Full attendance facilitated a productive meeting discussing holidays, a Mardi Gras event and a cleanup grant for Waukegan’s Dec. 7 City Council meeting at City Hall with Mayor Wayne Motley and three city officials present.
Call to order for the council of the city of Waukegan occurred at 7:10 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. In addition to Mayor Motley, City Clerk Maria LaCour, Treasurer John Schwab and Attorney Anne Linn were present.
Mayor Motley discussed the Dec. 19 holiday event in downtown Waukegan and remarked on a large-scale environmental cleanup project.
The city of Waukegan will request public feedback for a proposal submitted for a $200,000 Brownfield Cleanup Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to remediate the former Fansteel Facility at 801 S. Market St. Gary Deigan, who coordinated the effort, addressed the audience.
During the scheduled audience time, Waukegan Genesee Theatre General Manager Jan Gibson thanked the council, clerk and police departments for support. After requesting a correction to a previous comment from Nov. 16’s meeting, Gibson graciously encouraged all to enjoy the theater and practice respect.
Waukegan Main Street’s Arthur Cobb and Greater Waukegan Development Coalition’s (GWDC) Michael Edgar each spoke briefly. Cobb requested a "save the date” for a Feb. 6 Mardi Gras event from 6 to 10 p.m. with buffet, raffle, casino and music, while Edgar updated the mayor and council on an economic initiative where GWDC entered into an agreement with a large economic development group in Beijing.
Eleven additional Waukegan residents spoke—many identified by their respective voting wards--with commentary ranging from gratitude to new suggestions and several petition notices on diverse topics to environmental cleanliness and positive changes to policing matters.
Following audience time, minutes were approved from the Nov. 16 meeting.
Committee reports included the judiciary committee’s unanimous approval of a tire recycling facility at 3600 Sunset Ave. and several rezoning motions involving residential-to-commercial use and permitting an auto auction business and a lease agreement for a cellular tower at 621 S. Lakehurst Road.
The public safety committee authorized an upgrade for police radios and an agreement with Motorola Solutions for 155 body cameras. Mayor Motley stated that Waukegan is ahead of the curve; by April 2016, every officer in Waukegan will have a body camera. Additionally, the committee agreed to dissolve an existing Specialized Rescue Team organization for Lake and McHenry counties, supplanting it with a single specialized rescue team.
Insurance committee matters revealed the settlement of a lawsuit and subsequent intention to execute a risk management agreement between involved parties.
Mayor Motley introduced Citizens for Progress, a four-member advisory committee. Discussion revolved around the perception of Waukegan as well as other meetings addressing civic transparency. The committee recommended expanded diversity training for the police department.
New business concerned payroll procedures, bill approvals, raffle sale specifics, public transit shelter installations and security cameras for Union Pacific Railroad Company passenger stations. Various ordinances called for abating a portion of the 2015 city tax levy and assessing taxes and property sales. All items passed unanimously.
Aldermen’s time included discussion of lakefront plans, clean air incentives, traffic operations, thanks to volunteers and thanks to all present for enduring a long meeting. It was mentioned that Waukegan lost one potential new business (a tattoo shop) due to cumbersome application procedures.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.
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