Illinois Valley Times

Coal City Village Board met Sept. 25

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

At 7:00p.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Mayor Dave Spesia called to order the meeting of the Coal City Village Board in the boardroom at Village Hall. Roll call-Dave Togliatti, Dan Greggain, Pamela Noffsinger, Tim Bradley, Bill Mincey, CJ Lauterbur and David Spesia. Also in attendance were Mark Heinle, village attorney, Ryan Hansen, village engineer, Police Chief Chris Harseim and Matt Fritz, village administrator. 

All present recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 

The warrant list was presented. After brief discussion, Mincey moved to approve the warrant list as written, second by Bradley. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Ordinance 24-22, granting a variance for the installation of a fence within the corner side yard at 225 S. Primrose. Fritz explained the home is at the northeast corner of Primrose and Richards in Meadow Estates and has a public park behind it and bike path, which runs next to their property line. The owner would like to add the fence along the back of the property allowing for utilities and a 2-foot setback along the sidewalk in the corner side yard. The Planning & Zoning Board gave a positive recommendation to grant this variance. Greggain moved to adopt Ordinance 24-22, granting a variance for the installation of a fence within the corner side yard, second by Bradley. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Resolution 24-09, entering into a Pickleball Recreational Programming Agreement regarding the creation and utilization of North Park Pickleball courts. Mayor Spesia indicated more information is needed and must be discussed prior to moving forward with this agreement. Noffsinger questioned having no tennis courts at North Park for the residents. Fritz indicated residents will be able to utilize the tennis courts at the high school. Noffsinger explained currently it is her understanding other sports teams, such as the soccer league, must pay the school a fee to utilize the schools facilities. She wanted to know if village residents also be charged to utilize the courts. Due to questions and concerns regarding the agreement Mayor Spesia requested the resolution to be tabled. Greggain moved to table Resolution 24-09, entering into a Pickleball Recreational Programming Agreement in order to obtain additional information, second by Bradley. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Mayor Spesia explained the authorization for final payment disbursement for the Second Avenue Project should be tabled for additional information at this time. Greggain moved to table the authorization for final payment disbursement, second by Togliatti. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Fritz explained the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) approved total expenditure on the current water treatment expansion project. Wren Construction tested its portion of raw water main and connected the well head with the new Well #7 and Midwest Well completed work as well. Bradley moved to authorize IEPA disbursement $173, 556 to Gene Wren Construction and $114,243 to Midwest Well Service, second by Togliatti. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Fritz explained the Village engaged in a few opportunities in order to allow competitiveness of the Coal City industrial park site located south of Reed Road in order to gain additional investment. The Grundy Economic Development Council (GEDC) has been invited to apply for an available planning grant from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunities (DCEO) to complete a few more tasks to assist with the initial entitlement that can be completed in order to better inform potential locators that this site is available for development. With the village being the applicant, approximately 20% must be pledged or $30,000.00, which will be paid from existing economic development proceeds. Bradley moved to enter into a grant application with GEDC for preliminary planning grant, second by Lauterbur. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Fritz explained the village has been undergoing an extensive audit process for the fiscal year May 1, 2022 until April 30, 2023 by a new firm, Sikich. There was a Finance Committee meeting the previous evening, which included the board, a representative from Sikich, the village's treasurer, Leanne Vota and finance manager Kristi Wickiser to discuss the findings. Vota presented a brief explanation of the audit to the board that Sikich submitted. The FY24 audit will occur in the first quarter of 2025 and is anticipated to move much more quickly. Greggain moved to adopt the FY2023 audit for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2023, second by Mincey. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey and Lauterbur. Nays; none. Motion carried. 

Mayor Spesia thanked Vota, Fritz and Wickiser for their work on the audit. Spesia also commented on the Fall Fest as well as the upcoming Grundy County Corn Festival he will be walking with other Mayors in the parade. Spesia also stated the Coal City Homecoming Parade is October 4, 2024 and the St. Juvin Lodge 1336 will be leading with colors. 

Mincey thanked everyone for their work on the Fall Fest. 

Lauterbur stated the Coaler Flags along Broadway look nice. Lauterbur also explained the Coal City Area Baseball shed in Lion's Park looks good and should be done today. 

Bradley thanked everyone who participated in the audit. Bradley stated the Fall Fest was good and the IML Conference went well. 

Noffsinger indicated the Fall Fest Bagna Cauda event on Friday went well and thanked everyone. The IML Conference was good and the new location was nice.

Greggain commented the car show at Fall Fest went well with 125 cars participating overall. 

Togliatti commented the Fall Fest was good and heard good comments on the day. 

Linda Sula, Deputy Clerk commented the Fall Fest went well. Overall, the food vendors were very pleased with sales and there are items that need to be looked at for next year. 

Heinle explained the agreement with the Coal City Tennis Association will be looked over again and changes will be made as requested. 

Hansen reported Carbon Hill Road curbing will be completed with Asphalt by P.T. Ferro Construction Company. 

Harseim reported there were no major problems at the Fall Fest. Harseim explained there should be more signage throughout the festival particularly by the BNSF tracks. Harseim also reported the PD made around $1,600 from the sales at their booth for the Denny Neary Scholarship fund. 

Fritz reported on Fall Fest vendors, as well as the Coaler Drive Bagna Cauda event and fireworks that were added on Friday. Fritz also announced that Gordon and Cathy Milne the recipients of the Community Service Award this year were very grateful and appreciative of the honor. He also thanked everyone for the time spent on the audit and announced he would be attending a retirement party for Shug Grosenbach and Duane Calbow of North Central Illinois Council of Governments (NCICG). 

Bradley moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:46 p.m., second by Mincey. Roll call-Ayes; Togliatti, Greggain, Noffsinger, Bradley, Mincey, Lauterbur and Spesia. Nays; none. Motion carried.

https://coalcity-il.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/VB-Meeting-Minutes-09-25-2024-Web.pdf