4
www.newbuffalotimes.com
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022
Local Government Meetings New Buffalo Times
Democracy Requires Transparency
CITY OF NEW BUFFALO JOHN HUMPHREY, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL LOU O’DONNELL, IV. MARK ROBERTSON, JOHN HUMPHREY, ROGER LIJESKI, BRIAN FLANAGAN City Council meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30PM CITY OF NEW BUFFALO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS to be determined NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP BOARD PETE RAHM, MICHELLE HEIT, JUDY H. ZABICKI, PATTY IAZZETTO, JACK ROGERS Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7PM NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM NEW BUFFALO AREA SCHOOLS BOARD CHUCK HEIT, PRESIDENT HEATHER BLACK, VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HASKINS, TREASURER LISA WERNER, SECRETARY JOYCE LANTZ, TRUSTEE FRANK MARGRO, TRUSTEE PATRICIA NEWSTON, TRUSTEE CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP BOARD DAVID BUNTE, PAULA DUDIAK, LIZ RETTIG, RICHARD SULLIVAN, BILL MARSKE Chikaming Board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30PM THREE OAKS THREE OAKS TOWNSHIP BOARD Meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM VILLAGE OF THREE OAKS BOARD Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7PM GRAND BEACH Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7PM MARY ROBERTSON, CLERK DEBORAH LINDLEY, BLAKE O’HALLORAN, JAMES BRACEWELL, PETER DOERR, PAUL LEONARD, JR. MICHIANA VILLAGE OF MICHIANA COUNCIL Meets on the 2nd Friday of each month at 1PM
New Buffalo City Council turns down contract for risk management, consulting services
T
he New Buffalo City Council has turned down a proposed three-month contract to provide risk management and consulting services. During the council’s March meeting, city manager Darwin Watson presented a proposal from 360 Risk Management to provide one year of consulting services on human resource and risk management issues. At the time, the council voted to table the matter for further information. At the April 18 meeting, Watson presented a proposed three-month contract to experience the firm’s work. Watson explained that 360’s contract involved evaluating the city’s insurance policies and providing a baseline on how to move forward. He said the HR consulting would be beneficial, as currently, duties go to city clerk Amy Fidler, who he pointed out is not specifically trained to handle HR issues and has no resource to seek guidance. Councilmember Mark Robertson questioned if the service was necessary, as the city already has attorneys on retainer for different issues and 360’s proposal did not include court representation. Watson said city attorney Nick Curcio does not handle HR matters and any outside consultation the city would obtain could quickly outpace the $6270 that 360 would charge for a three-month service and 360 would work with the city’s attorney in the event of a legal case. Robertson made the motion to decline the contract. Councilmember
BY THERESE DONNELLY
Lou O’Donnell agreed, stating he felt the consultation could result in additional, unnecessary work for city employees. As part of the evening’s consent agenda, the council approved special event applications for the Apple Cider Century bike ride, and St Mary of the Lake’s festival. Two applications – one for an event at Coldwell Banker and one for Le Tour de Shore bike ride- were removed from the consent agenda and added to new business on the agenda so the council could ask organizers for additional information. Coldwell Banker has requested permission to host an open house for clients on May 26, using two parking spaces in front of the office at 10 N. Whittaker Street for a grill and food tables during the two-hour event. The council approved the request, with Robertson dissenting. He expressed concerns over closing off two parking spaces close to Memorial Day weekend and noted the New Buffalo farmers market will also be taking place.
T
he council also approved a request to use Lions Park Pavilion as a rest stop and bus loading area for riders completing the 100-mile Tour de Shore bike ride. Ride organizer Steve Coughlin said Redamak’s food truck will be on site to provide participants with food before they board coach buses back to Chicago. Councilmembers expressed concerns over the level of traffic the event has
previously brought. Mayor John Humphrey asked Coughlin if he would consider using Oselka Park as the end point instead, but Coughlin explained the ride only uses designated bike routes and many riders choose to visit downtown businesses before returning home. He added he would be willing to pay for a few auxiliary police officers to direct traffic for the event. Parks Supervisor Kristen D’Amico said the largest issue the ride brought last year was people parking in the boat launch area. She suggested blocking off a marked area for the pickup. The council approved the request, with conditional restrictions to be set by D’Amico and Watson. The city’s lease on the public parking lot at Whittaker and Buffalo streets is set to expire Memorial Day 2022. The council approved a new one-year lease with Seville Investments for $14,000. Under the terms of the lease, the city is responsible for any light maintenance and line painting required for the 100-space lot. Further north, paid parking lots will receive an equipment upgrade. The council approved the purchase of three new parking terminals from Total Parking Solutions in the amount of $7,800. Watson said the new terminals will be consistent with the one used at the boat launch. Following the recommendation of the Planning Commission, the council approved a site plan for a parking lot at 2 S. Franklin Street.
I just want to paint that picture of Chicago that everybody’s missing, and I just want to rap about it. — Lil Durk
