Carbondale Reporter

Village of Crainville Village Board met Jan. 14.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

Mike Harbin Yea                   Sam Jones Yea

Julie Aue Yea                       John Oetjen Nay

Martin Bruyns Jr. Yea          Jim Rains Yea

Brad Olson Yea                   Jaci Chapman Nay

Ron Mitchell Yea                 Tena Steinacher Yea

A quorum was present:

Minutes:

Minutes from the December 10, 2019 regular Board Meeting were presented. There were no corrections.

Motion 1: Aue made the motion and Harbin seconded the motion to approve the December 10, 2019 Village Board Meeting Minutes as presented. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report:

Steinacher presented the Treasurer’s Report.

Steinacher recommended to the Board that they approve bringing down $25,000 from the Illinois Funds to the Village General Fund.

Motion 2: Rains made the motion and Harbin seconded the motion to approve bringing $25,000 from the Illinois Funds to the Village of Crainville’s General Fund. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Bills:

January 2020 bills were presented.

Motion 3: Harbin made the motion and Jones seconded the motion to pay the January bills as presented. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Visitor Participation

Ron Mann is a former Village of Crainville Resident who is considering moving back to Crainville and building a house on Marilyn Street. He wanted to know if this area on Marilyn Street where he wants to build his house is zoned Residential, Mitchell assured him that the lot that he is considering building on is zoned Residential. Mr. Mann is also concerned with the property across the street from where he wants to build his house. The property across the street is in disrepair and has vehicles and machinery in the yard. Mr. Mann wants to know if the Board has any plans to address the property conditions on this street. Mitchell told Mann that he has spoken to one of the property owners and has given him 30 days to clean up the mess in his yard. If he does not clean up his property the Village will start to levy fines. The property owner told Mitchell that he plans on putting up a pole barn to store some of the equipment that is currently in his yard. The Village Attorney and Mitchell told Mann that the Village is trying to get these properties cleaned up, but the Village has to work within the Village Ordinances.

John Crawford Report

East Grand Sewer

Several residents have complained about the sewer on East Grand. The joints in the pipes have roots growing in them and this is causing the sewer to back up into several residents’ yards and in some cases into their homes. One way the Village could fix this problem, is to put a liner in the pipes to help prevent roots from growing into the pipe. Crawford told the Board that they should consider replacing the sewer line and put in new manholes with Y’s and tee. The cost for installing new sewer line with new manholes and Y’s and tees would be approximately $17,850. To put in just a liner will cost approximately $16,000. The engineering costs involved in the project would be Ron Modglin overseeing the project. The estimated time the project would take would be 2 days, and cost would be $75.00 per hour. The Board decided to have Crawford put bids out for the project replacing the sewer line.

East Grand Improvements-Update

John Crawford and Associates have exceeded the residential engineering costs that was agreed to under the SIMPO contract for East Grand Improvements by $51,000. John Crawford has contacted SIMPO (grant administrator) regarding increasing the grant to cover the additional engineering costs. SIMPO has agreed to the cost overrun. Crawford will have to submit a contract to SIMPO to cover the additional cost. The contract will be presented to the Board for approval prior to being sent to SIMPO.

Crawford told the Board that SIMPO is working on a 5-year plan for road projects in the downstate area. Crawford would like to look at, submitting proposals to work on improving the road on Main Street to its North end, and improvements to Samuel Road.

Plaza Drive Drainage

There are drainage issues on Plaza Drive and on Susan Lane. In the area where Susan Lane meets Plaza Drive, there is water pooling in the driveway of several business. This drainage problem is having a negative impact on the Asian Bistro and NAPA. This is a Village issue because the driveway into these businesses is 90% on the Village’s “right of way.” Several years ago, the Village asphalted over the concrete that was in front of these businesses, and this has contributed to the drainage issues. In order to fix this area of the road Crawford has estimated that it will cost approximately $30,000. Since some of the driveway is on Asian Bistro property, the Village will ask Asian Bistro to contribute $400.00 to the project. The Village could use money for this project from motor fuel funds.

Motion 4: Jones made the motion and Bruyns seconded the motion to proceed with the proposal to repair Plaza Drive and Susan Lane to where it meets Plaza. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Drainage Issues Marilyn Drive

Drainage issues on Marilyn Drive has been put on hold.

Department Heads

Water Report: (Pam Borders)

There are 757 water customers

574 garbage customers.

1 Building Permits

4 new customers

3 disconnects

Room Rental 7 days for a total of $330.00

Pam Borders asked the Board if she and Jennifer Bingamon can attend a United Systems Conference in Nashville Tennessee April 21-23, 2020. She explained that this is a slow time in the office and usually very few customers come into the Village during those dates. Mitchell made a proposal to the Board that the office should be shut down for those three days.

