Village of Arlington Heights Committee-of-the-Whole met May 22.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: President Hayes; Trustees: Dunnington, Grasse, LaBedz, Shirley and Tinaglia T
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Baldino, Bertucci and Schwingbeck
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Randy Recklaus, Village Manager; Diana Mikula, Assistant Village Manager; Avis Meade, Communications & Outreach Coordinator; James McCalister, Director of Health and Human Services; Nicole Espinoza, Social Services Coordinator; Lindsay Dohse, Supervising Nurse; Tracey Colagrossi, Senior Center Manager; Jorge Torres, Director of Building and Life Safety; Elliott Eldridge, Assistant Building Official; Nicholas Pecora, Police Chief; Greg Czernecki, Deputy Police Chief; Shawn Gyorke, Deputy Police Chief; Joseph Pinnello, Deputy Police Chief; Kim Peterson, Recording Secretary
SUBJECTS:
A. Department Reports
Integrated Services
Health and Human Services
Building and Life Safety
Police
Other Business
Adjournment
President Hayes called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
A. Department Reports
Integrated Services
Ms. Mikula presented the Integrated Services Department report and began by first introducing Avis Meade, who is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for the department, and then discussed their organizational chart and how they are a 13-member workgroup, organized into three areas, including the Village Manager’s Office, Information Technology (IT) and Legal. Ms. Mikula describes her team as being small but mighty.
Ms. Mikula described her department’s scope of services, which include liquor license administration, administrative, Mayor and Trustee support, all Village communications, IT needs, FOIA processing, among many other things. Some of their key accomplishments include the new busking ordinance, new FOIA system and three-year contact with the Fire Department. She also explained how IT manages eight locations in the Village, 438 employees, all of the equipment they use, and responded to 3,395 employee service requests last year. Ms. Mikula discussed the Village Manager’s workload performance and explained how they respond to resident and business owner’s emails via the “Contact Us” mechanism. She also discussed the workload performance for communications and how they work very hard to provide timely and relevant information, which includes event coordination. In addition, Ms. Mikula discussed the ERP project and how there are four modules that will be implemented.
Ms. Mikula discussed IT’s accomplishments, including the ERP project implementation, and how she promoted Dan Davis to the IT Director position and hired two additional employees to complement the IT division. The Graphic Information Systems (GIS) division is responsible for analyzing the geographic data of the Village and did participate in the new ERP project, as well as a traffic study for Police and Engineering. Ms. Mikula also discussed the Village Manager’s accomplishments, which included the launch off the new website, new Trustee orientation and new liquor code updates. In addition, they will be doing the national community survey with POLCO, which collects a snapshot of resident satisfaction with Village services and identifies resident priorities.
Ms. Mikula advised there is an internal community group made up of most departments that evaluate community events. There were 19 events in 2022, which take up a considerable amount of staff time to evaluate. In regards to communications, social media is key, and an area they increased engagement across all social media platforms, as a strong social media presence is vital to building a strong village reputation and showing transparency. Ms. Mikula explained how she and Ms. Meade tried to grow their outreach in fun and new ways, which included producing a video with Mr. Recklaus dressing up as Chewbacca for “May the 4th Be With You” and handing out candy to Village employees. Ms. Mikula discussed the key accomplishments for special events management, which included hosting 12 Sounds of Summer concerts and Harmony Fest, as well as the key accomplishments for the Special Events Commission.
Ms. Mikula explained the current and anticipated challenges of the Village Manager’s Office, including the ERP project, which will be their primary focus, as well the increased expectations for community events. IT will focus on providing responsive and quality IT support, and improving security efficiency and operations, and GIS will look to expand crime mapping for the Police Department, as well as connecting with other departments to identify new projects and improvements. The Legal division will look to utilize Elrod Friedman’s contract forms and processes and the Village Manager’s Office will be hosting the Village Board goal setting session in July and continue to work with the Arlington Park redevelopment project. In regards to communications, they are looking at new ways to connect with the community thru various social media campaigns and by growing the Village’s E News list, as well as assessing community events.
