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Park Ridge City Council recap: Des Plaines to continue 911 dispatching
Updated: April 1, 2013 6:08AM
PARK RIDGE — Among other action taken during a regular City Council meeting on Feb. 18, Park Ridge aldermen:
• approved an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Des Plaines to continue 911 dispatch services for police and fire at an annual cost of $1.25 million. The agreement was put into place while emergency service officials for both communities work on finding a long-term plan for 911 dispatching. Recently Niles and Morton Grove left the North Suburban Emergency Communications Center, putting the future of the dispatch center in question.
“I think it’s the best short-term solution,” Police Chief Frank Kaminski said of the new agreement. “I don’t know that it’s the best long-term solution.”
Park Ridge had budgeted a little over $1.3 million annually for 911 services under the prior agreement, said City Manager Shawn Hamilton.
• approved a first reading of an ordinance setting new water and sewer rates for Park Ridge customers, effective May 1. Sixth Ward Alderman Marc Mazzuca said he may seek to lower the cost to users by 12 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used when the matter returns to the council for a final reading on March 4. Mazzuca’s tentative proposal is the same one brought forward earlier by 2nd Ward Alderman Rich DiPietro, but it failed to generate council support.
• voted to send a rewritten ordinance governing public signs to the Planning and Zoning Commission for a public hearing and recommendation. The hearing could take place in April, according to City Planner Jon Branham. Third Ward Alderman Jim Smith has questioned numerous parts of the ordinance, calling a section that sets restrictions for off-premise signs — particularly those near I-294 and I-90 — a “hoax.” Smith voted against sending the ordinance on to Planning and Zoning.
• heard from ousted city manager Jim Hock who disputed a memo from current manager Shawn Hamilton regarding his final severance payment from the city. Hamilton told the City Council that Hock had not cashed his final severance check or applied the payment toward the interest-free home loan the city provided him when he was hired in 2008. Hock denied receiving a check from the city for his outstanding severance, but did say he was disputing the amount he was to be paid as he claimed federal taxes were withheld at a higher rate than on prior earnings.
The loan amount owed to the city is $288,333, Hamilton said. Hock indicated that a real-estate closing on his Park Ridge residence is scheduled for Feb. 28.
• approved three sign variances for a proposed Whole Foods Market at the southeast corner of Touhy and Washington Avenues.
