The Sidney Village Board met on the above date for the regular monthly meeting. The meeting was opened at 7:00p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance by President Arrasmith. The following trustees were present: Hooker, Bickers, Harris, Gadeken and Laurent. Trustee Schluter was absent. Clerk Fish, Treasurer Reinhart, Attorney Miller and Village Maintenance Supervisor Wyant were also present.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Resident Kurt Foster commented that someone is doing a good job trimming the honeysuckle bushes out at Witt Park. Trustee Gadeken stated that they are currently waging war on the poison hemlock within the Village. Mr. Foster then showed the board members what garlic mustard looks like and advised them to remove it as soon as they see it or it will get out of control.
PRESIDENT ARRASMITH’S COMMENTS
President Arrasmith asked for a motion to approve the minutes for the April 4th, 2022 Board of Trustees meeting. Trustee Gadeken moved that the minutes of the April 4th, Board of Trustees meeting be approved. Trustee Harris seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
President Arrasmith then began by asking the board members to review the Appropriations Ordinance and for a motion to approve it. Trustee Gadeken made a motion to approve Ordinance #2022-2 “Annual Appropriation Ordinance for 2022-2023.” Trustee Laurent seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.
President Arrasmith then asked for a motion to approve an agreement to challenge IAW’s rate increase. Trustee Laurent made a motion to authorize the Board President to execute an agreement with Champaign and other municipalities to challenge Illinois American Water’s rate increase before the ICC and hire special legal counsel as presented. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Finally President Arrasmith wanted to say Thank You to everyone who was involved with helping for Dumpster Days.
ATTORNEY MILLER’S COMMENTS
Attorney Miller did not have any comments.
JEFF WYANT’S COMMENTS
Village Maintenance Supervisor Wyant reported that he did more jetting on Wilsey and Clovis Court; there was a good clog in the drain. He also spent three hours looking for the tile hookup in Dunlap Woods and could not find anything; he will come back with a camera and metal detector to look again. He then stated that he will take down the fence at 203 South David and return it to S & K Fence and he will also put more rock down from the sidewalk to the road for parking. Village Maintenance Supervisor Wyant then stated that the parking lines at the Community Building’s parking lot need to be repainted. He is having someone come next week with a paint machine to test out whether or not we would like to purchase one. He asked that this be put on the agenda for next month. Lastly, he and Village Maintenance Employee Woodworth put all of the shelving units together that were ordered for the filing room and the maintenance room.
FINANCE REPORT
The financial reports were read by Trustee Hooker. Trustee Hooker made a motion to pay the bills with the additions of $566.25 to Farnsworth Group; $243.37 and $113.51 to Comcast; and $35.61, $74.16 and $32.68 to Illinois American Water. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
STREETS AND ALLEY
Trustee Gadeken did not have any comments.
WATER/SEWER/UTILITY
Trustee Harris stated that there is a continued problem with the ditch not draining in front of 5 Dunlap Woods and surrounding neighbor’s properties. He stated that one of the neighbors has buried his sump pump and that is what is continuously draining into the ditch. He stated that this is a constant problem because residents aren’t able to mow their ditches because they are always wet. Trustee Harris would really like to use our ARPA funds to purchase the Village’s own vector machine at an estimated cost of $160,000 instead of paying someone $1,000 each time we need drains jetted.
PUBLIC PROPERTY
Trustee Bickers would like to purchase flowers for the downtown area again this summer. Trustee Bickers made a motion to spend up to $1,000 to purchase flowers for the downtown Sidney area. Trustee Harris seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Trustee Laurent did not have comments.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Trustee Schluter was absent.
NEW BUSINESS
Trustee Gadeken asked if we could run the Christmas lights that are downtown Sidney this summer for ambience at nighttime. The board members agreed this would be a good idea; the timer is already hooked up and we will begin doing that on Memorial Day.
Trustee Gadeken made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Trustee Bickers seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45pm.
__________________________ __________________________
Maggie Fish, Village Clerk Date approved
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Resident Kurt Foster commented that someone is doing a good job trimming the honeysuckle bushes out at Witt Park. Trustee Gadeken stated that they are currently waging war on the poison hemlock within the Village. Mr. Foster then showed the board members what garlic mustard looks like and advised them to remove it as soon as they see it or it will get out of control.
PRESIDENT ARRASMITH’S COMMENTS
President Arrasmith asked for a motion to approve the minutes for the April 4th, 2022 Board of Trustees meeting. Trustee Gadeken moved that the minutes of the April 4th, Board of Trustees meeting be approved. Trustee Harris seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
President Arrasmith then began by asking the board members to review the Appropriations Ordinance and for a motion to approve it. Trustee Gadeken made a motion to approve Ordinance #2022-2 “Annual Appropriation Ordinance for 2022-2023.” Trustee Laurent seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.
President Arrasmith then asked for a motion to approve an agreement to challenge IAW’s rate increase. Trustee Laurent made a motion to authorize the Board President to execute an agreement with Champaign and other municipalities to challenge Illinois American Water’s rate increase before the ICC and hire special legal counsel as presented. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Finally President Arrasmith wanted to say Thank You to everyone who was involved with helping for Dumpster Days.
ATTORNEY MILLER’S COMMENTS
Attorney Miller did not have any comments.
JEFF WYANT’S COMMENTS
Village Maintenance Supervisor Wyant reported that he did more jetting on Wilsey and Clovis Court; there was a good clog in the drain. He also spent three hours looking for the tile hookup in Dunlap Woods and could not find anything; he will come back with a camera and metal detector to look again. He then stated that he will take down the fence at 203 South David and return it to S & K Fence and he will also put more rock down from the sidewalk to the road for parking. Village Maintenance Supervisor Wyant then stated that the parking lines at the Community Building’s parking lot need to be repainted. He is having someone come next week with a paint machine to test out whether or not we would like to purchase one. He asked that this be put on the agenda for next month. Lastly, he and Village Maintenance Employee Woodworth put all of the shelving units together that were ordered for the filing room and the maintenance room.
FINANCE REPORT
The financial reports were read by Trustee Hooker. Trustee Hooker made a motion to pay the bills with the additions of $566.25 to Farnsworth Group; $243.37 and $113.51 to Comcast; and $35.61, $74.16 and $32.68 to Illinois American Water. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
STREETS AND ALLEY
Trustee Gadeken did not have any comments.
WATER/SEWER/UTILITY
Trustee Harris stated that there is a continued problem with the ditch not draining in front of 5 Dunlap Woods and surrounding neighbor’s properties. He stated that one of the neighbors has buried his sump pump and that is what is continuously draining into the ditch. He stated that this is a constant problem because residents aren’t able to mow their ditches because they are always wet. Trustee Harris would really like to use our ARPA funds to purchase the Village’s own vector machine at an estimated cost of $160,000 instead of paying someone $1,000 each time we need drains jetted.
PUBLIC PROPERTY
Trustee Bickers would like to purchase flowers for the downtown area again this summer. Trustee Bickers made a motion to spend up to $1,000 to purchase flowers for the downtown Sidney area. Trustee Harris seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Trustee Laurent did not have comments.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Trustee Schluter was absent.
NEW BUSINESS
Trustee Gadeken asked if we could run the Christmas lights that are downtown Sidney this summer for ambience at nighttime. The board members agreed this would be a good idea; the timer is already hooked up and we will begin doing that on Memorial Day.
Trustee Gadeken made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Trustee Bickers seconded the motion; the motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45pm.
__________________________ __________________________
Maggie Fish, Village Clerk Date approved
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