President Hayes thanked Ms. Mikula for her great report and explained how he always thought of the Village of Arlington Heights as a great place to work, but not necessarily a fun place to work, however, it is now evident from Ms. Mikula’s report, that it is a fun place to work! President Hayes advised that he considers the Integrated Service Department as the glue that holds everything together.
Trustee LaBedz thanked Ms. Mikula for the great report and stated that she thinks the “May the 4th” video is fantastic and commends Mr. Recklaus and Ms. Mikula for doing that. She asked about the number of IT calls and the fact that some of them are for password resets, and is wondering why the employees just can’t do this themselves. Ms. Mikula advised they do have that capability, however, some forget their passwords and there are some systems where they have to go through IT. Trustee LaBedz complemented Ms. Mikula and Ms. Meade for their efforts in hosting Swing into Spring, which Ms. Mikula advised it is definitely a team effort when hosting these events, as many other departments contribute their time and resources.
Trustee Grasse thanked Ms. Mikula and her department for the important work that they do and stated how important she thinks the communications component of their work is, as it keeps everyone socially connected. Trustee Grasse asked about the ERP project and if once that’s in place, will Ms. Mikula’s department have more time, or do they need additional staff to keep up with the FOIA requests and all of the other work they do. Ms. Mikula advised that she is confident they have enough staff, as she did ask the Board for additional IT support, which the Board graciously agreed to provide her.
Trustee Tinaglia thanked Ms. Mikula for her report, as it is always nicely put together, and stated that he thinks she and Mr. Recklaus make a really great team. He stated that the Integrated Services Department is such a great behind the scenes team and he really appreciates them. Trustee Tinaglia explained how different things are now with technology and asked Ms. Mikula if they are able to keep up with all the changes, which Ms. Mikula advised they are able to adapt, and their end goal is to make connecting and doing business with the Village easier.
Trustee Shirley thanked Ms. Mikula and asked about the Village’s role in foreclosures. Ms. Mikula advised that she decommissioned the Legal Department and is in the process of evaluating this process and asking the Village’s Attorney if there are mandates they need to follow in regards to foreclosures. Ms. Mikula advised that she did learn that Police, Fire and the Health Department should be made aware when a home is in foreclosure so that they know the home is empty.
Trustee Shirley stated that Ms. Mikula and her team are doing a much better job with social media. Ms. Mikula advised that the Village’s Facebook feed is also available on the Village’ s website, which makes it easier for those who don’t use Facebook to see what they are posting.
Trustee Dunnington stated that she agrees with Ms. Mikula in that they are a small but mighty department. Trustee Dunnington thanked Ms. Mikula and Ms. Meade for organizing the Trustee training, as there was a lot of great information shared.
Trustee LaBedz thanked Ms. Mikula and the entire ISD for all of the support they provide to the Trustees.
President Hayes asked Ms. Mikula about the new website and if they have received any feedback from the community, which Ms. Mikula advised all of the feedback has been very positive.
Mr. Recklaus advised that Ms. Mikula’s portfolio has expanded quite a bit and all of the areas that she is now responsible for have improved significantly. Mr. Recklaus explained how the Legal Department transition has been smooth and the Village is now getting an as high, or a higher level of service, from a legal standpoint, for less money.
Health and Human Services
Mr. McCalister presented the Health and Humas Services Department report and first began by introducing Nicole Espinoza, who is the Social Services Coordinator, Tracy Colagrossi, who is the Senior Center Manager and Lindsay Dohse, who is the Supervising Nurse, and advised that his department consists of 15 full-time and part-time employees. Mr. McCalister explained how there are four divisions in the Health & Human Services Department, which include Environmental Health, Nursing Services, Social Services and the Senior Center, and went on to explain the programs and services they provide.
Mr. McCalister discussed the workload and performance data, including the increased number of food, swimming pool and daycare inspections, and the increase in programs and volunteer hours at the senior center. Mr. McCalister advised that his department is small, but strong through their partnerships and collaborations.
