REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
August 16, 2016 – 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 and Derrick Maupin were present. Commissioner Phalen Vancil was absent. Also present, Police Chief Terry Strike. Village Clerk Kathy Leathers recorded the written and audio minutes. The meeting was also video recorded.
Mayor Hill led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Minutes of the July 19, 2016 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.
Reports of Village Officials
Commissioner Maupin told the council he has spoken with Betty Steinert, from Whiteside County, this week and things are moving forward with getting Tampico put into an Enterprise Zone. Maupin said the meeting for them is this week and then the Village would have more information hopefully by the council’s next meeting. Resident Susan Frank wanted to know what section the village is going to be put in. Mayor Hill told her the mapping has to be a contiguous area so they are working it out. Frank said the village is kind of land locked. Maupin stated they run a tiny little line in town and then widen the section out to where the enterprise zone would be and then they run it back to the next zone. Maupin said his understanding is the enterprise zone is all connected, so an enterprise zone in Rock Falls is connected to an enterprise zone in Prophetstown.
Clerk Leathers told the council Hometown Tech Solutions will have a workshop for the Village Books software here at the RCC on Thursday, August 25, 2016 from 1-3 pm.
She also told them on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 2:00 pm, the Whiteside County Clerk’s office will be holding a meeting for local election officials for the upcoming elections.
Remarks from Guests
Resident Mary Sigel asked the council about the city sidewalks. Mayor Hill told her they , [Safe Routes to School], have not released that money yet. The mayor told her the village still has their project in place and that’s all the council can do; keep watching for it to become available.
Sigel also asked how many children were in the Day Care. Mayor Hill told her she believes there are three right now and they are looking to expand it. Sigel wanted to know if there were any more signed up for it. Mayor Hill told her not at this time but there is a possibility of overflow from Tiger Club that might be addressed. Mayor Hill told those present there are so few kids in that age group to even address, to have a morning Pre-K here. She said it’s like a low year for that age group of kids and that has happened through the years. Mayor Hill clarified that Tiger Club and the day care are separate but they are looking at starting a program to help with the overflow and still be part of the Tiger Club. Mayor Hill said they are just trying to help families in the community.
There was no unfinished business.
The council’s attention turned to accepting the resignation of Gary Pearson from the Tampico Historic Preservation Committee. Resident Susan Frank wanted to know if they were going to approve the resignation of Denise Brooks from the Committee too. Mayor Hill told Frank she had no knowledge of that. Frank stated Brooks sent it. Clerk Leathers also told Frank the village hadn’t received anything from Brooks. On a motion by Commissioner Meier and a second by Commissioner Hill, the resignation of Gary Pearson from the Tampico Historic Preservation Committee was accepted with regret. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
On a motion by Commissioner Maupin and a second by Commissioner Meier, Toby Johnson was appointed to the Tampico Historic Preservation Committee. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill led a discussion about a Clean-up / Recycling Day. Mayor Hill said “Got Junk” a nationwide company is pretty pricey and unless the village can find a way to recoup some of the cost, it might not be feasible. Mayor Hill said they come in with a couple of guys and a container that’s 8’ x 10’ and 5’ feet high. She said the cost would be $510.00, $84.00 of that is for them just to come here for a total of $594.00. Mayor Hill as for TV drop-off’s, anywhere you drop them off, you have to pay. She stated Got Junk advised they do not care if the village charges to recoup say $10 a TV or something to offset some of those costs. Mayor Hill reported the company does a $3.00 per tire charge for recycling old tires which goes into the container which could fill the container pretty easily. Mayor Hill said she thinks the container is a little small. She stated she would like to explore a little more and kind of get a feel of what the council felt on this kind of company. The Mayor said it’s kind of hard to anybody right now that will accept electronics and they are one that will. Commissioner Maupin asked the Mayor if she thought there was a need. She told him yes, she has had several requests. Audience members mentioned Self Enterprise in Sterling and another site in Dixon. Mayor Hill said there are a lot of people that cannot transport too. She said those, [sites], are options too, but maybe the village can work out something that way as well. She reported she had checked with a lot places, the charges are pretty high and the company the village had used is so overloaded right now they can’t accept anything and most of the other local companies advised they are tapped out too. She stated they might take up to four TV’s but as far as town-wide, it’s hard to find something to help people that can’t get things up there, that the village can help bring it to the garbage for them. Mayor Hill told the council it’s just an option she would like them to look at and look around to see what they can bring to the table. She said maybe the village can get something done this fall before the snow flies, get a fall clean-up day to alleviate some problems. She stated she just wanted to throw that out there and have it put on the next agenda with other ideas and suggestions. Commissioner Maupin said he thinks there is no way the village would make that much money to offset that cost at all. Mayor Hill told him there is some in the garbage fund too. Commissioner Maupin said it would just have to be a service provided. He said he thinks the council will have to go into this assuming it is not going to make any of that money back. Mayor Hill agreed and said or at least a small portion. Mayor Hill said $600.00 is a lot….but there has been a lot of people requesting help in getting rid of electronics and computers, especially the computers and the TV’s, and monitors. She told them it is just a suggestion and she wanted council members to know that she was checking into something. The discussion was tabled until the next meeting.
