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VILLAGE OF COLFAX, ILLINOIS

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Back To Board Minutes Listing December Board Meeting Minute | Thursday, January 17, 2013
The regular monthly meeting of the Village Board of Colfax was called to order on Monday evening, December 3, 2012 at 7:oo p.m. by Mayor Ricardo Onken.

Trustees present were:  Rick Vance - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Jason Pierce - Aye; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye;

Trustee Lonnie Meiner was absent.

Also present were Village Treasurer Linda Hanson; Village Attorney Tom Shields; Police Chief Michael Scott; Superintendent Damon Getty.

Trustee Rick Vance made a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes and approve as presented.  Trustee David Rathke seconded the motion.  Vote:  Rick Vance - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Jason Pierce - Aye; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Absent; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Village Treasurer Linda Hanson gave the Treasurer's Report for the month of November, 2012.  Beginning Balance as of 11/01/2012 - $160132.304; Ending Balance as of 11/30/2012 - $148163.95; Decrease for the month of November, 2012 - $11968.09.

There was some discussion regarding the Electric Pump Invoice in the amount of $2,197.50.  Superintendent Damon Getty asked if we held one of the invoices.  Damon stated he needs to call corporate first.  Village Clerk Nancy Kiper stated that it's thirty (30) days and if we don't pay then they will charge the Village finance charge/late fee.  Damon stated he sent the invoice two weeks before he sent the order.

Trustee Rick Vance made a motion to pay the bills as presented except for the Electric Pump Invoice for $2,197.50  Trustee Jason Pierce seconded the motion.  Vote:  Rick Vance - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Jason Pierce - Aye; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Absent; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Trustee Lonnie Meiner, Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee, was absent.  There was nothing to report at this time.

Trustee David Rathke, Chairman of the Police and Liquor Committee, reported that the Activity Report for the Police Department for the month of November, 2012 is in your folders.

Police Chief Michael Scott reported on the property at 102 South Grove and the pictures in your packet shows Brice has been doing some work.  Mike stated that everything has been closed in that was exposed.  Mike reported that the roof work that Brice originally thought would just be cosmetic work is not.  Had to tear everything off and redo the whole thing.  Brice called Mike and asked for an extension of time both because there's more work there than he had planned on and because he'g going to have to talk to the Sticklen's out of more money for materials.

Mike stated that's where we are on that.  Mike stated if you want to extend I will be happy to relay that information but up to the Board.

Trustee Rick Wagoner is not for an extension, this has drug on long enough.

Trustee Carol Stephenson asked Mike if he said how much longer he will need.  Mike reported that Brice stated he can figure how long it's going to take to do the work but what he can't figure is how long it's going to take to get the materials.

Mike stated that the other option is to issue another Ordinance Violation in hopes to speed it along.  The Board opted to have Mike issue another Ordinance Violation.

Mike reported that Bloomington Police Department donated two (2) Tasers and all of the accessories to McLean County Rural Police Chiefs Association of which the Colfax Police Department ended up being the recipient of one of the Tasers and a dozen holsters, 75 cartridges and three batteries which totals to about $3,775.00 of equipment and there's no cost to us whatsoever.

The question here tonight is to get Board approval for out officers to be equipped with the Taser.

Mike explained the process of the different areas of enforcing.

The Taser gives you an alternative response to physical resistance.  The Taser gives an alternative response to physical resistance.  The Taser is a way for neuromuscular compliance.  This is a way that when applied you will immediately lose the ability for any muscle use at all which creates a safe time for the officer.  Once the Taser has been stopped there is no recovery time here - there is instant recovery.

Mike has supplied all of the paper work form the Taser from the company and the stats from all of the different sources.  It has gotten to the point - one example would be if I am fifteen feet (15') away from somebody and he pulls a knife on me - in the current use of force continuing my resopnse to that is to draw my service weapon - if he takes a move towards me or acts with a throwing motion with the knife my response is lethal force.  This gives us an alternative.  The Taser is an alternative here where you can not only be required to use lethal force but it also gives you an alternative that will very likely create a situation where the subject can be disarmed and can be made safe with no injury to anybody occurs.  Bottom line is it has a twenty-five foot (25') distance so you can see where things can be made safe without having to be quite so close to where criminal so that injuries occur.  Right now insurance companies/risk management companies in a lot of the larger departments are covering the costs of Tasers - they are actually paying for the Tasers because it is a lot cheaper to do that than to cover the cost of injuries and work comp associated with injuries due to officers/employees.

Trustee Rick Wagoner asked about the cartridge - is that like a small caliber.  Mike reported it shoots out two probes that must make contact with the body for it to work.  The Taser itself has a small onboard computer and what it is for is that it keeps track of all activations - every time and date that there is an activation which is accountability.  It comes with a data port you plug it into your computer and download that software and it tells you on a report of when the Taser was activated, what time and what date.  If one of our officers is working and it shows that the Taser is activated he's going to have to account for that.

Mike reported that there is a Le Roy Police Officer that is a certified instructor and will come down and do a training for all of our guys who are interested in carrying the Taser.  You must go through the training and we will have a use of force policy updated and including the Taser and its use and these things must be done prior to anybody carrying the Taser on duty.  We have the Illinois State Police and Bloomington PD are both supplying me their Use of Force Policies that includes the Taser and I will take a look at both of them and see if we want to adopt either one of them.

Trustee Rick Wagoner asked Mike if the Taser has ever been used on a vicious dog.  Mike stated they have and they will tell you that as a general rule they aren't effective and they don't suggest their use on animals and they warranty their use on animals.  I know they have been used effectively but to extremes. Mike stated I am familiar with a case in Bloomington where an officer used one on a vicious animal that was attacking him and it took two minute activation to put the animal down.

