Cerro Gordo, Illinois

Jan. 18, 2010

The monthly meeting of the Mayor and Board of Trustees met at 7:00 pm on Jan. 18, 2010 at 231 East South Street. The following members were present: Mayor Lyle Shoraga, Trustees Brad Williams, Dennis Ridgeway, Mick Tirpak, Dick Seitz, Ron Price, and Shamarie Allen. Also present were Atty. Colette McCarty, Clerk Linda Ash, Tresurer Cris Perry, and P.C. Pat Carter. D.P.W. Rob Bratton was working on the lift station.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Shoraga. Police Chief Carter presented to retired chief Gary Shaffer a certificate of appreciation for his 35 years of service. He also presented to Gary at this time, a retired Chief of Police badge.

Public Forum-J. Hyde discussed the stop signs in town in connection with pollution.

Minutes were read and approved on a motion by Trustee Seitz, second Price, all yeas.

The claims report was presented and approved for payment on a motion by Trustee Ridgeway, second Williams, all yeas.

Treasurer's Report

Financial. The statement of income and expenditures is in a four column format which makes it easier to read and understand. Motion by Trustee Williams, second Tirpak to approve treasurer's report, all yeas. Cris has a CD maturing today. She will get figures on interest and meet with the financial committee on Thurs. There are three CD's maturing in February.

Water bills will be estimated this month due to all the snow on the ground. There were no shut offs due to the extreme cold and no one has been turned over to collections so far.

Director of Public Works Report

Rob is checking the lift station every hour to manually override it. He will call the computer company tomorrow to come out to fix it.

Chief of Police Report

There is a reduction in calls this month. The police will be giving verbal warnings for running the stop signs on South Street.

Cisco has asked us to reduce the number of hours we give them. They would like 12-15 hours a month. The profit for the month is $236. The Ford squad car is at Newells. The car at Agar's is involved in an insurance dispute. Colette advised that Agar's inform their insurance company that they need to remove the car.

Old Business

Nothing to report on the Edwards property or TIF. The Adams Street property needs to be discussed in closed session.

Drainage project. Tom Overmyer was to be here tonight but Trustee Williams received an e-mail from him that he couldn't be here. He was called to Iowa. He was to present the specs on the project and could make a special meeting next week. This will be the absolute deadline for this phase of the project or the Village will look elsewhere for an engineer. The special meeting will be held on Jan. 25, 2010 for the purpose of discussing drainage.

New Businesses

The loading sign in front of the Allen business at 221 East South will need to be removed. Colette could not find an ordinance when we did that so it can just be taken down.

The burned house on Madison Street is a nuisance. Pat will have to abate the nuisance. The house will have to be torn down. Currently there is no information about the owner of the house.

Colette has three companies that she would recommend for the update of the Code of Ordinances. She will send a request for proposal to each of the companies.


The FOIA policy-the new provisions went into effect Jan. 1, 2010. Policy #5 is the current FOIA policy. This act will take the place of the current policy She has highlighted the 25 most important provisions. Any request has to be acted on in five business days instead of seven.

Training has to be done by June 2010 and must be done on-line. This is through the states attorneys office. The village also needs to designate an employee who will receive training about the open meetings act, also on-line. Those names need to be submitted also. These are two separate trainings.

Motion to approve policy 5A of Procedures manual and designate two FOIA officers-Linda Ash and Cris Perry-made by Trustee Williams,. Second Ridgeway, all yeas. For the Open Meetings Act(OMA) a motion was made to designate two people for this position by Trustee Williams. He nominates the Village Clerk and the Mayor. Second by Trustee Seitz, all yeas.

Trustee Report

Ridgeway-complaints on garbage service

Tirpak-send letter to R. Petty concerning placement of whistle in driveway. Mick will talk to him as chairman of streets and alleys. There is a lot of water being pumped into the road from a house on Lincoln Street. Approved to do so by previous trustees.

Seitz-people have expressed a desire for drainage but don't want ditches.

Allen-pot holes in front of grade school on Wait Street need to be filled.

A closed session was called for the discussion of possible litigation 120/2 (C) (11) at 8:15 pm on a motion by trustee Ridgeway, Williams, all yeas.

Regular session resumes at 8:32 and a motion to adjourn was entered by Trustee Seitz, Price, all yeas.
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Village Clerk 01/18/10