd like to in Northfield and we have committed to working with
the library to to create that new space. Um it's you or me. Um
I want to talk a little bit about our empty storefront. Um which is a concern
I think for everyone. We've heard from all um walks of life in Northfield that
they'd like to have a grocery store. Uh as we all know that the owner has had
trouble finding a tenant for the full building. Um they are now in a position
where they are talking to tenants that would be a ger in one half of the
building, an adult beverage in the other half of the building as well as an
outlot um across from the the current bank. So up against Willow Road.
They have indicated to us that they can't make the deal work without some
help from the village. Um and that is really where we are with them right now.
There are expenses like dividing the building site prep and improvements that
um they are beginning well not beginning that they have been looking at that are
costly. Um, I don't think that anybody uh in this room probably doesn't know
that there have been environmental issues on that site that that everybody
has heard about by now, which are a concern for uh any tenant that moves
into that space. So you couple that with the library again site conditions there
um the the curse of of being a village that's built along rail lines is that
there are site conditions that you have to deal with. Uh and then there is the
HAP road redesign that we talked about earlier this evening that includes um
redesign of the space, construction costs, things that have been put on hold
um with federal funding and state funding because we weren't prepared to
move forward with the project of a few years ago. As um you all know that was a
an important conversation that we all had together. Uh and then the other
thing is water manes, sewers, sidewalks, lighting, things like that. Water manes
are not the most exciting topic in the world, but uh the fact of the matter is
that there are water manes in this area, this tiff district, potential tiff tiff
district that need to be repaired. Um those can run anywhere from $1.5 million
up to $2 million depending on the size of the water man and how much pipe needs
to be replaced. Um, so these are all costs related to our downtown village
center right now that we're aware of. And as I said, these are just inside the
proposed TIFF district. Um, we talk about sources of revenue for
the village. I want to put a I just want to make sure that people understand
where this board is on that consideration. Um,
I'll I'll Patrick, you can jump in on a couple of things, but I want to just
talk about property taxes because many of you in this room were involved in in
the um home rule initiative that this village took on some years ago. Um, home
rule, as you know, allows us to work outside of some of the um the sweeping
um legislation that Springfield passes. And so they often pass legislation that
does not require home rule communities to participate. And when we did that, I
was the co-chair of that committee. Kathy Esesterbrook, who's sitting in the
room, was very involved in it. uh we asked the sitting board at the time to
promise that they would never raise property taxes above the CPI which no
board has done previously and which this board does not intend to do either. So,
um, a few other things that are possible ways to raise some money, taxes, fees,
permits, um, water rates, but I'm going to let Patrick give you some of the nuts
and bolts of some of those topics as we move along here. So, Patrick, please.
» Thank you. That's a list of the typical revenue sources that you'd see a village
normally, the levers they would pull to raise additional revenue. There are a
couple of other special things that the board has looked at and that are
available to to villages that are home rule communities. A special service
area, you may heard of that. It's a way to levy additional property taxes on a
set area that puts an additional property tax burden on for a period of
time, but used to pay to fund a particular project. You often hear of it
in Northfield for many of the private lanes. they will ask for a special
service area to be applied so they can repave a roadway or rebuild a roadway
and then pay for that over a period of time. In this example, it doesn't work
well for the village because we're looking at working on an area that's
already not doing well financially. To levy an additional property tax on the
area would not be helpful for our goals. So, we looked at property tax rebate.
That is rebating directly to the taxpayer amount of their property taxes.
It's unlimited value to us because the village portion of the total tax bill is
only about 12%. So that isn't a a big incentive for most people. Another
option is something called a business development district. It is the
application of an additional tax like a sales tax on top of retail sales or
hotel uh uh room rentals. It is an additional re revenue source, but it
generally works well in areas that have high retail capacity or activity. For
example, an outdoor mall area. That's something that would raise a significant
number of funds for a village. Here, not so effective. Very similarly, sales tax
rebate is you can work deals to have rebates going back to those that are
collecting the sales tax as a way to incentivize growth or location in the
village. Additional options were raised to us
were Cook County 6B and 7B. You see the information there. Uh 6B is primarily
for industrial use. So that wouldn't work. 7B may have limited application
but again that lowers the overall EAV for that property for a period of time.
So it actually is harmful to many of the districts because it lowers their
capacity. And then as president mentioned uh Mrick mentioned uh raising
property taxes is an option. We are in the ballpark of our neighbors, which is
a competitive advantage because we're not in a high uh property tax area that
helps people relocate here. So, we're we're in line. It's the last resort, but
the next option looked at and it was something mentioned in the comprehensive
plan is a tax increment financing district. I see a number of familiar
faces in the room tonight, a number of new faces, so I won't go into a lot of
detail on this. You can read the slide probably in the amount of time I've
talked so far. This is something that the board has looked at as a fiscally
smart move to be able to minimize the impact on everyone yet raise the
greatest amount of potential benefit to achieve the village's goals.
The board has full oversight on the expenditures of how those funds are used
and they've looked at the estimated impact and for a $500,000 home. If we in
raise that increment that value about $5 million, it's a $38 impact on the home.
That's one of the many questions we received from residents about what is
this potentially going to do to us. Later in uh the presentations today,
we'll address a number of the other questions that have come in. However,
with tiff districts, almost universally when a village is looking at it, the
school districts raise concerns and they've got valid concerns about how's
this tiff district going to impact them because when they look at new growth,
they want to figure out what's the impact and to help present some of that
information. I think Dr. Tyos, were you planning on presenting tonight?
» Please. Thank you. >> And Melissa, if you'd ceue up their
presentation, please. >> Thanks, Melissa. Before
we get further into the presentation, if anyone is planning to speak tonight,
we're going to swear everybody in all at once so we don't have to do this 35 or
40 times. So, uh, if you could just raise your right hand if you're planning
to speak tonight. Repeat after or and just affirm that this is correct. Do you
hereby affirm the testimony you provide tonight is the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth? >> Yes.
» You're sworn in. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Thank you. Please go ahead.
» Thank you. Um I'm Peter Trigos. I'm proud superintendent at Nutri and I'm
also a proud Northfield resident for the last 25 years as well. So um I will
share a brief part of this and turn it over to Chris Johnson who's the deputy
superintendent at Nutrier. Um and then uh I'll close out as as well here. So
President Mendick, thank you for making time for the school districts on your
agenda. We appreciate it. It's uh not only a packed house, but it's a packed
agenda. So, we do appreciate uh making time for us on the agenda. In this short
presentation, we will summarize our consultants um report, Joe Psky's
report. It's a report that we've submitted to village trustees and that
we've shared and that we've also submitted to the JRB as well. Um he was
unable to attend due to a prior conf uh commitment. So, Chris and I will share
that today. we'd like to present a highle summary of his findings and we'd
also like to share um what the impact is on the three school districts and ask
you to all consider that in your deliberations uh this evening and
throughout the process. So um you know first and foremost it's important to
state and we've said this in every meeting we've been in to to to agree on
and share here. It's important to state that we have a shared interest in a
vibrant uh central business district in Northfield and our other uh uh uh
villages throughout the township as well. and we appreciate the respect and
civil service that you all provide to the village and volunteering your time
um in this. So, thank you and we understand what those roles are and how
important they are. I also want to echo President Mendri's uh comments at the
beginning of this um opening agenda about the mutual interests. We do indeed
have mutual interests. We may have differences and we can talk about those
differences and share those. But honestly, we have some shared mutual
interest that you'll see here a bit to today. um really through through this is
um we share those interests and you know we're we're you're investing in your
infrastructure and and modernizing your central business district and we
understand that we're investing in our infrastructure too and modernizing for
the same people in the village here and also throughout the township. So so we
get it um we agree on the problem and also have said we agree on the problem
however we disagree on the solution right now. Um and that is we support
development. It's good for all of us. We do not support the TIFF as a mechanism
for that redevelopment, especially as we start to see resoning starting to turn
that flywheel. Perhaps not as fast as others think, but we think it's an um a
viable opportunity to do so. So, again, we're starting to see some of that here.
We know that we may see that differently, but want to recognize that
it's starting to bring some development here to our village. We'll um talk a bit
about the summary report and recognizing again that you see this. We believe in
strong villages um as well uh or excuse me in up these projections from the
strong villages to what you've started to project in the village this $175
million set of needs for redevelopment. We've seen that and we understand what
those needs are and you've laid those out as well. Those are needed
redevelopment costs and we recognize that the village is also you know as you
start to look at this implementing a funding mechanism though however that
could generate up to three times what the stated revenue is needed in that our
consultant Joe Pvki you've seen the report estimates that tiff could
generate on the low side you see this in the middle projected incremental um
gains of $253 million on the low end and on the medium end up to $459
um million. These projections and the formulas that yield these projections
were also shared with SB Freriedman. You're and we you know we were an open
book in showing our work on this and we appreciate the collaborations with that
with and these estimates are without objection from SB Freriedman. So these
are the potential um uh revenues to to be uh yielded through uh the TIFF
district here. So, based on these projections, a 23-year TIFF um not only
exceeds the project cost of $175 million, but will likely exceed the
village's annual general fund revenue over that same time period as well. So,
something for you all to consider in that. Um from here, I would like to turn
it over to Chris Johnson um at this point and then um pick it up.
» Thank you. A pleasure to be here tonight to speak again on on the TIFF. So, the
headline here is the significant financial impact on school districts.
One of the reasons school districts are typically concerned about tiffs is that
we're primarily funded through local property tax dollars. In the case of our
school districts, about 90% of our revenue with a small amount of funding
from the state, about 2% small amount of funding from federal government, about
2% as well. So substantial money if a tiff was created could be diverted from
our school districts over the life of the tiff. This is potential new property
revenue in excess of our levy. These estimates uh you see on the screen are
based on assumptions compiled by our consultant who Peter mentioned earlier
or retained by the school districts that uses assumptions included in the
villages plan and tiff study. So you see uh that low reassessment value
potentially 150 million in new property diverted from the three school districts
at a medium uh reassessment failure of 4% about 169 million over the life of a
23-year tiff.
We have relied on new property as school as we call it uh to supplement our levy
beyond inflation. Our annual increase for that 90% of our revenue is capped at
the consumer price index the inflation number from the prior year. New
construction really is the only increase for us beyond that. And in the case of
nutrier specifically has been vital to avoid an operating rate referendum for
23 years. We last did an operating rate referendum in 2003 and made a 5-year
commitment not to have one. Now we're at 23 years in large part due to that new
property revenue which just brought us a little bit more each year than CPI.
Another factor that is important especially for a district like Nutrier
is that the value of property increase as the value of property increases in
the tiff zone school districts continue to levy the same amount. Meaning over
that time residents outside the tiff zone will pay more for school district
taxes. So particularly for Nutrier who serves Wat Gleno Wka all the other
communities each of those uh residents will pay a little bit more in their
property tax bill as the EAV is frozen properties in the tiff zone and that
incremental revenue goes to the tiff fund.
As Patrick mentioned earlier there are other mechanisms available that can
generate funds for improvement such as the special service area bond. We
understand there are concerns about using some of these mechanisms, but
these mechanisms do exist and they could generate some revenue, potentially not
as much as the tiff. TIFF is one option, but there are others as well.
Schools have been responsible stewards of our finances and maintain fund
balances, which are essentially our savings accounts. These allow us to
continue to fund our operations as revenue is distributed to us two times
per year when tax bills are issued or they say in Cook County lately if tax
bills are issued. Uh funds have been critical during delays and property tax
payments. While we know the gross dollar amounts have been presented previously,
it's the context that matters. How many months of expenditures they fund, which
averages about seven or eight months for our school district. So when you look at
last year when property tax bills were six months late, having these reserves
was a vital lifeline for our school districts to continue to pay our
teachers, to continue to uh offer our programs and operate our facilities
without using highcost borrowing.
The school districts believe that development is already occurring. School
districts respectfully disagree with the eligibility finding. The tiff shifts
costs to residents outside the tiff zone. We believe the loss of new
property growth is significant for school districts and the scale may be
larger than the vill's identified needs of 175 million. Uh I'll turn it over to
Peter, but I I I want to just share my thanks to to the village board for their
service and to Patrick who's been just a wonderful partner in this and we
appreciate the collaboration uh even though we see uh things a bit
differently. So uh thank you for your service and Patrick thank you for all
you're doing in this process and I'll turn it over to Peter.
I'll close here. Um almost where we started with a tiff and
intergovernmental agreement here. Um you know our position on the tiff. I think
we've made it clear here and in our in our forums. Uh we advocate for a
non-piff non-tiff path uh to a vibrant downtown uh Northfield and central
business district. However, school um however, if the village moves forward
with a tiff, uh we want to stay engaged in these discussions between the village
and the school districts to develop an IGA um to meet both needs here. An IGA
can lessen but it cannot completely mitigate the impact on schools. You
heard the impact right here. Uh the long range impact on schools is significant.
um and an IGA in the best of terms and continue our collaborations um we can
indeed lessen those and we we ask the village uh not to approve it with with
um without an IGA in place. So if that's your going forward really you know the
the ask here is if you're going to continue to do that or this is the path
you pursue we ask that that go hand inand with an IGA and that would be our
our ask and again we you see here in our last statement a vibrant community and
strong villages and strong schools. Thank you very much.
» Thank you.
So, um, while our representative from SB Freedom approaches the podium, I just
wanted to point out the joint review board that was chaired by Dr. Chris
Johnson, uh, voted against recommending the tiff district for the village. So
you've re the village board has received a copy of their minutes that indicate
that that was their reasoning for saying no and that articulated their reasons
for forwarding a negative recommendation. At this time some of you
that have been here you may recommend or may recognize that this does not look
anything like Kait Caitlyn from SP Freriedman. Uh Caitlyn had something
happen that was totally outside of her control that she's unable to attend this
evening and uh we've been lucky enough to have um Karen step up and take the
lead for us. >> Wonderful. Thank you.
