REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO

July 21, 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, Scott Meier, Mike Sigel and Derrick Maupin were presented. Also in attendance was Police Chief Terry Strike and Public Works Superintendent, Tom Pierce. Village Clerk Kathy Leathers recorded the written and digital minutes.

Mayor Hill led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Minutes of the June 16, 2015 Regular Meeting were approved with a change requested by Commissioner Maupin to the second paragraph on the first page. Officer Brian Oostenryk’s name was misspelled.

On a motion by Commissioner Johnson, second my Commissioner Meier, a fence permit was approved for Haley Ekin at 104 S. Joy Street. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried. The $10.00 fee was paid.

Remarks from Guests:
Resident Mary Sigel asked the council how the daycare was coming along. Mayor Hill told her very well and they are looking to be open in September.

Dan Loos, Willett, Hofmann and Associates, Inc., was present to update the Council on the South Main Place Sewer Project and the West Kimball Street Lift Station Upgrade. Loos told the council he had met with Commissioner Maupin and Superintendent Pierce to review the overall scope of the project. Loos said the current sewer line at S. Main Place is a 4-inch pipe. He said those are usually used for a service line and will be upgraded to an 8-inch. Loos said that should alleviate any sewer backups they have been having on S. Main Place. Loos also told them the project would also allow for future hookups to the main sewer line there.

Loos advised he had told Commissioner Maupin and Pierce the bid prices received were a little higher on the sewer line project and not so much for the lift station upgrade. Loos said it was the opposite of what he was expecting. Loos said it could be because the sewer line project was much smaller than what contractors normally handle and the project is only 269 feet. Loos said it is more a matter of mobilization and they had to put the money in somewhere. He said the contractors are primarily more in the excavating field. Loos said they would likely subcontract most of the work at the lift station to a mechanical
outfit that can do the electrical control panel replacement and the cover to the valve vault.. Loos said the contractors prices were inflated even more so than what engineers were expecting. Loos went on to explain if it were 2000 feet of the 18 inch sewer they might see prices at $45-$50 per foot. The engineers had inflated their estimates to $75.00. He said the lowest bid for that unit price was $101.00 per foot. Loos said O’Brien Civil was $120.00 per foot. He told the council that is a big portion of this project. Loos said it is about $13,000.00 over the original engineer’s estimate. Loos said he thinks Commissioner Maupin and Tom, [Pierce], were comfortable with the little bit of overage from the engineer’s price estimate. Loos told the council he would let the council discuss the project costs. He said he did send the notice of award with a recommendation letter to the village. Loos said if the council was to award it, he could get it sent out first thing tomorrow to the contractors. Mayor Hill said this is something that has needed to be done for some time. She said the sewer line there was put in incorrectly. Commissioner Maupin said the costs being over, it is what it is. Maupin said he feels it is not a reason to put the project off. Mayor Hill said it would probably wind up being more if it is put off. Maupin said generally prices go up, very rarely do they go down. He said the council should just get it done and move on. Mayor Hill said she thinks it is time to move forward with that project this year. Maupin said it’s one more thing off the checklist and the village can move on to the next project, next year or whenever the council decides to tackle the next project.

Loos told the Council, the low bid was from O’Brien Civil Works, Inc., Polo, IL, at $121,275.00. Mayor Hill told those present the engineer’s estimate was $108,075.00. She said it was not too much over, percentage wise. Proposals for the Sewerage Improvements Project, the South Main Place Sewer Extension and Kimball Street Lift Station Improvements were received and opened on July 15, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at Tampico Village Hall. The Village received a total of five (5) proposals. The bids were competitive with no irregularities. The Council reviewed bids received from O’Brien Civil Works, Inc., Polo IL for $121,275.00; Area Wide Septic Service, Inc., Arlington IL $125,830.00; Fischer Excavating, Inc., Freeport, IL $136,150.09; Go Excavating, Inc., Freeport IL; $152,168.00; and Miller Trucking and Excavating, Silvis, IL $181,140.00.

On the merits of those bids submitted, a motion was made by Commissioner Maupin, with a second by Commissioner Sigel, for the Tampico Village Council to award the South Main Place Sewer Project and the West Kimball Street Lift Station Improvements Project to O’Brien Civil Works, Inc., Polo, IL, with the lowest bid of $121,275.00. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried. Mayor Hill signed the Notice of Award for Loos to forward to those involved.

