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09/02/1947• MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DES PLAINES HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, TUESDAY EVENING. SEPTEMBER 2. 1947. AT 8:00 P.M. • CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Mayor G. Walter Pflughaupt, who presided with Aldermen Johnson, Hansen, Vavrinek, Wolf, Kehe, Harm, McKay, Halverson, and Morava responding to roll call. OFFICIAL REPORTS: The City Clerk submitted the reports of Building Inspector, Frank Scharringhausen; Electrical Inspector, Art Rieck; and City Clerk, Otto Henrich for the month of August. The City Clerk then read the following report of City Engineer September 2, 1947 Fletcher: Honorable Mayor and City Council Des Plaines, Illinois 6 6 ? Gentlemen: It is my privilege to submit to you a complete report on the construc- tion and operation of the new city well, called Well No. 2. A contract for the drilling of thw well was awarded to the S. B. Geiger Company of Chicago on May 8, 1946. Drilling was started on May 18,1946 and was com- pleted on November 4, 1946 to a depth of 1,813 feet. On December 30, a capacity test was run in the well under the supervision of the State Geological.Survey, and it <Z delivered slightly more than 1,000 G.P.M., this being the maximum capacity of the. test pump, for a period of 20 hours at which time the test was completed. The pump house for the well was built by Louis Esser and Sons and has been completed. : • Due to the inability to receive delivery on a new motor and pump in less than 52 weeks, a used pump and motor was purchased from the City of Maywood; Illinois and is now performing satisfactorily in the new well. The top of the turbine is set at 472 feet below the floor of the pump house. The motor is a 187 Horse power synchronous motor made by Electric Machinery Mfg. Co. of Minneapolis. Well No. 2 has been in operation since July'8, and to -date has delivered more than 50,000,000 gallons of water. During the time •that the well was being drilled, there•were rumors to the effect that the new well would pump the Cater Well dry or vice versa. The "draw down" of both Well No. 2 and Cater Well is being closely watched; and we find that the water level in the new well, after continuous puiping for more than 20 hours, stands about 40 feet above the level ln,the Cater Well, and that.continuous pumping of, one well has little effect on the other. One of the deciding factors in the choice between a new well and that of obtaining Lake Michigan water was the element of time. We knew that we had to obtain additional water before the hot, dry summer weather of 1947 arrived. Every effort was made to comPlete all work before June 1. Labor and material shortages prevented the completion by that time; however, it was completed in time to meet the heavy demand which we have experienced during the past weeks and the experience of the past weeks has proven that our fears were well founded. During thw two week period from August 10 to August 24, the daily average demand for water has been more than the capacity of both the Cater and the Norma Well. Without the new well the' City Of Des Plaines would have been in the same predicament as many of the tuburbs who depend on the City of Chicago for water. I do not wish to stress the fact that the Chicago water system has been unable to meet the unusually heavy demands made upon it during the past month. They have an unlimited supply of water, and will, I am certain, enlarge their pumpitg equipment and distribution system so that they can furnish an adequate supply of water to all who wish it *ithin.the next few years. This should be sufficient to last for ten'years, at which time the subject of an adequate water supply will have to again be reviewed. The cost of the new well complete with pump, pump house, water pipe Des Plaines now has a deep well capacity of 3,000,000 gallons per day. connections and including engineering and other miscellaneous items is $51,761.55, exclusive of the cost of land. Five thousand dollars was spent for land and includes additional land purchased adjacent to thesoftening Plant making a total cost, in- cluding all land purchased, of $56,761.55. Rumors circulated during the recent political campaign to the'effect that the well would cost $85,000.00 were slightly exaggerated. In spite of the fact that labor and material costs increased 50% from the date the original estimate was made until the last work was completed, the cost has been kept below the estimate. • (CITY ENGINEER FLETCHER'S REPORT, CONT 'D) Th