Public Act 0948 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4108 Enrolled LRB093 15909 BDD 41527 b

Public Act 093-0948

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the

Addison Creek Restoration Commission Act.

Section 5. Legislative declaration. The General Assembly declares that the welfare, health, prosperity, and moral and general well being of the people of the State are, in large measure, dependent upon the sound and orderly development of municipal areas. The Village of Bellwood, the City of Northlake, the Village of Melrose Park, the Village of Stone Park, the Village of Broadview, the Village of Westchester, and the Village of North Riverside are, by reason of the location of Addison Creek, adversely affected by a floodplain designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Certain development opportunities may exist in the project area that would stabilize and enhance the tax base of existing communities, maintain and revitalize existing commerce and industry, and promote comprehensive planning within and between communities. The relocation of the retention pond, restoration of creek banks, and enhanced fencing for security and safety around areas of Addison Creek is important for the orderly expansion of industry and commerce and for progress of the region. The ultimate goal is to get FEMA to reconsider the size of the floodplain. Once this is accomplished, it will greatly reduce the cost of insurance to homeowners and increase the value of property within the current designated floodplain.

Section 10. Creation; duration. There is created a body politic and corporate, a unit of local government, named the Addison Creek Restoration Commission. The territory of the Commission boundaries consists of the corporate borders of the Village of Bellwood, the City of Northlake, the Village of Melrose Park, the Village of Stone Park, the Village of Broadview, the Village of Westchester, and the Village of North Riverside. The Commission shall continue in existence until the accomplishment of its objective, the relocation of Addison Creek retention pond within the Village of Bellwood, the restoration of creek beds, and enhanced fencing for security and safety around areas of Addison Creek, or until the Commission officially resolves that it is impossible or economically unfeasible to fulfill the objectives.

Section 15. Acceptance of grants and appropriations. The Commission may apply for and accept grants and appropriations from the federal government and from the State of Illinois or any agency or instrumentality thereof to be used for the purposes of the Commission and may enter into any agreement in relation to these grants and appropriations. The Commission may also accept from the State, any State agency, department, or commission, any unit of local government, any railroad, school authority, or jointly therefrom, grants of funds or services for any of the purposes of this Act.

Section 20. Taxing powers. The Commission shall not have the power to levy real property taxes for any purpose whatsoever.

Section 25. Board; composition; qualification; compensation and expenses. The Commission shall be governed by a board consisting of 7 members. The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed from the affected municipalities for actual expenses incurred by them in the performance of duties prescribed by the Commission.

Section 30. Appointments; tenure; oaths; vacancies. One member shall be appointed by the village president of the Village of Bellwood, one member shall be appointed by the village president of the Village of Westchester, one member shall be appointed by the mayor of the City of Northlake, one member shall be appointed by the village president of the Village of Melrose Park, one member shall be appointed by the village president of the Village of Broadview, one member shall be appointed by the village president of the Village of Stone Park, and one member shall be appointed by the village president of the Village of North Riverside. The office of the chair shall rotate annually. Each representative member of the Commission shall take and subscribe to the constitutional oath of office and file it with the Secretary of State. If a vacancy occurs by death, resignation, or otherwise, the vacancy shall be filled by the appropriate selecting party. Each member of the Commission shall hold office for a term of 3 years from the third Monday in January of the year in which his predecessor's term expires. Each member may continue to serve an additional 3-year term unless that member is replaced by appointment within 60 days after the end of his or her term. Of the members initially appointed under this Section, 2 members shall be appointed for terms of office that expire on the third Monday of January, 2006, 2 members shall be appointed for terms of office that expire on the third Monday of January, 2007, 2 members shall be appointed for a term of office that expire on the third Monday of January, 2008, and one member shall be appointed for a term of office that expires on the third Monday of January, 2009. Each respective successor shall be appointed for a term of 3 years from the third Monday of January of the year in which his or her predecessor's term expires.

Section 35. Removal of members. Any member of the Commission may be immediately removed from office by the appropriate selecting party or by a majority vote of the Commission in case of incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance of office or otherwise upon 15 days written notice to the other members. Absence from any 3 consecutive regular meetings of the Commission is deemed to be neglect of duty.

