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VILLAGE OF COLFAX, ILLINOIS

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Back To Board Minutes Listing NOVEMBER 2014 BOARD MEETING MINUTES | Friday, December 12, 2014
THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE VILLAGE BOARD OF COLFAX WAS CALLED TO ORDER ON MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 3, 2014 AT 7:00 P.M. BY MAYOR RICARDO ONKEN.

TRUSTEES PRESENT WERE:
RICK VANCE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE;
LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE;

TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE WAS ABSENT.

ALSO PRESENT WERE: VILLAGE TREASURER LINDA HANSON; POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT; PUBLIC WORKS BRIAN HEREFORD.

TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE MADE A MOTION TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES AND APPROVE AS PRESENTED. TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE: RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - ABSENT; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

VILLAGE TREASURER LINDA HANSON GAVE THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2014.
BEGINNING BALANCE AS OF 10/01/2014 $250,901.37
ENDING BALANCE AS OF 10/31/2014 $272,243.40
INCREASE IN INCOME FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER $ 21,342.03

VILLAGE CLERK NANCY KIPER REPORTED RECEIVING THE INSURANCE BILL. IT WAS PUT ON THE BILLS TO PAY THE TOTAL AMOUNT OR ELSE WE WOULD END UP PAYING $500.00 MORE AND NOW WE GET A $373.00 DISCOUNT IF WE PAY IT NOW.

TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE MADE A MOTION TO PAY THE BILLS AS PRESENTED. TRUSTEE CAROL STEPHENSON SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE: RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - ABSENT; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE, HAD NOTHING TO REPORT AT THIS TIME.

IN THE ABSENCE OF TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE, CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICE AND LIQUOR COMMITTEE, POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT REPORTED THAT THE ACTIVITY REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2014 IS IN YOUR FOLDERS.

MIKE ALSO REPORTED THAT ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014 THERE WILL BE AN "ACTIVE SHOOTER - RAPID RESPONSE DRILL" AT RIDGEVIEW SCHOOL. COLFAX POLICE, ILLINOIS STATE POLICE, McLEAN COUNTY SHERIFFS AND EMCAA WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS DRILL.

MIKE ALSO STATED THAT HE SPOKE WITH HARLEY DANIELS REGARDING THE BUILDING UPTOWN THAT HE PURCHASED. HARLEY IS RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND BUT REPORTED TO MIKE THAT HE HAS CONTRACTED WITH 4D CONSTRUCTION AND THEY WILL BE DOING THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING BEGINNING DECEMBER 6TH. HARLEY ALSO REPORTED THAT HE HAS OBTAINED 2 - FIVE (5) TON HEATERS THAT HE WILL BE USING IN THE BUILDING THIS WINTER TO START ON THE RESTORATION OF THE BUILDING.

HARLEY REPORTED TO MIKE THAT HE SPOKE WITH MR. CLARK STATED HE WOULD SELL HIM THE PROPERTY FOR $17,000.00. HARLEY TOLD HIM THAT THE BUILDING WASN'T WORTH THAT AND THAT HE OFFERED HIM $2,500.00 CASH RIGHT THERE. HARLEY TOLD HIM TO PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH THE VILLAGE. HE HASN'T HAD ANYMORE LUCK WITH MR. CLARK THAN THE VILLAGE HAS. MIKE STATED WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER STEP ON THIS BUILDING.

MIKE REPORTED THAT IDOT HAS ERECTED THE NEW SIGNS AT ROUTE 165 AND HARRISON STREET AND THEY HAVE TRIMMED THE TREES ON THE CURT JOHNSON PROPERTY. MIKE STATED HE WOULD HAVE LIKED FOR THEM TO DO A SPEED SURVEY BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

MIKE STATED THAT HE CALLED REGARDING THE SIDEWALK GRANT BUT HASN'T HEARD ANYTHING YET.

MAYOR RICK ONKEN STATED THAT AT THE LAST MAYOR'S MEETING IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE VILLAGE OF HEYWORTH HAS HIRED THEIR OWN PERSONAL ENGINEER - RIC IS GOING TO CHECK AND SEE IF THE PERSON IS ALSO A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AND MAYBE THE VILLAGE CAN HIRE HIM REGARDING THE MAIN STREET PROPERTY. OUR ENGINEER, MIKE FRIEND ALSO SAID THEY CAN REFER US TO A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.

TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER, CHAIRMAN OF THE WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE, HAD BRIAN HEREFORD GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE WATER AND SEWER.

BRIAN REPORTED THAT HE HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT THE WATER PLANT AND REALIZED THAT TWO CELLS WERE OPENING AND I FIXED THAT AND THAT IT WASN'T GETTING CHLORINATED. BRIAN ALSO REPORTED THAT THE IRON CONTENT IN THE WATER HAS DROPPED FROM 5.2 TO 2.3.

BRIAN REPORTED THAT WATER SOLUTIONS IS COMING OUT NEXT WEEK TO GIVE MA PRICE ON A NEW CHLORINATOR. BRIAN SAYS THE WATER NEEDS TO BE CHLORINATED WHEN IT COMES IN AND ALSO WHEN IT GOES OUT TO THE TOWER. BRIAN ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE SI A NEW PRODUCT THAT DOES THE SAME THING AS RE-OX BUT IT IS CHEAPER. THE RE-OX IS $15.00 PER GALLON AND THIS IS ONLY $10.00 PER GALLON. WATER SOLUTIONS WILL ALSO GIVE US A PRICE ON THIS SYSTEM. BRIAN STATED THAT IF HE HAD HIS CHOICE HE WOULD RATHER HAVE THE CHLORINATOR THAN THE RE-OX SYSTEM. BRIAN STATED THE AMMONIA IS EATING UP THE CHLORINE.

LONNIE ASKED BRIAN ABOUT THE RE-OX THAT WAS BEING PUT IN THE WATER A FEW YEARS BACK. BRIAN STATED THAT THERE ARE SIXTY-FIVE (65) GALLONS OF RE-OX OVER AT THE WATER PLANT THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN USED. BRIAN ASKED THE SALESMAN WHAT THE VILLAGE IS TO DO WITH THESE GALLONS OF UNUSED RE-OX. BASICALLY DUMP THEM DOWN THE DRAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE NO GOOD ANYMORE. BRIAN REPORTED TALKING TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM WATER SOLUTIONS UNLIMITED AND THAT THE VILLAGE NEEDS A NEW CHLORINATOR. BRIAN STATED HE HAS BEEN BACK FLUSHING EVERYDAY WHERE THEY USE TO FLUSH ONLY EVERY OTHER DAY WHICH BRINGS DOWN THE IRON LEVEL.

LONNIE STATED HE NEVER KNEW WHY THE VILLAGE EVER QUIT USING THE RE-OX.

RIC ASKED IF THE CHLORINE WILL HELP THE IRON AND BACTERIA TOO. BRIAN SAID YES BUT NEED ANOTHER CHLORINATOR TO TREAT AS IT GOES INTO THE TOWER. WE WERE NEVER SET UP TO TREAT PRE AND POST.

LONIE ASKED BRIAN IF HE HAS LOOKED AT THE TONKA FILTER SYSTEM. BRIAN SAID YES NEED TO THINK ABOUT BUDGETING THAT IN AND SETTING MONEY ASIDE - WILL PROBABLY RUN $30,000 TO $40,000.

BRIAN SAID ALSO NEED A BYPASS VALVE SO THAT WE CAN TURN THAT FILTER OFF IF WE NEED TO. IN ORDER TO CLEAN THAT FILTER IT TAKES ABOUT 1/2 DAY AND WILL BE WITHOUT WATER - THE TOWER WOULD LAST ALL DAY.

LONNIE ASKED BRIAN IF THE VILLAGE IS GOING TO DO THAT CONCRETE WORK AT THE SEWER NEXT YEAR. BRIAN SAID YES HE HAS TI ON HIS LIST.

LONNIE WILL SCHEDULE A WATER COMMITTEE MEETING AFTER BRIAN GETS THE QUOTES BEFORE THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.

TRUSTEE RICK VANCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE STREETS AND LIGHTS COMMITTEE, REPORTED THAT THE SALT SHED IS DONE AND FULL OF SALT.

