REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
September 15, 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 Bruce Hill, Scott Meier, Phalen Vancil and Derrick Maupin were present. Village Clerk Kathy Leathers recorded the written and digital minutes.
Also present were Police Chief Terry Strike and Fire Chief Brian Wetzell.
Mayor Hill led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Minutes of the September 1, 2015 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.
Denise Scuteri Brooks was in attendance to meet members of the Council. Brooks is the sister of Mike Scuteri who will be opening a store downtown. Mayor Hill introduced the individual members of the council to Brooks. Mayor Hill encouraged Brooks to call any one of the council if she needs anything. Hill advised her to contact the village clerk with any questions as well. Brooks said the store is coming along very well. The ice cream / soda fountain is in. She said they have a plumber coming in to finish off what needs to be done for that. Brooks said it is getting there. She told the council it’s been a lot of work. Mayor Hill asked Brooks if they had a vague target date. Brooks told Mayor Hill, her brother said he really wants the store open this fall. Brooks told the council supplies are in, they have menus for the deli done, the cash register is in and it’s moving along. She also said the floors are done, the painting is done. Mayor Hill said that was good to hear and it’s nice to see activity there. Brooks said her ambition for the store and excitement about having the store in town is immense. She said they have a very good business plan to keep people coming in and she believes it will make the town better. She said it will be a good place for people and kids to come; it will be a fun place. She said it will be a multi-variety store. Mayor Hill told Brooks she really appreciates that and thank Brooks for picking Tampico.
Fire Chief, Brian Wetzell told the council he would like to revisit the fire hydrant issue. The hydrant in question is in the parking lot of the Fire / Ambulance Station. Wetzell said someone has hit it again and now they have broken the west part of it will not hook up to a hose. He told them it busted the protective concrete thing and knocked the cap off the hydrant. He said he has the cap on there tight so they will only use one side. Wetzell said he didn’t know if they could revisit the issue. Mayor Hill said in other places when someone hits public property, it goes on their insurance bill. Wetzell said they could try. They already have on claim in for a fire damage engine. He stated he hopes it’s something they can visit in the future. Mayor Hill told Wetzell the village is still trying to get the Safe Routes to School grant and they hope they can get it. The mayor told Wetzell she has spoken to Willett, Hofmann and Associates, Inc. to find a feasible way. She stated they had talked about moving up to utilize the building or just capping it off too. The mayor said they have looked at all kinds of options. Wetzell said he wouldn’t even be opposed if they moved it toward the alley or something. Mayor Hill said they are just so expensive to move and then you get into all kinds of other infrastructure issues. Wetzell said he would be interested in working things out to revisit the issue again.
There was no unfinished business to discuss at this time.
On a motion by Commissioner Hill, with a second by Commissioner Meier, approval was given allowing the use of Motor Fuel Tax Funds for seal coating / street maintenance expense of $1,510.60. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier, Vancil and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill then called for a discussion regarding a Class C Liquor License for The Crystal Cork, [Eric Brantley], and the October 3, 2015 Beer and Brat Fest for a Tampico Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, (THPAC), fundraiser. Mayor Hill told the council the event will feature Randy Brooks as the entertainment with his singing and such. The mayor said it’s going to be a really cool event. Mayor Hill said it will be here at the RCC. She said the Crystal Cork has a great following and the Brooks’ have worked on presenting “Tampico’s Got Talent”, and have reached out for possibly some kids to sing. Mayor Hill stated there a quite a few prizes like a TV and a surround system. There will also be a 50/50 Raffle. Mayor Hill said the Committee would like to get the pot up to around $1,000.00 so payout would be at least $500.00, which would go toward brass plaques. Mayor Hill said the committee needs to keep going so it can refinish the murals in town and keep preserving and helping to fund the group to inform people with the historic buildings and such. They are hoping for a good turnout. Mayor Hill said they had a lot of fun putting it together last year. Mayor Hill informed those present it will be from 2:00 in the afternoon until 8:00 in the evening. On a motion by Commissioner Meier, second by Commissioner Hill, approval was given to grant a Class C Liquor License to the Crystal Cork, [Eric Brantly], to serve alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises only for a Tampico Historic Preservation Advisory Committee fundraising event on October 3, 2015 from 2 PM to 8 PM at the RCC – 202 W. Second Street. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier, Vancil and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill moved the discussion to hiring a maintenance person for the village parks. She told the council one application had been turned in with the hope of at least one more. Mayor Hill told the council she thinks what they really need to do is sit down and discuss what the village really needs, how many hours, what does the village expect out of them, what kind of budget, what kinds of programs is the village going to have to help fund and offset costs of hiring someone else to be more involved. Wetzell asked if the village is still taking applications. Mayor Hill told him yes. She continued by saying the council needs to take a step back. The mayor stated she thinks maintenance could really make it through the fall. She said the village has had high school and college kids help out in the summer and she would like to balance that out too for temporary help. Mayor Hill would like discuss and decide through the winter and maybe after the first of the year know what the village’s game plan is for the coming year. Brooks asked Mayor Hill if volunteer work could still be done. Mayor Hill told her the village is all about volunteers. Hill said originally when the parks were redone, there was a group that was dedicated to doing all of that. She said Reagan Park is more complicated mowing since there are so many plantings and such that takes more time and maintenance than sometimes the village doesn’t have manpower for since everyone wants their water to stay on and healthy all those other things. Mayor Hill said the council needs to revisit and figure out, realign the council’s whole way of thinking and make sure the village is staying on budget and keeping the town looking nice.
