State of Illinois
County of Vermilion
Village of Fairmount
The Fairmount Village Board met in open session this 15th day of February 2017, in the council chambers of the village hall. President David Ferber called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. meeting ended at 8:37 P.M. Guests present were: Richard and Bonnie Gilbert, Jim Darr and Gary Wright.
Roll Call: Trustees: Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y President Dave Ferber Y Clerk Suzanne Woodard Y
Approved minutes of January 18th Regular meeting Ed motioned Emily 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Public comments: Richard Gilbert asked that the board would consider fixing the concrete sidewalk in front of his house. Gilbert said he and his wife and neighbor Ann Stevens have almost fallen because of the trip hazard. President Ferber said that the sidewalk would be looked at and if the board decides to do any sidewalk repair this year that they would be considered.
Bonnie Gilbert is the Vance Township Librarian and asked the board if they would consider paying for the movie license fee that the library is required to have to show movies to the public. The village has paid for these license fees in the past. Gilbert was asked to bring the bill for the board to review at next month’s meeting.
Jim Darr was present with a follow up on the last time he was at the meeting in February 2016. At that meeting Darr asked who was responsible or has ownership of some drainage tile that is in his field south east of town. It was discussed that the drainage district may have a map. Dave didn’t know who the owner was. Ed suggested Jim to contact Larry Schonert who is on drainage committee. At this meeting Darr stated that he hasn’t found out who is responsible for the drainage tile that made a huge hole in the field and that it has cost him $1300.00 to get it fixed. Ferber stated that maybe it was placed there by the state in the 1950s when they made the road. Ed Cheuvront and Ferber had found that in the area where the culvert is, there is a PVC pipe sticking out of the ground and do not know who put it there. The catch basin in that area is used for the water plant back wash and Ferber had discovered that other water is also being drained there. He didn’t know if it was someone’s sump pump or septic, though he did say it didn’t have an odor like a septic. Cheuvront suggested Darr to talk to a state worker that lives in the area Stacey Moore and that he may have some idea who Darr could call at the state level.
Suzanne Woodard asked that the sidewalks that run on Main Street be cleaned up. Woodard said she had walked the length of Main Street recently using the sidewalk and found that the sidewalks were junked up with leaves and mud making it slick and that she had slipped on mud before. She asked that the board would approve for Colby the village maintenance man to clean these areas. Cheuvront and Ferber said if they concentrate on these sidewalks they must do sidewalks for the whole town. It was said that usually it is the home owner who cleans the sidewalk in front of their house. Woodard suggested that perhaps if kids from the high school wanted community service they could come out and work and have Colby supervise. Then it was brought up that they shouldn’t pay for someone to supervise the work being done. Woodard then suggested that maybe a separate group could be organized to have a cleanup day to clean Main Street and the sidewalks. Ferber said that was a great idea and he would help. Board member Emily Carey said she would help organize and supervise a cleanup day. Woodard said she would get with Carey and would contact the high school principal to see if they could get students to help.
NO Action on Land Bank membership
Pat O’Shaughnessy had to reschedule
Approved to pay $100 for Keep Vermilion County Beautiful membership: Ed motioned Greg 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Approved to pay $1500.00 on annual Fire Department radio maintenance fee. This fee is for PSB dispatching emergency calls to area volunteer fire departments. There are 17 fire departments being charged this same amount. If the fee isn’t paid, when an emergency is called in to the PSB dispatch instead of using the radios to notify emergency personnel they would use a phone to call the department contact and the contact would dispatch on its own. Ferber explained that there really wasn’t a choice. Ferber said he is voicing his concerns to the proper authorities. Ed motioned, Emily 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Approved to go in on Natural Gas Franchise Agreement with Ameren for the next 30 years. The last agreement was 50 years old and will expire in April, 2017. The old franchise agreement gave 1,200 therms of gas to the village every year. The new agreement will be paid in monies. The option of a 10 at $1440, 20 $1600, or 30 year agreement at $1760 per year to the village. There will need to be an ordinance on this which will be ready at the March meeting. The board did agree to choose the 30-year agreement. Ed motion to go with 30 year contract, Dustin 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Approved on Fire Department dues of $100 for I & I Mutual Aid Association. This is a membership that Fairmount fire Department has been a part of for over 44 years. Ed motion Greg 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Discussion on Park playground material. Susie Dodd-Casey had a price from Kevin Dodd of $34.00 a yard for mulch for the play grounds at the park. Ferber calculated that would be approximately $2500. At the time, there wasn’t a price on Pea gravel, and a discussion on which material would be best was discussed. There are other villages that have pea gravel instead of mulch at their playgrounds. The board discussed that the removal of the old mulch will be a big job but it needs to be done as it looks terrible. Ferber asked for more information at the next meeting so the board can decide what to use and get a plan on when to do the work before the park season is here.
Approved to sign a one year contract with Comcast saving the village $38 a month for internet and cable at the fire station and internet at the Village Hall. Ed motion Emily 2nd. Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Board Correspondence: none
Approved bills and payroll Dustin motion, Ed 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y
Review Treasures report
Review department reports
Police Department: Gary had contacted the health department to come out and look at a few buildings that are falling in or are in bad shape that no one lives in. Wright also said that new breaks were put on the police car at Care Muffler and break shop in Tilton. Also, reported that a new oxygen sensor would be $200 to replace. Wright reported that a new speed limit sign is needed to replace a faded one on Vance Street. Wright asked the board to consider amending the Curfew ordinance in making the parents responsible if their child is pass curfew. The amendment would state that if a child is caught after curfew that they and their parents would be given a ticket to pay at city court. Ferber asked that Wright bring the amendment to the board in March.
Fire Department: Ferber said there were 7 calls in January and that he would have a report for January and February at the March meeting.
Water: Board member Emily Carey asked the board to consider changing the water bill ordinance. Carey is in favor of changing the water bill due date from the 15th to the following month on the 1st. Presently the customers have until the 15th of the billing month to pay their bill, after the 16th there is a $25 late fee applied and if the bill is not paid then services will be shut off at the end of the month. Water Clerk, Karen Ferber has been lenient on this and will work with customers if they call her. The board discussed that if they make the due date the 1st of the following month then any customer who did not pay their bill by the 1st would be automatically shut off. The board asked that Karen give totals of how many customers pay by the 15th and how many pay after the 15th of each month. The board will discuss this further at the March meeting.
Board Comments: Dave reminded the board that he would be working on the 2017-2018 Budget soon and that things may be lean due to the water tower being painted this spring. The water tower project will cost the town an estimated $240,000 depleting a big portion of their savings.
Adjourned: Greg motioned to adjourn, Emily 2nd Susie Dodd-Casey Y Ed Cheuvront Y Dustin High Y Diana Cooper Absent Greg Woodard Y Emily Carey Y