REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
February 21, 2017
Reagan Community Center
Mayor Kristine L. Hill called the Regular Meeting of the Tampico Village Council to order at 7:00 PM.
Commissioners Derrick Maupin, Bruce Hill and Scott Meier were present. Commissioner Phalen Vancil was absent. Police Chief Terry Strike was in attendance and 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 February 7, 2017 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.
Reports of Village Officials
Mayor Hill said she spoke with Mediacom this week, and they’re actively working with iFiber on trying to get an agreement to have top of the line internet service in the Village. There is no time line yet, but they are working with them to get this in place. Mayor Hill said there are crews in town working on it.
Mayor Hill said she received a report from Joan Johnson for the Birthplace of President Ronald Reagan. Last year they had 44 states represented, 21 countries and 1875 people who visited the birthplace. The volunteers for the birthplace logged 1708 hours. Mayor Hill said that is really great for our community to have those people coming in.
Mayor Hill told the council that Public Works Superintendent Tom Pierce has a list of trees that will be worked on this summer. Pierce has gone around town looking at the trees that need maintained, and if anyone has a question about a tree they’re worried about and if it’s on the list, give the Village Hall a call.
Commissioner Maupin was contacted by Rob Naples about wanting to do a spring version of the Basketball Program that wasn’t able to happen last fall. Maupin asked Naples to contact him the week after he came back from vacation, and said he’d bring it up to the council. Maupin said he hasn’t heard back from Naples yet, but this may be an item to discuss in the near future. Maupin isn’t sure how it’ll go, and he’s received mixed reviews from the people who pay basketball at the RCC every week. Maupin said that if Naples wants to try and do this, he’ll try and carve out some time to let him do it. Maupin told Naples that the Village Hall still has the security deposit for renting the gym, and also asked Naples to give him some dates.
Mayor Hill then brought up moving forward with the 2017-2018 Budget Worksheets or it could just be left with it could just be left with unfinished business. Mayor Hill said she would like the council to have their budgets done and given to Clerk Leathers by the next meeting. Then the council can go over them at the next meeting and try to get them done. Maupin suggested each council member come up with 3 ideas for the next meeting on how to better monetize the RCC building to help the Village’s revenue sources. The council could turn it into a brainstorming session and hopefully come up with programs that may not make the village very much money the first year, but could make it more the next year. The village could take a try at some different, cheap ideas and see what comes of it. Mayor Hill said she’d like an after school program, not like the Tiger Club, but for older kids who would like to come in and do research with computers.
That’s been discussed many times. Maupin said he’d like it put on the agenda for the next meeting to discuss it further. It wouldn’t hurt to spend 15 minutes talking about ideas. Maupin said we need plans for years to come and for tomorrow. Commissioner Hill mentioned the RCC’s custodian, Peggy Hadaway, mentioning to him about doing some repair to the gym floor and he agrees that it needs some serious work before it gets out of hand. There are two, (2) broken spots that could use some repair. Mayor Hill said, so far the bid to have it repaired was $1,500. Maupin said that $1,500 doesn’t sound like a whole lot, so if the village had a program that brought in around $200 a month, it could go towards something like that. Mayor Hill said Hadaway has also requested a tarp to cover the gym floor for when there’s functions in the gym to better protect the floor. Commissioner Hill said a tarp would be helpful for several things, such as when a bounce house is being used. Maupin said those are ideas to go over more and narrow down. Mayor Hill said the council can review what the village already has, because there is an agreement and there are several things in place that can be expanded on.
Police Chief Terry Strike told the council that March will be the start of clean-up of community properties. Strike told police officers Oostenryk and VanDellen that they will begin making a list of the properties that need to be addressed. Right now there are 3 of them that need to be addressed. Strike is working on and trying to see who actually owns one of the properties so it can be taken care of properly. Hopefully he’ll know by the next meeting who owns the property. Mayor Hill said that will be good, and with all the visitors the village has coming it would be nice for others to help their neighbor if they need it.
Remarks from Guests
There were no remarks from guests.
Unfinished Business
Mayor Hill reminded the council to get their 2017-2018 Budget Worksheets into Clerk Leathers before the next meeting. Clerk Leathers said she’ll get the numbers plugged in for the next meeting.
