REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL
OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
December 2, 2014
7:00 PM
Reagan Community Center
Mayor Kristine L. Hill called the regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council to order at 7:00 PM.
Commissioners Toby Johnson, Bruce Hill, Mary Jo Sigel and Derrick Maupin were present.
Police Chief Terry Strike was present and Village Clerk Kathy Leathers recorded the digital and written minutes.
Mayor Hill led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Minutes of the November 18, 2014 minutes were approved as presented. The November 18, 2014 Public Hearing Notes for the Storm Siren Grant were reviewed as well.
There were no remarks from guests at this time.
Clerk Leathers advised council members she has received the complete grant application from CFPS, Inc. and it will be available in her office for review.
The council next reviewed the Tax Levy Worksheet. Leathers advised them the village’s EAV is down along with other area communities. She also told them this year’s levy increase will amount to 4.99%. Commissioner Sigel asked Leathers if she had any idea how much the village will get from the 1% increase from Whiteside County tax that was just passed. Leathers advised her the village will not see any portion of that tax since it will go directly to the schools. Leathers also told Sigel the tax increase will go directly into the school’s building fund for building maintenance and upgrades. Sigel then asked if the tax levy would be coming from the real estate taxes. Mayor Hill told Sigel yes. Leathers advised the council she would have the tax levy ordinance in it’s official form at their next meeting after the village attorney reviews it. The levy must be filed with the Whiteside County Clerk and the Whiteside County Treasurer’s office before the last Tuesday of December which will be December 30, 2014. Commissioner Sigel wanted to know approximately how much per person? Mayor Hill told Sigel it depends on the property. Mayor Hill stated some are not valued as high as others, it would depend on the individual tax rate. Mayor Hill said the increase is a very small, barely noticable amount, the village has been doing it for years. Commissioner Sigel asked if it was $50-$100.00. Mayor Hill said for some and she really doesn’t think it’s that much. Mayor Hill explained it’s for the village portion of the tax bill, not the entire tax bill.
Commissioner Maupin stated, to review, the village’s tax, or the village’s chunk, what’s listed as Tampico on the tax payment, the village’s chunk is what the council is increasing. Maupin said it’s only 105% of what the village’s tiny chunk of what the entire tax bill is. Mayor Hill agreed.
Council discussion turned to approving an ordinance creating rules for citizen participation at public meetings. Mayor Hill said basically what this is, the Attorney General has come down and mandated that the village has this as an ordinance. She said the village has had the policy for a long time, since 2004, so it’s good the village has been proactive. Mayor Hill said if you go through and compare the two policies, it just kind of expounds on what the current policy is. She said it explains things a little bit better and clarifies things. Commissioner Sigel said except where it limits freedom of speech for the people. Mayor Hill said not really, no. Mayor Hill stated the policy says if they go over, and right now we’ve had it at 5 minutes, people have talked for 20 minutes. Commissioner Sigel asked if the council keeps the current one and leave it at 5 minutes, they are able to do that. Mayor Hill said the 3 minutes is a reasonable amount of time for someone to state their case and if the council needs to expound on it, you expound on it. Commissioner Sigel said she is talking about #4, [of the proposed policy], where the public is not allowed to ask questions. Sigel said this is how they come and learn, if they have a problem they are going to come and ask questions. Mayor Hill said there comes a point in a meeting, too, where the council is here to conduct business, the council has an open forum and if a resident raises their hand and they do have a comment and it’s conducive to do so, then they are addressed. Commissioner Sigel said but this is a meeting where they come to ask, this is a place where they need to learn. Mayor Hill said this isn’t a town hall meeting, this is the board meeting. Commissioner Sigel said, but it is. Mayor Hill continued a town hall meeting is where you do a meet and greet and everybody converses on all topics and we are here to conduct business. Mayor Hill stated if it’s not on the agenda then we are not following the rules. Commissioner Sigel said, but the remarks from guests has been working great so why change it? Mayor Hill said that is what she has been saying. Mayor Hill stated the proposed policy just expounds and explains it better, what’s the difference? Mayor Hill asked what is the difference, the policy actually give people more understanding of what this does. Commissioner Sigel said the same thing with number 2, repetition. Sigel said people have the right to ask questions and whether it’s the same thing, they have a right to be heard. Mayor Hill said if you look at the municipal code, for people to come in and continue to badger in repetition, then it is not allowed. Commissioner Sigel said what if they have a question about it. Mayor Hill said if they have further new questions, yes. Commissioner Sigel said if it’s the same thing, it’s still a problem with what’s going on. Commissioner Hill said that’s why they are given 3-5 minutes so they state their case. Commissioner Sigel said, you are saying repetition, you don’t want to talk about it. Mayor Hill said if the council has covered the topic and are working on it and there is nothing further to go over with it, what is the point of sitting there and beating a dead horse. Commissioner Sigel said this is their freedom of speech, they have a right to be