[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:22] All right.
[0:29] Good evening, Winfield and welcome to the Winfield Village Board of
[0:32] Trustee's meeting for Thursday, September 3rd, 2026.
[0:36] Can we call the roll please?
[0:38] Yes, Trustee Carroll?
[0:39] Here.
[0:40] Trustee Jacobs?
[0:41] Yes.
[0:41] Trustee Janowick?
[0:42] Present.
[0:43] Trustee Longs?
[0:44] Here.
[0:45] Trustee Piscola is excused.
[0:47] Trustee Zimitis is excused.
[0:49] President Sorghez?
[0:50] Here.
[0:50] We have a quorum.
[0:51] Thank you.
[0:51] Can we rise to the pledge please?
[1:04] I'm the guy in this hall with liberty and joy.
[1:13] Do you have any correspondence this evening?
[1:15] We do not.
[1:16] Okay, thank you.
[1:17] I'm going to move on a point of privilege today, really to celebrate one of our wonderful
[1:25] residents of Winfield who has been here almost his entire life.
[1:29] In fact, he has been here his entire life, who just celebrated his 100th birthday, John
[1:35] Carwowski Senior.
[1:38] I want to congratulate him first of all and just talk a little bit about John's background
[1:41] in history which is very colorful and think about this going back to 1926 as a resident
[1:49] of Winfield. So John was born in 26 and is one of the oldest living born and raised
[1:55] Winfield residents. One of his earliest memories is from 1932 when he was in first grade
[2:01] at St. John the Baptist School. And in those days, how some of the kids got to school included
[2:08] writing ponies to school, and they left their ponies in the barn behind the school.
[2:14] And of course, when they had to go to the restroom,
[2:17] well, that was the outhouse, which was in the back since there was no indoor bathrooms
[2:22] until approximately 1937.
[2:26] So when the kids got older, they learned how to drive by driving farm tractors.
[2:31] And John remembers driving his father's studa baker when he was 12 years old.
[2:34] And for summer jobs, the boys helped at local farms to cut this whole out of the wheat,
[2:42] or in the fall they cut and hust corn, all for a whopping 35 cents an hour.
[2:49] For fun, local kids played in the pit, which is now where Caliandos is.
[2:55] And they swam in the DuPage River by the Aurora and Elgin Rural Bridge near Geneva Road, which
[3:01] which happens to be right where that bike trail is over in that area.
[3:07] Local businesses, when they really were getting started here in Winfield, one of the characteristics
[3:12] of the time, aside from multiple taverns, who served a relatively small population,
[3:20] the original tavern owned by the car waskies, stood near today's village hall, where
[3:34] the
[3:34] John also served in the Armed Forces.
[3:36] Mary's wife and John were stationed in Japan in 1949
[3:40] while John was in the Army.
[3:42] From 1948 to 1976, the Korean War started June 26, 1950,
[3:49] and he went off to fight in the war on July 1, 1950.
[3:53] He retired from the Army as a major in 1976.
[3:58] In 1953, John took over John's buffet from his parents,
[4:02] and they opened the liquor store in 1956.
[4:06] Those of you who have been in the community
[4:07] for a longer period of time,
[4:09] I'm sure remember Johns with Fay
[4:10] and when it still had the liquor store next to it,
[4:14] before that all became part of the restaurant area.
[4:19] Also, John was instrumental in the first fire department
[4:22] here in Winfield.
[4:25] So when there was a call for the fire department,
[4:28] it was at and made to the Karrowowski home and John's buffet.
[4:34] When someone called the fire department they dialed number 100.
[4:37] There always had to be someone at home in case the phone rang
[4:40] and the caller was a resident needed to reach the fire department.
[4:45] John would make the music stop playing when the phone rang
[4:48] so they could dispatch the volunteer fireman if needed.
[4:52] And John was the fire chief from 1974 to 1988.
[4:56] And in the early days, they were paid a dollar per call, but he remembers that going up
[5:02] to the whopping $10 a call.
[5:05] In the 1970s, John hired musicians to play Dixie Land Jazz on Friday and Saturday nights
[5:10] at the tavern, because he and his wife Mary enjoyed the music.
[5:15] And John's son also named John took over in 1988 and remodeled the liquor store in 1995
[5:22] five and opened the restaurant or the new side of some called it until it closed in
[5:26] 2017.
[5:29] Another business that John founded along with Jack High and John Knippen was the Bank
[5:34] of Winfield in 1967.
[5:37] John was the director of the bank from 1967 to 1992 and in 1993 it was purchased by the
[5:45] Bank of Detroit and changed names.
[5:48] It was then purchased by First Chicago, then Bank 1, and then Chase Bank, which of course is what it is today.
[5:56] So I want to congratulate John on his 100th birthday.
[6:00] That's really a fantastic milestone and thank him for all of the good things he's done for this community over the years.
[6:07] And I wish him all the best and hopefully many, many more years to enjoy his life here in Winfield.
[6:13] So congratulations, John.
[6:14] Okay,
[6:22] that brings us up to item number five, audience participation and presentations.
[6:26] Under 5A, public comments, the opportunity to speak to the village board is provided for those who have a question or comment on an agenda item or a village wind field issue that will stimulate thought.
[6:36] So as to make the village board deliberations more productive and meaningful, the village board appreciates hearing from our residents and your thoughts and questions are valued.
[6:46] Public comments can be made in person, or provided in writing until 3 p.m. the day of the village board meeting to be read into the public record and written public comments can be sent via email to infoatwinfieldvillagewinfield.com.
[7:02] Respect for the duties of the village board and for the democratic process will be adhered to in this regard civility and a sense of decorum will be strictly followed.
[7:11] All speakers must address their comments to the board and comments that are personally
[7:15] condescending will not be permitted and please use the microphone when speaking as the
[7:20] proceedings are being televised and please state your name before commenting.
[7:24] While not required, it would be helpful for the village board for citizens to state if
[7:29] they are a resident of the village and all comments under audience participation are limited
[7:34] to three minutes and each citizen will only be permitted to speak once.
[7:38] So, do we have any public comments, is he any?
[7:41] Feel free to go right up to the podium.
[7:51] Hi.
[7:51] My name is Karen Araqawa, and I live in the Klein Creek subdivision on the 14th hole of
[7:56] the Klein Creek golf course.
[7:58] We are here tonight as a community, which several of them will be still arriving there at
[8:02] curriculum night, to bring the board's attention to the unsafe, unhealthy, polite conditions we have been
[8:09] living with for the past six years.
[8:11] I have packets to hand out.
[8:25] Here are some recent photos taken this August of the 14th whole pond.
[8:31] As you can see, we have thick algae covering the entire pond, two trees down in the pond
[8:36] since July 4th storms, four trees down around the pond since the July 27th storm, branches
[8:43] ences are bent or dangling around the pond, and each week branches are breaking and
[8:48] falling in her backyards and back into the pond.
[8:51] Furthermore the pond is littered with storm debris and the storm water drainage is completely
[8:56] blocked and covered with algae.
[8:59] Mark, can you show them the blocked algae one?
[9:02] Weeds are in excess of two feet and growing all around the pond.
[9:07] Several of the homeowners around the pond have repeatedly called the golf course, notifying
[9:11] them of the conditions.
[9:12] We have had your code enforcement officer and arborist out to survey the conditions.
[9:17] They are very sympathetic to our case and have made several unsuccessful attempts to meet
[9:22] with the course manager at the Klein Creek golf course.
[9:27] Now I have a second packet.
[9:34] If you look at page one of your packet, in property and tort law, the definition of a nuisance
[9:41] is an unlawful or unreasonable interference with someone's use and enjoyment of their
[9:48] property or interference with the rights of the general public.
[9:51] A private nuisance is an activity on neighboring lands such as loud noises, foul orders, or
[9:57] toxic smoke that substantially harms an individual's enjoyment of their property.
[10:03] And a public nuisance is an action or condition that harms offends or endangers the safety,
[10:09] health or comfort of the entire community. The condition of the 14th and 16th
[10:15] whole ponds on the Klein Creek golf course are a nuisance to the home owners
[10:20] that live on and around those two ponds. We cannot enjoy our own backyards due
[10:25] to the file odor from the algae. The danger of trees are branches falling in our
[10:30] own backyards and the condition of the pond that creates an unreasonable
[10:33] interference with each home owner's use and enjoyment of their property. If you
[10:38] Please turn the page two of your code packet.
[10:40] The Village of Winfield operates under the International Property Maintenance Code.
[10:46] Businesses are legally required to maintain their grounds, stormwater management systems,
[10:51] and water features to prevent public nuisances or unsanitary conditions.
[10:56] An LG Philpon violates the Village Maintenance Standards if it creates stagnant water, foul
[11:02] odors, and breeding grounds for insects.
[11:04] The Klein Creek Golf Course Ponds on the 14th and 16th holes that are covered with LG have
[11:10] stagnant water, file odors, and create breeding grounds for insects.
[11:14] This is the first code violation I would like to bring to the board's attention.
[11:19] The please turn now to page three of your code packet.
[11:22] The International Property Maintenance Code and strict stormwater and floodplain regulations
[11:27] state businesses are legally required to maintain their drainage facilities and retention ponds
[11:33] so they do not become stagnant pools.
[11:35] Public nuisance are breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
[11:39] Turn to page four.
