[0:35] He said we'll take another training

[0:52] for those in the audience. We're about to get started. Thank you.

[0:58] » For those watching tonight's meeting virtually, the meeting is available to

[1:01] live stream by the participants website. All information about participants

[1:05] meetings can be found at winpark.org or under the participant info tab by

[1:10] selecting board meetings and videos. Public comments are accepted in person.

[1:15] A link to the video and audio will be posted immediately following this

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[1:24] turn up the volume on your computer and turn up the volume on the website. There

[1:28] is a slight picture delay when the video switches between camera views. The audio

[1:33] will remain on during the brief delay. during this brief delay. The meeting

[1:37] packet for tonight's meeting is located on the website. For those attending

[1:42] today's meeting, the emergency exits from the room are the door behind you or

[1:46] through the foyer. The board asked for your cooperation to maintain decorum.

[1:51] Personal remarks are not permitted and interruption should be limited to valid

[1:55] points of order or privilege. Please be considerate and refrain from

[1:59] interrupting board members and other speakers. We are a community coming

[2:03] together to discuss difficult issues in a civil and respectful fashion. Welcome

[2:09] to the July 1, 2026 Wka Park District Board of Commissioners special meeting.

[2:15] I'd like to call this meeting to order at 4:32 and ask Saba to take a roll call

[2:21] for attendance. >> Commissioner Cotto

[2:24] » here. >> Commissioner

[2:26] » here. Commissioner R >> here. Commissioner present.

[2:30] » Commissioner Tyson >> here. Commissioner Sean

[2:32] » here. >> President Gibson

[2:33] » here.

[2:36] » At this time, please stand if you're able for the pledge of allegiance

[2:44] to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it

[2:49] stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

[2:55] for all.

[3:02] to section 1.3 of the agenda and then may I have a motion for the July 1, 2026

[3:09] special meeting agenda as presented? >> So moved.

[3:12] » Second. >> Any discussion here?

[3:16] » No. Right. May I have a voice on this, please? All those in favor?

[3:20] » I. >> Any opposed?

[3:24] All right. Thank you. Thank you all for coming this afternoon.

[3:29] Many of you were at last night's village meeting, so this is a big time

[3:32] commitment from you. Um, we will have public comment at this meeting. First, I

[3:38] want you to know that the park district did not reject the village's proposed

[3:41] pilot program for leash dog beach at Tower Road. The purpose of this meeting

[3:46] today, called on Monday afternoon, is to consider the proposed dog beach pilot

[3:51] program at Tower Road Beach. At our June 25th, 2026 meeting, we asked our

[3:56] attorney to seek a further change to a document required for the pilot program.

[4:01] And in light of that requested change and um some other outstanding

[4:06] operational items that needed attention, we undertook as a board to set up a

[4:11] special meeting in less than a week to vote on the pilot program. We have

[4:16] responded promptly to the village on the pilot program every time sharing

[4:21] operational insights and so on. I plan to say the following at last night's

[4:25] village meeting but I was unable so I will say it now. The village council

[4:30] members and staff have expended a tremendous amount of time and energy in

[4:34] planning their pilot um program. We appreciate that work that has gone into

[4:40] the plan and I think it's a real solution for dog owners who want to have

[4:44] their dogs off leash on a beach and for whom the early morning hours work. The

[4:49] park district cannot offer an off leash dog beach option at this time because we

[4:54] do not have permitting approval for from the village for a barrier that we're

[4:58] required to have. The second option that Bob Dearborn, the village president,

[5:03] enumerated in his introduction last night, um is that uh is that of a pilot

[5:09] dog beach program at Tower and the ability to have dogs on Centennial, even

[5:14] if that is only on leash. Um that was never proposed to us, but certainly

[5:19] would have been considered by our board. Up until last night, the proposal was to

[5:24] move the dog beach to tower as part of that pilot program. It's untrue that the

[5:30] park district is not unnoticed from Cook County Animal Control that we need a

[5:33] barrier on Centennial in order to prevent dogs from wandering off the

[5:37] beach. In addition to written communications and in-person meetings

[5:40] with animal control officers and leadership, advice of legal counsel in

[5:45] connection with Cooks County's animal and um excuse me, animal and rabies

[5:50] control ordinance and related regulations.

[5:53] At the Dillages meeting May 19, 2026, Cook County Commissioner Scott Britain

[5:59] at the 1 hour 16 minute and 30 second time stamp spoke at the meeting to say

[6:04] that quote, "From my perspective, if you want a dog off leash in the village of

[6:10] Wana on Lake Michigan, there has to be some sort of barrier. That's all I know

[6:16] is a fact." End quote. Second, the park district is well aware

[6:20] of our passionate um dog beach constituency.

[6:24] We know that all would like to have an all off leash dog at Centennial and

[6:28] we've tried over the years many different plans to accomplish this

[6:32] starting with a simple replacement of a chain link fence that was originally

[6:36] installed in 2009 to stop dogs from running over to Elder Swim Beach. The

[6:43] requirements, regulations, and permit requirements have only become more and

[6:46] more complicated as time passes. We will continue to endeavor to work with the

[6:51] village for a solution here. Okay. At this time, I would like to um uh turn to

[6:58] public comment. This is your opportunity to address the board on any issue. When

[7:03] called upon, please come to the center position in front of the commissioners,

[7:07] stand at the podium, speak in the microphone, and state your name for the

[7:10] record. Please address your comments directly to the board in accordance with

[7:15] section 4.2 of the board policy manual and is referenced in public access

[7:19] counselor opinion 2024 pack 81900. Each speaker is permitted up to three

[7:27] minutes to provide public comment after being recognized. Speakers may not

[7:31] combine, transfer, or yield their allotted time to others. If you prefer

[7:36] to submit your comments in writing this evening, you may do so by providing them

[7:40] to a member of the park district staff. At this time, I'm going to start with

[7:45] the back row and ask speakers to come forward um in an orderly fashion as you

[7:51] sort of assign yourselves. Could I ask a question before we do this? Just real

[7:55] quickly, clarification. Um what why has no fence been approved? Like what what

[8:01] is the fundamental issue with approving a fence? like what what is the problem?

[8:05] Like I guess that's what I'm a little unclear on like can't we do a pretty

[8:09] fence or what's the issue? >> Um so we can address that after a public

[8:13] comment. I'd be more than happy to share the process that we've embarked on and

[8:18] you know we can I think a lot of people here have um several um you know

[8:24] different ideas. Um but I what I would say is we are a separate taxing body

[8:30] than the village. However, we are subject to zoning requirements imposed

[8:36] by the village and thus far the different fencing plans that we've

[8:40] proposed that have attempted to satisfy various regulations

[8:46] um have not been approved by the village >> and those were approved for Tower Beach.

[8:51] We >> well let's go to public comment and then

[8:54] we can address that. >> Okay. So, in the back row, there's so

[8:58] many people. I'm hoping you can just sort of assign yourselves the order that

[9:02] you go into, but let's start at the back row with public comment.

[9:10] [applause]

[9:13] [cough] >> My name is Kimberly Marsh. Um, I'm a fog

[9:18] holder and daily user of Centennial Dog Beach for 30 years. The current majority

[9:23] of Neck Park District Board created this fiasco by insisting that a chainlink

[9:28] fence on the sand was the only solution to achieve an off leash dog friendly

[9:33] area. The Wenea Park District repeatedly lied to us by stating that Cook County

[9:40] Animal Control regulations require a fence on the sand. The current FOB gate

[9:46] on the bluff meets all Cook County animal control requirements for dog

[9:51] friendly areas such as a dog beach boarded by Lake Michigan. all of the

[9:57] chaos and divisiveness regarding the on leash requirement for swimming dogs,

[10:01] haphazard and mystifying ranger enforcement, and the proposed closing of

[10:07] Centennial Dog Beach serves one resident who created his own problem by building

[10:12] next to a dog beach that has operated happily without incident for 30 years.

[10:18] The Waneka Park District, not the village of Wankka, is solely responsible

[10:23] for this mess because of their ongoing insistence on serving the needs of one

[10:28] individual. I would like to suggest a sensible

[10:32] solution. The repeal of the Winnipeg Park District

[10:36] leash requirement on the sand and its enforcement through sporadic leash law

[10:40] education by rangers. The purported safety concern about marauding dogs

[10:46] strained to Elder Beach can be solved. Each swimming beach, i.e. Tower, Maple

[10:51] and Elder, as well as the Lloyd Boating Beach hosts an attendant at the entrance

[10:57] to check passes and control access to authorized patrons. The ranger program

[11:03] is budgeted at $90,000 for this season to employ five rangers. Why not post a

[11:10] ranger in a beach chair at the south border of Elder during the hours the

[11:16] beach is open? I believe this solution would be acceptable to dog holders by

[11:21] encouraging each dog owner to be mindful and make sure their dog does not stray

[11:27] or risk losing their path. Thank you. [applause]

[11:37] I'd like to read directly from the Cook County Animal Control Regulations.

[11:43] » So, Cook County Animal Control has jurisdiction over the animal control

[11:48] laws in the entire entirety of Cook County as of right now.

[11:53] The rules for dog friendly areas say a dog park must be completely enclosed

[12:00] by a continuous fence with each entrance designed in such a manner as to secure

[12:05] against accidental opening >> on land.

[12:12] » There is nothing in the rule that distinguishes an from any other

[12:17] property. There's nothing in the ordinance which distinguishes where this

[12:22] rule. >> How does Will have a dog? How does

[12:29] » dog beaches have one too?

[12:34] » All right. Again, I'm going to go with the order in the back

[12:37] » [clears throat] >> row and I would like people to sort of

[12:41] assign themselves who speaks next, please.

[12:52] Hi. So, the three-minute rule seems to be like a little bit uh behind us now.

[12:57] Um he's right about the ordinance. Um and the commissioner [clears throat]

[13:02] didn't really say anything to uh uh conflict with that. I mean, I find the

[13:08] whole thing about the fencing kind of like the same thing as saying, well, you

[13:11] know, speed limit of 55 is only valid if you choose to follow it. But in any

[13:15] case, I'm here because it all does seem to be clearly designed to benefit one

[13:21] taxpayer at the expense of I would say some and more at the expense of others.

[13:27] So, I still haven't gotten my key because I have applied for it and I want

[13:33] it on the same terms as everyone else. But no,

[13:37] the administration made a decision that if I don't have a dog, I'm only allowed

[13:41] one person. But if I have a dog, I can bring like, you know, my uh 30 closest

[13:46] relatives with me to the beach. So, it seems to me that that taxation without

[13:51] representation is an issue. And this board has sat quietly and allowed this

[13:55] um inequitable and discriminatory treatment to occur. I've asked you

[13:59] repeatedly to just say you agree that I should not be given the same benefits

[14:04] for the same money as others and you just sit there quietly and you don't

[14:07] provide me my ke. And now you're doing this whole thing about like if you exit

[14:12] the a a beach or an area that has a a a a gate, a controlled gate, you can only

[14:18] exit entry through that gate. I find that interesting because it's written in

[14:21] a broad sense, but it only applies to one location. And so anyone that were to

[14:28] happen to traverse the beach north or south could get their key fob taken

[14:32] away. And we already know that the south neighbor has sent letters to others who

[14:37] were properly walking their dogs on leashes saying that somehow park

[14:42] district rules apply south of Sentinel Beach. It's all very disappointing and

[14:47] all very sad and I believe it shows a level of

[14:52] [sighs] of dishonor that you know really is

[14:58] unfortunate. You guys should be representing the entire community, all

[15:02] taxpayers. I still have I still don't know if a beach belong a dog beach

[15:06] belongs anywhere, but I'm not going to go there. I mean, there are compromises

[15:10] I can see. But in this case, you had your park rangers spreading

[15:15] misinformation. It's my understanding. I can't go there

[15:18] because I don't have key, right? But I hear things. And and here we are. And I

[15:24] knew this wasn't going to go anywhere because this fails the one most

[15:28] important aspect. I might go a few seconds longer. The one most important

[15:33] aspect of the whole purpose of the beach there. Now, if we go back in time,

[15:37] originally when this whole land talk was going on, the beach was leaving. It was

[15:42] going to not be there because there was going to be a louvered fence 250 ft out

[15:46] into the lake. I'm about to But you were talking to other people.

[15:50] uh 250. And of course at that point the southern owner was I don't want the dogs

[15:53] there because they're going to make noise and I have a fence going 250. But

[15:56] when that fence went away all of a sudden what's the next best option? A

[16:00] fence for a dog park. And you guys have been complicit.

[16:07] [applause] Applause. That's actually not the way

[16:11] the way this meeting goes. I we you know we can appla we can applaud several

[16:16] different viewpoints but we're not going to do that. Can we have the next person

[16:19] in the in the back come up and speak please?

[16:22] » While that person comes up, can I ask a clarifying question from last night to

[16:26] tonight to today? Last night they said and make

[16:30] » Please come up to the microphone so it can be recorded what your comment is.

[16:33] » Okay, other than [cough] three minutes I'm just asking. Um, last night they

[16:37] said that the village was now giving >> state your name and make your public

[16:41] comment. Megan Omera I live in he followed. So last night when I was at

[16:46] the meeting the village said that they were giving the decision to the park

[16:51] district. Is that true? >> What decision

[16:55] » on Centennial as far as off leash? >> We cannot enter into question and answer

[16:59] » and barriers. >> We can't we can't enter into question.

[17:02] I'm sorry. We just can't do >> okay but but David just help me

[17:05] understand what these people are saying. But we can't answer

[17:11] a friend of mine, so I don't mind. [laughter]

[17:16] » But but it would just be more clear to me as these people are asking for what

[17:19] they're asking if you're truly in charge of the beach versus the village. That's

[17:23] what they said last night. >> They said they're giving it to you.

[17:28] » Okay. The village put a proposal in front of this body.

[17:36] Okay. They delivered us their proposal. Two, one, have an off leash dog park at

[17:44] Tower. Their property. We've got to work through that lease. We have a lease

[17:49] since 1942 that we operate on their property as well as our property at

[17:53] Tower. As part of that agreement, they put in the in the document they

[17:59] delivered us to close Centennial. >> Okay.

[18:03] » To dogs >> for dogs.

[18:06] We didn't negotiate this with them. They delivered those terms and conditions to

[18:12] us. >> That was not said last night.

[18:14] » Well, that's a fact. >> Yeah, I I believe you, but I'm just

[18:17] saying it wasn't said. >> I could go on for days, but we are here.

[18:23] This body is here to discuss the proposal from the village and I I would

[18:30] gather vote on the proposal. There has been an inefficient unfortunate timing

[18:36] difference. We had a board meeting. They had a special. Ours came after their

[18:40] special. Therefore, we could not vote up or down prior to their special board

[18:45] meeting. But we are here tonight to talk about the proposal that was delivered to

[18:50] us. I'll say one thing. There's already been one comment that we've requested

[18:55] Centennial be closed. Not true. This is not our agreement. This [clears throat]

[18:59] is an agreement that was delivered to this body by the village. That's the

[19:04] facts. >> Can you post it?

[19:07] » Madam Chair, if you are permitting commissioners to speak, I think there's

[19:10] one more important point to be made. The village with its proposal for a pilot

[19:18] program on tower as a home rule municipality

[19:23] has the authority >> to to pass ordinances that would approve

[19:29] an off leash dog park and that is exactly what they were proposing on

[19:35] tower and without a fence. They were proposing other options than a fence.

[19:41] Correct. So I think that is very important to understand. And then point

[19:46] of clarification, they were saying that when they had their pilot, dogs would go

[19:52] to tower. So that was a a temporary period [clears throat]

[19:56] and that the centennial could at the end of the pilot reopen for dogs if the park

[20:04] district was so inclined to do that. And and so I want to clarify that because as

[20:11] a home rule municipality, this village has the right to tell Cook

[20:16] County, we're going to do this. >> We don't have that.

[20:20] » We don't have >> Well, it is my opinion. I know we'll

[20:23] talk about that, but we don't talk, [clears throat]

[20:26] » but I think that was a really good clarification.

[20:28] » I just wanted to answer a bunch of questions. Thank you for permitting.

[20:33] » Okay, so this is very unorthodox for our meetings, but I think that those both

[20:39] help will maybe help people that are here for public comment. Um, and again,

[20:43] I'm going to ask people in the back row who wish to give public comment to come

[20:48] forward in some sort of agreed orderly way.

[20:55] » No. All right. The the row second row up from the back, please. [clears throat]

[21:06] I won't be warm because I think I talked enough last night. Um, when you guys

[21:11] spoke last week about this, I believe one of you is a dog owner.

[21:15] » Can you please state your name? >> Edward Farmer. Uh,

[21:19] Bob. Uh, one of you is a dog owner and

[21:23] mentioned that if you put a lineup at Tower Beach, 50 dogs would go past it on

[21:30] the first day. And so then you guys talked about the fact that if dogs go

[21:35] past that, you're going to three times you're going to take away their fs. But

[21:40] it was your expect it was your expectation that that would be happening

[21:45] over and over again. So is it really a solution if you expect it to fail?

[22:00] Hi, my name is Christine Casper. I live at 226 Sher Grove and I'm a dog beach

[22:04] file holder and I know we can't have dialogue, but I'm just trying to get

[22:07] some really good clarity on this issue. Um, I'm trying to understand how Cook

[22:13] County Animal Control has these rules that are so I'm glad that the dog beach

[22:17] was allowed to operate for so many years without any fence. I mean, I'm glad I'm

[22:23] appreciative to calling in for pointing out that home rule would allow a non-f

[22:29] property. Um, and that's really good clarity. But um it seems that if you

[22:35] were going to apply the rules of a dog park, then you would need a chain link

[22:39] fence in Lake Michigan to keep dogs from swimming to Indiana. I mean, I don't

[22:46] understand. Um I need clarity. I And I and I've really looked and done the

[22:51] research and I've tried to find where it stayed in the record and I appreciate

[22:55] the citation that there was a person who actually did say this and we had it on

[22:59] video. We can review that. But the only thing I can find um in my research is

[23:04] the assertions of the board itself that this is what Cook County requires. And I

[23:08] know the park district can require a fence. Like you can do it, but I just

[23:12] want us to be clear about whose authority is forcing this issue and how

[23:16] we can, you know, hopefully get back to be able to play. Thank you.