heard. Mayor Hill said if they have a complaint they can send it and sign and put it in for further review. Then Mayor Hill said, they can be put on the agenda, then they can talk further. Commissioner Sigel said and this is where they’re trying to keep it alive. Mayor Hill told Sigel, there is so little difference, this explains it much better. Commissioner Sigel said you’re trying to change it. Mayor Hill said this is what our attorney recommends. This is what Attorney Shirk sent to us, Mayor Hill said and what he recommended. Commissioner Sigel said he has offered either or from what the letter said. Mayor Hill told Sigel, Shirk said it is in our best interest to take this, and we can do a change and adjust as needed in the future. Commissioner Sigel asked why change it when it is doing fine now. Mayor Hill told Sigel, this is a policy and this is an ordinance and we need to have an ordinance in place. Commissioner Johnson said because that’s what it comes down to, they are requiring an ordinance. Commissioner Hill agreed. Commissioner Sigel said this is still saying the rules, then make this into an ordinance, same thing, same rules. Commissioner Johnson said that’s why the council is doing that. Mayor Hill said the attorney already has, he went over our policy and made it into an ordinance. Clerk Leathers asked those present to again look over the ordinance. Commissioner Sigel said that’s fine, that she has no problem with. Sigel said she has no problem with that, she has a problem with the rules. Leathers asked Sigel if she saw the last sentence in the proposed ordinance that says, “the rules may be amended from time to time by majority vote of the members of the village council”. Leathers said the ordinance is the important thing the council has to have it on record that it has this policy and it needs to be in an ordinance form. Leathers continued by saying the council has been doing this for quite some time and this council and the councils before have been very liberal with the amount of time they give to audience participation. Commissioner Sigel said then stick with the 5 minutes, she has no problem with that. Mayor Hill said she does not see what another 2 minutes and another $100.00 attorney fee when the council has not been really limiting anybody at the 5 minutes now. Mayor Hill stated the council has let them have their say and the council is not sitting there and watching them with a timer, but however… Mayor Hill asked Sigel what the problem was with 2 minutes. Mayor Hill stated they are arguing over 2 minutes. Commissioner Sigel said she is saying the mayor is limiting them to their freedom of speech. Mayor Hill said, no, the council is not limiting anyone. Commissioner Sigel said number 2, number 4. Commissioner Johnson said especially since they have the right to get on the agenda, if they come in 5 days prior. Commissioner Sigel said number 7, number 9, number 8. Commissioner Johnson said the council is asking for more structure not limiting their freedom of speech if they come in 5 days prior with their issue and get on the agenda and then speak freely. Mayor Hill said they are given a second chance to come in, sign up and put their topic down and still be on the agenda in remarks from guests, this is the portion of the meeting when we hear from the public and we cannot act on anything unless it is on this agenda and there may be topics we need to put on the agenda because of the remarks from guests. Commissioner Sigel asked why this was not discussed before it went to the lawyer. Mayor Hill said it has been here forever and this came down through the lawyer. Commissioner Sigel said she means why wasn’t this discussed before it went to the lawyer. Mayor Hill said he, [the attorney], sent it over to us because he found it and he sent it to all his towns. Commissioner Sigel said the council can discuss it with him and have him redo it. Mayor Hill said she has no problem with it and would like to approve it. Commissioner Sigel said she respectfully asked to have it tabled. Mayor Hill said she doesn’t see a reason to. Resident, Sue Frank, said she respectfully petitions this board to table the ordinance for 30 days so the citizens of the village have time to research the ordinance limiting rights to voice their concerns to this board. Frank said that is their right. Mayor Hill said the council is not limiting anything here. Commissioner Hill said it’s the same as it’s always been. Commissioner Sigel and Frank both said it’s not. Frank said the people have a right to…. Commissioner Sigel stated she didn’t mind passing the ordinance with the current policy. Commissioner Hill said he would make a motion for the council to pass it. Frank said it’s wrong. Frank said the council has to honor what she just asked them to do, table it for 30 days, it’s the law. Leathers asked Frank where she found that. Frank said that is what she was told. When asked by whom, Frank said a newspaper person. Commissioner Johnson said he does not believe he has ever heard that and he believes the council can make a motion to vote if somebody seconds it the council can continue to a vote. Johnson said that is his understanding. Leathers said it is neither here nor there, the ordinance does not state the policy itself. Leathers said they can argue however they like between the two policies with or without the ordinance. Leathers said if this is going to be an issue, fine. Mayor Hill said the council would spend another couple hundred dollars on it when the majority of the board feels it is appropriate to put in place. Frank asked why it was going to take another couple hundred dollars. Mayor Hill told her she, Frank, is asking the council in a petition to table it for another 30 days and now review again with the attorney and more hours with him at a minimum of $200 per hour when this can be amended at any time when there are issues with it in the future. Clerk Leathers suggested the council should have Mr. Shirk at the next meeting. Mayor Hill and Commissioner Hill agreed.
