Village of Ladd Village Board met March 28
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
The Ladd Village Board met in regular session on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in the Village Hall. Village President, Frank Cattani called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm and led the pledge of allegiance to the American flag.
Roll Call: Present: Trustees Jim Manning, Dave Margherio, Jan Martin, Dan Nelson, Molly Thrasher, and Mike Urbanowski
In attendance: Clerk Bezely, Police Chief Frund, Superintendent Englehaupt, Atty. Pat Barry, Engineer Adam Ossola
Margherio motioned/Thrasher second to accept the March 14, 2023, regular meeting minutes as presented.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 6-0
Martin motioned/Manning second to authorize payment of the bills in the amount of $99,079.11.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 6-0
Nelson motioned/ Martin second to accept the Treasurer's Report for February 2023.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 6-0
Correspondence: A thank you note from the Galloway Family (Mario & Susan Data) was read.
Public Comment: None
Committee Reports: Trustees Nelson & Margherio spoke regarding a request for the removal of a dead tree on the berm on W Pine Street. It was decided we will reevaluate this tree in the spring after it has had time to bud/leaf out.
Engineer’s Report: Ossola reported that IDOT approved the 2023 Motor Fuel Program so he will work on getting it ready for bid. Ossola also told the council the Water Main Replacement Project contractor is ready to work on concrete. He was told it may start to happen this week. New Business: Approve Procedures for Safe Routes to School for Engineering Procurement: Ossola explained that the design engineering is not paid by the grant; therefore Chamlin was allowed to perform this portion. Construction engineering is part of the grant; therefore, it is necessary to follow the conditions of the funding and obtain bids for the construction portion. The bid advertisement will publish on March 29, 2023, and April 1, 2023.
We will allow 14 days for these bidders to submit the required information. Once bids are obtained, the Committee that President Cattani puts together will rank the bidders on Friday, April 21, 2023. A construction engineer will be awarded at the April 28, 2023 meeting. Manning motioned/Nelson second to Approve Procedures for Safe Routes to School for Engineering Procurement.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 6-0
Superintendent’s Report: Englehaupt informed the board that Albrecht Well Drilling, Inc. performed the emergency work and has Well #3 up and running again.
Nelson motioned/Thrasher second to Formally Approve the Proposal of $10,988.00 for Well #3 Repairs to Bring Water to the Village of Ladd Residents.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 6-0
President Cattani asked Englehaupt about the manhole in the alley by Crowther’s that he would like to see raised approximately 2” to help with flooding. Ossola will make sure this gets taken care of.
Police Chief: Frund told the board Samantha Sarosinski has applied for the camera grant. It was finally open for application. Sarosinski went to Putnam County to be trained on compliance to assist Frund with State compliance reporting. We recently sent information to a possible investor. Frund told the council we are down to only 6 part-time officers. Frund asked the board to consider allowing officer Adam Conness to work over 1,000 hours which would require that he be enrolled in IMRF to utilize him as much as he is willing to work. Conness was recently approached by an area PD asking him to work for $36.00/hour.
Conness is not asking for a wage increase he would just like to work over 1,000 hours for Ladd to meet his income goals. He told Frund he is willing to work for Ladd for the next 10 years if the council will allow him to work as many hours as he would like. The council asked if they could think about it and rediscuss this at the next meeting. Frund told them Conness is an exemplary employee and with 25 years of experience he does not want to lose him. He works many of the shifts that are open which brings excellent coverage to Ladd. Adding Conness to IMRF would cost the Village approximately $5,000.00 per year depending on his exact number of hours worked. Many area police departments are short officers and Frund would like the board to allow him to work and enroll him in IMRF. Frund mentioned it takes 10 years to be vested in IMRF and feels he would not leave before he gets his pension. It was stated that if he chose to leave Ladd and found another IMRF employer he may take this route. The council wanted to take time to consider the situation. Atty. Barry suggested this issue be placed on the next agenda to keep the council’s commitment and the employee's commitment documented so everyone is aware. Frund brought up wanting to get a towing policy in place. He will work with Atty. Barry. Frund told the council they are getting a lot of suspended vehicles. With a towing policy in place, we could get some money from tickets issued. Frund said that he had his first burning complaint. He has asked that we remind residents of the new burning days and times via text alert and Facebook.