Discussion was held on approving Ordinance No. O03-16-08-16 to amend Title 9 of Village Ordinance by adding Chapter 9.38 entitled Adoption of Illinois Criminal Code and Selected Illinois Criminal Acts – specifically the Cannabis Control Act and Drug Paraphernalia. Chief Terry Strike explained currently when there have been violations of the state cannabis act, it has to go through the State’s Attorney’s office and they get 90% of the money for it. Strike said if the village has their own ordinance, the village gets 100% of the fine. Strike said basically, if they get a call to an apartment or house for a problem there, if there are narcotics or drugs in plain view, they can be seized, the occupant fined and the money stays in the village to use for things the Police Department needs. Strike said otherwise, it goes up to the state and his department has to deal with it accordingly. Resident Rob Sigel asked Strike if he seized drugs when he pulled over a car can they seize the automobile too? Strike said they can seize what they see in plain view. He said if a car is pulled over for speeding and they can see that in plain view, yes, they can seize it and it stays in the village. Strike said right now they are using village speeding tickets. So rather than write state tickets, it’s a way for the department to get things they need instead of turning it over to the state. Strike stated unfortunately, there are drugs out there, every town has drug problems. Susan Frank asked if these people are prosecuted or are they just fined. Strike told her they were fined and if they don’t pay the fine, our city attorney will take them to court and then it can be changed. Strike said if they do city ordinance violations, the village gets 100% of the money, it stays in town. Strike said for instance, if he gets called to a domestic disturbance and he can see drugs in plain view, he can seize any of that stuff and they will get a citation. Frank asked if they go to court. Strike said they will go to court if they do not pay the fine, but they get a $300.00 fine, $300.00 to $750.00. Mayor Hill said it still helps the village rather than the state getting all of it, it’s more money locally for the same laws. Strike said ordinance violations can be used to replacing aging equipment and cited the purchase of the second police car. Mayor Hill said, first off there are enough people violating that the village keeps the revenue here. She said it’s not like we’re out looking for people just to fill that. Susan Frank said she had heard about some cities trying to ban cannabis in public parks. Commissioner Maupin told her it’s tobacco not cannabis. Maupin said Sterling is banning tobacco products in their parks. He said marijuana is still illegal in Illinois so you can’t smoke marijuana anywhere. Chief Strike unless you have it for medication. A member of the public asked if they don’t pay the fine and they have to go to court, who pays the court costs. Chief Strike told her it’s taken out of the fine. He said if they took them to court for a $500.00 fine, whatever the court costs were would be taken out of that and the village could end up losing the whole fine. In addition, Strike said anyone that does not pay a city ordinance fine is sitting on a loaded gun. Maupin told the audience it’s basically offenses that are small enough, that they are not going to be prosecuted anyway. Strike said whatever the village gets is better than nothing. Mayor Hill said, it’s just a way to help keep the revenue here. She said we’re already giving it to the state, the village might as well look at keeping it here. Mayor Hill called for a motion and a second to approve the proposed ordinance. Commissioner Hill made the motion, Commissioner Meier seconded to approve Ordinance No. O03-16-08-16 concerning Cannabis and Drug Paraphernalia. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Building Permits issued by Zoning Administrator, Ron Kuepker, include: Roof Replacement at 210 W. Market; Roof Replacement at 110 S. Benton; Replace Window at 104 S. Fremont; Replace Roof at 303 N. Main; Demolition Permit 206 W. Market; Replace a roof at 204 W. Market and Gutters at 104 E. Kimball.
