REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
August 1, 2017
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 Robert Sigel and Scott Meier were present. Commissioners Derrick Maupin and Todd Tornow were absent. Police Chief Terry Strike and Assistant Clerk Jamie McIntire were also present. 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 18, 2017 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.
Reports of Village Officials
Mayor Hill began by apologizing for the inconvenience out front of Village Hall. She said the Village is trying to get the problem solved as quickly as possible. The Village has been working with the fire marshal, the EPA and all agencies. Mayor Hill said the Village is compliant on all levels and hopefully it will be fixed and the front door can re-open again soon. Commissioner Sigel said he’s apprehensive because if they keep taking more samples, and Mayor Hill said the project is actually just about done. Sigel said ok, good. Mayor Hill said she’s been on the phone for hours taking care of the issue. Sigel said good because that could get scary. Clerk Leathers said the gym door to the RCC is open and a sign has been posted for the public to use the gym door. Mayor Hill said the Village is discouraging the public from using the Village Halls front door. Leathers said tomorrow, the Village will try to get the Daycare’s exterior door open so the public can come in that way. Mayor Hill said with it being the 1st of the month, there aren’t as many people coming in to Village Hall. Yoga Teacher, Jennifer Sleeman, asked what she should do about her classes. Mayor Hill said to have her members come through the gym door. Sleeman asked if she is still able to use the front door. Mayor Hill said yes and that her key also works at the gym door and suggested putting a sign up at the front door to walk around. Leathers then asked Sleeman for a phone number to contact her to give her more of a warning in situations like this.
Mayor Hill said the daycare is temporarily closed to reorganize since it lost their director, and they’re hoping to end up with two people who are director qualified. The daycare was taken down so it wasn’t a surprise if one day there were kids in the daycare but no one there to take care of them properly. It was done early because the daycare didn’t want to leave parents hanging. Mayor Hill said it did kind of get to that point because there was one director who abruptly left, or actually the daycare wasn’t prepared for it. But the daycare is reorganizing and hopefully it will come back more complete and can also help with younger kids too. Mayor Hill said the daycare is not closed, it’s reorganizing. The board is still complete and still very involved.
Mayor Hill then spoke on the tree damage around the Village from the last major storm. She said the Village had emergency crews go around to try and pick up as many branches in the streets and alleys as possible. Mayor Hill said the Village reacted pretty quick and got things done.
Commissioner Sigel said the alley between Lincoln and the other alley is pretty well cleared out. That jungle is now where it can be drove down. Sigel said one of the people, he wasn’t sure if she moved or what the circumstances are of why she doesn’t live there anymore, but Sigel and his brother went down that whole alley. Sigel said that alley was terrible. Mayor Hill said it didn’t really get used so she wasn’t too worried about it. Sigel said it’s all cleared and he plans to get with Superintendent Pierce about some of the other alleys and maybe fill in some of the pot holes and try to level them out. Everything else is good.
Commissioner Meier said he doesn’t have much, but the clock at the Lions Club Gazebo is back up. Mayor Hill said excellent, and thanked Meier.
Remarks from Guests
There were no remarks from guests at this time.
Unfinished Business
There was no unfinished business as this time.
