1, 2, 3, The December 13, 2010 Board meeting was called to order by Supervisor Kupar at 7:38 p.m. at the Community Center. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Clerk Johansen called the roll with Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman and Boissonnas present. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The fourth Trustee seat is vacant.
4. Reports:
Village of Campton Hills – Jim Kopec for Patsy Smith: (Report given out of Agenda order) Trustee Kopec stated the Village of Campton Hills was awarded a $10,000 Small Cities grant by Kane County. Hopefully this is a predecessor for a larger grant. Earlier the Village Board had a Hearing on a Special Use request for a downtown fire station which triggers a Public Hearing when a new zoning request comes forward. They are continuing to discuss the Norton Lakes development. It may pass at the next meeting, or in January.
Sheriff – Wasco Substation Community Policing – Sgt. John Grimes: Absent.
Highway Commissioner – Sam Gallucci: Commissioner Gallucci stated we installed plows and spreaders on 12 trucks for the winter season, and installed snow route markers on all snowplow routes. We had three snow events, and did testing of the salt brine-Geomelt mixture on Campton Hills Road. It worked well. We will continue to use it. We put no parking signs on the north side of Beith Road by the Larson light display for safety; trimmed over-hanging trees along plow routes; and plowed and salted on December 4th and 5th for drifting snow. The road crew trimmed a tree that was blocking the view of a stop sign at Route 47 and McDonald Road; dug out and repaired a smashed culvert on Anderson Road; applied shoulder gravel on Denker Road, the south side of Bolcum Road, and Willowbrook Drive; and installed four object marks on Kendall Road. The road crew picked up storm damage throughout Campton Township and the Village of Campton Hills; picked up garbage in ditches along Township and Village roads; checked all stop signs in the Township and Village on a weekly basis and replaced damaged or missing ones; continued to patrol roads throughout the Township and Village for drainage problems, pot holes, and culvert permits; and continued to repair potholes with cold patch throughout the Township and Village. Ongoing maintenance was performed on Township vehicles and equipment by staff in house.
Assessor – Alan D. Rottmann: Assessor Rottmann stated we are done with the 2010 assessments and appeal hearings. We are currently reviewing the 2011 quadrennial assessments. J. Kupar asked what will the EAV (Equalized Assessed Valuation) be? Assessor Rottmann stated it will probably be a 12% reduction. It was a 7% reduction this year.
Solid Waste District – Barbara Boissonnas: No Report.
Staff Update on Open Space – Jack Shouba: Open Space Coordinator Kristin Bilar for Jack Shouba stated our volunteer work days are always the second Saturday of the month from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The last volunteer day was canceled due to snow and sleet. Our next volunteer work day is scheduled for Saturday December 11th. but volunteers should check with the office because it may be canceled due to the weather. We are working on 2011 budget/project review for each property. Snow plowing was done at Anderson Park, Corron Farm, Gray Willows, and Harley Woods. Snow shoveling was done at the Community Center and Town Hall. We are working on updating our web site and we participated in a webcast on invasive species laws. At Brown Road Meadows we put up boundary signs at the corners, and moved the bee hives for tree clearing by the Forest Preserve along the Great Western Trail. At Corron Farm we cleared trees from the fence line, received a proposal for a fence, burned a portion of the prairie, and are working with a Boy Scout on a potential Eagle Scout project. At Gray Willows we burned brush and an old broken fence between soybean fields. We also completed installation of boundary signs, patched a hole in a fence to prevent trespassing, drafted a letter to neighbors to fill them in on what is happening, and ordered signs that say “No dumping, hunting, ATV’s, or snowmobiles”. At Harley Woods we met with Glen Torchie to tell him we will put in a fence as soon as possible, we received three proposals for clearing woods, and are working with a Boy Scout and Garfield Farm on a potential Eagle Scout project. At the Headwaters Conservation Area we closed a horse trail for the winter, burned the brush pile near the pond, and winterized the new fire and herbicide sprayers. At Mongerson Park we located property boundary pins and placed signs at the corners. Poynor Park is closed for the season. Anderson Park is already winterized. We are working on the six month report on the grant for Town Hall that is due the end of December. We have completed the paperwork on the annual easement inspections. J. Kupar asked if we got a response from Glen Torchie regarding drainage? Answer was we haven’t heard back.
