01081951-1//7
MINUTES. OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DES PLAINES,
ILLINOIS, HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS,
JARUARY 8, 1951. AT 8:00 P. M.
CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kenneth G.
Meyer, who presided with Aldermen Vavrinek, Wolf, Baines, Behrel, McKay,
Clement, Halverson and Morava responding to roll call. Aldermen Hansen and
Davis were absent.
READING OF THE CALL. The Mayor instructed the City Clerk to read
the following call and notice of the Special Meeting:
January 5, 1951
City Clerk, Otto W. J. Henrich
City of Des Plaines, Illinois
Dear Mr. Henrich:.
I, Kenneth G. Meyer, hereby call and request that you give notice
of a Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Des Plaines, Illinois,
to be held on Monday, January 8, 1951, at 8:00 P.M. for the purpose of adopt-
ing the 1951 Appropriation Ordinance and to transact such other business as
may lawfully come before the meeting.
KGM:k
To:
Kenneth G. Meyer, Mayor
City of Des Plaines, Illinois
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL MEETING
Aldermen Eric G. Hansen, William N. Davis, LeRoy Vavrinek, Reinhardt G.
Wolf, Percy Baines, Herbert H. Behrel, Samuel E. McKay, Howard W. Clement,
Henry J. Halverson and Walter Morava.
A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Des Plaines, Illinois,
is hereby called, pursuant to a request of Mayor Kenneth G. Meyer, to be held
on Monday, January 8, 1951, at 8:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers, Municipal
Building, Des Plaines, Illinois for the following purpose:
TO ADOPT THE 1951 APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE, AND TO TRANSACT SUCH
OTHER BUSINESS AS MAY LAWFULLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING.
Dated this 5th day of January, 1951.
Otto W. J. Henrich, City Clerk
Received a copy of the above and foregoing notice of the 5th day of
January, 1951.
E. G. Hansen Percy Baines
W. N. Davis R. G. Wolf
(Mrs) S. E. McKay L. J. Vavrinek (Mrs.'
H. W. Clement Walter Morava
H. H. Behrel H. Halverson
ADOPT 1951 APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE. The Clerk read for second read-
ing the following proposed ordinance entitled:
AN ORDINANCE
MAKING APPROPRIATIONS TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES OF
THE CITY OF DES PLAINES FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES
DESIGNATED THE "ANNUAL APPROPRIATION BILL" FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1951.
The motion was made by Alderman Behrel and seconded by Baines to
adopt the proposed ordinance. The Mayor put the question, and the Clerk
called the roll with the following result: Ayes: Aldermen Vavrinek, Wolf,
Baines, Behrel, McKay, Clement, Halverson and Morava. Nays: None. The
Mayor thereupon declared the motion carried and the proposed ordinance adopted.
Lller
SANITARY DISTRICT PERMIT ON MINER STREET. The Clerk informed the
Council he had Sanitary District Sewer Permit 1951-1 for sewer on Miner Street
at sight of proposed new factory, one block east of bridge. The motion was
made by Alderman Halverson and seconded by Morava that the permit be accepted
and the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to sign same. The motion was
voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the Mayor declared the motion carried.
The Mayor referred the item of renting the loft in the warehouse to
the Public Buildings Committee.
ADJOURNMENT. The motion was made by Alderman Halverson and seconded
by McKay to adjourn. The motion was voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the
Mayor declared the motion carried and the meeting regularly adjourned.
OTTO,. J. HENRICH
TY CLERK
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DES PLAINES,
ILLINOIS, HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS,
JANUARY 15, 1951, AT 8:00 P. M.
CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kenneth G.
Meyer, who presided with Aldermen Davis, Vavrinek, Wolf, Baines, Behrel,
McKay, Clement, Halverson and Morava responding to roll call. Alderman
Hansen was absent due to vacation.
OFFICIAL REPORTS. The Clerk submitted his own report and the
City Treasurer's report for the month of December 1950. The annual report
of the Des Plaines Fire Department was also submitted.
CITY ATTORNEY HOWARD'S REPORT ON RAILROAD CROSSING GATES. The
Clerk read the following report:
Honorable Mayor and City Council
of the City of Des Plaines
City Hall
Des Plaines, Illinois
January 15, 1951
Gentlemen:
Last Friday, January 12th, I appeared before the Illinois Commerce
Commission on our petition against the Soo Line Railroad to install automatic
crossing gates with flasher lights at the Lee and Prairie crossings ofthe
Soo Line in Des Plaines.
We introduced some evidence as to the nature of the neighborhoods
at each crossing and the physical nature of the crossing itself, and in-
troduced our complete evidence as the traffic count taken at the Prairie
crossing by the West Des Plaines Civic Association and of the traffic count
at the Lee Street crossing taken by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The
Lee Street traffic count, taken by the Illinois Highway Department, at our
request, was conceded by the Railroad.
Prior to the order the Railroad had filed a counter -petition in
the same case to close to highway traffic the Soo Line crossings at Grace -
land and Oakwood.
At the suggestion of the Commerce Commission Examiner and of the
Railroad, we then held a very lengthy discussion as to a possible settle-
ment agreement in the matter. The Railroad offered to install automatic
crossing gates with flasher signals at Lee, Prairie and Thacker crossings
if the City would barricade and close to vehicle traffic Graceland, Oakwood
and Walnut Crossings. The offer, however, did not contemplate the Railroad
bearing the entire expense of the crossing gates. They estimate the cost
of protecting three crossings in this manner would be approximately $54,000.00,
and evidence to substantiate this was produced by their engineer.
They suggest that the State of Illinois could be induced to bear
90% of the cost of the Lee Street expense. They offer to assume the burden
of the other 10% and of the entire expense of one of the other two gates.
They suggest that the City of Des Plaines, or in the alternative, the
County or some other public body, bear all or part of the Thacker crossing,
inasmuch as this could be designated as an arterial thoroughfare. They