[11:40] The village of Winfield is supposed
[11:42] to regulate the retention ponds
[11:44] and storm water infrastructure
[11:45] under Title 11, Chapter 3, and Title 12,
[11:49] Chapter 1 of its municipal code.
[11:51] Specifically, Winfield Code, Section 11-3-6,
[11:55] Subsection D6 explicitly mandates
[11:58] that storm water management easements
[12:00] must be adequately maintained to remove any accumulation of vegetation,
[12:05] silt, debris, or any of the material that interferes with the flow operation
[12:09] of retention and detention ponds.
[12:12] Please look at the picture of the stormwater easement on the 14th hole.
[12:16] As you can see from the photo, the stormwater drainage located on the 14th hole
[12:20] easement is completely blocked and has not been maintained for six years.
[12:24] There is no flow and is not operating causing flooding in our backyards when it
[12:29] range or when there's a heavy snowfall. This is the second code violation I like to bring the
[12:34] board's attention to.
[12:37] Can I have someone else read it then?
[12:42] What did you say? I have a third code violation to read. I can have someone else read it then.
[12:49] I can do it. Okay. If you turn to page five of your packet, the village of Winfield
[12:53] enforces the removal of down trees on business properties through its code enforcement division
[12:59] and under standard property maintenance regulations.
[13:02] Fallen, dead, or structurally hazardous trees
[13:05] on private business properties are legally classified
[13:08] as a public nuisance.
[13:10] Page six now.
[13:11] Under Title 4, Chapter 8 of the Winfield Code of Ordinances,
[13:15] downed or hazardous trees on commercial properties
[13:18] can be legally declared a public nuisance.
[13:21] Once again, Winfield enforces the International
[13:23] Property Maintenance Code.
[13:25] Debt or following trees must be cleared by the property owner to eliminate safety hazards
[13:30] and maintain community aesthetics.
[13:34] And finally page 7 of your packet.
[13:37] The village of Winfield adopted the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, which gives coded
[13:42] enforcement officers the statutory backing to site commercial properties for failing
[13:47] to maintain their grounds.
[13:49] Or leaving dangerous neglected debris on site.
[13:51] This is the third code violation I would like to bring the Board to attention to.
[13:56] In conclusion, the Klein Creek Golf Course is deliberately and intentionally not maintained
[14:02] the ponds on the 14th and 16th holes.
[14:05] He has sent threatening legal letters to several of us homeowners, but has forgotten our fifth
[14:10] amendment rights.
[14:11] The harassment we have endured is grounds for a lawsuit, but we are here tonight to mandate
[14:16] the village of Winfield take immediate action.
[14:18] The Klein Creek Golf Course is clearly in violation of three wind field codes.
[14:23] The village should be sending the formal, written letter and citation to the course as soon
[14:28] as possible and notifying the golf course of the specific time frame window to comply.
[14:33] If action is not taken, by the golf course, the village according to the village rules and
[14:38] regulations should find the course until all code violations have been addressed.
[14:43] In addition, the village can either clean up the ponds or hire outside contractors.
[14:47] The golf course would be charged for the work and a tax lien placed on their business.
[14:52] We, the Klein Creek subdivision, will not be silent or allow this to continue.
[14:57] We are fully prepared to take this to the next step of the village.
[15:11] Thank you, and I believe some of my neighbors might have a couple comments.
[15:30] So I'm passing just one sheet. Sorry, I brought that to the table. Mark Rens, also Klein Creek subdivision. Ben here since 2018.
[15:39] And the first photos are of the pond 2018 when we first moved in the back as he paged through our of current. And there's the picture of the drain that Karen pointed out where there's just debris blocking that I've gone out.
[15:55] personally and cleared it when we've had a lot of rains to clear the floods, but
[16:00] otherwise it's backing up in our yard.
[16:02] And my last point would just be that with the the odors when we go through a drought,
[16:07] I personally mow my lawn.
[16:09] I hold my breath for the last 10 feet of my lawn as I mowing down towards the pond and
[16:16] then come back up for fresh air, that's what I call it.
[16:18] So it is quite disturbing.
[16:21] our back deck we haven't really used because there's nothing pleasant to look at.
[16:26] We took pictures from the deck, if you could pass that, because I know it got to the village attorney.
[16:31] I would really insist that they do look at it, so.
[16:35] No, they don't say that they want to know what they thought they saw it on.
[16:38] No, it's separate photos, it's top to the village attorney, just make sure you all see it, please.
[16:43] But that's all I would say, thank you guys for all your volunteer work.
[16:46] I appreciate that and your time and if you could just take this under consideration.
[16:51] Thank you.
[16:56] Good evening.
[16:57] My name is Gibbs Vanderkuck.
[16:59] I've lived in Winfield and on Klein Creek the 13th Fairway for 26 years.
[17:05] I would lend a bit of caution to all of you on 14 because when I moved in 26 years ago,
[17:11] I had a lovely pond behind my house.
[17:15] We had ducks, it was lovely.
[17:17] After a few years it started to go down a little bit.
[17:20] We discovered that the clay tile drain that drains the water from 13 to 14, okay, was broken down, and we couldn't get them to repair it.
[17:30] Now, I offered this concern because there was a time between then and now where 13 looked just like 14 does.
[17:40] And I couldn't get the village, I couldn't get the golf course, I couldn't get the DNR, the core of engineers,
[17:47] the Department of the Environmental Protection Agency to take any action.
[17:53] I even copied our president of the village and didn't even get a response.
[17:58] Okay, every year, send a letter to the golf course asking him to please remove the down trees.
[18:04] Please take care of this quagmire.
[18:07] If you look at it now, you would never guess it was ever upon.
[18:11] Every year, I get a different excuse.
[18:13] Every year, I get no action.
[18:16] The implication to me is that nobody has a concern with the fact that I get the put the putrid smells that you're talking about.
[18:24] I've got animals coming up into my yard.
[18:27] It's unpleasant for people who want to sit in my backyard or sit on my deck, but it falls on deaf ears.
[18:34] We've had a progression of owners.
[18:36] The first owner seemed to do a pretty good job.
[18:38] The second owner says we all know went into bankruptcy and it started to fall into disrepair
[18:44] when the new owner bought he made all kinds of promises and every year he makes
[18:49] more promises and now he doesn't even return calls or emails. So I just plead
[18:55] the village to take some action before 14 and 16 end up a quagmire like I have
[19:02] on 13 and like I have to deal with every day. Thank you.
[19:09] Are there any other
[19:10] comments?
[19:15] Some of these neighbors called us so on Monday we did send a letter to
[19:19] to client-creek golf course bring young concern to get in 30 days.
[19:23] We'll put Peter and his team put that out there to reach that to see if we can rectify
[19:27] any conditions.
[19:30] Blast chance.
[19:31] There's any other comments?
[19:33] Can you guys see none?
[19:34] What happens after 30 days?
[19:36] There's nothing changed.
[19:38] We're not able to go to the back and forth on this, but we'll try to communicate that.
[19:53] There's no further comments, so we're going to move on to item number 5B, which is the center
[19:58] out there.
[19:59] Yeah, so in the background, a lot of progress is happening.
[20:03] We're having our bi-weekly, a really week meeting with the architect and construction manager.
[20:09] This week we sat down with them and we really finalized the floor plan.
[20:14] The couple issues that our architect Andy is looking at is going to come back to us with.
[20:19] And then on the bond issue inside, we have a large call today that trustee Carol and
[20:25] Village President Sorgets were on we need to come back to the board in size what that
[20:31] edition looks like so Connie and her team are directed to come up with a few
[20:37] different options for the board to review a week and then we can take that to start
[20:41] finalizing the official statement. In some positive news or it's all positive news
[20:47] but our little playground over at Rip Walk Park got some wind viral with a busy
[20:55] It is a Instagram and Facebook account of a mom who goes around with the kids and reviews parks and our playground got pop marks and a lot of great comments on that.
[21:02] So shout out to Busy Beaver.
[21:03] Busy Beaver's, that concludes my report.
[21:08] Thank you.
[21:09] I'll bring us up to item number six, which is a consent agenda on our 6A minutes from the August 20th, 20th, 20th, 26 village board meeting.
[21:17] Item number six, B minutes from the August 20th, 20th, 20th, 26 committee of the home meeting.
[21:22] Item number 6C, payment of bills for September 3rd, 2026, the amount of $403,209.
[21:29] Those are the three items, I would move for a motion, please.
[21:33] Can I ask that we pull C?
[21:35] Okay, we would pull C.
[21:37] So we have item number 6A and 6B, can I have a motion to approve, please?
[21:42] Second.
[21:43] Okay, we have a motion in second, can we call the roll?
[21:47] Trustee Carroll?
[21:48] Yes.
[21:49] Trustee Longs?
[21:50] Yes.
[21:51] Trustee Janowick?
[21:52] Yes.
[21:53] And Trustee Jacobs?
[21:54] Yes.
[21:55] Motion passes.
[21:56] Thank you.
[21:56] So on item number 6c.
[21:58] Trustee Janowick?
[22:00] Yes.
[22:00] I'll continue to voice my opposition to the continuation of the use of JASCULATURN and JT Communications.
[22:07] As a PR firm, we were told during the lawsuit that this was a necessary and I supported the
[22:20] the lawsuits over, I was not pleased with their services overall, but
[22:25] I don't think we should continue to use this firm.