The only police department in McLean County that does not permit Tasers is Heyworth.  Every other police department is currently equipped with one.

Mayor Ric Onken asked Mike if he knew why Heyworth doesn't permit them.

Trustee David Rathke asked Mike if there were times over the past five (5) to ten (10) years where an officer would have used a Taser here.  Mike stated yes there are endless times when it would have been handy.

Mayor Ric Onken asked Mike how we were fortunate enough to get one now.  Mike stated because besides Heyworth not allowing them ourselves and Ellsworth were the only Police Departments in the County that didn't have one so they said ok you get one and you get one.

Trustee Rick Wagoner made a motion to have the Colfax Police Officers proceed with the Taser Training and after the policy is updated and in police the Colfax Police Department will be allowed to carry the Taser.  Trustee David Rathke seconded the motion.  Vote:  Rick Vance - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Jason Pierce - Aye; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Absent; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Trustee Rick Wagoner, Chairman of the Water and Sewer Committee,  reported that Damon replaced the probes in the tank.  The original probes were $1,100.00 each.  They replaced them with plastic floats that are only $26.00 and they shouldn't rust thru.  Damon explained they did some rewiring.

Damon stated that some of the new meters are here.  Since haven't done many in the last few months not sure how many have been installed.

Mayor Ric Onken asked Damon if he contacted the EPA regarding the well that is out of service.  Need to cap it or Richard and I talked about putting a small pump int here and sampling it.  it costs several thousand dollars to cap it and Damon stated for $400 or $500 can get a small pump and test it to keep it in service.  The only thing is that you need to notify EPA every month.

Trustee David Rathke questioned, "We have a well we can't use?"

Damon stated Well #2.  Mayor Ric Onken stated maybe we need to budget on fixing it.

Damon stated it's a good well - 78 foot deep.

Trustee Carol Stephenson, Chairman of the Street and Light Committee, stated that Colfax resident Tom Ales has a problem with his sewer and Damon looked at it today.  Carol stated what you are saying Tommy the blockage is under the street.

Damon stated that we don't take care of private sewer lines.  The house isn't in city limits but the break is under the village street.  There was much discussion regarding this.  The house is not in city limits but the break is in the city limits.  The Board didn't realize that they were in city limits.

Carol stated she thinks that under the circumstances - if it was a water main we'd being doing it.

Trustee Rick Wagoner asked if they had any service in the house.  Not working in the house right now.  David Rathke asked if Damon can fix it - Rick Wagoner stated I'm sure he can if it's the higher level but if it's the lower level not sure.

Carol stated personally because of it being under the street we should help him out.  If it was int he property or in the back yard then that would totally be his.  Rick Wagoner stated since it on the city side and since this is obviously the only case we have should take case of it.  Mayor Ric Onken stated to scope it and see where it's at first.  Ric told Carol to stay on top of this.  Ric asked how soon this could be done - Damon stated he can get it scoped tomorrow.

Mayor Ric Onken stated he had nothing new to report on CIRBN.  David Rathke stated they haven't gotten back to me on those items.  Table until next month.

Next on the agenda was the passage of the 2012-13 Tax Levy.  Village clerk stated that this is a five percent (5%) increase from last year.

Trustee David Rathke stated that means we will be increasing the taxes five percent (5%).  Is there a reason we need a tax increase?  Village clerk Nancy Kiper explained that the Village can have up to a five percent (5%) increase without having a hearing.

Trustee Rick Wagoner stated that the Village has tried in the past to break it down to two percent (2%) and three percent (3%).  Rick stated just trying to keep ahead.

Trustee David Rathke stated I see we have $140,000.00 in our bank accounts.

Village Clerk Nancy Kiper ported that we have had our last distribution until next year and that $140,000.00 has to last until next year when we start getting tax money in again.

Trustee Rick Wagoner stated that $140,000.00 actually is a small cushion - a couple water main breaks and that would be gone.

Village Clerk Nancy Kiper reported that part of that money is for Motor Fuel Tax and that can only be used for streets.

Trustee Rick Wagoner made a motion to approve the 2012-13 Tax Levy in the amount of $54,062.00.  Trustee Carol Stephenson seconded the motion.  Vote:  Rick Vance - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Jason Pierce - Aye; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Absent; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

The next item Mayor Ric Onken wants to bring up.  This is from the July 2nd meeting regarding overtime and what came out of that is that there would be no overtime or work comp time unless it was an extreme emergency.  I found that there have been several times we have paid overtime again and am curious as to what the overtime is.  What were the emergencies?

Superintendent Damon Getty stated, "I'm the only one here so I have been taking it to board members and had my time card signed."

Mayor Ric Onken stated, "I know but what is the overtime for."

Damon stated, "I have to check the plants every day."

Mayor Ric Onken stated, "I know but that was when you use the comp time.  So then you are saying that the overtime is just on weekends."

Trustee Jason Pierce stated everything is here - looks like you had two (2) hours on Thanksgiving.  Carol stated normally you would have Friday's off - right Damon.

Ric Onken stated well if the Board is in agreement on how the overtime is being taken I understand there is only one person.

Trustee Rick Wagoner asked Damon if he talked to a couple of guys about doing Saturdays and Sundays.

Ric Onken asked Damon if he has talked to anyone about plowing snow.  Ric stated he knows Brent is interested in helping.

Trustee Rick Wagoner made a motion to adjourn.  Trustee Carol Stephenson seconded the motion.  Vote:  Rick Vance - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Jason Pierce - Aye; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Absent; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted, Nancy Kiper, Village Clerk
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