[23:22] » Okay. Um anyone else in the second to last row that wishes to speak?

[23:36] Hi, I'm Karen Borwog. We live on Woodlanda and we're Bob owners. We have

[23:40] two labadors. Um, first, thank you for your time. I know you're all volunteers

[23:44] and I do appreciate it. Um, it's a tough job. Sometimes they can't shop. Um, you

[23:51] know, I think one thing about WCK is special that we could always take our

[23:55] dogs to the beach. I've lived here my entire life and um there seems to be the

[24:00] village versus the park district and I would ask that you uh rise above some of

[24:05] that and work really hard and do whatever you have to do to get dogs free

[24:11] again on this beach whether it is a fence whether it is something to do with

[24:15] home rule. Um it was very helpful your comment to understand where home rule

[24:20] stands on all of this and um I would just encourage all of you to really push

[24:24] hard and activity doesn't count for anything but see results. Thank you.

[24:29] Thank you. Anyone else in the second to last row?

[24:37] Hi,

[24:42] I'm Chris Gre. Requests for dog beaching have come from

[24:47] the southern neighbor and representative Sarah as follows. In February on the

[24:52] 26th of 2025, Miss Nazal Road, the other option that representatives of the

[25:00] southern neighborhood requested to both our legal council and Cook County Animal

[25:04] Control is fencing in the dog beach. Two months later, in April 2025, the park

[25:11] district submitted beach fencing permit applications to the IDNR, the Army

[25:17] Corps, and Cook County Animal Control. I have a legal question, which is if the

[25:24] village has home rule authority that extends out into the lake, it has zoning

[25:28] authority over the park district and all aspects of the village. Is it possible

[25:34] that it can exercise that to make clear that Centennial Dog Beach may function

[25:40] as it always has as an off leash dog beach within boundaries that are

[25:46] demarcated by multiple steel groins and also a massive armored stone gray water

[25:54] that by the terms of the southern homeowner's own shoreline permit extends

[26:00] over his northern property line where S Centennial Beach is located. The village

[26:07] will be adhering to Illinois's Animal Control Act 2022 amendment that deems

[26:13] supervised off leash dogs to be lawfully present in dog friendly areas like

[26:20] Centennial Beach, dog parks, which as Mr. Simon has noted um even if fully

[26:26] fenced would require dogs to be leashed without a a similar provision applying

[26:32] to dog parks and an animal in areas where hunting is permitted. And all

[26:38] three of these different areas would allow off leash dogs without them being

[26:42] deemed to be running at large. I think we can move past this awful waste of

[26:48] time and resources on unnecessary fencing and restore some order to us.

[26:54] And I am talking about the Declaration of Independence.

[26:59] And it says about the king, he has excited domestic insurrections amongst

[27:05] us. And here I'm referring to last night's meeting where the park district

[27:10] was cheered at for its awful proposals, its threats to democracy,

[27:15] nonrepresentative behavior and abandonment of its public mission. I am

[27:21] also talking about he has sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people

[27:27] and eat out their substance. And here I'm talking about the park districts

[27:32] unleashing park rangers among us and issuing threats of eviction from all

[27:36] park district property, banning children from the beach, and threatening $1,000

[27:42] funds. Please become involved with the Reneeka caucus, participating in

[27:48] [clears throat] slating ethical, representative candidates who are

[27:52] committed to publicly oriented park operations

[27:56] » and who are not scornful of the public. Thank you.

[28:12] We have to keep it. >> Is there anyone who's um okay to stand?

[28:16] We have Thank you.

[28:37] Um, hi. I'm a former commissioner. I've lived in the village for over 30 years.

[28:42] My husband and I have been active users of the dog beach since its inception.

[28:47] The dog beach at Centennial was established in 1995, providing an

[28:52] opportunity for residents both with and without pets to enjoy a peaceful

[28:56] gathering place to share time together. This public space has been enjoyed for

[29:01] over 31 years without any problem with pets or people. But in 2021, that all

[29:07] changed. Beginning sometime in 2021, representatives of the park district

[29:13] engaged in numerous private and legally questionable negotiations with the

[29:19] prospective homeowner to repurpose Centennial and to eliminate the dog

[29:23] beach. At one point, a $3 million donation was profered with significant

[29:28] restrictions. To my knowledge, the $3 million has never been paid. Last night,

[29:34] the village council declined to act on a proposal that was largely crafted by the

[29:39] Ranka Park district to temporarily relocate Dog Beach to Tower Road. This

[29:45] so-called creative or elegant solution serves little purpose. This could be

[29:50] perceived to be an effort to mllify a homeowner who made the conscious

[29:55] decision to build a home next to a public park in dog beach and now doesn't

[29:59] like it. This raises the question of who is the constituency being served? A

[30:05] single homeowner with unfulfilled promises of paying millions to achieve

[30:09] his personal goals or the entire Winnipe community who supports the continued use

[30:14] of Centennial as it has served the community for over 31 years. It is

[30:19] common knowledge within the village that this homeowner has threatened lawsuits

[30:23] against the village, the Waka Park district, the commissioners of the Waka

[30:28] Park District and trustees of the village that unless they serve his

[30:31] interests as opposed to those of the community, he will file some sort of a

[30:36] lawsuit. This would impose a substantial burden on alla taxpayers. However,

[30:41] should a lawsuit be filed, many in the community will welcome the opportunity

[30:46] for a thorough review of the discovery materials that most certainly will be

[30:50] produced. The Rene Park District Board has little credibility at the moment in

[30:55] the village, largely due to the complete mismanagement of the situation since

[31:00] 2021. The numerous questionable decisions made

[31:04] by this board during this process have become a flash point with the community.

[31:09] This was evident last night. Please have the courage to do your fiduciary duty

[31:14] and to act on behalf of the entire community. Thank you.

[31:21] » If individuals needed a place to sit, there are some seats in the lobby as

[31:24] well.

[31:43] Linda Welsh, thirdyear user of the dog reach. Last month, I went to the Montro

[31:48] dog beach. It is 3.8 acres. It's huge. It's beautiful. I counted at least 50

[31:54] people at their dog beach and as many dogs peacefully coexisting. It It was a

[31:59] lovely sight to see a beautiful day. There are rocks, low rocks, much lower

[32:04] than 205's rocks bordering the north edge. Um, there is a see-through plastic

[32:11] fence, dune fencing, quite flimsy, separating a large people beach from the

[32:17] dog beach. There is a gate with some chain link fencing to enter. And at the

[32:22] west end of this beach, at least half of that 1.5 acres is open to the table end.

[32:28] No chain leak fencing, no problem. I have been to Wilmet Dog Beach on

[32:33] numerous occasions. They have rocks and they have a flimsy dune fencing with

[32:40] that lightweight fencing separating the the sailing beach from the dog beach.

[32:46] Rocks on the other side, no chain link fencing, no problem. My understanding is

[32:51] both these beaches are in Cooktown. Um please keep this our Centennial Dog

[32:56] Beach open. Please listen to the public. I appreciate your time. Thank you.

[33:04] » All right. Um, anyone else in the second to last?

[33:15] » Rob Shan, 656 Maple Street, resident taxpaying citizen.

[33:24] Um, thanks for everything you guys are doing. at least the time you're putting

[33:28] into it. On multiple occasions, the park district has testified under submitted

[33:34] testimony that refuts the permit applications false representations that

[33:38] Cook County ordered it to put up fencing on Centennial Beach.

[33:43] To date, the park district has produced nothing to support that representation.

[33:48] Commissioner Britain's May 19th, 2026 testimony to the village council refused

[33:55] the park district's representation. He said he could not speak defensing, I

[34:00] recall, and that solely as a personal insurance attorney, he would say that

[34:05] barriers are needed. Two easily located statements by Mr. The

[34:10] Tulis January 23 meeting minutes state that like it the Evston dog beach a

[34:15] steel groin may serve as a natural barrier for the Centennial Dog Beach and

[34:20] answering ZBA's fall 24 questions 2024 he said that Cook Countyy's ordinance

[34:26] would have to be amended to apply to dog breaches at Budding Lake Michigan eg or

[34:31] IE there are no fencing rules that currently apply

[34:35] in response to ZBA Commissioner Hower's question as to the necessity for fencing

[34:40] in Lake Michigan. Miss Nazal conceded that it is not the only option,

[34:45] describing what is needed as a case as on a case-bycase basis.

[34:50] Cook County Animal Control has been consulting with the Cook County Law

[34:55] Department and the state's attorney's office over the course of three calendar

[34:59] years because of what appears to be on first impression the park district's

[35:04] contradictory and illogical claims that Cook County has mandatory fencing rules

[35:09] for Lake Michigan dog beaches. That Cook County ordinance does not apply to dog

[35:14] areas that Lake Michigan and that these rules would need to be amended to apply.

[35:19] The park district also has seemingly had numerous interactions with the

[35:24] veterinarian who leads the animal control to claim non-existent legal

[35:28] authority to wave the code's requirements. Keep in mind that the

[35:32] administrator would come under constant pressure to exceed to request for

[35:36] unauthorized waiverss if the district were to get its way even for

[35:40] vaccinations or other health and safety requirements. To date, Cook County has

[35:45] not signed off on the park district's overreach requests. most recently

[35:49] stating on April 17th of 2026 something along the lines of we're going to ask

[35:54] for a state attorney office opinion on the Waka dog park. It has also expressed

[36:00] an ongoing need to review the legalities of the park district's project. November

[36:04] of 2025, discussed awareness of shoreline access

[36:08] issues. November of 20 2025 has said its ordinance does not speak

[36:14] directly to the park district's unique situation, quote unquote, November 2025

[36:19] has stated that it did not grant a waiver of its fencing rules. November of

[36:24] 2024. >> Please make your comments

[36:26] » and call the beach dog friendly area such that partial fencing does not

[36:31] [clears throat] violate the rules. September 24. All this is

[36:34] » please wrap up your comments. >> Park district's misrepresentation that

[36:38] Cook County instructed to build Lake Michigan dog beach fence.

[36:43] You know, finally, as everybody knows, [clears throat] I

[36:48] settled my claim against the park district related to the land swap solely

[36:52] because the park district reached out, not because I wanted to and asked. And

[36:58] in so doing, the settlement represented a clear victory for the law. Namely,

[37:03] that the public trust doctrine ensures public access to public beaches by the

[37:07] taxpaying citizens. After 30 years of community precedent,

[37:12] it now seems the park district up to

[37:16] » construct a fence cage on the beach, which serves as a ploy to once again

[37:20] essentially privatize or impede beach access and to favor the interest of a

[37:25] private property owner over the rights of the taxpaying public. You know, you

[37:29] can suppress somebody who's >> We don't want to suppress it. We want

[37:33] that. It's really not effective. It's really not effective and it just shows

[37:38] the immaturity of judgment on your part and your lack of and and your lack of

[37:43] respect for people that are taking the time to

[37:46] » we're respecting all the people that are sitting here listening which is why

[37:50] » stop talking. Raise your hands. >> I do.

[37:52] » Three. Great. >> Yeah.

[37:54] » Thank you. >> Yeah.

[37:55] » The rules don't apply to you, do they, Rob? The three men.

[38:00] » Okay. All right. Can I have the truth?

[38:06] » Can we go to the second? Can we go to more people that wish to speak? All

[38:10] right. And Taylor, can you turn? Thank you.

[38:17] Hi, I'm going to change the town. My name is

[38:22] » Excuse me. Hey. Hey. >> Hey, Rob. John, please come on.

[38:27] » Talk to John. >> Both.

[38:30] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[38:31] » Thank you. >> Thank you for letting me speak. I

[38:33] appreciate it. Um, my name is Tara Mayer. I am a dog owner. I actually have

[38:40] a fog. I never use it. I think I've used it three times. Um, I'm also a mom of a

[38:46] couple teenagers. My husband and I moved to 292 Sheridan uh 8 years ago and most

[38:53] of the time the beach has been closed. So, I definitely want the beach open,

[38:57] right? Fun for everyone. Um, I also am a person who really believes in compromise

[39:04] and uh kindness and caring to other human beings. Um, that said,

[39:11] I believe there's a way for everybody to be happy. Uh, my husband and I had the

[39:16] fortune to have a sailboat at Bowmont Harbor in the city. There is a dog beach

[39:20] there. It runs beautifully. We also currently have a sailboat in uh, Bow

[39:25] Harbor and there's another example of a dog beach that is successful. Uh, people

[39:33] are following the rules. The handful of times I've been down to the Waka dog

[39:39] beach, I've seen nothing but friendliness to each other, people

[39:43] picking up after, respecting their dogs. Um, I'm not certain what the answer is,

[39:49] but I am 100% sure that kindness and level-minded interaction can bring

[39:57] happiness to the community and a good solution. And that's

[40:13] Oops. >> Irene Smith. I wasn't planning to speak

[40:16] tonight, but something happened last night I've never seen in Waka. U and

[40:22] I've lived here 40 years and I've attended many meetings.

[40:26] I believe one of the reasons it happened and that

[40:31] is all the discord we saw last night. A lot of it may have happened because

[40:37] one or more of your park rangers last weekend approached everyone who

[40:45] came to the dog beach and said something like, you know, your your leash has to

[40:50] be 6 feet or shorter, blah blah blah. We're going to take away your And then

[40:55] he said, "Be sure to attend the village meeting on Tuesday night

[41:02] and state your complaints." You know, that's all wrong.

[41:10] It is not the village's perview to talk and fix Centennial Beach. It's yours.

[41:17] And I think that people who attended last night maybe didn't realize that the

[41:23] village is a separate taxing body from three others from the parks, from the

[41:30] library, from the schools. The village does not have control of everybody in

[41:37] every area of this town. It's just not like that.

[41:42] So it worries me that somebody was feeding bad information

[41:48] from the park district to users of the dog beach and blaming the village which

[41:56] really and truly it's just misinformation. It's just wrong. So I

[42:01] think for all of you fine people who were here last night and I so I mean who

[42:06] were at the village last night. I so appreciated you being there. I think the

[42:11] misinformation came from the park district and I'm not happy about that. I

[42:16] think that was a big mistake. Thank you. >> President Gibson, can I comment on that?

[42:22] If that was the case, um we'll look into it because that would absolutely be not

[42:26] appropriate by staff to do. >> Okay.

[42:29] » All right. Um anyone else in the second to last row to make public comment

[42:38] to the next row? Okay.

[42:42] Matthew Derek 1096 beach. I'm actually a citizen of um the king of England. But

[42:48] um [laughter]

[42:50] subject >> I think that the dog beach we've had a

[42:53] dog b for probably 15 years now and had no problems at all with it until very

[42:59] recently and I think that it should be something that should be continued and

[43:04] no one there will be three human swimming beaches. Just make L2.

[43:16] » Thank you.

[43:21] » Is it I guess we've moved to the um sec second from the front. So I guess it's

[43:26] the second row. Is there anyone in the second row who wishes to speak?

[43:31] [clears throat] All right, let's move to the first row.

[43:37] Hi, I'm Tina. I uh a resident and a file holder.

[43:44] I appreciate um those who have spoken about the various details of meetings

[43:52] that have been held and whatnot. I um am just wondering where the 6 to 8

[43:59] a.m. thing came up. Um, I I it's like how do we go from all day to 6:00 to

[44:07] 8:00 a.m.? It just seems insane. So, uh, I just would be curious where that came

[44:13] from. Clearly, it would be very few users who use it at that time in my

[44:19] opinion. But um the other thing is I would like to see the actual complaints

[44:26] that were filed uh by uh whomever stated that dogs were

[44:33] going over to elder. Um there should be some documentation that

[44:39] you know maybe foy we can you know request and see those. My experience I'm

[44:47] down there nearly every day. Um, I have never once seen a dog go over to elder,

[44:54] which has just recently opened up as a people beach. Um, and I mean it would

[45:00] require that they like jump up over I don't even know. It just doesn't make

[45:05] sense. And then as far as the southernmost neighbor, I mean, he's

[45:10] built [clears throat]

[45:13] like a wall of of rocks that go out. Just there's no way the dogs could go

[45:18] over there. Um, so I don't know where this is all coming from, but somebody

[45:25] doesn't want us to have our dogs off leash. And I love the fact they have a

[45:30] fob. I think that makes it real safe and secure and avoids, you know, strange

[45:36] strangers coming on to the beach. And if we can just resume that,

[45:43] I'd appreciate it. Thank you. And my dog Tucker.

[45:51] » I'm going to change the topic for a second. U my name is Charles G and I was

[45:55] just wondering what the status of the lightning detection system at North Park

[46:00] and the you know park district property that's in Northfield is what the status

[46:03] of that is. I don't know if that's something you can reply back to. I know

[46:07] the president's been set back and forth so I don't know if there is a date that

[46:11] you can give you or a status um or if you want to wait to respond to me in a

[46:15] different manner that's great. Um secondly I'm just wondering uh we were

[46:19] down at Taro Beach the other night. What is the status? Oh, I know they maybe

[46:22] this is a village question. They fenced it farther back now so there's no

[46:26] parking down on the pier. Is that something that the park district is

[46:29] working with the village to get that pier finally repaired because if you

[46:34] want to have the dog beach and stuff down there to kind of make it more

[46:37] inconvenient for people who may be handicapped. So that was a question I

[46:41] had. And thirdly, I just want to make it perfectly clear and let me repeat

[46:45] myself. At no time have I ever been up here as a trustee for the village of

[46:51] Northfield. I'm speaking as a Northfield resident at a village of natural park

[46:56] district resident. So let me repeat that at no time anything that I've said or

[47:01] talked about is representing any way anything from the village of Northfield

[47:05] whether it was about that or anything else that I talked about. So I just want

[47:09] to make sure that that's perfectly clear and I attended the meeting the other

[47:13] night. I think you guys did a great job. for those who weren't here went from

[47:16] like 6:00 to 11:30 at night. It was a very long meeting and I appreciate you

[47:20] having another meeting today to discuss this and go through things you're doing.