Mr. McCalister next discussed their key accomplishments, including how they care for the environment and its resources by offering all kinds of recycling programs and hazardous waste disposal events. Mr. McCalister explained how the Environmental Commission conducted a study asking residents what they are interested in environmental wise, and one thing they came back with was composting, so they are really prompting the composting programs. Other key accomplishments include caring for the health and wellbeing of others, either through the partnerships between Police and Fire or the nursing services that are provided. In addition, the senior center promotes care for the health and well-being of self, by getting people out of isolation and allowing them to have fun, which is extremely important. Mr. McCalister described what a day at the senior center looks like and explained how successful their volunteer program is. He also recognized the Boards and Commissions, who do a lot of work, but are not always recognized, and noted that the Senior Commission helped the Village achieve the status of an “Age Friendly Certified Community.”
Mr. McCalister discussed the current and anticipated challenges, including aging in the community. He explained how 20% of Arlington Heights residents are over the age of 65 and the nurses assist and allow the residents to age in place through their home visit program. Other challenges include dementia care, inflation and the emergency assistance fund, as well as fall prevention. Mr. McCalister explained some of the programs and services his department is offering to help meet these challenges.
Mr. McCalister next discussed potential new initiatives, which include increased promotion of the programs and services offered by the Health & Humas Services Department via the Village’s website and social media posts, as well as looking into new software to gather data in more efficient ways for the environmental health division. In addition, the nurses are planning on hosting CPR classes, as well as wellness clinics at senior living facilities, and partnering with social services to offer joint home visits. Mr. McCalister also explained how he would like the Village to become a certified Dementia Friendly City, as well as the possibility of having a new senior center.
President Hayes thanked Mr. McCalister and his team for a great presentation and for everything they do to help those in need in our community. He also stated that he is happy Mr. McCalister acknowledged the Boards and Commissions that his department serves as staff liaisons to, as they devote a lot of extra time dealing with the members of these commissions and the issues they discuss for the benefit of the community. President Hayes asked Mr. McCalister and Ms. Dohse what the two most concerning public health issues that the Village is experiencing right now, which Mr. McCalister advised that he believes aging in the community and fall prevention are the biggest concerns because we are an aging community. Ms. Dohse thinks mental health and the opioid crisis are also huge issues. President Hayes asked if the Village has spoken with the new Wheeling Township 708 Board, which Mr. McCalister advised he has not. Mr. Recklaus advised there were some informal discussions when the Board was first established but nothing since then.
Trustee Dunnington advised that she likes all of the social service partnerships that the Health and Human Services Department has, as she believes they can be stronger when they work together. She is also very excited about the growth of the composting program and all of the services for seniors in the community.
Trustee Grasse thanked Mr. McCalister for all that he and his team do and is thankful that they are working harder on increasing awareness about what programs and services they offer, mainly through the use of social media. She is also very excited about the “Dementia Friendly City” idea, as there are so many of us who are directly affected by dementia.
Trustee Tinaglia stated that he doesn’t think enough people know the different things that Mr. McCalister’s Department does and asked if there is anything the Village should be thinking about with the increase in those 65 and over living in the community, to help them be successful and remain in their homes. Mr. McCalister advised that connectivity is extremely important, especially coming out of the pandemic and the isolation it caused. Trustee Tinaglia stated that communication is key and the more his department can do to let everyone know the good things they do, the better. Trustee Tinaglia discussed his concerns with the mental health epidemic our country is currently experiencing and suggested that Mr. McCalister explore programs to help those in need. Lastly, he asked about regular batteries and how they should be disposed of, which Mr. McCalister advised that the Village currently doesn’t have a recycling program for regular batteries, but the Solid Waste Agency of Cook County (SWANCC) is discussing the possibility of hosting two household hazardous waste collections this year, so residents can dispose of batteries there.