[22:29] And on the side note, I support our need for
[22:33] communications help and support, but I think that this is not at this price point,
[22:38] the right approach for the village of Winfield, so I just want to make that comment.
[22:42] And I'll do that every time one of their bills comes up, until we stop using it.
[22:46] Thank you.
[22:48] Okay. Thank you. I don't necessarily agree with your comments. I think they were very instrumental in getting us to a successful conclusion in the lawsuit, especially in communicating that information to the community.
[23:00] And we are looking at some other options currently. So, but in the meantime, you know, we do have some other issues that we want to address. And until we can take a look at what those other options are, we'll probably continue to use them especially with the next newsletter that comes out.
[23:15] Let's see, November?
[23:17] Yeah, November.
[23:18] I do have a proposal of another firm going back and forth.
[23:22] I'm dying on that.
[23:23] And that proposal is correctly.
[23:26] Great.
[23:27] And for what it's worth, I'm new said because of the price point,
[23:30] but mine is really more because of the quality of the work.
[23:33] So we might have different opinions,
[23:35] but I think there are multiple factors.
[23:39] Okay.
[23:40] So can we have a motion to approve item number 6C, please?
[23:43] These?
[23:44] Some of them.
[23:48] Second.
[23:53] We did, right?
[23:55] We did, right?
[23:55] Do we vote at A&B?
[23:56] Yes.
[23:57] A&B were part of the consent agenda.
[23:59] Yeah, okay.
[23:59] They were both approved.
[24:01] Okay.
[24:01] So we have a motion?
[24:03] Second.
[24:04] And a second.
[24:05] On item 6c.
[24:06] Okay.
[24:07] Trustee Longs?
[24:08] Yes.
[24:09] Trustee Janowick.
[24:10] Yes.
[24:11] Trustee Jacobs?
[24:13] Yes.
[24:13] Trustee Carroll?
[24:14] Yes.
[24:14] Motion passes.
[24:15] Thank you.
[24:16] Item number 7 approval.
[24:17] We will enter governmental agreement between the village and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, C-MAP, to establish responsibilities for local technical assistance programs.
[24:30] And real question is, you're all more welcome to stay.
[24:34] I know there are some things in the life that are probably more exciting than bill and board meetings.
[24:37] I hope you want to get to those and we'll not be attending us if you leave.
[24:40] Thank you.
[24:41] Thank you.
[24:42] Thank you.
[24:43] We appreciate it.
[24:45] All
[24:56] right, thank you, Village President.
[24:58] I am pleased to present the Intergovernmental Agreement with CMAP, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning,
[25:05] to receive technical assistance for the creation of a new bicycle and pedestrian plan for the village.
[25:10] Staff sent an application to CMAP last spring for this program,
[25:13] knowing that professional planning services for a new bicycle and pedestrian plan.
[25:17] We're included in the 2027 budget with the intention of replacing the old one from 2011.
[25:23] After going through an interview process, for our application, CMAP notified the village last June that we were one of the community selected for the local technical assistance program.
[25:35] The IGA they have provided is in front of you tonight for approval and establishes the respective responsibilities of CMAP and the village under the program.
[25:44] It's important to clarify that approval of the agreement does not commit the village to construction of any particular
[25:52] Pedestrian or bicycle improvement rather a bicycle and pedestrian plan is intended to identify and
[25:58] recommend potential improvements based on professional research and stakeholder input to guide future decision-making during the capital budgeting process.
[26:11] The village's local contribution under the agreement is $20,000, which is an $80,000 savings compared to the budget $100,000 for the service.
[26:19] The contribution payment will be due to CMAP in October of 2027, CMAP scope of professional services involving planners and engineers will include assessment of existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and conditions, analysis of crash trends and other factors affecting safety, identification of challenges and opportunities for improved connectivity both locally and regionally, public and stakeholder engagement, which will involve a Syrian committee, formal recommendations for improvement
[26:49] improvements to existing routes and new connections, and identification of potential grant funding sources for future implementation.
[26:56] The final plan will include an existing conditions report, a key recommendations memorandum, and a final plan document containing infrastructure and policy recommendations.
[27:06] The final plan will also identify actions to be taken within two years to advance certain recommendations with cost estimates, grant opportunities, and project types in mind.
[27:16] The timeline and public engagement schedule will be jointly established by CMAP in the village prior to commencement of the work.
[27:22] It's expected the project to take around 12 to 15 months from the project kickoff to village board adoption of the plan and with that I'll be happy to answer any questions.
[27:38] Any questions for Ben?
[27:42] I've got to guess a handful.
[27:43] I guess I'll say I'm excited that this is, I'm excited we have the opportunity to do
[27:48] this.
[27:48] I know the Public Works Committee talked about it and has heard lots of feedback from the
[27:51] community and Rahats fielded lots of questions on this intersection and that intersection
[27:56] and what can we do about individual items and I think the Public Works Committee.
[28:01] The philosophy was it's hard to do each of those individually without having some sort
[28:05] prioritization. And I guess I have a few questions to start kind of big picture. Do we feel like this is the right we budgeted based on some estimates, I believe that $100,000 was, I'll say from private consultancy perhaps.
[28:20] Correct.
[28:21] Do we feel like we're going to get the product we want? I'm excited about the savings. I just want to make sure we're getting do we think we're still get a comparable product for that lower amount?
[28:29] I believe so, CMAP does a lot of great work.
[28:33] They do have planners on staff that could also be staffed on a private firm.
[28:40] It's also possible that they could bring a private firm in.
[28:44] We wouldn't be responsible for payment to them, but we would have to approve who that firm
[28:50] would be, and that would go through the whole stakeholder process input.
[28:56] But so it would be probably mostly them doing the work, but I am confident it will do a
[29:03] good job.
[29:04] Great.
[29:05] And the fact is, the regional planning agency for the area, they can see federal funding.
[29:09] They are pretty much considered a cold standard for planning in Northern Illinois for us.
[29:14] That's what I was hoping to hear.
[29:15] The idea of public input that you brought up, is it clear, will it be, you know, there's ways
[29:21] to ask for public input and really do it in a check the box kind of way.
[29:26] Do we feel good that we'll have kind of multiple opportunities and lots of different ways
[29:31] for us to get the input from the community, which I think they really want to share?
[29:34] Well, one of the things I want to do in that regard is to have a certainly a steering committee
[29:39] appointed for that, and you know, one of the persons obviously I'd be looking at would be
[29:45] the owner of our wonderful bike shop in town and a couple of the individuals that were
[29:54] on the bike committee previously, but there's others I know in town.
[30:00] That we'd like to get involved with this process, so that's important. And that does bring in that, you know, local input for sure. The other thing I'm excited about this because if the Roosevelt Road upgrade takes place, which supposedly could happen in the next two years, with the, well, at least the last plans that we reviewed showed a bike trail on the north side of Roosevelt Road.
[30:29] but with no connectivity across Roosevelt Road to get across to Cantini.
[30:37] So that would be another thing we certainly want to look at with CMAP to see what kind of options.
[30:42] And then we probably would try to bring in Cantini into that discussion and then also the county of DuPage.
[30:49] Because there could be the possibility of getting an extension from Mac Road all the way out to Winfield Road,
[30:57] which then would allow for access to the bike trails that then continue further south and of course go west.
[31:06] So because the only option now until the bridge is completed over Roosevelt road over by 59,
[31:15] which you have to find a way to get across there, when that gets completed, that would be the only route.
[31:20] And I think that's going to be done within another 12 or 15 months.
[31:24] But it would be nice if we had access for people on the south side of the track stew to continue on from that direction.
[31:31] So that's all part of what I think we can pull together here.
[31:34] And then in the village itself, how can we improve the flow and the safety issues,
[31:40] even where there's the crossover part by, I'm trying to remember the name of the park.
[31:59] There's a cross over one field road there, so, you know, again, just looking at all these different points, how can we connect?
[32:07] And one of the things that I've seen actually in the last couple of days, I don't know if it's the same person, but so many riding the bike on
[32:13] when field road which is narrow as it is with really no designated bike and that could be dangerous.
[32:20] So if there's a way that we can find for people on the north side to get all the way to the south side in a safer way that would be another thing and then enhance the town center to kind of, you know, from commuter standpoint, take your bike right to the commuter station or take your bike and come downtown versus driving the car.
[32:41] As we know, our traffic tends to be picking up here lately and it's only going to get a little bit more.
[32:47] So those are all the things that I think with this opportunity we're going to have a chance to address.
[32:52] I love it.
[32:53] I'm glad you're thinking about it in the big scope rather than the small scope.
[32:58] And I think that idea that someone who lives on Winfield Road, lots of people around their backside winfield road and it's precarious every time.
[33:05] We know sidewalks will be when we ask for public feedback.
[33:08] So, do we think the idea of their recommendations, do we have any feel for, if their recommendation is everybody should have a sidewalk?
[33:18] That's not necessarily realistic from a budgetary standpoint.
[33:22] Do we think that they create, or can we ask for, a prioritization list, or I know sometimes as we're how to share it, have gone into, you know, a 20-year plan that creates one sidewalk on each side of each street that will connect.
[33:37] in some way is how will they approach that?
