Minutes – June 2, 2015

June 2, 2015 ELVN Meeting Minutes

In attendance:

Michael Zink
Jim Spencer
Beth Murphy
Tom Rothschild
Aileen Tien
Bruce Handler
Nora Handler
Patrick Carlson
Patrick Nagle
Mark Lundgren
Ariel Cheung (DNA Info)
Chester Kropidlowski
Terie Kata
Jean O’Neill
Dafna Stempel

Absent:

Marty Wallace
Paul Bauch

Meeting called to order at 7:01 pm

The Board members introduced themselves to all in attendance.

Chamber report

No report/not present

Elevate Energy/Smart Meter presentation

Megan Visk gave a presentation.  She is Regional Lead Field Organizer of Elevate Energy, which is a Chicago non-profit company founded in 2000.  Its mission is smarter energy use.  The company works with owners of single family and multi-family buildings, as well as nonprofits and houses of worship.  The residential program works with buildings containing up to 4 units, and the large multi family program is another program.

The goal is to try to reduce energy use by at least 15%.  Energy assessments are free for smaller buildings, and larger ones have a $99 charge.  The company also helps identify funding for improvements.  After having the assessment done, you get an Illinois home performance certification.

Smart meters are being installed everywhere in Illinois.  They result in fewer outages and outages that are easier to repair.  There are no meter readers any more.  Instead, meters send use information on an ongoing basis to the utility company.  There are also no more estimated bills, as the meter takes hourly readings.

As an overview, Com Ed delivers electricity.  Supply is what users control, and there are different rates offered.  We have municipal aggregation, meaning that the city buys in bulk and switches everyone over when it changes companies (for example Integrys, now Constellation).  The city is now going back to ComEd because it has the lowest rates now.

A smart meter allows you to pay depending on when you use more electricity.  ComEd offers real time pricing.  You get peak time savings at ComEd during the peak use time (mid-day during summer), so if you reduce use during those times you get a nominal reduction on your bill.

For more information, visit www.elevateenergy.org.

44th Ward Report

Erin Duffy from Ald. Tunney’s office spoke.  The Pride Parade will be June 28.  The advisory committee that met included community leaders.  The route will be the same but an additional 90 off-duty officers were hired for the event.  However, these officers will be present only from approximately 10:00 a.m. until approximately 5:00 p.m. Patrick Nagle voiced concern about this, as the vast majority of violence and other unlawful behavior begins typically at 6:00 p.m. and lasts well into the night.  Jim stated that the hiring of these officers during this time frame was the most that the parade organizer Richard Pfeiffer was willing to do in response to the community’s and the police department’s concerns.  There will be checkpoints along the route for coolers as well as increased cleaning crews.

There was overwhelming support among Board and non-Board members for keeping the parade in Lakeview, but also deep concern that the lack of additional officers after 6:00 will have virtually no effect on the violence that has occurred during those hours in recent years.

Jim notes this is a make-or-break year, as there is a push to take the parade downtown next year.

Erin further states that there will be barricades on Belmont, and that there was a limited number of people permitted for each float entry.  Chester notes that even moving downtown won’t alleviate the after-hours issues here.

Movies in the Park will take place at Hawthorne school, with one in June, July, and August.

Additionally, 1500 West Belmont will have real time speed sign to let motorists know their speed.

46th Ward Report

Alderman Cappleman delivered the 46th Ward report.

Parks will have pole markers for people who call 911 so police can find the caller quickly and easily.

He is working with CDOT so that bikes can be re-routed under Montrose.

Sheridan Transit Development has been resurrected (Loukas proposal at Dakin and Sheridan that was transit-oriented development and approved last year).

Update on former Mobil Gas station on Sheridan and Broadway: there is consideration of making it residential, with a maximum of 5 stories with retail on the bottom as zoned right now.

The Montrose-Clarendon TIF is being discussed again.  The past problem was that the amount of TIF funds wasn’t enough to rebuild Clarendon Field House, so it will be a smaller development which is going through the Zoning Committee now.

Each ward is getting repaving funds, the proposed use of which is due by 6/30.  Every ward gets $1.32 million for repaving, which is relatively little for the 46th Ward which has more necessary repaving projects than many other wards.

He opposed the Noble Charter high school, and area principals opposed it as well because surrounding schools which are already under-enrolled would lose more students and thus more funding.  He is unsure if a charter school will come to the 46th ward but we may find out in a few weeks.

Decatur school needs to look for a larger space, potentially on the north side across from Target, but it would need $12-15 million to bring it in compliance with the building code.

Gill Park improvements: he is working with the Park District to fund it this year, or perhaps next year.  Several in attendance noted that the swings and slides may be eliminated, so the Alderman stated that he will raise that concern.

His office is holding a shredding day on Saturday 6/6.

Cubs

Heather Way Kitzes spoke.  The right field bleachers open June 11 and the bleachers as a whole will be fully functioning around July 4.  She had no proposed date for Sheffield and Waveland opening again to traffic because ComEd is doing work after construction is done.

The lot at Irving Park and Rockwell reported a record number of parkers.

Beth noted that she sees regular problems on the Sheffield side with flow of people while Sheffield is closed.  Beth also says that she has noticed the organ and jumbotron being in use sometimes even when Wrigley Field is empty.

The new sound system servicing is only for walk up, board videos, and batting practice right now.

There have been problems at the Green lot with workers jamming departing cars on to Racine southbound after games, causing total gridlock.  Heather will address this immediately.

Buses have been idling at gate as well.  Beth stated that there was a fire on one of the rooftops recently, but fire vehicles successfully traveled in the narrow lane.

If you observe any other problems, please notify Dafna and Terie because they are on the Wrigley renovation committee at LVCC.

Officers Reports:

Other than that already addressed in the course of the meeting:

Vice-Chair: Bruce stated that the selected art will be placed at Halsted and Addison, and is named Incendiary.

Treasurer: Terie reported that our biggest expense is the website.  She received a thank you note for our $2,000 donation to the Lakeview Food Pantry.  We donated $500 for Police Officer Appreciation Day on 6/5, which will provide meals for all officers on all shifts and which is being coordinated by Diann Marsalek.

New/Old Business

Charlotte Newfield spoke about the Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary.  It is located on Lake Shore Drive at approximately Addison and has 10 acres and 2 functioning ponds.  It provides food sources and shelter for migratory birds, and is co-sponsored by the Park District and LVCC.  On 2 Saturdays per month volunteers come to maintain it, cut trees, etc.  She distributed a pamphlet with contact information.  One species comes to Chicago from Central America each year and flies back in August.

Daniel Egel-Weiss from Rep. Feigenholtz’s office staff introduced himself and gave a brief update for Rep. Feigenholtz.  The budget debate is now in overtime in Springfield.  Rep. Feigenholtz has sponsored 2 pieces of legislation pieces that recently became law.  One was a bill making it a crime to leave an animal out in cold, punishable by 1 year imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.  The other was a bill permitting happy hour discounts.

Mark spoke and asked for a letter from ELVN regarding Waveland Park/Marovitz golf course.  An American flag used to be illuminated there, but since last August it ended.  Instead, a strong light in the Clock Tower Cafe is hitting the buildings across the way.  He would like ELVN to send a letter to the Park District.  Mark moved to have the letter sent to refocus the light on the American flag, the motion was seconded by Beth, and the motion carried unanimously.

Robin Cook, the new President of Belmont Harbor Neighbors, also introduced himself.

Mark made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Patrick, and the motion was approved by acclimation and carries at 8:27 p.m.