» So Melissa, if you bring up their presentation, please
» and you you'll advance the slides. >> Can you please see?
» Yes. >> Pull it forward.
All right. I'll go ahead and get started. Thank you all for your time
this evening. As Patrick mentioned,
my name is Karen K, which will be evident on the slide in a moment.
I'll go ahead and get the introduction started. My name is Karen Kay. I'm a
senior vice president with SB Friedman. I am accompanied in the wings by Ryd
Bose, a partner with SB Friedman. And um we are standing in for Caitlyn Johnson,
who unfortunately couldn't be here. As I believe many are familiar, SB Freebin is
a consulting firm based out of Chicago that specializes in public private
partnerships, special district designations, underwriting, um, economic
development and housing related matters. Uh, and this evening we're going to
focus on the statutory requirements for TIFF districts. So, we'll walk through
the eligibility factors and the required findings and tests to demonstrate uh,
the conditions within the proposed redevelopment project area. I will start
with an overview of the proposed project area. The district includes 141 10-digit
parcels. It accounts for 106 acres and 76 primary structures. The parcels are a
combination of 25 improved parcels. Two vacant parcels and 14 parcels that are
right-of-way. Right-of-way parcels are not included in eligibility analysis.
And so we'll only be focused on the improved and the vacant properties
within the proposed district. Right now, the district, as many folks know, is a
mix of vacant, commercial, industrial, mixed use, uh, public, open space,
rightway, and utility related properties.
As I said, I'm going to focus on the statutory eligibility and requirements
for TIFF designations per the Illinois TIFF Act. There are different
requirements for improved parcels versus vacant parcels. And I'll start with the
improved parcels. Improved parcels must have 50% of buildings which are at least
35 years old or older and at least three eligibility factors of the myriad
available uh present across the district. We have to find district
factors meaningfully present and reasonably distributed across the entire
boundary of a proposed district. Um, and based on our both desktop and fieldwork
research, we found that 89% of primary buildings within the proposed RPA are at
least 35 years old. And there are four documented eligibility factors present
in the district. Those are lack of growth in EAV, which I'll talk through
in a moment, the presence of structures below minimum code standards, inadequate
utilities, and deterioration of both site and structures. for vacant
properties within the district. As I said, we have to find eligibility for at
least two factors present within the district. Those that were found include
lack of growth in EAV, which is a standalone criteria um from the improved
factors, and then also deterioration of structures or site improvements in
neighboring areas adjacent to the vacant land.
So, I'll go into a little bit more detail on the EAV standards per the act.
Per the TIFF act, there are three different mechanisms or pathways to
demonstrate lack of growth in EAV and BIFF eligible. The first is an overall
decline in EAV in three of the last five calendar years. The second is an
increase in EAV at a rate less than the balance of the village as a whole. And
the third is an increase in the district EAV at a rate lower than CPI for at
least three of the last five year-over-year periods. The proposed RPA
meets the criteria for the the comparison relative to the village as a
whole for four of the last five year-over-year periods. And it meets the
criteria for growth slower than this than CPI for three of the last five
year-over-year periods.
I'll now walk through just at a high level a few of the other statutory
findings that are required to designate a TIFF district and then I'll go into
greater detail on three of them. There must be lack of growth from private
investment in any tiff district that is proposed. You must make the but for
finding which is that development would not happen but for a tiff district.
Parcels must be must be contiguous. A proposed district must be in conformance
with plans of the village. That the village must certify that there will not
be resident displacement or conduct a housing study and there must be an
identified date of completion. The village um has found that private
investment has not produced sustained areawide redevelopment as evidenced by a
limited new construction activity and lagging EAV growth in the proposed
district. The redevelopment objectives of the plan would not reasonably be
achieved without public assistance as discussed um by the village president
due to extraordinary infrastructure costs, the age of buildings and
condition of buildings. The RPA consists of contiguous parcels that will benefit
substantially upon implementation of the redevelopment plan. The redevelopment
plan conforms to and promotes land uses and objectives identified in the village
of Northfield's vision 240 comprehensive plan. The village has certified that no
resident displacement will occur as a result of activities pursuant to the
redevelopment plan and the plan is estimated to be completed no later than
December 31st, 2050.
As I said, I'll go into a couple of these criteria a little bit more
specifically as it relates to lack of private investment. Uh that finding the
TIFF Act requires that a municipality finds the redevelopment project area on
the whole has not been subject to growth and development through investment by
private enterprise and would not reasonably be anticipated to be
developed without the adoption of a redevelopment plan. As has been
mentioned, private investment has been isolated and limited in scope across the
proposed redevelopment project area and um the district overall lags in EAV
growth. When we look at the most recent year's performance from 2019 to 2024,
there was only 15% EAV growth over that 5-year period, which lagged cumulative
inflation uh and only accounts for about a 2.8% compound annual growth rate.
Since 2021, there have only been major improvements, uh, building permits
exceeding 100,000 on nine of 141 parcels across the district. And there have only
been two proposed projects, one 12-unit condominium project and one proposed 92
unit multif family project. Collectively, those two projects do not
demonstrate sustained areawide private investment. And therefore, SB Freeman
found that the lack of private investment finding was met.
Switching gears to the second half of that same statement within the tiff act
that private investment would not reasonably be anticipated to be
developed uh with without the adoption of the redevelopment plans. This is the
but for case that we talked about earlier that development and investment
would not occur but for the implementation of a tiff district.
Again, the documented extraordinary costs both in the TIFF plan and as
spoken to this evening uh indicate that the plan identified uh by the village
and the comprehensive plan and again in the redevelopment plan would not be
developed in accordance um without implementation of the tiff district and
tiff assistance that is attributable to deteriorated buildings uh outdated
utilities and infrastructure environmental remediation concerns and
needs elevated construction and financing costs that we're experiencing
uh regionally and then project specific expenses that create substantial fund f
funding gaps on projects. Uh we also know from proposed projects within the
district and again one was spoken to or about this evening and there's also the
92 unit proposed multif family development that developers have
indicated a need for public assistance to advance projects within the proposed
redevelopment project area. And although we've talked about other potential
pathways for providing public assistance, there's no requirement that
all alternative funding mechanisms be exhausted before establing establishing
a tiff district. And as um has been mentioned, a number of those alternate
pathways have repercussions or impacts on project feasibility as well.
And I'll finish with conformance to the comprehensive plan. So this requirement
states the municipality must find that the de the redevelopment plan and
project conform to the comprehensive plan for the development of the
municipality as a whole. Um the vision 2040 plan must be read as an integrated
policy document and conformance must be evaluated as the plan as a whole and not
single components of that plan document. The vision 2040 plan does call for
avoiding adverse school impacts but it does not prohibit the establishment of
tiff. It does propose the creation of a mixeduse land use framework consistent
with the vision 2040 plan uh that directly overlaps this uh proposed
redevelopment project area. So with that I will conclude um that the
proposed RPA satisfies the eligibility criteria of the act uh as a combination
of both vacant blighted land and improved conservation area land factors.
As just articulated, the eligibility factors are documented to a meaningful
extent and reasonably distributed across portions of the RPA to which they apply.
The RPA is no less not less than 1.5 acres, is within the village, is
contiguous and includes only property expected to be substantially benefited
by the plan itself. The RPA on the whole has not experienced sufficient growth
and development through private investment and would not reasonably be
anticipated to be developed in accordance with the plan but for the
implementation of the tiff. The plan conforms to the vi vision plan 20 240
and establishes the required pro program and financial framework and contains
material findings and information as required by the act and the plan is
reasonably expected to enhance the long-term tax base of the overlapping
tax districts by addressing conditions that impair redevelopment
encouraging private investment and improving infrastructure and property
conditions. So with that, I'll conclude by saying the the proposed village
center RPA is eligible for designation and the plan as presented satisfies the
applicable eligibility criteria, plan requirements and objective of the TIFF
act.
Thank you, Karen. Melissa, if you bring our slide deck back up, please.
» So, I'm going to skip ahead a couple of slides here because I think uh Karen did
a nice job explaining uh where we find an eligibility. So I had planned on
going through a report from the school district uh and talking about where what
they had asserted we feel doesn't meet or is in a criteria but um I'll instead
focus on something that Dr. Trios had said is that we're working together. Uh
we recognize the board recognizes that there are potentially impacts at school
districts as this tiff proceeds. if this test proceeds that those concerns
primarily fall in a couple of areas you see bulleted there and that is the
delayed receipt of new property growth. The potential for a growth of housing in
the district that creates an additional demand on the schools for staffing for
school uh classroom space and if we uh the village does that other villages may
do the same thing. So, our discussions have really focused on what can we do to
help mitigate those first two concerns as far as ensuring that the districts
get um additional funding beyond what is required in the TIFF Act for their needs
if those needs do in fact come to fruition. We're working on it. As uh
President Metric Metric stated, we have a draft intergovernmental agreement and
we'll continue working through that going forward.
Um so through this process we have received
a a large number of emails from residents. Many are asking questions and
we've gone through all those emails looked at what their questions are and
really kind of tried to distill them into some common um themes of what we're
hearing. All of you here can read this and luckily my text is big enough
because Kathy told me to check it ahead of time to make sure we could see it on
the screen. So it is visible. Uh so I won't read all of these uh to you
because that would just not be fair. But uh one of the common questions we're
getting is is the village currently negotiating with developers for this
tiff if it happens to promise funds or promise developments or promise some
special thing to them in the future going forward. The answer is no. We are
talking to the owners of 1822 Willow the former Mariano site as mentioned earlier
in the slides. We need help. Go ahead. Sure.
» Thank you. So, we're talking to them. They've made a funding request. They're
not specifying how that funding comes, but the size of the request um is beyond
the vill's capabilities of funding without outside assistance. And they're
indicating if this deal can't be brokered, can't happen, that they are
out of options for that building. And they uh don't know what the next step
would be other than vacancy. Uh we've been asked about other
alternatives. You heard some of those presentations tonight. We've looked at
other alternatives. Uh and there's been concern about is there something other
than tiff that can be used? As we mentioned that there's over 300 tiff
districts in the Cook County suburbs of Chicago is a tool used commonly to help
spur and stimulate growth. And uh we're getting questions about uh could an
independent party come review what we've done? The answer is, of course, the
school district uh has hired their independent consultant to take a look
and offer their opinion as far as what the villages consultant has presented.
And you heard those findings this evening.
And uh while the display we had earlier had an answer to all these questions,
um I'm going to really do this one on the fly. Um and I'm not sure how that's
missing. Um
But it definitely is. So, what will residents receive if TIFF uh passes? Uh
really the answer for that is we're going to be moving forward closer to the
vision that the community had started five years ago or six years ago when
they adopted the comprehensive plan and it's a more vibrant uh vital downtown, a
place that is a core for the village and a place to gather. Will the tiff
district change your property taxes? probably yes. Uh you saw the the number
earlier that about a $5 million worth of growth within the tiff district we're
calculating out to be about a $38 impact of your home value to $500,000. If your
home is a million dollar, you can double that number and have a good idea of what
that sense is. That number, that $38 is less impact than if the village raised
property taxes to try to achieve the goal of all these uh items moving
forward. And you may think why? Well, the reason it's less is because uh what
uh Dr. Johnson explained that the tiff impact that fee is paid not just by
those here in Northfield, it's everybody in Cook County. So Cook County property
taxes as EAVs grow and levies raise, everybody in Cook County pays a little
bit extra because this area designed by the tiff district isn't contributing in
that growth because those funds are directed to the village to be reinvested
within the tiff area. So if you hear that tiff doesn't impact your property
taxes, it does. The goal though is over the long term when the TIFF is ended all
that new EAV equalized assessed valuation growth gets released so
everybody pays less percentage of future property taxes because of the work done
by the village. And without going too deep into it, let me give you a real
world example. The Marianos property, they're paying upper $600,000 a year in
a tax bill for a building when it was leased. They're going to appeal their
taxes when the windows open to lower that because it's currently a vacant
building and they will most likely be successful. I'm going to make up the
number here. $400,000 gets knocked off their tax bill. The next tax bill that
comes around, every taxpayer in Northfield is going to pay a little
extra to make up for that $400,000 that the Marianos property is not providing.
They're not contributing to the overall tax bill. That's the magic as we look at
for trying to grow the tiff district EAV because that higher value in that
district means everybody pays a lower percentage
and that's our goal over time just to help make that happen to make a
healthier Northfield. Um what accountab accountability controls be in place for
expenditures? The board hasn't started working on that yet. If the tiff looks
like it's moving forward, we'll start having discussions about accountability
and rules and applications and forms to get a process laid out so it's
transparent. Everybody can see it on the website and uh developers that are
looking for assistance will be able to see how to uh make a request for that.
And then fin >> Patrick, I'm sorry, but ultimately it
would come before this board before any TIFF funds were dispersed.
» Yes. So the tiff fund would be managed much like the village's annual budget
where we would roughly budget what the revenue would be and then expenditures
and then if a developer is asking for funding assistance there's a
redevelopment agreement that must be negotiated and passed by the board that
is done at a public meeting. It's a public process for adopting that
document and it would be on our packet in our website so you can see it. Even
if the village board uh moves forward and one of the other options is uh
grants for facade improvement grants, those expenditures are approved by the
village board as those grants are awarded.
How will we know if the tiff is succeeding? That's a it's a common
question worded many different ways from people, but this comes up especially
when we start looking at the fact that the board is going to I believe if this
moves forward require a midterm reevaluation of the tiff. Is it
succeeding? Is it achieving goals that success looks like an active vibrant
healthy downtown? Right now the tiff district area is lagging growth of the
rest of the village by 19% over five years. That's drag. That's actually
raising everybody's property taxes. Getting that closer to even if not
exceeding the rest of the village would be a good sign that this is moving well.
