December 4, 2018
7:00 PM
Reagan Community Center<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Kristine L. Hill called the Regular Meeting of the Tampico Village Council to order at 7:00 PM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commissioners Al Wildman, Scott Meier and Todd Tornow were present. Assistant Clerk Jamie McIntire was also present. Village Clerk, Kathy Leathers, recorded the written and audio minutes. The meeting was also video recorded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minutes of the November 6, 2018 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said it\u2019s with a very heavy heart that we had to say goodbye to one of our Commissioners. He was a very involved resident in our community and a wonderful person. He is also my husbands cousin. He was willing to stand up many many times to help this community, and stands as an example to so many on how you should participate in a community. He\u2019s gone too soon, but honestly he did more in his short life then so many do in their long ones. We\u2019ll greatly miss Tim Church. It\u2019s been hard on the whole community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said also, I\u2019d like to mention that Chief Strike is not here today because yesterday he buried his father. I just also wanted with condolences and sympathy to him and his family, I would like to mention that as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said with Tim Church\u2019s passing, he has had a dear friend for many years that I asked if he\u2019d be willing to come up and step up to help our community and finish what Tim started. The last time I talked to Tim he told me I have to hang in there and finish what I started. I know Jim feels the same way on what Tim was trying to do, and how important this infrastructure project is for our community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
New Business
\nThe Mayor then jumped to New Business to discuss and approve the appointment of a new Council Commissioner, Jim Coleman. Mayor Hill said I\u2019ll need a motion and a second. A motion was made by Commissioner Meier with a second from Commissioner Wildman. \u201cYes\u201d votes were Wildman, Meier, Tornow and Mayor Hill. The motion carried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Newly appointed Village Commissioner Jim Coleman took his place at the Council Table where Village Clerk Kathy Leathers administered the oath of office and presented Coleman with information to assist him with carrying out his duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reports of Village Officials
Mayor Hill said we signed up with the Sauk Valley News to have Text Alerts. We have about 78 members currently. It did come in really handy when we had the snow emergency and when our garbage was a day late then again with the boil order. We were able to send all that information out. We just wanted to bring that option up again. It\u2019s really easy to sign up, and if you need help just call the Village Office. They\u2019ll help you get signed up with the Text Alert. We don\u2019t use it unless we absolutely have to. We don\u2019t pester with useless information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said I also am a member of the Whiteside County Enterprise Zone. We had a meeting last week and if anyone says there aren\u2019t jobs in our community, they are wrong. There are probably 400 to 500 jobs
\nin our community right now between HALO, Verifacts and Wahl Clipper. The list goes on and on. We have other companies that are becoming more and more interested in our area. There are informational meetings coming up on December 18th, 2018 at Morrison from 1pm to 2pm, and then the 19th is at Mt. Carroll from 1pm to 2pm. This is for businesses and anyone interested in helping to promote our community and our area. If you can look them up on the web you\u2019ll see that they are doing amazing things. They\u2019re bringing a lot of interest to our area which helps us all. If anyone says they don\u2019t have a ride for these jobs, they can use that transportation that even people with a license use because it\u2019s so much cheaper. We have more information about that here too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Village Clerk Kathy Leathers said for some time now we\u2019ve been trying to figure out a way for residents to be able to use debit cards and credit cards to pay their water bill. People have asked from time to time about it. After some checking around I found what\u2019s called CourtMoney. It\u2019s an Illinois company that a lot of communities use. I called some of them and they are so happy with it because CourtMoney takes all the risk. They also provide all the security when people pay their bills online. There\u2019s not a thing that we have to worry about. There will be a charge that is directed towards the person wanting to pay with their card. It\u2019s a percentage of the amount, so there will be no cost to the Village for using this. We\u2019ll be able to do it here in the office and won\u2019t have to have expensive machines. It\u2019s all done right on the computer, or we\u2019ll have information for our residents to be able to make the payments online themselves. I\u2019m really excited about using this because I think it will maybe cut down on late payments and the delinquent ones as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leathers said another thing, our Illinois Risk Management Association that covers workman\u2019s compensation, liability, insurance for the buildings, cars, vehicles, equipment and all that stuff is coming due. I usually recommend paying it in 2 installments. I provided you with all the information so that you can think about it then it\u2019ll be on the next Agenda. