THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE VILLAGE BOARD OF COLFAX WAS CALLED TO ORDER ON MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 3, 2014 AT 7:00 P.M. BY MAYOR RICARDO ONKEN.

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

ALSO PRESENT WERE: VILLAGE TREASURER LINDA HANSON; VILLAGE ATTORNEY TOM SHIELDS; SUPERINTENDENT DAMON GETTY; POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT.

TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER MADE A MOTION TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES AND APPROVE AS PRESENTED. TRUSTEE CAROL STEPHENSON SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE: RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - AYE; 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 FEBRUARY, 2014.
BEGINNING BALANCE AS OF 02/01/2014 $302,555.41
ENDING BALANCE AS OF 02/28/2014 $248,899.74
DECREASE FOR MONTH OF FEBRUARY, 2014 ($ 53,655.67)

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

TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE, REPORTED THAT HE RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM VILLAGE CLERK NANCY KIPER LAST THURSDAY WITH A REPORT ON THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN WATER BILLING FROM HAVING THE NEW METERS IN. THIS WAS THE FIRST FULL MONTH OF BILLING SINCE THE NEW WATER METERS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. JASON REPORTED THAT WE ARE NOW BILLING FOR WATER THAT PEOPLE WERE GETTING AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISCOUNT BEFORE. WITH THE INCREASE IN BILLING SHOULD BE ON THE PLUS SIDE NOW. HOPEFULLY THE REST OF THE METERS WILL GET INSTALLED WE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY THAT LOAN OFF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE ASKED WHAT THE DIFFERENCES WERE ON THE BILLING SIDE. VILLAGE CLERK NANCY KIPER REPORTED THAT IN JANUARY WE BILLED FOR 1,495,129 GALLONS OF WATER AND SEWER AND IN FEBRUARY WE BILLED FOR 1,919,538 GALLONS WHICH IS IN INCREASE OF 424,000 GALLONS FOR ONE MONTH. THE INCREASE IN DOLLARS WAS $2,932.33 FOR WATER AND $1,476.00 FOR SEWER. THERE ARE SIXTY-NINE (69) METERS LEFT TO BE INSTALLED.

TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE, CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICE AND LIQUOR COMMITTEE, REPORTED THAT POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT HAS THE ACTIVITY REPORT FOR THE COLFAX POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, 2014 IN THE FOLDERS.

POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT ALSO UPDATED THE VILLAGE BOARD REGARDING THE UPGRADES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE IN CAR COMPUTERS. MICROSOFT IS ENDING THEIR SUPPORT OF THEIR OPERATING SYSTEM XP ON APRIL 8TH. BOTH OF THE COMPUTERS OPERATE OFF OF XP - REPLACING THE COMPUTERS AT THIS TIME IS NOT AN OPTION SO WILL BE HAVING THEM UPGRADED. ONE WILL BE UPGRADED TO VISTA AND ONE TO WINDOWS 7. THE ONE BEING UPGRADED TO VISTA IS THE OLDEST COMPUTER AND THIS UPGRADE WILL GIVE US THREE OR FOUR MORE YEARS AND WILL GIVE US TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THAT. THE WINDOWS 7 IS A MODERN UPDATE AND SHOULD BE GOOD FOR QUITE SOME TIME. MIKE REPORTED IT IS APPROXIMATELY $250.00 PER COMPUTER TO UPGRADE AS OPPOSED TO $12,000.00 FOR NEW COMPUTERS. THE ONE COMPUTER WAS FROM A GRANT SO MIKE STATED HE WILL START LOOKING.

TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER, CHAIRMAN OF THE WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE, REPORTED ON THE WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT 6:30 P.M. TONIGHT MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014.

LONNIE REPORTED ON THE PLAN FOR THE SEWER PLANT TO MONITOR THE SEWER LINES DURING FLOOD EVENTS. LONNIE REPORTED THAT HIMSELF, DAMON, RIC ONKEN AND RICHARD ALWOOD MET LAST WEEK AND HAVE SETUP A PLAN FOR THE SPRING TO TRY TO FIND OUT HOW SURFACE WATER IS GETTING INTO OUR SEWER SYSTEM DURING THE SPRING RAINS AND THAWS. WILL MONITOR CERTAIN MAN HOLES AROUND THE VILLAGE DURING THE RAIN AND SEE WHAT THE WATER FLOW LEVEL IS DOING.

