The Sidney Village Board met on the above date for the regular monthly meeting. The meeting was opened at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Interim President Jason Arrasmith called the meeting to order. The following trustees were present: Harris, Bickers, Gadeken, Catron and Schluter. Clerk Fish, Treasurer Reinhart, and Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey were also present. On the advice of Village Attorney, Marc Miller, Interim President Arrasmith advised the board members that public comment needs to be on the meeting agenda ahead of meeting business. Interim President Arrasmith then asked if there were any public comments.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Ryan Boles from Premier Cooperative was in attendance at the meeting to report on how well the harvest went this year with the 5-ton limit on the roads on the South side of town. He also requested to meet with the head of the streets and alley committee to discuss a possible 5-10 year plan between the village and Premier Cooperative for that specific truck route. Trustee Gadeken gave Mr. Boles his information and stated that he would be the one that would meet with him.
INTERIM PRESIDENT ARRASMITH’S COMMENTS
Interim President Arrasmith asked for a motion to approve the minutes for the regular and executive sessions of the December 2nd meeting. Trustee Catron moved that the minutes of the December 2nd, 2019 regular and executive sessions of the Board of Trustees meeting be approved. Trustee Schluter seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Interim President Arrasmith then asked the board members to accept the resignation of Village of Sidney President John Finn. Trustee Catron made a motion to accept President Finn’s resignation. Trustee Bickers seconded the motion; the motion was approved with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Interim President Arrasmith stated that Tin Cup property owner Alex Moore was sick and could not attend the meeting that night as planned. He will, however, attend the February 3rd Village of Sidney Board of Trustees meeting.
Interim President Arrasmith then stated that the village attorney, Marc Miller, was unable to attend the meeting that evening as he was out of town. He reported that Attorney Miller had researched that the board could appoint him (Arrasmith) as Village of Sidney President to fulfill the current term as long as they appointed another trustee as Liquor Commissioner due to his owning Liquid Assets Distributing and that it could be perceived as a possible conflict of interest. Interim President Arrasmith then explained that if the board chooses to appoint someone else as village president then that person would fulfill the offices of Village of Sidney President and Village of Sidney Liquor Commissioner. Interim President Arrasmith then asked for a motion to nominate someone for Village of Sidney President through the spring of 2022. Trustee Bickers made a motion to nominate Trustee Harris for village president. The motion was seconded by Trustee Catron. The motion failed with Trustees Bickers and Catron voting for the motion and Trustees Gadeken and Schluter voting against. It was then decided for Interim President Arrasmith to appoint resident Matt Laurent to fulfill his recently vacated board position in an effort to avoid a tie vote. Matt Laurent was then sworn in as a village trustee by Clerk Fish. Trustee Bickers then made another motion to appoint Trustee Harris as village president. Trustee Catron seconded the motion. The motion failed with Trustees Bickers and Catron voting for and Trustees Gadeken, Schluter and Laurent voting against. Trustee Bickers then made a motion to have Interim Village President Arrasmith remain in his current position until the February 3rd village board meeting so that the board could verify with Attorney Miller that they could appoint another trustee as liquor commissioner. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with Trustees Bickers, Laurent, Gadeken, and Schluter voting for and Trustee Catron voting against.
Interim President Arrasmith then asked the board members to fill out their Statements of Economic Interest and return to Clerk Fish at the next board meeting.
ATTORNEY MILLER’S COMMENTS
Attorney Miller was absent.
JARIN WILSEY’S COMMENTS
Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey reported that he was able to complete the meter readings after Illinois American Water had issues with uploading it to our system. They were completed later than usual due to the fact that they had to return the laptop to us. He also reported on some tile drainage work that he would like to complete and that the area where the water main break was at the old school lot had been filled in with asphalt.
FINANCE REPORT
The financial reports were read by Trustee Catron. Trustee Catron moved that the bills be paid; Trustee Harris seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Catron then entertained the discussion of the list of holidays the Village observes. Trustee Catron made a motion to reduce the number of holidays that the Village observes. The motion was seconded by Trustee Gadeken. Trustee Catron took his motion off the table after trustees reported that federal holidays will be observed.
Trustee Catron then discussed village employees using timeclocks. Trustee Gadeken made a motion to approve the use of timeclocks for village employees. Trustee Harris seconded the motion. The motion was carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. It was decided that Clerk Fish will shop for time clock software that will be installed on village employee’s computers.
Trustee Catron then stated that village employees had in the past received end of year bonuses. A motion from Trustee Gadeken, seconded by Trustee Laurent to give an annual end of year compensation by December 1st of each year carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. The bonuses will include a $100 bonus for the Village Clerk and the Village Maintenance Employee, $75 for the Village Treasurer, and $50 for the village’s cleaning staff after taxes.
STREETS AND ALLEY
Trustee Gadeken reported on road work needing to be done and that the village street signs that needed to be replaced were almost completed.
WATER/SEWER/UTILITY
Trustee Harris was not able to read the monthly usage reports since we have no one who is licensed to do so.