[33:42] Yeah, so they'll definitely see input from the public,
[33:46] usually in the beginning of the process.
[33:51] And if there's hesitation to install sidewalk
[33:56] in certain neighborhoods, I would guess they wouldn't recommend it.
[34:01] But more just, they're not going to come back and say,
[34:03] yes, everybody should have a sidewalk.
[34:06] They'll be more.
[34:06] No, they'll be more.
[34:07] We're not obligated to construction of anything in the plan.
[34:11] This is just a plan giving professional recommendations.
[34:16] So they go through a prioritization process where inter-connectivity to existing trails and pathways and sidewalks make sense around schools are always highly prioritized.
[34:26] So they'll come back to the prioritization.
[34:28] Sometimes it's heat-macked where sidewalks should go.
[34:32] But a lot of these questions are exactly the steering committees going to be doing.
[34:36] And I think it would be smart to have a mix of staff, public, and elected officials on that,
[34:41] where you can say this is what we're looking for.
[34:44] Gotcha.
[34:45] And I guess the only other question I have is just the idea of, I hope we don't leave out the north side of town a lot of the talk of town center towards Roosevelt.
[34:52] And I just want to make sure we don't leave out the north side of town and I hope we give them that direction.
[35:01] I'm sure you guys probably know some of the people that have come multiple times in the recent years.
[35:10] And I'm sure the people Karl mentioned would be good, but if we can maybe even get some of those people that they don't, they're not involved in every issue, but this is something they really haven't talked to people about.
[35:22] I don't know their names, but there's a few women I know that have come and there was one off of
[35:27] Sort of more in the north side where Dan's talking about
[35:31] So if we could just maybe try to seek out that different representation would be nice
[35:37] Yeah, I mean if there is a way even more client Creek is because you know, that's kind of like out there
[35:45] That's that's all part of one field so they're all gonna be part of the discussion we're gonna have is to you know
[35:50] So, what possibilities do we have and what makes sense?
[35:53] But it's only out there if you don't live there, to them at home.
[35:56] I guess what I'm saying is that it feels out there if you live on the cell side, but
[35:59] I think to them it's to be connected to everything else.
[36:02] Well, but for riding and walking and so on.
[36:04] When we do make the steering committee, it is a work and committed.
[36:08] You put in work.
[36:09] So, we need to make sure we find people who are committed to the process to show up and do
[36:13] things.
[36:13] Yes.
[36:14] Some of our committee's structural attendance and stuff, so just be talking with them.
[36:17] That's why I'm saying if we pick the people that we already know are like,
[36:20] kind of to add to the feedback process, typically we advertise on our Facebook website
[36:26] and it's like going to be an online survey.
[36:29] We put it on our newsletter, saying that the online survey that is open, and then there
[36:35] will be a public meeting, open public meeting, where public can come in, in person and providing
[36:41] information. So there will be multiple opportunities to provide input to this whole product.
[36:46] And then at the end, the board wishes to see sidewalk everywhere and we can have that in any kind of place.
[36:55] Sure.
[36:55] I mean, I'm not saying you put a sidewalk everywhere, but we told them that you could say, okay, that's the goal.
[37:03] And we are accomplished that over the next 50 years.
[37:07] So we could establish something like that too.
[37:10] So we're all going to go to curb and gutter, right?
[37:12] All right.
[37:15] I'd say that's at least the fifth, that's at least 50 years.
[37:18] You don't, you don't have to add kind of the matter of the sidewalk.
[37:22] You could widen the street,
[37:29] people that are walking on the street they come.
[37:31] So,
[37:35] yeah, the committee said it's more people's street.
[37:38] Yeah, I said that many ways of accomplishing sidewalk from like time to night.
[37:45] Okay, any other questions, comments?
[37:48] Okay, so we just need a motion on item number seven for approval of the
[37:53] agreement with CMA.
[37:55] So moved.
[38:00] Trustee Longs?
[38:01] Yes.
[38:02] Trustee Janowick?
[38:03] Yes.
[38:03] Trustee Jacobs?
[38:04] Yes.
[38:05] Trustee Carroll?
[38:05] Yes.
[38:06] Motions approved.
[38:07] Thank you.
[38:07] Move on to item number 8.
[38:08] Resolution approving the submission of an advisory public question for inclusion on the ballot for the Consolidate election on April 6, 2027 regarding whether the village of Winfield should permit video gaming in the village of Winfield
[38:23] to Page County, Illinois, and again, stressing the word advisory.
[38:27] So this simply would allow for a question to be put out there publicly, so that our residents would have the opportunity to opine as to where they would stand relative to video gambling.
[38:39] So I don't know if you wanted to add anything.
[38:41] That's correct, so oftentimes, Peter and I would call some local businesses or outside businesses wanting to know where we are with the video gaming.
[38:50] We tell them that there's quite the history of video gaming in this town of this permitted it was repealed
[38:55] There are referendums in there
[38:58] It's probably appropriate to ask the question again in the residence to make sure that this is something they still want
[39:03] Most of the businesses in town that call are in favor of it. They would likely add it
[39:07] I do know that we have the owner of Cali Indos in the audience today
[39:11] If you have any questions for him
[39:13] But again, this is we're not putting our fingers on the scale on this one
[39:17] This is an advisory referendum.
[39:19] The language would be very plain.
[39:22] And we would take the information
[39:24] and that would help dictate the direction
[39:26] of the billet board after that referendum.
[39:32] Any questions?
[39:34] Yeah, let me ask you, besides Kellyanne.
[39:36] How many other businesses in Winfield express interest
[39:39] in video gaming?
[39:41] I don't think we'd have a running tab.
[39:42] Peter, do you have any color?
[39:43] I know Cooper's corner is called.
[39:46] I just had a phone call today
[39:48] from a business interested in moving in town until they found out within that
[39:53] allowed video gaming. It's like, don't you know what business was? That was the one
[39:58] question they asked me.
[40:01] Just a second. Yeah, you're gonna shift. Yeah. So, it is
[40:06] a little bit interesting.
[40:10] Just a clarify or ask for sure. That is the wording, the
[40:16] the one that's on, the one that says should have the village
[40:19] of Winfield permit video gaming in the village.
[40:22] Yes.
[40:23] Is that the actual?
[40:24] That's where, what would I, if this is approved,
[40:25] that would be the actual network
[40:26] that we sent to town before the river.
[40:29] Okay.
[40:30] I asked because we've had a history of poorly written,
[40:35] by many people, and I don't, that.
[40:37] That by us, not by us.
[40:38] No, but just like, I'll buy many people and we don't want that
[40:41] because then yes, it's advisory,
[40:42] but then puts us in an awkward position
[40:45] to, oh but it voted this but it wasn't clear and so I just, you want to be finest attorneys
[40:51] in DuPage County wrote this language in the room with us today.
[40:55] Well it's very clear, that's it, that's it, one of, oh okay, it's very clear but that was
[41:04] my main concern is because we all know what I'm talking about.
[41:07] Yeah, it's pretty simplified, I believe we have some audience who want to, are asking to
[41:13] Yes, go ahead, feel free.
[41:19] Danny from Cali.
[41:20] My name is Danny, I'm the owner of Caliandos.
[41:23] Video gaming is, from what I understand in the past,
[41:26] was voted down because of the bad client.
[41:28] Tell her to bring to the city, or the village, I would say.
[41:32] I find that very untrue.
[41:34] I own another establishment in another town.
[41:35] It does not bring the wrong crowd in.
[41:38] This is a good revenue stream for the city as well for you guys.
[41:41] I mean, it brings in some money and for everything.
[41:43] And I'm losing business at night from people leaving.
[41:45] I believe people are leaving my establishment to what other sessions to play to slot machines to video gaming.
[41:52] That's not, I mean, all the surrounding communities have it, we don't.
[41:58] Also, there's a gaming company that I've been working with and they pulled some numbers and
[42:01] they said that there's about seven to eight people that in the city of Winfield,
[42:05] the village of Winfield, they want this, or that are available to have with a liquor license and stuff like that.
[42:11] So I think it's a good thing moving forward to do.
[42:14] I mean obviously it benefits me, it benefits you, we talked about this this morning in our meeting we had
[42:21] You did say that
[42:26] That's all I have. I don't know. Did you have anything you want to say?
[42:30] Yeah,
[42:37] my name is Jim D. Maria. I'm an investor in Kelli Indos
[42:40] One other thing I'd like to bring to the board's attention is if you so desire
[42:45] We could come to the next board meeting with statistics and how
[42:49] video gaming in certain villages, certain cities,
[42:53] has improved the revenue for those cities.
[42:56] We can actually give you numbers if that would help.
[42:59] So it's not a situation where we've already met
[43:02] and put together a coalition of local businesses
[43:05] in the village of Winfield,
[43:06] who would be in favor of video gambling.
[43:09] So we'd be happy to bring those folks here
[43:12] to the next meeting as well,
[43:14] as well as bring the statistics that show
[43:16] how video gaming in your village improves revenue.
[43:21] And I think that from a village standpoint, you all would be interested in learning about that.
[43:26] So if there's any other questions that you all might have on that regard, as Danny said,
[43:30] we've already met with a video gaming company.
[43:33] They've gone ahead and helped implement this in other villages around a surrounding area.
[43:38] And there would be no reason why we couldn't get it here in our village as well.