New Business
The council began discussing the Illinois Municipal League Risk Management Association Intergovernmental Cooperation Contract. Clerk Leathers said not only does the Illinois Municipal League provide the Village with workers compensation insurance, liability insurance and umbrella insurance for everything here, they also act as a very strong ally in downstate Springfield. They are aware of every bill that goes across the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Governor’s desks. They lobby on behalf of small municipalities especially, and they do work with all municipalities. Leathers said they offer so many things that the Village probably wouldn’t get with any other type of insurance company. All you have to do is email them or call them, and you’ll have your answer. They don’t just say they’ll call you back. Leathers said if she has a question about inspecting the parks or anything like that, one of them will stop by and leave her the forms. Leathers does believe that they were instrumental in making sure the State did not cut the share of taxes to municipalities that’s been talked about previously. Mayor Hill said they have so many more resources as a group then the Village can have. Leathers said yes, they give the Village a little more punch. Commissioner Sigel said he was reading where it said they will bill you if you ask them for their help on different things. Sigel asked if the Village has ever been billed when asking for their help. He said a lot of times they’ll say it in their laws, but a lot of times their just forth coming of it. Leathers said no, they never do it. Mayor Hill said it’s probably to discourage some cities that frequently ask repetitive questions. Sigel asked if this is a 1 year contract. Leathers said it’s actually something new that they came up with. Commissioner Meier said it says 2 years on the last page. Sigel asked that if the council votes yes, can the company still say no. Leathers said yes, but they have to give you a written notice and a written reason. Sigel said he didn’t know if they would come in and say well, wait a minute, we found asbestos, now you have to take care of it. Sigel didn’t know if they were that type of insurance. Leathers said no, not usually. Mayor Hill said they aren’t that type. Leathers said they send someone out to check the parks if there’s an issue with one of the swings or something. When there was that really tall slide in Booth Park, Leathers said she’s sure they said to take that down. Mayor Hill asked for a motion and a second. A motion was made by Commissioner Meier with a second by Commissioner Sigel. “Yes” votes were Sigel, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
The next item up for discussion was to Approve / Determine Confidentiality or Release of Closed Meeting Minutes from January 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017 Resolution No. R12-17-08-01. Mayor Hill said since Commissioner Maupin is not here, the council should table this since he was apart of those minutes and so he can also go through them as well. Commissioner Sigel said yes, he should be here to represent himself. The item is tabled for now.
Building permits issued by Zoning Administrator, Ron Kuepker, were 205 N. Lincoln – new roof and gutters.
Communications
Clerk Leathers said on the 24th day of July, Governor Rauner declared several counties a disaster area. Mayor Hill said this will help the Village declare hours with the disaster declaration and any of the clean up hours that can hopefully be turned in for some reimbursement. Leathers said Carroll County, Henry County, Jo Davis County, Lee, Ogle, Rock Island, Stevenson and Whiteside County were all apart of this. Leathers
said the Village will probably be going through some paperwork with IEMA and FEMA. Mayor Hill said the Village is always proactive when it comes to things like this because there’s hope some help will possibly come. The Village tries to document everything as it goes along to make sure we don’t short ourselves in any way. Leathers said they do pay. She believes the last time this occurred, the Village received $2,100 back. Mayor Hill said it does make a difference and is worth documenting.
Commissioner Sigel had a question regarding the Bills and the daycare fund. He said it looks like the daycare received $2,443. Mayor Hill said they are still receiving money from the state and everything is delayed with that. Sigel said Mayor Hill said the daycare will be closed for the time being. Mayor Hill said yes and that they will be freezing their accounts but there’s still catch up time. Clerk Leathers said the daycare has already sent in for their food reimbursement and there are a few children that have 4-C’s for the month of July. So they’ll be getting those as well. Sigel said ok, good. Mayor Hill said the council will stay there to help reestablish. Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Meier with a second by Commissioner Sigel. “Yes” votes were Sigel, Meier and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Commissioner Sigel had one more thing to discuss. He said he noticed that on the Village’s website, they’re not putting the agenda up of what’s going to transpire at the meetings. Clerk Leathers said this is the way the website works. The website is done by a volunteer. Leathers said she sends the agenda to the volunteer, but if he’s away, the agenda is not going to get up on the website. Mayor Hill said he’s not required to have it on there, and it is posted in the Village Hall building. Sigel said he understands it’s not required but a lot of people now a days look there for their information. Leathers said she knows people count on that, but sometimes it just is. Mayor Hill said the volunteer does his best even when he’s away and has computer access. There have only been a few times that were missed. Mayor Hill said Dana Fellows has done a fabulous job. Sigel said sometimes he tries to go on there. Mayor Hill said to come and talk to Leathers or call her and she can email the information. Mayor Hill said Sigel gets his information on Fridays now and he can share that if he knows someone who needs it.
The meeting adjourned at 7:14 PM. The next Regular Meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, August 15, 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 15 th DAY OF August, 2017
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