BRIAN ASKED ABOUT THE GROVE STREET RAILROAD TRACKS. BRIAN ASKED IF ALLIANCE GRAIN IS GOING TO FIX THAT OR PATCH THAT. RICK VANCE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

BRIAN REPORTED THAT HE HAS THE OTHER STREETS ALL PATCHED THAT HAD TO BE TORN UP FOR THE WATER MAINS.

BRIAN REPORTED THAT BRANDON BAKER HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE LIGHTS ON MAIN STREET. BRIAN STATED THAT BRANDON IS DRILLING HOLES TO ALLOW THE WATER TO DRAIN OUT INSTEAD OF STANDING IN THE PAN WHERE THE WIRES ARE AND SHORTING THEM OUT.

BRIAN STATED HE WAS GOING TO START TEARING OUT SIDEWALKS THIS WEEK BUT MIKE CAN'T HELP RIGHT NOW BUT MAYBE BRENT CAN HELP THIS WEEK.

THE FIRST ITEM UNDER OLD BUSINESS WAS MIKE REPORTED THAT LAST MONTH THE VILLAGE RAISED THE OVERALL FINES FOR ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS FROM $50.00 TO $500.00 AND ARE NOT $75.00 TO $750.00. THE ANIMAL ORDINANCE STILL HAS THE $50.00 TO $500.00 AMOUNT AND MIKE IS WONDERING IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THST TOO. MIKE SAID CAN JUST DELETE THAT FROM THE ANIMAL ORDINANCE AND THE NEW ORDINANCE WOULD COVER THAT.

THE FIRST ITEM UNDER NEW BUSINESS IS A DRAFT OF THE NEW 2014-15 TAX LEVY. THE LEVY WAS RAISED FIVE (5%) PERCENT. THIS WILL NEED TO BE PASSED AT NEXT MONTH'S METING.

TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER REPORTED THAT IN HIS TRAVELS AROUND THE AREA SINCE HARVEST HE HAS NOTICED THAT OUR CASEY'S GENERAL STORE GAS PRICES ARE AT LEAST TWENTY-FOUR (24) CENTS HIGHER THAN ANYONE IN THE AREA. HE JUST WONDERED WHY THIS IS ALL OF THE TIME. HE IS JUST WONDERING IF IT IS WORTH WRITING TO CORPORATE OFFICE REGARDING THIS.

VILLAGE CLERK NANCY KIPER EXPLAINED THAT IT ORIGINALLY WAS THAT COLFAX STAYED TWO (2) CENTS OVER BLOOMINGTON AND SAYBROOK STAYED TWO (2) CENTS OVER COLFAX.

TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER IS WONDERING ABOUT THE SIDEWALK PROJECT. LONNIE STATED THAT IT HAS BEEN AT LEAST SIX (6) MONTHS SINCE MIKE HAS SUBMITTED THE GRANT TO IDOT. LONNIE STATED THAT MAYBE SHOULD PLAN ON DOING SOMETHING NEXT SUMMER. MAYOR RIC ONKEN STATED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SIDEWALKS THAT ARE TRIP HAZARDS RIGHT NOW FROM THE ROOTS OF THE TREES RAISING THE SIDEWALKS.

THE MAYOR ASKED IF ANYONE HAD ANY ADDITIONS TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR SUPERINTENDENT. IF NO ONE HAS ANY CHANGES WILL GET THIS TO TOM TO GET THE ORDINANCE CHANGED.

MAYOR RIC ONKEN ADDRESSED THE BOARD STATED THAT HE HAS BEEN APPROACHED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE ABOUT A COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE IT WOULD BE OPEN MOST OF THE TIME. RIC IS GOING TO LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT. LONNIE IS WONDERING IF THE VILLAGE SHOULD DO A SURVEY AND SEE WHAT THE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. THE MAYOR WOULD LIKE THE TRUSTEES TO GIVE THIS SOME THOUGHT WITH SOME REALISTIC QUESTIONS/IDEAS.

CAROL ASKED ABOUT THE CELLULAR TOWER - THE VILLAGE GETS PAID FOR THE LAND THAT THEY RENT - RIC EXPLAINED THAT THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SWITCHING OVER FROM U S CELLULAR TO SPRINT.

TRUSTEE RICK VANCE MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. TRUSTEE CAROL STEPHENSON SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE: RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - ABSENT; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:40 P.M.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
NANCY KIPER
VILLAGE CLERK


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