VILLAGE OF SCALES MOUND
Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees
Remote Meeting Joined in on Zoom Video Conferencing
January 25, 2021
7:00 P.M.
In accordance with restrictions placed by the Governor of Illinois as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic quarantine, the Scales Mound Village President and Board of Trustees agreed to hold a Zoom video conferencing meeting for January.
President Davis called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Members present by video conference were Nicole Busch, Shannon Driscoll, John Duerr, Lindsey Duerr and Ruth Foley. Member Bernard Trebian was absent. Also present were Jim Davis, Village President, Steve Stadel, Village Treasurer, Margaret Townsend, Village Clerk, Brandon Behlke of the Galena Gazette, and Derek Bradt and Todd Tunks with Sand Prairie.
Driscoll moved, L. Duerr seconded that the Minutes of the December 28, 2020 Regular Meeting be approved as read. On roll call vote, Busch, aye; Driscoll, aye; J. Duerr, aye; L. Duerr, aye; Foley, aye. Motion carried.
The Treasurer’s Report was reviewed. Busch moved, J. Duerr seconded to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented and to place it on file. On roll call vote, Driscoll, aye; J. Duerr, aye; L. Duerr, aye; Foley, aye; Busch, aye. Motion carried.
The January bills were reviewed. Foley moved, L. Duerr seconded that the January bills be approved for payment. On roll call vote, J. Duerr, aye; L. Duerr, aye; Foley, aye; Busch, aye; Driscoll, aye. Motion carried.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/CORRESPONDENCE
A) S.M. Chamber – No Report
B) Representatives from Sand Prairie to Discuss iFiber Internet Service – Derek Bradt, Marketing and Sales Administrator and Todd Tunks, Construction Manager, from Sand Prairie were joined in on the Zoom Conference to discuss the status of iFiber Internet Service installation in the Village. The consensus of the Board is that this has been dragging on and no action is taking place. It appears the main reason is that residents, especially on the north side of the Village are not signing up to show they have an interest. Items included in the discussion were: 1) Sand Prairie has a 6 step process to fiber service. Step 1 people go online to show interest, Step 2, sign up and choose your package. This is the place where most of the Village is at present; 2) there are 3 fiber neighborhoods in Scales Mound; 3) Neighborhood 1 is up and running; Neighborhood 2 on the southwest side of the Village needs a few more to sign up and then they will move to the 3rd or pre-construction phase.; Neighborhood 3 which is the north side of the Village has 40 residents showing interest and so far only 21 have signed up so they need 19 more to sign up before moving to the pre-construction step; 4 ) Bradt asked if the Village had any way to get fliers out to the Village residents. Steve Stadel, Treasurer, offered to send the fliers out with the water bills. After further discussion, the consensus of the Board was to allow Steve to send the fliers. Hopefully this will remind residents of the need to sign up before Sand Prairie can go any further. The Board thanked Bradt and Tunks for the information.
C) Other – Nothing
Minutes – Regular Meeting, January 25, 2021- Page 2
PUBLIC WORKS
A) Monthly Report – Thank You to Ron Duerr for the excellent job in snow removal!!
B) Operation/Maintenance/Streets Committee Report – None
C) Sewer & Water Operations Committee Report – None
ZONING REPORT – None
ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS – Will start working on violations closer to springtime.
OLD BUSINESS
A) Information on Grants for Infrastructure – Foley/L. Duerr – L. Duerr reported she talked to Bridgette Stocks of Fehr Graham and found there are funds available. Lindsey then had Ron Duerr put together a list of things he sees that need to be done. He had 5 projects which included rebuilding Pump House #3 and also sealing up manholes. Davis stated some of those items on the list may be things that the Village can do without needing grant money. He would like to see what Bridgette comes up with for projects that would be eligible for grant funding and then scheduling a meeting to discuss it.
B) Update on Proposed Low Interest Rate Loan from TIF Funds/Dittmar – (Note: The loan would be from Economic Development Funds, not TIF Funds as previously stated on the Agenda.) Lindsey Duerr reported she has been in contact with Attorney Terry Kurt regarding the loan to Matt and Melissa Dittmar for the purchase of Pat’s Country House Grocery. She stated the following was agreed on: 1) purchase would be of the tangible assets as they will be renting the real estate; 2) the loan would be $75,000; 10 years; 1% interest; a UCC lien will be filed on the assets for collateral. After further discussion, Foley moved, J. Duerr seconded to enter into a loan agreement with Matt and Melissa Dittmar as to the terms stated above and to have Attorney Terry Kurt draw up the paperwork. On roll call vote, L. Duerr, aye; Foley, aye; Busch, aye; Driscoll, abstain; J. Duerr, aye. Motion carried. Duerr will continue to work with Attorney Kurt and the Dittmar’s.
Nicole Busch presented some questions on this and future offers such as this one where the loan grantee does not own the property, what would the procedure be if the loan was defaulted? Does the Village want to become involved in such a situation? President Davis suggested the Board should go ahead in this instance if that is what they desire, however, he feels that there is a limit to the funding of these loans, and, there is a need to sit down together and work out a policy/program for this type of offering going forward. This would include setting the parameters as to amount of the loan (like a percentage of overall purchase price), the term of the loan and the interest rate. The Board agreed to work on a policy.
C) Other – Nothing
OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS
A) Finance – No Report
B) Park & Special Projects – No Report
C) Public Events & Safety – No Report
D) Trees & Sidewalks – No Report
E) Ordinance/Policy – No Report
F) Stone House Committee Pro Tem – 1) Davis stated the generator can be installed at any time, and, they are waiting on cabinets and flooring. He projected an April 1 finish date. John Duerr will contact
Minutes – Regular Meeting, January 25, 2021 – Page 3
the persons who will be reinstalling the generator. This will include checking into the LP. 2) Ruth Foley asked if anyone had or knew of anyone who might have pictures of the original porch on the front of the Stone House. She will get a notice in the Weekly Visitor and on Facebook in search of someone who might have such pictures. Contact people will be Ruth Foley, Jim Davis or Margaret Townsend.
G) TIF/Subdivision Committee Pro Tem – No Report
NEW BUSINESS
A) Review Closed Session Minutes from Past 6 Months – there were no Closed Session held in the past six months.
B) Other – Nothing
BRAINSTORMING – 1) The Board would like to congratulate Kevin and Carrie Stier on the opening this week of their new business, Franklin Street Uniques & Antiques at 406 Franklin Street, the former location of the office of the Twilight. Best Wishes to the Stier’s. 2) Discussion was held on the fact that the Board would like to remind people that there is an ordinance in effect regarding keeping sidewalks cleared of snow and ice, and the area around fire hydrants needs to be cleared as well. Ruth Foley will put a notice in the Weekly Visitor.
CLOSED SESSION – None
ADJOURNMENT
Duerr moved, Foley seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 8:07 p.m. On roll call vote, Foley, aye; Busch, aye; Driscoll, aye; J. Duerr, aye; L. Duerr, aye. Motion carried.
These Minutes are subject to approval at the next Regular Board Meeting. Minutes are also available online at www.scalesmound.com
__________________________________
Village President
ATTEST: ______________________________________
Village Clerk