The next order of business dealt with the recommendation of Rock River Energy Services for the Village to return to ComEd as their street lighting energy supplier. Clerk Leathers advised the Council, Rock River Energy Services requested the Council’s decision at this time to prepare for the energy contract renewal in September of this year. The Village currently uses Constellation New Energy for those services. Costs for energy supply
services from ComEd will be lower than what Constellation can offer. On a motion by Commissioner Johnson, second by Commissioner Meier, approval was given to return to ComEd as the village’s street lighting energy provider. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.

Having declared the 2005 Chevrolet Impala as surplus village property, the Council received bids of $225.00 from Tom Pierce; $707.00 from Chicago Motors, Inc.; $800.00 Bruce Anderson and $800.00 from Tony Abduli. A motion was made by Commissioner Meier, second by Commissioner Sigel, to accept the bid of $800.00 from Bruce Anderson. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigle, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.

Only one bid, for $25.00, was received for the commercial stove with grill and ovens.
The council agreed to move the stove, grill and ovens and prepare them for recycling.

Mayor Hill advised the council an alarm system had been installed at the water tower building. The installation came on the heels of a recommendation by the Illinois State Police. Mayor Hill told the council alarm and video surveillance equipment should be considered for all village owned locations. She stated the most critical right now would be placing an alarm system at the sewage treatment plant. Mayor Hill said then maybe move up to the village hall, maybe not so much the cameras, but the alarms. She said that way it could be staged out over a period of time. She told the council this also came at the recommendation of the State Police. Costs to install the alarm at the sewer plant would be $810.00 with 24-hour monitoring at a cost of $29.00 per month. Mayor Hill said she would like to work with Lectronics since the village will have more than one system, if they can’t negotiate a better rate for the monthly charge, [24-hour monitoring], since they are already monitoring one. Commissioner Sigel wanted to know if the additional options listed on the estimate could be added at a later time. Mayor Hill told council members the system is quick to call out really fast. Commissioner Sigel asked if the council was looking at any of the optional equipment listed. Mayor Hill told him not at this point. Mayor Hill said she is really pleased with what they put in the water tower building. Pierce told the council that the control panel does have police and ambulance listed. Commissioner Maupin stated he really doesn’t see a reason not to approve the system. Mayor Hill said there has already been an issue with one building, she does not want to invite more. Commissioner Johnson agreed saying you have to address public safety first. On a motion by Commissioner Maupin, second by Commissioner Sigel, approval was given to purchasing an alarm system from Lectronics, Inc. for the sewer plant for $810.00. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.

Bids for the East Third Street Resurfacing MFT project were reviewed by the Village Council as received by the Whiteside County Highway Department. Bids received were Civil Constructors, Freeport IL – $39,666.76; Martin & Company Excavating, Oregon IL – $31,752.66 and Universal Asphalt & Excavting, Inc. LaSalle IL – $45,454.32. The low bid of $31,752.66 was accepted on a Resolution with a motion by Commissioner Sigel,
second by Commissioner Maupin. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.

There were no building permits.