$28,510.74 was received in December. 100 penalty bills were sent. $232,317.28 was billed in December to 535 customers.
Trustee Harris then made a motion to approve the village’s annual maintenance contract with JLS Water Systems at a cost of $195. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Harris then made a motion for the approval to spend up to $30,000 to repair five drains within the village. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Trustee Harris then stated that he would give Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey until the Monday, February 3rd Village of Sidney Board of Trustees meeting to get started on repairing the water drains on White, Washington, Byron and Main Streets or he would hire out the work.
PUBLIC PROPERTY
Interim Village President Arrasmith welcomed new Village of Trustee board member Matt Laurent and appointed him to the Public Property committee. Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey reported that there were no permits issued.
Interim Village President Arrasmith then asked Robert Tincher of Hillside Development Group for his report on the new village hall. Mr. Tincher had three versions of plans for the village hall for board members to look over and asked to meet with the members of the village hall planning committee. Interim President Arrasmith stated that Trustee Bickers and Trustee Gadeken would be the ones to meet with him.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Trustee Bickers reported that the family of Daniel Ennis had contacted him wanting to do some sort of project to help raise funds for the baseball/softball program. They were not quite ready to approach the board just yet but would be in attendance at the next monthly board meeting.
Trustee Bickers then reported that baseball/softball signups for the ball program will take place in the community building on Wednesday, February 19th from 6-8pm, Wednesday March 4th from 6-8pm, and Saturday, March 7th from 9-11am.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Trustee Schluter reported that he had added Trustee Arrasmith as Interim Acting President on the village website and will also add Trustee Laurent as well.
Trustee Bickers discussed drafting a special event resolution under Old and New Business. Trustee Bickers made a motion for him to draft the resolution for the board to review at the next monthly meeting. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Bickers motioned at 8:27p.m. that the board move into executive session for the limited purposes of discussing the employment, performance and/or compensation of a village employee pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1). Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
The Board came out of closed session at 9:10p.m. Trustee Catron made a motion for the board to hold a Wednesday January 22nd special open meeting at 6pm to discuss an employee policy handbook and also to review the plans for the new village hall. Trustee Bickers seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Catron made a motion to give Village Clerk Fish a verbal reprimand and to send Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey a letter of reprimand from the Village of Sidney Board of trustees. The motion was seconded by Trustee Harris. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote, with Trustee Laurent abstaining.
Trustee Catron then made a motion to have Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey complete a daily log of tasks that have been completed that will be approved by the Village President. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Catron moved that the meeting be adjourned at 9:15pm. Trustee Schluter seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
__________________________ _________________________
Maggie Fish, Village Clerk Date approved
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Ryan Boles from Premier Cooperative was in attendance at the meeting to report on how well the harvest went this year with the 5-ton limit on the roads on the South side of town. He also requested to meet with the head of the streets and alley committee to discuss a possible 5-10 year plan between the village and Premier Cooperative for that specific truck route. Trustee Gadeken gave Mr. Boles his information and stated that he would be the one that would meet with him.
INTERIM PRESIDENT ARRASMITH’S COMMENTS
Interim President Arrasmith asked for a motion to approve the minutes for the regular and executive sessions of the December 2nd meeting. Trustee Catron moved that the minutes of the December 2nd, 2019 regular and executive sessions of the Board of Trustees meeting be approved. Trustee Schluter seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Interim President Arrasmith then asked the board members to accept the resignation of Village of Sidney President John Finn. Trustee Catron made a motion to accept President Finn’s resignation. Trustee Bickers seconded the motion; the motion was approved with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Interim President Arrasmith stated that Tin Cup property owner Alex Moore was sick and could not attend the meeting that night as planned. He will, however, attend the February 3rd Village of Sidney Board of Trustees meeting.
Interim President Arrasmith then stated that the village attorney, Marc Miller, was unable to attend the meeting that evening as he was out of town. He reported that Attorney Miller had researched that the board could appoint him (Arrasmith) as Village of Sidney President to fulfill the current term as long as they appointed another trustee as Liquor Commissioner due to his owning Liquid Assets Distributing and that it could be perceived as a possible conflict of interest. Interim President Arrasmith then explained that if the board chooses to appoint someone else as village president then that person would fulfill the offices of Village of Sidney President and Village of Sidney Liquor Commissioner. Interim President Arrasmith then asked for a motion to nominate someone for Village of Sidney President through the spring of 2022. Trustee Bickers made a motion to nominate Trustee Harris for village president. The motion was seconded by Trustee Catron. The motion failed with Trustees Bickers and Catron voting for the motion and Trustees Gadeken and Schluter voting against. It was then decided for Interim President Arrasmith to appoint resident Matt Laurent to fulfill his recently vacated board position in an effort to avoid a tie vote. Matt Laurent was then sworn in as a village trustee by Clerk Fish. Trustee Bickers then made another motion to appoint Trustee Harris as village president. Trustee Catron seconded the motion. The motion failed with Trustees Bickers and Catron voting for and Trustees Gadeken, Schluter and Laurent voting against. Trustee Bickers then made a motion to have Interim Village President Arrasmith remain in his current position until the February 3rd village board meeting so that the board could verify with Attorney Miller that they could appoint another trustee as liquor commissioner. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with Trustees Bickers, Laurent, Gadeken, and Schluter voting for and Trustee Catron voting against.
