REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
August 21, 2018
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 Tim Church, Al Wildman and Todd Tornow were present. Commissioner Scott Meier was 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 August 7, 2018 Regular Meeting were approved as presented.
Reports of Village Officials
Mayor Hill reminded everyone that the bleachers at the ball diamond will be seal coated tomorrow. We have been chipping away at what needs to be done and every little bit helps.
Commissioner Church said new business owner, Jared Strader, turned in his paperwork for the easement. I believe it’s the last one we needed before going further with the Water Main project. Clerk Leathers said we also need Gary Sandrock’s paperwork. I have been calling him for days. We’ve been out to the office and have been calling him for days. I have his cell phone number. Mayor Hill asked Leathers to send the number to her so she can call him. It’s good to be rolling on that. Then Cheri Bustos will be presenting the Village with a check for the grant.
Remarks from Guests
Village resident Deann Hinton said we have a couple items to discuss. I’ve noticed in the previous 2 months that Chief Strike has been out, making sure that the yards are cleaned up. There’s been a lot of effort and the minutes state that. Congratulations and thank you for working toward it. I do want to address a couple issues that I have noticed, especially with the Reagan Home with it being so prevalent throughout the community, and one of the important stops in the community. I know my husband has reported, in the past couple of years, trash piles out back. We’ve also posted photos on social media. There was a trash pile out there with branches and a couch inside that was approximately 14 to 18 feet wide. How that was not noticed, I’m unaware of. Mayor Hill asked if Deann called it in. Chief Strike said that they were sent letters. I can give you a copy if you come in and request one. Mayor Hill said I understand with the social media that there was a post instead of phone calls to the police. When it was burning you could have called them. By all rights, call. That’s the only way we can address things if it’s happening. Jeff Hinton said I did the neighborly thing and walked next door and said alright, if you’re going to burn cut it down and make it presentable. You guys came at me about the city limits. Mayor Hill said right but we didn’t fine. We worked with you. Jeff said this couch they threw on was about the size of my truck. Mayor Hill said the proper way to address it, rather than Facebook, is the police. Jeff said I’ve worked my butt off fixing up my house. Mayor Hill said right, and it looks nice. Jeff said that could have burnt it down. Nothing gets done around here. Deann Hinton said the smoke damage is evident. Mayor Hill said it was not called in when it was happening. Deann said it was contacted 2 weeks prior to Scott Meier. Mayor Hill said but while it was an active fire, then Deann said please, I’m speaking. I allowed you your time to speak and it’s my time to speak. I want to quote Chapter 8.12 Solid Waste Disposal, Article 1 in General 8.12.0108.08.0218.8.023 all City Codes including 8.08.0248.04.020 and I’m sure you’re also aware that they do not have the appropriate fence that surrounds their pool in the back yard, which is not full. The Health Department has been contacted for that. So that’s another violation. 15.08.018 15.08.011 Scott Meier was approached on this. I do not know of any other further communication. He was only sent 1 warning letter, about 2 years ago. He immediately addressed the issue. Not including the fact that they did not have a burn ring. It was a public safety issue. It was not addressed and I’m extremely disappointed in this community that I live in right now. I wanted to actually apply for a FOIA request regarding this, but I also noticed that there is a violation under State Statutes to where it is not identified how and who is the official FOIA officer. None of that information is available on the website. Mayor Hill said that would be Clerk Leathers. You can fill out the statements with Clerk Leathers. We are public officials, both of us are FOIA. Clerk Leathers said yes, any questions you have can be answered from my office at any time. Deann said but it’s not following State Statutes. I’m just now beginning the investigation because the Watchdog is coming out. Leathers said we do not maintain the website. The website is maintained by a volunteer. The Village does not maintain that. Village resident Deb TerBush said it states that right on the website. Mayor Hill said right. Leathers said it’s not an official website and is done on a volunteer basis. Mayor Hill said it’s a courtesy to our community. Deann said according to Article 5 ilcs/140 of FOIA, any public body that has a website must also post this information on it’s website. Mayor Hill said if they are paid officials. Deann said they do not have to be paid. Mayor Hill said there is a loop hole in there that says that. He is not paid by us. He is not an employee of the Village. Deann said I disagree and my attorneys disagree, so you might want to look into that. Mayor Hill said well I guess we’ll have to shut down the website. Deb TerBush said then I’m going to have to ask, I’m also a close neighbor and that pool actually isn’t up and running, so there isn’t an ordinance for a fence to be properly maintained. Jeff Hinton said there is stagnant water. Mayor Hill said it has to be a certain depth. Jeff said there could be possible West Nile. Mayor Hill said ok, I understand that you’re disappointed with the Village, you’re disappointed with the police, you’re disappointed with our website, correct? Deann said correct. I would like to see the Village move forward with the appropriate corrections. Mayor Hill asked what is your suggestion? We have sent out violation orders, we have to go through the system. Chief Strike said you have 7 days then you get another 4. After that you get a citation. Jeff Hinton said you were ready to fine me $150 when I just moved into that house. Strike asked who fined you $150? Jeff