[43:43] Do you have any questions, did anyone ask?
[43:45] I don't have a question, I think thanks for those for you guys that came, I guess the process question of there, this isn't the only, this is a great resident feedback mechanism, it's advisory, it's non-binding, it gives us input.
[44:00] The actual vote on whether or not we would allow it in our town, there's a couple different paths rather than me butcher it.
[44:09] I think, I will, yes, and it may not be the answer you want.
[44:12] It's an advisory referendum.
[44:14] So there is no requirement that we take this information
[44:17] and act upon it.
[44:19] Probably good government to act upon feedback from the residents.
[44:22] But there's no requirement.
[44:23] So if this work to be voted on tonight
[44:26] and it was on the April election ballot
[44:30] and it was approved, I would come back to the bill
[44:34] at the board and say what do you guys like
[44:35] and prepare an ordinance permitting it in the billage.
[44:37] And then I would prepare that with legal, come back to you guys new program.
[44:42] If it failed, I think the issue's moved, moved, moved.
[44:47] Yet residents could still buy themselves, place it on the ballot, in a binding way.
[44:56] Not in a binding way.
[44:57] Okay.
[44:58] It would still be an advise.
[45:00] There's a three-referendum. Got it. And that's maybe where I was confused, and I'm glad you clarified.
[45:05] So, residents could not come up with their own referendum question. And it's like a get 25%
[45:10] of the village residents to sign a petition to get on the ballot. Am I mixing up a-
[45:15] You're right that they can, but it's not fine.
[45:18] Right, regardless of who's putting it on the ballot, it's going to be advisory, which
[45:24] Which means hypothetically, if 90% of the residents want this, the board can still
[45:29] say no.
[45:30] Conversely, if 90% of the residents say we don't want it, the board could still say yes.
[45:36] But as the manager pointed out, this is good government.
[45:40] We're asking the residents what do you want.
[45:42] With all due respect to the business owners, the issue is really your residents,
[45:48] not what your business owners want.
[45:51] And I think it's up to the business owners to, it's incumbent on them, if they feel this is a real important piece to assist them in their day and day operations relative to ensuring they have sufficient of income to continue as a going concern, then it's really their responsibility to get that message out to the community.
[46:13] So, community becomes aware of, well, why do you want to do this?
[46:17] And I think you can come up with some reasonable pieces of information for
[46:23] the community so that they don't understand how important it could be to a business to survive in the environment we have today.
[46:30] So-
[46:30] And just to remind the board members as well as the business owners, the village cannot advocate for one side or the other.
[46:39] We can only present facts.
[46:42] We can't say we really want video gaming,
[46:46] or we're really against video gaming.
[46:49] The most we can do is say video gaming means this.
[46:54] So as the president pointed out,
[46:56] if the business owners really want this,
[47:00] we would recommend that there, you know,
[47:02] be the ones that go out there and sell it to the residents.
[47:07] That's kind of what I was going to say is that I mean we can do it if we want right now
[47:11] and go through our own process.
[47:13] That's not really what I would prefer to do.
[47:16] I think I speak for myself and several other board members that we like the resident feedback.
[47:22] So I appreciate this tactic.
[47:25] Doing this first, I agree with them and if it comes back, yes, then I'd like to move forward.
[47:29] So I appreciate your offer to provide us more statistics.
[47:34] I personally don't feel now would be the right time to do that
[47:38] through the village because of what Dave said is that
[47:44] I think if we're going to put it to a vote,
[47:46] we want people to be up to your vote and not see, you know,
[47:49] like we're already saying one thing or whatever.
[47:51] So I like the idea of more of the businesses kind of helping to spread the word
[47:56] so people can get out and if they truly feel that they'll vote it
[47:58] And then we can take another step.
[48:00] Well, if I could respond to that, I think one of the things that's very important in terms
[48:04] of what they vote upon is to have the knowledge as to what they're voting on and what it means.
[48:09] So that was my point to try and provide that information.
[48:12] And I know when you all put the minutes of your meeting on your website, because I've gone
[48:16] there many times and read what you've all are doing, that would be a great thing for
[48:19] them to see exactly what it is they're voting on.
[48:21] And as far as Mr. Summers' point regarding the verbiage of that referendum, I know Mr.
[48:27] Williams, you were talking to our attorney, John Gore, Zach, you've had several
[48:29] conversations with John.
[48:31] My question to you would be, and I'm not to say anything about the way you wrote
[48:36] that prior referendum, the verba, John it, but couldn't it be something as simple as,
[48:41] would you be in favor of video gambling?
[48:43] Yes or no?
[48:45] Well, to your point.
[48:47] Yeah, to your point.
[48:48] The prior one that we were discussing was put on by a resident.
[48:51] It was not formally legally written.
[48:53] Oh, okay.
[48:54] I'm sorry.
[48:54] I thought they told me that you would put that.
[48:56] No.
[48:56] This question is word and should the bill of Winfield permit video gaming in the build of Winfield to pitch county Illinois?
[49:02] Yes or no? This one is good. The prior ones we've had have been very confused.
[49:06] Okay. But they weren't written legally. They were written by a general person.
[49:11] Okay. All right.
[49:12] I think we know.
[49:13] So while I'm not sure if I support video gaming in Winfield, my home tonight is about whether or not we'll ask residents about it.
[49:20] Yeah.
[49:20] And to be fair, I agree with you that people should have the information.
[49:23] I just don't think it's through the village channels at this point that they should be
[49:27] getting it, but I do want people to be informed.
[49:31] And I think what we have from tonight will be started to that, but I think we would have
[49:38] to do a more holistic presentation if we wanted in the minutes because otherwise it's just
[49:43] going to be the one side.
[49:44] But I agree with you in principle.
[49:47] Okay.
[49:47] All right.
[49:48] Thank you.
[49:48] Thank you.
[49:50] Any other questions or comments?
[49:53] And I didn't think about this till just now, and never mind, I'll wait if we get, we'll
[49:58] see what the residents say.
[49:59] Okay.
[49:59] All right.
[50:00] So I'd like to entertain a motion for approval item number eight.
[50:07] Second.
[50:11] Trustee Carroll?
[50:12] Abstain.
[50:17] Trustee Janowick?
[50:18] Yes.
[50:19] Trustee Jacobs?
[50:20] Yes.
[50:20] Trustee Longs?
[50:22] Yes.
[50:22] Yes.
[50:22] And because we have the abstention, President Sorgats?
[50:25] Yes.
[50:27] Motion passes.
[50:28] Okay, that brings this up to item number nine, which is an ordinance amending certain provisions of Title 1 of Chapter 6 of the Village of Winfield Code of Ordinance's regarding salaries.
[50:40] Thank you, Your Honor, I'll take this one.
[50:42] At the last committee of the whole, we have a thorough discussion of the elected official salaries that have not been updated since the 1990s.
[50:51] I just took that feedback back with Mr. Freeman and put the attached ordinance together that you have in front of you tonight.
[51:00] I guess I just offer the comment to remind our residents that this doesn't provide a pay raise for anyone who's sitting in these seats today.
[51:06] It's only for those who will hold these seats in the future.
[51:08] So we're not able to vote for a pay raise for ourselves, which I'm glad because that would be pretty uncomfortable.
[51:14] But I also agree that there's a lot of important thoughts around how do you make these seats more accessible to everyone.
[51:21] And I'm glad that the village is considering that when they make this ordinance.
[51:27] Any other comments or questions?
[51:29] I just agree with Dan.
[51:30] I agree with them.
[51:32] Okay.
[51:34] They want me to change to the clerk.
[51:36] Yes, so we are looking at making one change which would be to strike the clerk's salary to zero.
[51:46] Right now, the reason for that is we have an assistant clerk who is
[51:53] a staff person at this point and handles all of the clerk's responsibilities.
[51:57] So at this point, we're not in need of a clerk, so therefore looking forward at this point,
[52:05] we feel that we just want to put that at zero point.
[52:08] So anyone making the motion, the motion would be to approve the ordinance with an amendment
[52:18] to delete the reference to the clerk's salary.
[52:21] But not delete the reference to the clerk.
[52:24] Correct.
[52:24] In other words, we'd read the way it currently reads for the treasurer.
[52:33] Second.
[52:34] Second.
[52:35] I'm sorry.
[52:36] Who made the second?
[52:37] Second.
[52:38] Okay.
[52:38] Thank you.
[52:39] Okay.
[52:41] So we're voting on item number nine with the amendment as presented by Trustee Jacobs on
[52:47] that question.
[52:48] Trustee Carroll?
[52:49] Yes.
[52:49] Trustee Jacobs?
[52:51] Yes.
[52:51] Trustee Janowick?
[52:52] Yes.
[52:53] Trustee Longs?
[52:54] Yes motion passes as amended if you make that amendment and send it over to me sure
[52:59] So I don't remember ten authorization to reject the sole bid for the 2026
[53:04] street crack fill program and our
[53:09] Public Works director Rahat Barry will do the presentation
[53:13] Thank you so much. So public works advertise the 2026 street crack filling program on
[53:20] on August 5th and we opened the bid publicly on August 20th. Unfortunately, there was only
[53:26] one bid for this project. We expected two because there are only two contractors in the Chicago
[53:34] land that do the crackfills. So if anybody is looking into getting into business, crackfills
[53:39] will be a good business.
