REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
March 17, 2015
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. Public Works Superintendent Tom Pierce, Police Chief Terry Strike and Sergeant Boyd VanDellen were also present.
Mayor Hill led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Minutes of the March 3, 2015 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.
Representatives from Mediacom, Don Demay and Kate Hotle, were present to discuss matters in regard to the Village’s Land Lease and Franchise Agreement with the cable company. At the request of Mayor Hill, Mediacom will send out each agreement with both having expiration dates that will match to avoid confusion as to what is due when.
They told the council adding additional services for the village is in Mediacom’s budget and they are hoping to come to an agreement with the broadbrand fiber optic network. Commissioner Maupin told those present he has had discussions before with DeMay and Hotle and the biggest thing for Mediacom right now would be the internet. Maupin said the rest of it as far as the TV and stuff would depend on how competitive price wise they would be. Maupin stated everyone in town has satellite already so they, [Mediacom] would have to be better and offer something to switch and Maupin is sure if they offered a sweet deal to switch they would get a lot of people switched. Maupin said as for himself, personally, and he knows other people in town that like to switch around every couple of years. Maupin told Demay and Hotle it would help them but honestly, he thinks the internet is going to be the biggest gain. Demay told the council Mediacom has a lot of TiVo products. Demay said that is the new streaming product coming out that will have web-based features and to be honest a lot of their video services down the road are going to be through IP, through Broadband. He said the services will not be conventional like it is now. Maupin said he would like to see the council help however they can to get information back for them. Maupin said honestly he wholeheartedly understands that if the cable company only has 20 or 30 customers they would never get their money back and he would not ask a businessman to do that kind of investment. Maupin told the company representatives if the council could come up with a good, solid number for them, he would be okay in helping push getting this going. Demay told the council the plant here in Tampico is already upgraded to carry everything needed, it’s just the fiber optic. Demay said the upgrades were done years ago in the plant. Audience member Beth Etheridge told Demay and Holte, she would definitely be very interested, then she would definitely get rid of her dish. Etheridge said her current internet provider, Frontier, is not very good on her side of town. She said she has to constantly reboot and sometimes, three times a day. Etheridge said when she calls them they tell her they are upgrading. She said they have been telling her that for two years now. Etheridge told Demay and Hotle if they brought internet in that would be awesome. Commissioner Hill said then he wouldn’t have to go out and wipe off the dish in 20 below zero weather. Demay said they got extra customers after that snowstorm, especially ones that had their dish on second story roofs. Demay told those present if they have any other questions after this meeting not to hesitate to ask. Hotle passed out their contact information and said any of the council members are welcome to contact them even if there is a resident out there who calls about an issue, a Mediacom customer, please contact either of them. Al Morthland asked Demay and Hotle if you had to have internet to get Mediacom. Demay told him no, that’s just one service, they carry a phone product that’s unlimited long distance to anywhere, the United States, Canada as well as home security. Demay said back when he started it was just a 20 channel system and now they carry 400 channels and lots of extra services, internet and now home security. Demay said they just got into that market, where customers are able to control their thermostat from your smart phone, unlock your door from you smart phone and arm your system. Hotle said you can watch your kids. She said you can literally login from any computer and see what’s going on. Demay said right from your smart phone you can look at video cameras staged in your house. Mayor Hill thanked both Hotle and Demay for coming and advised them she would pass on the agreements as soon as she gets them.
Remarks From Guests
Al Morthland wanted to know how far along the sidewalk is in front of Kickback that was supposed to be done last year. Mayor Hill told him the project is complete and is now waiting for funding. Mayor Hill told him it didn’t make this round of funding but it is still in the process.
Morthland also complained about properties in town that look like junkyards. Commissioner Hill advised him his department is working on them and sending letters out. Morthland wanted to know how long the village gave the property owner to get it done. Commissioner Hill told him each month the person is late, the fine goes up. Morthland asked if the village had also notified the property owner of the old gas station. Chief Strike told him the property owner is cleaning that up now and will soon be in compliance. Mayor Hill advised Morthland property owners are working on the clean up.
Morthland said he didn’t know if they had all been told about the meeting Thursday night. Mayor Hill told him they heard about it. Morthland asked if it was alright if they have it in the council room. Mayor Hill told him yes. Morthland told the council he would set it up Wednesday afternoon. Mayor Hill told him he could probably just come in early Thursday. Morthland told her he had people lined up to come Wednesday afternoon. Mayor Hill asked him if it would be when the village clerk was in. Morthland said yes he had already told the clerk that. Mayor Hill said okay.
