Chambana Sun

Village of Sidney Board of Trustees met March 5.

Here is the minutes provided by the Board:

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. President White called the meeting to order. The following trustees were present: Arrasmith, Finn, Schluter, and Roberts. Supervisor of Operations Bennett, Treasurer Reinhart, Attorney Miller, and Clerk Moore were also present. Trustees McCloud and Bickers were absent.

Trustee Arrasmith moved that the minutes of the February 5, 2018, meeting and the February 15, 2018, special meeting of the Board of Trustees be approved. Trustee Roberts seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

Rosemary McCarrey, Sidney Community Library director, presented plans for a bicycle raffle with the funds to benefit the library. Two bicycles have been donated by WalMart. Tickets will be $5.00 each or five for $20.00. Tickets can be purchased at the library or from any library board member. The Board of Trustees approved the raffle with the condition that the library follow the conditions set by the ordinance it would consider later in the meeting. Rosemary also told of the wine tasting event to be held at the library April 21. She would apply for a license from the state and Clerk Moore would take care of the insurance through IML.

PRESIDENT WHITE'S COMMENTS

President White asked if the Board would consider lowering the rates for out-of-village residents. There are only eleven of them. They are now paying double the village rates. After some discussion of whether the rates would just be lowered or that a flat fee of $15 or $20 be added to their bills, a motion was made by Trustee Roberts. He moved that out-of-village residents pay village rates with a $15 surcharge added to each bill. Trustee Schluter seconded the motion; the motion carried with all aye votes on a roll call vote.

Trustee Arrasmith had taken a poll of Village residents about an electronics collection and if they would use it. A majority of those who responded said they would use the collection. The Regional Planning Commission of Champaign County is planning two Residential Electronics Collection event in 2018, May 29 and October 13 with the cost to the Village of Sidney being $260 in order for Sidney residents be able to participate. Trustee Arrasmith moved that the Village make a fair-share contribution of $260 to Champaign County for the REC events. Trustee Roberts seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

President White reported on the meeting he and Supervisor Bennett had with County officials and solar farm representatives. Some people were present with questions about a solar farm. President White and Supervisor Bennett said that the meeting was to keep the Village informed, that the Village had no say in granting approval. It is the County that is working with the solar farm company. No zoning variance is needed because solar farms are zoned agricultural, which is what the land that is being proposed for a solar farm already is zoned.

President White reported that he was meeting the next day with Shari Lannon of the United States Rural Development to see if there are any grants for a new municipal building.

ATTORNEY MILLER'S COMMENTS:

Attorney Miller had a raffle ordinance prepared. The Trustees wanted to make one change: no fee for obtaining a license. Trustee Arrasmith moved that Ordinance 2018-02, An Ordinance Creating Raffle Licenses, be approved with the one change. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Trustee Arrasmith moved that the Village of Sidney waive the bond for the Sidney Community Library bicycle raffle. Trustee Roberts seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Trustee Arrasmith moved that the Village of Sidney waive the bond for the Sidney Improvement Group gun/cash raffle. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Attorney Miller then presented the tree ordinance based on discussions about reimbursing homeowners for planting trees to replace those the Village had had removed. Trustee Arrasmith moved that Ordinance 2018-03, An Ordinance Relating to Trees in the Public Right-of-Way and Nuisance Trees, be approved. Trustee Schluter seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

EARL BENNETT'S REPORT

Supervisor Bennett gave an update on the village map replacement. He also gave the background for the purchase of new maps. ABC Recycling requested a copy of the Village map from Clerk Moore. (They are willing to pay for the map.) The maps are 17 years old and out-of-date. Supervisor Bennett had secured a estimated cost from Farnsworth for three drawings: 1) for the Village corporate limits, streets, Parcels, with PIN numbers and addresses for each parcel in the Village, 2) the water distribution system exclusive of the transmission line – basically the corporate limits only, 3) the known storm sewer system lines, inlets, and manholes in the Village. Also, Farnsworth would provide a PDF conversion and jump drive and the mounting of drawings onto whiteboard. The cost would be $2,100-2,200. The Trustees approved an expenditure of up to $2,200 to get new maps at the February meeting.

It is also time to hire summer help. Supervisor Bennett will work with Trustee Bickers to prepare an advertisement for the newspapers and the web site.

FINANCE REPORT

The financial reports were read by Trustee Finn. He moved that the bills be paid. Trustee Roberts seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Treasurer Reinhart reported that the Royal Bookkeeping is asking that Village employees get receipts for all expenditures. The auditor is questioning those purchases. It was agreed that that would be done from now on.

STREETS AND ALLEY

Nothing to report on the streets

WATER/SEWER/UTILITY

2,593,509 gallons of water were pumped in February with a daily average of 92,625 gallons.

$30,489.03 was received in February. 113 penalty bills were sent. $32,604.05 has been billed to 537 customers in March.

This was the first month that the new Zenner system was used for all bills.

A discussion was held by the Trustees about the possible sale of the water system. Attorney Miller said that the Village can have a package of wants to present to the bidders to get offers. Then the Trustees can work to get the best offer by going back and forth among bidders. It was decided that the next steps would be to 1. get together all the projects needed to be done to have a good water system 2. get a rough draft of the RFP 3. watch to see if the state extends the incentives.

PUBLIC PROPERTY

No building permits were issued in February.

Nothing on ESDA

PARKS AND RECREATION

Trustee Bickers was absent.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Trustee Schluter wants the information to put the audit on the web site. Also, he suggested that the summer help application be put on the web site.

NEW BUSINESS

None

Trustee Arrasmith moved that the meeting be adjourned. Trustee Roberts seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

http://villageofsidney.com/meeting-minutes-and-notifications/village-of-sidney-board-of-trustees-meeting-march-5-2018