a fact that we now have an adequate source of water supply does not mean that we can no* relax and fOrget &bout the water system. Our distribution system must be increased by the construction of additional fdeder mains so that water can be supplied to all parts of the city in adequate quantities for domestic and fire demands; the Softening Plant must be increased, and before many years the -storage capacity will have to be increabed. The Water Department can and should be run on a pay-as-you-go basis for the next ten years. A saving of 40 to 45 % can be made on a cash basis over the coat of a long term bond issue. As much work as the finances will allow should be done each year. The most pressing needs at this time are - .1. Increase capacity of Softening Plant. 2. Install a third and larger booster pump at the Plant and install a larger main from the Softening Plant to Wolf Road. It will be financially possible to do one of these jobs next year, and if an adequate supply of water is to be maintained, one of them must be done before the hot weather season of 1948. In order to complete either job Joy that timel•plans and specifications must be started at once. Delivery of material for either job will require from 6 to 9 months after the contract has been awarded. Your City Engineef believes that the more necessary of the two jobs is that of installing a third booster pump at the Plant and installing a larger main from the Plant to Wolf Road. • During the present hot weather, it has been necessary to run both of our present booster pumps most of the time, and even with both pumps on, the pressure has dropped 10 to 15 pounds during the evening hours from 6 A.m. to 9 p.m. We have reached the capacity of the present ten inch, main from the Plant to Wolf Road, and should this main ever break, we would be in serious trouble. The capacity of the present Softening Plant can be increased almost 20% by thoroughly cleaning the water pipe within the plant and arrangements have been made to do this wofk. It is doUbtful if equipment necessary to further increase the capacity of the Softening Plant can be obtained in time for the hot weather season of 1948. This job should be planned for completion in the spring of 1949. For several years your City Engineer has stressed the necessity for flushing -all the hydrants in Des Plaines. Now that we have an adequate supply of water, this should be done. Hydrants should be flushed aystematically and atthe same time flow tests should be made in order that we may determine the conditions of the mains and hais an accurate check on fire protection. • Respectfully submitted, E. N. Fletcher, City Engineer COMMITTEE REPORTS: Alderman McKay, Chairman Committee, reported and read the following two letters: Mr. S. B. McKay, Chairman, Municipal Development Committee, City of Des Plaines, Illinois. Municipal Development August 26, 1947 Subject: Property Northwest Highway Between Des Plaines proper and Cumberland Sub. Your letter addressed to Mr. Gene Boland, relative to the above subject premises, is being answered today because of the fact that the Cook County Zoning Bureau has been in the pfocess of moving from 160 North LaSalle Street to 130 North Wells Street, Chicago (6) Illinois. Please be informed that the above subject property is classified in the 1-1 Zone, and Zoning Permit No. 14084 was issued to the Magnaflux Corporation, 5900 Northwest Highway, Chicago (31) Illinois. According to our District Engineer, it is in conformance with the Cook Bounty Zoning ordinance. Thadking you for your letter and past cooperation with this office, I remain Yours very truly, AJM-MDS A. J. Mullins, Director. CC -Mr. C. B. O'Malley, District Engineer, Zoning Bureau. M. E. F. Grabowski, District Engineer, aning Bureau. Mr. E. F. Boland. • 671 (COMMITTFEREPORTS, CONT 'D.) August 26, 1947 Mr. S. E. McKay, Chairman, Municipal Development Cthalmittee, City of Des Plaines, Illinois. Subject: Property Central Avenue and Rand Road Dear Sir: -- Your letter addressed to Mr. Gene Boland, regarding the above subject premises, is being answered today because of the fact that the Cook County Zoning Bureau has been in the process of moving from 160 North LaSalle Street to 130 North Welts Street, Chicago (6) Illinois. Our District Engineer has made an investigation of the property, and reports conformance with the Cook County Zoning regulations. Our District Engineers, Mr. C. B. O'Malley and Mr. E. F. Grabowski, attempted to contact you at Des Plaines, relative to your two letters of inquiry. As you, no doubt, know our Zoning Ordinance does