And the version of this gets posted on our website sometime tomorrow. We'll
have the answers to the rest of the questions. I'm sorry. I have no idea why
that's blanked out.
So, we're getting close with President Mendri's permission for this to enter
the public comment period. You see the information here about the speaker
cards. If anybody's come in late, please see one of our staff members speaker
card. When you fill out the card, if you don't want to speak, you can just note
your position on TIFF and any comments. The board will get all of these. They
will be retained, scanned in, and kept in the file with this public hearing
process. Just like those that have sent in comments, especially in the last few
days, saying, "I want this to be part of the record for the village, those emails
were received by the village board. They are part of the record and we will
retain them in our files." Thank you.
» Okay. Um, first of all, I'm going to say it again, the comment cards, if you
would like to make a comment or you're not sure if you want to make a comment,
please see Melissa or Holly at the end. Brett is upstairs, I think, with those
cards as well. Um, what I will do next is in order to keep
things moving along, I am going to call three names and I would like you to head
towards the podium. Um, make state your name and address so that we have that
for the record. make your comments in the three minute time frame and I will
keep calling additional names to join us at the podium or anyone who's upstairs
that needs to make their way down here to give them an opportunity to do so.
Okay, everybody here on the board square with what's happening next? All right,
super. Okay, so the first name on the list is Simon Babs.
The next one is Erica Foster. The next one is Mary Lind Bland.
If any of those people are in the room, not necessarily in order. If we're
waiting for people to arrive, we can certainly do that. Simon Babs.
Okay. If you, Erica, are ready, please go
ahead. >> Uh, Erica Foster, 305 Sunset Drive. Good
evening. >> Patty Morell, 255 Sunset Drive.
» We're gonna >> Yeah. Patty Morell, 255 Sunset Drive.
» We're gonna do this together for efficiency purposes.
» Yeah. >> Um and if you have music like the Oscars
at the three minute mark, I ask you to mute it. I'm going to borrow a little
bit of time from all the meetings I've attended and not spoken because tonight
I feel very compelled to speak. I would like to personally thank all the
trustees here for all the hard work you've done on behalf of the village. I
know it has not been an easy three months for you all.
I'm actually not up here to discuss the merits of the tiff. Shocking, I know.
Instead, on behalf of the many residents I have spoken to over the last few
months, I'm here to discuss restoring civility, kindness, and neighborliness
to this village. Over the last several months, it has been incredibly sad to
witness the village being needlessly torn apart over this tiff decision. I
sat on the village caucus for over a decade prior to my recent resignation.
I've been part of many complex village decisions, but I have been so
disappointed by the behaviors I've seen in the last few months. I'm deeply
troubled that we have a village board, a school board, a park board, and even the
library board that have been needlessly pitted against each other by residents.
I'm saddened to see neighbors and friends at odds. And it does not need to
be this way. This has escalated way beyond what's reasonable.
We celebrated our 100th anniversary this year. It was a lovely celebration. Thank
you to the trustees for that. And it restored my hope that we can
preserve our community. But we have to do the work. We have to make changes and
it has to happen tonight. At the celebration in the history room, we all
spent time reflecting on those who came before us in Northfield. And I cannot
imagine that those founders of this village would be pleased with what's
happening right now with how our residents are treating other residents
and treating this village board. I cannot imagine they'd be pleased with
our beautiful Northfield landscape littered with signs every time a village
board issue comes up. I cannot imagine our village founders would have dreamed
of residents lodging baseless allegations against this village board
claiming they have a nefarious purpose invoking the names of their private
employers or their family members. I cannot imagine they would be comfortable
with our school board members and village board members being publicly at
odds with one another. I have repeatedly described this
divisiveness as mutual assured destruction. If we continue down this
path of incivility, this does not end well for our village. No one wins. Our
brightest, most qualified residents won't serve on village boards and school
boards because they will fear for their families, their reputation, and their
livelihood. We will not explore opportunities for our villages or our
schools because board members and residents will be fearful to even
propose ideas that may result in backlash. We will have longtime friends
and neighbors not speaking. We have residents afraid to come to this meeting
to even speak about their views pro or against. It is the natural consequence
of our actions over the past several months. And if we do not make changes
right here, right now to stop the incivility, it will continue. Civic
engagement does not have to be divisive. These trustees are fine upstanding
citizens. to impugn their intelligence, their integrity, or their
trustworthiness is simply unacceptable and baseless. They are doing this as
unpaid volunteers for our community because they love our community and they
want to see it thrive. They don't have some ulterior motive. They don't have
anything to gain personally or financially. To baselessly suggest
otherwise is reckless. And I think we need to ask ourselves,
are we behaving as becoming of Northfielders? Residents are supposedly
so focused on schools, yet ironically, they themselves are not modeling the
very behavior we expect of our students. In district 29, we have school and
village board meetings where the tone of the meeting is divisive. Harsh words,
threats, whispers, clapping for a particular position, grumbling about an
opposing position. We would not accept this from our district 29 students. We
should not tolerate it from our residents.
It is not who we are. Our residents don't like the division either. They are
more uncomfortable with this division than they are of a tiff. I've had
countless residents say, "At this point, I don't even care if it happens or not.
I just want the drama to stop." I've residents contact me and say they are
disappointed in the behavior of other residents. I've had families in the
school district reach out and tell me they are confused and nervous and upset.
They want good schools and a great downtown. Putting fear into young
parents is not becoming of our village. I have heard threats of lawsuits and I
can tell you no one benefits from a lawsuit here. and residents certainly
don't want their tax dollars spent on a lawsuit. We have residents asserting
that there is lack of transparency from the village. Every single one of these
trustees will pick up the phone if you call and have questions.
Every single one of them will sit down with you and hear your concerns and
answer your questions one-on-one. If you've taken to keyboard warrioring,
posting on social media, making signs without having tried these one-on-one
communications. All right, I'll wrap it up.
» This is what we're talking about. >> Yes. Call them directly and have a
conversation. No solution is perfect. None of these trustees are suggesting
it's a perfect solution.
» This is a tool that's been leveraged by Kennallorth, Glen View, Highland Park,
Deerfield, Northbrook, Evston, Highwood to name just a few.
to the residents in this room tonight. Let's lead by example and assume good
intent. Be gracious and civil. Thank you. It's perfect example.
» Thank you. >> I agree.
Okay. Mary Lindblad and I'm going to um again Simon Babs. Next on the uh list is
Tom O'Donn, John Reynolds, Kim Orth, Betsy Cochar, Todd Berlinghoff. So, I
would like to try to get those people in the room um so we can move on. So,
please go ahead. >> Okay. Um
ever since the >> I'm sorry, ma'am. Can you
» Oh, Mary Lindlad 21 North Half Road. >> Thank you.
» Um ever since the um joint review board meeting, um I've thought that I I
absolutely am convinced that this the adoption of the TIFF ordinance is a done
deal. and that uh the only choice that those of us who oppose it would have if
we chose to would be to challenge the classification of the village as a
blighted area with the state of Illinois. Now that being said, I think
the tiff has been a distraction from the real issue that for me, which is the
redevelopment plan down from between the last four years we're or the years we're
considering or 2019 to 2024, COVID was in there. Nobody was doing
very well in those years. And um so I think that that using those
statistics is is a little bad. And then the
survey of the village that was taken that said they want walkability. Um
all those different vibrant I still don't know what vibrant means but uh it
seems to me to be overcrowded and busy. Um but in any event, so the vision plan
as I look at it has been lost in in the all the tiff dust and I I really am
worried about the vision plan. I mean I hope that whoever buys the shell
station, which I know is targeted, realizes it's contaminated and they're
going to have to spend money to clean it up. Um, and for I can't I can't imagine
the hotel on the corner. I that's not something I would would particularly
want, but I I just don't want the fact of the tiff to take away from the
changes that would be made in this village. And look, it it covers the
entire village center. And I'm thinking of all my small businesses that I use
and I enjoy. and I see the pictures of the multi-story, multi-use buildings and
I can't I can barely imagine them in this small area and so I'm just saying
that uh let's get past the tiff and let's start worrying about the
redevelopment. Thank you. >> Thank you.
» Next, Madam Chair, can I just uh ask that maybe the subsequent speakers give
the speaker a little bit of space? I know there's a lot of people here, but I
think the speakers probably want a little bit of space.
Thank you. Okay. >> Simon Babs, 385 Meadow Brook Drive. My
wife and I moved to Northville from England with our son. Sue and I have
lived here for over 27 years. We are US citizens. We all owe a debt of gratitude
to those who as trustees or in lower profile roles have served our community
during that period. Northfield is not a large community. The 2020 census counted
just over 5,700 people. That number of course includes children and also many
adults who for one reason or another do not give much attention to village
matters. How many adult residents I wonder are
even aware of the petition at change.org that requests that if the village board
considers that the proposed tiff would be good for Northfield then that
proposal should be put to a referendum.
I don't know, of course, but I'd be surprised if even 2,000 residents were
aware of the petition. Yet, of those 2,000, say, over 56% have signed the
petition seeking a referendum. In the last 27 years, I've seen many
issues put to a referendum in our village. Yet none that I recall involves
as large a fraction of the land area of our village, nor such a large amount of
prospective tax revenues, nor such an extended time period as the proposed
tiff. If you were a current trustee and made
favoring a tiff part of your pitch to voters when you last stood for election,
would you please raise your hand? >> I see no hands raised.
» Hear your question, sir. >> Oh, sorry. If you were a current trustee
and made favoring a tiff part of your pitch to voters when you last stood for
election, would you please raise your hand?
I see no hands raised. The situation then is this. The tiff is an unusually
significant proposal. The board has no explicit electoral
mandate for it and what is in all probability a majority of those aware of
aware of a petition calling for a referendum chose to sign it.
Trustees, if after further deliberation and
despite the recent joint board joint review board vote, you favor a tiff,
please put it to a referendum. If you enact a TIFF without a
referendum, then you would, I fear, be failing in your democratic duty to the
residents of this village. We, the people, expect better of you than that.
Um, the next I'm the ne Well, you can go ahead. John Reynolds is next, but Kim,
you're after that, so please. Kumor, 1655 Orchard Lane. Um, first I'd
like to address something that was just talked about with civility. I've never
mentioned this before, but I'll go there now. About a year and a half ago, when
the election took place, there were people going doortodoor saying that my
husband had dropped out of the election because he was severely ill and they had
no choice but to vote for Tracy. So when you want to talk about civility,
both sides are guilty of that. I want to mention that I hadn't really
engaged before this board on this tiff because I never imagined that anyone
would ever be in favor of a tiff to bring vitality to Northfield. We have
vitality currently. Ask the business owners. At the August 4th caucus
meeting, President Mendrich, you were asked if you had any evidence that the
Mariano's property was in need of a of remediation. You have spoken endlessly
about that very need. Your answer was no. Multiple nos. You have not seen any
evidence that there is need for remediation. Do you still stand by that
statement or do you now have documentation or some substantiation of
your fact that Marianos needs remediation and we need a tiff to assist
in that process? Did Dominics need remediation? Did Marianos need
remediation? Do you still stand by your word, without a tiff, we can't have a
grocery store? My second statement is one that refers to your comment just
today in the village email that was sent out. You said, and I quote, "This
included a great conversation last Thursday hosted by a Northfield family
where school board members were in attendance with community members asking
sharp, thoughtful questions. This kind of in-person dialogue is what Northfield
does best. we talk through concerns and vigorously protect those things that
make Northfield special." I would disagree with a portion of that
statement regarding dialogue. I believe that as a village president, in my
opinion, there should only be one platform for messaging where you
disseminate information to the residents, maybe an official village
website. having numerous one-offs, wine and tiffs, coffee or tea meetings at
private residences or associations where you present your personal views on the
tiff without anyone in attendance to fact check your statements isn't really
best practice. How do these private meetings benefit the village as a whole?
If you are interested in having healthy dialogue, why haven't you organized a
meeting outside of this one with residents who live directly outside the
tiff area who would be the most impacted by a tiff district? I see your practice
as a measure attempting to merely convince or sell people that your vision
of this tiff is the only vision. Thank you,
John Reynolds. Yes, >> that's me.
» Donahghue, Betsy, Coachar, >> Todd Merling, Hoff.
» Okay, so I'm John Reynolds. I'm in Dickens in Northfield. And
my name is John Reynolds. I'm in uh I'm in Northfield and I'm on Dickens Street.
So, Madame President, um I'm holding up your campaign mailer. I got
» Sorry. >> Sorry. I'm keeping the time, too. Excuse
me.
You have a little bit more time than that. Honest.
» This is my first meeting. I like city government. That sounds great. Great.
» All right. Okay. We're killing it, aren't we? Hang on one second here.
» Everybody have their phone on mute. Just make sure.
» All right. Got it. >> We're all set. Fantastic. So, I'm
holding up your your your campaign that I'm assuming you wrote you're familiar
with. Um it said you stand for common sense leadership, transparency, and
accountability. I have two questions. My first question is granted to the the uh
proposal that was done that was mentioned today. I really appreciate the
FAQs and that that speaks to the idea of uh how is this accountable for the
majority of Northfield residents who oppose this tiff continuing to be pushed
forward. The kind of people have spoken uh their concerns deserve to be heard
and not just kind of set aside. Uh and transparency means more than saying the
word. It means full disclosure. The public serves to know who benefits, who
takes the risks, and why should taxpayers help finance private
development. There's one more step I'd like to council consider uh our sister
community, Wana. I've spoken to many of the elected officials there and they
actually uh uh upon election they receive they have to go through a course
where they kind of sign agreements for their uh as far as uh uh what their what
disclosure are, ethics and whatnot. Nadesh Northfield to consider adopting a
civil requirement as part of the governance. Uh it's kind of simple. It
puts all your commitments or in common writing and disclose them to the public.