[53:43] So I reached out to the sole bidder and I asked him why the prices
[53:49] is much higher than our estimate.
[53:51] My estimate was based on a project
[53:54] that I advertised a couple of years ago in 2024.
[53:59] And I kind of took that and applied a 3% inflation to it
[54:03] and come up with a unique price.
[54:05] But he told me that there are a couple of reasons
[54:09] why the bid is kind of high because of the uncertainty
[54:16] in the market a little bit.
[54:17] He doesn't know whether the gas prices
[54:19] or diesel prices will be $7 next month or it's going to be $4 next month.
[54:24] So they are baking in a little bit of uncertainty, uncertainty in the bid process.
[54:31] And also since 2024, he said the unit prices have gone up more than 3% inflation that I was
[54:37] assuming.
[54:38] So I made a bad assumption on that part.
[54:41] He said the prices have gone up more than that, prices have gone up more like 30% in last
[54:47] couple of years. So now it's also more uncertainty to that whole thing. And obviously the another
[54:55] reason is that there is a what in construction industry they call it a mobilization cost.
[55:01] So to bring his all equipment, there is a cost to it. He has to low-boit and bring it in.
[55:08] So he'll lose the day or two in bringing all the equipments. So the smaller the project
[55:12] is your mobilization cost is kind of like the fixed cost, so you spread it over your
[55:17] variable cost. So if your contract is small, then your unit price go up. The last time
[55:24] when I did this project two years ago, that project was about $150,000, so mobilization
[55:30] cost could be spread over $150,000. In this case, it was getting spread over $50,000, so
[55:37] our unit prices were kind of high too.
[55:40] So he told me obviously the things that we probably know
[55:45] that if we had a bigger contract,
[55:47] our unit prices will come down a little bit.
[55:50] And he also made a suggestion which sometimes it works out
[55:54] that go early in the season, like go in March April
[55:57] because they are at that time trying to book the work
[56:01] for their year.
[56:02] So they are aggressive at that point.
[56:04] you know, in August, they're like, you know, we have my bread and butter and I will take
[56:10] it if I get the mayonnaise, you know, so it's kind of workout that way too, a little bit.
[56:16] So with all that information, there are three options that you have. One is reject the
[56:23] bit, so do nothing about it. Second option is, and that's a discussion I had with the contractor.
[56:29] We could reduce the number of streets, the number of units, if you want to say, and cap it at 50,000.
[56:37] So I will work with the contractor.
[56:39] You will have worked the project. I will work with him.
[56:42] And I will stop him. You know, we'll choose street and say $50,000, you are done.
[56:48] Go home. So that's the option.
[56:50] And third option is, and I'm trying to remember, there are so many things in my head.
[56:55] But third option is what is kind of it goes into a little bit detail is you reject the
[57:03] bid now and we go out in 2027, March, April, we bid it out for $100,000.
[57:11] So we will not do anything with the $50,000 this year.
[57:14] Board kind of agreed that $50,000 each year is a good number.
[57:18] So we will change that to $100,000 every other year and build it out in March, April.
[57:25] So we get a bigger project can cover more streets.
[57:31] At some point, and I had it in my previous employment, that you are in that three-year cycle.
[57:36] So you catch up with the street, and maybe like 10 years or 15 years, you will catch up
[57:43] with all the street at some point, then you could go back to a three-year cycle or something
[57:47] like that, but because we have not done crack fill for a while, we need to get started on
[57:53] it, getting started is always kind of difficult, and then once we get started, we stay on
[57:59] that every other year, and then in 10 to 15 years, if we catch up, then we can re-assess
[58:05] and say what we want to do.
[58:07] So just on a percentage basis, 100,000, how much as a percentage of the streets to get
[58:15] crack filled with that cover about?
[58:19] I don't have that number in front of me,
[58:23] but what I was, so $89,000 that he proposed,
[58:28] I was crack filling, everything that was resurfaced,
[58:31] up until last year, 2017.
[58:35] So if I took all the 2017 to 2025 state,
[58:40] we could do it for $89,000 that he paid.
[58:43] So you could cover quite a bit.
[58:44] But again, if you are in every three years, you are going to go back and re-crack fill those.
[58:51] So you are catching what ADS about or so to 2025 to.
[58:56] So if you think about our resurfacing cycle is every 20 years, so every three years you
[59:04] do one thought of it, right?
[59:06] So in 10 years, you're kind of going back and doing it again.
[59:09] Okay.
[59:10] All right.
[59:11] Any other questions?
[59:14] all right so I have a question yeah I mean what do you recommend my
[59:20] recommend is reject the bit that's what I wrote in the memo but but what's the
[59:25] what's the severity of you know of the issue right now whereas should we get
[59:31] started are there are there are the items or areas that are in dire need of it and
[59:35] if we push it back another year so I mean and so from my driving around all the
[59:41] streets, there are not many streets that, don't take it otherwise, we will get help from
[59:49] the crackfiller this time, except the ones that we recently resurfaced, like 2021-2025.
[59:56] Those four years are probably going to be helpful.
[1:00:00] But before that, those streets are deteriorating in such such pace that I don't think it is needed or if we defer it a year, it's going to be that harmful. We need more resurfacing now. There are a lot of streets that are what we call is weathering like they're losing the gravel on the top. We can see it's getting rough and they are developing potholes. So we need to resurface more streets.
[1:00:29] than crack-filling. Now, I'm not discounting that crack-fills need it, but at least
[1:00:34] surfacing is where we need to purchase.
[1:00:36] Okay, so a lot of focus.
[1:00:38] Focus on.
[1:00:39] And your patching program has at least addressed it from the standpoint of kind of pushing
[1:00:45] those needs on board.
[1:00:47] Yes, exactly.
[1:00:47] Yeah, and we have spent quite a bit of money in patching this year, so if taken care of
[1:00:52] any holes, or most of the holes, I would say, that are in the village, so we should be good,
[1:00:58] But like we discussed, I want to have a real aggressive resurfacing program next year and
[1:01:05] year after, once we get going with that, it will get easier for us.
[1:01:13] Okay, so overhats recommendation is to reject the bid, so can we entertain a motion to approve that?
[1:01:20] So moved.
[1:01:24] Trustee Longs?
[1:01:26] Yes.
[1:01:26] Trustee Janowick?
[1:01:27] Yes.
[1:01:27] Trustee Jacobs?
[1:01:28] Yes.
[1:01:29] And Trustee Carroll?
[1:01:30] Yes.
[1:01:30] Yes.
[1:01:30] Motion is approved to reject the bid.
[1:01:32] Thank you.
[1:01:34] So round item number 11, Trustee Comments and Committee Reports, do we have any trusty comments?
[1:01:38] Tonight.
[1:01:40] I'll make a comment.
[1:01:42] This evening with the Klein Creek residents showing up, it was good to see it's there expressing the concerns regarding the golf course.
[1:01:51] My only question I have is I don't know if we can answer it tonight or not.
[1:01:55] Is some of those ordnance violations correct?
[1:01:58] And do we follow the ones that she was stating?
[1:02:01] Is that whether to correct ordinances?
[1:02:03] So what she presented tonight was a appears
[1:02:06] to be a Google AI answer, which polls
[1:02:11] from legitimate sources, but sometimes can hallucinate.
[1:02:15] So yes and no.
[1:02:17] Those are probably our ordinances.
[1:02:19] I don't discount on them.
[1:02:20] I need to go back and double check.
[1:02:21] In fact, Peter knows this in code enforcement.
[1:02:26] The devil's in the details on what is the health risk.
[1:02:33] Would they feel it may be a health risk, may not be determined to be a health risk by
[1:02:37] code enforcement?
[1:02:39] So can you get back to us to trust these regarding what you look into what they presented to
[1:02:45] see if that's corrected or not some of those violations or that's just like an AI thing
[1:02:53] Again, it looks like it was pulling from our ordinances.
[1:02:56] I don't want to say, I'm not just going to brush her off and say she's wrong.
[1:03:00] So it's probably accurate.
[1:03:02] It's the interpretation of the code that is a challenge.
[1:03:07] We have to do a balance between, we're not the pretty police, we're code enforcement.
[1:03:11] So we're here to protect the health safety and welfare.
[1:03:14] And you know, it's, you've probably termed foul odors several times.
[1:03:20] That's not really a quantifiable thing.
[1:03:25] Well, I appreciate, you know, I brought this topic up to the village.
[1:03:30] And I know they've been working.
[1:03:31] I just want to tell the public that they've been working behind the scenes talking to the golf courts.
[1:03:37] And I know Evan's been talking to the owners and stuff.
[1:03:41] So I appreciate all the work you guys have been doing behind the scenes.
[1:03:44] Unfortunately, we don't, as of right now, we don't have an answer resolution.
[1:03:47] resolution, but I know we're working towards one.
[1:03:50] So thank you.
[1:03:51] I will say ownership has been responsive and getting back
[1:03:53] to us.
[1:03:54] I did share a report that they recently commissioned.
[1:04:00] The other challenge is, what is a weed?
[1:04:03] Peter went out there.
[1:04:05] There is a lot of prairie grass, which
[1:04:07] that could appear overgrown, but it is prairie grass.
[1:04:10] Now does the prairie grass have some weeds in it?
[1:04:12] Yes.