[47:24] So, thank you very much for your time.

[47:29] » Do we have anyone else in the

[47:33] » case apologies for my voice um cold and um this issue is not important to me,

[47:40] but I need to come here to make my voice heard even if it's barely audible. Um,

[47:44] here I've proposed the ordinance moving the dog beach from Centennial to the

[47:48] Tower Road Beach in the early morning. In addition, I'm asking you to find a

[47:52] way to keep dogs off leash on Centennial Beach. I've lived in the village since

[47:56] 2012. One of the reason we moved was the proximity to the lake and the wonderful

[48:01] dog beach the village has. We moved to WCA with our chocolate ly we brought all

[48:06] the time till we passed in 2020. And now we have Daisy who we bring almost daily

[48:10] in the summer. Our family loves Lake and Beach and so do our dogs. We are regular

[48:14] users of Centennial daily in the summer and I have three main concerns. One, the

[48:18] notice about this thing, the pilot program as an alternative and also the

[48:22] underlying premise of Centennial having a problem. First, the notice this

[48:26] proposal came forward with very little advanced warning. Um, many of us only

[48:30] learned about this days before this meeting. Um, a change that eliminates a

[48:34] beloved amenity that we use daily deserves more time and a real chance for

[48:38] public input. Um it's very upsetting. The first quiz I

[48:42] had was an email sent on a Friday evening. I didn't even care about that.

[48:46] Did you see it? Because Friday evening is notorious for missing emails. Um this

[48:51] [clears throat] is something that really should be discussed in the off season,

[48:55] not not during peak season. Secondly, and more importantly, this is

[48:58] unacceptable alternative. The proposed go 6 to 8:30 doesn't reflect how we

[49:03] actually use the beach. I realize this is an individual point, but most

[49:07] mornings are spent trying to get kids up ready for camp, get ready for the day,

[49:10] getting them where we need. There's no time to take the dog to the dog beach.

[49:13] The afternoon is when we go. The dog gets a quick walk in the morning in the

[49:17] middle of the day when it's so hot, 90°. It's a perfect place to take a dog to

[49:21] swim, perfect place for her to get her best exercise. And if you take that

[49:26] away, that it's just feels unacceptable to me. Um yeah, [clears throat] short

[49:33] early time slot does not replace that. One of the things about entangle that's

[49:37] open all day. Um it allows you to take your dog to the beach whenever it fits

[49:40] your needs. It's really super crowded and almost always get a parking spot.

[49:45] Moving it to Tower Road will change all of that. And not to it may also create

[49:50] problems where there were none which brings my next point. The underlying

[49:54] premise is that there's a problem with the 10 closet dog reach. Centennial is

[49:58] the safe option for dogs and dog owners. A near parking lot, an easy set of

[50:02] stairs at the washing station there to clean our dogs afterwards. Tower Road

[50:06] does not have any of that. Centennial is the best option for dogs. In all the

[50:10] years I've used it, I've never seen or heard about a problem with it. Dog

[50:14] owners are responsible and they're invested in Centennial as the dog beach.

[50:18] The only issues and problems have come once the loud and latitigious neighbor

[50:22] has moved into the south of the beach. Centennial's dog beach isn't a minor

[50:27] convenience. This is where many of us go every day where our dog get the best

[50:30] exercise, especially on the hottest of summer days like today. And where J

[50:34] community has formed to take away in the middle of the summer with almost no

[50:38] notice and not a real alternative is egregious.

[50:41] » Regious. >> And we met there are three wonderful

[50:43] beaches people to go to. Tower Maple and now the reopen elder and the recently

[50:48] replenished Floyd Beach is perfect for boating, kayaks and whoever wants to

[50:52] hang out there. But the tennis for dogs and dog owners and made open that is

[50:56] what we expect we buy our beach passes in good faith for the year to change it

[51:01] now. And not to mention the way that's being done is unacceptable. I'm asking

[51:04] the board to vote this part program and find a way like I had good faith but I

[51:09] bought my fob uh oh sorry but I bought my fob. I have good faith that

[51:14] Centennial will be open through this peak season and that we can all come to

[51:17] a solution uh during the offse. Thank you very much. Thank your time.

[51:21] » Thank you.

[51:25] » Hi, my name is Meg Zal. Um I'm a teacher in Waneka, so I know what it's like to

[51:30] have a lot of unhappy parents. Look at they're not usually unhappy, right? Um I

[51:38] just want I do really want to say thank you. This is a really annoying position

[51:41] to be in. when you come in with goodwill and people are upset, it's just a

[51:46] bummer, especially when you invest a lot of time in it. I really thank you for

[51:49] volunteering your time. I'm so heartened to hear that it really sounds like this

[51:53] is a lot of misunderstanding. It sounds like there might be permissible use to

[51:59] have off leash locations on a beach safely. That's fabulous. It also sounds

[52:05] like, okay, just because the pilot program may not make sense right now,

[52:09] that's okay. We don't need to close Centennial. I think everyone can leave

[52:12] here feeling happy. Um I know I learned a few things today. Um I love I really

[52:17] appreciated the history of the park. I didn't quite realize it's a it's a

[52:21] really cool history and um I do just want to echo there is no problem. This

[52:26] beach is operating as designed. It's a slice of heaven. It is the best way to

[52:31] de-stress from anything. There's nothing happier than a gaggle of happy dogs.

[52:36] Like it just boosts your serotonin and your oxytocin and all your dopamine.

[52:40] This is such a good age of mental health. This is where everyone should

[52:44] go. And not to mention that it is an asset. This adds value to our community.

[52:50] You all know that the school enrollment was dipping for a period of time.

[52:54] There's questions, how do we bring young people? Well, no one else has a dog

[52:57] beach this good. Hey, no one. When people are visiting the out of town,

[53:00] everyone to dog beach and they're astounded. I'm like, yeah, move here.

[53:04] Okay. So, I just think I think it's wonderful. We're all in agreement. Um, I

[53:09] think we can leave here celebrating. You know, that's my hope. Um, and I do want

[53:13] to thank you for your time and how much, um, you care. I really appreciate it.

[53:17] Thank you. Thank you.

[53:23] » Hello, my name is Lynn Jackson. I live at 695 Prospect. Um, I wrote a whole

[53:27] speech for last night and didn't get an opportunity to read it. So, I would like

[53:31] to revised it and would like to just get straight to the point. Um, I'd like to

[53:36] address the intent of the park district to make Centennial passive beach. As

[53:41] we've all seen, this is there's incredibly strong support for an off

[53:44] leash dog beach. We've had one in this community for decades, and I'm both

[53:48] furious and heartbroken that our leaders cannot work effectively together to come

[53:53] up with a workable solution so we may preserve Centennial for people and their

[53:57] dogs. Over the past several months, I've spoken to members of both the village

[54:01] and the park district boards and have come away with nothing but a he said,

[54:05] she said explanation of why we are in this situation. Each side placing the

[54:10] blame squarely at the other's feet. And that was clearly on display last night.

[54:15] When asked why we cannot just install a simple fence at the north end of the

[54:19] beach, I was told by parks that the village board rejected this plan a few

[54:23] years ago. When asked why the village board wouldn't approve a simple fence at

[54:27] the northern end of the beach, I was told the only plan they've seen is an

[54:30] overengineered cage-like fencing plan. This infighting has to stop. The only

[54:37] true winner here is the residents of the south of Centennial who gets a passive

[54:41] beach to his north. No disturbances. Something that is not lost on any of us.

[54:47] Clearly, the village saw last night we want a way to keep the unleashed dog

[54:51] beach where it is and will hopefully revisit options for doing so. Can the

[54:56] parks board return to the village with a simple minimum minimal fencing plan?

[55:02] Install a fence gate, a simple gate at the north end and the south end. Make it

[55:06] as unintrusive as possible. Work together with the village to take

[55:10] advantage of home rule to our benefit. I know the hope is to join a part of

[55:15] Santana with elders someday. That is not happening anytime soon. Shia seems to

[55:21] have no interest in donating the land and the community has no interest in

[55:24] buying it from them. So be open to keeping the status quo until sometime in

[55:29] the future when this may be a reality and then move the northern fence down

[55:33] toward the south. It is time to put your differences aside and work with us to

[55:39] preserve this off leachch beach for our residents with dogs. Just like we've

[55:44] given a huge amount of lakefront access at Lloyd to our residents with boats

[55:49] where we have issued far fewer um lakefront boat passes than we do dog

[55:55] beach passes. Those coupled with the three dedicated

[55:59] people beaches are wonderful amenities that offers to all its citizens. Thank

[56:04] you. Thank you.

[56:08] [clears throat] >> Sorry, I didn't have time to speak in my

[56:11] role. Uh, my name's Ia Brandon and I have um I'm 112 gauge. I've lived in

[56:16] Waga almost my whole life. I've raised six kids here. I was actually a meart

[56:21] district counselor for several years. So, I have worked for the organization,

[56:24] sent my kids to camp here. I was a ke owner until I thought I'm not having

[56:30] tater tot be accosted by um some park ranger who's going to tell her she has

[56:35] to be on a leash which I think I'm a nurse that's one of the most dangerous

[56:38] things I've ever heard of for an animal to be chasing tennis balls. Thank you

[56:42] Centennial for putting old tennis balls at the top of the beach and that's all

[56:45] the dogs want to do is chase tennis balls in the water. I've witnessed this

[56:49] for years. Um, I'm asking this board, and I thank you

[56:54] again for your time, to represent the village of Anaka, to

[56:58] not represent one owner. We're all taxpayers. We all love I I didn't choose

[57:04] to live in the western suburbs, even though my husband currently still does

[57:07] and he goes back and forth because of Lake Michigan. I chose to live in Winn

[57:12] and raise my kids here because of Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan cannot be tamed.

[57:17] It is an ocean. I've lived on Sheridan for 10 years at 667.

[57:21] Uh there have been more accidents with boating and deaths from boating and

[57:25] drownings than there have been any incident at the Donkey Beach. My worry

[57:29] about this pilot program. Pilots are meant to be a study.

[57:34] If they fail, the pilot goes away. There's no access anywhere. And then

[57:38] this is just a dead point. I want to thank every single person that's come.

[57:41] I've never heard of more meetings in my life in the evening, in the afternoon

[57:44] about this one issue. have [clears throat] a friend over here

[57:49] said this should be a joyful thing. Why is this coming to this? I think it's one

[57:53] of the most ridiculous waste of time. There should be a compromised. This

[57:57] should be a dog friendly area off. So again, thank you.

[58:01] » Thanks.

[58:05] » Hello, I'm Sally Tomlinson. I live at 653 Walden Road. Um first I want to

[58:09] thank you all of you park district commissioners for volunteering your

[58:13] time. I think I've worked with many of you in KOSA. I got to say, you're losing

[58:16] here. It's turning gray and it's all because of this dog issue

[58:20] since 2019. It's like, oh my god, stop. Um, so a couple of things. A history

[58:25] lesson, um, a math lesson, and then an offer. Um, the history lesson. I feel

[58:30] like we need to go back a second cuz I'm I don't understand what all this stuff

[58:34] is. I want to make sure we're all aligned on the fact that we need an off

[58:40] leash dog beach at Centennial. In 2016, the park district conducted a needs

[58:45] assessment survey in which an off leash dog park was a top five priority and a

[58:50] number two unmet need. Interestingly, the survey never pulled for the

[58:54] importance of an off leash dog beach, perhaps because it already existed. So,

[58:58] I can only offer anecdotal evidence of the beach's importance by the intendance

[59:03] attendance of the 100 plus dog owners. That room was completely packed at a

[59:06] park district meeting after conceptual drawings of the 2030 lakefront plan

[59:10] surfaced without a dog beach. Shortly thereafter, in 2022, I served on a dog

[59:16] beach committee which was charged with finding an alternate location. Um, I I I

[59:21] feel like the birth of Nimi came out of all of that. Uh there there was nothing

[59:25] happening in terms of moving a dog beach. That effort was for not. Um but

[59:30] what remains is a community desire to preserve a wonderful amenity that has

[59:34] been part of our village since 1995. Again, anecdotally supported by the

[59:38] turnout at last night's village board meeting and the continued engagement

[59:42] with the park district here tonight. Uh math lesson. Waneka is blessed with 200

[59:47] uh 2440 linear feet of public lakefront. Elder, maple and tower represent over

[59:52] 1,000 feet, almost 50% of lakefront for swimmers and beachgoers use. Another 720

[59:58] ft at Lloyd are Lloyd are available for boating recreation. Uh and this leaves

[1:00:03] about 23% or 550 ft for not the dogs but dog owners. People who chose to enjoy

[1:00:11] the lakefront with their four-legged family members. There has to be a

[1:00:14] solution in which all constituents are well served. Um, I wish I had been able

[1:00:19] to express uh uh last night to the village the

[1:00:23] importance of their role in the approval process. If in fact we do need a fence,

[1:00:27] we've got to work together. Um, and I know if we work together, we will find a

[1:00:31] simple, inexpensive, and aesthetically palatable solution. Uh, by the way, for

[1:00:36] anyone who objects to fencing, I would argue that the large granite brake walls

[1:00:41] are kind of ugly, but it was a compromise to address erosion. So, how

[1:00:44] can we find compromise? So, here's my offer. and you guys are part of the

[1:00:48] offer. This is an engaged and compassionate and passionate group. How

[1:00:53] can we help? Let's get Centennial back to being off leash. Um, collect our

[1:00:58] emails, collect our phone numbers, if you need us showing up at zoning board

[1:01:02] meetings, if you need us talking to commissioners, the trustees, I I think

[1:01:07] we're willing and able if you uh just give us a chance. Um, I think we're all

[1:01:11] aligned in wanting to get a um an off leash dog park back at St. Thank you for

[1:01:24] » Hi, my name is Jackar Street. I've been a part of village

[1:01:28] government since probably 2007 starting with the Waka caucus on the on the

[1:01:34] subcommittee that looked after district and then moving on through plan

[1:01:38] commission village council and now I'm the chairman of the historic

[1:01:42] preservation commission. My first time on a beach in Monka was 1963, probably

[1:01:48] the summer. Um, I was born here and Elder Lane and Centennial

[1:01:54] after 1967 were my beaches. Um, in 1967 in October, the hospital that was on

[1:02:01] Centennial Beach was knocked down. Uh, the Northshore Health Resort. Uh and I

[1:02:08] as a little kid I remember watching them tear down with wrecking balls the whole

[1:02:12] hospital. Uh the village and the park district at the urgent of the citizens

[1:02:17] purchased Centennial Park and turned it into the park that it is. 1969 was the

[1:02:22] dedication. That beach has been the dog beach since

[1:02:26] 1968 at least. I went there with my dog. We lived on Essex. My mom still does. We

[1:02:32] went there over and over and over again. Those who spent their entire summer was

[1:02:36] spent at Centennial dodging the lifeguards at Elder who would get mad if

[1:02:40] you went into the water at Centennial. Completely open. Completely open. Unless

[1:02:45] the lifeguard yelled at you and told you to get out, then you'd go hide up on the

[1:02:48] bluff until he stopped looking. The the reality is when when we first started

[1:02:54] going there after they knocked the hospital down, there was a wooden

[1:02:57] staircase on the north side, an old red painted wooden staircase, and the path

[1:03:03] led down to the beach. after the village uh art district came in, they put in the

[1:03:07] pathways that are there now, but there was also an extra one down to the beach.

[1:03:10] That was the way we got down to the beach. Um,

[1:03:13] » can you say that again? Can you just back up like 3 seconds?

[1:03:16] » Sure. Uh, you used to be able to get access to the beach without a fence or a

[1:03:22] fob or anything. It was open entirely. >> Okay.

[1:03:25] » And there was never a problem about taking a dog there. Um,

[1:03:31] we also went down to the beach at Willow Road, which you can go out into the pier

[1:03:35] that was there and it was open all the way down. You could go down at Cherry

[1:03:40] Street. Right now, you can't go at Cherry Street, but when I tried to with

[1:03:44] my dog a couple years ago, a park district kid said, "Well, you can't go

[1:03:48] down there with your dog." I'm like, "But this is the Village of Peach." That

[1:03:51] got into some complexity, which I can't remember. But the last time I tried,

[1:03:56] there was a guard paid for, I think, by the new Clement Stone guy to keep people

[1:04:00] from going down, allegedly, to keep them from swimming and to keep dogs off the

[1:04:05] beach. Although, he let every single person who went by me while I was

[1:04:08] standing there fuming on a 95 degree day who wanted to swim down with with

[1:04:13] swimmers. So, what that leads up to is a lack of access. The key fob system,

[1:04:19] quite honestly, I think is a terrible idea. And here's why. because you don't

[1:04:25] need the money. You just don't. How much do you make from key fobs for the budget

[1:04:30] of this of of the park district? It's it's

[1:04:35] really I think I did sort of an off the cuff calculation maybe $50,000

[1:04:40] and now you've got the rest of that and now you've got rangers creating the

[1:04:45] worst possible thing for a public eye which is bad public relations. You hear

[1:04:50] it here. People are furious that they have to have some guy come up and

[1:04:55] threaten to take the key fob. So, the key fob has become a point of

[1:04:59] contention. It's become coord. And I think you really have to do what you can

[1:05:04] to get rid of the the key fob system. And I'm just going to say very quickly,

[1:05:10] you don't usually the groin blocks the dogs from going up on the peach. Last

[1:05:15] thing you should do, get rid of the key fob so people can go in and out and they

[1:05:18] just do what they do in the city of Chicago, Wilmet, and every place else.

[1:05:22] And also put up, if you have to put up a fence along the side, which I understand

[1:05:26] as a lawyer, I get the idea of wanting to avoid that problem, which is

[1:05:30] non-existent, but still put a gate in a little one of those little sand fences.

[1:05:35] » Okay, >> then no problems.

[1:05:37] » Thank you. Anyone

[1:05:42] else in this front row who wishes to make public comment? Okay. Over there.

[1:05:47] » Yes. >> Feels bad being last.