Uh it it kind of makes them easy to see and it holds elected officials
accountable to them. Um, if we ask residents to trust us, you the committee
with our tax dollars, then only the city government must earn that trust with
transparency, disclosure, and accountability. This sounds like common
sense to me. That's all I have. >> Thank you.
» Good evening. My name is Betsy Coachfire, address 187 Zachary. Until
today, I have not spoken regarding the upcoming tiff vote. My husband and I
moved here 32 years ago. We had not yet started a family, but we were thinking
about it, and the number one priority on our list of places to live was the
quality of the schools. We also wanted a small town Mayberry feel. Northfield had
both. Our children attended all of the Northfield District schools and have
fledged the nest successfully in part thanks to the great school system. I'm
concerned that the tiff I'm concerned about the tiff purs proposal. I want
Northfield to thrive and I am seeing that happen. Many new families with
small children have made their home in Northfield. I think as more families
move here, this will usher in a transition to a vibrant downtown
community without a tiff. Of course, everyone would like a new, larger
library and a replacement for Marianos ASAP. Our surrounding towns all have new
or rehab libraries and good grocery stores. We have access to those
amenities within 5 to 10 minute within a 5 to 10 minute drive. Here are some of
my concerns about the tiff. Do residents realize that their real estate taxes
will increase to cover the school cost if the tiff passes? Do they realize
Northfield schools may struggle to accommodate the potentially large influx
of students if property taxes are diverted to the tiff and not directly to
the schools? Do they understand that the tiff will likely be in place for 23
years and the village board decides where the tiff money goes? Do residents
comprehend that our school district maintain maintains a a bun sorry fund
balance or rainy day fund to cover funding gaps that arise from late
property tax distributions and that the fund may have to instead cover increased
school expenses not covered by the tiff among other items. The school fund
balance assures that teachers and staff will continue to be paid on time during
the property tax distribution delays. Would the district attra attract the
caliber of students and teachers and staff if they weren't guaranteed on time
payments in order to cover their personal expenses? How will the tiff
affect the ability of residents, especially older residents, to sell
their houses? Will the tiff reduce the marketability of the housing here? In
conclusion, I truly believe that Northfield's downtown will improve
without a tiff. Why is there such a rush on the proposal when this is a complex
issue that will affect Northfield for the next 23 years and beyond? I'm hoping
that the board will consider a referendum in November to allow the
village residents to comprehend exactly how a tiff will affect the future of
Mayberry. Thank you for your time. Sure. >> Thank you.
Tom O'Donahue, Todd Berlinghoff, Sue Kelly, Barnaby Dingis, Kathy
Esesterbrook, Terry Dason. Okay, that's enough. If all of those
people can be close by, Tom, please go ahead,
introduce yourself. Sorry. >> Good evening, everyone. My name is Tom
O'Donnary
in Northfield. I have been a resident of Northfield since 2003. I have lived in
four homes inside of Northfield. So, I've experienced tax bills in various
ways. My uh attempt tonight is this is the third time I've spoken before some
of you. Uh my concern is as a financial consultant in the turnaround world is
that the open-ended nature of the ordinance as I have read it
uh supported by something called the vision 2040
which at the time my son was one of the members of that committee depended on a
sales tax that was generated by a growing food store called Marianos.
So my suggestion to all of you, since you're trying to pass a TIFF based on a
plan that was based on a vibrant grocery store and many other things going on in
2015, it's time to reassess the plan. At this point in time, 2040 seems to be, as
you read, the preamble in the TIFF ordinance is the justification for the
TIFF ordinance. Is the underlying reason still the same
today in 2026? I don't think so. And I'm concerned in
passing it, it's going to be one of those cases where we're going to pass it
and figure it out later. I think that is probably poor planning
in most homes, in most businesses, and hopefully in the village of Northfield.
Thank you all for listening to us this evening. And one other piece of history,
I loved going through that that poster board in the lodge and the feistiness of
the Northfield people when they got the name Wobbon and said the heck with this.
We're going back to Northfield. So you still have the feistiness a 100 years
later. Thank you.
Good evening. My name is Todd Berlinghoff. I live at
one landmark in Northfield. Emily and I and our three children have lived in
Northfield since 1995 in three different houses, not four.
Located in three different parts of town. All our kids graduated from
Middlefork, Sunset Ridge, and New Trier. My wife was the president of the PTO.
I've served 10 years on Northfield's architecture commission and 12 years on
the planning and zoning commission. We love Northfield.
With nearly four decades of real estate development, I have built I've been
fortunate to build over 4 million square feet of retail space for prominent
companies such as Jewel, Dominic's, Marianos, Whole Foods, Aldi, Costco,
Walmart, and Heinens. Locally, Willow Festival in North Brook
stands as one of these properties. My experience also includes developing more
than 1,000 multif family apartments as well as class A office and medical
office space throughout the Chicagoland area. As I prepared these remarks for
tonight, I considered addressing the misinformation surrounding TIFF, but I
believe the board is best positioned to clarify these points. My hope is
everyone here will be open to facts rather than hyperbole.
Yet, I do have one comment. Having participated in numerous tiff deals over
the years, I have observed that school boards never support them as their
primary responsibility is to maximize revenue for their constituency. My focus
tonight is on what matters most to me, how Norfolk can attract investors like
myself. We often express a desire for a more
walkable community with a variety of restaurants, shops, and services.
However, such progress requires more than wishful thinking. Small businesses
need affordable infrastructure and a steady customer base. By implementing
proper zoning and offering financial support for downtown re residential
development, Northfield can encourage small businesses to flourish.
Communities that welcome development and provide incentives are the ones poised
for growth and continue relevance. One major challenge in Cook County is
the exceptionally high property taxes, making new construction nearly
impossible without some form of village tiff support. In fact, every apartment
development we've completed in the past 5 years has relied on TIFF assistance
from a village. Northfield must have tiff as a tool to achieve its downtown
redevelopment goals. Without it, progress will stall. Redeveloping the
Mariana's grocery store may be possible without TIF. If medical institutions
like Northwestern or the University of Chicago Medicine are acceptable tenants,
however, if the goal is to attract retail or another grocery store, tiff
support will be necessary. Otherwise, the property could remain vacant for
years, diminishing both its value and tax base. The longer it takes to secure
a tenant, the greater the risk that the owner will demolish the building to
lower their tax burden even more. A scenario no one wants.
Like many in this room, I enjoyed our 100th year celebration on Saturday.
There was a sense of symmetry between our current situation and the challenges
faced a century ago. History shows that Northfield's transformation from pagan
and radish farming to modern suburbs was marked by tough decisions and
significant change. Today we celebrate our centennial with aging
infrastructure, water and sewer mains in need of replacement and a downtown
retail spaces that are becoming obsolete.
I want the board to know that I support tiff and many residents who are not
present tonight do as well. Conversations with my neighbors during
the celebration revealed substantial support for the tiff. Similar to the
debate over widening Willow Road, this issue has stirred strong emotions.
Change is difficult, especially when there is vocal opposition. While it may
be easy to reject TIFF, I urge the board to make the decision that best serves
our community by supporting TIFF, paving the way for an exciting future for
Northfield. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sue. Kelly, uh, Barnaby
Dinges, Kathy Esesterbrook, Terry Dason, Jeff
Keading, Jeff Kading, I think I got that right. William gets Ariel Hoer. Please,
Sue, go ahead. >> Good evening. My name is Sue Kelly, 1642
Orchard Lane. I am speaking tonight to place a formal objection on the record
regarding concerning compliance with Illinois law regarding TIFF districts
and the public hearing notice requirements of 65 ILCS511-74.4-6A.
The statute provides that notice of the public hearing shall be given by mailing
notice by certified mail to the person or persons in whose name the general
taxes for the preceding year were paid on each lot, block, tract, or parcel of
land within the proposed redevelopment project area and that the notice must be
mailed not less than 10 days prior to the public hearing. I personally
communicated with commercial property owners whose properties are located
inside the proposed tiff area. I have been informed by such owners that to the
best of their knowledge they did not receive certified mail notice from the
village concerning this public hearing. These individual property owners may not
wish to be identified publicly tonight. I am therefore not asking the board to
simply take my word for it. It is also possible that mail can be lost or
overlooked. But I am asking the village to establish on the record whether it
complied with the statutory mailing requirement. First, I request proof of
compliance. Will the village attorney or appropriate village staff state on the
record whether the village deposited the required notices in the United States
mail by certified mail to the persons identified by the statute for every lot,
block, tract, or parcel within the proposed redevelopment project area at
least 10 days before this public hearing? And does the village possess
the corresponding certified mail receipts, mailing records, or USPS
tracking documentation demonstrating that those notices were deposited.
Second, if the village cannot establish compliance with the statutory mailing
requirement, I request that this hearing be continued rather than closed so that
the village can determine whether any required notices were omitted and if
necessary provide the notice required by state law. I'm making this comment for
the purpose of assuring that the statutory notice requirements are
followed before this process proceeds further. Thank you.
Good evening, Northfield. Uh, Barnaby Dinges, 421 Chapel Hill Lane. Uh, I
think we begin Northfield's next hundred years tonight. And I hope we can capture
some of that karma from the other night. Uh, I come to you tonight as a former
school teacher, started my career 40 years ago, Harvard St. George on the
south side, Francis Parker on the north side, Columbia College downtown Chicago,
Depal University. And uh I took my role as an educator seriously and I had two
things in mind as a teacher. Uh the big picture, always encourage my
students to look at the big picture. You can always narrow it later. And uh be a
role model. Everything you say and do uh can affect your students. And uh that
gets me to talking about the role of our school boards in this whole debate that
we've been having. Um and I guess I'll express my disappointment in how that's
gone. I also pay my wife and I $1,200 a month. I call it paying tuition to our
schools. Uh $1,200. And I've never questioned that. I've always felt good
about that. I live right between the schools in our community. Spent a lot of
time with the schools. um consider myself a big supporter of
the schools, but I also support our downtown. And when when the schools talk
about uh the community, they say we support a vibrant downtown, and then the
discussion ends there. They never say another word. And what was interesting
to me is six months ago when you went to the schools with this idea of a tiff,
instead of inviting the parents in to ask what they think or the community in
or to refer to the just completed Hapro report which included 900 responses from
our residents, 85% whom said they wanted an improved downtown and include
hundreds of testimonials from our residents, young parents who moved to
town talking about what they wanted in our downtown because the education of
their children doesn't just end in the classroom. It ends uh includes them
going downtown and hanging out as they do in some of the towns around us. So,
we can have great schools and a great downtown. Since I've been in this town
for 13 years, we've had two referenda for our schools. I voted for them. I
supported them. So, this idea that somehow we're going to stop supporting
our schools and we're going to somehow get distracted, I think is a a real red
herring and a and a false argument and and I'm personally offended by it. So,
when the school board met to discuss the TIFF proposal, six representatives very
quickly said, "We oppose it." Now, this board is grappling with this issue, and
I guarantee you if I asked each one of you, you would have a subtle distinct
difference, and you could argue with each other on it. But our school board
didn't do that. And then when the joint review board met, which was already
stacked with schoolboard representatives and had a chance to have a community
member, Debbie Papus, who served as the head of the school board,
was one of their people. she was denied the ability to serve on that committee.
So, they added another person from the school board. I don't think that served
the community as well. And then when we get sent something like this in the mail
and it doesn't include the fact that
negotiations already happening, I consider that disingenuous. And I I have
talked to dozens of people who are afraid to come here and say what they
think about TIF because they're neighbors of schoolboard people and uh
they have been threatened. I've heard people come up here and threaten you
with lawsuits and lose the next election. And I don't think we want to
live in a community where people are afraid to come out and ask questions and
share their thoughts. So I commend you for the hard work you're doing. you're
doing it without the support that you should be getting from some parts of our
community and I will support that effort. Thank you.
» Thank you, >> Kathy Esesterbrook.
Terry, then you're next. Jeff, William, Ariel, then Lauren Ruger,
um Eileene Isac's.
Go ahead. >> I'm Kathy Esesterbrook, 1620 Mount
Pleasant. I'm not necessarily against the tiff. I'm against the size of the
tiff district and the fact that it spans 23 years. The Mariano property is a
major issue for sure. However, the owner paid too much for the property, so is
asking for relief. I don't feel our resident should be penalized for his
poor business decision. I'm I'm concerned that SB Freeman's
figures include the year 2020. Obviously, it's going to skew those
figures significantly.
Um, we reszone the North Corridor in late 2025, so let's let the resoning
take hold before we put another option on top of it.
I believe there are various ways to increase our revenues, adding the 1%
sales tax, increasing our vehicle stickers, to name two. How much
additional revenues are we receiving from our car dealerships since sales
have been have increased? That must help. Our town is thriving and sweet.
Please keep it that way.
Oop. Oh, I lost it. Um there was that um on
the darn it on the um back wall of the south the south wall in
the lustic lodge there was a wonderful quote saying how sweet our it was from
19 76 years ago saying how sweet our village was and let's keep it that way
we deserve it. Thank you, Terry.
Good evening, President Mendrich, Manager Brennan, and the members of the
board of trustees. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening. I am
Terry Dason, president of the Waneka Northfield Gleno Chamber of Commerce.