Building Inspector: Not in attendance
Village Attorney: Attorney Barry told the council he wrote another letter to Ron Kaczmarek regarding his porch. Mr. Kaczmarek called the Clerk’s Office to report he cannot get anyone to call him back to help get his porch replaced/repaired. Bezely gave him a phone number of a new construction company in town that was willing to help get this resolved. Kaczmarek was going to contact them right away. Urbanowski spoke about the old furniture store having the power to it. He feels this is unsafe with the amount of the roofing that blows off each week it is a fire hazard. Englehaupt stated that it only has temporary power.
Any use of the power would need to have a cord run to the pole. None of the outlets inside are hot. This was good news to the council. The council feels we need to start to fine the owner. Atty. Barry will work with Chief Frund to get this accomplished.
New Business: Discuss Baseball Fields at Kennedy Park: Steve Bosi spoke to the council and explained that the small diamond is in bad shape. Bosi distributed a bid from D & M Landscaping & Excavating LLC for repairs to the small field to make it playable. A lengthy discussion ensued. It was decided that Steve would be appointed by the board to oversee the Ladd Village Park Baseball Fields. The council asked Steve to speak with Denny Galetti and try to have the remaining balance (approximately $3,000.00) in the Ladd Youth Baseball account kept in Ladd to help pay for the repairs of the small diamond. The Village of Ladd will continue to pay for weed control at the baseball fields. Steve Bosi is willing to coordinate all games, practices, and maintenance of the fields. He will contact the Village of Ladd if issues arise. Steve will try to get other people to assist him in the maintenance of the fields.
New Business: Request for Donation to Local Union 51 Golf Outing: No action Request for Donation to Spring Valley Little League: The council discussed that they would prefer to hold off on donating at this time until some questions are answered by the Spring Valley Little League board of directors. Thrasher felt that regardless of getting questions answered the Ladd kids play on the Spring Valley team.
Thrasher motioned/Urbanowski second to Donate $100.00 to Spring Valley Little League
Ayes: Thrasher, Urbanowski
Nays: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson – Motion did not pass 2-4
Request for Donation to Project Success for Easter Dinners: Martin told the council that 78 Ladd residents have been recently served by the food pantry.
Manning motioned/Margherio second to Donate 8 Dinners to Project Success for Easter for a total of $320.00.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Nelson, Urbbanowski - Motion carried 4-2
Abstain: Martin, Thrasher (both are on the Project Success board of directors)
Weed Control for 2023: Margherio motioned/Urbanowski second to Accept the Proposal from D&M Landscaping & Excavating LLC for 2023 Weed Control of $1,560.00 annually.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski – Motion carried 6-0
Future Employee in Clerk’s Office: President Cattani mentioned Samantha Sarosinski is still helping out in the police and clerk’s office. Margherio brought up a prior conversation he had with Cattani regarding
Samantha being terminated once her settlement was received. Cattani stated that he told Frund he could utilize her as long as he needed her. Margherio stated he was told she was staying to help supplement her workman’s comp by making $14/hour. Her settlement is complete. Cattani stated that Sarosinski is very helpful with both departments. Frund and Bezely agreed. Bezely mentioned that the discussion of a future employee in the clerk’s office was brought about by Trustee Nelson. He comes into the office pretty often and feels another employee would be beneficial for all parties. The council asked why Sarosinski wouldn’t work as a police officer if she’s been cleared to do so since she is paid more money as an officer.