said I should have brought in the paperwork. You gave me a notice to get it fixed, I respected that. Mayor Hill said and you got it fixed. That’s the way it goes out. Jeff said I had just moved in to that abandoned house. These people have been there years. I did the neighborly thing and asked them not to burn it. Mayor Hill said they have been sent violations and we have to go through due process. You became compliant so there is no longer an issue. We have to go through the process with your neighbors. Jeff asked why weren’t they arrested? Strike said they started cleaning so they abated the situation. Mayor Hill said like I said, you could have called the fire department. You could have called the police department at the time of the incident. You had a right to do that. Strike said you said something to Scott Meier and I went right over there, I looked at it and I addressed it. I have copies in my office, I keep copies of everything. Village resident Kari Matthews said if I were you I would have called the fire department because they would have been right over. Mayor Hill said you have the right to call the fire department if you feel threatened. Commissioner Todd Tornow said but that’s also what we have a burn pile for outside of town. Not to have a bonfire in the middle of Tampico. Jeff said that was not a burn pile, it was a pep rally. Tornow said whatever it was, that’s where all the branches go. And I’m sure if they would have set the couch out front the garbage man would take it. Leathers said they would have but here’s the thing, nobody calls to find out. They could call my office and say what do I do with this couch? Put it out for the garbage guys. Tornow said something needs to be done so this doesn’t happen. Mayor Hill said we have been trying to communicate. Tornow said people do not need to be building a huge bonfire in the middle of Tampico. Matthews said people burn garbage in town all the time, you can stand outside and smell it. Mayor Hill said it needs to be reported. I don’t care if we have 3 cops in town. There is going to be 1 corner where someone is going to be doing something. It’s communication, you need to call Clerk Leathers. People post on Facebook asking if the water bill is going up. Don’t post on Facebook unless you’ve checked with Leathers or myself. That kind of stuff goes on all the time on social media. You want to know what to do with the couch? It is in our ordinance that the waste goes to the waste and if you’re not sure if the garbage will pick it up, you call the office. If there is a fire going on that you think is damaging your property, you call the police and the fire department. Jeff Hinton asked is it my job to look in the neighbors backyard? Mayor Hill said it can’t hurt. Strike said we go around looking. Mayor Hill said yes they go around but it doesn’t hurt to bring it to his attention. Strike said you can come up any time and see our list. It is public knowledge. Jeff asked how big are their fines? Strike said a fine can go anywhere from $100 to $500. If it gets over $500 we go to court. Jeff said it’s been 3 years. Deann Hinton said and it was never noticed, that’s our greatest concern. It was never addressed previously. Mayor Hill said you can come to them as well and ask if it’s being addressed. You can ask questions too. Jeff Hinton said it’s not my job to ask questions. That’s your guys job. Mayor Hill said if it’s bothering you you have every right. Jeff asked would it bother you? Mayor Hill said if it bothered me I’d take care of it and I’d call whoever I needed to call to take care of it. Strike said just like when you talked to Meier, then he talked to me and I rushed right there and they showed me their copies. I sent them 2 different letters. Jeff said I talked to Meier 2 or 3 weeks ago and said it’s going to happen. I’m traveling a lot right now and the last thing I need is to come home to my house burnt down. We travel a lot this time of year. They thought we weren’t home and lit it. Mayor Hill said we’ve had that if you know where I live. We’ve had some pretty good fires down by our place. I totally understand. But you know what, I called the fire department. They came right over and checked it out. Jeff said preventative measures could have been taken. I shouldn’t have to call the fire department. Deann asked if other yards are already being looked into, how was that one bypassed? Chief Strike said we are human. We don’t always catch everything. Deann said one of the most important, photographed homes. Mayor Hill said that is a privately owned home. We are addressing the issues and we have already taken care of quite a few issues. Matthews said I’ve seen Strike mowing yards in town for people and I find it appalling. Mayor Hill said right, but we do it and we’d rather have the officer there because it’s part of a violation. And they get fined on top of it and there are possible leans. Jeff asked so are they being fined? Mayor Hill said that’s a civil issue and we can discuss that in the office outside of this meeting. Jeff said well it’s right out back and you can see it any time. Strike said I’ll go out there tomorrow. Deann said I have photographs as well. Strike said I’ll take copies if you have copies. Mayor Hill said you can come in and file a complaint. Quite honestly, what I was trying to say is my mother and I came up here because we had that donation for the landscape, and the front of the building was not looking the most attractive. So we went and had my husband bring the dump truck up and my mother, who is 85 years old, and I cleaned all the way around here and all the landscape and filled that truck. Jeff said we spent our honeymoon fixing up the park. Mayor Hill said I’ve been down there working there too. I’m not asking for a compliment or a boast or anything else, it’s the see it, do it, take care of it. You have a problem with your neighbor? Take care of it the right way. Jeff said I tried. Mayor Hill said like the park, if you see a weed pull it or pick up a water bottle. It’s all our duties to take care of the community. Deann said that’s another issue I’d like to address. People mowing run over the plastic