Trustee LaBedz stated that she always amazed at the variety of things that the Health and Human Services Department does. She didn’t realize the scope of the home health visits and what can be done to help seniors age in place. Trustee LaBedz advised that everyone can help promote the things that Mr. McCalister’s department does. Trustee LaBedz asked about the different risk levels for food service inspections, as well the idea of revisiting the textile recycling program. Mr. McCalister advised that SWANCC will be accepting textiles during the next document destruction event and most resale shops will recycle textiles. Mr. Recklaus advised that the Board can always revisit the textile recycling program. Trustee LaBedz also asked about writs for loved ones, which Ms. Espinoza advised that there is a process through civil mental health court which allows a person to petition to have a loved one receive a mental health evaluation and then taken to the right level of care. Trustee LaBedz asked about the memory café that is available at the senior center, which Ms. Colagrossi advised that caregivers accompany a person that has dementia and share a meal and connect with other people who are in a similar situation.
Mr. Recklaus stated that it is very rare for a city or village to have a health department with multiple licensed social workers, and even more rare to have a senior center. This is something that our Village does for our residents, which distinguishes ourselves from other communities. Mr. Recklaus advised that mental health is near the top of the list of what is going on in our community and our Village is so much better equipped because of our licensed social workers.
Building and Life Safety
Mr. Torres presented the Building and Life Safety report and began by first discussing their organizational chart, which consists of 19 full-time staff and one summer intern. He advised that there are three teams in his department, including the front counter team, plan review team and inspector team. His department also manages permitted services, which a consultant is used to help with on an as needed basis. Mr. Torres discussed his department’s scope of services and how people want their building permits in a timely matter. He equated his department to that of an air traffic controller for all building permits, as all permitting comes through his department, whether it involves them or not. Mr. Torres explained the permit process, and how code compliance is critical, as they strive for compliance over the issuance of citations. He also discussed the fire inspection process, business license inspection process, as well as the elevator inspection program and general code enforcement. His department also researches the building codes, and if warranted, makes recommendations to the Building Code Review Board for potential changes to Village ordinances. They use social media and the Village’s website to help educate the public of any changes to the codes or permitting processes. Mr. Torres introduced Mr. Eldridge who is the Assistant Building Official, as well as the liaison to the Building Code Review Board.
Mr. Torres discussed the workload and performance data, including plan reviews, which saw an increase of 18% in 2021, and the annual fire inspections which saw a 58% increase. Mr. Torres explained the remote fire inspection process, the remote building inspection process, as well as the increase in revenues and permit fees.
Mr. Torres next discussed the department’s key accomplishments and advised that they were recently awarded the International Accreditation Services (IAS) recognition award for quality, permitting, plan review, inspection and code compliance, which is a way for local building departments to demonstrate a commitment to service, safety and continuous improvement. Other key accomplishments include the stakeholders quarterly virtual meetings, permit application feedback via Survey Monkey, the development of “How To” permitting videos for homeowners and the implementation of online credit card payments for permits. Other key accomplishments include their updated web page, which is now much more user friendly, and their monthly meetings with the Fire Department on how to improve their community risk assessment through their referral program.
Mr. Torres discussed the 2023 strategic priorities and key projects, including the new software they are using for plan reviews called Blue Beam review, which will increase their efficiency and speed up the process, as well as the new ERP software which will streamline their processes.
Mr. Torres advised that one of the anticipated challenges for the Building and Life Safety Department is that there is currently only one full-time administrative assistant, and during the building season when things are very busy, if the administrative assistant is out of the office, there is no backup, therefore they could benefit from having an additional part-time administrative assistant. Mr. Torres also discussed another challenge, which pertains to condo association owners, who are currently required to have architectural drawings for any repairs. The new process would not require these drawings if it is a minor project.
Mr. Torres discussed new initiatives, including the implementation of Energov and Blue Beam review, which will streamline the workflow. He also advised that he wants all buildings inspected on a yearly basis, regardless of their risk factor, and will look into hiring a part-time building inspector to accomplish this goal.