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leathers then said unfortunately, I\u2019m going to have to ask that we permanently transfer funds from Water and Sewer. I hate to do it but there\u2019s only so much money coming in to the General Fund. A lot of times that doesn\u2019t keep up with the increased cost of services and goods. I wouldn\u2019t ask if I didn\u2019t think it wasn\u2019t important to do. The State of Illinois is getting better with paying their bills, but since we\u2019re a small Municipality we don\u2019t get as big of share as everyone else. Mayor Hill said this isn\u2019t uncommon. We\u2019ve done it many times through the years. Leathers said Linda Taets use to do it every year when she was Village Clerk. We\u2019ve tried not doing it as much but unfortunately we\u2019re going to have to do it this year. Commissioner Wildman said we use to have a percentage set aside just for that purpose. Leathers said yes, they did that when they raised the rates all those years ago. The money that comes in to the General Fund is limited. Mayor Hill said we\u2019ll have that on our next Agenda as well. If you have any questions please get a hold of Leathers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leathers said our Employee Health Insurance is coming up for renewal as well. I wanted to provide you with that information as early as I could so you\u2019d have some time to think about it. I\u2019m expecting some more bids in from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna and one other one. Hopefully we\u2019ll get those in soon. Mayor Hill said when she said it was coming up I asked that she put it out for bid to keep it competitive as well. Leathers said we usually do try to get the different figures from different companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said I have one other thing. Moring Disposal is also going to put out a bid for our garbage and recycling contract as well. After having Republic Services here a few times and talking about the recycling issues around the country right now, I\u2019d like to possibly consider not having recycling until they find a better solution of where to put it. What we\u2019re doing is paying for recycling and then it gets put in a landfill. Until they find a way to use that recycling, I don\u2019t see why we\u2019d pay for that service. Commissioner Wildman said I was thinking that same thing. Mayor Hill said not that we have anything on the table right now, but I think it\u2019s something we could cross off the list. I\u2019d almost rather have the containers then the recycling. The Council Members agreed. Commissioner Coleman asked if Moring Disposal would do the same thing. Mayor Hill said yes, they have containers as well. I\u2019m interested in seeing what they come up
with. Wildman said the containers are a big labor saving for the garbage companies. Mayor Hill agreed. That\u2019s why I asked why is the rate going up when they don\u2019t even have to get out of the truck now. I know the equipment costs more but that shouldn\u2019t reflect on us. Saves them on labor and injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said another thing, I overheard that with President Bush\u2019s funeral tomorrow, federal buildings are going to be closed such as post offices and some banks. Sorry to see another President pass on. Commissioner Coleman said he lived a long life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said we did get the concession stand closed up at the ball diamond. Commissioner Wildman came and helped Wendi Ketchum and myself. We got everything that we thought needed to be moved to heated storage. We still need to gather up and sort out the baseball equipment. They\u2019re still working on doing a kickoff for baseball in January. It\u2019ll be a kickball kickoff with chili, and or hot dogs and brats. They\u2019re looking at the end of January. There will be more information to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commissioner Coleman asked the garbage stuff I\u2019m reading here, that bulk item, that\u2019s a 65 gallon cart? Mayor Hill said yes, and they do have a smaller one for the elderly residents but they ask to have everyone start with the bigger one to see if they can handle it. Coleman asked so this is similar to Sterling and Rock Falls? Mayor Hill said yes. I talked to Rock Falls and they are really happy with Moring Disposal. Republic is in Dixon but I haven\u2019t spoke to anyone there. I do think they are both good companies. We just have to see what works best for our community. Leathers said Doug with Moring would like to come to one of our meetings once he gets some figures together. Mayor Hill said absolutely. It\u2019s only fair. We want to make the best choice for our community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remarks from Guests
There were no Remarks from Guests at this time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unfinished Business
The Council began to go over any status updates with the Water Main Replacement Project. Mayor Hill said it\u2019s not out for bid yet, but it should be this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were no Building Permits to approve at this time. Clerk Leathers asked if we could take Building Permits off the Agenda for the winter. Mayor Hill said yes, and to just put it on if we do receive one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Communications
Clerk Leathers said we did get something from Mediacom today. Their rates are going to be going up the 1st of January. Local Broadcast Stations will be going up $2.94. Regional Sports are going to go up $0.03. Family TV is $2.00 and Prime TV is $2.00. So if you have all those things it will be about $7.00 a month more. At least they are letting us know that they are raising. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Tornow with a second by Commissioner Coleman. \u201cYes\u201d votes were Coleman, Wildman, Meier, Tornow and Mayor Hill. The motion carried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill said I also want to mention that not only is Jim replacing Tim on our Council, he\u2019s also replacing him in his position. He\u2019ll be taking care of the Water and Sewer where Tim left off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Hill also said that this year, Bruce Hill and Pat Burke moved a lot of our snow out to the ball diamond because it\u2019s a better place for it to melt off. I don\u2019t know why we didn\u2019t think of it before because it melts off nicely there and doesn\u2019t flood the streets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting adjourned at 7:18 PM. The next Regular Meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 7:00 PM in the Reagan Community Center located at 202 W. Second Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathy A. Leathers Kristine L. Hill
Clerk Mayor<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MINUTES APPROVED THIS 18th DAY OF December, 2018<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" December 4, 20187:00 PMReagan Community Center Mayor Kristine L. Hill called the Regular Meeting of the Tampico Village Council to order at 7:00 PM. Commissioners Al Wildman, Scott Meier and Todd Tornow were present. Assistant Clerk Jamie McIntire was also … Continue reading