Coal City Village Board met Feb. 24

Coal City Village Board met Feb. 24

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

Call Meeting to Order 

Mayor David Spesia called the Coal City Village Board Meeting to order on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 7:24 PM, immediately following the public hearing. A roll call was conducted with Trustee Dave Togliatti, Trustee Dan Greggain, Trustee Pam Noffsinger, Trustee Ross Bradley, Trustee Bill Mincey and Trustee CJ Lauterbur present. Also in attendance were Attorney Mark Heinle, Matt Halloran from Chamlin Engineering, Chief Mike Imhof and Matt Fritz, Village Administrator. 

Pledge of Allegiance 

All present recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Approval of Minutes 

Mayor Spesia asked if there were any corrections, comments, or questions regarding the meeting minutes from February 11, 2026. Village Clerk Kayla Melvin noted one revision under the village attorney report where an erroneous phrase about a memorial had been removed, as no memorial was discussed during that meeting. 

Motion to approve the meeting minutes was made by Trustee Lauterbur and seconded by Trustee Bradley. The motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

Approval of Warrant List 

Village Administrator Fritz requested an amendment to add $6,000 for Cloud Point services to help with GIS software transitions. He explained that ArcMap is being phased out and they need assistance connecting the new ArcGIS system to produce printed maps more easily. This service will be paid from the building department professional services budget. 

Motion to approve the warrant list with the addition of $6,000 for CloudPoint Services was made by Trustee Bradley and seconded by Trustee Mincey. The motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

Public Comment 

Village Clerk Melvin read an email from Brian Ritchie, approved to be recorded, expressing strong opposition to a potential data center, citing concerns about home values and infrastructure capacity, particularly water bills. Mayor Spesia noted he had reached out to Mr. Ritchie offering to meet but had not heard back. Trustee Lauterbur also indicated he had attempted to contact Mr. Ritchie without success. 

Ordinance 26-02 Enter into an Annexation Agreement with Phillips/Togliatti Property 

Village Administrator Fritz explained this was the first of three consecutive agenda items related to the Phillips/Togliatti property annexation. The annexation agreement includes provisions for industrial zoning and partial property tax reimbursement for parks and existing debt portions of the levy, as long as the property remains with current owners. 

Village Attorney Heinle noted the agreement has a 20-year term (the maximum allowed by law) and that while the tax rebate provision expires if the property is sold, the annexation agreement runs with the land and binds future owners. He emphasized that this ordinance requires a super majority of 5 of 7 trustees to pass. 

Property owner Joseph J. Phillips addressed the board, explaining the 80-acre property has been in his family since the late 1920s and is strategically positioned for industrial development given the adjacent industrially zoned properties and railroad access. 

Motion to adopt Ordinance 26-02 entering into an annexation agreement for the Phillips-Togliatti Farm was made by Trustee Lauterbur and seconded by Trustee Bradley. The motion carried with all Trustees voting yes. 

Ordinance 26-03 Annexing the Phillips/Togliatti Property within the Village of Coal City 

Village Administrator Fritz explained this ordinance would incorporate the 80-acre property into the village, connecting it to the farthest southwest part of the existing incorporated village at the industrial park. 

Village Attorney Heinle noted that similar to a recent school district annexation, there would be after- the-fact filings required including recording the ordinance with Grundy County and delivering notifications. 

Motion to adopt Ordinance 26-03 annexing the Phillips-Togliatti farm was made by Trustee Greggain and seconded by Trustee Bradley. The motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

Ordinance 26-04 Granting an I-1 Map Amendment for the Phillips/Togliatti Property Village Administrator Fritz reported this rezoning was reviewed by the Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) on February 16th following a public hearing. No one aside from the petitioner appeared to speak, and the ZBA recommended approval based on compatibility with surrounding development and consistency with the comprehensive plan. 

Village Attorney Heinle clarified that the property can continue as farmland indefinitely, as agricultural use is grandfathered in. The I-1 zoning designation simply creates additional potential uses but doesn’t mandate any change from current farming operations. 

Mayor Spesia noted for the record that the property has no relation to current Trustee Dave Togliatti, despite the similar name. 