Financial Report – Louise McKay: CPA (Certified Public Accountant) McKay stated as of the end of November any line items that are over budget have offsetting under budget line items. Expenditures continue to be reviewed closely to maintain a balanced budget. There is a second cash disbursement to approve for the bond payment to Old Second Bank. The other bond payments were completed by wire today. Levies for Town and Road are on the agenda to approve tonight. They will be filed with the County to meet the deadline of filing by the fourth Tuesday in December. We will continue to work on the budget for the next fiscal year with the levy amounts finalized. We participated in a webinar by Cobalt Community Research to promote community involvement and volunteers. Cobalt is a 501c3 nonprofit research organization specializing in surveys for local governments to determine citizen satisfaction, needs, and recommendations for services. Campton Township has previously surveyed residents regarding open space needs. If there is a need for surveys in future staff will consider an in house survey first because of the cost of these services. The November financial statements do not reflect the deposit of the first rebate of the BAB 2010 bonds on December 3rd. The rebate of $39,641.39 was deposited into the Harris Open Space Maintenance account. There will need to be a recommendation or policy set to earmark these monies for a specific item i.e. to sustain the perpetual maintenance fund or for capital improvements etc.
Village of Campton Hills – Patsy Smith: Previously given above as first item under 4. Reports.
Joint Environmental Resource Management Committee – Rob Linke, John Kupar, Jack Shouba: No Report.
Supervisor – John Kupar: Supervisor Kupar stated we completed out intergovernmental agreement with Kane County for development bonds. We revised the dollar amount down to $130,000. The funds will be used to stabilize the erosion problems at Poynor Park and for engineering studies at Gray Willows Farm. Staff is completing the reimbursement paperwork for the restoration of Town Hall. Once we file this paperwork, we should receive the $60,000 grant. We received another check from V3 for the sale of another wetlands credit from our wetlands bank. We interviewed four candidates for the vacant Trustee position. All the candidates were qualified and each had a unique set of experiences that would have strengthened the Board. I thank them all for submitting their names to be considered for this position. We selected Elizabeth Murphy, certified public accountant (CPA). She has a BS in Business Administration from Marquette University and attended Loyola University and the University of Illinois where she obtained her CPA. She has numerous courses in continuing education, and experience with three CPA firms, the last being her own firm. She also has numerous professional affiliations and licenses. We welcome her aboard. I had the opportunity to spend four hours with Mrs. Fessenden and her daughter Faith during the taping of her recollections and history of Gray Willows Farm. There is a lot of local and national history associated with this farm including movie stars such as Bing Crosby and prominent Chicagoans visiting the farm. I am happy we were able to preserve this history on video. We will be putting the video up on our website. Finally, I would like to wish all of our residents a happy holiday season and a prosperous and healthful new year. Many of us are going to be traveling to friends and family. I would like all of us to be mindful of weather conditions and drive safely.
5. Approval of Minutes:
a. Board Meeting November 9, 2010: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the minutes of the meeting of November 9, 2010. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman and Boissonnas voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The fourth Trustee seat is vacant. The motion passed.
b. Special Board Meeting November 22, 2010: C. Boissonnas moved the Board approve the minutes of the Special Board Meeting of November 22, 2010. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman and Boissonnas voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The fourth Trustee seat is vacant. The motion passed.
c. Special Board Meeting December 6, 2010: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the minutes of the Special Board Meeting of December 6, 2010. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman and Boissonnas voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The fourth Trustee seat is vacant. The motion passed.
6. Citizens’ Comments: None.
7. Planning Commission: No Report.
C. Boissonnas moved the Board move “9. New Business items a., d., b., and c.”, ahead of the rest of the agenda, and in that order. The motion was seconded by T. Stutesman. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman and Boissonnas voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The fourth Trustee seat is vacant. The motion passed.
