The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher
Last week's Stronghurst Village Board meeting was a busy session for Mayor Eric Chockley and trustees Robert Scott, Lawrence Neff, Angela Myers, David Vancil, and Tony Griepentrog. Frank Avery was absent due to medical reasons.
After a closed session, the board voted to hire Scott Ford of Stronghurst to replace Korey Nichols who had resigned for another job. They agreed to pay him $12.00 an hour plus benefits.
They voted to give Tony Anderson a raise from $11.89 to $12.50 an hour and raised Bob Carmean, from $16.75 to $17.00 an hour. Carmean is paid salary on a 40-hour week.
The raises are to begin in May and all other benefits will stay the same.
In discussion before the closed session, Lawrence Neff said he would like to see employees salaries "boosted up" after they have taken classes to encourage them to stay on after going to the expense of training them.
Water Commissioner Bob Carmean reported: "We were visited by the Labor Dept. today. It looks like the next 45 days we will be getting a lot of things checked out."
Carmean said, "They looked through the books, and they checked things out for safety and thought most of the building was safe."
Carmean reported discussion about the manhole and the oxygen center and some records they need taken care of.
"We haven't been inspected for 18 years," Carmean said, "There have been a lot new rules and changes."
Carmean said it was going to cost around $3,000 to upgrade their system.
There was also discussion on MSD reports and organizing the books. The inspectors will work with them, and is requiring them to take day training or invite other towns in and offer the training here. The Labor Dept. will teach it free, he said.
Angela Myers said she felt it would be a nice gesture on the village's part, to offer the training here. Carmean said, though they were given 45 days, he was told they could get a 20-day extension if something happened they could not meet the deadline.
Guests Brian and Tammy Heap were offered to speak and Brian said, "I really have no complaints. I just wanted to answer questions if anyone has any questions or concerns about the use of my property. I'm willing to work with the board however I can."
Mayor Chockley said, "If we decide to change from Ag to Commercial Property, you need to tell us what you're going to do with it." Chockley went on to explain they would need to hold a public meeting, and a hearing and then go before the zoning board.
"We sell seed corn and we do a lot of agronomy type work" - seed corn, grass, and oats. Heap is also involved in the marketing side basically as a consultant for farmers. He explained that it basically was a farming operating. "Our business hasn't ever been in fertilizer. "The specifics of our operation is that and we have nothing to hide."
Richard Knutstrom expressed his disapproval: "Eric, this is a barrel of monkeys if they aren't zoned.
Heap said, "I know there's a lot of gray area. If the board thinks we need to do that, I'm willing to do whatever I need to."
Mayor Chockley said he didn't feel zoning needed to be changed.
Knutstrom said, "Eric I'm done. Your zoning laws are so lax........ It was asked to be a machine shed."
The Mayor responded, "The zoning board did nothing wrong. A lot of people have businesses in their homes and advertise it. I'm tickled to have business in town......I think we should let it lie."
"If you let it lie," Knutstrom said, "everything is lackadaisical. If I put a race track on my property, there's nothing you can do."
Heap said he had went into the Attorney's office and read the Zoning Ordinance. "I don't think anything's wrong with it. When you get Ag farming and Ag business, you are always going to have some gray areas. We're a small business, not a corporation. I don't think you need to change the zoning."
Knutstrom mentioned he felt the village had another business "that's pushing it" and that's the elevator with their noise and pollution.
Mayor Chockley concluded the discussion with, "We've talked enough. I had a formal written complaint. I had to pursue it. It was the Board's consensus to let it lay."
The Village opened bids for roof improvement on the Stone building for a new roof. The bid was awarded to the lowest bidder - Kenny Morris for $6,713.04.
Others bids were Michael Muhleman at $4,838.07 material $4,600 labor= $9,438.07; Peterson Construction at $7,042.35 material and $1,055.69 labor=$8,098.04.
Deputy Steve Henshaw was asked about all the police cars in town a couple of weeks ago on a Friday morning.
Henshaw said the States Attorney, Sheriff and State Police work together to surprise the school for a raid every so often checking for drugs. "The school doesn't even get notice," he said.
Deputy Henshaw went on to give his report for the month of March. His list of incidents included 12 calls with 8 tickets and 4 pending investigations.
They are: 2 arrests for-Operating Uninsured Motor Veh., 1-No Drivers License, 1-Illegal Consumption by Minor, 2 for-Squealing/Screeching Tires, and 2 for-Suspended Revoked Drivers Lic..
Pending Investigations are: 1-Theft $300 and Under, 1-Criminal Damage to Property, 1-Battery, and 1-"Other Trouble".
A question on rules and regulations on MTV s was answered with, "You can't ride on public streets or alleys which was published in The Quill. Whoever sees them is to issue a statement and the Deputy will make an arrest," Mayor Chockley said.
Diana Doran of Doran Insurance who runs the village water-sewer and garbage bills gave a presentation on upgrading the billing system.
The process figures past due charges, delinquent customers, interest incurred, landlord and rental issues, as well as new customers and those moving.
She said the computer program needed to be upgraded to be compatible with her new Windows 2000 program. Also, malfunctioning water meter readers needed replaced.
The village had purchased the last program in 1995 for $3,540 which was now outdated and support for it was no longer available.
"Everything has gone to Windows," she said. Dorans new program will not accept their outdated water program and they are running it on an old computer they kept just to get the water bills out. Before, they had been able to do water bills from all their computers.
After checking with several companies for several months, Diana came up with what she felt was the best system for the village to do the job, she said.
She said a new system would cost $4,769 with an annual support of $515 a year. They had been paying $415 annually for support.
She also recommended buying refurbished meter readers as they did in the past because they are guaranteed for a year. New ones only have a 90 day warranty and would need an extended warranty. The cost of refurbished is a savings of $406.
Diana said the new program will give a better report for the village to follow customers and it will have easier tracking of landlords and tenants as well as other features.
Some 395-402 bills are processed monthly with 18% to 25% receiving additional late notices and 20% to 40% receive disconnects. They average 10 switches a month. The cost of their billing to the village is around $1.59 per customer per month.
"In our twelve years, our fees have not increased to the village, and we are not asking for an increase now," Diana said. She said their three girls in her office could have the system changed over in one day in time for the May billing.
The board unanimously approved buying the upgraded "asyst" program at $1785, plus $99 Rate Table Set-up, plus $400 to Doran Insurance for doing the conversion (a savings of $295) plus $1784 for 2 refurbished Texlon readers (a savings of $406). The total cost came to $4068.
IN OTHER BUSINESS:
Will lower flags in honor of Cpl Evan James Funeral in La Harpe April 10th.
The next meeting will be Monday, May 5th at 7 p.m.