The regular monthly meeting of the Village Board of Colfax was called to order by Mayor Ricardo Onken on Monday evening, July 6, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

Trustees present were:

Donna Poppe - Aye

David Rathke - Aye

Carol Stephenson - Aye

Lonnie Meiner - Aye

Rick Wagoner - Aye

Bruce Green was absent.

Also present were Village Treasurer Linda Hanson; Village Attorney Tom Shields; Superintendent of Public Works Damon Getty; and Police Chief Mike Scott.

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

Village Treasurer Linda Hanson gave the Treasurer's Report for June, 2009.

Beginning balance as of 06/01/09 $79,658.45

Ending balance as of 06/30/09 $110,647.87

Increase for June, 2009 $30,989.42

Village Clerk Nancy Kiper explained that she will see what is left after paying the bills for this month and pay at least one-half of the balance on the loan at the bank. Have to pay the backhoe payment and the annual fee to EPA and Mug-A-Bug.

Water Products representatives Steve Lancaster and Mark __________ made a presentation for new water meters for the Village. The new system would have a replacement meter with a transmitter - which is the brains of the outfit. The Village has about fifty (50) in ground and fifty (50) in the houses. They explained that with the hand held computer everything is all done electronically. There is very little manual entry. The hand held holds about 10,000 accounts.

Trustee Lonnie Meiner asked the representatives how much revenue they feel that the Village is loosing. They feel at least twenty percent (20%). Billed 1,643,000 million - Pumped 2.3 million.

Trustee Rick Wagoner explained that the meters we currently use are no longer available. Water products will give full credit for the twelve new meters that the Village has on hand. Rick feels that we are loosing at least twenty percent (20%) revenue and probably more in the summer because people use more water.

Trustee Lonnie Meiner explained that the Village has applied for a grant which would cover buying all of the meters. The Village has to do something because cannot replace the broken meters we have.

Trustee Donna Poppe asked if the Village should put this out for bids. Nancy Kiper explained that this is compatible with our UB Pro Billing System. Donna does not know what the rush is because she feels part of the problem was due to meters not be read.

Damon explained that the only other place to buy meters is in Springfield and Water Products is in Bloomington and will deliver parts to us in an emergency. We have done business with them for forty years (40).

Water Products is offering a price of 150 meters - $30,700.00 which includes the software, setup and training. This price package is only good until September.

Village Attorney Tom Shields explained the can waive the right for bid and everything is compatible with the billing system.

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Trustee Rick Wagoner made a motion to waive the formal standard competitive bidding process and accept the Water Products quote of $30,700.00. Trustee Lonnie Meiner seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Trustee Lonnie Meiner explained that the Village made the first cut for the grant. The first time we heard was after one month and we are hoping to hear within the next couple weeks.

Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee, Donna Poppe explained that we have to pay the backhoe payment and the annual fee to the EPA. Nancy plans on paying at least $5,000.00 toward the loan at the Bank.

Donna stated she spoke with Nancy regarding her intern for this summer and Nancy said she is doing a really good job.

With Chairman Bruce Green absent, Trustee Donna Poppe reported on the Police and Liquor Committee. Donna reported on the Police Department for the month of June, 2009.

Donna reported they had a Police Committee meeting where Mike brought a proposal for a fingerprint system that the school would like the Village to purchase. The school would fund half of the system. The school is having problems with the prints being rejected by the Federal because they prefer the digital system. The State will accept the way we fingerprint. The Committee feels that because we do all of the fingerprinting for the school system and since the Village is providing the service free to the school that the school should pay for the system.

Trustee Rick Wagoner asked how many fingerprints are done for the school. Mike estimates 20 to 30 for the school because any arrest that are done the fingerprinting is done at the county. It was suggested charging a fee to the school for each person fingerprinted if the school does not want to pay full price for the machine.

Donna explained that Mike spoke to the Committee regarding a replacement Part-time Officer.

Mike explained the situation regarding the application from Mike Lay as a part-time officer. Mike recommended Mike Lay be added as part-time officer. Mike explain he would be rotating every other Friday and Saturday nights with Bob Brandt.

Ric Onken would like with the advice and consent of the Board to appoint Mike Lay as part time officer.

