The Sidney Village Board met on the above date for a special meeting. President White called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The following trustees were present: Arrasmith, Cokley, McCloud, Catron, and Finn. Village Clerk Moore was also present. Trustee Roberts was absent.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None

Trustee Arrasmith moved that the Board go into closed session for the purpose of interviewing applicants for the maintenance position. Trustee Finn seconded the motion. The motion was approved on a roll call vote, and the Board went into closed session at 6:02 p.m.

The Board came out of the closed session at 9:00 p.m. Trustee Catron moved that the Board of Trustees offer the maintenance position to Brett Bennett contingent upon him passing the required testing. Trustee Finn seconded the motion. The motion passed on a roll call vote.

Trustee Catron moved that the meeting be adjourned at 9:02 p.m. Trustee Arrasmith seconded the motion. The motion carried on a roll call vote.

The Sidney Village Board met on the above date for the regular monthly meeting. President White called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. The following trustees were present: Arrasmith, Cokley, McCloud, Catron, and Finn. Village Clerk Moore, Supervisor of Operations Bennett, Treasurer Ashley Reinhart, and Attorney Hendren were also present. Trustee Roberts was absent.

PUBLIC HEARING
President White turned the meeting over to Attorney Hendren to conduct the business of the public hearing. Attorney Hendren explained the purpose of the public hearing: that Casey's Store in Sidney needed to construct a new sanitary sewer system on land to the north of the store and that additional land needs to be rezoned to C-Community Business District. The hearing was to explain the need for the rezoning and then hear the public's comments and questions. Casey's leech field was built in 1997 and had failed over time, hence the need for the new septic system. The parcel needs to be annexed; it adjoins Casey's property.

There were no comments or questions from the public or the Village Trustees or Staff. Attorney Hendren said that he had published a notice of this February 2, 2015, Public Hearing in The News-Gazette on January 15, 2015, the Public Hearing to rezone the property from R1 to C-Community Business District and that all adjacent property owners had been notified in writing. The decision on the rezoning and annexation will be made at the following Board of Trustees meeting

Trustee Arrasmith moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Time was 7:07 p.m.

BOARD MEETING
President White then opened the Board of Trustees meeting. A motion was made by Trustee Arrasmith and seconded by Trustee McCloud to approve the minutes of the January 5, 2015, meeting. The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Wally Hoffman of the Library Board told the Board that the Library was interested in holding a wine tasting evening for a fundraiser. After some discussion, the Board asked Mr. Hoffman to bring the proposal back to the March meeting with some details of how the fundraiser will be conducted.
Kyle Ash, Crop Production Services, stated that he is new at his position and wanted to know the process for acquiring property. Attorney Hendren told Mr. Ash that his corporate headquarters should get him that information. The Village has been in contact with the corporate office on the proposed acquisition. Wes Meyers is also the engineer for Crop Production Services and was in attendance at this meeting. The proposed acquisition is on the agenda for tonight's meeting but nothing more had been done so will be on March's agenda.

PRESIDENT WHITE'S COMMENTS
None

ATTORNEY HENDREN'S COMMENTS:
Trustee Finn moved that Ordinance No. 2015-01, An Ordinance Annexing Certain Real Estate at 502 W. Main Street, Sidney, Illinois, Referred to as Casey's Store “North Tract,” be approved as written. Trustee Arrasmith seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Trustee Finn moved that Ordinance No. 2015-2, An Ordinance Rezoning Casey's Store “North Tract” Located at 512 W. Main Street, Sidney, Illinois, as C-Community Business District, be approved as written. Trustee Arrasmith seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Casey's engineer, Wes Meyers, presented Casey's plat of the newly purchased land to the north and explained how the water easement had been moved to the north of the property instead of running between Casey's present store and the new property. Trustee McCloud moved that Resolution No. 2015-R-01, Resolution Approving Casey's Replat of Lot 1 of McElwee Subdivision, Located at 502 W. Main Street, Sidney, Illinois, and Commonly Referred to as Casey's Store, be approved as written. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

EARL BENNETT'S REPORT
Supervisor Bennett presented four bids for a one-ton chassis truck: Tuscola Ford, $16,880.00; Worden-Martin, $16,809.00; Bob Ridings, $20,410.00; and Sullivan, $20.483.00. The bed bid, $18,353.67, is from Rahn Equipment and includes bed, hydraulics, warning lights, plow lights, and snow plow mounts. The spreader bid, $2,500, is from Rahn Equipment and is for a spreader and mounting. The Village would keep the snow plow. The price includes trading in the current truck. Trustee Finn moved that the Village accept the bids of $16,809 from Worden-Martin (the lowest truck bid) and that of $20,853.67 from Rahn Equipment (the only equipment bid) with $16,809.00 coming from the water fund and $20,853.67 from the general fund. Trustee Arrasmith seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. The truck is available now. The bed delivery is 30-60 days.