[1:05:50] » Maybe you're not. >> Um my name is Sam Wiser. I've lived in

[1:05:53] the village for more than 35 years and um I appreciate your time and your

[1:05:58] volunteering and I don't want to in any way impunity the effort that's being

[1:06:02] made find an equitable solution to this. Um, and I'm not as educated as some of

[1:06:08] my fellow citizens who've spoken before me, but I have real difficulty in

[1:06:12] understanding the magnitude of the problem that you're trying to solve. And

[1:06:16] so, I've gone through and looked for answers to questions that I have that I

[1:06:21] can't find. And so, one, I want to know how many days Elder Beach has actually

[1:06:25] been open in the last 3 years because quite frankly, there's only a problem at

[1:06:29] Elder Beach. Elder Beach is open. Um, secondly, I want to know how many

[1:06:34] incidents of dogs going over to Elder Beach from Centennial have occurred

[1:06:39] ever. I haven't been able to find any quantification that there's a

[1:06:42] significant problem that actually exists.

[1:06:46] Third, I want to know what prevents a more natural barrier from being created

[1:06:50] higher than the one that exists that wouldn't necessarily change the

[1:06:54] aesthetic of what's there now, but would at least provide the necessary barrier

[1:06:59] between Elder and Centennial. Because the only purpose a gate serves is to

[1:07:03] allow access to and from. But as long as you have access above and you get off

[1:07:08] Elder and go over and walk over to Centennial, I don't think anybody's

[1:07:11] going to have a problem or try to climb over the rocks. Excuse me, my phone went

[1:07:15] off. Um uh

[1:07:21] and then I want to know exactly how many complaints the park district or the

[1:07:26] police department or anyone else who's associated with the village has received

[1:07:31] in 31 years about dog beach because quite frankly you know there used to be

[1:07:36] the WKA talk and they used to have the police incident reports and I can't

[1:07:39] remember ever reading one about a dog problem on the beach but since the Wneka

[1:07:44] talk is gone I haven't been able to find any information that would quantify

[1:07:48] that. I think that's an important fact, right? People who are angry like myself

[1:07:53] who want to get our dogs down on the beach and who don't see a problem want

[1:07:57] to understand what the problem is. Um, my assessment, and I apologize if I

[1:08:04] offend anyone, is I'm seeing a dysfunctional attempt to solve a problem

[1:08:08] that really doesn't exist. Rather, it's a manufactured attempt to create issues

[1:08:13] that have consumed public taxpayer funded time and resources, not for the

[1:08:18] public good, but to address the interests of a vocal minority. That is

[1:08:22] exactly what we're set up not to do. Right? We're set up to use our

[1:08:27] resources. I've been associated with the park district my entire time here. My

[1:08:31] kids all metriculated through park district programs. the work that we've

[1:08:35] done on the fields, the work that we've done with the hockey rinks, the work

[1:08:38] that we've done with the um other fields, everything that's been done is

[1:08:43] laudable. It's great. It's been a big benefit to the community. But this is a

[1:08:48] problem that doesn't need to be a problem. There wasn't a problem before.

[1:08:52] There won't be a problem after. And if we have to take some minimal steps to

[1:08:58] create a way to maintain Centennial Beach the way it's been for as long as I

[1:09:03] can remember, then I would be in favor of that.

[1:09:05] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[1:09:08] » Great. Do we have anyone else? Can we make him not the last guy or are we all

[1:09:12] good?

[1:09:15] » I apologize. I can't wait. I can do it from here.

[1:09:21] » Camera. And thank you.

[1:09:30] » Thanks for taking the time. I'm Michael Homeberg. I live at 435 Lyndon. We moved

[1:09:34] from 322 a little while ago. I forget it sometimes. I uh I grew up on the beach.

[1:09:41] I was played on the beach. I rode my Stingray over the hills when they

[1:09:46] knocked the sanitarium down. I uh except I swam both beaches. I cleaned the

[1:09:52] beaches. I was part of the junior job. I worked for the park district about four

[1:09:55] summers in a row. It was fantastic. I found a pay receipt the other day. I was

[1:10:00] making a$120 an hour. That was a good job. It was a great job. I loved it. And

[1:10:07] then I was like our chasing Jack. Our parents were good friends. There's a

[1:10:14] uh uh and I take my dog Murray to the beach all the time and and we've been

[1:10:18] gone for a year as we redo this house thing. Uh I love the beach and it's

[1:10:23] where I meet new people when I think there's a community aspect to it. It's

[1:10:28] beautiful when your dog's here. I tend to go at evening and it's a great place

[1:10:31] to relax and my dog it's very good for him to relax or he drives my wife crazy.

[1:10:37] Uh so I take him down there. I swim myself and then I meet people and I

[1:10:42] think it's one of the things I've been here forever

[1:10:46] but not everybody has and it's nice to meet people and it's a great place to

[1:10:50] meet people. Uh I made a bunch of friends down there. There's a huge dog

[1:10:54] community which is wonderful. So >> and I as somebody said earlier, he said,

[1:10:59] she said, whatever it is, I don't know how we got into where we are now. The

[1:11:03] beach has been a wonderful beach forever. I hope it continues the way it

[1:11:06] is. I think the job of being on the park board is really hard. I think it's one

[1:11:13] of the best things I've done. And I keep thinking like Brad Brad, you know, Brad

[1:11:18] Mlan did a great job here. Uh Warren James, I think they did a great job

[1:11:22] here. These guys are and I grew up with these guys. Great guy. I think should I

[1:11:26] do it? No. [laughter] I think it's really hard, but I

[1:11:31] appreciate the fact that you're doing it. Uh it's as as Rob said when he went

[1:11:36] on the privilege council he said you know you go on that because you have too

[1:11:40] many friends there did not want your friends out of

[1:11:45] the way. So thank you and I hope we can get to a way that it the dog beach

[1:11:49] remains a wonderful thing in the past. Thank you. Thank you.

[1:12:00] » I'm John Edson and I am the owner at 301 Chicagoan which is the north end of

[1:12:09] Elward Park. Um, I I don't u uh I'm happy with whatever happens with the dog

[1:12:17] beach, but for people who say there have been no instances, you're just dead

[1:12:23] wrong. Just last summer, we had two dogs being chased by their owners down the

[1:12:31] beach that got to our property and came up the staircase to our backyard where

[1:12:37] we were sitting. Uh, they were friendly dogs. They came over to me and I petted

[1:12:43] them until the owners got there. But, you know, if you think that nothing ever

[1:12:48] happens with dogs going down the beach, you're wrong. The thing I would like to

[1:12:54] see happen is dog owners who use the beach keep their dogs on the leash until

[1:13:01] they get to the door of of [clears throat] the dog beach. Uh, two

[1:13:06] nights ago, our dog was attacked by another dog who was off leash. It isn't

[1:13:12] worth it to call the lease or anybody else. It it or call the police, you

[1:13:18] know, it it just But I have to tell you, I walk in Centennial every night. Every

[1:13:25] night. And I'll do two or three loops with my dog on a leash. And there is

[1:13:32] barely a day that [clears throat] we don't encounter a dog off leash in that

[1:13:37] park. So for all of those of you who want to use it, I hope you get to use

[1:13:42] it. I hope it stays where it is, but could you just keep your dogs on the

[1:13:48] leash till you get to dog beach? Thank you.

[1:13:52] » Thank you.

[1:13:56] » All right. Are we finished with public comment? We do want to hear from

[1:14:00] everyone that wants to speak. All right, I think that wraps it up for

[1:14:05] tonight in terms of public comments. [clears throat] Um,

[1:14:10] I'd like to ask commissioners to keep comments for three minutes per item

[1:14:14] unless otherwise noted with one opportunity to speak on each item. If

[1:14:18] there are matters that require additional followup from staff and

[1:14:22] cannot be addressed immediately, those items may be tabled by a majority vote

[1:14:26] to a future meeting. It's important that we respect the time of our community

[1:14:31] staff and fellow commissioners while ensuring our discussions stay focused on

[1:14:35] board level decisions that best serve our community.

[1:14:40] Um, at this time, I'd like to turn to section 5.2 two of the um excuse me to

[1:14:47] uh 3.1 excuse me of the agenda and um I would like to um Shannon did you want to

[1:14:55] present a memo? [laughter]

[1:15:00] So there's not much change to this memo other than uh the fact that the village

[1:15:06] had their their meeting last night. And so the difference in the documents that

[1:15:12] you have attached uh the updated draft first amendment to the Tower Road lease.

[1:15:19] This was the last thing that we um provided to the village. It's really

[1:15:24] loud. Yeah. Um the last uh amendment that we provided to the the village

[1:15:29] which was on Friday um June 25th. >> Okay.

[1:15:34] » That that we provided to the village. >> All right. Um

[1:15:39] » so hold on. So we have not received a reply from the village uh legal council.

[1:15:48] » I believe that the reply was the meeting last night.

[1:15:52] » Okay. Got it. All right.

[1:15:56] So the sort of point of the point of um as as I see it sort of the offer was the

[1:16:09] offer that the village sort of made last night

[1:16:13] is one I'd like to discuss which is um to continue with the pilot program

[1:16:21] [clears throat] at Tower but keep Centennial open them

[1:16:25] uh for dogs >> as

[1:16:27] » as is. We can get to the on leash off leash at another time and I do agree

[1:16:33] that through uh working together there are options.

[1:16:38] We've heard some great things from the community in terms of ideas. There was

[1:16:42] one idea that someone shared with me two days ago that I hadn't thought of and I

[1:16:47] thought it was a really good idea. So that's that is a conversation to be had.

[1:16:52] and we hear, you know, that this is something that the community feels very

[1:16:56] strongly about and so forth. Um, but tonight we have to look at what's in

[1:17:02] front of us. And what's in front of us is the pilot program that was um, uh,

[1:17:09] proposed by the village. And again, I'll reiterate what I said. I think it's a

[1:17:13] great program. Um, if you know, because presently it's the only way to be off

[1:17:18] leash. It's great for the people that can work with the time frame. Um, and so

[1:17:24] I don't want to not pursue it. However, I like the offer that was sort of made

[1:17:30] last night by the village, which is that we can keep Centennial open while they

[1:17:36] run the pilot program. And so I would like to open a discussion with

[1:17:41] commissioners on that idea.

[1:17:47] Y um I'm a big fan of more is better than less. More options are better than

[1:17:56] fewer. And I think both options are good. Um I would like to see if there

[1:18:03] are people that we can capture at tower while I think that the

[1:18:10] proposed fencing or stansions are insufficient.

[1:18:17] I would ask the village to consider extending their confidence to a fence

[1:18:25] permit also at Centennial and I would be happy with options at both places

[1:18:30] because I think it expands our programming geographically which I think

[1:18:35] is important. >> Thank you.

[1:18:40] » Commissioner R. Um this evening under uh the next item on the agenda I'm going to

[1:18:46] introduce a proposal which would encourage the ability uh to

[1:18:54] speak to Mr. Kadari the experience for all residents to be able to use

[1:18:59] Centennial and uh with our home room focus of our

[1:19:04] village to permit Centennial to become a dog friendly area offage for dogs so

[1:19:11] that anyone can come. Um I I guess I didn't hear what you heard that the

[1:19:16] village was still considering this. >> Well, I'm not saying that they did say.

[1:19:21] » Okay. [clears throat] All right. It was just something that was discussed in the

[1:19:24] introduction and it was very appealing to me.

[1:19:27] » And and as I said during our last meeting, um the dog beach advisory

[1:19:31] committee came up with a plan for towers. It's very similar to this one

[1:19:36] with the exception that there was a suggestion for fences. In looking at

[1:19:42] this amendment to theou, I see that since our last meeting, what

[1:19:47] has been added is the following language. village agrees to revoke a

[1:19:52] person's privileges to use tower beach dog area whenever that person's dog is

[1:19:57] found off leash outside the boundaries of tower three times. I believe that is

[1:20:01] new and was was >> that was from the last meeting that was

[1:20:05] directed by the board. >> The last meeting of you with

[1:20:09] » No, no, no. June 20 25th meeting. >> Our last meeting our last meeting

[1:20:13] » that was directed by the boarding that and so I apologize for missing that. I'm

[1:20:18] a big fan of of more is better. I agree with you, Commissioner Cotto. And I

[1:20:24] think uh trying trying an off leash dog beach at tower is a great thing.

[1:20:30] However, it's very restrictive hours from 6:00 to 8:30 and we've heard

[1:20:35] repeatedly this evening that there are many people that can't go to the

[1:20:39] » clearly not a solution for everyone. So, you know, if there's a way also to

[1:20:43] consider how this might work after the swimming beach is closed as I believe

[1:20:48] that's 8:00, isn't it? When our lifeguards

[1:20:52] and it's still light most of the summer after 8:00. So, perhaps there's an

[1:20:57] opportunity to to extend this this pilot into the evening. Um, again,

[1:21:03] [clears throat] I'm all for it. Let's see what we can do. and I've been a a a

[1:21:08] real advocate for working collaboratively with our village rather

[1:21:12] than putting obstacles in place on why we can't. So, thank you very much.

[1:21:17] » Thank you. >> All right.

[1:21:22] Um, it begs the question to me,

[1:21:28] why didn't the village just say put stansions up at Centennial?

[1:21:36] Unless they consider those barriers from a home rule standpoint.

[1:21:43] Um, I I there's not a lot of you folks that have

[1:21:47] [clears throat] been involved in this in the last 6 months. I had a meeting at

[1:21:52] peace on February 20th and I said, [clears throat] "Hey, just so you know,

[1:21:55] we've been told >> that the Dog Beach Group wants to move

[1:21:59] to tower." Commissioner Rude has also stated that in open meeting. Uh I

[1:22:05] believe uh Trustee at the top has also stated that

[1:22:09] during the permitting process, it's no one wants this. No one wants no one

[1:22:15] wants these fences. No one wants dogs on Centennial. We haven't heard from any of

[1:22:19] you. The question is, where's everybody been?

[1:22:22] » We didn't know. >> Well, you're here tonight. You weren't

[1:22:25] allowed to speak last night, but you were allowed to speak tonight. Um,

[1:22:30] » it also begs the question, why 6:00 to 8:30?

[1:22:36] If it's safe, make it all day long. So the village is recognizing that

[1:22:44] number one stansions [clears throat] may not work on park district property

[1:22:49] and number two safety is an issue. That's why it's 6 to 8:30.

[1:22:56] It's a very active beach. It goes back to the point Centennial is the best

[1:23:02] place for a dog beach. It is. I know we have the dog advisory committee. I just

[1:23:08] want to say I am supportive of the village trying to do what they're doing.

[1:23:11] Give it a shot. It's your property. We'll adjust our lease. Give it a shot.

[1:23:16] I hope it works out well. But we learned in um August 2021 when we

[1:23:25] we were going to take the Dog Beach office and tell people that we're very

[1:23:29] active, energized dog beach community. We said, "Oh shit."

[1:23:34] So, we formed the dog beach advisory committee and then ultimately we decided

[1:23:38] that Centennial was the best location. Now, [clears throat] I got to tell you,

[1:23:42] it's not because of the neighbor to the south. I think that's a terrible,

[1:23:46] terrible misrepresentation. It's disgusting.

[1:23:50] We did it because it's the best damn place to put a dog beach. I too want to

[1:23:56] find a solution. What is acceptable for a barrier? What is it? The permitting

[1:24:02] process that we go through the village does not lend itself to discussion.

[1:24:09] Commissioner Cotto when she first became president in August of 2023 said, "Hey,

[1:24:15] let's just sit down. Two boards, open session, working a working group.

[1:24:21] Let's just figure this thing out." Zero response. I'm not trying to point

[1:24:26] fingers. >> Yeah, you are. You are. I still would

[1:24:30] love, that's why we brought up the IG, Irene. That's why we brought up the IG.

[1:24:35] I would love to sit down with representatives from the village in a

[1:24:40] good faith effort to find a solution. It ain't going to be chain link fence. It's

[1:24:45] just not going to be. What's it going to be? What can we put up to satisfy

[1:24:51] barrier so that well dogs can run off leash? And

[1:24:57] last, I'll say again, this agreement was delivered to us by the village. We did

[1:25:04] not we did not construct this this agreement to close the dog beach at

[1:25:11] Centennial. It was delivered to us. They wanted to close Centennial for this

[1:25:19] trial period, not permanently, for dogs. So, I want to work with the village and

[1:25:25] find a solution. I'm in support of their pilot program. Give it a shot. It's your

[1:25:31] property. Let's figure it out. Let's move forward.

[1:25:35] But we're not going to close the dog beach on leash at this point.

[1:25:40] [clears throat] Dog beach at Centennial. And I'll say last comment. Obviously,

[1:25:44] the park ranger thing is not I'm over three minutes

[1:25:48] » right now. I don't care. I'll just say the park ranger thing is

[1:25:52] is seems like it's bumpy. So, um, we have to address that. Um, and I'm sure

[1:25:58] Shannon will. Thank you, >> Madam Chair. Seeing that my name was

[1:26:02] raised in Commissioner Seaman's comments, and because it was inaccurate,

[1:26:07] may I correct the statement? Yes. Thank you. Um, as far as moving dogs to tower,

[1:26:14] what I have said is that when we were told with the new elder centennial beach

[1:26:20] plan that the dogs would have to move, that they would have to leave

[1:26:24] Centennial, Miss Tomlinson and others and I participated with commissioner,

[1:26:30] former commissioner in a dog beach advisory committee based on the

[1:26:35] representation that dogs could no longer stand centennial. Our best solution was

[1:26:42] to relocate to the village segment of beach nearest the pier at at Tower

[1:26:49] Beach. And it was on that premise that I said that we supported and I handed out

[1:26:54] the plan during our last board meeting last Thursday, the the actual rendering

[1:26:59] of what that plan was. So, thank you for letting me correct myself.

