Village of Ladd Board of Trustees met Jan. 25.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
The Ladd Village Board met in regular session in the Village Hall. Mayor Pro Tem Jim Manning was present remotely due to illness. Manning called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm and led the pledge of allegiance to the American flag.
Roll Call: Present: Trustees Dave Margherio, Dan Nelson, Molly Thrasher, Mike Urbanowski. (4)
In attendance: Attorney Pat Barry, Attorney Colin Barry, Clerk Bezely, Village Treasurer Julie Koch, Engineer Adam Ossola, Superintendent Doug Englehaupt, Building Inspector Barry Flanagan, and Police Chief Randy Dean
Margherio motion/Urbanowski second to accept the January 11, 2022 meeting minutes as presented. Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 5-0
Urbanowski motion/Nelson second to authorize payment of the bills in the amount of $95,329.32 Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 5-0
Discussion regarding investing motor fuel tax money in a CD ensued. Ossola stated the money could be invested for a year with no concern. Margherio stated there is talk the interest rates will be increasing in the near future so it was decided to invest for only 30 days in hopes the rates would increase.
Urbanowski motion/Margherio second to invest $57,000.00 from the Motor Fuel Fund in a CD for 30 days. Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 5-0
Thrasher motion/Urbanowski second to approve the December 2021 Treasurers Report. Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 5-0
Correspondence: Bezely informed the board that Trustee Jan Martin underwent a procedure and wasn’t able to attend tonight's meeting. Martin asked Bezely to please tell everyone hello.
Public Comment: None
Committee Reports: Margherio asked if any trustees looked at the sidewalk by Dick’s Tap. Margherio feels that now that he is serving food we need to think about the elderly getting into the building safely and need to look at the condition of the sidewalk.
Engineer’s Report: Ossola updated the board on the water line project in the alley. Ossola stated he’s received approval from the DCO & IEPA to go ahead and bid the water line job. Ossola would like to get this advertised next week. This way we could hold a pre-bid meeting on Thursday, February 17, 2022, and the bid letting is set for March 17, 2022.
Nelson motion/Margherio second to move forward with obtaining bids on the water main project. Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 5-0
Ossola updated the board on the feasibility study on the Village’s 3 buildings. As soon as the architect is back healthy again, he will schedule to come to look at the buildings.
Margherio asked if the tree issue still needs to be addressed before the end of March. Ossola stated there is one tree that is dead already and Doug is aware. He will take it down before the end of March.
Superintendent’s Report: None
Police Chief: Dean brought up the issue of parking on Main Street with snow removal. The current policy allows a $5 parking ticket. Unfortunately, it doesn’t allow us to tow the vehicle. Dean feels we should revisit this policy. The snow route is only from 2 am – 4 am. Dean feels that we rarely have a car on to do anything about it from 2 am – 4 am. Dean stated he worked the other night and it hadn’t snowed 1” yet. Dean would like the ordinance to read anytime it snows you can’t park on Main Street. When businesses are open we will not ticket them, but after the bars close if it snows cars must be off Main Street. Englehaupt brought up a couple of years ago when this ordinance was revised, a new ordinance was passed, and new signs were ordered and installed and still, nothing is being done about cars on Main Street during a snowfall. Englehaupt stated signs will never change anything. He stated that tickets change things. Urbanowski stated that if we make changes to the ordinance again residents must be notified first before being ticketed. Dean stated he will contact who is parked on Main Street and he will have an officer hand them a copy of the ordinance before being ticketed. Englehaupt feels we don’t need an officer on duty to ticket people for leaving their cars parked on Main Street. Englehaupt will continue to snap pictures of license plates and tickets can be issued to the car's owners. Dean feels that the ordinance needs to be changed and he is asking the board to give him the power to enforce this. Englehaupt doesn’t feel the updated ordinance needs to include towing of the vehicle. Englehaupt feels if the resident doesn’t pay the tow bill and get their car the issue falls to the Village’s responsibility for payment. Dean disagreed and explained the reasons. Dean will work with Atty. Pat & Colin Barry to get the ordinance revised. Decisions will have to be made about the times and the fines. This will plan to be put in place for next winter.
Building Inspector: Flanagan updated the board on the Ladd Senior Village. He stated that he will inspect the final 2 buildings on Friday, January 28th. All certificates of occupancy will be complete after he completes the inspection. It is the Village’s understanding this allows Laborers Home Development to start leasing the units.
Village Attorney: Atty. Pat Barry updated the board that Kim Hackler has been served with the notice that the demolition must begin within 14 days on the house at 124 N. Hennepin and must be completed within 21 days. This Saturday, January 29, 2022, will be her 2-week notice. Urbanowski asked for contact information on Kim Hackler. He knows someone who may be interested in buying the property as-is. Barry stated that if no activity has been noted at the house, he will contact Kim and explain the possible consequences. He will call her about the realistic options moving forward. The Village could file suit against her, force all of this to happen or she could transfer the property over to the Village so we could do this the easy way without spending lots of time and money.