FINANCE REPORT
The financial reports were read by Trustee Finn. After reading them, Trustee Finn moved that the bills be paid. Trustee Catron seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Trustee Finn said that he wanted to explore options for a sewer system and that Philo is talking to the Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District. He said that going together would cut down the cost of a sewer project, if the Village did not have to build a sewage treatment plant. Trustee Finn and President White will attend Philo's next Board meeting, the second Wednesday of the month. Scott Rhoton said that still did not address the high cost of a hookup fee, $4,000-$6,000. Treasurer Reinhart said that the cost for hookup in Homer was $800.

STREETS AND ALLEY
Trustee Catron will meet with the MFT staff on Friday, February 6, to start planning for the fourth part of the overall plan.

WATER/SEWER/UTILITY
2,757,208 gallons of water were pumped in January with a daily average of 88,942 gallons.

$31,473.14 was received in January with $10,190.79 in sewer planning money. 93 penalty bills were sent.

PUBLIC PROPERTY
No building permits for January

Two trees on Village property at 111 E. Byron are dead and need to be cut down. One has limbs hanging over a house next door. Trustee McCloud will get bids from Kevin Sanderson for removing them. It was questioned why those trees had priority when other trees are on a list to come down as the Village can afford it. Trustee McCloud said she had no information on such a list. That list needs to be found and will be put on the March agenda. Trustee Catron said that the Village needs to start a program to replace trees on Village property as old trees are removed.

PARKS AND RECREATION
Trustee Cokley will be advertising soon for bids to run the ball park concession stand.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Supervisor Bennett had talked to Cler's and was told that the Village is on the list for a crane to take down the siren for ESDA.

OLD AND NEW BUSINESS
Crop Production Services was on the agenda, but Attorney Hendren said that they haven't answered several questions that he had. Engineer Wes Myers had talked to the corporate headquarters, but there was nothing to act on tonight. Trustee Catron questioned why is the Village taking on the responsibility for this when the County should. Trustee Finn said he wanted to help them because they have been here a long time and employ local people, that he wanted to help businesses like that. Attorney Hendren said that the Village had accepted Crop Production's request of annexation a few years ago so the Village does have the responsibility. Crop Production will pay all costs associated with the proposed subdivision. This matter will be on next month's agenda.

Redneck Apparel has purchased a buck truck and will charge $50 an hour if the Village ever needs it. Keith Kropp will operate it. He volunteered to use it for the Village to put up and take down the Christmas decoration at no charge.

Redneck Apparel also reported that the Village sign at the north end of S. David Street needs repaired. The Trustees questioned the power supply. This will be on next month's agenda.

Trustee Catron moved that the Board go into closed session at 8:40 p.m. for discussion of personnel and the maintenance position description and compensation. Trustee Arrasmith seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

When the Board came out of closed session at 9:30 p.m., Trustee Catron moved that the Maintenance position be full time. Trustee McCloud seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Trustee Catron moved that the pay for this position be $14 an hour with a $1 an hour raise after the 90-day probationary period, a $2 an hour raise upon completion of a Class C water license, with the possibility of an annual merit raise. Benefits will be a 80/20 medical plan and a retirement investment after the probationary period. Vacation will be one week after one year, two weeks after three years, and three weeks after five years. After probation, the employee will accumulate four hours per month in sick/personal time up to 120 hours a year. Vacation time and sick/personal time is on the employee's anniversary date. If it is not used, all but 120 hours will be lost. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Trustee Catron moved that Supervisor Bennett's pay be raised to $30 an hour beginning July 1. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

The position will be advertised in the local newspapers and posted. Applications will be due February 19 by noon and interviews will be Wednesday, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Building. All the Trustees plus Supervisor Bennett will be at the interviews, so it will be advertised as a special meeting.

Trustee Catron moved that the meeting be adjourned. Trustee McCloud seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.