Capparelli Voices Discontent with Proposed Opioid Treatment Facility in Joliet
Capparelli Voices Discontent with Proposed Opioid Treatment Facility in Joliet (Joliet, IL) – The Joliet City Council meeting opened with public comments on agenda items. A representative from Volunteers of America of Illinois (VOAIL) rose to ask the council to table a motion to deny a variance on their proposed development.
This was followed by Robert Hernandez rising to oppose the development on the grounds that it was another slight to the people of the east side of Joliet. He claimed it would not be approved if it was to be located on the west side. He went on to threaten any council member voting to approve of the development, claiming they would be ignoring the will of the people of the east side. He would rise again at the end of the meeting to speak against the proposal and added in a threat to specifically go against Councilman Mudron using his blog and “2 million followers and over 6,000 in Mudron’s district”.
DG Enterprises
Mr. Mazone of DG Enterprises spoke in support of the ordinance to change 27 N. Hickory from R2 single family housing to R4 multi-family. The property had been granted variances for many years and has been multi-family since at least 1910, but a nuisance finding and foreclosure caused an automatic change to R2 in 2004. At that time, it was given a 20-year variance to R4.
Quillman Votes to Approve R4
When the resolution 55-22 to approve R4 designation was called for a vote, Councilwoman Quillman spoke against it but voted to approve. Her comments were in regards to Neighborhood Services missing that the expiration of the variance was 2024 and issuing a Certificate of Inspection for 6 years to expire in 2027, 3 years past the zoning variance. She asked that the city manager begin a review of properties to avoid this occurrence in the future.
The CTIS committee was reported by Councilwoman Reardon. There are currently 20 Police body worn cameras in use with complete roll out expected to be finished by end of April 2022. Virtual TASER training will begin in February and March. Fleet 2 in car cameras are now in all the vehicles, Fleet 3 cameras, which include license plate readers and other upgrades, are planned for 2nd and 3rd quarter 2022. High resolution cameras and badges have been implemented or placed in both police buildings, with future plans to have city hall camera systems upgraded as well. Joliet.gov is now live online and the New Governance committee was created and scheduled to meet quarterly to discuss all IT needs and ongoing projects. Government Management Information Sciences (GMIS) accreditation is being pursued over the next 12 months.
Finance Committee
The Finance committee reported normal bills. It was reported out to Council for approval to pay a $2.3 million dollar bond due in 2024 to be paid early.
The Public Service committee reported numerous change orders for council votes and requested approval of $195K contract for roadway resurfacing engineering, primarily for contracting services for an estimated $10.5 million in road projects approved for 2022.
All these items were approved under consent agenda except the bond payoff.
Several ordinances were then presented. The first (54-22) dealt with Special Service Areas on Walsh, Helen and Dora streets. To expedite and ensure completion of the 2022 Roadway Reconstruction Projects on schedule, the Administration is proposing to establish a series of Special Service Areas. These Special Service Areas are part of the continuing Neighborhood Improvement Program Special Service Area Policy. The improvements involve storm sewers, concrete curbing and driveways aprons, and rebuilding the roadway.
Special Service Areas
Special Service Areas were approved and public hearings are scheduled for the first Tuesday in March at 6:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Joliet Municipal Building.
Four ordinances dealing with neighborhood developments were approved, before the motion on denying VOAIL approval came up for vote.
James V. Capparelli, City Manager, spoke out against the development using several arguments dealing with issues Volunteers of America-San Diego had, including: not restricting housing to veterans; Federal VA requesting refund of $1.8 M in funding; and other charges of fraud. He also asked if anyone was present from the petitioners, however at the opening of the meeting, a VOAIL representative had spoken and asked the item to be tabled. It should be noted that the request for variance had been approved by unanimous vote of the Zoning Commission.
Denial of Variance for VOAIL
The vote to table the denial of variance was held and the item tabled (61-22), after which a representative of VOAIL asked that they be given a written copy of the city manager’s questions and comments and be given an opportunity to respond to them. They offered to meet with the city manager and any council member that had questions.
Nancy Hughes Moyer, President and CEO of VOAIL, stood to respond at the public comments section at the end of the meeting. She stated that each VOA chapter was fully independent from the national sponsoring group, similar to the structure of United Way, and that most of the issues presented by the city manager were specific to the San Diego chapter and in no way connected to VOAIL.
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Councilwoman Gavin mentioned in closing remarks that “National Hook Up of Black Women, Inc. Joliet Chapter (NHBW)” received the 2021 Reverend James E. Allen Award for Service to the Community from Project Acclaim.