Reports from Village Officials
Commissioner Johnson read a letter of resignation to the Council. “To the Village Council and the Village Clerk, it is with great sadness that I must humbly request your approval for resignation from the position of Village Commissioner effective as soon as legislatively possible. It is important to me that you understand that I am not resigning for a negative reason, nor am I being forced out in any way. As many of you know, I have been attempting to sell my home for nearly two years and have recently accepted an offer to do so. While my family and I viewed many homes in Tampico first, we were unable to find a home that was right for us and due to this we will be moving to another town and therefore I must resign. While my house will be in another town, my home will always be in Tampico. Many people have asked me why I stuck around so long and why I defend this town so strongly and I tell them simply that this is where I grew up. A cliched phrase uttered by everyone at some point in their life and one that we brush off as an obligatory sentiment probably because that phrase means something different to everyone. What it means to me is that this is where I played basketball every day at Paul Kaiser’s until the street lights came on. This is where I splashed, rode my bike and practically swam behind the post office after rainy days. This is where I learned what it means to be part of a team. This is where I learned how important friendship is. Tampico is where I learned to be caring, honest, respectful and responsible. It’s where I was taught sportsmanship and the importance of participation. This is where I found God and where I choose to worship. Tampico is where people who had no reason or responsibility to mentor me, did because they cared. They did because they saw something in me that I didn’t know existed. Tampico is where I learned that you should be judged not by your economic standing, the color of your skin, sexual orientation, but rather the content of your character and that your attitude is what people will remember. I have two children of my own now and it’s grown increasingly clear that two parents aren’t enough. The new day care adopted the phrase, ‘It takes a village’. I truly believe that because when a village comes together and acts not as a surrogate but rather a supplement to your child’s upbringing, then your children will find success through their character alone and that is what Tampico needs to continue to embrace. The search institute researched and developed a list of 40 developmental assets that when evident in a child’s life it is proven to foster success and diminish failure. It should be no surprise that the first six assets are family support, positive family communication, other adult relationships, a caring neighborhood, a caring school climate and parental involvement in school. So many people have spoken to me about the new daycare and why I support it. These types of programs are building blocks to development, something that we as a community should embrace wholeheartedly. The concern of fiscal responsibility was and is unwarranted and under this administration, and specifically under Mayor Hill. She has continuously found ways to bring money into the village through various grants and funds that are only available to those who work for them, those who are willing to put in the time, search for the grants and prepare an appropriate application or request. Something that Mayor Hill does on a regular basis and does very well. Village spending in my time as commissioner was done so in a responsible manner with the best of intentions to the village’s current and future needs. In my absence, I hope that they continue to work on youth outreach and updating the community’s utilities and I hope that they are met with support and patience from the residents. I’d like to thank the members of the board for their support through my brief tenure as commissioner and I’d like to thank the residents of Tampico for their ongoing support and faith in me, this board and this community. Thank you.” Applause could be heard as Johnson took his seat at the table. Mayor Hill told him they were not applauding because he was leaving but because it was well said. Mayor Hill thanked him.

Mayor Hill told those present it was not on the agenda to accept that resignation so it will have to put it on the agenda for the next meeting. Mayor Hill wished Johnson well.

Mayor Hill handed a letter out to the council. She said it was from the Grade School thanking our police department. Commissioner Johnson read the letter as follows; “Dear Mayor Hill and Village of Tampico Commissioners, Tampico Elementary just finished it’s 2014-2015 school year on June 1st and on most days of the school year, we had the morning presence of Chief Strike out front. I want to officially state our staff’s appreciation of his presence and visibility during our busy mornings. We all know that the mere presence of law enforcement mitigates potential problems by itself and with all the different comings and goings of parents, families and caretakers in a short period of time, the possibility of an altercation is elevated. I would also like to add that I have very much appreciated his availability to us this year. He would come in or contact us reliably no matter the reason for our reaching out. I consider him a wonderful asset to the village and our school. Sincerely, Jim Geer, Principle.” Mayor Hill told Strike, “Well done.”

Mayor Hill gave an update for the proposed daycare. Connie Cooper has resigned. “I’m submitting my two week resignation as of June 15th. I thank the Village for giving me the opportunity to benefit the community with setup and preparation project for the Tiger Cubbies Daycare. Respectfully, Connie Cooper.” Mayor Hill advised Cooper submitted that on June 15, 2015. Mayor Hill stated the [daycare] board has replaced her to a point. Right now it is kind of tentative, after a probationary period. Hill said it is Sarah Kuepker and she has been digging her heels in and doing a great job. She is very proactive. The board is doing a great job. They met earlier in the week. Mayor Hill said they are moving along great and Connie is still there for answering questions and backing them up. Mayor Hill stated the village could not have gotten where they are at without her. Mayor Hill said she thinks they will move along smoothly yet.

Clerk Leathers advised the council the village has a maintenance contract with SBM for the copier. She advised them that contract may be over soon as the copier will be at the end of its useful life. She said they will be gathering quotes. Mayor Hill said the copier
has been here for a while. She asked the council to think about what they would like to do. Mayor Hill said now the village needs something with the PDF, too. She said faxing has gone by the wayside.

Communications: There were no communications.

Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Johnson with a second by Commissioner Meier. “Yes” votes were Johnson, Meier, Sigel, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 7:36 PM. The next regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council has been re-scheduled to Monday, August 10, 2015 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 _10th_ DAY OF ___August____, 2015

**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**