President Hayes thanked Mr. Torres for all of his efforts, as his report contained a lot of good information. President Hayes advised that his department has frequent contact with the public, and how this interaction goes, reflects on the whole organization. President Hayes asked about fire inspections and if there is a standard for annual inspections for certain properties, which Mr. Torres advised that the fire code states annually, although it isn’t set in stone that the they have to be done annually. Mr. Torres feels that regardless of the risk factor, if you have the resources, which our Village does, the inspection should be done annually. President Hayes asked what properties in the village are considered high risk, which Mr. Torres advised that restaurants, multi-family and industrial buildings are high risk.
Trustee Tinaglia advised that Mr. Torres is attempting to change the culture of the Building and Life Safety Department in a lot of positive ways and is doing a great job. Trustee Tinaglia stated that the quarterly stakeholder meetings are a great resource for anyone who wants to ask questions about any of the department’s programs or processes. Trustee Tinaglia discussed the process of a building project, which includes applying for the permit, plan review and the inspection process, and if one of these steps isn’t done right, the other two pay the price and the time frame for completion is not met. He also advised that not all applicants are created equal and some try and take advantage of the situation, which makes it a challenge for Mr. Torres’ team to handle. Mr. Torres advised that his goal is to always try and educate the customer. Trustee Tinaglia advised that if it can be avoided, he does not recommend using outsourced inspectors or plan reviewers, as he would rather have Mr. Torres ask for additional manpower than use outside people who don’t have the Village’s best interest in mind. Trustee Tinaglia advised that the Arlington racetrack redevelopment will be a big challenge for Mr. Torres’ department, although he knows they can handle it.
Trustee Grasse thanked Mr. Torres for his report and acknowledged with great appreciation the IAS recognition award his department received. Trustee Grasse shared a brief story about an addition she did to her house and how smooth of a process it was. Trustee Grasse advised that she heard Mr. Torres’ request for additional staff and asked Mr. Recklaus about the hiring process, which Mr. Recklaus indicated Mr. Torres, or anyone else, can make this request during the budget process.
Trustee LaBedz congratulated Mr. Torres and his team on the IAS recognition award and thanked him for helping the condo owners make minor repairs without having to submit drawings and plans.
Trustee Dunnington thanked Mr. Torres for his focus on customer service, as the permitting process can be very stressful. The “How To” videos, remote inspections and follow up surveys will make the process smoother, which leads to happy customers. Trustee Dunnington asked about the false fire alarms and if the Building and Life Safety Department tracks these. Mr. Torres explained how his department receives a referral from the Fire Department when there is a false fire alarm and one of his inspectors will then follow up with the property owner/manager to see what happened and then give them a deadline to fix it.
Mr. Recklaus advised that the Building and Life Safety Department has a very different energy now, and Mr. Torres is making inroads and having a lot of success and is takes great ownership of his department.
Trustee Tinaglia explained how there used to be a stack of amendments to the building code, and by and large, a lot of this stuff has been eliminated so that our code is much more uniform and easier for everyone to understand.
Police
Chief Pecora presented the Police Department’s report and began by first introducing his Deputy Chiefs, Greg Czernecki, who leads the Administrative Services Bureau, Joe Pinnello, who leads the Criminal Investigation/Community Services Division and Shawn Gyorke, who leads the Patrol Division.
Chief Pecora discussed the department’s organizational chart and advised that there are a total of 139 employees, with 109 being sworn law enforcement officers and 30 being professional support staff, two of which are part-time. Personnel are assigned to three primary divisions, under which there are nine specialized bureaus. Chief Pecora explained how staffing levels have not changed since the 2007/08 fiscal year when staffing levels were reduced from 150 full-time employees to the current 139. Also in 2008, the Police Department received nationally accredited law enforcement status. The most recent accreditation award was in 2021, where there were zero compliancy issues.
Deputy Chief Czernecki provided a brief overview of the Administrative Services Division, which is responsible for the overall management and organization of the Police Department.
