There is no one elected official who accomplishes any task or mission on their own. We work on teams – which could be a commission, committee, or a working group of other board members, staff, residents or the business community. The key to these successful accomplishments is TEAMWORK, along with COOPERATION and COMMUNICATION!
COVID-19 RESPONSE:
- Created “Masks for Midlothian” program, to provide free masks to residents
- Created the “Community Signs of Support” for First Responders
- Slashed 2020 cost of Village Vehicle Stickers by 50%
- Outsourced Vehicle Sticker purchase program to an on-line purchase program
- Suspended water shut offs and late fees on water bills
- Village Newsletter – Special COVID edition
- COVID-19 Vaccine – Village and staff assisted Bremen HS District 228 in reaching out to Midlothian’s seniors to register for the vaccine, and volunteered at the District’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution events (Doses 1 & 2) on February 11th and March 4th,
- COVID-19 Vaccine – the Village coordinated a major out-reach initiative to register 1,000 seniors and qualified Group 1b individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; and hosted a COVID-19 vaccine distribution event, partnering with Jewel/Osco and Bremen HS District 228. Dose 1 was administered on March 5th; Dose 2 will be administered on March 26th.
COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- NEW – implemented monthly Department Head meetings
- NEW – created social media sites for the Village and Police Department
- NEW – created Village YouTube channel in order to post recorded Committee and Board meeting on the Village website
- NEW – created Village Events Calendar for the entire Community’s use, to announce upcoming community events
- NEW – Police Department created a Public Safety Newsletter, available via Facebook and email
- RE-ESTABLISHED – Village Newsletter “Heart of Midlothian”
- RE-ESTABLISHED – “Coffee with the Mayor” outreach program
- RE-ESTABLISHED – Town-hall-style “State of the Village” address
FINANCE INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- NEW – implemented “minimum water usage exemption” for seniors
- NEW – implemented a financial procedure requiring the approval of an annual Village-wide operating budget and capital budget.
- NEW – implemented new procedures to conduct State-mandated annual audits in a timely manner, and to address the audit letter requirements within the prescribed timeframe.
- NEW – obtained the Village’s first-ever S&P Global Rating of A+, which allowed the Village to refinance existing bonds at a lower interest rate, and obtain new bonds (for the new Police and Public Works facilities) at a lower interest rate. These financial transactions will not increase property taxes or the annual tax levy!
- NEW – adopted Non-Union Employee Insurance coverage, retiree insurance coverage for all Village employees (eliminating the Medicare supplement)
- NEW – established an Insurance Committee, including Trustees, Department Heads and staff, to review annual proposals and renewals of employee insurance policies.
- NEW – implemented a new policy for the calculation of over-time pay for non-union employees.
- NEW – authorized the participation in the Southland Water Agency, whereby Midlothian will change its municipal water source to Hammond, IN, at a significant savings to residents and businesses. Anticipated to “go live” in 2028.
- NEW – established a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for the downtown area, in order to stimulate economic development.
- NEW – Village Code 5-4-41 – providing for Adult Use Cannabis Businesses (Ordinance 2044, 12-18-2019).
TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- NEW – Outsourced the water billing process to PSN, which also provides residents with an on-line payment option
- NEW – Engaged Proven IT to manage the Village’s technology infrastructure (the Village had no IT staff, and this engagement has saved the Village
- NEW – installed wireless access in Village Chambers
- NEW – upgraded nearly all outdated computers and printers to current operating systems (ongoing project)
- NEW – Installed IT Security Fire Wall
- NEW – Implemented an IT data backup and recovery system which provides a 2-hour lead time for data recovery in event of an emergency (ie – power outage)
- NEW – Public Works and Building Department both employed new department software
- NEW – implementation of Board Docs cloud-based meeting management software and iPads for Board members and Department Heads (saving over 10,000 sheet of printed paper per year)
- NEW – replaced outdated Phone system and IT Servers
- NEW – acquired VPN access licensed, to allow for remote access to servers
- NEW – installed fiber-optic data wiring in Village Hall.