Mayor Hill asked if there were any updates regarding the Water Main Replacement Project. Commissioner Maupin said he did receive an email stating the village does not qualify for the grant that would cover the cost of the preliminary engineering report. It stated that the village has more than the guideline of available funds to qualify. The email also said the only way to maybe qualify for the grant would be to show a project that would be in need of those funds the village has available, but even then all of this year’s money is most likely already allocated, so we would have to push back the project a year if the village were to do that. Maupin said Village engineers think it’s best for the village to pay for the project with the funds that are already available so that they can move on with the project. Maupin said the village would be looking at spending a significant amount of money from savings just to maybe get a grant to pay for money that the village already has saved. Mayor Hill said people don’t realize that’s how those work. Maupin said it’s like the village is being punished for being smart with money. Mayor Hill said unfortunately, that’s how it works. Maupin said he does think that it’s the right thing to do for the village to pay for the project out of it’s own funds.
Mayor Hill began discussing the TIF, (Tax Increment Finance), District information. Mayor Hill would like Sharon Pepin to come to a meeting and talk with the council more about it and answer any questions they may have. It does cost up front to do this, but in the long run it can really help the community, especially in the villages areas that are really dilapidated and need
February 21, 2017 Regular Meeting Minutes – Tampico Village Council, cont’d.
updating. Police Chief Terry Strike asked if this is just for Main street or also village side streets. Mayor Hill thinks it can be set up wherever needed. Mayor Hill asked the council if
they were interested in inviting Pepin down. Mayor Hill said the proposal stated that the contract execution would cost $20,000 and after the joint review board meeting it would be held to $17,000 and then the TIF ordinances are adopted by the village for another $17,000. Commissioner Maupin asked if the costs are $20,000 and $17,000. Mayor Hill said it’s two $17,000 and $20,000. Clerk Leathers said it would be a total of $54,000. Maupin asked if the village will see rewards that will outweigh the initial output. Mayor Hill said they claim we will. That’s why she’d like for Pepin to come down and walk the council through it. Maupin said he’s all for more information. Clerk Leathers will contact Pepin and add it to the agenda when Pepin is available.
New Business
Mayor Hill said she had been asked to make a proclamation declaring March as Certified Government Financial Manager Month. Mayor Hill said she’s all for it.
The council began reviewing the Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Schedule of Meeting Dates. Mayor Hill said she noticed one problem with the meeting schedule, which is the meeting scheduled for July 4th. With it being summer time it should be fine for the council to meet one time in July, so the council will cancel the July 4th meeting. Commissioner Maupin said he does believe he’ll be gone on family vacation during the August 1st meeting. Mayor Hill said if something comes up, the council can adjust that meeting at that time.
Resolution No. R09-17-02-21 to Authorize the Treasurer for the Tiger Cubbies Administrative Board to conduct business with Peoples National Bank was the next topic of discussion. Mayor Hill said Todd Slock is doing an amazing job with the treasurer position and feels it would be better if he could sign the checks for the Day Care, rather than having herself signing checks for the daycare. Mayor Hill said the daycare is pretty independent and doing well. A motion was made by Commissioner Hill and seconded by Commissioner Meier to approve the resolution. Clerk Leathers said she’ll be converting the daycare accounting to QuickBooks. She also told them she has requested a village credit card for Kuepker to better track expenses for food and other supplies. Mayor Hill said this will smooth out the daycare process. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion was carried.
Communications
Clerk Leathers turned the discussion to the Illinois Section from the American Water Works Association hand out that was given to the council from Public Works Superintendent Tom Pierce about the Sampling Protocol that will be enforced for testing the drinking water at schools. Pierce wanted to make sure the council had a copy. Mayor Hill said the details of the protocol haven’t been finalized yet, so the village is waiting on that. The village does have it’s water tested often, and it always rates well. Commissioner Maupin asked if it will be the villages responsibility to have this testing done. Mayor Hill said the village does not know yet. The details are still yet to be determined and there are still too many unanswered questions. Clerk Leathers said also, that this was immediately put to the school districts to test for lead, and the price immediately went up. The state wants these mandates out of the schools and they can’t just take $80 to Dixon to have it tested, because they don’t know what the cost will be to the school districts.
Clerk Leathers then called the council’s attention to the Illinois Municipal League Statehouse Briefing. The State Senate has approved in increase in the Local Government Currently, the municipalities in Illinois share 8% of Income Tax Funds. The Senate would like the percentage bumped up to 10% of the total income tax that would be divided among municipalities. Hopefully it passes the house.
Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Maupin and seconded by Commissioner Meier. “Yes” votes were Maupin, Hill, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM. The next regular meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, March 7, 2017 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 7th DAY OF March, 2017
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
