Signs on utility poles pose problem in Sidney

The village of Sidney Board of Trustees met Aug. 1 to discuss the problem of people putting signs on stop signs and utility poles. | File photo

By Louie Torres

Oct 2, 2016

The village of Sidney Board of Trustees met Aug. 1 to discuss the problem of people putting signs on stop signs and utility poles.

Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the village:

VILLAGE OF SIDNEY BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING August 1, 2016

9/22/2016

The Sidney Village Board met on the above date for the regular monthly meeting. President White called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. The following trustees were present: Arrasmith, Finn, and Schluter. Village Clerk Moore, Supervisor of Operations Bennett, Attorney Hendren, and Treasurer Reinhart were also present. Trustees Roberts, McCloud, and Cokley were absent.

Trustee Schluter moved that the minutes of the July 5, 2016, Board of Trustees regular meeting be approved. Trustee Finn seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

President White thanked The Sidney Improvement Group, Mike Roy, all the volunteers, Keith Kropp, and the Village employees for all their help in putting on a successful Fun Daze. Mike Roy thanked Earl Bennett, Brett Bennett, Logan Snodgrass, and John Finn for their help. He said the blood drive went well and they plan to be back in the fall. The vendors and the carnival group were happy with their profits. Keith Kropp thanked the Village for their help with the car show. The car show made $1,000, which will be donated to the Sidney Fire Department.

PRESIDENT WHITE'S COMMENTS

President White offered congratulations to Jada Burr, Champaign County Fair Queen and a resident of Sidney.

President White said that there was nothing new on the Illinois American Water Company intervention or the Verizon cell tower.

Trustee Schluter is going to go to the Illinois Municipal League's convention in Chicago in September and will register soon.

President White will have Clerk Moore send letters to possible members of the zoning board, asking them if they would like to serve.

ATTORNEY HENDREN'S COMMENTS:

Attorney Hendren said he had drawn up a lease for a room in the Community Building, but that it was on hold for now.

Attorney Hendren had drafted and mailed a letter to the owner of the dangerous dog on July 27. He will send a follow-up letter to make sure the dog has been removed from the residence.

EARL BENNETT'S REPORT

Supervisor Bennett will be ordering the new bench for downtown.

FINANCE REPORT

The financial reports were read by Trustee Finn in Trustee McCloud's absence. Trustee Arrasmith moved that the bills be paid with the additons of $660 to Miller and Hendren and $599 to Website Management. Trustee Finn seconded the motion. The motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote.

Copies of a codification proposal from Illinois Codification Services were passed out to the trustees. Both proposals will be discussed at the September meeting.

Audit went well, but there were a few places for improvement.

STREETS AND ALLEY

Trustee Finn reported that the stop sign has been removed on Sunset Drive and repairs made.

The Scarborough project is two-three weeks away from being completed.

The roadwork will start in two weeks.

There is a problem of people putting signs on stop signs and utility poles. This is a crime, defacing public property. The paint on the stop signs is pulled off, and the nails and staples left from the signs is a hazard to utility workers.

WATER/SEWER/UTILITY

2,679,264 gallons of water were pumped in July with a daily average of 86,427 gallons.

$37,884.52 was received in July with $9,927.79 in sewer planning money. 103 penalty bills were sent.

A question from the an attendee was asked: when will the survey loan be paid? President White said he would find out soon but probably by the end of the year.

Another member of the audience questioned his water bill. He was told to contact Troy Roberts, chairman of the water committee, to set up a meeting.

PUBLIC PROPERTY

Two building permits were issued : Angie Ingram, 318 S. David, fence, permit #691; and Andy Schum, 19 Dunlap Woods, deck, #692.

The tree work on Byron Street has been completed.

Nothing to report on ESDA.

Trustee Arrasmith reported that the Township met tonight at 6:30 PM to award the bid for the demolition of the Sidney Town Hall.

Trustee Arrasmith reported that letters had been sent out for violations of the lawn and car ordinances. An attendee asked what specifically was considered junk in his yard and Trustee Arrasmith responded with a list of things. A car has to be licensed and operable.

A letter will be sent to the owner of the property at 311 S. Harrison. He/she has built a garage on the property without a building permit and without inspection.

The roof at the Community Building leaked badly in the last rain. Supervisor Bennett told about the damage that had ensued and now mold. Trustee Arrasmith moved that he be allowed to spend up to $1,000 to have the air quality of the building tested. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; the motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Trustee Arrasmith will arrange to have the air tested and perhaps get bids on roof repair, although there was some question whether the roof can be repaired without fixing the problems with the foundation.

PARKS AND RECREATION

None of the ordered equipment has come in.

President White had a phone call from a resident whose daughter had been hurt on the merry-go-round at the Lions Club Park. After examining it, it was determined not to be safe and was removed. There is a need to spruce up all the parks, President White reported.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Dan Moisson had e-mailed his bill for maintaining the web site.

OLD AND NEW BUSINESS

President White's work hours have been changed (4:00 PM to 2:30 AM, Sun-Wed), but he has arranged to be off on Board meeting nights.

Trustee Schluter moved that the meeting be adjourned. Trustee Finn seconded the motion; motion carried with all ayes on a roll call vote. Meeting was adjourned at 8:00 PM.

SIDNEY VILLAGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MONTHLY MEETING AGENDA September 6, 2016 7:00 p.m.

9/1/2016

PLEDGE

APPROVE MINUTES August 1, 2016, meeting

PUBLIC COMMENTS Gayla Sargent

PRESIDENT WHITE'S COMMENTS *Illinois American Water Company Intervention

*Verizon cell tower

*Zoning Board

*Convention Expenses

PAUL HENDREN'S COMMENTS *Letter to Owner of Dangerous Dog

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Earl Bennett’s Comments: *Bench Downtown