North Cook News

The O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission met Tuesday, May 31.

"The O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) is the only inter-governmental agency that is dedicated to reducing aircraft noise in the communities around O’Hare International Airport. It was established in 1996, following an invitation from the City of Chicago to suburban mayors to begin constructive dialogues on aircraft noise issues."

Here are the meeting minutes as provided by the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission:

Approved Meeting Minutes O’HARE NOISE COMPATIBILITY COMMISSION Executive Committee May 31, 2016

Attendance: Mayor Arlene A. Juracek; Ms. Catherine Dunlap; Dr. Raymond J. Kuper; Mr. Dennis Ryan; Mr. Frank A. Damato; Mr. Jonathon Leach; Mr. Aaron Frame; Ms. Jeanette Camacho; Greg Cunningham; Ms. Lucia Crespo and Ms. Fran Guziel.

Approval of Meeting Minutes— May 6, 2016 Mr. Ryan moved to approve the May 6, 2016 meeting minutes. Ms. Dunlap seconded the motion.

Fly Quiet Rotation Plan Mr. Frame reported that CDA was preparing to submit the Fly Quiet Runway Rotation Plan (RRP) proposal to the FAA. The construction schedule would be reflected in the proposal.

Mayor Juracek said that there is a sense of urgency to get the RRP started.

Ms. Dunlap asked what is the FAA’s process upon submittal.

Mr. Frame said the FAA would be better to answer the process question. The RRP is expected to begin sometime in July.

Mayor Juracek noted air traffic controllers would need to be trained if the plan was approved by the FAA.

Ms. Camacho reported the Fly Quiet Committee would meet on June 14, 2016 to discuss criteria, metrics and the website.

Village of Addison Membership Mayor Juracek reported the Village of Addison has expressed interest in joining ONCC.

Ms. Camacho also reported the City of Elmhurst has expressed interest.

Mayor Juracek said that municipalities are seeing the importance of sitting at the table.

ONCC Strategic Planning Session – July 8, 2016 Ms. Camacho reported the ONCC Strategic Planning Session would be held on July 8, 2106 at the Mount Prospect Village Hall at 9 a.m.

Mayor Juracek said the strategic planning session would give us an opportunity to reflect on previous accomplishments and plan for the following year.

June 3, 2016 ONCC Meeting Agenda Mayor Juracek asked to place a summary of public participation on the June 3 general meeting agenda to reflect the discussion at the ONCC Executive Committee.

Review of Public Participation Comments Mayor Juracek said there are five items that needed to be addressed: 1. Alderman Napolitano’s request to be the 41st Ward representative: Mayor Juracek said ONCC has no say in which each municipality, school district or city of Chicago Ward designates as alternate or designee.

Mr. Ryan and Mr. Damato agreed. Ms. Dunlap noted the process is clear and everyone is aware of it.

Mayor Juracek said that Alderman Arena was not appointed until three years after his request to be the 45th Ward representative on ONCC. Ms. Dunlap noted Alderman Napolitano asked her to remain as the representative when he first took office. Mayor Juracek said that the request seemed to be politically prompted and ONCC should not be involved.

2. Expand the scope of ONCC to include environmental issues: Mayor Juracek said Stage 4 & 5 aircraft are under review by the EPA. She said environmental issues other than noise are out of the scope of ONCC. Mr. Ryan agreed that ONCC is not the forum for environmental discussions. Mayor Juracek said other avenues are available for those types of inquiries. Ms. Dunlap said that the FAA does conduct an environmental analysis.

3. FAiR correspondence from Dan Dwyer regarding Converging Runway Operations and maintaining the 14/32 Runways:

4. FAiR correspondence from Don Walsh asking ONCC to add FAiR as an advisory member to ONCC.

5. Indian Woods correspondence submitted to Mayor Emmanuel regarding demolition of the diagonal runways.

Comments from the Audience:

Dr. Walsh, who represents FAiR’s legislative and legal affairs, claimed ONCC let the public down by not allowing enough time public comment at the Technical Committee meeting. Other elected officials recognize FAiR as a coalition. They checked with the Inspector General and ONCC has the power under the IGA to elect two members and two alternates on the ONCC.

Ms. Dunlap questioned FAiR’s leadership and wanted to know where it was listed on their website.