[1:04:13] But go to my lawn and my house, and I also
[1:04:16] have weeds in my lawn. So there has to be a balance there between what is, does it
[1:04:22] has to be a balance?
[1:04:24] I think the other aspect of the letter that I sent out to everybody today, certainly
[1:04:29] from a company that does ecological consulting, landscape architecture, land planning, who
[1:04:37] has the expertise in this area, even from defining a weed versus a plant, a pollinator, plant
[1:04:45] versus a weed, and then we get into this aesthetic issue again versus, again, what's the
[1:04:56] interpretation, you know, relative to an individual versus, you know, what experts in the industry
[1:05:04] say relative to that. So I will say Peter was up there with his Google image, taking pictures
[1:05:11] of plants and the time to determine if they're wheat or not.
[1:05:13] So you are using technology in our food enforcement.
[1:05:16] But the other thing is, so some of these are trees that have fallen
[1:05:20] down and stuff like that, are just people getting around to?
[1:05:23] So yeah, they had, I think it was 200 trees
[1:05:26] were damaged in the storms of a Klein Creek.
[1:05:29] Yes, those trees are damaged, but they appear
[1:05:31] to be hanging over a pond.
[1:05:32] So they're not posing a risk to public health at this point.
[1:05:37] If you go talk to the forest preserve,
[1:05:39] the forest preserve doesn't want you removing trees
[1:05:40] because dead trees are habitat for animals.
[1:05:43] So there's a whole spectrum of what's on here.
[1:05:47] And if it's not posing a direct hazard to a human,
[1:05:50] we're not going to go beat them up.
[1:05:51] That's where we did send a letter saying,
[1:05:53] hey, we have some concerns.
[1:05:54] They got back to us quickly.
[1:05:55] They do seem to be responsive to us.
[1:05:58] They have indicated they've sprayed the ponds.
[1:06:00] These ponds tend to be more problematic than the other ponds.
[1:06:03] If you notice, we're only talking about two ponds up there.
[1:06:05] So somehow the other ponds are working.
[1:06:08] So it's a challenge.
[1:06:10] We're working on it, they're responsive, we're going to stay on them.
[1:06:13] I do think a lot of this is going to resolve itself, as Paul comes in, right now it's hot.
[1:06:18] I'll do like hot weather.
[1:06:20] We've had a lot of rain, as temperature is cooled down.
[1:06:22] I'll do you a little bit back.
[1:06:28] Any other trusty comments today?
[1:06:30] I guess I was wondering from Harold, do you know like...
[1:06:33] I guess I was surprised that they came all individually as opposed to your HLA.
[1:06:39] I assume they worked with the H.O.A. already or have they been just going to the golf course
[1:06:45] previously as individuals?
[1:06:48] As far as I know, it's not an H.O.A. issue, per se, because...
[1:06:53] I know that.
[1:06:53] I know it's not their responsibility.
[1:06:55] What I just meant was that the H.O.A. could be one embodying group.
[1:07:00] And I guess I know we've had this issue before in Client Creek or other issues related.
[1:07:05] So I was just wondering if the...
[1:07:07] The H.O.A. has reached out to the Gulf Coast too, so they've been in contact.
[1:07:13] I spoke to the H.O.A. President recently, and she says that she's been in contact with
[1:07:20] them too.
[1:07:22] And as you know, I'm sorry, go ahead.
[1:07:24] So there's been, like I said, there's been a lot of conversation going on behind the scenes,
[1:07:28] trying to get a resolution to this issue.
[1:07:31] So.
[1:07:32] And as the first speaker noted, there were numerous different agencies that had been
[1:07:38] on site, including Open Lands, which, according to what I've heard from the ownership over
[1:07:45] there, that Open Lands gave them a rating currently.
[1:07:49] So DuPage County's been out there, among the others that she mentioned, and none of them
[1:07:55] have looked at these issues and said they require specific and clear cut remediation.
[1:08:02] So, before we moved into windfield, we lived on a municipal lake, Europe, much bigger
[1:08:11] than what you'd see in a golf course and stuff like that.
[1:08:13] And unfortunately, the algae was just something we had to live with, depending on the weather
[1:08:17] and the heat and the, you know, and the smell or the irritations and stuff like that.
[1:08:23] there's so many ice benefits of living on water,
[1:08:26] but there's also stuff you can't control.
[1:08:30] So that's, I mean, I'm looking at this.
[1:08:31] I'm like, boy, I wish we could just air raid
[1:08:33] and but that's not her.
[1:08:34] We can't do that, right?
[1:08:36] So it's just inherent, unfortunately, sometimes.
[1:08:40] So that's why I was asking about the trees
[1:08:42] and the, is the, some of it blocking
[1:08:45] so in the movement of the water,
[1:08:47] they were insinuating or implying that there was
[1:08:49] a blockage and that's kind of why I was wondering, you know.
[1:08:52] The one hole that they specifically mentioned, the trees are in the water, but they're not
[1:08:57] black.
[1:08:58] They're away from any of the drainage areas.
[1:09:02] And so the tree is like pretty close to the water and the branches from the storm have
[1:09:09] just leaned into the water.
[1:09:11] They're not leaning into the property owner from what I could see and I actually took a
[1:09:15] couple of pictures of it too.
[1:09:17] It's worth noting I can't verify it, but the golf course does point to being a fingerback
[1:09:21] the residents claim and they claim, I don't know this, that the residents landscape where they're
[1:09:26] dumping landscape waste into the pond, which would possess it.
[1:09:31] Which is where the H.O.A. should be.
[1:09:34] Because they're at the one side. Right. They're right. They're right out there.
[1:09:40] I think it's no cycle. I think it's just that they just want
[1:09:46] resolution and they don't know who to go to. So they're just trying to use any any which is fine.
[1:09:51] And that's what we should do.
[1:09:52] And so the best thing we can do is be empathetic
[1:09:55] and understand that, though it may be reasonable in scientific
[1:10:00] terms, we don't live there, so we're here.
[1:10:05] But so we can be empathetic and we can just keep trying
[1:10:09] to stay on the owner as we know this is a continued thing.
[1:10:13] And staying on top of them is something we can do.
[1:10:15] That's all we can do.
[1:10:16] It is important to point out we do not have anything
[1:10:19] on the books that controls algae or duckweed or anything like that.
[1:10:26] So if you guys told me to write the ticket, I wouldn't have anything right to take it on right now.
[1:10:30] It sounds like all we're doing is really in here.
[1:10:33] No, you're fine. I was going to tie a couple together and say I trustee Carolyn, I had the opportunity.
[1:10:40] I was going to thank the Winfield Foundation for their golf outing at Clank Creek this past week.
[1:10:45] And there was, I did notice some stagnant water as trustee carols balls didn't splash
[1:10:50] when they landed.
[1:10:52] Maybe it was mine, it's hard to remember, but I do hope we, as I know we will take that, I know there's the aspect or the position we could take as you live near a lake and a golf course.
[1:11:03] These aren't things we can control, but I think there are some legitimate concerns and I know that the staff is looking into it, and I trust that you will update us on that, but thank you to the Winfield Foundation for all the work that they do in the community.
[1:11:15] And then I also wanted to ask it for a future agenda item, and while I make it some snarls from the crowd here,
[1:11:22] I think we should probably do some work to get ahead of and provide some transparent information on the village of Winfield's use of flat cameras.
[1:11:31] Because it's going to come up, we'll have a crowd here just like we did tonight.
[1:11:34] So if there's a way we can just present how Winfield's uses it, what are our policies to make sure it's used appropriately.
[1:11:41] It's not a pressing issue for the chief to prepare a report, but it is something that has come up in every single surrounding community, sometimes in very negative ways, and so I think it benefits us to present information on what we do, why we do it, and how we control it.
[1:11:58] You bring up a good point, in fact, that probably would be one question we could ask the chief as far as if there was a violation of use of the flock camera database, what provisions do we have in terms of our policy to take immediate action on anyone who happens to violate that policy?
[1:12:20] That's a very valid question.
[1:12:23] Unfortunately, there's not a single answer
[1:12:25] because there's both internal policy violations
[1:12:28] and external policy violations when it comes to flock.
[1:12:33] Our contract with flock restricts the information generated
[1:12:38] from our cameras to only law enforcement agencies
[1:12:42] within the state of Illinois, whereas others
[1:12:45] are many of the ones that are being compelling
[1:12:47] about our nationwide.
[1:12:48] So that's the first thing, we do not share outside of the state.
[1:12:54] The second thing is, anybody that we share our information with is required by the system
[1:13:01] to provide a case number, the type of offense they're investigating, and who is the primary
[1:13:08] person making the request.
[1:13:10] That all shows up on an audit form that we review every two weeks, whether it be internal
[1:13:17] or external. Our policy internally requires you have our officers to have a valid law enforcement
[1:13:26] purpose for looking at flock, or for entering a vehicle to be watched by flock. So in
[1:13:34] other words, if someone is suspected of committing a crime and we want to locate that vehicle,
[1:13:40] We can put a tag on that license plate and when it is seen, it will tell us when and where.
[1:13:47] We again require a valid lawful purpose to do that.
[1:13:52] We review those logs every two weeks internally.
[1:13:55] We have not seen any violation either internally or externally within the state of our data.