Deputy Chief Joe Pinnello provided a brief overview of the Criminal Investigation/Community Services Division, which serves two functions of the Police Department, including juvenile and adult investigators and the delivery of pro active police services.
Deputy Chief Shawn Gyorke provided a brief overview of the Patrol Division, which is the largest division in the Police Department, and some of their responsibilities include responding to 911 calls for service, traffic crash investigations, evidence collection and animal welfare services. The division is comprised of four bureaus, including Day Shift, Afternoon Shift, Midnight Shift and a Traffic Bureau. Many officers are trained in specialty or ancillary duties, which are conducted in addition to the other routine duties that they are normally assigned to.
Chief Pecora advised that over the last three years, the Police Department has experienced a significant turnover of personnel, mainly due to retirements, therefore the department continues to implement succession planning initiatives to develop future organizational leaders. To fill the ranks, the recruitment team continues to develop innovative strategies to increase the applicant pool and reach a wide range of potential individuals interested in law enforcement. Chief Pecora discussed workload and performance data and explained how Arlington Heights continues to be a safe community with a generally low crime rate, as crime continues to trend downward. Deputy Chief Pinnello discussed the Criminal Investigation Division’s clearance rates and advised that last year they had the highest clearance rate of the last seven years. He also explained how the department gauges its efforts from periodic citizen and business surveys. Deputy Chief Gyorke advised how Arlington Heights continues to have a low incidence of traffic crashes, both property damage and injury, primarily due to education and enforcement campaigns throughout the year. In 2022, Officers wrote nearly 21,000 citations, with the focus on the types of violations that are most often associated with traffic crashes, including distracted driving and impaired driving. Deputy Chief Czernecki discussed some of the initiatives that the Police Department has funded through federal, state and local grants. In the past two years, the Police Department has been awarded grants totaling nearly one million dollars. The grant funding not only supports their operational mission and new initiatives, but also supplements programs. A workload and performance measure that is typically not discussed, but Deputy Chief Czernecki felt it was warranted at this time, is the number of Police Department Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that had to be fulfilled. The Police Department experienced a significant increase in FOIA requests last year, with a total of 1,012. FOIA requests are time consuming and require, for police records, a substantial number of redactions of personal information. In addition, with the deployment of body worn cameras, officer video and audio recordings are subject to public record. Chief Pecora explained how throughout the year, there are numerous instances when Officers and civilian staff go above and beyond what is expected of them, which the department recognizes with several different awards throughout the year.
Deputy Chief Czernecki discussed the department’s key accomplishments, including the Crisis Co-Responder program, which was developed to address the mental health crisis on a local level, and currently funded through a grant, and the implementation of body worn cameras. Deputy Chief Pinnello discussed other key accomplishments including the introduction of numerous initiatives aimed at addressing emerging issues and problems in the community, or Problem Oriented Policing, which is a philosophy that is entrenched in the Police Department.
Chief Pecora discussed the department’s anticipated projects, including the need to expand Officer wellness and mental health support through the peer support program and mental health screenings and trainings. The Police Department is currently engaged in a third-party contract to provide mental health services, meeting the recommendations of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB). Deputy Chief Czernecki discussed other anticipated projects, including the deployment of fixed LPR cameras in the community to help deter crime and assist in evidence gathering, and to conduct another staffing and workload assessment.
Deputy Chief Czernecki next discussed the department’s anticipated challenges, including recruitment and hiring, as national and local interest in a law enforcement career has been trending downwards, and there is a potential that the department might have significant difficulty filling vacancies in the coming years. Another challenge is the department’s continued efforts and response to the opioid epidemic and substance misuse disorders. The Community Addiction and Recovery Effort (CARE) program has provided hundreds of individuals with substance misuse disorder a pathway to recovery.
Deputy Chief Czernecki advised that the Police Department has several potential new initiatives they are exploring, including advancing available technology at the Police Department, improving initiatives related to Homeland Security and Preparedness, implementing comprehensive harm reduction strategies village wide, and continue efforts to identify available grant funding.