[1:27:03] » Can I Can I respond to that? >> Sorry. Um, that's not what I was

[1:27:07] referring to. I apologize. Yes, the dog beach committee

[1:27:13] did propose to move the dog beach tower. It's in approximately the same location

[1:27:19] that the village has designed it. Obviously much more substantial as you

[1:27:23] said and touch. Um, however,

[1:27:28] I believe in October of 24, we passed a resolution that said

[1:27:35] we're having a dog beach in Centennial cuz we we viewed as a board that that

[1:27:40] was a superior location for a dog beach. And I still do believe it is. So that's

[1:27:45] what I refer to to as well as again I we had been told

[1:27:52] by members of the village that the dog beach group wanted to move

[1:27:59] the tower.

[1:28:05] » It's been in public comment but I want to work with the village

[1:28:09] staff to get this done. >> Right. We need to All right. Um actually

[1:28:12] can I just add for commissioner rap to >> um first thank you for everyone for

[1:28:18] coming out. Um it's great to see a whole room of people engaged on this topic.

[1:28:23] It's always a benefit to hear directly. Um I

[1:28:29] [clears throat] I'm glad that the village put out a

[1:28:33] proposal because it has you know engaged the community more. I think the proposal

[1:28:39] was certainly made in good faith. I think a lot of the restrictions in terms

[1:28:42] of the time were in response to requests from park district staff in terms of

[1:28:47] camps being run at tower. I agree that 6 to 8:30 seems untenable

[1:28:53] to get out there for many members of the community. But I do believe the proposal

[1:28:57] was made in good faith to try to float the idea of you know can we have times

[1:29:01] and ways to share spaces between um people and dogs and give give more

[1:29:07] access. So I think that that that was certainly a positive that

[1:29:11] » trying to work particularly since our proposal was not favorably um received.

[1:29:18] I would say that um I think that perhaps revisiting tower

[1:29:24] maybe after summer camp ends or maybe when the playgrounds are under

[1:29:28] renovation or you know some other options could be more feasible where we

[1:29:34] don't have the uh constraint of designing on the fly during the prime

[1:29:38] season as one of our commenters mentioned that you know I think we

[1:29:42] should remain open and flexible um to that. I do think that as we consider

[1:29:49] Centennial, I had viewed the villages proposal not so much as saying

[1:29:55] uh unleash dogs out but more as an invitation to the larger community to

[1:30:00] come into Centennial as well. Um, so I not you know I didn't I think it's fine

[1:30:08] to leave dogs on leash and centennial and invite larger parts of the community

[1:30:12] and I think as a park district we have also invited other members of the

[1:30:16] community in this year with the non-dog key fob which is available to purchase

[1:30:22] which I think is a positive thing because it's a beautiful beach and there

[1:30:27] are many wonderful dog owners there. There are also many wonderful people in

[1:30:31] the village without dogs. So I think that's a positive. But I had suggested

[1:30:35] in prior meetings as we were hitting resistance to our fencing proposal which

[1:30:40] was a more permanent you know fencing that's up all the time is you know the

[1:30:45] possibility of is there something we can do that's truly temporary. You know the

[1:30:50] the type of fencing that comes out at the Winna music festival for the

[1:30:53] weekend. You know retractable fencing snow fencing that gets rolled up at

[1:30:58] night. And I would just encourage us to be flexible as we consider those things.

[1:31:02] Absolutely. >> I mean, we have a proposal for a budget

[1:31:04] adjustment. Could that enable us to have staff that could find a way to share

[1:31:09] this space in a way that could enable um dog beach passholders to be able to have

[1:31:15] their dogs off leash without being criminalized or hassled by well-meaning

[1:31:21] park rangers because I think that's really important. I mean, we're like

[1:31:25] we're deliluding ourselves to think that people leave their dogs on leash when

[1:31:29] they go to Centennial. I mean, it just it defies the whole value proposition

[1:31:33] about the point of going is so that your dog can run and chase a tennis ball in

[1:31:37] the lake and that cannot happen safely on a leash. Like, it's just an

[1:31:40] incompatible thing. And I think we really need to find a way to be able to

[1:31:45] make that happen in a way that is comfortable and safe for both our our

[1:31:51] you know dog beach users in the off leash sense and also our public at large

[1:31:58] » because you're creative. [laughter]

[1:32:02] You >> pressure no pressure.

[1:32:04] » You I've said this to other commissioners. You throw a lot of stuff

[1:32:06] out right in meetings about what can we do? What can we do? Can we do this?

[1:32:10] What's the method that you would suggest? Because we can't obviously

[1:32:16] unilaterally show up with 15 different ideas through the normal permitting

[1:32:20] process. That doesn't that's impractical. So h what's the method that

[1:32:26] we can sit down with members of the village and have this exchange? How do

[1:32:33] we do that? >> I I will tell you how I felt as a

[1:32:37] commissioner. I felt curtailed. I felt afraid to engage people in the other

[1:32:42] elector in the other elected bodies through our liaison process. People have

[1:32:47] been disciplined for going and talking to people at a border. So I think that

[1:32:53] structurally having a relaxation on the ability of individual commissioners to

[1:33:00] engage with their counterparts on an informal basis is very important to

[1:33:03] accomplish that. Having commissioners disciplined for speaking How does a

[1:33:09] problem? >> How does that feedback come back to the

[1:33:11] board? How does that because informal conversations we we we have listen we

[1:33:16] got seven different board members with seven different perspectives which is

[1:33:21] great but ultimately we have to arrive on a unified solution. That's why we

[1:33:26] come together and we vote. So we can have all sorts of informal

[1:33:30] conversations. I haven't spoke to a village trustee in

[1:33:33] I mean since my previous term so because I'm respecting leaison and

[1:33:38] » yeah no I know I know >> and they probably don't want to talk to

[1:33:40] me so so so how do we how do we do that how do we make sure that we have a

[1:33:45] unified >> um process I think it's an IGA I think

[1:33:50] it's or I think it's this meeting that that Christina

[1:33:54] » it's a study session >> a study session with the village to

[1:33:57] let's just let's just hash this out

[1:34:01] I'm all in for a joint study. >> A joint study session would be

[1:34:04] excellent. U if I could >> actually I think Commissioner Toto had

[1:34:08] her hand up and I had pointed it out. Okay. I jumped over her because I wanted

[1:34:14] to you know we had Commissioner R. So um if I we could switch to Christina

[1:34:21] and still have Commissioner Tyson and Commissioner

[1:34:23] » I do I do very aggressorly bragging over there. Um, we did suggest a study

[1:34:29] session and I think it would be productive and I think it's better than

[1:34:34] an IGA because there's a lot of mistrust in the process in the closed process.

[1:34:40] So, a joint public study session I think would be very helpful. It would be very

[1:34:45] transparent. It would allow us to work on the areas of commonality and and

[1:34:51] produce a result. Um the challenge with having individuals

[1:34:59] talk to individuals on the trustees is number one the feedback loop number two

[1:35:06] representing the majority position of the park district board and number three

[1:35:11] um trying to angle for a different solution. So this you're 17th I'm 17th

[1:35:18] of the decision making authority when we decide that's the decision and I support

[1:35:25] that whether I agree or I don't agree that we should pull the permits but we

[1:35:29] pulled them so we support that that is the majority position um so a joint

[1:35:35] study session it is is to me a transparent solution which I think this

[1:35:39] community would welcome and I think it would be helpful It's cumbersome. It's

[1:35:44] time consuming. But um I think we can set an agenda and maybe

[1:35:51] um

[1:35:54] » we heard tonight that our community wants to be involved in this and um I

[1:36:00] see another option and that is forming a joint advisory board composed of members

[1:36:07] of our community with both the village and and park district. if that is

[1:36:13] possible lawfully. Go ahead. >> Um and again, yes, I support a joint

[1:36:18] study session. I was disappointed last night, quite frankly, that the park

[1:36:22] district wasn't working with the village in that meeting so that we could

[1:36:28] collaborate. >> No, no, you understand what I'm saying.

[1:36:32] In other words, I think it would have been great if we had had commissioners

[1:36:36] of the park district and village trustees all at one meeting.

[1:36:42] side by side. And again, I want to share uh Commissioner Rat's concern about

[1:36:49] actually talking to other elected officials. I have both been censured as

[1:36:55] well as had a harassment complaint against me because I have dared to speak

[1:37:00] with people. And so that is a chilling effect and and we need to to try to

[1:37:06] correct that. >> Wait a minute.

[1:37:09] That's that's jumping from where we are. Okay, Commissioner Tyson,

[1:37:15] » number of ideas already put forward. I don't want to be repetitive and mention

[1:37:19] a lot of good ideas have already been suggested. Um, I just want to refer back

[1:37:24] again to the meeting last night. You know, I think it was great public came

[1:37:28] forward, made their feelings known even though

[1:37:32] they they made it happen. They forced it to happen and as a result change was

[1:37:36] made. um village came to us, made this proposal for tower. That's part A. Part

[1:37:44] B is they requested that we close Centennial Park Beach at the same time.

[1:37:49] I'm glad to hear that they're backing off that. So, my comments right now have

[1:37:54] nothing to do with Centennial Beach because as far as I'm concerned, that's

[1:37:58] off the table, changing that. My comments are related to the proposal at

[1:38:03] Tower. Uh last week, we had a discussion about it. Uh I think it was a good

[1:38:08] discussion. Uh I don't recall anyone saying that they were against

[1:38:14] the proposal or against the pilot program. I think there were some good

[1:38:18] concerns raised around safety. I think some of them were raised by by me.

[1:38:22] That's why I'm saying they were good concerns. But um

[1:38:26] they weren't things that couldn't be addressed via conversation. So, I think

[1:38:32] it's unfair for someone to say that the park district is totally against their

[1:38:36] program. That that is not true. We just had some meaningful discussion. We

[1:38:40] wanted to learn more about it last night and then we wanted to talk about it

[1:38:44] tonight. That was that was the purpose of this meeting. So, that's all I have

[1:38:48] to say. >> Yeah. Um,

[1:38:54] so to start with, uh, a little over a year ago, I was not a board member and I

[1:39:00] was a regular WKA citizen. And all of this, I've learned a lot since then and

[1:39:05] it's been very confusing to navigate and um, a lot of the time I think the both

[1:39:12] boards, the village and this board um, assume that everybody knows what's going

[1:39:17] on. I I I personally don't think that citizens should have to come in front of

[1:39:24] boards and and beg for um things that are, you know, expected like the dog

[1:39:29] beach. So, um >> sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you.

[1:39:35] » I'll speak. [laughter]

[1:39:38] » Okay. um

[1:39:43] like you know for for any of these things you you you just want to be a a

[1:39:48] citizen of the village and and good things happen and you go enjoy them and

[1:39:52] and um but you know then on the other hand boards do make binding decisions

[1:39:58] and you know it's it's hard for people to to pay attention and know when to

[1:40:04] show up to to beg for the thing they want. episodes. Um, uh, my main point

[1:40:10] there is I agree that it'd be nice if we could just get something done. Um,

[1:40:17] the the the progress of these board meetings, you know, this is a um a

[1:40:25] process of one meeting a month and then the village has a meeting and we have a

[1:40:28] meeting too. There isn't a lot of there's no discussion you know there's

[1:40:34] so many different parts of this balloon to squeeze that it would take many hours

[1:40:41] of rational discussion to un you know to to come to a a solution on these things

[1:40:49] and the way both these boards operate is you know the village says something and

[1:40:54] that you know we feel is mischaracterized and we say something

[1:40:58] that uh somebody thinks is not founded in you know the law and back and forth

[1:41:05] and and there there has been movement towards this idea of a um some sort of

[1:41:11] collaboration between the village and us and that's really the only way that

[1:41:15] anything's going to move forward. Um our my experience so far on this board has

[1:41:22] been that the park district works very hard to come up with rational plans. Um

[1:41:30] and the village raises uh you know concerns or things they'd like to have

[1:41:36] changed. we change those things. Uh and then we go back and and

[1:41:43] you know some sometimes the requirements like flip 180 degrees uh from from

[1:41:49] meeting to meeting. I don't think that's um you know I don't think that's the

[1:41:53] village trying to be uh it's I think it's just the nature of this prog you

[1:41:58] know like you you forget what you did a month ago at the meeting and and um and

[1:42:03] then someone raised a new concern and that that's the problem. So the

[1:42:06] collaboration needs to be more continuous than that.

[1:42:11] Um another thing that a lot of people this has been mentioned before but it's

[1:42:18] really important that um for all these projects to understand that we can't

[1:42:25] unilaterally as a park district do really anything in this village

[1:42:31] unfortunately. Um, if we could, we'd have an off leash dog beach at

[1:42:35] Centennial right now. And we might even build one at Tower also. Um, but we

[1:42:41] can't do those things because the the the village we we're covered by a layer

[1:42:48] of zoning laws that the the village maintains, which you know, zoning is

[1:42:53] important. You need to have everything in its right place.

[1:42:57] Every thing that we want to do uh requires a variation to our zoning

[1:43:02] because the the baseline zoning basically says [clears throat] that we

[1:43:05] we can't do uh anything new. >> Commissioner Corley, we're running on

[1:43:10] time. >> Okay. Um I'll I'll uh that's that's

[1:43:15] basically uh my my my last point is that um

[1:43:20] uh I guess it all goes back to one one more thing. Um, the Lakota plan was

[1:43:25] mentioned multiple times last night and that the village paid for it or that

[1:43:29] that we paid for it. It's a great plan. I don't think anyone's seen it. It has a

[1:43:34] a chain link fence going out into the water connecting to a breakwater. Um, I

[1:43:40] feel like for the dog safety and people safety, we need fencing to enclose the

[1:43:43] dogs. That's all. >> All right. Um, so I have a couple

[1:43:48] comments. I would love to see a joint session between the village and the park

[1:43:53] district. I think that, you know, whether or not it's truly an IGA or some

[1:43:58] sort of memorandum of understanding, that's probably something we have to

[1:44:01] also devise. Um, but again, I've said it, I think, you know, we need to work

[1:44:07] together here. And I truly believe that, um, you know, the village's efforts with

[1:44:13] this pilot program was an attempt to do it. it maybe was a miss, but you know, I

[1:44:17] love the public comment because um it's very hard to make decisions in vacuums

[1:44:24] that affect people. So, I really the public comment is great. I it's nice to

[1:44:29] see new faces here that have different views and certainly um you know over the

[1:44:35] last couple of days I've heard from a lot of people outside of meetings

[1:44:39] reaching out to me um calling me you know if they get my phone number from

[1:44:44] someone. Um but anyhow, um I uh would like to if every commissioner is

[1:44:51] finished with comment, I'd like to move on and try and um figure out what we're

[1:44:58] going to do here. But the first part of it that I think we have to do is discuss

[1:45:01] the um lease amendment. Um, I think that there's a couple sort of open issues in

[1:45:07] the lease amendment that we have to as a board um, satisfy in order to, you know,

[1:45:14] go back to the village. I don't know that the village is willing to move

[1:45:17] here, but I'd like to adopt a lease amendment. I'd like to, um, you know,

[1:45:22] have a conditional acceptance of it, you know, as long as Centennial remains

[1:45:27] open. Um, and see what the village wants to do with that. that as commissioners,

[1:45:31] we have to talk about some open items. And the open items that we have to talk

[1:45:36] about are the termination provision in the lease amendment as well as under

[1:45:42] section 4, the no interference with Tower Road Park subsection B. Um, so I'd

[1:45:48] like people to now be a little more focused in their comments and

[1:45:55] um let us know what they're thinking.

[1:46:01] This is the boring part.

[1:46:06] » Um, anyone want to start? >> Are we talking about section seven?

[1:46:11] » Yes. Section seven, determination provision. What we have in front of us

[1:46:16] is what we've proposed, not what the village has. Um and also if you look in

[1:46:23] um section 4 of the lease amendment in front of us, there's a fee is an added

[1:46:30] provision and just give a fresh recollection.

[1:46:38] The park board got a letter from the village

[1:46:44] suggesting that the lease amendment only be terminated by mutual agreement.

[1:46:49] » Correct. >> An earlier draft gave either party

[1:46:53] unilateral right to terminate the amendment. And so the amendment shown to

[1:47:00] section 7B was the park board's revision to

[1:47:07] agree to mutual termination but to also express some emphasis on

[1:47:15] safety, >> right?

[1:47:17] » Um so that was the the change that was deflected at in 7B and then

[1:47:25] during the meeting last Thursday there was obviously a lot of concern over

[1:47:28] whether the stansions would be effective,

[1:47:32] » right? And so section 4B was an effort to reflect the board's consensus on

[1:47:40] again safety and making sure that there wasn't interaction between kids on the

[1:47:44] playground nearby and the dogs in the off dog beach. So that's the update

[1:47:51] since last. And if I if I'm I also believe and you can correct me if I'm

[1:47:57] wrong that when the village put out its agenda, the

[1:48:03] lease amendment did not have those changes, which to me feels like the

[1:48:08] village is rejecting those requested changes. And so we have to decide as a

[1:48:14] board, do we want to stick with those changes or are we going to accept what

[1:48:19] the village is effectively proposing by not having our requested changes in the

[1:48:26] draft that was attached to their agenda. I will say in the village's executive

[1:48:32] summary or whatever they call it, it did describe what we'd asked for, but what

[1:48:37] they were putting in front of their commissioners to adopt

[1:48:42] had the meeting proceeded in would have been um only terminable um

[1:48:48] if both parties agreed. >> Is that right? Yeah, their version of 7B

[1:48:53] was just only termination by mutual agreement and I think you would have

[1:48:58] delegated that decision to both manager and the corrective director.

[1:49:02] » So, it's kind of negotiation, a weird negotiation, but anyhow,

[1:49:07] » uh I like the changes made to 7B. I would be in favor of including those

[1:49:14] what we're suggesting back to the village.

[1:49:16] » Okay. Um, I think not to rehash the conversation

[1:49:20] from last week, but we talked about what a stansion, what does it do?

[1:49:24] » Does it stop a dog from going anywhere? And the answer was, to our

[1:49:28] understanding, no. >> It's just a line of demarcation. It's it

[1:49:32] doesn't block a dog. >> So, I think this is a great suggestion

[1:49:35] made last week to say, okay, well, we agree to that. We want to know how many

[1:49:41] incidents happen.