At 7:20 PM a motion was made by Commissioner Meier and seconded by Commissioner Hill, to leave the Regular Meeting and enter into into and Executive Session / Closed Session to Discuss the Appointment, Employment, Compensation, Discipline, Performance or Dismissal of Employees of the Public Body & Possible Action on Any Item Discussed in Closed Session as Allowed by 5 ILCS 120/1 and the Illinois Open Meetings Act. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
At 7:33 PM a motion to Adjourn the Executive / Closed Session portion of the meeting and return to the Regular – Open Session was made by Commissioner Maupin and seconded by Commissioner Hill. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill requested a motion and a second to hire Kristian Montanez as a part-time, as needed, police officer. She explained to those present this is not to increase the village’s police force, it’s to help fill hours because the village has more and more officers that we are losing that have jobs at other places. She said this is just to add to the village’s roster.
At this point Susan Frank said she had a question. Mayor Hill acknowledged Frank. Frank said she just talked to Denise Brooks and she said her resignation is in there. Mayor Hill told Frank the council does not have it, it will have to be put on the next agenda. Frank said instead of putting it on the next agenda, why can’t they just approve it now. Mayor Hill said she does not have it and
she can’t act on something she does not have. Leathers asked Frank where and when did she, [Brooks], sent it. Frank said she did not know, she did not ask her, [Brooks], that but Brooks said the council should have it. Mayor Hill and Leathers told Frank they just don’t have it. Frank said she would be going down to talk to Brooks and she will find out but the council has had three resign now in two months. Mayor Hill told Frank the council needed to finish up with the hiring of Officer Montanez.
A motion was made by Commissioner Meier and seconded by Commissioner Hill to hire Montanez as a part-time / as needed police officer at $16.50 per hour. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill explained the next item of business from the closed session. She said Tori Lawson, who had been helping with Tiger Club, has taken another job and Mary Wendland has proposed Matt Braasch be hired in her place. Mayor Hill said it will be for an hour and a half per day to help with the kids. A motion was made by Commissioner Maupin and seconded by Commissioner Hill to hire Matt Braasch as a Tiger Club Aid at a rate of $10.00 per hour for one and a half hours per day. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Maupin and seconded by Commissioner Hill. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Susan Frank questioned the council why the other commissioner never comes to the meetings. Mayor Hill said he has come to the meetings, she has been at the meetings he has been at. Maupin told Frank as much as she is concerned, he thinks she should step up and be a part of this board. Maupin said since she seems to be extremely concerned about it, since obviously we are looking for volunteers now. Mayor Hill said there are openings for the Preservation Committee. Frank said there seems to be a problem, three people have resigned and she would like to know the reason. Maupin told her everything is not a giant conspiracy in this town as which it seems to be with her. Frank said she knows it’s not a conspiracy but she would like to know why three people have resigned. Mayor Hill told her there has been turnover on all the village’s boards for years. Maupin said there are not enough volunteers in town and people get burned out. He said the same volunteers that do everything just decide they have had enough, they quit. Mayor Hill said they also have other things and when they must choose something to drop, it will most likely be the volunteer position. Frank again questioned where the other guy was tonight. She was told he was working out of town. Frank wanted to know how many meetings he has missed, they are only supposed to miss three meetings. Mayor Hill said as far as she knew, the village does not have a policy on that. Frank said she would think they would want active members on the council. Maupin told her he is very active on the council, the work he does is not seen and not at this meeting. Maupin said he ran the entire baseball program this year and Phalen does things outside of what goes on at this meeting. Maupin said Phalen is very active on this council. Mayor Hill said this is when the council finalizes some business but this is not the real work they do, they are constantly working on different things. At that time, Frank left the meeting. Maupin thanked her and told her to have a nice night.
Resident Mary Sigel asked if the village was done flushing all the hydrants. She was told yes. Sigel asked how many of the them work. Leathers told her she did not know off the top of her head, that was something she would have to ask Tom Pierce. Mayor Hill said they did not have to open all of them to flush the system. Commissioner Hill said they go to certain parts of the town and flush out instead of opening them all.
The meeting adjourned at 7:41 PM. The next regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, September 6, 2016 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 September, 2016
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