Before addressing the tiff, I would like to congratulate the village and everyone
involved in Northfield's 100th birthday celebration. Clarkson Park was filled
with residents, families, and friends of all ages. The activities, music, local
food, and wonderful fireworks showcased Northfield at its very best. It was
truly a celebration of community and a job very well done. Tonight, I am
speaking on behalf of the many independent and locallyowned businesses
that are important to our community. The chamber understands the purpose of a tax
increment financing. When used thoughtfully, a tiff can encourage
investment, improve
infrastructure, and create opportunities for economic development. We want
Northfield to grow, remain competitive, and continue to thrive. At the same
time, I ask that you cons, as you consider redevelopment, you also
consider the people behind the storefronts. Many of our local
businesses have invested in Northfield for years. They employ people, serve our
residents, support our schools and organizations, contribute to community
events, and help create the character of this village. If redevelopment
ultimately affects some of these businesses, I believe the time to begin
planning for them is now, not when a lease expires or a business suddenly
learns it needs to relocate. Can we identify potential spaces within
Northfield before they are needed? Can we develop a strategy to assist
businesses that may be displaced? Can the village, the chamber, and property
owners and businesses work together to identify relocation opportunities within
Northfield? And most importantly, can retaining our existing local businesses
become one of the stated goals of redevelopment?
Once a small business is forced to leave a community, there's no guarantee it
will return. The chamber is not asking Northfield to choose between
redevelopment and its existing businesses. We believe that Northfield
can and should have both. We can welcome new investment and new businesses while
valuing the entrepreneurs have already invested in the community. Economic
development should not simply be about what we build next. It should also be
about preserving what we what is already working and helping our existing
businesses succeed through periods of change. As Northfield begins its next
hundred years, we have an opportunity to approach redevelopment thoughtfully,
creating new possibilities while protecting the businesses and
relationships that already make Northfield a special place to live,
workshop, and gather. Thank you.
Jeff Keading is next on my list.
Good evening. Jeff Keading, 54 Wagner Road.
My wife and I bought up in Northfield 30 years ago of raising our kids here
because of the size of the community and the village that it was. I'm opposed to
any large tiff program, period. Uh I think you're going to destroy our
village with that. And I believe that uh the way we first moved in here was
because of the size of the village and the community we came from. A lot of the
people I spoke against the tiff, I agree with a lot of the stuff that they said
tonight and I'll make it short. Thank you,
» William Gats.
I hope I pronounced that. Is that what it is?
» Sites. >> Boy. Okay. Sorry. Good of you to know
what I was saying. >> Well, that's okay, Madam President.
Thank you very much. Good evening. Um, I was My name is William Sites. I'm an
attorney. My office is in Northbrook. Uh, attorney Jones knows me from
Gleniew. Um so uh I originally um uh got involved in this issue when I was asked
how Glen View's tiff worked out for uh district 34. It didn't and I explained
how district 34 ended up getting short and and how it got short. So I explained
that uh but otherwise I wasn't planning on speaking here tonight. I did ask um I
did speak to two tenants and two property owners in this district and
none of them none of them felt comfortable authorizing me to to express
uh with their name but they they didn't feel that um you know putting their name
out there and explaining why they they didn't feel the tiff was in their in
their interest they didn't feel comfortable so it didn't have their name
but as it turns out Um, and I'm going to give each one of you a copy since, uh,
attorney Jones says you're not taking a vote. Um, you know, I I've done this
myself as an attorney. Um, some somebody put out a website called Unlock
Norfield, and I did when I represented a coal uh, a company that had coal plants.
I did this myself. Um, and you know, uh, on these tiffs, you know, the I don't I
don't think it's eligible. I don't think it meets the qualifications. I don't
think if you do a uh impact agreement, the schools are going to be held uh
whole, but um I think that you you need to make sure that you're you're talking
the same language, you're talking the same facts and you make sure that the
the the uh information you're getting is
accurate facts. and what what and what you have here is you know something that
some you know college kid put together and you know I mean that's that doesn't
serve you any in in making a decision this is a very difficult decision um you
know and one of the things that says it doesn't raise taxes if if if you look at
this uh Freriedman report you know on the um back part of the report and you
know any developer is going to love tiffs because you know it's got a
proposed budget for various expenses is, you know, I I represent developers. So,
you know, everybody's, you know, everybody wants to do development deals,
but there's other ways of doing it other than the tiffs as well. So, you know,
I'm I I'm going to leave you copies of of these documents for you take a look
at them if you'd like. But, you know, I I think that it's very important that
you have the right information to make a to make a sound decision. And you know,
other than that, you know, I think that, you know, it's it's, you know, u I'm
dealing with a lot of problems with with Glen View that I would that I would say,
you know, one of the problems I'm having with Glen View that as attorney Jones
perhaps knows is in Glen View um a lot of money from from the from the former
TIFF when they sold land sales um went into its big fund called the permanent
fund. And that permanent fund is now being spent on restaurants to quote
unquote revitalize downtown Glen View that built a five-story uh uh apartment
building in the center of downtown Glen View that I spent six years uh suing on
Glen View. Um and the problem with all this money is it ends up going to LLC's
where the people coming to public meetings represent the LLC's, they're
not the real people getting the money. The real people getting the money are
wealthy people. So you you need to make certain if you're doing deals that the
people who are actually getting the money, you know who who's actually
getting the money. So anyway, I appreciate your time. I probably went
over the three minutes. Your your uh contemporary in Glen Gy would cut me off
after two and a half minutes. So I appreciate your time. Um but uh thank
you very much. >> Thank you.
Um, Ariel Hoffer, Lauren Ruger, Eileen Issacs,
Barb Silva, Jordan Shackleford, Holt, Ziggler.
Just so everybody started waiting in the weeks. Go ahead.
» Ariel Hoer, resident at 1554 Willow and business owner at 300 Hap Road. Many
residents, business owners, taxing bodies, and interesting parties have
spoken over the last few months about concerns relating to TIFF eligibility as
well as the effect it will have on schools. I'll leave it to the others to
reiterate those important concerns tonight. I want to start by saying how
incredible our 100redyear celebration was this past Saturday. It reminded me
about what makes Northfield so special. Mom and pop vendors served a park full
of families, many of which had family members actually founded this town. We
did not have chain vendors and all main food vendors that participated are
located within the proposed TIFF boundaries. I believe this is something
of huge note. My concern is rooted in overdevelopment at the cost of the
vibrancy we currently display display. To establish a tiff area in a place
already populated by thriving businesses, most of which don't own
their space is to ask to change the landscape that makes us so special.
Should businesses face relocation to make way for the rise of condo towers,
they will fail. I have no doubt about this. This tip proposal, as outlined,
does not ensure a legacy of small business. Rather, it will help usher in
an era of big box chains with mom and pops left by the wayside. In fact, I
don't see any of the vendors from Saturday surviving in this unlocked
Northfield. As elected members of this board, it is your responsibility to
represent the interests of our of your constituents. How can you hear the
incredible amount of concerns from your villagers and still choose to blatantly
ignore them? If it is a matter of a budget crisis, then tell us though.
Thank you.
» Hi, uh Lauren Reager, 248 Wagner. Um I wanted to just stand up and say a few
words in support um for the proposed tiff. I um have lived in Northfield my
entire life. I grew up here attending Middlefork, Sunset Ridge, and New Trier.
I was a teacher assistant at Middlefork and now my two children attend
Middlefork as well. Um growing up in Northfield, there was a uh my favorite
place to go was TCBY. I think I funded it uh solely by myself. Um we would run
around the fountain um with my friends and enjoy the local establishments that
were there. Um and at TCB TCBY we would gather as families
after um dance recital, spring sings, winter sings, and families would gather
in line uh commune um and share stories that still uh stay with me today. We
have a great local um downtown. We have uh great resident uh great shops and uh
restaurants, but we're lacking the gathering place where families can go
and kids can safely ride their bikes. Uh currently I see a lot of them riding to
Walgreens and Starbucks, and I'm very concerned with their safety, especially
at the Walgreens or the Starbucks uh crossing zone. Um, I got involved or
leaned in more to this conversation um, over the last several months as I
started to see, like many Northfield residents, the yard signs um, popping up
more and more and I started to try to understand what the information was. And
as I went searching, I only found one side of the story. Um, and it's only
gotten louder. I haven't heard as much information up until recently with the
uh, various meetings and information that's been shared. Um and so I'm
encouraged by the um both sides now sharing information um together and in
different various formats. Um recently I had the um ability to join a
conversation where both the school board members and village board members were
having a conversation that was the most productive conversation I've heard in
this entire experience that I've been participating in which admittedly is
fairly limited. Um, but I've heard criticisms of these gatherings, which
disappoints me. Um, because it's the side of Northfield that I've known and
loved growing up here is small, local, uh, shared communication and
conversation, even if they disagree, of coming together, talking about things
that they agree or disagree, in a productive, calm, and rational way. Um,
I won't stand up here spouting the different data points of why I support
our schools, our local businesses, and the need for our downtown and Northfield
to thrive generally. I think you've done a nice job of sharing that information
with us. However, I do think we could do a better job of sharing with our
residents uh some of the information that I just learned here tonight. For
example, that there is a need to invest in Northfield and by doing nothing, we
won't accomplish anything. So, I do encourage residents to consider uh the
reasons why this is being proposed to um support Northfield's growth. Thank you,
» Eileene Isacs.
» Good evening and thank you for the opportunity. I had not expected to
speak, so I've been jotting notes as the meeting has gone on. I've lived here for
41 years. Um I live in the old Calderini house for you old people that know. Um
the first reason, the first thing that I would like to raise is since you knew
that this was going to be such a white hot issue, since you knew that on both
sides there was going to be such a agitated participation, why we aren't in
a bigger space that could have accommodated everybody. I don't
understand. And I think that that casts a Paul on the whole conversation.
The second question I have is you are all elected representatives elected to
represent the interests of those who you represent. There's a very strong notion
out there that every one of you has already made up your mind except one in
favor of a tiff and that these are just dur kinds of meetings that you're having
and that none of you are in a position to change your mind that you've all set
your positions. This is very disheartening and makes it feel like we
are not involved in a democratic situation.
Um, my third concern is the legality of the entire enterprise. TIFFs were
designed to help blighted communities who were unable to attract commercial
development. This has never been the case in Northfield. This is an
embarrassment in of riches as the wealth of our community and the value of our
homes climb. It's an insult to those communities that really need TIFFs that
we should usurp that desperate mechanism for our own development.
Our village manager oversaw Kennallworth's tiffs and it's my
understanding that very little development occurred as a result in
Deerfield. They have a tiff and last week they had to pass a bond issue to
support the schools because the schools were short the funding that they needed.
At the terrific centennial celebration this weekend and it was terrific and
congratulations to you all on the amazing job you did. I learned that in
1984 there were only 350 students enrolled in
our schools and that there was some consideration being given to closing the
schools and sending the children perhaps to a VOCA or something else. Of course,
enrolling my children there in 1985. Dr. Bullink didn't mention that to me, but
um it was of great concern. But the constituents then rose up, stood firm,
and look how the student body and our academic institutions have thrived.
I was proud to be a member of the 2040 committee. We were definitive and clear
that the schools could not be impacted in any way. Any way, not little bit, not
a lot, anyway. So why is this now any kind of an issue? The school board has
spoken that this would be a bad gesture. What is the rush? I yield to the other
person who spoke earlier tonight. This is an issue of such concern, it deserves
a referendum. Thank you,
Barb Silva,
Jordan Shackleford.
Um, hi, I'm Jordan Shackleford. I'm um a business owner of two businesses at 300
South Hap Road. one being Shred415, which I've owned for 13 years, and the
other being Sweat Shack, which I opened last June. Um, I my husband's here, too,
in case I split up, but I was going to say, um, my issue is that, you know, I
employ somewhere around 40 to 60 individuals at my studios, be it
trainers, front desk, kid care, cleaning staff, as well as 60,000
um unique visitors a year at both of my um studios. So I drive a lot of traffic
to the Northfield for shopping, for um engagement, for um just, you know,
lively and vibrant area. So I am just saying that I find, you know, with um
other business owners that I'm friends with and also are in my um building, we,
you know, we've done a really good job. 300 South HAB is fully I think fully v
or fully >> what?
» No, but fully. >> Yeah,
» sorry. It's not it's not blighted. Um in our opinion and we welcome you guys to
come visit and have an open house to to to assess what that it's not blighted.
Um I would also say that I just feel um I don't envy your guys' position. We
love Northfield. We've been here, as Jordan said, since 2013. reinvested in
Northfield last year, last summer, um, and and went through all the process.
Um, and I feel like the business owners in this community are part of this blast
area and and re with the redevelopment. I understand it. I don't believe that
300 and 310 South Hap Road was part of the the 20 uh 2040 plan. It's now part
of this redevelopment uh redistricing process. And I just feel like, you know,
consideration should be given um for, you know, that this is not a blighted
building and it's not a blighted community for sure. Um as well um I
recognize that some of the things that were in there. I I I find it hard to
believe that in that report um were a lot of instances for a lot of
infrastructure and a lot of things with buildings. And we were just here two
months ago whether you guys authorized a brand new business in at 300 South Hap
Road where somebody was in investing in the community and there was no
consideration given or even a heads up that hey you got you might be going into
a building that we deem being deemed to be blighted. I think that's a little
disingenuous. >> Thank you.
» Thank you very much.
Holt. Holt, are you still here? There you are. Okay. Uh, the next on the list
is, uh, Yarn Sharon, it looks like to me.
I'm having trouble reading some of these names. Uh, Chris and Marky
from Children's Gift Outlet, Carol Richtol,
Anna Ladden perhaps. Okay. So anyway, Holt,
take it away. Thank you. >> Hello. Hello. My name is Holt Zidler.
I'm at 265 Somerfield Road in the evil Northbrook.
Uh, as some of you know, I'm on the school board of D29 and I'm currently
serving as president. So, I'm actually usually on the other side of this table
until I can appreciate uh your position. First of all, thank you for your
service. I think there is no greater impact to a whole community than locally
elected public service. There's nothing that beats it. Uh I want to make a few
quick points in a simple ask that's consistent with my peers in um nutrier.