[1:49:43] » Mhm. Because the proposal was that there would be individuals standing there to

[1:49:48] block to stop the dogs from doing this. In my opinion, you need to have a person

[1:49:51] every three three feet maybe you could stop the dog from going through. But

[1:49:56] this at least allowed us to escalate and say, "Hey, if this is not working, we'd

[1:50:02] like us to consider another percentage." So I I'm in favor of

[1:50:06] » what's fourth and seventh day. I would recommend that we include that what we

[1:50:11] suggest back to the village. >> Okay. And what about 4B?

[1:50:15] » You do one at a time. >> Do one at a time.

[1:50:18] » Okay. Yes, let's do one at a time then. That makes sense.

[1:50:22] » Um I wasn't at the last board meeting, but I did watch the video. The audio was

[1:50:28] high quality. Um I'm not in favor of these edits.

[1:50:34] It makes us appear as obstructionist to what the village is trying to do.

[1:50:42] I don't mind the material health and safety. I just think

[1:50:47] defining it three times. Listen, this agency is pro dog.

[1:50:57] Those edits make this agency, this board seem anti-off leash dog. I think it's

[1:51:05] going to be a challenge with stansions.

[1:51:10] Guess what? It's the villages off leash dog park. I do not want to get in the

[1:51:17] way of them trying to create to come up with some step

[1:51:24] forward. Um albeit for a short period of time.

[1:51:30] um a uh as it was described last night by

[1:51:35] Commissioner Abto legal off leash dog park. So I am not for this

[1:51:45] definition of material health and safety um amendment. Thank you.

[1:51:50] » Okay. Any other commissioners who wish to speak?

[1:51:56] » I'm in agreement with Commissioner Sean. Um first of all under section uh 3B

[1:52:04] um the park district is fully identified by the village if there aren't any

[1:52:10] issues. Um if if we are are keeping the period of time from 6 a.m. until 8:30

[1:52:19] a.m. then our park cams do not begin until 9:00.

[1:52:26] And again, this is the village's pilot where they are responsible. It is it is

[1:52:32] not our duty to tell the village how to be responsible.

[1:52:37] And then finally, as I suggested earlier, if we're going to do a pilot,

[1:52:42] I'd like to get back to them and say, "Our lifeguards, I believe they leave at

[1:52:46] 8:00 p.m. Am I correct, executive director?"

[1:52:51] Is is that when in the evening? >> That's the closing time of the beach.

[1:52:55] Yes. >> Well, then um if it is still light out

[1:52:59] and the village wishes to extend their their pilot program, I'd like to see

[1:53:04] anything out because it it is still light.

[1:53:08] » Yeah. I just it's a cost question I think for them.

[1:53:11] » Well, again, it's up to them. But we are hearing from our community that that

[1:53:17] that a 2 and 1/2 hour pilot is not going to be used and that that people would

[1:53:23] like to see a little more time. >> Okay.

[1:53:26] » 8:00 p.m. when we're all in bed. [laughter]

[1:53:29] » I mean that's >> T you may be in bed but I can assure you

[1:53:34] that we have people who are not. So anyway I I don't like these amendments

[1:53:39] at all. And and again I think the first question

[1:53:43] is village are you even still considering this pilot because I took

[1:53:47] away last night that they were done with it. So I think we

[1:53:50] » well I think it was based on the erroneous assumption that we had

[1:53:54] rejected the the plan the pilot which we had not. I'm going to turn to

[1:54:00] commissioner Cotto. Um I am in agreement with commissioner Tyson. I think we have

[1:54:05] expertise in running a dog beach. We've run one with some excellent staff work,

[1:54:11] knowledge, experience for the last 20ome years. And I think that these two

[1:54:18] amendments reflect useful advice, help, uh, expertise that we can share with the

[1:54:25] village. I don't want to see it fail >> and we have expertise and I think we

[1:54:29] should offer it. >> Hold on. Hold on. Do we have that

[1:54:33] language in our omni stuffer?

[1:54:38] So we are asking the village for stronger, tighter language than we

[1:54:41] currently have. >> No, our unleash dog park. You have to

[1:54:43] have your dog on leash. So I don't understand.

[1:54:46] » Well, I understand that, but we know from Mr. Edward.

[1:54:51] » All right. U Commissioner Rap,

[1:54:56] » I don't feel strongly that the village needs to adopt our language. I felt like

[1:54:59] they had made changes in their document packet that kind of covered at least to

[1:55:06] me some of our, you know, concerns in terms of the um

[1:55:12] mutual termination um for health and safety reasons. I

[1:55:16] think we've laid out what some of our concerns are

[1:55:21] for them. That's helpful guidance. We've delivered it, but it's ultimately, you

[1:55:25] know, it's going to be a discussion. Um, so that's my those are my thoughts on

[1:55:29] the termination. Do you want the comments on the other section?

[1:55:32] » No, we'll go to you have to hear from. >> So I I don't want the the legal ease to

[1:55:37] be a barrier. I guess I mean it's a pilot

[1:55:41] and it might already be a barrier because I did when I listened to the

[1:55:44] meetings to know that unless they felt like we were really gung-ho a positive

[1:55:49] way, the community was gung-ho in a positive way. I mean it it represents a

[1:55:54] lot of effort. when I was looking at the staffing. Oh,

[1:55:57] » sure. And you know, if people aren't excited about it, like these people out

[1:56:02] here, it it says something, >> right? They may change their opinion

[1:56:06] based on public comment, but I don't want them to change their opinion based

[1:56:10] on the erroneous assumption that we rejected it cuz we never voted on it.

[1:56:14] And one thing with our board is we do disagree sometimes with each other and

[1:56:19] with what's in front of us, but it doesn't mean that that's the action we

[1:56:22] took and we did not take action. I want to be very clear on that. Um

[1:56:27] » yeah. Um right. So like whether the the village moves ahead or not, that's their

[1:56:32] decision. It's their [clears throat] their pilot. Um the

[1:56:37] um us telling them what to do with their property. I I agree with that that you

[1:56:44] know they can do what they they want on their property and uh I think we should

[1:56:50] vote to allow them to to do that. Um but there is also this language talks about

[1:56:57] the dogs coming from their property onto park district property and we don't have

[1:57:04] control over that. There's not a a fence. There's no barrier for the the to

[1:57:09] keep the dogs in that area. [clears throat] And I think, you know,

[1:57:12] that's um I don't know if that's part of the

[1:57:17] pilot plan or not to to operate a beach without a fence uh indefinitely, but um

[1:57:24] uh I think it's important that we just like any other neighbor have some input

[1:57:30] on whether the dogs are uh on our property. And the a concern is the

[1:57:36] playground. We have data that shows that from starting at 6:00 a.m. that

[1:57:42] playground is in use by kids and their moms and things. So, um it's I think it

[1:57:50] should be important to us that dogs don't go over there

[1:57:58] » question their pilot.

[1:58:01] » All right. Um so, >> sorry. Is that in favor of the language

[1:58:05] that's new or not? [laughter]

[1:58:09] » I I I would say that the the new language is more restrictive. I defer to

[1:58:15] the legal council whether or not it's it accomplishes the goal of being uh of

[1:58:20] protecting us and and giving us options to act if the the you know if it does

[1:58:26] turn into dogs running everywhere. Um so I think that means I'm in favor of it.

[1:58:33] in favor of >> the language

[1:58:35] » the villages or this language that was in our

[1:58:38] » the new language that >> can you please read I can't pull it up

[1:58:42] on my phone can you please read the language for termination that was

[1:58:46] attached for the agenda not this for the agenda

[1:58:50] » um language >> the villages language

[1:58:52] » I don't have that >> the village effect would you because

[1:58:55] it's not pulling up on my phone for some reason I keep on getting some weird

[1:58:58] accessibility >> okay so for termination in the documents

[1:59:01] that are included in the village packet >> for last night's meeting

[1:59:04] » for last night's meeting. Termination is the first amendment may be terminated by

[1:59:08] mutual agreement of the Waka Park district's exe executive director and

[1:59:13] the Waka village manager for material health and safety reasons and thereby

[1:59:17] restore the lease agreement as it existed prior to this first amendment.

[1:59:22] That's what was attached last night. >> Okay.

[1:59:25] » All right. >> So, it didn't have the further detail of

[1:59:29] what constituted it. >> Okay. Um,

[1:59:35] we may have a few different motions that come forward here, but let's give a go

[1:59:40] on one and we'll see. Uh, may I have a motion to authorize the executive

[1:59:43] director and legal counsel to negotiate and execute the necessary documents,

[1:59:47] including the lease amendment, um, as attached to our agenda and

[1:59:52] implementation plan to facilitate the temporary Tower Road Dog Beach pilot

[1:59:58] program. Um provided however the uh this is a

[2:00:04] conditional motion um

[2:00:09] that the village ordinance is amended to remove

[2:00:14] the provision regarding the closure of Centennial Beach to dogs and the opening

[2:00:20] of Centennial Beaches of passive use. It has to be conditional on that.

[2:00:25] » So moved. Second >> discussion.

[2:00:30] » Yeah. >> What What are we doing here?

[2:00:32] » So I'm So I'm trying to I'm trying to figure out what the commissioners want

[2:00:38] to do. Do we want to take the villages language? Do we want to take our

[2:00:42] language? The first motion I'm asking for is with our language

[2:00:46] » with the condition that Centennial stays open as a dog.

[2:00:49] » It's dellinking the condition that Centennial be closed when they open

[2:00:54] their pilot. It's also de it's also removing our specific language. Well,

[2:01:00] no, in this case, it's with the specific language that certain violations will

[2:01:04] have certain results. >> So, our our language and uh Centennial

[2:01:10] remains open as an unleash, >> right?

[2:01:12] » Okay. I'm a no. >> Oh, wait a minute. Um, we have

[2:01:20] » I [laughter] guess I can I can learn. I can learn.

[2:01:22] » All right. Let's have Okay. So, I think we sort of already had discussion.

[2:01:27] » Okay. So, let's let's go to a vote. Um Saba,

[2:01:32] » this is specific to section seven. We not have not yet addressed section four.

[2:01:36] » Yes. >> Okay.

[2:01:39] » Just that section or is it the whole >> Should we go you want to go to section

[2:01:43] four too? Oh my god. You have a million different motions.

[2:01:47] There's a handful of stuff. I think the important one is the the disconnecting

[2:01:50] of the closure of of anyway. >> We don't want to accidentally vote

[2:01:54] against, >> right? We don't. Okay. So, let's

[2:01:56] actually >> I I want I'm voting against the

[2:02:00] amendment section. >> Okay. Let's I agree with I apologize.

[2:02:04] This is a little scattered. I agree with um Edy Nazol. Let's talk about section

[2:02:11] 4B and then we can talk about what we're going to move on.

[2:02:17] So, anyone want to open discussion on >> 4B is the three strikes year.

[2:02:22] » Yeah. Right. >> Foreign individuals.

[2:02:26] » Correct. >> From the village.

[2:02:27] » Yes. >> Can I go?

[2:02:29] » Yeah. reads, "The village agrees to revoke a

[2:02:33] person's privileges to use Tower Road Beach Dog area whenever that person's

[2:02:40] dog is found off leash outside the boundaries of Tower Road Beach Dog area

[2:02:46] three times. The village agrees to report back to the park district on a

[2:02:52] weekly basis any and all instances incidents of individuals permitting

[2:02:56] their dog to be off leash outside the Tower Road Beach Dog area. I would say

[2:03:01] again I I think similar to to the amendment again was not at not at the

[2:03:05] meeting listen to the our our meeting. Um I just listen I we're we're we're

[2:03:12] telling the village how to run their business which I just I just can't

[2:03:16] stand. And um it is not at all this this edit is not at all in the spirit of

[2:03:21] cooperation which we're trying to do. So I think it's uh effectively anti-off

[2:03:27] leash dog. So I do I would I would be against our amendment on section 4B.

[2:03:34] » Anyone else? Okay. Go ahead.

[2:03:39] » I agree with Commissioner Seaman. As I said, the village is in this in this

[2:03:45] document indeed park district. It is not up to the park district to tell the

[2:03:50] village how to run its business. That's not our job. We have enough to do trying

[2:03:55] to run our own business. And and again uh to me when we become so

[2:04:01] um so rule oriented here um I think myself that this is a solution for a

[2:04:09] problem that doesn't exist. if we are limiting hours to 6:00 in the morning

[2:04:14] until 8:30 a.m. So for that I'm not in favor.

[2:04:21] » Okay. >> Um I think setting clear expectations

[2:04:26] for behavior performance and consequences

[2:04:31] ensures the best results. I am appreciative of the indemnification.

[2:04:37] However, I do not want an incident. Consequently, I think a clear

[2:04:43] articulation of

[2:04:46] transgressions, consequences,

[2:04:50] um, help everyone understand what the expectation is and that will allow for a

[2:04:55] smoother revenue process.

[2:05:03] I am less in favor of 4B than I am of 7B because I think 7B actually the roll up

[2:05:11] covers us under 4B. Um I think the main difference is we're specifying I agree

[2:05:19] and be how they will run things. I disagree with the comment that we're

[2:05:23] telling them how to do it in 7B because we're letting them start the pilot is

[2:05:27] exactly as they've designed it. We're only saying if things go ary, this is

[2:05:32] how we would like the escalation procedure to happen and then to address

[2:05:37] potentially putting uh a different solution in

[2:05:41] place. >> Okay.

[2:05:44] Um yeah, so for 4B it's, you know, it's it's a rule that uh I think it points

[2:05:53] out the the reality that some dogs, you know, some dogs are not going to run

[2:05:57] outside that boundary. Um some dogs will. And you know, unfortunately, it's

[2:06:03] kind of the the rule comes down on the dog, but that's that's how it is with no

[2:06:09] offense. like um some dogs are not going to be able to to obey this. And if

[2:06:15] they're doing that reg on a regular basis, then

[2:06:18] we should have a way to in in this iteration of of a pilot dog

[2:06:24] park, we should have a way to say that, you know, your dog can't do this

[2:06:28] stansion thing. Your dog doesn't understand the stansions. You didn't

[2:06:32] explain it to your dog well enough. And so your dog can't can't be here. You

[2:06:37] know, that's that's the reality of not having a fence. Some dogs are going to

[2:06:41] not be able to >> commission R.

[2:06:47] » I just wanted to read section 4 was in the agreement that was proposed in the

[2:06:54] village packet. Um, no interference with Tower Road Park. The park district and

[2:07:00] the village agreed that the implementation plan to be

[2:07:02] administratively agreed by the parties. So to me that says staff is going to

[2:07:06] work on an administration plan which can cover some of these things. Um and

[2:07:10] enforced by the village shall not permit dogs any dogs in Tower Road Park except

[2:07:15] when on leash in the parking lot or any part of village property or

[2:07:20] is located. All dogs at the Tower Road Beach dog area must use the village

[2:07:25] owned property for ingress and egress to the Tower Road

[2:07:29] Beach dog area. The park district and the village are committed to the success

[2:07:33] of the Tower Road Beach Dog area and both will use their good faith and best

[2:07:38] efforts to work collaboratively to accomplish that success.

[2:07:43] I'm pretty confident that the village does not want an incident as much as we

[2:07:48] do not want an incident. They are not going to want to have children, you

[2:07:52] know, attacked by dogs. They are not going to want to have other patrons

[2:07:55] attacked by dogs. They're not going to want to have people hit by cars on the

[2:07:58] road. I think that we can agree that our interests are aligned on those major

[2:08:02] safety points. So, um I'm comfortable with the language as it was proposed in

[2:08:07] the village and I feel like things will be worked out administratively with the

[2:08:11] provisioning in in document. >> Okay.

[2:08:15] » So, this that change is subsequent to what we were talking about here. So, I'm

[2:08:19] just trying to I'm trying to flush out. So, I I that is very interesting. They

[2:08:25] did amend it. >> Yeah. And it's hard because I have not

[2:08:28] gone, you know, I mean, I guess I could pull up the printed ones from last week,

[2:08:32] but I do believe it's different. >> It's different.

[2:08:34] » I do believe it's different. >> Yeah. So,

[2:08:35] » okay.

[2:08:39] » I was going to ask when Centennial Dog Beach was off leash.

[2:08:46] We never got these rules. It was off leash. Now we're asking the

[2:08:51] village on a pilot program to institute [clears throat]

[2:08:55] rules that we never had for ourselves. That is terrible.

[2:09:01] That's terrible. I understand the safety concerns, but

[2:09:07] the indemnification

[2:09:11] I wonder no wonder people don't like us. I mean, this is [laughter]

[2:09:14] we've never had this for our own off leash dog park when it was off leash.

[2:09:19] It's like So,

[2:09:23] thank you. >> All right.

[2:09:27] Are we done for B? We have. All right. So, I'm going to try with all these

[2:09:34] iterations and everything and we may go through a few motions here. I'm going to

[2:09:39] start out saying, may I have a motion to authorize the executive director and

[2:09:42] legal counsel to negotiate and execute the necessary documents, including the

[2:09:48] lease amendment

[2:09:53] um uh including the lease amendment

[2:09:58] submitted to the village following our June 25, 2026 meeting

[2:10:06] and the implementation plan and to facilitate the tower road the temporary

[2:10:11] tower road dog pilot program provided however that the villages

[2:10:18] ordinance requiring the closure of Centennial

[2:10:24] Dog Beach to dogs has been removed >> move

[2:10:35] no Well,

[2:10:37] » I thought we were just making a motion. >> No, to adopt the language that you just

[2:10:41] » He's allowed to say yes. He's allowed to make the motion.

[2:10:44] » Okay, you make a motion. >> Listen,

[2:10:46] » whatever. >> I I can't make motions. I would like a

[2:10:49] motion. The most important thing to do tonight is to to take out from the

[2:10:55] village ordinance. >> But we're going to get there.

[2:11:00] » That's why I said we're going to have many iterations. Second,

[2:11:03] » I didn't so move it. I I I withdraw myself.

[2:11:06] » Okay. So move >> second.

[2:11:08] » Okay. Can we have a vote, please?

[2:11:14] » Commissioner, what? >> I'm not clear on how we're voting on.

[2:11:17] » We're voting. We're voting on the on the approval of our amendments.