9. New Business – Presentation and Discussion for Action:
a. Appoint and Swear in Elizabeth Murphy Trustee to fill the Unexpired Term of Trustee Rebecca Lambe: T. Stutesman moved the Board appoint Elizabeth Murphy Trustee to fill the unexpired term of Rebecca Lambe. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman and Boissonnas voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The fourth Trustee seat is vacant until this vote is tallied. The motion passed whereupon Clerk Johansen swore in Elizabeth Murphy as Trustee.
d. Discuss and Act Upon the St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District’s Decision to Create it’s Own Fire Department: C. Boissonnas prepared a lengthy report for the Board on the St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District’s decision not to renew its contracts with the St. Charles Fire Department, and Tri-City Ambulance Service, and to form its own fire department. Trustee Boissonnas is a former Assistant Volunteer Fire Chief of the Cayuga Heights Fire Department in Ithaca New York, and was a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee that advised St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District prior to its decision not to renew its contracts with the St. Charles Fire Department and Tri-City Ambulance Service. A summary of Boissonnas Report follows:
The new district proposes to build two new fire stations, one on each side of the Fox River, and plans to contract with a private emergency services provider to supply the necessary manpower. The Boissonnas Report examines these decisions. For equipment the new District proposes to purchase an engine, a tender and ambulance for each station, but no ladder truck. A ladder truck is needed for structures taller then 35 feet. A list of structures taller then 35 feet includes the Kane County Jail, the Kane County Judicial Center, Kane County DOT complex, two structures at the Glenwood School, and the Congregational Church in Fox Mill. In addition, the District includes commercial buildings that, even if not taller then 35 feet, would require ladder service because you need to attack a fire from above when it has broken through the roof. Also, ISO (Insurance Services Office), the agency that determines underwriting ratings used by insurance companies, calls for a ladder company within 2.5 miles of any area with five or more buildings of 35 feet or more in height. For expenditures and revenues the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association (IFCA) computed the costs of two stations, equipment, and staffing in 2006. Annual costs would range from $1,880,000 to $2,112,000 depending on whether personnel were hired or contracted for and the cost of dispatching. Equipment cost does not include the cost of a ladder truck. The cost of apparatus ordered by the new district on December 8, 2010 is $829,000 and already exceeds $646,000 projected by IFCA in 2006. The IFCA guidelines are 2006 estimates and in 2010 dollars they will be somewhat higher. It is possible costs will exceed current District resources but the District President thinks not. He stated there would be cost savings by not increasing the tax levy, and that costs will go down over the long term. On the other hand IFCA stated additional revenue will be required to fund expenditures necessary to improve service levels. They recommend four measures: adjusting the tax levy, a referendum to raise the Corporate and Ambulance Tax Rate, a referendum to allow the purchase of bonds to finance the construction of fire stations and the purchase of equipment, and charging both in-district and out-of-district residents for ambulance service. The intergovernmental agreement that created Tri-City Ambulance Service stipulated that upon withdrawal by any party such party shall have been deemed to forfeit any interest it may have in any of the assets of Tri-City. In November 2010 the Tri-City reserve fund amounted to $1,201,993. Based on the fact the District is assessed 22.225% of Tri-Cities expenses, it is logical to believe its share of the reserve fund is in excess of $260,000 that it would forfeit by leaving Tri-City. The District’s Trustees have not been heard on this point. It is pertinent to an assessment of the stewardship of the Districts funds. Serious work to ascertain what the true costs will be should be performed before the decision to create a department has been made. Whether this work has been done has not yet been documented. For staffing the District proposes to staff each station with 5 firefighters. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in its Standard 1710 calls for a minimum of 14 to 15 total manpower in responding to an incident. The current St. Charles Fire Department response to a structural fire in the Fire District with no fire hydrants is 25 total manpower. The District’s proposal to have 5 firefighters in each station does not come close to meeting the NFPA standard, nor is it close to that provided by the St.Charles Fire Department. Where will additional firefighters come from? And if manpower from both stations is used, there will be no manpower to respond to concurrent calls. The staffing plan described by the District is inadequate and is a significant decrease from the service provided by the St. Charles Fire Department. For mutual aid the District’s plan would be adequate only if supplemented by mutual aid. If its fire stations have no ladder trucks or enough personnel, one can only assume it intends to get these when needed through mutual aid. Mutual aid is not intended to relieve a department from having inadequate fire fighting staffing and equipment. It is meant to provide supplementary help for dealing with incidents which are beyond the normal capabilities of a department to handle. It is not automatic. It can be negotiated between two departments (Auto Aid), or it can be provided through a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System – Illinois (MABAS), a statewide program to provide mutual aid among participating departments. Membership in MABAS is not automatic and, to join, an agency must agree to “standards of operation, incident command, minimal equipment and staffing, safety and on-scene terminology. It would be reasonable for the District to find out whether and how it will meet MABAS requirements before making final equipment and staffing decisions. There is no indication it has done that. Also discussions and explorations with other emergency services officials of their mutual capabilities should happen before proceeding further. As of November 23, 2010, when the District announced its intention to create its own department, such discussions, either with MABA-Illinois or neighboring departments had not taken place. The Illinois Association of Fire Chiefs provide what should be the one significant controlling principle in this affair: “We encourage officials from the St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District, the City of St. Charles, the St. Charles Fire Department and the Tri-County Ambulance Service to continue to work together and seek avenues for improving the level of service to the citizens they serve.” The St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District’s decision to create its own fire department as presented should not be implemented. The Trustees have not demonstrated that the solution they have chosen is the best available for the residents of the district.