bottles. No one gets off the mower to pick it up. Mayor Hill said if that’s in the right away you have the right to pick that up. Deann said I’m talking about the park. Mayor Hill said I know. Deann said the city mowers just mow over it. They don’t pick anything up. Mayor Hill said this is the first I’ve heard that. Deann said well, I’m bringing it to your attention now. Mayor Hill said those are the types of things that need to be brought in to Clerk Leathers. Then she can tell the appropriate commissioner. If you don’t happen to know, all of our phone numbers are listed on the website as well. Jeff said this isn’t a personal attack on out neighbor. It’s the fact that we could have lost everything that we’ve worked for. Deann said that’s where our anger comes from. It’s our home. It’s our kids, granted our kids are 2 dogs. Mayor Hill said I understand that but you have the right to pick up the phone and call 911 and in an emergency they’ll come out. Jeff said it’s not my job to hold up the city code. Did someone call in about my burn pile because I got a threatening letter about it. Assistant Clerk Jamie McIntire said we have a lot of people call the office with issues and that’s how we get things done. Mayor Hill said I do believe we had some complaints on that issue and that’s why it was addressed in that manner. We have to follow protocol. Strike said the letters we send out are not threatening letters. Jeff said I busted my ass fixing up that house and I take pride in this town. Strike said we’ll address the issue tomorrow morning. Mayor Hill said I was born and raised here and I’ve worked my butt off too and I appreciate everyone that does. I honestly do. I appreciate everyone who pitches in to help make the town look better. I’m proud of Tampico. Having these things continuously come up at our meetings instead of handling it through the proper authorities, it goes in the papers and reflects poorly on our community. There are proper ways to channel this and you’re welcome to come in the office if you feel nothing is being done. I have been here for a while now and I just don’t understand why it has to blow up in meetings and be in social media. People like to read our minutes because they want to know what else happened in Tampico. Jeff said it’s how we get things taken care of. Clerk Leathers said it is being taken care of. If you come in my office I will show you the process that it must go through. Tornow said it’s too late now. There was still a huge bonfire that was built in the middle of Tampico. I don’t like that and it has nothing to do with them 2. I myself do not want someone burning a huge fire in the middle of Tampico. McIntire said then call it in. Mayor Hill said then call, call the fire department and they’ll put it out. Ok, we have addressed the issue. Deann said my family moved to Illinois in 1863 and I have great pride in this state. Even though I grew up only 30 miles away, now I’ve relocated here. 1863, that’s a lot of family that helped develop this state. Towards the beginning of the invention of it. Commissioner Church said if they start another fire, call it in. Strike said I’m going to see them tomorrow morning. You have the right to join me. Jeff said I tried to be a good neighbor. Mayor Hill said he is inviting you to go with him. Deann said I will go. Strike said ok. Once she’s done with her paper route we’ll stop by and address it. I’ll take some pictures and we’ll make sure it gets all cleaned up. Deann said I can send you some photographs that I have. Mayor Hill said ok, you take it from here. It’s now a police and civil issue. Does anyone have anything else?
Unfinished Business
The discussion turned to status updates with the Watermain Replacement Project. Commissioner Church said like we said earlier, once Jared Strader and Gary Sandrock sign their easements we’ll be good. Mayor Hill said I’ll get a hold of Sandrock. Commissioner Tornow asked if we’re just waiting on the easements. Mayor Hill said yes. Then we’ll post it. Church said the one with Doug I think just has to do with the sewer. Clerk Leathers said I think it’s the lift station and the storm sewer. That doesn’t have any affect on them. You’re right. Mayor Hill said we’re doing good on that.
New Business
There was no New Business to discuss at this time.
There were no Building Permits to review at this time.
Mayor Hill said I should back it up for just one minute. At the previous meeting we discussed making sure people are current on their water bills once they’ve gotten to the shut off point. I thought we had already addressed this and sure enough Leathers had put in the ordinance a while ago saying once your water is shut off, everything has to be resolved before getting your water turned back on. There is no budget plan anymore for those who have their water shut off. You have to pay 100% of what is owed with a money order or cash before getting your water turned back on. Just wanted to finalize that too.
Communications
Clerk Leathers said there are interesting things in the State House Briefing. They’re still trying to mess with the local government funding that we get. Even though they’re going to make people start paying sales tax on purchases through Amazon or such places if you live in Illinois, we still might not see any of that. If you take a minute to go through that, it explains it pretty well. Mayor Hill said it’s just good as a citizen to know these things as well.
Bills were ordered paid on a motion by Commissioner Wildman with a second by Commissioner Tornow. “Yes” votes were Church, Wildman, Tornow and Mayor Hill. The motion carried.
Mayor Hill asked if anyone had anything else to discuss. She thanked everyone for coming and said to have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.
The meeting adjourned at 7:24 PM. The next Regular Meeting of the Tampico Village Council will be Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at 7:00 PM in the Reagan Community Center located at 202 W. Second Street.
Kathy A. Leathers
Clerk
Mayor
Kristine L. Hill
MINUTES APPROVED THIS 4th DAY OF September, 2018
**These minutes are not official until signed, dated and sealed by the Village Clerk**