AS WAS ALREADY STATED THE VILLAGE HAS SIXTY-NINE (69) METERS LEFT TO BE INSTALLED. LONNIE STATED IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS EXCEPT FOR ALL OF THE SNOW AND BAD WEATHER THAT DAMON HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH.

LONNIE REPORTED ON WELL #2 AND THAT DAMON IS GETTING ALL OF THE PAPERWORK IN LINE FOR REFURBISHING WELL #2 SO WE CAN HAVE OUR THIRD WELL.

AS JASON REPORTED THE VILLAGE IS ON THE POSITIVE SIDE ON THE WATER BILLING AND THE COMMITTEE FEELS THAT THESE NEW METERS WILL PAY FOR THEMSELVES IN A YEAR'S TIME. THIS IS A POSITIVE FOR THE VILLAGE.

THE LIFE STATION PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A TOWEL GETTING WRAPPED AROUND THE PUMP. THIS WILL COST FROM $4,000.00 TO $6,000.00 TO REPLACE BUT ARE LOOKING AT ANOTHER SOLUTION SO THIS WILL BE PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE. LONNIE WILL HAVE A REPORT ON THAT AT NEXT MONTH'S MEETING

SUPERINTENDENT DAMON GETTY GAVE A COPY OF ALL OF THE MANHOLES MAP TO THE TRUSTEES. THIS WILL BE USED FOR THE SEWER SYSTEM PROJECT.

TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE ASKED IF THE SEWER IS BEING FLOODED WITH THE EXCESSIVE RAIN. LONNIE STATED WE HAD THE RAIN AND THE MELTING OF SNOW. THE SEWER IS SEVENTY PERCENT (70%) ABOVE NORM. RICHARD ALWOOD SAID SO CLOSE TO CAPACITY TO MUCH O THE TIME. WE ASKED RICHARD ABOUT THE WELL AND HE SUPPORTS THIS AND IS ECONOMICAL TO HAVE.

DAMON IS TRYING TO GET A PUMP FROM ALBRECHT'S RIGHT NOW TO START PUMPING WELL #2. LONNIE SAID WE HAVE UNTIL DECEMBER TO HAVE IT ALL DONE.

TRUSTEE RICK VANCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE STREETS AND LIGHTS COMMITTEE, STATED HE THINKS THEY HAVE BEEN PLOWING SNOW. THEY CLEANED STREET DRAINS AND IS WORKING ON THE MFT FOR NEXT YEAR AND HAS THE NEW LIGHT FIXTURES IN FOR THE LIGHTS ON MAIN STREET.

RIC ASKED DAMON WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO CHANGE OUT THOSE FIXTURES. DAMON STATED A LOT OF WIRING.

CAROL ASKED WHY WE ARE TAKING DOWN SO MANY MAIL BOXES WHEN PLOWING CENTER STREET. CAROL STATED THERE WERE PROBABLY FOUR (4) KNOCKED OVER THIS WEEKEND. DAMON STATED THAT THEY ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE ROAD AND THE SNOW COMING OFF OF THE BLADE IS KNOCKING THEM OFF.

RICK VANCE STATED THIS IF THE FIRST YEAR WE HAVE HAD THIS MUCH SNOW IN A LONG TIME. CAROL ASKED IF THE VILLAGE IS REQUIRED TO FIX THESE. DAMON STATED THE VILLAGE IS NOT FIXING 300 MAIL BOXES. CAROL SAID THERE WERE 4 ON CENTER STREET AND ONE ON GROVE STREET. DAMON SAID THE PLASTIC ONE AT GROVE AND CENTER STREETS - A CAR HIT THAT ONE IT WASN'T THE SNOW PLOW.

THE FIRST ITEM UNDER OLD BUSINESS WAS REGARDING 102 S GROVE STREET. POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT REPORTED THAT YOU HAVE PROBABLY ALL SEEN THE ACTIVITY GOING ON AT 102 S GROVE. THIS WAS THE ACTUAL SHERIFF'S EVICTION AND THIS COMPANY WAS HIRED TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY. MIKE ASSUMES THE BANK IS NOW THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND THEY ARE MOVING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY OUT OF THE RESIDENCE. THE LAW REQUIRES THAT THIS BE LEFT OUTSIDE FOR TWENTY-FOUR (24) HOURS SO THE OWNERS CAN COME AND CLAIM. MIKE STATED THEY LEFT IT THERE PROBABLY TWO WEEKS. THE COMPANY FINALLY DID GET THERE AND DID A PRETTY DECENT JOB OF CLEANING IT ALL UP.

TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER STATED WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD AND THE EFFORTS THAT MIKE HAS MADE TO GET THIS DONE, JUST READY TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO GET THIS CLEANED UP AND GET RID OF THE PLACE. LONNIE WOULD LIKE THE REST OF THE BOARD TO GET ON BOARD WITH THIS TOO.

VILLAGE ATTORNEY TOM SHIELDS STATED THAT HOPING IT IS A MORE POSITIVE SITUATION THAN A COUPLES OF DAYS AGO. TOM STATED THAT WE ARE NOT DEALING WITH A BANK, WE ARE NOW DEALING WITH FANNIE MAE IF WE NEED TO SEEK DEMOLITION. TOM STATED ARE GOING TO BOOST UP A COUPLE OF STEPS OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THRU IF SEEKING DEMOLITION. TOM SPOKE WITH THE REALTOR AND SHE STATED THERE IS SOMEONE HOT TO BUY IT IN ORDER TO DEMOLISH IT.

TOM EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND ACTIONS ALREADY TAKEN ON THIS PROPERTY. TOM EXPLAINED WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THIS PROPERTY AND AT LEAST WE ARE SEEING SOME MOVEMENT ON THE PROPERTY. TOM STATED HE WILL BE TALKING TO FANNIE MAE - HE HAS THE NAME OF THE MANAGER - AS FAR AS WHAT IS GOING ON AND IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN BUYING THIS.

TOM STATED HE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO AHEAD WITH A LIEN FORECLOSURE ACTION OR WITH THE ACTION TO SEEK DEMOLITION BUT IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO VOLUNTARILY DO IT THIS CAN SAVE THE VILLAGE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.

TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE ASKED SO FANNIE MAE NOW OWNS THE HOUSE. HE ASKED IF THERE WAS A SALE ON THIS PROPERTY - CAROL STATED THERE WAS A SHERIFF'S SALE IN NOVEMBER AND FANNIE MAE BID ON IT.

LONNIE ASKED IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN DEALING WITH FANNIE MAE. TOM EXPLAINED WHAT THE PROCEDURE WOULD BE IN DEALING WITH FANNIE MAE. THEY WILL JUST COME IN AND BID THEIR LOAN AMOUNT AND DE DONE WITH IT.

JASON ASKED IF OUR LOCAL GUY HAS PUT A BID IN ON THIS PROPERTY. LONNIE STATED SO THEN TOM, YOU ARE SAYING JUST WAIT UNTIL ACTION IS TAKEN ON THE HOUSE BEFORE THE VILLAGE DOES ANYTHING. I THINK THAT IF FANNIE MAE KNOWS THAT THE VILLAGE IS READY TO DO AN INTENT TO DEMOLISH AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A DISASTER HERE. TOM STATED I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT A LITTLE PRESSURE ON FANNIE MAE TOO. TOM STATED THEY WILL USUALLY HAVE SOMEONE COME BY AND DO A - IN THE CASE - PROBABLY A DRIVE BY APPRAISAL.

RIC STATED WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND THEN BE READY TO ACT. LONNIE STATED THAT TOM THOUGHT IF WE ARE STRONG ENOUGH ON THIS HOUSE THAT MAYBE WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR ACTIONS IN REGARD TO THE OLD FINCHAM BUILDING ON MAIN STREET.

RIC STATED SO IF WE HAD A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER COME IN AND DEEMED IT A DANGEROUS BUILDING AND GO UNDER STATE STATUTE IT WOULD BE FASTER. LONNIE ASKED ABOUT HOW CHENOA HANDLED IT WHEN THEY HAD BUILDINGS COLLAPSED. TOM STATED A LOT OF TIMES OWNERS ABANDON THESE BUILDINGS OR FILE BANKRUPTCY SO THE TOWNS GET STUCK WITH THE DEMOLITION AND CLEANUP.

TRUSTEE RICK VANCE STATED IF A PERSON IS WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK AND A BRICK FALLS ON THEM - THE VILLAGE IS SUED.