FLOOD MITIGATION/STORMWATER MANAGEMENT/GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- RainReady Midlothian plan – completed initiatives include:
- NEW – Community Rating System (CRS) Class 7, providing residents in the SFHA a discount of up to 15% on FEMA flood insurance premiums. The Village hosted a first-ever CRS town hall meeting
- NEW – Jolly Homes drainage study completed 11/28/2017
- NEW – Funding. 2 Grants (written by Village Engineer) submitted in February 2018: (i) Cook County’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) for engineering services, and (ii) MWRD’s Stormwater Management Phase II Flood Control Program for engineering and construction services. These grant applications were for projects in Jolly Homes, Bremen Heights, Belly Button Hill, and a Midlothian Creek LOMA project. (10/21/2020 – The Village was awarded a CDBG-DR grant for Jolly Homes in the amount of $545,356.48, Village match is $50,000.00. Project awarded to Robinson Engineering)
- COMMENCED – MWRD/Natalie Creek Flood Control Project construction commenced; project completion scheduled for summer 2021
- NEW – Stormwater Management Capital Plan adopted May 2019, via a grant from CMAP
- NEW – Belly Button Hill and Bremen Heights – stormwater studies for both neighborhoods completed
- NEW – Cal-Sag Tributary C. The Village will participate in a Phase 2 stormwater management design/construction project. Partners include MWRD, Crestwood and Bremen Township.
- Other Initiatives include:
- NEW – executed the first maintenance contract for the “prairie-style” rain garden installed at the Rain Ready Community Garden
- NEW – Sanitary Sewer Maintenance Project completed, per MWRD’s Inflow/Infiltration program
- NEW – Sanitary Sewer Lining and Manhole Improvement project, per MWRD’s Inflow/Infiltration program
- NEW – Keystone Ave Permeable Parking Lot – MWRD grant awarded to fund 52% of the project cost. Bid process on hold as Village seeks additional funding
- COMPLETED – Permeable parking lot and prairie rain garden repair at the Rain Ready Community Garden, on Pulaski, funded by grants from IEPA and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- Natalie Creek Trail – the Village and its partners, Oak Forest, Crestwood, Robbins and Blue Island, were awarded a $317,000 Invest in Cook grant through the Cook County DOT, for the Phase 1 engineering of the Trail which will connect the partnering communities. Phase 2 construction grants are being applied for.
ECONOMIC/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
South Suburban Land Bank & Development Authority (SSLBDA) obtained title to 3 abandoned properties, all of which have been sold:
- 3642 & 3646 147th Street – redeveloped into Gracie’s Wine Bar
- 3352 147th Street (former Penny Pinchers) – two units. East unit redeveloped into “GC Hair Salon; West unit – permit pulled for food establishment
- 14812 S. Pulaski Rd – vacant lot (former Nail School) – sold to the owner of the used car dealer at 147th & Pulaski; redevelopment pending
- 14623 Waverly (former Executive Carpet business) – the building on this property has significant exterior and interior structural damage due to water leaks. Marketing efforts are on-going.
- Honda Building, 14723 Pulaski Rd – SSLBDA is investigating this property for possible abandonment case (February 2021).
COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Village Hall – repainted front of Village Hall back to the original Colonial White, thanks to volunteers and donated supplies.
- NEW – initiated annual Fall Fest & Scarecrow display, introducing “Keep Midlothian Beautiful”.
- Historical Society – our Village museum (former Library on Springfield Ave) was cleaned and painted. Major repairs included interior ceiling replacement; conference room remodeled.
- NEW – Keep Midlothian Beautiful – the Village became a Keep America Beautiful affiliate on 7/25/2018. The KMB committee was awarded the “President’s Circle recognition Award” in 2018. **This program was brought to the Board by a Midlothian property owner.
- NEW – Micro Pantry at Village Hall, and is maintained and managed by staff and residents.
- Midlothian’s Annual Independence Day Parade Honoring Our Veterans – entrusted a new volunteer team to plan and execute the annual Independence Parade.
- NEW – “Village of Midlothian” sign at Village Hall driveway (next to VFW)
- NEW – Community Service Committee organized and participated in the Martin Luther King Jr event at Bremen High School.