The council decided not to move to closed session at this time. Mayor Hill suggested having a working meeting to figure out how it should be done. Commissioner Maupin agreed and said he thinks it’s better
if you have an outline for the position you will be hiring. Maupin said that way there are no expectations, the village is not expecting to that and they are not expecting to do this. Mayor Hill said she had a list of everything she would like to have done on a weekly basis in the parks just as a reminder. Commissioner Hill, who volunteers his time at the RCC on a regular basis, said it’s not all bad to volunteer. Mayor Hill said it’s nice when it’s done and it’s fun in a sense and very gratifying. Commissioner Hill said it’s nice to get something done and move forward to better things and let the people do that.
Reports of Village Officials
Mayor Hill reported the large tree near Lions Club Park has been taken down by Guither’s and some tree trimming was done by C & S Tree Services to the overgrown tree near where the American Legion puts their flags. She said the council is trying to keep things looking nice.
The mayor also advised those present they are getting closer with the siren. She said they are discussing details. The siren and generator have been delivered. The company set to install the siren will bring the pole with them. Commissioner Hill said the siren is a little bigger than he thought it was going to be. Mayor Hill and Chief Wetzell said it should be heard within a mile radius of the village. Mayor Hill said it should last. Commissioner Vancil asked if it was going to be put at the water tower. He was told it will be installed at the fire station. An informal discussion was held on what to do with the older, outdated siren. Mayor Hill said it will be left where it is for now. Wetzell told her if the village had to move it the fire department would take care of it and possibly put it back at the fire station. Mayor Hill thought it might be neat to put it back where it was.
Village Clerk Leathers advised the council work will be starting on the South Main Place sewer project on September 21st.
Leathers also told them for quite some time she, Anna, the mayor and Commissioner Maupin had been going over the delinquent list. She said there are a few residents who cannot be shut off either because they use an existing well or the service shut off has not been updated. Leathers reported she had talked with the Illinois Comptroller’s office about a program that would allow the state to collect delinquent amounts from state payments such as income tax refunds. A representative from their office will be coming September 23rd so she could check into sending those accounts to the state for them to recoup any monies owed to the village. Leathers told them there will be no charge to the village. The state will recover any fees from the individual. She said it will also be possible to use the program for ordinance violation fines. Leathers had discussed the idea with village attorney, William Shirk, if it might be cheaper to use the state program as opposed to taking the individual to court.
Leathers also told them the state also has a program where the village can use their resources to allow residents to pay with their credit and debit cards. Leathers said she had checked into getting equipment for the village to take credit / debit cards but she feels the cost would not be justified for those who would use the service. She advised she would know more after meeting with the Comptroller’s representative but if it’s possible to do something like that through the state at no charge to the village she thinks that would be the route to go. She also told them it might alleviate the burden for property owners who rent homes and are left with a water / sewer bill.
Leathers reported the auditors had contacted her earlier today. They advised the audit is almost done and will have things ready to send into the state for the Annual Financial Reporting.
Building Permits were issued by Zoning Administrator, Ron Kuepker, 302 W. Kimball for a new roof and 201 W. Second Street for a storage shed.
Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Maupin with a second by Commissioner Vancil. “Yes” votes were Hill, Meier, Vancil, Maupin and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM. The next regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at 7:00 PM in the Reagan Community Center located at 202 W. Second Street.
Kathy A. Leathers
Clerk
Kristine L. Hill
Mayor
MINUTES APPROVED THIS 6th DAY OF October, 2015
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