[1:14:03] If we see a violation externally, we will remove their ability to see our cameras period
[1:14:09] end of story. If we see one internally there will of course be an investigation that's conducted
[1:14:15] to ensure that we are right. They did it for not for a lawful law enforcement purpose.
[1:14:21] And then there will be appropriate consequences based on the severity of whatever they did with
[1:14:27] that information. Does that answer the question placed tonight? Yeah and maybe you want to mention
[1:14:33] about the car jacking situation that we were able to sell?
[1:14:38] The Village Manager and I have had a number of conversations recently.
[1:14:41] One of the conversations included, we are tacitly not writing down.
[1:14:47] We are tacitly keeping track of some of what we would consider victories that flock has
[1:14:54] provided for us.
[1:14:55] I feel reluctant to...
[1:15:00] You make a list because we don't pet ourselves on the back for doing our job, it's what you
[1:15:04] pass for. But there was one significant one just in the last week where there was a card
[1:15:09] jacking in King County. The card jacker indicated that they had a handgun, which is what made
[1:15:14] the owner of the vehicle exit the vehicle and give up their car so readily. That vehicle was
[1:15:19] in fact entered into flock by King County. That alarm triggered in our area as the vehicle
[1:15:27] on Route 38. One of our officers, I will point out for the record
[1:15:34] of anybody watching. One of our newer, most new officers, Officer Barry,
[1:15:41] received that response, moved in position, located the vehicle traveling
[1:15:46] eastbound, moved in position behind him, called for backup, waited for that backup
[1:15:49] to ride, conducted a felony stop in the lot of the target parking lot,
[1:15:55] That successfully exited that subject from the vehicle, took him into custody, and turned
[1:16:01] him and the vehicle over to the King County Sheriff's Office.
[1:16:05] So that is the most recent of several positive results from flat cameras here in Wendfield.
[1:16:12] It is a force multiplier.
[1:16:15] And so that I guess that is good information, and I hope we consider it as an agenda item
[1:16:20] in the future to provide more information that would give the public.
[1:16:24] the opportunity to tune in for it as opposed to catch the last few minutes.
[1:16:29] Yeah, I would be happy to present as soon as there's a room on the agenda.
[1:16:34] Not in numbers, you can see it anyway, just be happy to.
[1:16:37] And I know that Flock is obviously, and I know there's some other companies besides Flock I from what I've heard, but Flock.
[1:16:46] Exxon does it as well.
[1:16:47] Exxon too, okay, but in Illinois it's pretty much Flock, right?
[1:16:50] pretty much right now flak is is the market axons moving in
[1:16:55] So but yeah, flak is the it's almost become the generic name like band-aid
[1:16:59] Yeah, and I from what you know, I'm seeing out there. I know Florida is looking at some legislation
[1:17:06] to ensure that the providers like a flak company has the proper
[1:17:13] You know software involved to if there is misuse that it's brought to the forefront
[1:17:19] and pretty quickly, so I think that's direction that certainly needs to go.
[1:17:26] And then if there are any individuals that use it for the various purposes that they're
[1:17:31] dealt with and terminated from any position with regards to a police department or so on.
[1:17:39] So from that perspective, I see that the heightened awareness of the cameras, as I guess push
[1:17:47] I wish these companies to be better at providing the kind of information and safeguards.
[1:17:53] If it please, Mr. President, I don't want to prolong the conversation if the board is not interested.
[1:17:58] But I would point out that one of the reasons this is happening is because of the media covering
[1:18:06] the officers who have lost their jobs for improperly using flock.
[1:18:11] While I'm not going to pine upon those things because I'm not familiar with the individual cases.
[1:18:17] There are a number of officers who have literally been fired for using this data point incorrectly.
[1:18:25] In Illinois, it's very difficult as this board knows from previous conversations, both in
[1:18:30] open and closed session.
[1:18:31] It's very difficult to fire a police officer.
[1:18:34] These officers are getting fired.
[1:18:36] The policies of almost every department requires an investigation.
[1:18:40] An investigation does not require the termination of an officer, yet that is what's been happening.
[1:18:45] planning. It's being taken very seriously. It's just not being recognized as such by those
[1:18:51] who are choosing to make these statements, these public statements about the flat camera
[1:18:58] system. So I would point that out for consideration as well as the fact that if you are not doing
[1:19:07] anything illegal and I don't mean you, I mean the royal you, you really have nothing to worry
[1:19:13] about. Cameras are everywhere in our society and in Illinois I can't speak to the whole country
[1:19:18] because that's not my purview but in Illinois it is legal for any one of us to stand on any
[1:19:23] street corner and tape everything we see so why wouldn't we use that to our advantage to protect
[1:19:28] the people who are not breaking the rules just one one item for consideration. Yeah well not only
[1:19:35] that your door you know a lot of doorbell cameras that are exactly and some of those are even used
[1:19:39] in terms of apprehending, you know, individuals
[1:19:43] by sharing that information with colleagues.
[1:19:45] So yeah.
[1:19:46] And if we feel great about our policies,
[1:19:47] then we should feel great about transparency.
[1:19:50] That's my point.
[1:19:51] It's not accusatory of the police department.
[1:19:53] And I think chief knows I think there is just
[1:19:56] a good conversation to be had about not just local police
[1:20:00] department use of information that's collected.
[1:20:04] It is private corporation collection
[1:20:05] and how they use it.
[1:20:07] Who do they share it with?
[1:20:08] even if I think there's lots of good questions that are worth us I think we've
[1:20:12] you know maybe indicated already it is worth a discussion because because
[1:20:16] we're still and I'd be happy to cover those things because they are covered in
[1:20:22] our contract with flock and for anybody who is watching at home right now at this
[1:20:27] very moment you can go on to the village website you can go to the police tab you
[1:20:30] can pull up our policy and procedure manual and you will find something for the
[1:20:34] fly cameras that details exactly how they are to be used and what the consequences are
[1:20:40] if you use them incorrectly. So that is all available right now, but I'll be happy
[1:20:45] to come up and talk about it. All right, all right. Thank you, Chief. Okay, so that
[1:20:52] moves to the finalist. There's any other trusty comments? Okay, I don't see any, so I'm going
[1:20:57] to move on to item number 12 village. Officials comments and reports and that brings my comments
[1:21:02] I want to personally thank Public Works Department and Rahat for your group that had done a fantastic job over the summer months with our summer concert series.
[1:21:14] Also with the Winfield criteria in summer fest and I know coming up just this coming, is it this weekend already?
[1:21:22] Yeah, next weekend, next weekend, for good old days and then of course in December we'll have the winter wonderful fest.
[1:21:29] So you guys do a great job.
[1:21:32] I did pass that on to our public works of supervisor, so that he was aware of that.
[1:21:40] And but I just want to make sure that publicly all of our residents understand that we can't
[1:21:47] do these kind of events without public works and how public works goes far above the normal
[1:21:56] a normal process to be able to get these things accomplished, so that we can offer to our residents these wonderful opportunities to enjoy the village of Winfield and things go very smoothly because of our public works department, but also our police department to ensure that safety for all of the attendees of these events is well taken care of, and they can come to these events feeling 100% safe and enjoy themselves at all of these events.
[1:22:26] of functions that we provide for the community.
[1:22:28] So thank you for public works.
[1:22:31] Thank you to our police department very much.
[1:22:33] And we look forward to continuing to bring these kind
[1:22:36] of events to the community so they can enjoy them too.
[1:22:41] So, oh, yes, one other thing, this September.
[1:22:47] We're going to get back on track with the coffee
[1:22:50] with the president and village manager.
[1:22:52] I think it was on the 19th, correct?
[1:22:54] Yes.
[1:22:55] Saturday the 19th, starting at nine o'clock to 11 o'clock.
[1:22:58] So those of you that might still be listening tonight, we'll put some about social media too.
[1:23:03] So I'll be happy to talk to any of our residents that have any questions or just want to get updates on what is going on in Winfield today.
[1:23:10] So that's going to be Saturday, September 19th at 9 a.m., so hope to see you there.
[1:23:16] And that's all I have for report village attorney.
[1:23:19] I have nothing tonight, thank you, sir.
[1:23:21] Thank you, village manager.
[1:23:22] I'll just reiterate your comments on public work.
[1:23:24] I've worked in towns much larger than the Winfield,
[1:23:26] but I've not received so many compliments from the resident.
[1:23:29] Just today, we had another resident who's just called
[1:23:31] in front of us to say how great our public work was.
[1:23:34] So we relayed that back to Rahat and his team.
[1:23:36] It's what the residents feel the same way.
[1:23:40] Great, but nothing else.
[1:23:42] Okay, let's see, not this time, next time.
[1:23:47] So we're on to item number 13,
[1:23:49] adjournment, can I have a motion to adjourn?
[1:24:01] We have nothing per their exact, so we're joining the meeting.
[1:24:06] Okay, just need a voice vote.
[1:24:08] All right, all right.
[1:24:10] We are adjourned.
[1:24:11] We are adjourned.
[1:24:12] We are adjourned.
[1:24:12] 24.
[1:24:14] Thank you, Winfield.
[1:24:15] Enjoy your evening and especially this weekend coming up as Labor Day weekend.
[1:24:19] So have a wonderful weekend and let's hope for a little cooler weather.
[1:24:24] Take care.
[1:24:24] Have a good night.