At the last Board Meeting there was a concern that the budget report shows that the Water Department is losing money. Borders and Steinacher told the Board that the Water Department is not losing money and the discrepancy is the billing dates between when the Village used Republic Trash and the new contract with Southern Illinois Trash.

Motion 5: Aue made the motion and Rains seconded the motion to approve Pam Borders and Jennifer Bingamon attending a United Systems Conference in Nashville Tennessee April 21-23, Village Office will be shut down for those 3 days. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Water Appeals

Jodi Watts lives on Brandy Lane, and she has submitted a water appeal because she had sewer back-up in her yard. She called an excavator to dig up the sewer line at a cost of $2,400.00. After digging up the line, she found out that the problem was at the Village main. Farrar told the Board that Watts called the Village after the sewer line was dug up. Farrar inspected the lines and believes that the cause of the sewer back-up is due to roots growing into the sewer line. Watts would like the Village help them pay the $2,400 bill. The Board brought up the fact that the Watts did not follow proper protocol, they should have called the Village before hiring an excavator to dig up their line. The Village will give them a $500.00 water/sewer credit. The Village will send them a letter letting them know of the credit, and will also tell them that if this happens again, they should call the Village before hiring an excavator to dig up the sewer line. The Village, in the future, will not give any monetary credit if they do not follow proper protocol.

Motion 6: Rains made the motion and Bruyns seconded the motion to give Jodi Watts a $500.00 water/sewer credit, and will inform them that if they have any future issues, they need to call the Village first. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Joe Rosenberger on May Avenue complained that his water bill was approximately $15.00 to $20.00 higher than normal. He told the Water Office that he has not changed his water usage. The Village reread his meter and there were no discrepancies.

Motion 7: Rains made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to deny Joe Rosenberger’s water appeal. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Street/Water-Sewer Report

Farrar told the Board that the Street/Water Department put in 2 water services.

Street Department is working on dismantling the old park equipment

Farrar told the Board that he is in the process of putting up new Village of Crainville signs.

The Street Department has used the tar kettle to repair pot holes on Marion

Board wants Farrar to monitor money spent on the F250, and talk to the Board prior to doing any more major repairs on the trucks.

Police Report (Chief Rogers)

Chief Rogers reported that the Crown Vic is in the garage having the defroster worked on. Chief Rogers reported that he will be resigning his position April 3. He indicated that he will help the Village train a new chief.

Old Business

Chamber Dinner

Motion 8: Harbin made the motion and Rains seconded the motion to approve purchasing a table for the Carterville Chamber of Commerce Dinner for $390.00. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

New Sign

The Village of Crainville would like to put up a new electronic sign in front of the Village Hall. Jeff Hartline from T-Ham Sign Company and Faye Rowell from Watchfire Signs made a presentation to the Board on installing an electronic message sign for the front of the Village Hall. T-Ham Sign Company would build the sign and Watchfire Signs would put in the electronics for the sign. The proposal would be for a double sided custom illuminated sign display with a double sided Watchfire electronic message. One of the advantages to having an electric sign is that the Village would be able to scroll public service messages for Village Residents. The messages would originate from a Village computer, and could be changed according to what information that the Village would want to convey to the public. The sign would be built by T-Ham Sign Company, and Jeff Hartline would be the local representative from Marion. Faye Rowell is the representative from Watchfire Signs and she and the company are located in Danville Il. The company has a 5-year warranty on all signs. A Board member asked about how sturdy the sign would be, and if vandals could destroy the sign. Faye Rowell assured him that the sign is sturdy enough to withstand most acts of vandalism, and 100 mph wind speed. Mitchell told the Board that they need to look over the proposal by T-Ham Sign Company and Watch Fire Signs. The cost of the proposed sign would be $21,874.47. Mitchell will continue the meeting on January 21, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. in order for the Board to hear a proposal from Roth Signs.

Playground & Benches

Mitchell has ordered the new playground equipment. The Village will have to replace the lumber on the benches that are located in the park.

New Business

Midwest Meters

Midwest meters will be attending a future Board Meeting to discuss a new meter reading program.

United Systems Bill

United Systems sent the Village a bill for $10,020 for the new billing system. Mitchell contacted them and said what the Village originally agreed to pay was $7385.00. United Systems reviewed their bill and revised the bill to $8,945. Mitchell contacted them again and they are refusing to adjust the bill any further. The Board would like a break-down of the bill, and a log of hours they are billing us for training.

Flag Contract

Motion 9: Rains made the motion and Harbin seconded the motion to renew the flag contract with the Boy Scouts for $400.00. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

East Grand Sewer

See under John Crawford Reports

Jodi Watts-Sewer

See under Water Appeals

Executive Session

Motion 10: Aue made the motion and Jones seconded the motion to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel issues at 8:25 p.m. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

The Board went came out of Executive Session at 8:35 p.m.

The Board will continue their meeting on January 21, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at the Village

https://www.crainville.net/minutes