Village of Northbrook Board of Trustees met Nov. 29.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
1. ROLL CALL
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Kathryn Ciesla | Village President | Present | |
| Bob Israel | Trustee | Present | |
| Muriel Collison | Trustee | Present | |
| Heather Ross | Trustee | Present | |
| Johannah Hebl | Trustee | Present | |
| Dan Pepoon | Trustee | Present | |
| Joy Ebhomielen | Trustee | Present |
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. MINUTES APPROVAL
A. Board of Trustees - Regular Meeting - Nov 8, 2022 7:30 PM
Trustee Hebl moved, seconded by Trustee Collison to approve the November 8, 2022 minutes. On voice vote, the motion passed.
| RESULT: ACCEPTED [6 TO 0]
MOVER: Johannah Hebl, Trustee SECONDER: Muriel Collison, Trustee AYES: Israel, Collison, Ross, Hebl, Pepoon, Ebhomielen ABSTAIN: Ciesla |
4. HEAR FROM AUDIENCE
President Ciesla noted the public can make comments by emailing publiccomments@northbrook.il.us. Email responses must be under 200 words in length.
Mark Kolod, Woodland Road, discussed how the closing of the Granger lot caused an increase in neighborhood parking. He requested the Village post parking signs to remedy the matter. President Ciesla responded the Village Manager's Office will investigate the matter.
Mr. Kolod asked if the public can initiate the Granger site be developed into a public park. President Ciesla responded the Granger site public meeting is pending at this time.
Todd Speed, Briarwood Lane, thanked President Ciesla and the Village Board for their hard work in the community. He suggested the Village increase development to keep up with other modernized communities, such as developing the Granger site into a mixed-use development. President Ciesla responded the Economic Strategies Commission is working hard to attract new businesses to expand in Northbrook.
Marnie Baer, stated she concurs with Mr. Speed's comments regarding the need for development. President Ciesla suggested Mr. Speed and Ms. Baer join the Economic Strategies Commission.
5. MANAGER'S REPORT
6. WARRANT LIST
7. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
8. CONSENT AGENDA
COMMITTEE REPORTS
9. PLANNING/ZONING
A. PRELIMINARY REVIEW - ZONING & DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS
10. PUBLIC SAFETY
A. Report Regarding Recent Police Activity
Police Chief Christopher Kennedy discussed recent residential burglary activity in the community. He provided a brief overview of the burglary data over several years. The data shows burglaries decreased during the start of the COVID pandemic, and have been essential flat for the past decade noting that even a single burglary is a very upsetting experience to the homeowner. The public can partner with the Police to prevent burglaries by doing the following: installing motion-activated lights, high quality locking/hinge system, register for Northbrook Notify, and create a neighborhood watch group. The burglaries at this time are trending for large homes located in wooded areas.
He reiterated prevention resources the public can utilize to protect their home from burglaries. The Police Departments strives to protect the residents in the community.
Trustee Pepoon requested more information regarding Northbrook Notify. Chief Kennedy explained how the notification system alerts emergency services and provides live updates. New information on the website under Police Services was highlighted.
Trustee Israel encouraged the public to be very vigilant during the holidays and summer season.
Chief Kennedy encouraged the public to complete the house watch form and signing up before taking vacations.
Trustee Israel asked what the radius is for public alerts. Chief Kennedy responded the department focuses on actively impacted locations and evaluates carefully when to increase the radius.
Trustee Collison requested the department coordinate with surrounding communities to eliminate conflicting information. Police Chief responded the Department is working hard to prevent miscommunication from neighboring communities.
Trustee Ross noted several neighbors in her community never received an alert for a past burglary. She encouraged the public to review their phone preferences to enable alerts using the Village sign-up. Furthermore, she asked what the Flock cameras track. Police Chief responded Flock is a license plate reader system and shows the plate, not the occupants of a vehicle. The system alerts dispatch when a license plate reported stolen is seen or when a license plate is associate with a missing or endangered person such as a silver alert.
Trustee Ross asked if HOA's could install their own Flock camera. Police Chief responded yes, the HOA must apply for permitting and if it is on public property, work with the Public Works Department. Village Manager Cara Pavlicek commented the Flock data is available for only 30-days, unless saved for criminal investigations. She noted license plate data is not shared with private individuals who purchase Flock cameras due to confidentiality laws.
Chief Kennedy commented the Flock system greatly benefits the Department during criminal investigations and emergency services.
Trustee Hebl spoke in support of the notification system. She encouraged the public to be very vigilant during the holidays.
Chief Kennedy shared how the Flock system works in tracking stolen vehicles with Trustee Pepoon.
Trustee Ebhomielen thanked the Police Department for protecting the residents in the community. She asked the number of people registered with Northbrook Notify; and suggested increasing marketing efforts in the community. Manager Pavlicek responded the Northbrook Notify is advertised heavily in the community, and a section was added to promote the notification system on the Village website. The Village plans to advertise the notification system in the water bill mailer.
President Ciesla addressed miscommunications in the community. The Village Board does not work directly with the Police Department to investigate crimes or direct the Village's social media platforms. Furthermore, the Village Board complies with the Open Meetings Act. She thanked the Police Department for their support efforts in the community; and requested the public refrain from calling the emergency line for informational updates.
Chief Kennedy suggested suspending the residential false alarm fee in consideration of this burglary pattern coupled with resident feedback.
Trustee Israel noted the false alarm fee was imposed to encourage alarm maintenance.
President Ciesla suggested the Village present an ordinance to amend the Fee Ordinance to suspend or eliminate late fees for false residential alarms during the end of the fiscal year.
President Ciesla asked if the Board agrees with directing staff to draft an ordinance for temporary suspension of residential false alarm fees.
Trustee Israel concurs with President Ciesla.
Trustee Collison concurs with President Ciesla; and requested the Village perform more outreach in the community.
Trustee Ross concurs with her fellow trustees.
Trustee Hebl concurs with her fellow trustees.
Trustee Pepoon concurs with his fellow trustees.
Trustee Ebhomielen concurs with her fellow trustees.
Mark Kolod asked if a false alarm is considered an electrical mechanical failure. Tracy Liss, Northbrook, IL, asked what type of burglary vehicles the public should keep an eye out for. Chief Kennedy encouraged the public to be vigilant regarding suspicious activity.
Manager Pavlicek noted the public review information about reporting suspicious activity on the Village website also under police services.
Marnie Baer questioned someone who came to her door stating they were represented Com Ed but could not provide identification and stated the Village authorized them. She asked how residents can verify they are utility workers. Attorney Elrod noted Village staff cannot go on public property without permission from the resident. He noted the Public can apply for a solicitation license to solicit in the community. Trustee Israel expressed the importance of verifying the identity of individuals claiming to be with utility companies.
Scott Cawley, 2418 Maple Avenue, spoke on underutilized programs, such as Northbrook Notify. He asked if the public could opt-in with video surveillance. Police Chief encouraged the public to share suspicious video footage with the Police Department.
11. ADMINISTRATION/FINANCE
12. PUBLIC WORKS
13. COMMUNICATIONS AND LEGISLATION
14. COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
15. REMARKS FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
Trustee Hebl thanked the Public Works Department for their hard work on Cedar Lane.
President Ciesla reported Communications Specialist Kylie Cerk has accepted a position at another municipality, to act as the Director of Communications. She thanked Kylie for serving the Village and residents of Northbrook.
Communications Specialist Cerk thanked the Village for the opportunity to serve the residents of Northbrook.
16. ADJOURN
http://northbrookil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=15&ID=1676&Inline=True
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