Chief Pecora thanked President Hayes and the members of the Board, Mr. Recklaus and the Arlington Heights community for their continued support of the Police Department as they pursue their mission to keep the community safe.
President Hayes thanked Chief Pecora for his report and advised that he enjoyed hearing from the Deputy Chiefs, in addition to Chief Pecora, about the great things they are doing for the safety and welfare of the community.
Trustee Tinaglia stated that he thinks it’s great that Chief Pecora brought his Deputy Chiefs with him, as it represents teamwork and promoting from within. He also stated that the most important thing to residents is safety, because if you can’t feel safe in your community, what good is it, and our community is safe because of all the good work the Police Department does. Trustee Tinaglia advised that the Arlington Heights Police Department has achieved greatness despite the current political climate, because of the respect they have earned from the community. Trustee Tinaglia suggested to never let the younger officers forget how bad things have been the last few years. Trustee Tinaglia explained how much he hates the amount of time, energy and cost the Village has to go through on the FOIA’s and asked Mr. Recklaus if something can be done to lessen the burden and cost of these requests. Mr. Recklaus stated no, as there is a greater demand by the public for transparency, although the process has gotten more efficient with the purchase of new software, he doesn’t see any changes that will make things less burdensome. Lastly, Trustee Tinaglia asked what residents should do if they witness law breaking behavior on the road, which Chief Pecora advised they should call 911 and report the behavior.
Trustee Dunnington thanked Chief Pecora for the excellent presentation and asked about the Crisis Co-Responder position and if the Village does not receive additional grant funding to continue the program, will Chief Pecora propose that the Village continue with the program, which he stated absolutely. Mr. Recklaus advised, like any other program, if the Village loses grant funding, they have to evaluate it as part of the budget process and weigh it against any other department requests. Trustee Dunnington asked if the Police Department is working with the hospital on a harm reduction event, which Chief Pecora advised he is and the intent is for zero harm, which is a community wide endeavor to help everyone enjoy their summer without a trip to the emergency department. Some of the concepts he is proposing are child safety seat instructions, bicycle safety awareness, drug drop off and gun take back programs. Trustee Dunnington advised that some communities offer gun locks, which Chief Pecora advised our Community Services Bureau has them and can make them available. Trustee Dunnington suggested that Chief Pecora invite the group Moms Demand Action to be a part of the event, which Chief Pecora advised that he would be happy to entertain the idea, if the hospital is open to expanding the invite.
Trustee LaBedz thanked the Chief and Deputy Chiefs for the great presentation and all that they do to protect everyone in Arlington Heights. Trustee LaBedz advised that she was fascinated with their recruitment concept of going to the gyms to look for potential applicants, as she thinks it’s a great idea.
Trustee Grasse thanked the entire Police Department for putting their safety and wellbeing of others first and foremost, as it is appreciated. She stated how impressed she is with the amount of grant funding the department receives and is happy with how well the Crisis Co-Responder program is going. In addition, she advised how impressed she is with the Problem Oriented Policing program and is thankful that the Police Department has made the well-being of its Officers a priority, as self-care is extremely important.
Trustee Shirley thanked Chief Pecora and his team and advised that he is excited about the LPR’s and asked how many the department plans to deploy. Chief Pecora advised the Village Board has already approved 24 that will be put at the gateways throughout the community, as well as another 14 that will come with a one-year contract, which is the extent of the grant. If the grant is renewed, there may be an opportunity to keep those cameras. Trustee Shirley stated that he thinks the Police Department did a great job, despite all of the challenges they have faced, and there was no reason to be critical of them because of what was going on nationally.
Mr. Recklaus advised that it is a tough time to be a police officer, and despite all of the challenges, the Arlington Heights Police Department does tremendous work, which starts with Chief Pecora, who is a great leader, and leads by example.
Other Business
None.
Adjournment
Trustee LaBedz moved, seconded by Trustee Grasse, to adjourn the meeting at 10:19 p.m. Upon a voice vote, the motion passed unanimously.
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