Section 40. Organization; chair and temporary secretary. As soon as possible after the appointment of the initial members, the Commission shall organize for the transaction of business, select a chair and a temporary secretary from its own number, and adopt bylaws to govern its proceedings. The initial chair and successors shall be elected by the Commission from time to time from among members. The Commission may act through its members by entering into an agreement that a member act on the Commission's behalf, in which instance the act or performance directed shall be deemed to be exclusively of, for, and by the Commission and not the individual act of the member or its represented person.

Section 45. Meetings; quorum; resolutions. Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held at least quarterly, the time and place of those meetings to be fixed by the Commission. Special meetings may be called by the chair or by any 4 members of the Commission by giving notice in writing, stating the time, place, and purpose of the special meeting. The notice shall be served by certified letter deposited in the U.S. mail at least 48 hours before the meeting. If there is no vacancy on the Commission, 5 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum to transact business; otherwise, a majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum to transact business, and no vacancy shall impair the right of the remaining commissioners to exercise all of the powers of the Commission. Every finding, order, or decision approved by a majority of the members of the Commission shall be deemed to be the finding, order, or decision of the Commission. All action of the Commission shall be by resolution and, except as otherwise provided in this Act, the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the total available votes is necessary for the adoption of any resolution. The weight of each member's vote shall be based on the assessed value of the property in the municipality from which the member was recommended in the flood plain designated by FEMA. The chair may vote on any and all matters coming before the Commission.

Section 50. Secretary and treasurer; oaths; bond of treasurer. The Commission may appoint a secretary and a treasurer, who need not be members of the Commission, to hold office at the pleasure of the Commission and may fix their duties and compensation, which shall be paid by the affected municipalities. Before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, the secretary and treasurer must take and subscribe to the constitutional oath of office, and the treasurer must execute a bond with corporate sureties to be approved by the Commission. The bond shall be payable to the Commission in whatever penal sum may be directed by the Commission conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of the office and the payment of all money received by the treasurer according to law and the orders of the Commission. The Commission may, at any time, require a new bond for the treasurer in any penal sum determined by the Commission.

Section 55. Deposit and withdrawal of funds; signatures. All funds deposited by the treasurer in any bank or savings and loan association shall be placed in the name of the Commission and may be withdrawn or paid out only by check or draft upon the bank or savings and loan association that is signed by the treasurer and countersigned by the chair of the Commission. Subject to prior approval of the designations by a majority of the Commission, the chair may designate any other member or any officer of the Commission to affix the signature of the treasurer to any Commission check or draft for payment of salaries or wages and for payment of any other obligation of not more than $2,500. No bank or savings and loan association may receive public funds as permitted by this Section unless it has complied with the requirements established under Section 6 of the Public Funds Investment Act.

Section 60. Delivery of check after executing officer ceases to hold office. If any officer whose signature appears upon any check or draft issued under this Act ceases to hold office before the delivery of the check or draft to the payee, the officer's signature nevertheless shall be valid and sufficient for all purposes with the same effect as if the officer had remained in office until delivery of the check or draft.

Section 65. Rules. The Commission may adopt any rules that are proper or necessary and to carry into effect the powers granted to it.

Section 70. Fiscal year. The Commission shall designate its fiscal year.

Section 75. Reports and financial statements. Within 60 days after the end of its fiscal year, the Commission must cause to be prepared by a certified public accountant a complete and detailed report and financial statement of the operations and assets and liabilities as it relates to the Addison Creek Restoration project. A reasonably sufficient number of copies of the report shall be prepared for distribution to persons interested, upon request, and a copy of the report shall be filed with the Department of Natural Resources and with the county clerk of Cook County.

Section 80. Construction. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to confer upon the Commission the right, power, or duty to order or enforce the abandonment of any present property or the use in substitution.

Section 85. Severability. The provisions of this Act are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

Section 90. Repeal. This Act is repealed on January 1, 2010.

Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.