CONSENT AGENDA:
Approval of Minutes:
Pre-Council Meeting – January 3, 2022
Council Meeting – January 4, 2022
Invoices Paid 2021-12
27-22 Regular Payroll for October 22 – November 4, 2021 – $3,434,095.04
28-22 Regular Payroll for November 5 – November 18, 2021 – $3,546,603.59
29-22 Regular Payroll for November 19 – December 2, 2021 – $3,617,070.87
30-22 Regular Payroll for December 3 – December 16, 2021 – $3,513,208.88
31-22 Special Payroll for December 17, 2021 – $1,408,427.81
32-22 Award of Contract for the Charity Avenue / Helen Avenue Roadway Project – MFT Sect. No. 21-00537-00-FP to PT Ferro Construction Co. in the amount of $358,916.83
Attachments:
33-22 Award of Contract for the Fairview Water Main Improvements Project to Steve Spiess Construction in the amount of $2,260,286.50
34-22 Award of Contract for the Ridgewood Phase 3 Water Main Improvements Project to Austin Tyler Construction Inc. in the amount of $1,292,292.00
35-22 Award of Contract for the West Acres Water Main Improvements Project to P.T. Ferro Construction Co. in the amount of $2,563,156.08
36-22 Award of Contract for the EJ Walsh Subdivision Water Main Improvements Project to Construction by Camco, Inc. in the amount of $1,802,861.06
37-22 Award of Contract for the Buell / Western / Reed Water Main Improvements Project to Brandt Excavating Inc. in the amount of $1,060,194.61
38-22 Award of Contract to CDWG for Nutanix Server Upgrade
39-22 Award of Contract to Upfit the Drug Van Approved on May 18, 2021 to Herr Display Vans in the Amount of $35,360.00
40-22 Award of Contracts for Information Technology Professional Services
41-22 Purchase Chassis for the two (2) Proposed Ambulances from Tirapelli Ford in the amount of $88,864.00
42-22 Purchase of Two (2) Transit Vans for Prisoner Transport from Tirapelli Ford in an Amount not to exceed $66,646.00
More…
43-22 Professional Engineering Services Agreement for the 2022 City-Wide Roadway Resurfacing Program to Robinson Engineering Ltd. In the amount of $195,000.00
44-22 Change Order No. 1 for Granicus Services
45-22 Change Order No. 1 for the 2021 Sanitary Sewer Point Repair Project – Various Locations to Brandt Excavating Inc. in the amount of ($15,958.92) and Payment No. 3 and Final in the amount of $2,376.44
46-22 Change Order No. 1 for the 2021 Utilities Electrical Maintenance Service Agreement to Elliott Electric, Inc. in the amount of $12,245.02
47-22 Change Order No. 1 for the 2021 Manganese Sulfate Solution Purchase to Carus Chemical Corp. in the amount of $27,497.22
48-22 Change Order No. 1 for the 2021 Aluminum Sulfate Solution Purchase to Usalco, LLC in the amount of $125,891.72
49-22 Change Order No. 1 for the 2021 Sodium Permanganate Solution Purchase to Carus Chemical Corp. in the amount of $42,760.00
50-22 Change Order No. 1 for the Well 5D Emergency Repairs Project to Layne Christensen Company in the amount of $13,690.50
51-22 Change Order No. 2 for the 2021 Sanitary Sewer Cleaning and Investigations Program to National Power Rodding in the amount of ($8,980.40) and Final Payment in the amount of $11,528.64
52-22 Payment for Emergency Repairs to the No. 1 Digester at the Eastside Wastewater Plant to Joseph J. Henderson & Son, Inc. in the amount of $52,967.25
ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:
(all approved as submitted)
54-22 Ordinance Proposing the Establishment of the 2022 Joliet Special Service Area No.s 1 – 3
55-22 Ordinance Approving a Variation of Use to Allow Continuation of a Three-unit, an R-4 (Multi-family Residential) Use, in an R-2 (Single-family Residential) Zoning District (ZBA 2021-57) 27N. Hickory
56-22 Ordinances Associated with Cadence Crossings Subdivision Ordinance Approving a Vacation of a Portion of Joliet Street (V-5-2021) Ordinance Approving a Vacation of a Portion of Marcella Avenue (V-6-2021) Ordinance Approving a Vacation of Rachel Avenue (V-7-2021) Ordinance Approving a Preliminary Plat of Cadence Crossings Subdivision (P-9-2021)
57-22 Ordinance Re-Approving a Revised Preliminary Planned Unit Development of Ashford Place and Whisper Glen Subdivisions (PUD-3-2021)
58-22 Ordinance Re-Approving a Final Planned Unit Development of Whisper Glen Unit Two Subdivision (PUD-4-2021)
59-22 Ordinance Re-Approving a Final Planned Unit Development of Ashford Place Unit Two Subdivision (PUD-5-2021)
Capparelli Voices Discontent with Proposed Opioid Treatment Facility in Joliet
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