Interim President Arrasmith then asked the board members to fill out their Statements of Economic Interest and return to Clerk Fish at the next board meeting.
ATTORNEY MILLER’S COMMENTS
Attorney Miller was absent.
JARIN WILSEY’S COMMENTS
Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey reported that he was able to complete the meter readings after Illinois American Water had issues with uploading it to our system. They were completed later than usual due to the fact that they had to return the laptop to us. He also reported on some tile drainage work that he would like to complete and that the area where the water main break was at the old school lot had been filled in with asphalt.
FINANCE REPORT
The financial reports were read by Trustee Catron. Trustee Catron moved that the bills be paid; Trustee Harris seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Catron then entertained the discussion of the list of holidays the Village observes. Trustee Catron made a motion to reduce the number of holidays that the Village observes. The motion was seconded by Trustee Gadeken. Trustee Catron took his motion off the table after trustees reported that federal holidays will be observed.
Trustee Catron then discussed village employees using timeclocks. Trustee Gadeken made a motion to approve the use of timeclocks for village employees. Trustee Harris seconded the motion. The motion was carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. It was decided that Clerk Fish will shop for time clock software that will be installed on village employee’s computers.
Trustee Catron then stated that village employees had in the past received end of year bonuses. A motion from Trustee Gadeken, seconded by Trustee Laurent to give an annual end of year compensation by December 1st of each year carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. The bonuses will include a $100 bonus for the Village Clerk and the Village Maintenance Employee, $75 for the Village Treasurer, and $50 for the village’s cleaning staff after taxes.
STREETS AND ALLEY
Trustee Gadeken reported on road work needing to be done and that the village street signs that needed to be replaced were almost completed.
WATER/SEWER/UTILITY
Trustee Harris was not able to read the monthly usage reports since we have no one who is licensed to do so.
$28,510.74 was received in December. 100 penalty bills were sent. $232,317.28 was billed in December to 535 customers.
Trustee Harris then made a motion to approve the village’s annual maintenance contract with JLS Water Systems at a cost of $195. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Harris then made a motion for the approval to spend up to $30,000 to repair five drains within the village. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Trustee Harris then stated that he would give Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey until the Monday, February 3rd Village of Sidney Board of Trustees meeting to get started on repairing the water drains on White, Washington, Byron and Main Streets or he would hire out the work.
PUBLIC PROPERTY
Interim Village President Arrasmith welcomed new Village of Trustee board member Matt Laurent and appointed him to the Public Property committee. Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey reported that there were no permits issued.
Interim Village President Arrasmith then asked Robert Tincher of Hillside Development Group for his report on the new village hall. Mr. Tincher had three versions of plans for the village hall for board members to look over and asked to meet with the members of the village hall planning committee. Interim President Arrasmith stated that Trustee Bickers and Trustee Gadeken would be the ones to meet with him.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Trustee Bickers reported that the family of Daniel Ennis had contacted him wanting to do some sort of project to help raise funds for the baseball/softball program. They were not quite ready to approach the board just yet but would be in attendance at the next monthly board meeting.
Trustee Bickers then reported that baseball/softball signups for the ball program will take place in the community building on Wednesday, February 19th from 6-8pm, Wednesday March 4th from 6-8pm, and Saturday, March 7th from 9-11am.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Trustee Schluter reported that he had added Trustee Arrasmith as Interim Acting President on the village website and will also add Trustee Laurent as well.
Trustee Bickers discussed drafting a special event resolution under Old and New Business. Trustee Bickers made a motion for him to draft the resolution for the board to review at the next monthly meeting. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Bickers motioned at 8:27p.m. that the board move into executive session for the limited purposes of discussing the employment, performance and/or compensation of a village employee pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2 (c)(1). Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
The Board came out of closed session at 9:10p.m. Trustee Catron made a motion for the board to hold a Wednesday January 22nd special open meeting at 6pm to discuss an employee policy handbook and also to review the plans for the new village hall. Trustee Bickers seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Catron made a motion to give Village Clerk Fish a verbal reprimand and to send Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey a letter of reprimand from the Village of Sidney Board of trustees. The motion was seconded by Trustee Harris. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote, with Trustee Laurent abstaining.
Trustee Catron then made a motion to have Village Maintenance Employee Wilsey complete a daily log of tasks that have been completed that will be approved by the Village President. Trustee Gadeken seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
Trustee Catron moved that the meeting be adjourned at 9:15pm. Trustee Schluter seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.
__________________________ _________________________
Maggie Fish, Village Clerk Date approved
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