Clerk Leathers advised the day care ordinance recently passed calls for a board of seven members. The volunteers have been moving ahead with plans and getting things done trying to get this closer to completion. Leathers told the council at this time it has been recommended that the President be Cindy Abell Slock, Vice President – Staci Etheridge Shaffer, Secretary – Renee Wetzell, Treasurer – Mary Wendland, Connie Cooper, Toby Johnson and Kristine Hill as Mayor will be on the board. Mayor Hill called for a motion to approve the appointments. Commissioner Johnson made the motion with a second by Commissioner Hill. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Hill, Maupin and Mayor Hill. Commissioner Sigel voted “No”. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill asked for a motion and a second to approve the appointment of Connie Cooper as Administrative Director of the Tiger Cubbies Day Care at the rate of $15.00 per hour for no more than 20 hours per week. A motion was made by Commissioner Johnson, second by Commissioner Hill. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Hill, Maupin and Mayor Hill. Commissioner Sigel voted “No”. The motion carried.
Reports – Village Officials
Commissioner Maupin reported the village is still waiting to hear back from the big water test that was taken. Maupin said there is usually a two week lead time and it could be longer because of the holiday. Maupin stated Superintendent Pierce talked with the testing firm today and it may be another week yet.
Commissioner Maupin reported to Sue Frank that a test done at her residence came back with no bacteria. Frank told Maupin she already knew that since she took the test to Whiteside County. Frank told Maupin she thought the village was going to test for magnesium. Mayor Hill told Frank the recently done testing cost the village $110.00. Frank argued she paid $35.00. Mayor Hill advised for the village to take the sample to their usual testing site it cost $110.00. Frank asked about the more expensive water sample they took to Peru. Maupin told Frank that’s the two-week time limit test the village is waiting for. Commissioner
December 2, 2014 Regular Meeting Minutes, cont’d.
Sigel asked if that was from the water tower. Commissioner Maupin told Sigel it’s the one from the water tower and the Kickback. Maupin said Pierce was under the understanding it was going to be 48 hours. Mayor Hill said for the preliminary report. Maupin said Pierce did not get the results yesterday so he called them today to find out what was going on and they told him it would be the two week time frame.
Mayor Hill told the council the village received $3,500.00 for the day care from the Prophetstown Area Community Foundation.
Mayor Hill reminded everyone there is still time to buy gifts for the area Toys for Tots fund drive.
Mayor Hill also told council members the Christmas Trees along Main Street in memory of Harold Grimes are in place.
Commissioner Sigel stated there has been some interest in day care for elderly kids, like during storms or when school is closed. Sigel wanted to know if there was any possibility… Mayor Hill told Sigel the village has to get the proposed day care going first and they can expand after that. Mayor Hill said Connie, [Cooper] will be a huge asset to that, to help the village get more age groups and get the infants and do all these things they would like to help service the kids more in this community. Mayor Hill said they have do one group at a time. The Mayor stated things are going really great, they have things really in line especially after tonight voting that stuff in is going to help move it along, extremely, it will help the day care get the grants and funding.
Mayor Hill handed out copies of the general fund income reports for October and November.
There were no communications.
Bills were paid on a motion by Commissioner Johnson, second by Commissioner Hill. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Hill, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:23 PM. The next regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Reagan Community Center located at 202 W. Second Street.
Kathy A. Leathers________________________Kristine L. Hill ___________________
Clerk Mayor
MINUTES APPROVED THIS 16th__ DAY OF ________December ____________, 2014
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