St. Charles Fire Chief Patrick Mullen spoke next. He stated that the St. Charles Fire District is a contract agency for the District. They have three fire stations that serve 33,000 people in St. Charles and another 21,000 in the rural area. One fire station is in downtown St. Charles, another on Kirk Road, and the third on Campton Hills Road. There are two concepts to consider about locating fire stations. One is distribution or where to locate the stations. Second is concentration or where reinforcements come from. The District proposes one station on Route 25 and Gilbert Road on the east side, and another at Route 64 and LaFox Road on the west side. This is no reinforcement but an improvement in response time. The District has not consulted St. Charles about their proposal. If they leave St. Charles, the money they contribute to the St. Charles fire department also leaves us. The question then becomes would St. Charles be willing to provide fire protection for free. Kane County Board Representative Barbara Wojnicki asked what would this proposal do to homeowners insurance? Answer was underwriters look at water supply (40%) and capabilities of the fire department (50%). Capabilities include staffing, equipment, and how far apart fire stations are. Insurance underwriters best rating is one, and the worst rating is ten, meaning no fire department. St. Charles has water hydrants so its rating is two. The areas within five miles of the stations that are without water hydrants are a class six rating. J. Kupar asked how much does a ladder truck cost? Answer was $800,000. J. Kupar asked if the District goes its own way, will St. Charles do mutual aid or automatic aid? Mullen answered that mutual aid, or the box system, needs to be fair. We don’t know if we would continue because we don’t know what their contribution will be. It’s likely we would send an engine for a fire but we would not empty our firehouses. It’s likely we would close part of our downtown fire facility and keep the other two firehouses. Tri-City Ambulance would probably have to contract its help too. K. Judy asked are there intergovernmental agreements for this aid? Answer was no, there is a letter between them. This would probably have to be redone if they go forward. C. Boissonnas stated it looks like they are using an expectation of mutual aid to save them costs.
b. Review and Act Upon Refunding 2001 GO Bond Series: Dave Phillips of Speer Financial stated a restricting of bond debt is needed for tax rate modification purposes due to declining equalized assessed valuation (EAV). Step one would “fix” the 2010, 2011, and 2012 levies in January of 2011. Step two would “fix the 2012 and beyond levies in late 2013 or early 2014. The rationale is that the existing debt of the township was structured in anticipation that the growing Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) that has occurred in the last decade would taper gradually and flatten out as full development occurred. Instead, the housing market has stopped abruptly and values are dropping with foreclosures and underwater mortgages. The two steps allow the size of the step one restructuring in 2011 to be minimized for the three year “fix” based on worst-case EAV contraction assumptions. Then due to the EAV uncertainty it is not prudent to guess about the 2013 EAV so modeling for step two will await greater clarity achieved with an added three years of EAV History. In the mean time in January 2011 we will do step one which will restructure/refinance the bonds in order to achieve the 0.35 targeted bond fund tax rate which will prevent taxes from going up due to declining EAV. J. Kupar stated lets stay at the 0.35 level. D. Phillips added on Monday January 3rd the Township will take a rating call from Standard & Poors, and we will be back at your January meeting to conclude this. The new Trustee Elizabeth Murphy stated she would like to meet with Dave Phillips to be brought up to speed on this.