Frund explained there aren’t always shifts available for her to take. The shifts go by seniority. The council asked how many hours Sarsonski is currently working and Bezely stated that she keeps her hours under 1,000 so we don’t have to pay IMRF on her. Julie & Rhonda have vacation time and sick time along with Frund, and we need to be able to use our time Bezely stated. Bezely mentioned teaching Sarosinski both meter reading and other duties of the clerk as a backup in case of vacation or illness. Bezely mentioned sending Sarosinski to school for grant writing if she’s interested. Bezely asked NCICG if Ladd writes grants themselves and is awarded them, but needs them administered does NCICG do that? She was told yes.
A lot is going on in the clerk’s office and assistance with grants, the Christmas walk, the website, Facebook, etc would allow Bezely more time to manage, look over billing, and set up projects. Margherio asked if we were looking to make Sarosinski a full-time employee. It was suggested that we figure out what we need hourly per week. Martin asked if a set schedule would be helpful. Martin asked Bezely to prepare a simple job description with what she is looking for this would help the council with their decision. The council feels 20 hours a week would be a good amount of hours. The discussion will continue at the next meeting on April 11, 2023.
Announcements: Bezely told the board the BC Tourism Guide information came in this afternoon. The board would like to be part of this and advised Bezely to see if we could get the same deal as last year.
Bezely will speak with Jared Bell and provide the 2023 Village of Ladd information. This will be approved in the bills at the next meeting. Bezely put together detailed information from Ladd homeowner Mark Lucas.
He felt his electric meter may not be working properly due to his Ladd bill for an empty house being considerably more than his Peru bill for a house that 2 people are living in. The council understands Mark Lucas’s concerns but it is due to the size of Ladd and the industry/business in Ladd vs. Peru’s industry/business which helps keep costs much lower in Peru. They thanked Mark Lucas for bringing this to their attention. Bezely also spoke about the balance of money in the garbage fund. She explained where the revenue comes from in detail and the spreadsheet provided detailed the current pricing for monthly garbage pickup vs. the new cost on our new contract with Republic Services. Bezely wants the council to be 100% aware of the entire situation before raising rates. Bezely then spoke to the council on behalf of Nick Bazydlo. He spoke at length with Bezely about the water debt and storm sewer debt fees in the Village of Ladd. Ordinance 825 states Debt Service Fee is hereby imposed upon each customer drawing a water supply from the Village of Ladd, an extra monthly water debt service fee of $10. For purposes of this Ordinance “customer” is defined as each separate residential, commercial, or industrial unit utilizing the Village’s water supply, whether or not such unit is separately metered. Bazydlo is just asking that everyone be treated the same. We have recently had businesses that previously never had a residence in the back that now have apartments in the back. The council directed Bezely to add an additional water debt fee and storm sewer debt fee to these accounts since they have a business front (whether empty or not) and a residence in the back. Therefore; they must be charged (2) water debt fees and (2) storm sewer debt fees). Bezely asked how the term grandfathered in came about since the prior Village Presidents stated that residents have never been allowed on Main Avenue. Margherio stated that when he was on the board initially, many years ago, the entire downstairs of a Main Avenue building HAD to be a business. Then upon his return to the board two years ago, the Ordinance now states the front 50% must be a business and the back 50% must be occupied by the building owner's family members (see ordinance for full details) or by the manager of the business located in the front of the building. The council is adamant that the downtown remain businesses and is not allowing variation of the ordinances.
Thrasher asked about the status of the building on Main Avenue near the post office that we spoke about a couple of meetings ago. The renter has moved out and the sale has fallen through. The possible buyer for the Main Avenue property near the post office is now looking at the old furniture store. Frund received information back from Brad Foster of Spring Valley Little League. Foster stated that last year they said they were taking the grass out of the infield so he didn’t schedule that field for games. Foster was told the Village takes care of the fields like Spring Valley does which isn’t accurate. Frund told the board he would speak with Galetti, Foster, and Bosi about Ladd’s fields and report back to the board next meeting.
Martin motioned/Thrasher second to adjourn.
Ayes: Manning, Margherio, Martin, Nelson, Thrasher, Urbanowski - Motion carried 6-0
The meeting adjourned at 8:18 pm
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