Trustee Donna Poppe made a motion to appoint Mike Lay as part time police officer with a six (6) month probationary period. Trustee David Rathke seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Trustee Carol Stephenson asked Mike about more patrolling of the park in the evenings. There has been lots of damage being done - writing on tables; the pins were even taken out of the door to one of the bathrooms.

Trustee Carol Stephenson, Chairman of the Streets and Lights Committee, reported on a quote from Becker Tree Service for two trees on Center Street that need taken down. Trees are completely dead at 501 North Center Street.

Trustee Carol Stephenson made a motion to accept the bid from Becker Tree Service in the amount of $750.00 to remove two (2) trees. Trustee Donna Poppe seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

The first item under Old Business was to pass the Prevailing Wage Ordinance.

Trustee Rick Wagoner made a motion to approve the Prevailing Wage Ordinance. Trustee Lonnie Meiner seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Mayor Ric Onken reported that Damon would like to hire a part time person to help when he is off and Dave needs help. With the advice and consent of the Board Ric would like to appoint Brent Blair.

Carol asked if this job should be posted because there might be someone else that is laid off and needs the job. People have jumped me about this.

Village Attorney Tom Shields stated that if an employee has to have certain skills it limits the employees who can be hired. Just like the part time officer Mike Lay has the skills to be hired.

Nancy explained that all Brent has done is read meters. Ric Onken asked Carol who had approached her - she'd rather not say. Trustee Donna Poppe asked if we didn't get high school help for the summer. Nancy explained that we only received one due to the funding running out. Carol stated that some of the business people have commented. Carol says Nancy stated Brent is already on the payroll.

Carol feels by rights can't fairly do this without advertising. Carol asked Damon how many hours Brent will be working - about 20 a month.

Trustee Rick Wagoner feels if this was a lot of hours it would be different but it's so few hours that setting up interviews, advertising, etc. would be more than what hours they are going to be working.

Carol asked who is paying his wages - the taxpayers, or Damon or Nancy.

Village Attorney Tom Shields stated that the taxpayers do not run the vote in the City Council, that is your individual vote and that's why you were elected. It comes down to what your individual conscious tells you to vote for. It is the president/mayor's option to suggest with the advice and consent. There is no conflict of interest here with Brent's Animal Control Position.

Trustee Rick Wagoner made a motion to appoint Brent Blair as part time laborer for the Public Works Department. Trustee Carol Stephenson seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Next on the agenda was to pass the resolutions for the grant that was submitted.

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Trustee Lonnie Meiner made a motion to pass Resolution #2009-01, A Council Resolution of Support of the Municipal Code of the Village of Colfax as drafted. Trustee Rick Wagoner seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Trustee Lonnie Meiner made a motion to pass Resolution 2009-02, to commit funds from the Water and Sewer Account for use in conjunction with an Illinois Community Development Assistance Program Grant such funds to equal twenty-five percent (25%) of the estimated total project cost of $318,880.00 or $79,720.00. Trustee Rick Wagoner seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Ric explained that the Building Committee has fine tuned the new Building and Maintenance Code. There are copies if the Board wants to review this before passage at next months meeting.

Lonnie asked Tom if there was anything we could have done regarding these resolutions. Had such a short time to submit. Tom seemed to think this was the right way to handle this. There was no time to call a special meeting because we only had forty-eight (48) hours to prepare the whole grant and get it submitted.

Lonnie asked Damon how the fence was coming along on Main Street. Damon said he's waiting for Gail Ritchie to finish the American Legion wall. Ric spoke with Gail today and he is going to do the wall next week.

Ric reported he will be out of town on August 2^nd. You can go ahead and have the regular meeting or we can postpone it for a week. The meeting will be held on Monday evening, August 10^th.

Ric reported that when the laundrymat caught fire Dave Hinrichsen was quick to keep things from getting worse. Dave basically put the fire out. Mike made a plaque of recognition for him.

Ric reported on the meeting with Larry Dodds and Farnsworth Engineers regarding the turbines. A test tower will be erected at the sewer plant and will run for one year. It would take two towers to run the Village and the school.

Resident Jack Houchens stated the parking spaces need repainting uptown.

Trustee Donna Poppe made a motion to adjourn. Trustee Carol Stephenson seconded the motion. Vote: Donna Poppe - Aye; David Rathke - Aye; Bruce Green - Absent; Carol Stephenson - Aye; Lonnie Meiner - Aye; Rick Wagoner - Aye; Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Kiper

Village Clerk

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