C. Final Report from Weston Holt – Eagle Scout Project at Gray Willows: Scout Weston Holt came forward to give the final report on his Eagle Scout project at Grey Willows. He stated he gathered 30 people including scouts and adults at Grey Willows on September 25th from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. They removed a fence line, cleared brush, removed posts and moved it all to a burn pile and burned it. He gave thanks to Ken Johnson, Open Space Coordinator Kristin Bilar, and Campton Township for helping him accomplish this project. Supervisor Kupar expressed the thanks of Campton Township to Eagle Scout Holt for his contribution to the Township. Applause.
8. Old Business – Presentation and Discussion for Action:
a. Review Open Space Plan and Program Legal Documentation Report: Attorney Kathleen Judy presented the Board with a ten year time line summary of the Open Space Plan and Program with property locations, addresses and pin numbers. Next she provided the Board with a Legal Documentation Review Report of the township’s Open Space Program documents retained by the Township relative to the twelve fee simple property acquisitions, and seven conservation easement purchases. Document Review Limitations states where documents relating to open space properties are located. Missing Documentation states documents that were not found and recommends the means to locate the documents. Recommended Action Items and Items for Future Consideration provides general recommendations and specific recommendations for actions relating to each individual property and, finally, a cover letter for the Legal Documentation Review Report. Clerk Johansen stated staff needs to make efforts soon to find any missing records as some may have been misplaced in the move from Town Hall to temporary offices in Lily Lake. A search needs to be made at the Community Center and Attorney Noble should be consulted if necessary. Supervisor Kupar stated the direction is for staff to search the Community Center, and ask Attorney Noble for help with this if necessary, and report back to the Board at the next meeting.
b. Review and Act Upon Agreement for Spreading Manure on Motz: Attorney K. Judy stated they will be done spreading manure by March 31st. T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the Campton Township License Agreement for Horse Manure Spreading on Certain Farmland known as the Motz farm. The motion was seconded by C. Boissonnas. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed.
9. New Business – Presentation and Discussion for Action, Continued:
e. Discuss and Act Upon Request from Chris Saad to Relocate Bee Hives to Gray Willows from Brown Road: Chris Saad stated he and Jack Shouba located the bee hives near Brown Road but the County is thinning trees there. He would like to relocate 10 hives to Gray Willows. We need a good windbreak on the north side, water, accessibility, and seclusion. J. Kupar suggested looking at the Motz property, but Gray Willows is ok too. C. Saad stated he will look at both and come back in March. J. Kupar stated look at both, and install the bees at one or the other.
f. Town Levy Ordinance 10-3T: E. Murphy moved the Board approve the Campton Township Tax Levy Ordinance NO. 10-03T. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The Ordinance passed.
g. Road District Levy Ordinance 10-3R: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the Campton Township Road District Tax Levy Ordinance NO. 10-03R. E. Murphy seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The Ordinance passed.
h. Approve Proposed Dates for 2011 Board Meetings: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the proposed dates for the 2011 Board meetings as presented. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed.
10. Claims and Demands for Payment:
a. Town Fund: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the claims and demands on the Town Fund. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed.
b. Open Space Fund: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the claims and demands on the Open Space Fund. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed.
11. Executive Session – Review Executive Session Minutes: T. Stutesman moved the Board go into Executive Session for the purpose of reviewing Executive Session minutes. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed and Executive Session began at 9:35 p.m.
12. New Business Continued – Supervisor Kupar reconvened the regular session at 9:45 p.m.
a. Discuss and Act Upon Approval Executive Session Minutes: C. Boissonnas moved the Board approve the Executive Session minutes of November 9, 2010; November 22, 2010; and December 6, 2010. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed.
13. Adjournment: E. Murphy moved the Board adjourn the meeting. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Kupar and Trustees Stutesman, Boissonnas, and Murphy voted aye. Trustee VanZandt was absent. The motion passed and the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
Richard Johansen
Clerk