[2:11:20] » The approval of the amendments that were that were devised following our meeting

[2:11:26] of last in our packet. >> Yes. Not the ones in the village packet.

[2:11:30] » Right. Correct. and the dellinking of >> the dinking of centennial. Can

[2:11:36] » we can we separate those motions? Okay. Okay. I think there's on the dlinking

[2:11:43] » yes of centennial closure of >> I don't want to say closure of

[2:11:47] centennial. I want to say opening centennial for passive use but closing

[2:11:53] it for dogs. Okay. Can we make a motion

[2:11:59] to um I'm trying to think of how to say this with the village because it's

[2:12:03] really the village ordinance. >> Well, there's the the adopting the first

[2:12:07] change. >> We'll do that. But what they're saying

[2:12:10] is >> delink

[2:12:12] and the del.

[2:12:16] » Let's do that. Let's do a vote on 4B. >> Okay.

[2:12:19] » A vote on 7B and then a vote on D. >> Okay. All right. All right. May I have a

[2:12:24] motion to authorize the executive director and legal counsel to um

[2:12:31] » let's just let's just make a motion to direct executive director and legal

[2:12:36] counsel to negotiate 4B >> right as the park board has presented

[2:12:41] » right as the park board has presented in its agenda today. So move. Second.

[2:12:49] » Okay. Can we go a vote? >> Commissioner Cono,

[2:12:54] » yes. >> Commissioner Rap,

[2:12:55] » no. >> Commissioner Roots,

[2:12:57] » no. >> Commissioner Seaman,

[2:13:00] » no. >> Commissioner Tyson,

[2:13:01] » no. >> Commissioner Corley,

[2:13:03] » yes. >> President Gibson,

[2:13:05] » no. >> The motion does not pass. Okay. So that

[2:13:09] means 4B will no longer be in the version that we we no longer have 4B in

[2:13:16] the version. >> Keep going.

[2:13:20] » Okay. May I have a motion um to adopt the uh seven the language um

[2:13:29] in section 7B that was in the park district's agenda for today.

[2:13:36] » So moved. >> Second.

[2:13:43] Commissioner Roots. >> No.

[2:13:46] » Commissioner Ralph. >> No.

[2:13:51] » Commissioner Cotto. >> Yes.

[2:13:53] » Commissioner Seaman. >> No.

[2:13:55] » Commissioner Tyson. >> Yes.

[2:13:58] » Commissioner Corley. >> Yes.

[2:13:59] » President G. >> No.

[2:14:06] » Okay. So do we need to say anything to say

[2:14:10] that? >> So now the next motion is motion to

[2:14:13] approve the first amendment as presented by the village.

[2:14:17] » Okay. >> With the decoupling of the requirement

[2:14:20] that Centennial Beach closed to dogs. >> Okay.

[2:14:24] May I have a motion to adopt what Adam said?

[2:14:28] » Pardon? >> What Adam said?

[2:14:30] » What Adam said? Did you get that? So the village [clears throat] referred to it

[2:14:33] as resolution number R54 2026 as presented at the um June 30th 2026

[2:14:42] meeting

[2:14:46] a res right right >> it's the resolution a resolution

[2:14:50] approving a first amendment to the memorandum of agreement between the

[2:14:54] village and park district amending the February 16th 1942

[2:15:02] Um, >> they can do it as an they can do it as a

[2:15:05] resolution. We can do it as an agreement. It's the same thing

[2:15:08] effectively, isn't it? Yeah. So, don't worry about that.

[2:15:11] » I just want to make sure it's clearly identified what the document is that

[2:15:14] we're endorsing. >> It's it's the same document. They're

[2:15:16] they do resolutions. All right. So, um,

[2:15:23] » it's what Adam said >> and the motion is to approve version

[2:15:28] council's agenda yesterday subject to village ordinance removing the

[2:15:34] requirement that the Centennial Dog Beach with with leash be closed.

[2:15:39] » So moved. >> Second.

[2:15:44] » Okay. Roll call. Commissioner Seaman,

[2:15:48] » yes. >> Commissioner Cotto,

[2:15:51] » yes. >> Commissioner Corley,

[2:15:53] » yes. >> Commissioner Tyson,

[2:15:55] » yes. >> Commissioner Ruth,

[2:15:57] » yes. >> Commissioner Rap,

[2:15:58] » yes. >> President Gibson,

[2:16:01] » yes. >> The motion passes.

[2:16:07] » All right. Now we are moving on to our ordinance

[2:16:16] uh 2026-003 conduct ordinance update.

[2:16:21] Um Shannon, do you want to talk about this?

[2:16:24] » Can we can we just go back to agenda item 3.1?

[2:16:28] » Sure. >> I would like to propose that we um

[2:16:32] postpone discussion of the budget adjustment until after the discussion.

[2:16:36] » 3.2 to >> if if the dog beach hasn't closed.

[2:16:40] » Yeah, we don't we don't need it. We don't need

[2:16:42] » the budget adjustment. It was for a beach attendant and we've just said that

[2:16:47] we're going to have it open. The beach will be open for dogs

[2:16:54] » under the centennial specifically. We're no longer changing centennial.

[2:16:58] » We're not Yeah. >> But we don't need that.

[2:17:01] » Correct. >> Correct.

[2:17:02] » Right. I would reserve the right to go back to

[2:17:06] it after we have our discussion on >> 3.2.

[2:17:09] » 3.2. Okay. All right. >> President, I wonder if we might take a

[2:17:15] short break. We we have been going since 4:30.

[2:17:19] » Okay. >> Would that be all right? Five minutes.

[2:17:24] Just five minutes. >> Thank you.

[2:17:26] » Do you have a motion to go in recess? >> I have a motion to go into recess for

[2:17:31] five minutes. >> Move. Second

[2:17:36] voice in favor.

[2:17:43] » We're now in recess 647.

[2:20:14] the meeting at 7 uh excuse me at 6 I >> 649

[2:20:20] » 6:49 >> and um we are now moving on to um excuse

[2:20:27] me we've resumed the meeting all right thank you uh we're moving on to

[2:20:31] ordinance 2026-00003 conduct ordinance update section 2.03

[2:20:38] Shannon. So this item is the same as what was brought before the board on the

[2:20:44] 25th. There has not been any changes to the document that's attached to the

[2:20:48] agenda. Uh the board did at their June 25th meeting decide to postpone this

[2:20:54] item for discussion tonight.

[2:21:03] Um, I would like to open discussion on this

[2:21:08] item. >> Is there anyone that would like to

[2:21:16] » Why is this on the agenda? What is the what

[2:21:20] » it would need to be? Well, the the one item in regards to a um adding the

[2:21:27] wording of I think it's dog friendly >> dog area um is in order to allow um the

[2:21:36] dogs to be in the basically in the parking lot of tower because there is a

[2:21:41] dog friendly area down potentially if the village goes through with the the

[2:21:46] amendment to have their program. So this is this we would view this as an

[2:21:51] administrative change because the village they have an off leash dog park

[2:21:57] at tower. We need to make sure that we designate that those areas affected by

[2:22:04] it as dog ramp. >> Correct.

[2:22:06] » Got it. >> And then the other uh addition or change

[2:22:10] is the conversation uh surrounding uh egress and ingress to

[2:22:16] egress. to the dog friendly areas. So whether

[2:22:22] that is Centennial or whether that is uh Tower Road that the access point to come

[2:22:28] in and out of that dog area is the main entry point

[2:22:34] » of tower >> of tower or of center.

[2:22:37] » Yes. >> Just a point of clarification, the

[2:22:42] proposed ordinance in this packet does not reference tower. No, it it refers

[2:22:48] more generally to other dog friendly areas designated by signs.

[2:22:54] » Okay. It provides for a little bit greater

[2:22:57] flexibility.

[2:23:04] » I'm sorry. I go back to the 2022 amendments to the Illinois Animal

[2:23:09] Control Act that define quote dog friendly area as being an area where

[2:23:16] dogs can run off leash. As I recall, there are two conditions. One is is

[2:23:21] where you you have a hunter and and and he is there with his dog on

[2:23:27] on an area that otherwise would require leashing and the animal is under the

[2:23:33] supervision and control of the owner. The second would be in a park that is

[2:23:40] designated as dog friendly. To my knowledge, we did not use nomenclature

[2:23:44] of dog friendly areas. So that this is a new addition and and I sent out to each

[2:23:51] of the commissioners uh this evening, this afternoon u a proposal that would

[2:23:58] would further amend this where we would recognize the right of dogs to run at

[2:24:04] large on on centennial absent offense based on the concept that

[2:24:11] um the village of is a home rural municipality and with a proposal that

[2:24:17] they have made for this new uh tower pilot that we now have appeared to

[2:24:24] embrace that they have recognized the right of dogs to run off leash in

[2:24:30] certain areas of the village. Um as a result I have here a proposal where

[2:24:37] where um I would further amend this particular u ordinance. And so I guess

[2:24:45] I'm going to hand this out to folks. >> Commissioner R.

[2:24:50] » Yes. >> It the the village ordinance that was on

[2:24:55] the agenda last night only exercises their home authority in relation to

[2:25:00] Tower Road. So the only thing that they're currently

[2:25:04] considering to if you want to call it that is to use their own little power

[2:25:09] because it leads the tower. And so I think allowing changing our ordinance to

[2:25:15] allow off these drugs at Centennial might one day be relevant to the board,

[2:25:20] but it's it's not relevant yet because the village hasn't chosen to even

[2:25:24] consider exercising their home authority as it relates to Centennial yet.

[2:25:28] » How do we know that? >> Because it wasn't on the agenda last

[2:25:31] night. It wasn't on the agenda last night. And so I'm not suggesting this

[2:25:34] isn't ever going to be relevant. I'm just suggesting it's premature. But to

[2:25:37] me this conceptually what we have heard is the village is exercising

[2:25:43] jurisdiction with respect to tower and what I'm suggesting is that we consider

[2:25:48] a way that we can get dogs off leash again on Centennial. I'm trying to come

[2:25:54] up with some creative ideas. >> No, I I I understand what you're trying

[2:25:57] to do >> and and I also do not like the

[2:25:59] nomenclature dog friendly because it goes back to the 2022 amendments. It's

[2:26:04] not they're they're not related to [clears throat]

[2:26:07] » the V the park district has plenary authority to set rules and regulations

[2:26:11] for property at home control. >> I understand that.

[2:26:14] » And so the word designated dog friendly areas

[2:26:19] in this context doesn't contain any cross reference to the state animal

[2:26:23] control law. It's just the words used to designate

[2:26:29] areas within the park system that are

[2:26:32] designated by signs as where dogs are allowed to go.

[2:26:36] » I guess what I would like to see is that rather than saying dog friendly that we

[2:26:40] are very clear as to what is on leash versus off leash. And so I would like if

[2:26:47] if the concern is tower then then perhaps we need to be very clear about

[2:26:52] what we're we're seeking to do because it seems to me that um as as I looked at

[2:26:58] at this um we we in March of of 2023 through together an ordinance amendment.

[2:27:09] by the way, it was not in the packet at the time and um there was no real

[2:27:14] opportunity for for commissioners to review it before it was presented. It

[2:27:19] was more or less pushed through very quickly, but it it it rather said that

[2:27:26] uh you you had your on leash areas being arborite, the woods, Centennial, all

[2:27:32] sand and bluff areas of Centennial Beach and and that was the real focus here was

[2:27:37] to get get leashes on Centennial Beach, Brownwoods, Franklin Dumba, Hill Road,

[2:27:42] Merrell Park, uh Burke Memorial Park, Sheridan Park, Skooki Playfield, Station

[2:27:48] Park, West Elm Park that there is nothing about tower here. So if our

[2:27:54] concern is tower, I think we need to be a little more specific and and again u

[2:28:00] my thought is how we are creative to permit dogs to um run um off leash on on

[2:28:09] Centennial and to be and and the tower pilot program, but to be on leash in all

[2:28:16] other respects, particularly on table land. Uh we heard from Mr. Emerson

[2:28:22] tonight, the problem is intended. And so I I have thrown out um my effort to to

[2:28:29] address that and and to put um restrictions in for non-complying owners

[2:28:36] and and so I've thrown it on the table for consideration. Um I am not in favor

[2:28:44] because I don't quite understand what you're trying to do with this ordinance

[2:28:49] as you have proposed it.

[2:28:54] See, it strikes me that well, thank you. But

[2:28:59] it strikes me that that wasn't in the packet either. If in fact something

[2:29:03] wasn't in the packet in 2023. Listen, I this this was emailed to us. This is

[2:29:12] along [clears throat] with Mr. corally that getting things insured before the

[2:29:17] board meeting is very difficult to digest especially a legal document for

[2:29:23] us. So I I would I would I would prefer if we would focus on

[2:29:29] what is in our packet. >> We obviously can have later discussions

[2:29:33] on on your amendment, but I think we should focus on what's in our packet. Is

[2:29:39] that fair? >> I I also want to say that I think that

[2:29:45] the ordinance that the village has adopted in order to exercise its home

[2:29:51] rule authority is very limited. It specifically talks about the 2026 Tower

[2:29:58] Road Beach. So I don't think that there's any ability to extrapolate from

[2:30:03] that to Centennial. Is that a solution at a later date? It could be, but it's

[2:30:10] not a solution today. It may not even be a solution because we

[2:30:16] don't know that the village is even going to adopt this home rule authority

[2:30:20] with respect to tower. It's not sure how, you know, I couldn't say how

[2:30:23] they're going to go, but the draft that we have is very specifically limited.

[2:30:32] » President Gibson, I ask a question. >> Sure.

[2:30:35] » Okay. So, if I understand, if we adopt this today and you have a dog owner who

[2:30:42] is using the fob to access Centennial Beach, then per this language, that dog

[2:30:48] owner must exit Centennial Beach using the stairs and and through the gate.

[2:30:56] » Yes. Then if that that I I view dogs as

[2:31:01] personal property and and you know and if that dog owner decides to lease that

[2:31:08] dog and that dog owner decides that they want to take that dog along the high

[2:31:14] water mark >> in accordance with the public trust

[2:31:17] doctrine, >> they would be in violation of this

[2:31:20] ordinance and they could have their fog and access of that dog to Centennial be

[2:31:27] revoked. Is that correct? I I'm less concerned personally with

[2:31:34] someone I mean I don't want a dog walking along elder when there are

[2:31:39] swimmers and little children playing in the sand. I just even if it's leashed

[2:31:43] whether or not that's a right under the public trust doctrine, I'm not

[2:31:46] personally willing to opine on that. But what I think is not acceptable is that

[2:31:51] someone thinks that they can that they, you know, they park their car up at

[2:31:55] Elder and they want to walk up the stairs at Elder or walk up the little

[2:31:59] road at Elder. That's not okay. We cannot have dogs in the playground.

[2:32:05] » Oh, and I have no problem with that. I agree with you. Dogs should be on leash

[2:32:10] but for areas where we expressly say that they may be off leash. And so if

[2:32:18] the focus here is tower and the pilot program, then let's be clear about that.

[2:32:23] Let's put that let's revise this this ordinance to say that. If the focus if

[2:32:28] you're trying to say though that someone coming down who was authorized with the

[2:32:34] dog beach pass to go through the gate to walk onto Centennial Beach, they leashed

[2:32:40] that dog and they are on the high water mark. They have everything.

[2:32:46] » I'm not I'm not talking about the high water mark. I'm talking about even even

[2:32:50] a leashed dog going through the playground at Elder is not acceptable.

[2:32:57] It's a no dog park anymore. >> I I agree that that a leash dog cannot

[2:33:01] be going through the playground. But if a leash dog has its paws wet and it is

[2:33:07] walking along the high water mark with its owner,

[2:33:13] » this ordinance does not address the public trust doctrine. It simply says as

[2:33:18] a condition of having the privilege of receiving a fob from the park district

[2:33:22] to use Centennial dog park. One of the conditions of use is that

[2:33:26] [clears throat] you must enter and exit through the point of entry. That's the

[2:33:29] rule as a condition of having the privilege of having a bomb. You thereby

[2:33:33] restricting then the right of that owner to take that dog on a leash and

[2:33:38] » they can access the other parts of the beach by entering it from another

[2:33:42] direction or from another point of entry. But [clears throat] as a

[2:33:45] condition of using the Weta Park District on leash dog beach at

[2:33:49] Centennial, one of the conditions of getting the FOB would be to enter and

[2:33:53] exit through the point of entry >> so that they don't go on the southern

[2:33:57] neighbors uh public beach >> so they don't take their dog to Elder.

[2:34:01] Yeah. >> Well, but but our isn't our real focus

[2:34:04] with this. So, they don't go on the southern neighbor beach as as one of our

[2:34:11] residents did. >> Uh, and before you call the question,

[2:34:16] let me just finish my motion >> and who was exonerated because the dog

[2:34:22] and the owner were on the water. >> I didn't hear you.

[2:34:26] » I move to call the question. I >> I've not had my three minutes. Okay.

[2:34:29] doesn't

[2:34:34] » I I have I have comments on a different >> No one No one seconded it.

[2:34:38] » Okay, unless someone wants to motion to call the questions.

[2:34:42] » Anybody want to second it? >> I I would like to second it after once

[2:34:46] had a chance to >> Okay. I um reviewed the original conduct

[2:34:54] ordinance 504 and I observed that that conduct

[2:34:59] ordinance did not include the scope of play fields with the March 2023 change

[2:35:05] that was not published in our packet ahead of time that we did not review.

[2:35:09] I observed that the Skoi playfield had been slipped in

[2:35:15] in that change when we adopted ordinance 596. It is unclear to me why that

[2:35:21] happened and so I wanted to put out for discussion um should the Skooki play

[2:35:25] fields because there is a playground because it is a hightraic area because

[2:35:29] we have invested 1.4 million in brand new turf that we do not want dogs going

[2:35:34] to the bathroom on people not cleaning up 100%. Perhaps we might want to

[2:35:39] consider removing that >> as a

[2:35:41] » as a place as a designated dog friendly area.

[2:35:45] » It is. I don't know. I that Yeah, >> you might you might have to get more

[2:35:50] specific on that. >> I would like to remove it for section

[2:35:54] two. >> Well, here's here's the thing though.