First, I'd like to reiterate Peter Tos and Chris Johnson comments. There is
impact to schools. There is. We stand by our estimates and our
communications. In fact, we believe it is our duty to inform our community of
our concerns. I will say I'm encouraged by some of the dialogue um tonight
already. there may be a shift in messaging from there's no impact to the
math to we could work something out let's talk and hash out a deal that may
be possible second a key philosophy of mine is to always seek what is fair if
any fans of John RWS in the audience fairness principle in my board meetings
I've talked about timing and messaging concerns I think it's fair to insist on
truthful messaging and I think it's fair to insist on timing to not feel rushed
for a magnitude of this size uh and so that's the Third point and the ask. So
I'd ask this village board uh just like my colleagues to consider delaying the
vote on a tiff maybe for a long time or permanently but at least until an IGA is
in place that makes schools whole. I believe it's possible and fair. Thank
you. >> Thank you.
» Hello uh dear toes of the village. Uh my name is Yav Shaon. I live in Glen View
in the Avoka 37 school district.
I am also a school board member but I'm speaking here as an affected taxpayer
and more importantly a neighbor. First I want to congratulate you for
your 100th uh anniversary of the village.
I understand the challenge posed by the vacant building specifically where
Mariana once stood. uh it is your duty and responsibility as the trustees to
find a solution that restores and revitalize that property and I share
that call. But I urge you not to proceed with the
tax increment financing district. You argue that a TIFF is the only
solution that avoids raising taxes. Yet a TIF does not create new money. that
$175 million would need to come from somewhere.
Uh as property values outside the TIF rises because of inflation, those
property owner will bear a larger share of the tax burden. School and other
taxing district may also face pressure to increase rates to fund additional
students and services generated by development inside the TIFF. And when
taxes rise, the residents will connect these increases to the decision you'll
be making next month. Worse, many of the people who will bear
those higher taxes have no vote on this board. They live outside the village
like me, but share the same school district and other taxing bodies.
The reason the TIF has a lesser impact on residents of the village versus other
options that you uh investigated is because you are forcing people outside
the village like myself to chip in. Uh that is not how good neighbors should
treat one another. Uh a commercial developer and that is
your goal. Uh the first thing they will be looking for is customers and likely
beyond just within the village. Al alienating neighbor neighboring
residents by shifting taxes into them is a poor way to build a lo loyal customer
base. Uh and finally a personal plea. Our
political system is under strained. Too often people feel that elected officials
make decisions without broad public support.
Um and it's clearly here that I don't know how what's the percentage but there
is a strong opposition to this tiff and the result of that is growing
frustration and declining trust in government. So I implore you uh do not
contribute to that trend. Please seek B public support before making a decision
this consequential. Thank you very much.
I'm going to talk a little slower and a little louder because I've noticed
that's been a problem and mind listening to some of the fine comments. I'm Marky
Geekas. I own the children's gift shop at 310 Hap Road, unit 128 in the
Northfield Village Center. I oppose the tax extremate financing proposal the
board is considering. I oppose the proposal because it not only will
completely destroy my business, it will also deprive Northfield and surrounding
communities of the valuable service that my store provides. To understand my
opposition, you must understand what the Children's Gift Shop is all about. I've
been in Northfield for 35 years. 10 years on Northfield Road and 25 in the
Northfield Village Center, my present location. We have been we have been
voted the best toy store on the Northshore multiple times in this
period. My mission for the past 35 years has been to ignite the imagination and a
sense of wonder in our children so they can discover themselves, their passion,
and their purpose. In fact, it is the power of play that
captivates all of us and allows us to be our truest selves. So, in this world of
speedy digital connections, how does an independent Northshore brickandmortar
business, in this case, children's gift shops, stay relevant? The first brick
brick, excuse me, the first brick in any brickandmortar store is, of course, the
selection it offers. On buying trips, whenever a manufacturer tells to me,
"Oh, this sells everywhere." I just roll my eyes. I cherrypick like crazy to
offer a curated collection from only trusted vendors with the highest
standards. After 35 years, I am well tuned into the tastes and needs of our
community. The choices I make are the learning tools that we offer to enrich
children's lives based on their needs and their parents' goals. The expertise
is irreplaceable. Unlike the big box stores, in addition to knowing our
customers, we don't have to commit to products a year in advance. We can
quickly adapt as markets change and new trends appear. Another brick is the
Northshore experience you all have learned to expect and enjoy. In our
case, this means expert product knowledge and our enthusiasm to match
the child's age and abilities to the perfect gift. Our economy depends on a
small locallyowned businesses that create jobs and play a central role in
keeping consumer dollars and our own communities. When you support us, it
allows me to employ eight plus local souls. Hire a local insurance agent, an
accountant, a printer, an IT guy, security customer security company, and
even a window washer. More bricks. It's a big risk to open any independent
business. It takes an enormous labor of love, courage, and that Midwest work
ethic. Again, more bricks. If you have been in our Bright Happy store, you have
my met my amazing staff who support sustain the children's gift shop and me
beyond measure. Their product knowledge and amazing stamina, oh boy, is the
mortar between the bricks and makes everything possible.
Finally, this is really important to me. It became painfully obvious during CO
that available spaces like our neighborhood stores, restaurants, parks,
groceries, libraries offer us personal community interactions to help us
reclaim balance outside of the digital world, enhancing the quality of life for
our families and the entire community. It is inconceivable that you would
destroy this valuable gift to the community with this ill-considered,
hastily assembled TIFF proposal. Thank you.
Can I sit down or stay up here with you? Can I sit?
» Hi, my name is Chris Geekus, excuse me. And I'm the chief disposal
officer at the uh >> children's gift shop, which means I take
out the trash every day. Um, I'm also a lawyer and I sent to I
think you and to your your council what is a legal memorandum in my presentation
is going to be substantially drier than what you heard earlier and from my wife.
Um, the first stop on this journey for you
is to determine whether or not the neighborhood that you're trying to
designate as a tiff area satisfies the eligibility requirements of the tax
incentive redevelopment act. And you're not going to be able to rely on
the report of your expert. And I have tried to outline in my memorandum to you
uh why that is uh to summarize it briefly. Generalized conclusions about
the area that you're dealing with and the properties that are there um are not
sufficient to support a determination of blight or conservation area which is a
little bit less. I think that of the four factors that Freriedman has
identified, two of them are not satisfied, one of them has to do with
deterioration and the other has to do with non-compliance with the current
code. I think you all remember probably that the village adopted the 2021
building and fire codes and if I understand the logic of the Freriedman
report because all these buildings are substantially older than that they don't
uh satisfy the current code which I think is wrong as a matter of law
because the codes specifically provide that uh buildings that were compliant
with previous codes are grandfather bothered in they may be non-conforming
uses but they are permitted non and lawful non-conforming uses. So it is
wrong we think is a matter of law to conclude that they're non-compliant with
the existing code. And on the other factor that we think is not shown
deterioration. The case law that I have cited to you
that I've looked at and I hope that I'm right. This is not an area I practice
in. The case law is that routine wear and te and wear and tear of property
does not add up to deterioration. Perhaps there are vacancies, but the
market, the free market that we all adore, is essentially designed to solve
those problems. And even if it's going to take some time to do that, that does
not mean that the properties involved are deteriorated within the meaning of
the tax incentive act. So, I just have a couple of more thoughts and ding-dong.
Um, I think you sit here patiently and you
listen to everybody and I know you're taking every what they say quite
seriously. Um, and I know you're not going to respond to me to the points
that I've made or any of the other folks have made. But that's not going to work
in the court. The policy question, there are two prongs to this. One are the
policy questions. Is this a good idea? Is it a good idea to short the schools?
Are you shorting the schools? Is the plan uh being developed enough so that
they will be sufficiently protected? The policy question presented here by Mark
is are you going to destroy existing businesses? And you are. There's no
question about it. And is that a relevant consideration?
And that's all essentially within your discretion. What's not in your
discretion are the eligibility requirements. And you've got a learned
lawyer here on the on the board. You've got one of the preeminent municipal
council in the in the um in the state and they will be able to advise you. The
question that you have to ask yourself is this going to be defensible in court
and the generalized conclusions that are in the report that
I've seen of Freriedman are not sufficient to do it. Now, my last
thought is this. I sent you a preservation demand, and I hope you
didn't weren't too offended by it. The second to the last paragraph of it says
that I'm doing it because of the likelihood that this is going to end up
in litigation. That is sufficient of a justification for you to do an a uh
executive session non-public where you can talk to each other and hear from
your council which would be protected by the attorney client privilege anyway. So
be you'd be able to uh keep it confidential. And I don't mean secret, I
mean confidential. And the point of it is that it was allow
you to have the interchange amongst yourselves as to whether or not you can
defend it because that's where you're headed down to the daily center in the
city of Chicago. Thank you.
» Carol Ritchell. Yes, please. Anna Ladden,
Tanya Walt, >> sorry,
» Brad Rosett. Okay.
Uh, Carol Richel, 81 Hap, you are a tough act to follow. My god. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um, >> oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I always do
this. Okay. Um, Simon was one of the people who brought up a petition that
was raised to ask you to slow down and ask for a referendum. As of this moment,
I believe there are 1,126 signatures on that petition.
Truth is, you weren't slowing down. You haven't slowed down. a second petition
actually was started which specifically just let's see uh it's asking you
basically to stop stop this um so as of a few hours ago I can't read my own
writing there were um oh god 200 >> 54
» thank you 254 signatures on that one okay I'm rambling here okay so I'm
piggybacking on what Sam Simon brought up what I believe Terry brought up as
far we have asked you for a referendum and actually at one of the meetings when
Tracy you were specifically asked would you consider it what you said was no
essentially because it would slow down the process which kind of speaks to
we've made up our minds don't confuse us with the facts I'm sorry to be offensive
if I am offensive and the other thing you know
I think it's up to the elected Ed, you elected representatives, it's your
responsibility, sorry I'm flumbling here, to um to res
to represent your constituent constituents.
It is our responsibility to hold our elected officials accountable and that's
what a whole lot of people are trying to do. Thank you. Thank you for your time.
Good evening. Analic 276 Bristol. I live in Northfield for 25 years.
» Yes, absolutely. So, two things that I've noticed tonight. Several of you and
we do appreciate everything you do. Had to correct yourself and you said when
Tiff is going to pass and then you quickly corrected yourself and you said
if TIF is going to pass. And I'm not the first one who noticed that tonight. It
is a bit concerning. Second comment, when the lovely old
resident, I believe Mary, right, was sitting here and she used the word
vibrant. I don't know if you've noticed, we all clapped. When any of you used the
word vibrant, there was a dead silence. So, I think there's got to be some
difference here. That's two things that I've noticed
tonight. I am also been working in Vanetkcoa public schools for 28 years. I
have my colleagues here. I have the friends of my children here who on the
board. And what you don't know and what you
don't see when the families move into the village and the district because of
the services and there is no adequate pay. And I see
it every day and I'm sure Dr. Tragas see it every day too. That's what creates a
difference for the teachers and you really really really I am asking you to
listen to the board. They did not come up with those ideas because they just
look at the numbers. They came up with those ideas because they feel it on
every day on their back. Please give us an opportunity to have a referendum.
Thank you.
Tanya. Oh, Tanya or Brad. One or the other. Whoever's ready. Good to go.
» Good evening, President Mendrich and trustees, two of whom are my neighbors.
Um, I'm Tanya Wallik, a 21 year Northfield resident, two houses at
Sunset Ridge parent, and I've spent the last five years in development finance.
These views are my own, not the views of my employer. Um, I have some prepared
remarks, but I wanted to start with a comment that Erica made, and just you
guys are really impressive. Like, I'm walking out of here, every one of you,
so immensely proud of this community on either side. Just wonderful. And and I
was thinking about what Erica said and one of the things for me, maybe not for
others, is that this has felt like a public relations campaign. It has not
felt like a genuine exchange. And so I've and and as an example, at 12:57
today, there was an email sent out and I took a meeting off because I wanted to
read it. And it's there are facts in it, but it is misleading in order. It is
misleading. Is there's things in there that are distractions. They're not
proof. They're apples to oranges. They're not guaranteed and they're
unclear. And I've listed those in here. But I would encourage all of you to have
more direct engagement with all of our citizens versus trying to
sell this to us. Um, now to the prepared remarks. Uh, more philosophical. Years
ago, uh, Dominic's before Marianos closed for a few months over a roof
leak. And my husband and I always joke about this because we got a flyer in the
mail that said, "We're sorry for this tragedy."
Begs the question, "What is a tragedy?" It's not a grocery store closing, we
survived that. It's a child hit on Willow, Wagner, or Waneka roads because
traffic keeps increasing. It's schools so overwhelmed with new students that
classrooms balloon and services dwindle. It's a downtown that looks like the
Glenn and lacks the quirky character and characters that we all moved here for.
These are the unintended consequences of good people making short-sighted
decisions. I know those consequences firsthand. I lived down the street from
Trustee Judas and Trustee Galen and I was backing out on Avon out of my
driveway and I looked both ways and a car was speeding around the bend near my
house and it almost hit me. Traffic pushed on my street after Willow Road
was widened is an unintended consequence. And I know what those
services mean. My son, who couldn't speak at three, with the help of this
district's services last spring in seventh grade, was named most
outstanding student. This year, he's in his second year at Nutrier in math.
Unbelievable. That's what it's at at stake when we
talk about school funding. And it's not an abstraction for me. We've been here
before. As I understand it, in 1955, a developer eyed undeveloped land here.