Motion to adopt Ordinance 26-04 rezoning the Phillips-Togliatti farm upon incorporation was made by Trustee Lauterbur and seconded by Trustee Greggain. The motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

250 Celebration Update/Summary 

Tammy Moran provided a comprehensive update on the America 250 celebration planned for June 20th. The event will begin at noon with a parade through downtown, followed by activities from 1:00 to 7:30 PM. Some activities will move to the high school location due to space and FAA requirements, concluding with a patriotic ceremony and fireworks/drone show. 

Planned activities include foam parties ($800), tethered hot air balloon rides ($8,500), reptile shows ($575), trackless train rides ($1,400), inflatable American flag ($220), two stages ($2,800), and multiple bands (approximately $2,750). Moran noted they are seeking sponsorships to offset costs and working with local organizations for fundraising opportunities. 

The event will require significant coordination with police, fire, and maintenance department for rolling street closures and safety management. Moran invited trustees to participate in activities and suggested they consider a parade float. 

Authorization allowing the purchase of North Park playground equipment and new rubberized surface 

Village Administrator Fritz explained this project has been planned for approximately three years, with North Park being prioritized after the Hunters Run playground project was completed through OSLAD grant funding. The new playground will feature a ninja warrior theme with nets and climbing features, while still including traditional elements like slides for all ages. 

The total cost breakdown includes $167,633 to Landscape Structures for equipment and $116,513 to NuToys for the rubberized surface. Parks funding will cover the equipment portion, with TIF funds covering the remainder. Public Works will handle site preparation to reduce contractor costs. The vendor indicated a quick turnaround time of 8-10 weeks, with the playground potentially ready by summer. 

Trustee Lauterbur thanked the board on behalf of his 7-year-old and noted the Parks Board’s excitement about the ninja-themed design. The playground will be located west of the pickleball courts and pavilion, extending toward the water tower. 

Motion to authorize the Mayor to enter into contracts with Landscape Structures for $167,633 and NuToys for $116,513 to replace the North Park playground was made by Trustee Mincey and seconded by Trustee Lauterbur. The motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

Authorization of Final Payment for the North Water Tower Project 

Village Administrator Fritz requested authorization for the final payment of $64,846 to Dynamic Industrial Services Inc. for completion of the North Water Tower repainting project. The project was substantially completed before year-end, and due to the payment amount exceeding $20,000, board authorization was required despite previous project approval. 

Motion to authorize final payment of $64,846 to Dynamic Industrial Services Inc. was made by Trustee Lauterbur and seconded by Trustee Mincey. The motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

Report of the Mayor 

Mayor Spesia had no additional items to report. 

Report of the Trustees 

Trustee Lauterbur expressed gratitude from his family for the North Park playground approval and thanked the board for their support. He noted the Parks Board’s enthusiasm for the project and mentioned that North Park will be significantly improved with both the new playground and upcoming soccer field rehabilitation. 

No other Trustee reports. 

Report of Village Clerk 

Village Clerk Melvin reminded board members that economic interest forms have been distributed and are due by May 4th. She encouraged trustees to complete them promptly and check spam folders if they haven’t received their forms yet. 

Report of Village Attorney 

Village Attorney Heinle had nothing additional to report beyond his contributions to the evening’s discussions regarding the annexation ordinances. 

Report of Village Engineer 

Village Engineer Matt Halloran reported that the overhead door for the water plant is expected to arrive in two weeks, completing the final component of that project. He also noted that the last two lead service line replacements were completed that day on Pine Street and Oak Street, with both services extending into the houses. 

Report of Chief of Police 

Chief Imhof announced that the Coal City Police Department will participate in the polar plunge on Saturday, March 15th at Braidwood Recreation Club. The event begins at 12:00 PM, and donations can be made through the PD Facebook page. He noted that approximately 12-13 officers participated last year. 

Report of Village Administrator 

Village Administrator Fritz distributed the budget adoption schedule for the upcoming fiscal year and requested trustees mark their calendars. He noted they will need to add an additional meeting to address water and sewer rate considerations during the budget process. 

Adjourn 

Motion to adjourn was made by Trustee Lauterbur and seconded by Trustee Mincey. Motion carried with all trustees voting yes. 

https://coalcity-il.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1531_001.pdf