not include a building code, and, therefore, does not cover the type of structure. May I call your attention to Section 1, Paragraph "F" of the Cook County Zoning Ordinance, reading as follows: "OTHER RESTRICTIONS. This ordinance shall not nullify the more restrictive provisions of covenants, agreements, resolutions, other ordinances or laws but shall prevail notwithstanding such provisions which are less restrictive." Thanking you for your letter and your pastcooperation with this office, I remain Yours very truly, AJM-MDS A. J. Mullins, Director. CC -Mr. C. B. O'Malley, District Engineer, Zoning Bureau. Mr. E. F. Grabowski, District Engineer, Zoning Bureau. Mr. E. F. Boland. Alderman McKay reported on County Zoning Hearings and read the following letters: 334 Oxford Road, Des Plaines, I11., August 26, 1947. ,Mr. Robert Kingery, Chairman, .Zoning Board of Appeals of Cook County, _Room 2019, No. 130 N. Wells St., .Chicago, .Dear Mr. Kingery: We have received the two notices• concerning petitions to rezone two .parcelssouth of Touhy and West of Dee Road from -present classification to residential .(10,000 sq. ft.), hearing to be-helf on both petitions in Park Ridge evening of .August 27th. Owing to the location of these properties, about half mile from Park _Ridge and much more directly in the area about which that community should -he -directly .Loneerned, and consistent with our desire for mutual cooperation with neighboring .communities in such matters, we submit this letter in lieu of personal appearance, asking that the City of Des Plaines be recorded,as concurring in any recommendation which may be entered by the City of Park Ridge. Lacking any action on the part of Park Ridge, the City of Des Plaines would have no objection to the proposed rezoning. Yours very truly, S. E. McKay, Chairman, Municipal Development Committee Des Plaines, I11. 334 Oxford Road Des Plaines, I11., - August 26, 1947. Mr. Robert Kingery., Chairman, Zoning Board of Appeals of Cook Co., Room 2019,. No. 130 N. Wells Street, Chicago, Ill. Dear Mr. Kingery: We have your notice concerning petition to rezone from farming to - business classification, parcel south of Higgins Road and west of Des Plaines River Road, in Leyden Township, hearing to be held 5:00 p.m. August 27 in Schiller Park. 67.2 (COMMITTEE REPORTS, CONT'D.) Owing to the distance of this location from the City of Des Plaines and its proximity to Douglas Airport and other territory directly concerned we feel any objection to the rezoning should be made by persons representing those areas. We are confident that you and your Board will give due consideration to any reasonable protest which may be submitted, and because we would appreciate support from neighboring communities on any similar matter in which we might be directly concerned we respectfully submit this communication in lieu of personal appearance asking that the City of Des Plaines be recorded as concurring in apy protest which may be entered and which your honorable body deems reasonable. If no protest is offered at -the hearing or otherwise entered in the case, the City of Des Plaines has no objection to the change. Yours very truly, S. E. McKay, Chairman, Municipal Development Committee, Des Plaines, I17_. Alderman Vavrinek, Chairman of Streets and Sanitation Committee, reported on the petition of Orchard Court regarding the lights and street drainage as follows: * 5 r EXT44 ShWT --The motion was then made by Alderman Vavrinek, and seconded by Morava, to concur in the report, and that the City Clerk write a letter informing petitioners of action taken. The Motion was voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the Mayor declared the motion carried. APPROVAL OF BILLS: Alderman Kehe, Chairman of the Finance Committee, presented the following proposed resolutions BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DES PLAINES THAT THE FOLLOW- ING BILLS ARE DUE AND PAYABLE AND THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY CLERK BE AND ARE HERE- BY AUTHORIZED TO 18720 Burroughs Adding Mach.Co.$ 18722 The D. P. Publishing Co. 18724 Frank A. Bremer & Son 18726 Johnson's 18728 Lien Chemical Co. 18730 The Miro-Flex,Co., Inc. 18732 Seneca Petroleum Co. 18734 Adelle Forbes 18736 Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. 