Residents didn't wait for incentives. They formed a park district and bought
the land themselves. The paper mocked it as invalid. Voters backed it anyway
twice. Today, that land is Willow Park and Middlefork School. This town already
works on its own terms. Northfield's charm is its schools, its parks, and its
trails. We all want a vibrant downtown, but not at the expense of a 23-year
mortgage. We earn a fixerupper. Please don't take out that mortgage on a house
that's already selling itself. Thanks.
Hi, Brad Ross at 1040 Arbor Lane over in Meadow Lakes. I don't doubt anyone's
passion here uh for or against the TIFF. Everyone on this board, everyone who has
spoken, it's all about what is best for Northfield.
And what people are asking for, it's not no, it's not yet. uh they want more
information, they want more time, they want real numbers before this $175
million tiff, yes or no. The message has been pretty clear. There's been a
thousand people on a petition and that's roughly one in five registered voters in
this uh village. For comparison, only 1,542
people turned out to vote in the last year's municipal election. That's a 32%
turnout. This petition represents nearly twothirds of that. Many voices on one
issue outside the election cycle. What residents are asking for is more
time, not a rejection. TIFF money is public money, diverted public uh
property tax revenue, and the public deserves a real framework on how it's
spent, not just a headline figure. Right now, we have a $175 million number. A
few lines for construction, maintenance, and administration. No one, three,
five-year cash flow projections. No sensitivity analysis.
Private development is already happening in this corridor. Well, without any tiff
help, which should make the board seriously question where is it but for
test is even met. When asked for a plan, residents have been pointed to a vision
2040 uh plan, a general vision document, not a financial model. And then there's
the bigger question. A tiff hand significant leverage to whoever
developers show up with a proposal. Once that money is committed, this board and
this community are reacting to developers plans instead of setting the
terms on our owns. Before we commit $175 million or so, I uh residents uh deserve
a clear villageled vision, not a developer on one. What what are the
mixes? Residential, commercial, industrial. Uh what do we want in the
corridor? What does this mix look like 5, 10, 20 years now? Not just at uh
project completion. What tax flow pro projections do we have right now?
H um how the future uh decisions get made once this money is committed. Does
the board retain real control or does the approval uh hand the control over to
the developers? My ask tonight is specific. release all of the
documentation, SB Freriedman and others, the deliverables, not the excerpts, but
not a summary presentation, all of the background information so every resident
can take a look at it and an analysize it themselves. Um,
so that's it. I'm just looking slow down, define the vision before the
developers do it themselves. Thank you.
The last uh three slips are Tana, I think, Hitch, Rick Zalinski,
and boy, this last one, it looks like C H E T Han.
I got it. Okay, great. Tana, >> hi. Good evening. I have heard a lot
tonight and a lot of emotion and a lot of dedication. I wanted to clarify
something that was important to me when I was thinking about this. If a a
village has a tiff, they cannot structurally keep a school out of the
tax instrument increment financing. If the village decides to move forward with
the tiff, what that means because their overlapping tax bodies that all the
incremental tax revenue is diverted into the villages tiff fund rather than going
to the schools. But as you were saying earlier, while a village can't exempt a
school district from the TIFF baseline mechanics, they can enter enter into a
legally binding IGA, intergovernmental agreement. Through an IGA, the village
can agree to carve out a specific portion of the TIFF revenue and pass it
back directly to the school district to offset any financial strain or handle
new student enrollment. In many states, including Illinois,
statutory protections require the village to reimburse school districts
out of the tiff fund if the new development directly causes school
enrollment to increase or brings in more children. And I didn't understand that
before and I just wanted to clarify it for everybody. Thank you.
» Thank you,
» Rick Sinski.
Just in case there's someone upstairs, we'll give them a minute.
And last but not least, is it
» Shaathan? >> Jathan.
» Okay.
» Good evening and thank you for the time. Uh I am Chathan Sharma live in 2251
Bracken Lane. uh very actively involved in everything that goes on in the
village. Patrick knows the email exchanges we've had uh going going on
for a while now. Right? So I think you know first of all I kind of want to
reflect what uh some of the people here said. I do not believe the village board
is out to destroy this village. Right? Many of you live here. Many of you lived
here longer than I have. And I I don't believe that you're here to destroy the
village, ruin our schools and turn this into an unlivable place. Right. I I
don't I do not really believe that. But at the same time, when I go through
everything that you put out there, I've read every single document, every single
communication that you have sent out, including the email that came out this
afternoon, which kind of seemed a bit, you know, last minute.
The one thing that kind of strikes me is I moved to Northfield about 11 years ago
because I liked sleepy old town that Northfield is at the moment, right? When
you talk about vibrancy, I go to happen. I had dinner at Blue
Blue Fish or Blue forget the name of the restaurant. Bluefish, I think. Uh, I go
to Stormies and you know I really do not want any more vibrancy than what we all
about you but you know
I really
I step out on a Friday night and you know other than casinos and you know uh
betting stands and things like that there's enough in this village to kind
of you know keep me happy Okay, I do agree that the Marianos is a blight. I
understand all the problems that you're trying to deal with and we should do
something about it, right? But I don't know if that requires $175 million over
23 years. That's the part I do not understand.
So for me, the appeal is look, this is not one against the other. We're not
here to fight with each other. It's really to understand what does that
mean, right? What do you mean by a vibrant downtown?
is does it involve big box stores? Does it involve you in a cannabis
dispensaries? What exactly is vibrant? That definition may be different
compared to like you know what the board has versus what the residents think but
I think as someone I think it was the last speaker who said give us more
details right tell us what the plan is 2040 yes I've read that plan it's a bit
vague it's a bit far off right so what we need is something that's real
something that makes sense to all of the people and I don't think you know I
would say no to tiff just just like that without understanding that once Once we
understand that, once we know where we're going,
a referendum would be great. If we can have that, it's a democracy after all,
right? That'd be a fantastic move on your part to do that. But all I'm
asking, just like a lot of people here have asked for, is look, you're not our
enemies. We're not your enemies either. So, let's kind of work together. Give us
more details, slow down a little bit, and I'm sure we'll get to a place where
now we can do the right thing for the village. Thank you.
» Thank you.
Okay. Is there anyone else who didn't submit a slip or who I may have missed
who'd like to speak at this point? >> Does it have to be on? Can I make an
announcement? >> Is that I should have done it at the
beginning. >> Come on up. It'll be a nice distraction.
No, just um just that if you go to our caucus website, tell us who you are.
» Oh, Beverly Smith, 772 Heap Road, Northfield, um chair of the Northfield
Caucus. If you go to our caucus website right now, you'll see that we have a
call for future trustees that we will be interviewing at the end of September and
the application deadline is September 7th. So, tonight you see people here
that are interested in village issues. just wanted to make that announcement.
Thank you. >> Thank you.
» Okay. Um so now uh board members, we have a
chance to um discuss this amongst ourselves. Um
first of all, I want to thank all the residents for for taking the time and
and sticking with us for this long period of time to share your concerns.
Um, board members, anybody want to have a go at any thoughts they have after all
of this? >> I I I'm going to start. Um, I appreciate
everybody sharing their thoughts, their concerns. Um,
I've really struggled. I reached out to some of my fellow board members having
been a resident in Northfield for way too many years.
The div the division, the divisiveness,
the threats, the mistreatment of human beings,
whether it's schoolboard members, whether it's village board members who
are trying to look out for the best interest of
ourselves. And I I think that we really need to
look what's going on in this country and and some of these other countries and
say to ourselves, do we really want to be looked at like that
by the people that we represent? And I I think that um
there's not one board member sitting up here at the dis tonight who would do
anything intentionally
to hurt our schools who give our our students
the best education in the area. And I look at Dr. Treyos right now and I told
him, "You want a free advertisement? What Nutrier did for my boys is amazing.
And my wife and I never thought we would have two kids in Big 10 schools. I mean,
it's it's awesome. Go Hawks. But in in in in reality, I I think that
the strongest message that people need to hear is the fact that we're trying to
work together with the schools to reach a common goal, and that is to make
everybody happy. And is that achievable? I sure as hell hope so. And I'll do
everything I can in my power as an individual board member to make that
happen as well. But I I I just end with what I'm saying is is
this is really tough for the people who love this town, who live in this town to
see the division of what's going on with our community. and and I I see a couple
of our business our business people here tonight. I will tell you
I will do anything I can to support you guys if something happens. And I know
it's if or when or however anybody wants to say it, but as a village board, we
support our small businesses. We patronize them and we want them to
exceed just as well. So, you know, I I I know we can get through this and I I
think it's just everybody's got different opinions, but we can't let
those opinions get in the way of friendship and civility. Thank you.
» Anyone else? >> Uh big comment I'll make at the end of
the end of all of this. Um one, we're listening. We've been listening all
along. Um, just because we don't go on various platforms and
um, engage in debate there doesn't mean we're not listening and paying attention
to what everybody's talking about and what's out there. Um, I will reiterate
from my side of the world, I've got students in the school system. I want to
see them go to good schools. I'm not going to wreck my kids school. I mean,
like, come on. Like, uh, but at the end of the day, where I think that leads to
is our next steps. IGA was mentioned a few times tonight in
different ways. I think there's ways we can put that together. I think we're not
any I think it's be tough um because there's multiple factors to how an IGA
can work, whether it's the amount of students that move into the district,
whether it's the um CPI increases that happen, how to reconcile that, whether
it's the new growth side. I mean, there's multiple If you love charts,
check out school finance. It's the best way to look at multiple charts on growth
and what it looks like over time. So I tell I say that in the sense that we are
paying attention to it. We're trying to figure out how to make that all work to
what Trusty Whitaker was saying. Um the unfortunate thing about negotiations is
you said everybody's going to be happy. A lot of negotiations I've been in not
everybody ends up happy at the end of the day. Um, but I think there's a path
for us to go down that can ensure that our schools are still in a good place.
Well, making our downtown do the things we've been asking, people have been
asking for with their downtown for years. I'll refer back to the Hap Road
survey, 900 residents, 85% said they wanted a better downtown. The caucus
survey that came out, I think it was 2023
or four, right in that range, two top two things were a better
downtown. So, at some point we have to listen to our residents that are saying
we want our downtown to be improved well balancing making sure that our
schools are in a good place. And the last comment I'll make, not to speak for
my other trustees, but we've had lots of us have had one-off conversations. This
is not being taken lightly in any way, shape, or form. And in fact, in some
ways, I'm sick of talking about I'd rather talk about some other things like
how the Gophers are going to beat Iowa this year um for Tom's benefit. Um,
but when we we look at at at all this I think we're all in very different
places. Please do not discredit and just say we're all same thought process. We
are in very different places trying to make sure that we're coming to a
conclusion that makes the most sense for the village as a whole. There are 5751
people here according to our sign, but it's probably more than that according
to the world population deal. we have to represent all those vi all the folks in
the village across the board and we're trying to do our best to make sure we
can do that. So please give us some grace on trying to figure this out um
and make sure that we have the right conclusion. I think this board will come
to that right conclusion at the end of the day. But I appreciate the work
that's been put in by everybody. I appreciate the comments from everybody
and thank you for packing the room. I didn't know village board meetings would
be so exciting. So thank you everybody.
Um, I I know I'm the quiet trustee. Um, I try to do a lot of listening and right
now I'm processing a lot. There's a lot of good conversation tonight. Uh, a lot
of thoughtful comments, compassionate comments, respectful
comments, and I would urge the the public hearing, you know, will be
complete tonight. Um, but I would urge that those that sentiment continue. I'd
like to hear from more people in the community with with that same idea.
People that understand that this is a complex problem that's has a lot of
nuance to it. It it doesn't it's not reducible to a sound bite. And I'd like
more people to have thoughtful conversations like we had tonight. I
that that's immensely helpful to me and I think it's immensely helpful to
everybody else up here. >> Charlie, go ahead.
» Um I just kind of kind of got a question and some comments. Um Patrick, when you
say we're not doing well, by what standards are you talking about?
Excluding the Mariano site, because what I've seen is full parking lots and busy
businesses on a daily basis year round. The whole downtown area has been doing
were very well. I talked to Hoffers and I talked to all the people that we have
in those businesses. They're doing exceptionally well. I talked to people
in certain other businesses. They're complaining that their parking lots are
being filled by other people that are walking across the street to go to those
businesses. So, um, the other thing is that doesn't get talked about much is
790 frontage, which the new three-story medical office building is going into,
which is going to clean up that section if people want to talk about blight or
they're not happy with what was there. So, I think that's a that's a huge plus.
Also, there is a phase two that's been discussed for the Joselyn Center
property that the developer has said that they are working on. They're buying
up other property. So, there's other development there's that's going on
there as well. And yes, this I agree this is a complex issue. Uh this is
getting very difficult. But I also think that you know as trustees that are
elected by the residents and when you look at and I took the the list here as
I was kind of for who's kind of against it, who's kind of neutral. Um, you know,
there's an overwhelming response. An overwhelming response. And I also before
I came here tonight started going through the from August 16th till today,
we had 71 people that are opposed to the TIFF and 10 basically that said they're
for it. So, and I didn't get a chance to go back because there are so many
responses we're getting. And that's what I've pushed for and I think people need
to is to constantly email the Vgroup. Reach out to our fellow trustees. Reach
out to Tracy. Reach out to the village manager. I think the Vgroup is a great
way to to share your opinions because the way it's set up is that the village
manager is the only one that's supposed to respond so that we get to see his
response and we get to see your input. Um, again, you know, not to beat a beat
a dead horse, but I've lived here 67 years and if you look at where we've
been and where we're going and the development that we've had and the
changes, it's incredible. I feel after this centennial that I've lived here for
a hundred years because all the work that I've done and we've done in
researching this uh history and there's a lot of tremendous history and I agree
and Erica, what you said was spot on. I agree. There's been things that have
happened that people that were friends aren't talking to each other now.