[2:35:58] unintended consequence of removing that since you brought it up

[2:36:03] um is that there there could be families watching a

[2:36:09] I don't know flag football game or any sport. You have the you have the um

[2:36:15] the stands on the east side here. Families sometimes bring their dog to

[2:36:21] that edge. They don't really go into Skoi Playfield. So I I just

[2:36:27] » So maybe we need to put parentheses on if they're permitted on the eastern edge

[2:36:33] of the scopy playfield, but this the way it's written means that you can be

[2:36:38] anywhere with your dog on leash. Your dog could be out in the turf

[2:36:41] » on leash. We've seen it >> or we could restrict it to say Skoi

[2:36:45] Playfield excluding the turf. I I just feel like it was not in here. It was not

[2:36:51] discussed when this amendment was slipped in in March of 2023 and it's

[2:36:56] like a major area to have have. >> All right. So, this is a whole separate

[2:37:01] piece. Am I correct? >> No, it's it's the ordinance that we're

[2:37:05] discussing right now.

[2:37:10] » I'm not in disagreement with it. You know, that's my bugaboo. The seeing dogs

[2:37:14] on that turf field and how people can properly pick up after them. They you

[2:37:18] can't. So, you know, I'm not in disagreement with it. I'm just trying to

[2:37:22] piece out how we do this. >> Um,

[2:37:25] » well, that's very easy. >> Motion to table or two.

[2:37:30] » No. No. >> Well, I would like to make a motion to

[2:37:34] amend this to um clearly identify that the Scopy playfield does not include

[2:37:41] dogs on leash on the turf. >> I haven't read it. I feel uncomfortable

[2:37:46] doing that without having you know regretted but

[2:37:49] » exactly how we felt when

[2:37:55] » as a concept I agree with it wholeheartedly.

[2:37:59] Is there I will second your motion to amend and I would like to further um

[2:38:06] amend to include the following language under section two

[2:38:14] of the third paragraph that has all of the uh place underlined

[2:38:21] language. In the 10 ultimate sentence after the designated point of ingress

[2:38:29] and depress to add the following unless the dog is on leash and the dog and dog

[2:38:35] owner are walking the public high water mark.

[2:38:46] » We can only do one at a time. >> I just a question about that.

[2:38:50] » Sure. So I I I don't you know I my understanding after many discussions

[2:38:55] with the public high water mark is we don't have any authority to restrict or

[2:39:00] enable anything on that. So if somebody walks out of the public high water

[2:39:03] Walmart and they walk to Wisconsin um then so be it. They didn't egress out of

[2:39:10] a park district egress that that we didn't approve. If they walk along the

[2:39:16] part of the public high water mark and then they leave through an elder

[2:39:20] stairway, then they're in violation of rule. So like it seems it's already kind

[2:39:24] of covered. If you know if we can't restrict what

[2:39:28] happens in that public high water mark area, then it's kind of

[2:39:32] » So I want to clarify, we are not restricting where they go with their

[2:39:37] dog. What we are restricting is whether they get a foul from the park district.

[2:39:40] » Correct. By default, you're taking the that that right away. If someone goes

[2:39:46] down Centennial, leashes their dog, and starts walking,

[2:39:51] you're saying they are in violation and that is why I am suggesting this

[2:39:57] mandatory language. Is there a second to >> We can only do one motion. We can only

[2:40:01] do one amendment at a time. >> Okay. Then then I will hold my

[2:40:10] Cynthia, can you I haven't seen the language that you found. I have the Here

[2:40:16] it is. >> Here it is.

[2:40:21] » I said conceptually I agree. It's just that, you know, it's hard to something

[2:40:25] that you're not looking at. >> Okay. This was uh quickly currently uh

[2:40:32] pushed through on March uh 23rd, 2023. The amendment was not in our packet and

[2:40:40] you will see that it adds Skoi. So here it is.

[2:40:43] » Do do you want the 504 original? It's on our website under

[2:40:49] » that is correct. I I I don't know why >> what you described is that it was not in

[2:40:54] 504 and it is in 596. That is correct. I don't have any idea what the motivation

[2:40:58] was, but that is an accurate statement. >> All right. So, so what you're what you

[2:41:03] are making a motion for is to remove Spoky Playfield under section 203

[2:41:09] to remove it as um where domesticated dogs are permitted

[2:41:16] other than the the the portion of stands that runs east of the fence. Is that

[2:41:24] correct? >> Otherwise known as the side sidewalk.

[2:41:27] » Yeah. I [laughter] mean like you want people to be able to sit in the stands,

[2:41:31] right? Their stands. >> Yeah. Yeah.

[2:41:34] » Okay. >> I'm flexible if there's more consensus

[2:41:37] to keep them off the turf. >> So, commissioners, can I ask for a point

[2:41:41] of clarification? Skooki playfield is considered this entire campus.

[2:41:48] » Okay. >> So, while it does not say that in the

[2:41:51] ordinance um itself, that that's what it is. That is what's considered the Skoi

[2:41:58] Playfield campus. That's what we're doing a master plan for right now.

[2:42:02] » Skookiest, >> right? So I I mean

[2:42:07] again, this is something that is just being brought up tonight.

[2:42:11] And from a perspective of what the village is even going to do on the other

[2:42:17] things in regards to tower uh I don't know that we could approve something

[2:42:22] right now anyway because we don't know what the village is going to do and it

[2:42:27] is also potentially premature to allow dogs at tower if the village hasn't

[2:42:34] approved their pilot program. You were saying just table the whole word.

[2:42:37] » I would say potentially postpone it to be able to look at

[2:42:44] what those things that the board wants to look at cuz we all know that

[2:42:48] ordinance 504 in total needs work.

[2:42:53] » Yes. >> So that's been something that has been

[2:42:56] on the list to look at, >> but we also have a lot of other things

[2:43:00] on our list that we're we're working on. So, if we're piece piecing something

[2:43:04] together that's more than just the one specific thing, um staff would

[2:43:09] appreciate more clarification. >> Okay.

[2:43:12] » I think that's a >> plan. I'd like to make a motion to

[2:43:16] postpone the discussion of ordinance 5, park district ordinance 504

[2:43:24] to our July, what's the date of our July meeting?

[2:43:29] » 23rd. the July 23rd park district meeting.

[2:43:35] » So moved. >> Second.

[2:43:39] » Okay, that's roll call follow. >> Commissioner Tyson,

[2:43:42] » yes. >> Commissioner Rat,

[2:43:45] » yes. >> Commissioner Corley,

[2:43:47] » yes. >> Commissioner Cotto,

[2:43:48] » yes. >> Commissioner Ruth,

[2:43:50] » yes. >> Commissioner Seaman,

[2:43:52] » yes. >> President Gibson,

[2:43:53] » yes. >> The motion pass.

[2:44:01] Um, so, uh, I would like to

[2:44:08] » Could you could you, um, do a brief, uh, summary of of what we've done today for

[2:44:12] the anybody who might be still watching? >> All right. We adopted the version of the

[2:44:20] amendment the to the lease that the village had attached to its agenda.

[2:44:28] meeting last night. We have um uh adopted that change to the lease

[2:44:36] subject to the village um changing its ordinance regarding

[2:44:42] Centennial Beach such that dogs can continue to be on Centennial Beach.

[2:44:48] Um, we have, I think, entertained numerous different concerns regarding

[2:44:56] ordinance by park district ordinance 504 and we will be returning to our meeting

[2:45:02] in on July 23rd to further discuss that ordinance.

[2:45:08] » So, we've supported Centennial Beach. In fact, we're insisting on Centennial

[2:45:12] Beach taking over. Yes, >> we're supporting the pilot program on

[2:45:17] Tower Beach for for dogs. >> Um, okay. Thank you.

[2:45:22] » Do do we need anything official? Um, meaning a vote, a motion

[2:45:29] to um offer

[2:45:33] to the trustees um on a shared

[2:45:40] um study session or is that that could be part of your normal

[2:45:47] » discussion with President >> or your with Kristen? We can we can ask

[2:45:53] see that to see if that's of interest. >> Yeah. Okay. Although I think it'd be

[2:45:58] nice to get it on record that we're requesting.

[2:46:01] » Okay. May I have a motion to uh direct Oh, sorry.

[2:46:07] » Wait, time out. >> This is a special meeting.

[2:46:11] » Oh, okay. >> So, we can only discuss things that are

[2:46:13] on >> that were on the agenda. Okay.

[2:46:15] » You guys have expressed clearly what your interest is.

[2:46:17] » Okay. >> So, administratively, I'm sure we can

[2:46:19] follow up. >> Great. And then secondly, I believe we

[2:46:22] also discussed uh about uh discussions with rangers to maybe have them be less

[2:46:31] what's the word I want uh rigorous in their interface with our our dog beach

[2:46:39] on Centennial. uh because uh feedback that I also

[2:46:44] received was they were telling people over the weekend that effective July 1,

[2:46:50] the Centennial Dog Beach would close. So, we're getting a lot of feedback and

[2:46:56] I know our people are working very hard to try to do a good job, but it's it's

[2:47:02] how we how we interface. >> So, I will follow up on that. Um, I have

[2:47:07] not been aware of any staff that have been telling the public incorrect

[2:47:10] information about a closure of the the facility. Um, but we will double check

[2:47:16] on that. And um, but I would ask for clarification on the definition of

[2:47:20] rigorous.

[2:47:26] My definition of rigorous is where you are being punitive and and some some uh

[2:47:33] community members have come back and said they feel like they're being

[2:47:37] harassed and um so and that's that's an

[2:47:42] individual perception. If someone's told that they shouldn't do something, they

[2:47:46] often feel like they're being harassed. It just depends on individual

[2:47:51] perception. But I received repeated um um communications from residents that

[2:47:58] over the weekend that they were being told that uh the dog beach would close

[2:48:04] affect >> and like I mentioned and we will check

[2:48:07] into that. Absolutely. >> Thank you for that.

[2:48:09] » Yeah, of course. >> Um I will say um that we've also

[2:48:14] received a lot of compliments on the rangers. So they are being effective in

[2:48:20] terms of clearing beaches that night and so forth.

[2:48:23] It's a new program. There's some training. There has been training done.

[2:48:27] There's maybe some more training to be done. Um I think that most of them are

[2:48:32] most likely very respectful, but they are being asked to remind dog beach

[2:48:36] users that the current rule is on leash. All right. So I would like to ask any

[2:48:44] commissioners if they have any comment during the commissioner comment period.

[2:48:50] Commissioner W. Um the only thing that I would say is

[2:48:56] that you know we have a lot of energy around off leash use and you know a few

[2:49:02] years back there was an interest um to put an off leash dog park on the west

[2:49:10] side of town and I know that our um village negotiation of an

[2:49:16] intergovernmental agreement related to lakefront and dog park issues and dog

[2:49:20] park issues. But I do think now, you know, um would be a good time to at

[2:49:25] least get a temperature check on, you know, the storm water project is

[2:49:30] complete. Is that still of interest? Is this still feasible? Because I do think

[2:49:35] that would be viewed positively to have another off leash area. And that was

[2:49:39] identified as a site that was generally accepted and not

[2:49:44] » which which was that over there. Okay. Yeah.

[2:49:50] » No, actually not the top of the mid. I think it' be good to

[2:49:56] » Okay. >> Any other commissioner comment?

[2:50:01] We'll just go a little longer, too. >> Um

[2:50:05] I would like for all of us to have a fence at Centennial or a barrier of some

[2:50:11] type. So, I'm boldly asking for a barrier permit. Um, I don't want to

[2:50:16] speculate or float conspiracy theories. I want us all to work together for that

[2:50:22] same goal because I think it good fences make good neighbors and I think that's

[2:50:26] the way we should run Centennial Ald. Um,

[2:50:31] the village was definitely swayed by the number of people that came yesterday. By

[2:50:36] my count, they were about 65 people. They were definitely swayed. Um if the

[2:50:43] that same group of 65 people had come to the May 19th hearing wherein the

[2:50:48] trustees decided or each of the advisory committee hearings we might have had a

[2:50:54] different outcome because the village definitely responds to calls, letters

[2:51:01] and physical presence. So I think their um desire is to understand how many

[2:51:10] people really want um a fence permit at Centennial and I think that would help

[2:51:15] us advance this cause.

[2:51:21] » Well, I think the devil's in the detail with fencing. Um many people viewed our

[2:51:26] our proposals as being a pen rather than a fence and you've heard tonight from um

[2:51:32] particularly Linda Welch where she talked about her experiences at Montre

[2:51:37] in Chicago and as well as Wilson Beach where it is not a totally

[2:51:44] what Susie Shriber has described as a cold war east firmland beach that had

[2:51:53] barb wire fencing and and I say that in justest. Um what what I would like to

[2:51:59] see is us addressing the claims we've had for discrimination with respect to

[2:52:05] the access to Centennial Beach. Quite frankly, I agree with Commissioner Rap.

[2:52:12] I would like to see Centennial open to everyone that cares to use it. my

[2:52:18] proposal this evening that I know I handed out late hours because I was

[2:52:21] working on it [laughter] as as soon as I could was uh to to offer any uh one who

[2:52:29] gets a seasoned beach pass the right at the time they do that to have a fob even

[2:52:37] if they don't have a dog so that they have the opportunity to to go on to

[2:52:43] Centennial and certainly to recover administrative costs I don't know what

[2:52:48] it costs for for the fog or or the the authorization to make fog work. Um, at

[2:52:56] the same time, I recognize there needs to be a different path for those who

[2:53:01] wish to take their dog on. And I am not suggesting that we would uh reduce um

[2:53:08] our our our police oversight of that in any fashion. In fact, u my language

[2:53:14] makes it much stricter so that if you have a dog that is running off leash on

[2:53:20] the table land of of of Centennial that that that individual could le would lose

[2:53:27] the right of that dog to to access parks. that I'm not just limiting it to

[2:53:33] Centennial, but um again, I'd like to see everyone have the opportunity to to

[2:53:39] access Centennial Beach. It's beautiful.

[2:53:42] Everyone should have that, right? So, I'd ask for your consideration until

[2:53:49] our next meeting of some of the language that I put in what I just handed out to

[2:53:54] you. >> Are you yielding your 35 seconds to me?

[2:53:59] [laughter] Just kidding.

[2:54:01] » Um, >> listen. I I

[2:54:05] comments by Rap Cotto, Root, myself, others tonight

[2:54:15] absolutely fit with

[2:54:20] sitting down with the village in a manner that we can come to a solution. I

[2:54:26] know we can do it. the process that we had. We elected to do this process by

[2:54:30] the way. We elected to go through this permitting process.

[2:54:35] It does not fit the intricacies of the very broad

[2:54:42] diverse demand of the community. I want to sit down and I'm sure the

[2:54:47] village they're tired of this. We're tired of

[2:54:50] it. I I just we need to sit down and negotiate respectfully exchange along

[2:54:57] with members of the community of course a very workable solution. It can

[2:55:04] absolutely be done. I know it can be done.

[2:55:08] Um but I I go back to my first question.

[2:55:16] If stansions create a legal dog beach, why didn't the village just say put

[2:55:22] stansions up at Centennial under? Why didn't they do that? [clears throat] I

[2:55:27] don't know. I guess perhaps I have 1 minute 32 seconds. It is quote unquote

[2:55:33] common knowledge in the community that Ishpped a lawsuit to pretty much

[2:55:37] everybody. I don't know that. But apparently during the public comment, I

[2:55:42] don't know if that's having impact, but I want to find a solution

[2:55:47] that creates a barrier that allows whatever that is

[2:55:53] and allows for dogs to run off leash. That's Centennial. And respecting

[2:55:58] obviously Mr. Edwardson's comments tonight that events do happen. So,

[2:56:06] thank you. >> Thank you.

[2:56:13] I appreciated Commissioner Root's comments earlier

[2:56:17] about home rule and although council clarified that we

[2:56:22] cannot extrapolate what the village intended at this point. I think it's

[2:56:28] still something worth discussing. I think I don't know what the correct

[2:56:33] expression is, but let's just the cats out of the bag. home rule has been

[2:56:37] intruded into the ether and to the community. It'd be nice if we could

[2:56:43] continue discussions around that, how it applies to other areas within the

[2:56:48] village.

[2:56:51] Um, I regardless of what other dog parks do,

[2:56:56] I believe we should have a a fence whether the dog park is at tower or

[2:57:01] centennial or both for the protection of the people in the park, the pets in the

[2:57:06] park and the people outside the the dog park. Um it's really it's it's just uh

[2:57:14] very common sense um that it you know if dogs are are enclosed it's it's safer.

[2:57:23] Most well pretty much every dog park I've been to has the the two gate entry

[2:57:27] way. Um when I try to go to a dog park and I'm not allowed to because the

[2:57:32] community requires me to register and I can't get through the fence unless I've

[2:57:37] proven the health of my dog. I think well that's a responsible community. Um

[2:57:43] the characterization of offense as a World War II barbed wire cage I think is

[2:57:52] not helpful. Um that puts an image in people's heads that we're building some

[2:57:58] monstrosity. If you look at the Lakota plan that you handed out, it has the

[2:58:03] same type of fencing, same brand, same color, same vinyl coating. And that's

[2:58:10] what if if we want [clears throat] a dog beach at tower, we should implement that

[2:58:14] plan as a fence. It goes out into the water, connects to a to a a breakwater,

[2:58:19] and keeps dogs from leaving it. You know, like there's examples of

[2:58:26] good and bad dog parks and all sorts of arrangements.

[2:58:30] I believe any [clears throat] dog off

[2:58:33] leash park we have should have an enclosure and that means open on the the

[2:58:40] lakeside. You can swim all the way to Michigan if you want, but

[2:58:44] fences that can um believably uh keep the dogs

[2:58:52] uh off where they are off off leash. That's what I think.

[2:58:59] » I'm actually not going to get Commissioner P.

[2:59:03] » So, at this time, I would like to have a motion to adjourn

[2:59:08] the meeting at 7:30. second.

Special Board Meeting - Jul 01 2026

Transcript