Unfinished Business: None
New Business:
Liquor License Renewals:
Urbanowski motion/Margherio second to approve Liquor Licenses for Cancun, Casey’s, Dick’s Tap, Ladd Lanes (subject to payment), Rip’s Tavern, and Softails.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 5-0
Covid Testing Site: Ken Pinkowski Sr. addressed the board for approval to open up a Covid testing center. He stated they are looking at 207 N. Main Ave. to open up a Covid testing site. Once they have approval from the Village Board on Village letterhead with the Village seal, they will send this information to the State of Illinois to get authorization to open this site. Pinkowski explained that this is State-funded and costs people nothing. Then they will purchase the property and the entire building will be a business. They will add a door on the side to allow safe entry and exit from the building. Once the Covid pandemic is over he will repurpose the building into another business. Pinkowski stated that if anyone in Ladd is looking for a job, they are planning to hire someone from the area to run it. Manning asked Atty. Barry if there were any legal concerns about allowing the testing site. Barry stated recently there have been some concerns about testing sites but there are no concerns about this site since it is through the State of Illinois. Pinkowski also told the board that he knows the state is providing home testing. He stated the difference between the home tests and this Covid testing site is they scan your state ID and provide a secure result to workplaces or the travel industry. Atty. Barry stated he doesn’t see any concern or liability for the Village. He feels this would be great to have more people coming into the Village.
Thrasher motion/Nelson second to allow a Covid testing site in the Village of Ladd.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 5-0
Flags: Resident Andy Ruggerio brought in a catalog from Collins Flags and stated that the quality of these flags is excellent. He suggested pricing nylon flags for the Village and giving Collins flags a try. Bezely put together a cost comparison. The Village has always purchased from Carrot Top and last year it was noted the usual nylon flags purchased shredded within 2 months. Upon calling Carrot Top to inform them of the shredded flags, Bezely was told that the Village should purchase the polyester flags as they are most durable. Bezely’s cost comparison was for polyester flags from Carrot Top $457.96 and for nylon flags from Collins Flags $181.45. There is concern about the quality of Collins flags since the cost is quite less. Urbanowski asked Bezely to list all flags the Village will need to purchase for 2022 and come back to the board with a comparison of the quantities needed for 2022. At that time the board will decide. Englehaupt told the board the flags at the Monument are changed once a year.
Itron Maintenance Quote: Maintenance support is due for next year for the Itron. Both hardware and software support is included for 1 year.
Thrasher motion/Urbanowski second to Renew the Itron Maintenance Agreement for $1,920.32.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 5-0
Announcements: Bezely stated there is a paper in the board packets showing the new minimum charges for water and sewer after the rates have been increased as of January usage per ordinance. Atty. Pat Barry told the board next meeting we will be having Verbal Blakey at the meeting to discuss the electric rate study. Electric rates will likely be increasing in May 2022. Englehaupt asked Barry if we could have Verbal help us with our net billing. Atty. Barry stated we will also be implementing a mandated policy for Solar or Wind power in March 2022. The Village is looking to implement a Net Billing policy/charge. There are lots of changes being made in solar and wind energy. Atty. Barry will reach out to Verbal via email to see if she can help us determine a reimbursement fee for customers who have solar power. Englehaupt mentioned to the board that the changes coming our way are going to come with a lot of monitoring, testing, and attention which means more personnel. Thrasher asked if we had any interest in solar or wind energy. Koch told the board that she has an email she is getting answers for right now where the resident would like to have a solar roof on his garage. There is interest and as it becomes more affordable it is felt there will be even more interest. Manning asked Atty. Barry if he could request the information early so the council could look at the numbers before the meeting. Margherio asked about the 5% maximum that was in the previous Net Metering Policy and Atty. Barry stated that all those prior rules go away with the new policy we put into place. The next meeting on February 8th will be quite in depth. Bezely told the council the next billing will have a 3.5% water increase and a 7% sewer increase. The spray foam has been completed by Full Spectrum. The insulated doors to the police garage were installed the last 2 days and Police Chief Dean added on keypads for outside both doors. This will add $90.00 to the quote since they were not part of the original quote. Shawn Emmett was hired as a PT Police Officer.
Mayor Pro Tem Manning wanted to thank Shawn Jeppson from Dick’s Tap for providing the food sampling tonight. This is a business in town that recently ventured into serving food. Manning thanked everyone for the meeting tonight.
Nelson Motion/Thrasher Second to adjourn.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 5-0
The meeting adjourned at 7:34 pm
https://www.villageofladd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2022-01-25-MINUTES.pdf
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