Agenda Highlights from the Feb. 7 Village Board Meeting

At the Feb.7 Grayslake Village Board meeting, trustees:

• Unanimously approved the appointment of Police Cmdr. Matt McCutcheon as the new police chief to replace retired chief Larry Herzog.

• Approved an ordinance that establishes thresholds and requirements for construction and demolition debris recycling. The ordinance pertains to any new structures or renovations 2,000 square feet or greater in size; any size demolition; and any residential or commercial project of four or more individual units. Also, 75 percent of construction and demolition debris must be recycled.

• Approved an ordinance that authorizes various amendments to the Village Code pertaining to business licenses. The ordinance will improve the business license application process by eliminating certain provisions to reduce the administrative costs for the village and make the application process easier on businesses.

• Approved an ordinance that authorizes regulations for political signs. The ordinance brings the village’s Sign Ordinance into compliance with state and federal rulings by eliminating the regulations limiting the number of days political signs can be displayed before and after an election.

• Approved an ordinance to decrease the number of C-1 liquor licenses by one, from seven to six. The change eliminates the license held by Pat’s Pizza, which closed last week.

• Approved authorization for the village manager to execute a contact amendment with Waste Management to allow the village to offer a new recycling can exchange program. Residents will be able to upgrade their 65 gallon recycling cans to 96 gallon cans at no additional charge. In return for this opportunity, the village, at the request of Waste Management, will require residents to place leaves 7 feet from the curb to improve efficiency.

• Approved authorization for the village manager to execute the Hainesville Dispatching Services Agreement. The agreement provides for the reimbursement by Hainesville for costs of dispatch services related to Hainesville police services paid to Glenview by Grayslake. The agreement runs through July 2016.

• Approved a resolution authorizing the transfer of $108,000 from the General Operating Fund to the Major Storm Emergency Reserve Fund. The village received the funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for costs from the Feb. 2011 blizzard. The village recently created the Major Storm Emergency Reserve Fund to be used in the event of a future major storm so its annual budget is less impacted by such storms.

• Approved a waiver of bids for municipal electricity for the Aquatic Center, Pump Station and street lighting. By waiving the formal bid process, the village will be authorized to obtain rate quotes directly from retail electric suppliers.

• During committee-of-the-whole, trustees discussed authorizing the Lake County Department of Transportation (LCDOT) to commence work on the design of utility relocations required for the Washington Street underpass project.

• Changes will be made to the Metra train crossing as Washington Street is widened. The cost of the design work is $23,000, which comes due in Dec. 2013. At the fall 2011 capital improvement workshop, the village board authorized $75,000 for the utility relocations. The cost, which includes design, construction and inspection, will be shared between federal funding, county funding and village funding. The trustees agreed to move the matter to the village board for approval at a future meeting.

• Trustees also discussed granting a fence variance to Nordic Properties for the installation of an 8 foot closed fence on the west and south sides of their property located on the southeast corner of Route 120 and Lake Street. The fence would also include landscaping. The property was formerly owned by Rockenbach Chevrolet and will be renovated to serve as Nordic Properties’ office and maintenance facility.