There's things that have happened and I think we have to we have to uh put out
the olive branch, so to speak, and really look at what needs to be done. Um
I would hope that I've never gotten the answer to this yet, and I don't know if
Tracy can answer it or Patrick, but I I agree. What is the rush? I feel like
there's this big push. We have getting development. I I look at all the people
that come to these meetings. I look at all the people that have emailed uh
people that we talk to each other on the street whether it's at the centennial
which I tried to avoid any tiff talk at the centennial because that was our day
to shine and celebrate. So I wore the no tiff talk at that night for a reason
because I think we needed a couple days to heal. We needed a couple days to
focus on what we have back here against the wall and what the work that the
committee especially mayor roads myself um you know all of us have done Tracy.
So I think um you know I would like to see a slowdown and I I've been opposed
to the tiff from the very beginning because my primary concern is our small
businesses, our local businesses. Uh Trusty Whitaker and I worked on a
committee that we came up with during COVID and I came up with the slogan shop
eat explore find it northfield that we had on our vehicle stickers until the
centennial sticker came up this year. Trusty Whitaker and I and Melissa DeFao
worked on making sure that we advertised and advocated for our small businesses.
So, and that's what I'm trying to do now because if the business owner doesn't
own the property, that person is at risk of losing everything. And you have
people here that own their business that live in town that I feel we have to
protect. And no matter what you say, pro or against tiff, my biggest concern is
that yes, we can cont try to control zoning and all the other things we do,
but if some developer wants to come in and he fits the zoning, uh, we're going
to get sued if we try to stop him from doing something. And I worry that a
place like Hoffers or UD dog has got millions of dollars invested in their
business, in their equipment. And what'll happen is somebody comes in and
says, "Oh, I want to put an apartment complex here, but I don't want to put
retail on the first floor." Or if they do want to put retail on the first
floor, what they want to do is you'll be out of business for a couple years.
We'll lose that tax revenue. And once a business is gone for a couple years,
it's very difficult for people to come back and establish that. And then in the
meantime, where are they going to go? And if they do get a spot back in that
location, what's the rent going to be? So that's why I'll be honest. From the
very beginning, I've been against TIFF. 30some years ago, because I've lived
here forever, they tried to do a TIFF from where Pam's building is, where
Metamorphosis, all the way down that row to where Suels was, which is now
Stormy's. And a big part of the tax increment financing that they wanted to
do was the imminent domain section of that where they wanted to use imminent
domain to knock all that down, build a hotel, do all these different things.
And it was strongly defeated by the residents of this community at that
time. And I wasn't involved politically at that time. I was raising kids. I was
busy doing my jobs. But when I look back on that now, I feel like we're in that
same position right now that we have to protect the integrity of our small
businesses and the integrity of Northfield. If you go back to the
history lesson, especially when you look at the walls and you look at the stuff
at the park, it really shows you where we've come and where we're going. and
that it it's worked out. Yes, there are things that we could do better, but you
know, I think when you listen to the people, which is what our responsibility
is as trustees, overwhelmingly they're against this tiff. So, that's why I'm
against it and that's why I don't think that, you know, we have to protect our
small businesses and and protect our community. So, thank you for your time.
» All right. Um, I just want to say thank you very much to everybody who's taken
the time to come to the meeting, to write the village board, to talk to us
personally, to have conversations. I think the strength is in conversations
and people getting together and asking questions and having a dialogue, you
know. Um, I also appreciate all of the people up here who have who have worked
together to try to promote and sell and make Northfield a better place. Um, I I
do want to encourage a m uh meeting with the business owners to have a discussion
and maybe come to terms or at least a discussion about what's wanted from
them, what's best for them because I know that there's some mix. I've spoken
to some people who want an SSA and are fine with their property tax going up
4%. I've talked to some people who thinks that that would put them out of
business. So, I think it's worthwhile maybe having a business meeting um with
them. Um, and I also think a as a teacher who teaches at Nutrier, whose
children go to Sunset Ridge, whose wife works at Nutrier, I'm heavily invested
at not just this community, but those schools and Middle Fork and AOKA where I
did the eighth grade meetings for 16 years. Um, I encourage everyone as an
educator to get their information from the facts. Go to the school's website,
read their Palooi report, go to the villages website, do your research.
Please, please do not rely on social media. As an educator, I beg you not to.
It is not a valid source. Go to the facts. Do your own research, please. Um,
and I encourage the continued dialogue. I encourage people to ask questions, to
reach out, to write the village group. I I think as we celebrated and spent time
um at the Clarkson Lodge and spoke to different people who came back, there's
love for this community as a whole. And I think that involves the businesses,
that involves the schools, that also involves the people who live here. And
I'd like to use this opportunity for us to work together as a whole community to
improve this and not divide and fraction this because this is a beautiful
community with incredibly strong schools, wonderful businesses that have
been here for years and years, many of whom, you know, we frequent you. My kids
were at Udogu yesterday. I was just getting a slice of pizza at Northshore
before this meeting because we didn't have food today. Um, but I, you know,
this is a community that we all love and I want that established. I also want
people to know that you're being heard. You know, we're reading every single
email we receive. You know, we're having conversations. You know, please, if you
have my email, reach out. I'm happy to have a conversation with you.
» Thanks, Andrew. It's been a long night, but I think a very productive night. And
to your point, I think we are listening and hearing what people have to say. and
I appreciate the general tone of uh the dialogue tonight. Um so I I I took a lot
away from that and I think if we continue that I think we can make
progress and come to a good solution one way or another. So um very encouraged
about tonight. >> Okay. Thank you.
All right. Then with nothing further for the public hearing, may I have a motion
and a second to close the hearing? Motion to close the public hearing at
this time. >> Second.
» All those in favor? >> I
» I >> opposed.
» I declare the public hearing closed at 9:49 p.m.
» But don't leave. There's more board meeting.
» The next item on the agenda is the trustee liaison reports.
» Oh, you guys aren't you guys aren't going to want to miss this.
Trusty Yetus, would you like to start? >> I would be happy to.
» Um, >> can I just ask for quiet as you exit the
room, please? Thank you. >> Uh, well, this is probably the most
exciting month for me to give a report on the schools. The schools are back in
session. Students are back at school. Parents are relieved. teachers are
excited to welcome the new students across the board both at Sunset Ridge,
Middlefork, Avoka, and at Nutrier. Um because the timing of the meeting, I
don't have a great deal to update on uh Sunset Ridge, but I will say at uh
Nutrier, uh you've probably noticed the construction that's going on at the
Northfield campus. Uh they modernized those outdoor facilities for athletic,
kinetic, wellness, and community use uh because of an 11 million donation as
well as some additional district funds. Um that will provide a lot of things,
some some things I've learned while it's gone on, but the bleacher replacements,
the new stadium scoreboard, additional accessibility, and a fitness path, which
I thought was kind of exciting. So, uh at the WKA campus, there's new science
labs. Um and five more are under construction. They've moved post high
school counseling to be most or more accessible and uh they've changed some
of the security to make it uh more more efficient.
There's a lot more if you want to read their briefs.
If anyone wants I have a copy here. >> Okay. Thank you.
» Nothing on planning and zoning this month.
» Okay. >> Uh park district, I have nothing. Uh,
Red Center, we're in the pro process of starting our budget and hoping to have a
proposed budget by the end of next week and then we will have budget
subcommittee meetings in October and ready to go for approval. So,
» okay, >> there we go.
dressy or >> uh VOCA school update. We met they met
on August 20th and um they gave us a really nice shout out for the centennial
and promoting that and helping us to promote that with uh uh at their
meeting. So, thank you very much to the VOCA school board for the shout out for
the centennial. Uh they're if you want to go make it brief, go to their
website. There isn't really anything special that's going on as far as
bizarre that we really have to cover. Um, their next meeting is September 17th
at Marie Murphy at 6 o'clock. Architectural did not meet in August.
Their next meeting is Monday, September 14th. Correct, Steve?
» Okay. And then the Centennial, I think we talked about that plenty. Again,
thank you very much to everyone that came. Thank you to all the businesses
and all the individual donors. It was a huge success. We are planning the next
one coming up. So, um, be prepared for that. Um, I had people say, "Why can't
we do this every year?" here. I said, "Well, that's an awful lot to do the
101st, 102nd." But, uh, I think hopefully Ribfest will take the next
level to that. Uh, also, uh, please join us on Friday, September 11th at 8:30 at
the fire station to commemorate the 25th unfortunate anniversary of 911. I know
the police and fire department and Tracy and the village manager are working with
the fire chief to plan that. Uh, so that was um, awesome. And then there's some
neat news with the police pension. I was told the other day that they're
basically almost at 70% funding, which is up from about 62 to 63% at their last
pension meeting. So the investments that we've made, the extra money that we put
is helping that investment do much better. So I think that that's a really
uh cool thing. And then also shout out to the police department for hosting the
PD uh community rollouts. I think there were five of them. I think I attended uh
four of them. They were awesome. Uh I think you know some weren't as well
attended, but I think it's a great program and I hopefully you can do that
again next summer. But there were some really cool moments and it was great to
interact with the police department. So thank you very much for that.
» Uh since our last meeting, the library board has had two meetings. They had a
special meeting in early August to discuss the JRB. I was not present
there. Patrick was there. I think you guys know the result of that. If you
have any specific questions, Patrick can probably answer it. And then last week
they had a regular meeting and of relevance is their their understanding
or their hope is that um by October the post office should have a response about
the what they want to do with respect to the the library renovation and if you
know at that point they can continue hopefully the their planning. So Patrick
maybe have more on that um in your report but that's it. Northwest
Municipal Conference should have a meeting in September. They're off the
summer and there should be a report for that. Then
» no ZBA meeting in August, but we're going to have a big time on September
2nd because there's four things on the agenda. So, we've got some stuff coming
up for ZBA. Um, stop on by at 7 p.m. >> Okay.
» Thank you. Um, the departmental reports were provided in our packets. Do
trustees have any questions related to those reports?
I I don't but I just want to say something in in conjunction with the
centennial. The public works, police, and fire were Johnny on the spot for
everything. And I I think we we take for granted our essential services, but what
we have in Northfield is an amazing group on all the from admin down to
police, fire, and public works. We're we're very lucky. So, thank you guys.
Thank you. >> Thank you.
» Okay, Greg, anything from the village attorney perspective?
» No report tonight. Thank you. >> Patrick, anything you'd like to report
on? >> Just one thing. Uh, as some of you may
have heard, we had a high school student struck at the uh cross near the crossing
on Waneka Road near the uh trail east of Lagoon. Um, Dr. Dr. Tyos and I spoke on
Friday about uh that crossing and the fact that it's a route to schools and
there are a lot of people cross there and we had a discussion about the
potential for a rapid flashing beacon at that intersection. I know we've got one
just west of there, but I wanted to check to see with a group what your
thoughts are on us entertaining initial discussions with the county about what
we could do for that crossing and possibly the forest service district.
» Absolutely. >> Yes. Okay. So, we'll get working on that
and uh despite a late afternoon Friday outreach, he promised me that it
wouldn't be a bad news and it was not. So, thank you.
» That is it. >> All right.
» Quick quick question for for Patrick. Um, as promised, I just wanted to for
you to give us an update on the sidewalk potential sidewalk issue across from
Middlefork. >> Sure. So, um, we recently received, uh,
preliminary plans on what their site layout could be for the new school. Uh,
it looks like, and I'm looking for Steve to give me a nod if I'm wrong, but a
significant change in the way that they cue vehicles for school. Uh, which will
give us some different opportunities for a midblock crossing, we believe, at that
intersection. It's still preliminary uh but it's uh data that we're going to be
continuing to work with the schools on and meet and talk about the possibility
for getting a midblock crossing in that may not need to wait until the school
construction starts. Right. >> So we may be able to work something out
sooner and I'm still chasing uh Schroeder concrete on answers about um
their work in that proposed for that area.
» And then is do you have an update from the village standpoint on the post
office? Um, we finally have a contact at the post office to help shepherd through
our request for consideration of a temporary location for them and a
permanent location. Uh, the person has the requested information that they had
asked me to send them and they just haven't gotten me a response yet. Uh,
the last update I had from him was on Thursday or Friday of last week and he
said I just hadn't had a chance to look at it yet. So, I have a reminder on my
calendar every Monday to send him a paying reminder. What's our status?
» I'll let you know as soon as I hear more, but I'm keeping the executive
director of the library apprised when I do have outreach.
» Do I I know he's not standing here anymore, but you you have a new the
village has a new employee. >> He's sitting right there.
» He's sitting right there. >> Oh, there he is. See the
» Did you just walk in when I turned my head?
» No. >> Okay, great. Thank you.
I'd like to introduce Brett Stewart who's uh just joined us on Monday uh
joins us from Colorado where he was an assistant to the village manager there.
He'll be at the same title with us but working on a much bigger scale as far as
assisting with special projects, communication, economic development,
public works, you name it, he's going to be the kind of jack of all trades for
helping us work through issues that come in. And uh I'd like to thank you for
authorizing that position during the budget last year. I think we've got a uh
a great find and he's already adding great value.
» Thank you. >> And Patrick, I want to clarify, people
were asking about that, but they forget that we used to have an assistant
village manager years ago and during monies that got tied or whatever wasn't
replaced. So, this isn't something new to Northville. We've had an assistant
village manager, an assistant to the village manager, which is, you know,
well overdue. We talked about this when you were get hired. So, I'm glad to see
that we're moving forward and helping you get additional staffing. That's
» much needed. Thank you. >> Great.
Okay. >> Anything else? Um, this concludes our
business for the evening. May I have a motion and a
» So moved. >> Second.
» All those in favor? >> I opposed. Thank you everyone.