RIC ONKEN ASKED IF THE VILLAGE NEEDS TO GO AHEAD AND GET A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TO COME IN AND LOOK AT THE TWO BUILDINGS. THE BOARD ASKED IF THE VILLAGE WOULD BE ALLOWED INTO THE BUILDINGS. TOM STATED THAT THE ISSUE HAS TO BE RAISED. IT IS A DEFENSE TO ANY TRESPASS ACTION AND REVIEWING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. DAVE STATED THE VILLAGE HAS ORDINANCES AGAINST THOSE PROPERTIES.

MIKE SCOTT REPORTED THAT MR CLARK OWES THE VILLAGE $13,700.00 THRU THE END OF JANUARY AND THEN YOU HAVE FEBRUARY WHICH WILL TAKE US UP TO $26,000.00. MIKE ASKED TOM IF THE VILLAGE COULD GET AN ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANT.

JASON ASKED IN TAKING ACTION AGAINST A PROPERTY IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IF RESIDENTIAL OR BUSINESS. NOT IF THE VILLAGE PROCEEDS UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY. WOULD LIKE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE INQUIRIES ON WHAT'S GOING ON - WHETHER IT IS 102 S GROVE OR MAIN STREET.

TOM WANTS TO TAKE ON ONE OF THESE AT A TIME. HE SUGGESTED DOING 102 S GROVE FIRST - IT APPEARS TO BE SOFTER RIGHT NOW AND MAYBE GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. DON'T WANT TO TAKE ON THREE OR FOUR AT A TIME.

RIC ONKEN GAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE EMCAA BOARD MEETING LAST MONTH. RIC STATED HE ASKED THESE PEOPLE POINT BLANK WHY DID GIBSON CITY COME TO GIVE A BID AND WHY ARE THEY CONSIDERING GOING TO GIBSON CITY TO HAVE AN AMBULANCE THERE. THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME AN ANSWER. IT FINALLY CAME OUT IN A ROUND ABOUT WAY - THEY FELT THEY WERE PAYING MORE MONEY IN THAT DISTRICT THAN IN OUR DISTRICT. JIM KERN CAME BACK AND GAVE THEM DATA THAT SHOWED NO THEY ARE NOT PAYING MORE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION. THEY ARE HAVING A MEETING TONIGHT AND HAVE A BAD FEELING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR GIBSON CITY AND THAT IS GOING TO LEAVE OUR AMBULANCE UNSTABLE. THE PERSON IN CHARGE CONVENIENTLY DIDN'T SHOW UP AT THE MEETING. THE PUBLIC THAT SHOWED UP FROM ARROWSMITH DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE - THIS IS JUST SAYBROOK. LONNIE ASKED IF SAYBROOK/ARROWSMITH ARE TOGETHER. YES THEY ARE. THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY $185,000.00 TO GIBSON - SO JIM DROPPED IT DOWN TO $150,000.00. THEN THEY COMPLAINED THAT THE AMBULANCE WAS HERE ALL OF THE TIME SO JIM PROPOSED THAT WOULD HOUSE THE AMBULANCE IN SAYBROOK TWO QUARTERS A YEAR AND IN COLFAX TWO QUARTERS A YEAR. NONE OF THOSE OFFERS CONVINCED THEM.

THE NEW BUSINESS WAS HAZARDOUS WASTER AND OUR WATER SYSTEM. LONNIE MEINER ADDRESSED THE ISSUE REGARDING THE MAHOMET AQUAFER. RICK ONKEN HAD A MAP OF THE MAHOMET AQUAFER AREA. LONNIE ASKED WHAT THE PERIMETER IS AROUND THE VILLAGE - TO KEEP OUR WATER SAFE. WONDERS IF THERE IS ANYTHING IN OUR ORDINANCES THAT KEEPS SOMEONE FROM SELLING PROPERTY TO LANDFILLS.

RIC STATED THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A SEMINAR ON APRIL 9TH AT THE NORMAL HOTEL AT 7:00 A.M. ON STRONG TOWNS. RIC IS GOING TO TRY TO ATTEND THIS AND SEE IF HE HAS ANY IDEAS FOR OUR SIZE OF TOWNS.

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

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:00 P.M.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, NANCY KIPER, VILLAGE CLERK