Resident Beth Etheridge spoke next. She stated she was told that at the last meeting their alley was brought up again and she wanted to know the reason for that because she thought the alley issue was dead in the water because it was going to cost too much and the run-off would come right to her house. Etheridge said back whenever that was, how many years ago, the Etheridge’s agreed to it if it was done the right way because at that time public works was just going to dig it out and put rock on top. Etheridge said the run-off would have been coming right to them. Mayor Hill said the issue was back up in 2008 and the village did a study on it and had all the engineering on it and it was very costly. Etheridge just wants to know why it was brought up again. Mayor Hill said Public Works Superintendent Pierce had told her they were “dedicated” but never open. Mayor Hill told them those alleys were used for utilities. Etheridge said she was told by Art Radake the alley was only open because that was when he picked up garbage and it was so he, [Radake] could drive down and pick up garbage. Etheridge said she has lived there for almost 29 years and she has mowed that alley for those 29 years. Mayor Hill stated she did not see the feasibility in it. Mayor Hill said the council has looked at it several times. Etheridge said she just wondered why someone who has nothing to do with that alley had to bring it up. Commissioner Sigel said there is someone who lives on that alley that brought it up was why. Etheridge asked Sigel if they were here at the meeting to bring it up. Sigel said no, they had brought it to her attention and she needs to make sure it has been legally closed. Mayor Hill said she does not think it was ever legally opened, it was dedicated as a utility and as a utility it has to be moved too and that is from all the research the village has done in the past. Commissioner Sigel said she would take a look at the file. Mayor Hill said she would find the file and Commissioner Sigel said thank you. Etheridge said at one point, and she doesn’t know if it is true, someone who is involved in city government, not Tampico’s, said that if an alley has not been maintained by the municipality for 20 years, that property goes back to the people whose property butts up against it. Etheridge stated, like she has said, she has mowed it for 29 years. Mayor Hill said there is, and a person could legally take that over if you have maintained it. Mayor Hill said they have a similar situation with a field near them.
Morthland said he brought up the trees hanging over the alley going up to the Men’s Club. Mayor Hill asked Commissioner Sigel if she had gotten a hold of the realtor. Sigel said the realtor was supposed to get a hold of the owner. Another resident said they have been cutting back trees at the vacant house. Morthland said going up along the alley, they are not trimmed off. Morthland said they are in between the Men’s Club and Casey’s. Morthland said they are not trimmed up. Mayor Hill said she called ComEd today for the one behind Casey’s because the low hanging branches scratched someone’s car. Mayor Hill advised ComEd is sending someone out to take care of it. Morthland said if you meet two cars there it scratches your vehicle up. Mayor Hill told Morthland ComEd is taking care of the one right behind, [Casey’s], they put the work order in today.
Mayor Hill said the council has pretty much covered the discussion with the Mediacom Franchise Agreement. The council will need to get the new one sent to them before it can be acted upon.
Discussion turned to setting a date and time for a budget work meeting. Mayor Hill said she has her portion done. She also said she doesn’t know how anyone else is coming with theirs but the council can work on it longer. She said there have been times when the budget has been approved in May before and if that is the case the council can work on them through April and then if you know who will be on the board at that time can have a little more input. Mayor Hill said it’s entirely up to the council and they could talk a little more at their April meeting. Commissioner Maupin said he should have his finished by the April meeting. Commissioner Hill said he started on his but he will get with Terry. Commissioner Johnson said he would spend a few minutes with the village clerk for his. Maupin asked if the village clerk needed to have council members work on it all together or if they needed appointments to work on their department budgets.
