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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR COST SHARING AND START-UP ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WEST REGIONAL ENTERPRISE ZONE
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois has enacted the “Illinois Enterprise Zone Act” (the “Act”), 20 ILCS 655/1 et al., to alleviate distressed economic conditions in certain depressed areas; and
WHEREAS, the Act permits units of local government to designate depressed areas within the boundaries of the local governments as enterprise zones for the purpose of obtaining certain state tax and regulatory incentives to encourage economic development and neighborhood revitalization; and
WHEREAS, the Village of Maywood has, in the past, had an enterprise zone consisting only of territory within the Village; and
WHEREAS, the Village now desires to participate in the creation of a new larger enterprise zone, to be known as the West Regional Enterprise Zone (the “Enterprise Zone”), along with the Village of Bellwood (“Bellwood”), the Village of Broadview (“Broadview”), the Village of Melrose Park (“Melrose Park”), and the County of Cook (“Cook County”) (collectively, the “Participating Local Governments”); and
WHEREAS, the Enterprise Zone shall be established through adoption of ordinances by the Participating Local Governments, by entering into an Intergovernmental Agreement relative to governance, regulatory incentives, and other aspects related to the Enterprise Zone, submission of an application for designation to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (“DCEO”), designation by the State, and through compliance with the public hearing and other requirements of the Act; and
WHEREAS, the Participating Local Governments have determined that there exists an initial need to jointly cooperate relative to establishing the Enterprise Zone, to share certain of the costs of establishing the Enterprise Zone, and to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement relative to said start-up activities, cooperation and cost sharing (the “Initial Intergovernmental Agreement”). Once the Enterprise Zone is formally established by an intergovernmental agreement (the “IGA”) and certification by DCEO, and the respective obligations of the Participating Local Governments under the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement are satisfied, the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement will be terminated. Upon termination, the IGA will control any further operating, procedural, and cost-sharing related to the Enterprise Zone; and
WHEREAS, the President and Board of Commissioners of the County of Cook, a body politic and corporate, have the authority to enter into the attached Initial Intergovernmental Agreement pursuant to their home rule powers as provided by Article VII, Sections 6 and 10(a) of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/1-1-1 et seq.) and the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act (5 ILCS 220/1 et seq.), and find that entering into the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement is in the best interests of the County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby agrees as follows:
SECTION 1: Each Whereas paragraph above is incorporated by reference into this Section 1 and made a part hereof as material and operative provisions of this Resolution.
SECTION 2: The President and Board of Commissioners authorize the execution of the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement relative to initial start-up activities, cooperation and cost-sharing in the creation of the Enterprise Zone, to be substantially in the form of the draft attached hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit “1”. Any minor changes to the draft Agreement prior to its execution are subject to the approval of the President and Board of Commissioners. The County President and County Clerk, or their designees, are authorized to execute the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement upon its finalization, and to execute and deliver all other instruments and documents that are necessary in order to fulfill the obligations under the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement. Further, the President and Board of Commissioners designates the Bureau of Economic Development as the County’s designee on the Start-Up Committee pursuant to Section 3.A. of the Initial Intergovernmental Agreement.
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