18738 Niedert Motor Service 18740 James B. Clow & Sons 18742 E. N. Fletcher 18744 Edward Vogt 18746 M. Dixon 18748 P. J. Jensen 18750 P. 0. Carlson 18752 Frank Scharringhausen 18581 Dover Publications No. 1 General Corporate Public Library Fire Protection To transfer to the General Corporate Fund, the Public Library and Fire Protection Funds share of expense of tree trimming, which money was advanced by General Corporate Fund. 8.26 11.00 4.08 9.85 7.74 43.72 42.58 5.00 66.52 3,45 8.63 739.18 3.35 1.23 2.93 4.42 40.00 4.10 MAKE PAYMENT FOR SAME. * 18721 Des Plaines Journal * 18723 Class Office Machine Serv. * 18725 Village Elec. & Radio Shop * 18727 H. A. Becker * 18729 Kaufman's Electric Shop * 18731 Skokie Valley Asphalt Co.,Inc. * 18733 Meyer Coal & Material Co. * 18735 Marblehead Lime Co. * 18737 F. Landon Cartage Co. * 18739 Pittsburgh Equitable * 18741 Johnson's * 18743 V. P. Scholl * 18745 L. B. Kenney * 18747 M. Thelges * 18749 A. Meereboer * 18751 Village Elec. & Radio Shop * 18753 A. Rieck CASH TRANSFER WARRANT $201.00 No. 2 1935 Water Revenue Bond Cash 1947 Water Revenue Bond Cash Water Depreciation Cash To transfer from the Water Free Cash the monthly sum stip- ulated in Water Revenue Bond Ordinance for the months of July and August, 1947. No. 3 General Corporate Free Cash Library Free Cash To refund to the General Corporate Fund the portion of Janitor's Salary chargeable to the Library Fund, but which was advanced by the General Corporate Fund during the months of July and Auzust. 19L7. 1,152.50 756.00 160.00 100.00 1 3.50 111 15.00 54.20 .10.00 2.64 45.50 46.50 420.00 1.55 39.23 21.00 2.50 .62 2.00 5.00 -12.50 25.00 $126.00 75.00 2,068.50 100.00 673 (APPROVAL OF BILLS, CONT'D.) The motion was then made by Alderman Kehe, and seconded by Harm, to adopt the said resolution. The Mayor put the question, and the Clerk called the roll with the following result: Ayes: Aldermen Johnson, Hansen, Vavrinek, Wolf, Kehe, Harm, McKay, Halverson, and Morava. Nays: None. The Mayor thereupon declared the motion carried and said resolution adopted. The City Clerk reported that Mr. Klump of Public Service Company informed him that the sidewalks in Cumberland on Golf Road between Fifth and Sixth Streets would be repaired this week. SANITARY DISTRICT LETTER ON SEAM PUMPS: The Clerk read the follow - ing letter: Mr. Otto W. J. Henrich City Clerk City of Des Plaines, Illinois Dear Sir: - August 27, 1947 The Engineering Department is preparing specifications for two 500 gallons per minute pumps to beinstalled at the outlet of the Cumberland Terrace sewer system of the City of Des Plaines. These specifications should be -ready to submit to the Board of Trustees for approval on September 11, 1947. If they are n approved at this time, the work will be advertsed for bids shortly thereafter. (. If suitable bids are received early in October the contract can be awarded, with delivery of the pumps now estimated to be 4 or 5 months after receiv- = ing bids. atC The above information is furnished in reply to your letters of August 6 and August 26, 1947. CA Very truly yours, W. H. Trinkaus Chief Engineer Alderman McKay inquired if the City Engineer could help to hurry these pumps. The Engineer promised to contact the District. --Alderman Baines- made his appearance at this time. PASS QUIT -CLAIM ORDINANCE: The Clerk read for second reading the following proposed ordinance: AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A QUIT - CLAIM DEED The motion was then made by Alderman Kehe, and:seconded by Halverson, to pass the proposed ordinance. The Mayor put the question, and the Clerk called the roll with the following result: Ayes: Alderman Johnson, Hansen, Wolf, Vavrinek, Kehe, Baines, Harm, McKay, Halverson, and Morava. Nays: None. The Mayor thereupon declared the motion carried and the proposed ordinance passed. The Clerk read the following letter: September 2, 1947 To the Honorable Mayor and City Council City of Des Plaines, Illinois Gentlemen: I would like to have a height limit on buildings and chimneys with- in a radius of the New Airport, adjacent to Touhy Avenue. Possible the A. A. A. Committee could procure such record. FFS:dg Respectfully yours, F. F. Scharringhausen Building Inspector City of Des Plaines, Illinois The Mayor instructed the Clerk to write a letter to Mr. C. Hodlmair of the Aeronautic Commission. 674 THE DES PLAINES TRAFFIC COMMISSION LETTERS: The Clerk read the following two letters which were referred to Public Protection Committee: August 25, 1947 Mr. OttoW. J. Henrich City Clerk The City of Des Plaines Municipal Building Des Plaines, Illinois Dear Mr. `Henrich: We wish to present the following recommendations to the City Council: 1. That a four-way stop sign be placed at the corner of Lee Street and Prairie Avenue. This we believe will give the motorists on Prairie Avenue an opportunity to turn or cross onto Lee Street; and, at the same time, reduce the . possibility of accidents si*ilar to those that we have already had this spring. If this test proves to be a success, we feel that possibly the state may provide an automatic green and red light to be synchronized with those at Lee and Ellinwood Streets. 