- “Touch A Truck” event (Police, Fire and Public Works), partnered with Midlothian Library, 6/9/18.
POLICE/PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND INITIATIVES:
- UPDATED – Solicitor Ordinance (Ordinance 1962, 8-23-2017).
- NEW – The Cadet Program, Coffee with a Cop, Prescription Drop Box, Internet Purchase Exchange “Meetup Spot” location, Senior Citizen Safety Classes, “Welcome Back to School” program, Police Facebook Page, new mutual aid agreements with Blue Island and Posen for a joint tactical unit, IGA with Cook County Gang Unit for a joint tactical unit, started “Hostage/Barricade/Terrorism” training at Bremen HS with staff and students, re-established EMS Unit and entered into multi-agency cooperative for sharing EMA personnel, purchase-install-monitor traffic trailers and speed signs, established “traffic calming” procedures, established a “vehicle replacement funds” program to properly manage and budget for police vehicle replacement.
- NEW – Officers received Crisis Intervention Training, and has a Crisis Intervention Specialist on every shift
- NEW – Commenced partnership with Crisis Center for South Suburbia, to provide domestic violence assistance and counseling for all family members
- NEW – Initiated the Child Identification Program
- NEW – Initiated voluntary Private Video Surveillance Camera registration, to help track and reduce crime
- NEW – Restorative Justice Program with Bremen H.S. District 228
- NEW – Expanded staff to include an Animal Care & Control Officer
- NEW – the Board authorized funding for the new Police Station and Public Works facility via new bonds (Ord 2036 and Ord 2037, 8/21/2019).
- NEW – Village Code 5-20 Business Regulations – Massage Establishments (Ordinance 2040, 9-11-2019), to keep illegal sexually-orientated business out of Midlothian.
- NEW – Joint Task Force with Orland Park, Tinley Park, Orland Hills and Oak Forest to curb auto thefts, authorized February 2020.
FIRE DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- NEW – implemented Structured Rank
- NEW – secured a grant to upgrade fire station lighting to LED
- NEW – secured a grant for training classes
- NEW – Fire Department expanded its staff to include a part-time Fire Prevention Officer (approved 2-12-2020)
- Fire Department – researched and built a gear dryer for $500, saving the Village the expense of $8,000 to purchase new!
PUBLIC WORKS INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- Verizon cell site – executed 10-year cell tower antenna lease.
- Side Street paving project – designated side streets repaved, funded by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) (written by Robinson Engineering) and Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) funds.
- 3-million-gallon Reservoir Rehabilitation project completed
- RTA Access to Transit Grant application for $400,000 (written by Village Engineer) submitted on 8/28/2018; Grant awarded on 10/25/2019. Grant work to include a multi-use path, pedestrian lighting and sidewalk to connect the Rain Ready Community Garden to the Midlothian Creek pedestrian bridge; and to modify Metra parking lot striping to add handicap parking spaces.
- Metra/RTA Access to Transit Grant for improvements near the Metra Station – the Village was awarded $700,000 in 2018 to install new pedestrian lighting, signage and sidewalk improvements along 147th Street near the Metra station. Improvements began in 2018 and were completed in 2019.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- NEW – modernize the Village’s building regulations (Title 4)
- 2018 Chicago Electric Code amended
- 2018 Illinois Energy Conservation Code
- 2014 Illinois Plumbing Code amended
- 2018 ICC International Residential Code amended
- 2018 ICC International Building Code amended
- 2018 ICC International Mechanical Code
- 2018 ICC International Fuel Gas Code
- 2012 ICC Green Construction Code
- 2010 ADA
- 2018 Illinois ADA
- Radon Resistant Construction Act 420 ILCS 52/1
- NEW – Village Code 4-23 (Ordinance 2035, 7-24-19), the “Pro Champs” ordinance requires registration of defaulted mortgages and vacant properties, in order to reduce property maintenance issues.
- NEW – Building Department received its first-ever BCEGS (Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule) rating of 4 (on a scale of 1-10, 1 being the best).
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