Dr. Walsh responded “we are very fluid.” There are too many complaints and we (FAiR) have to change the ONCC IGA.

Mayor Juracek said the advisory members are the Arch Diocese of Chicago and other school districts. She cited the IGA and said it would have to go through Chicago’s legal department. It would take input from the Executive Committee meetings.

Dr. Walsh said he was persistent and wanted Chicago’s legal department to make the changes.

Ms. Dunlap asked if FAiR is organized as a 501-C3.

Ms. Dunlap said she has worked with many coalitions and they were legally organized. FAiR is not. FAiR’s Coalition’s membership wasn’t clear.

Mayor Juracek said for example, the Citizens Utility Board’s membership pays dues and they have government structure.

Mr. Damato said often times elected officials will sign and support community groups to get votes and officials don’t really believe or know the cause.

Dr. Walsh said Indian Woods sent a letter to Mayor Emanuel. He wanted to know about Alderman Arena and public participation. FAiR will look at the entire mission of ONCC and address its ethics. They will work with the better government association and media investigative reporters on what sound insulation contractors are financially supporting elected officials that are ONCC members.

Ms. Dunlap said ONCC is liberal when it comes to public comments.

Mr. Damato said five minutes is more than enough time for public comments.

Dr. Kuper wanted to know why Dr. Walsh was complaining when ONCC has not stopped public comment at the meetings. He asked Dr. Walsh what he thought was an appropriate timeframe for each public comment.

Dr. Walsh responded 15 minutes.

Mayor Juracek said the Open Meetings Act restricts what ONCC can legally do.

Mr. Damato said he was an ONCC member since 1996 and he gets paid nothing; all his time is voluntary and he will listen to a reasonable time limit for public discussion.

Mayor Juracek said if anyone has written comments, they are encouraged to submit them and they will be most effective if submitted in the record.

Dr. Walsh said ONCC will not have summer meetings when the noise is the worst and the community will be voiceless and won’t get their questions answered.

Dr. Kuper said Dr. Walsh was inappropriate with his request. Nothing acts fast in government. Dr. Kuper said that Dr. Walsh was being too limited to just the diagonal runways issue. He suggested that more support and effort should be made for quieter aircraft.

Mayor Juracek said we will respond to the letters, but recommend using the Congressional Caucus on Noise. She reminded the committee that there are other avenues, if we spread too far we will lose our credibility with the FAA. We are not a shill for the CDA.

Dan Dwyer complained about reading a statement at the Technical Committee meeting and was asked to sit down when he was still speaking.

Ms. Dunlap stated that Mr. Dwyer read his statement and made comments and Dunlap thanked him for his words, he then said more and Dunlap thanked him again.

Ms. Camacho said Committee Chair Dunlap announced at the beginning of the meeting that the room needed to be clear for another function and the meeting would go fast in order to accommodate.

Mayor Juracek said ONCC formulates questions and asked CDA to address the questions in reports.

Mr. Dwyer said that ONCC is the place to get answers requesting the shutdown of the diagonal runways. He said noise was not his concern. Mr. Dwyer noted that he is a resident of Medinah, IL.

Mayor Juracek told Mr. Dwyer that he should advocate for Medinah to join ONCC.

Mayor Juracek said that the 14/32 diagonals would be shut down. ONCC has remained neutral on the O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP).

Mr. Rapp asked if there would be meeting minutes from the tower meeting.

Mayor Juracek responded no. She said she met with the tower manager informally.

Mayor Juracek said there was a group of mayors lobbying for the western access at O’Hare and is in favor of OMP. She suggested that Mr. Rapp contact the Illinois Tollway information

Mr. Rapp asked about the runway excursions on 27R/9L.

Ms. Dunlap noted that that is a safety issue and suggested Mr. Rapp contact the National Transportation Safety Board.

Ms. Dunlap said that MR. Rapp has represented himself as a retired FAA employee and wondered what his capacity was while working for the FAA.

Mr. Rapp said he retired from the FAA as an engineer technician.

Ms. Dunlap said ONCC neutrality is reiterated throughout the Record of Decision.

Adjournment Mr. Ryan moved to adjourn the meeting. Dr. Kuper seconded the motion. The meeting ended at 11:47 a.m.