2. We recommend that a thirty -minute parking zone be established on Graceland Avenue in front of the property owned and occupied by the United States Post Office. VLS:ss Mr. Otto W. J. Henrich City Clerk City of Des Plaines Illinois Respectfully yours, DES PLAINES TRAFFIC COMMISSION V. L. Spiegler Secretary August 28, 1947 Dear Mr. Henrich: In reply to your letter of August 26 relative to sixty minute park- ing on the east side of Pearson Street, we wish to recommend to the City Council that the east side of Pearson Street from Ellinwood Street to the property line south of the Des Plaines Publishing Company and from Ellinwood Street to the alley on the west side of Pearson Street be included in the one-hour parking zone. VLS:ss Respectfully yours, DES PLAINES TRAFFIC COMMISSION V. L. Spiegler Secretary The Clerk read the following letter: August 28„ 1947 Mr. Otto W. J. Henrich City Clerk City of Des Plaines Illinois Dear Mr. Henrich: We wish you would ask the City Council to contact the State High- way Department asking that they try to give immediate improved protection at the intersection of Mannheim Road and Tout►' Avenue. We find that there were several accidents at this intersection over Saturday and Sunday, and there have been many deaths at this intersection in the past twenty-five years, and it is possible that the State Highway Department is not aware of the great need for a change in the regulations at this intersection. Respectfully yours, DES PLAINES TRAFFIC COMP,MISSION V. L. Spiegler VLS:ss Secretary The motion was made by Alderman Johnson, and seconded by Halverson, that the City Clerk write a letter to the State Highway Department. 1 (DES PLAINES TRAFFIC COMMISSION LETTERS, OONTID.) The Clerk read the following letter: August 28, 1947 Mr. Otto W. J. Henrich City Clerk City of Des Plaines Illinois Dear Mr. Henrich: Many discussions have been held pro and cons as to whether or not the City of Des Plaines shall acquire the use of parking meters. We recommend that the City Council give further study to the use of parking meters with the thought of acquiring meters for the one-hour parking zones, on a six -months' trial basis, in order that we may know whether or not it will improve the parking condi- tions within our city. VLS:ss Respectfully yours, DES PLAINES TRAFFIC COMMISSION V. L. Spiegler Secretary The motion was made by Alderman Kehe, and seconded by Halverson, the letter be referred to the Public Protection Committee to take initial steps for a meeting with the representatives of meter companies. FIRST READING OF AMENDMENT TO LIQUOR ORDINANCE: The Clerk read for <c d the first reading the following proposed ordinance: 1 1 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED "AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS IN THE CITY OF DES PLAINES AND REPEAL- ING ALL OTHER ORDINANCES HERETOFORE PASSED REGULATING THE SALE OF ALCO- HOLIC LIQUORS" PASSED DECEMBER 15, 1941, AS AMENDED. --Alderman Harm reported about parking of autos at Prairie and Second Avenues. The motion was made by Harm, and seconded by McKay, to refer the matter to the Traffic Commission. The motion was voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the Mayor declared the motion carried. Alderman Halverson reported of hazard to pededtrians at Prospect, Mannheim, and Soo Line crossings. The motion was made by Alderman Halverson, and seconded by Morava, that the :natter be referred to the Traffic Commission. The motion was voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the Mayor declared the motion carried. The Mayor instructed the Clerk, en suggestion of Alderman Halverson, to write a letter to the Soo Line to repair the Prospect Avenue Crossing. APPROVAL OF ,MINUTES: Alderman Johnson made the motion which was seconded by Hansen that the minutes of the regular meeting of August 18, and the adjourned meeting of August 25, 1947, be approved as written. The motion was voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the Mayor declared the motion carried. ADJOURNMENT: The motion was made by Alderman Vavrinek, and seconded by Wolf, to adjourn. The motion was voted upon by acclamation, whereupon the Mayor declared the motion carried, and the meeting regularly adjourned. OTTO W. /141,t;„t:4 HENRICH, CITY CLERK 675