From sister cities to soup packets, the Highland Park City Council convened at 7:44 p.m. Dec. 14, 2015, at City Hall Council Chambers to cover an array of municipal matters.
Mayor Nancy Rotering called the meeting to order and asked for roll call. With a quorum present, the meeting proceeded.
Staff present included Ghida Neukirch, Rudy Espiritu, Joel Fontane, Ramesh Kanapareddy, Julie Logan, Dan Pease, Paul Shafer, Karen Brunetti and Rob Sabo in addition to Corporation Counsel Steve Elrod.
After the Pledge, the board approved meeting minutes from Nov. 30, 2015, along with a warrant list for late November through early December.
Appointments were approved for the Zoning Board of Appeals plus the following commissions: Board of Fire and Police, Business & Economic Development, Cultural Arts, Historic Preservation, Housing, Human Relations, Joint Plan, Natural Resources, Plan & Design, Ravinia Festival Community Relations and Transportation.
Two proclamations were read to remember the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and honor the city's seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, when citizens come together to collaborate on service projects such as assembling veteran care packages and soup packets for the Moraine Township food bank.
Mayor Rotering expressed holiday tidings and announced that city offices would be closed on Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.
The board unanimously approved an omnibus vote following the removal of one item, regarding tax abatement, at Councilwoman's Alyssa Knobel’s request. The omnibus items ranged from administrative resolutions and public works-related agreements to community development items, including construction and professional services.
In other business, the board considered and passed an amendment for a special use permit for a McDonald’s drive-through lane. In council business, reports were heard from the Natural Resources Commission, Plan & Design Commission and the Highland Park Sister Cities Commission.
The Sister Cities Commission, supported by an energetic board of 27 volunteers, included Yerucham, Israel; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Modena, Italy. Commission President Carol Wolfe reported a successful biennial fundraising event and welcomed prospective new members.
In city staff business, Assistant to the City Manager Brunetti announced that as of Jan. 1, 2016, Lakeshore Recycling Systems would be the new waste vendor for residential and commercial customers, predicting a smooth transition and revealing future options for organic waste disposal.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 p.m.
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