Discussion turned to using Water/Sewer funds for the South Main Place sewer repairs and the W. Kimball Street lift station upgrades. Mayor Hill asked Superintendent Pierce if he had anything to add to the discussion. Pierce said other than deciding to leave the cost of a generator out of the project costs. Pierce said the generator could be purchased separately for the lift station. Pierce said village engineers have told him it is easier to not put a generator on the bid because once it is bid out it requires a 30 decibel sound generator. Mayor Hill said a lot of the generators don’t get funded, it would get kicked out because of that. Pierce said it could be done after the fact and just bid out the generator. Maupin said he remembered Pierce telling him there was a need for a generator for that one, the lift station. Maupin said he thinks the project is a good thing and this is what the council set the water / sewer rates for, this is why the council set the rates where they are and this is what the council said they needed to use the money on and this way the council is actually using the money for that purpose and the village is just not sitting on it. Commissioner Johnson said it is nice to see it come to fruition the way it is supposed to be. Maupin said it is working out as designed by the people before him and this is what the council needs to do. Pierce told the council the village had trouble over the last weekend with a sewer line that goes to South Main Place and they could not tell whether it was the village’s problem or the property owner’s problem since there is no manhole, no access. Commissioner Maupin said he wholeheartedly agrees that something needs to be done. Maupin said it could be a time bomb waiting to happen. A motion was made by Commissioner Maupin with a second by Commissioner Sigel to approve the use of Water/Sewer account funds to repair a sewer line at South Main Place and to make updates to the West Kimball Street lift station at a cost of approximately $122,300.00. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Hill, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Commissioner Johnson told the Council Tim Hatten has officially resigned from the Tampico Recreation Board. Johnson said no one has stepped forward to replace him and the Board has not chosen anyone new as of yet. Johnson said they are on watch to find somebody. Johnson told the council if they know of anyone and they would like to inquire just have them come into village hall and ask about it or contact him if they can. On a motion by Commissioner Johnson, second by Commission Hill, the resignation of Tim Hatten from the Tampico Recreation Committee was approved. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Hill, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill signed a proclamation designating May 2015 as Motorcycle Awareness Month in conjunction with A.B.A.T.E. [A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education].
Reports of Village Officials
Commissioner Johnson reported they had a good registration for baseball. He said it was pretty much the same as last year. He reported he would not put it out officially yet, but a few of the leagues are short and the board will see what they have to do to get them to the right number by making some calls. Johnson said if they are unable to, they will combine certain leagues, of course they have to play in the higher league because you cannot bring the higher kids down to play on the lower leagues. Johnson said it is unfortunate in that sense, but that is just the way it is right now. Johnson said they have had an inquiry from Prophetstown asking if Tampico would like to combine a few of their teams to play as one. Johnson said it was suggested Tampico would be able to do practices split evenly and games at their park and ours. Johnson said the Recreation Board thought that was a very reasonable request and they will be thinking about that soon. Mayor Hill said that was great and the program would probably get more kids as it gets closer to Spring.
Mayor Hill reported the Village is working on an agreement with the Food Pantry right now with Sandra Tornow. Mayor Hill said their group is looking over it and once they get back with her, she can review it with Village Attorney Shirk and then present it for everyone to look at, review and see if everyone is happy with that. Mayor Hill said she wanted to make sure that it was something that is okay with the Food Pantry. The Mayor said Shirk has already told her what the village needs to be doing and she wants to see what the Village needs to adjust to help get them, [the Food Pantry], in the trailer. Mayor Hill said the Food Pantry has already had boards and labor donated to help build shelves for them. Mayor Hill thought that was good and the sooner they can be in there, the better.
Mayor Hill also reported the last week of March, Pierce is renting a wood chipper and village
crews will be going around town that entire week picking up branches and anything like that the village needs to haul off. Mayor Hill said the village will have a nice clean-up week and it will help a lot of people get that stuff out there. Morthland said the village yard waste site is dry enough out there now. Mayor Hill said the whole point is to make it a lot easier, not everyone has a pickup truck and they can only drag it so far and they can’t cut them up. Mayor Hill said it should help everybody. Mayor Hill said it still pretty messy at the yard wast site. Commissioner Maupin said he was glad the village is doing that. Mayor Hill stated she would like to schedule the electronics pick up too. The Mayor said that has been really successful and a lot of people have been holding stuff so she will get that scheduled in too.
Communications
Clerk Leathers mentioned an article by the Illinois Municipal League that examines the State of Illinois’ tax policy. She said she hoped it would give the council a little bit better understanding of what the state will be doing as the year moves along with what Governor Rauner may decide to decrease.
Clerk Leathers mentioned a communication from Nicor Gas they will be starting a new program called “Investing in Illinois”. Leathers told Council members she will keep the council informed as more information comes in.
Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Hill, second by Commissioner Johnson. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Hill, Maupin and Mayor Hill. Commissioner Sigel voted “No”. The motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:28 PM. The next regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 7:00 PM in the Reagan Community Center located at 202 W. Second St.
Kathy A. Leathers Kristine L. Hill
Clerk Mayor
MINUTES APPROVED THIS 21st DAY OF APRIL, 2015
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
