1. 2. 3. The February 10, 2009 Board meeting was called to order by Supervisor Anderson at 7:35 p.m. at the Community Center. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Clerk Johansen called the roll with Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy present. Supervisor Anderson asked for a moment of silence in respect for our friend, and Committeeman, Jeff Blankenship, who recently passed away.
4. Reports:
Sheriff – Wasco Substation Community Policing – Lt. Kramer: Absent.
Highway Commissioner – Sam Gallucci: Commissioner Gallucci stated the first few weeks of January have been particularly rough. The frost line has gone five feet below the roads and this causes cracking and buckling. Between now and April 1st. many potholes will begin to show up. We are evaluating this now. We were out on Bolcum Road and patched a section today. We are trying for road stimulus funding from the federal government in cooperation with the Village of Campton Hills but we probably won’t get much because most will probably go to IDOT (the Illinois Department of Transportation), and Chicago. K. Judy asked are Township and Village roads half and half? Answer was 75% Village and 25% Township for 137 miles total. We evaluated all roads and funds would come first from the County and then from the federal government. The road crew plowed and salted on January 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, 2009. We widened all streets and intersections, spent numerous days chasing snow drifts, and winged back subdivisions for safety concerns throughout Campton Township, the Village of Campton Hills, and Campton Hills in Plato Township; checked all Stop signs and replaced damaged or missing ones, repaired damaged mailboxes and posts, continued to repair potholes with cold patch, and continued to patrol roads for drainage problems, pot holes, and culvert permits throughout Campton Township and the Village of Campton Hills. We replaced a manhole cover on Old LaFox Road, repaired one on Quail Court, and continued in house maintenance of Township vehicles and equipment by staff. Every two months new batteries are installed in flashing lights on Beith, Campton Hills, Anderson, Brown, Old LaFox, and Denker Roads, and Jens Jensen Lane, for safety concerns.
Assessor – Alan Rottmann: Assessor Rottmann stated we are done with the 2008 cycle and with the hearings. We are waiting for the County to send out notices.
Solid Waste District – Becky Lambe: District President Lambe stated we have completed the change over in weekly pick up days. The District will meet this Saturday to decide whether to hire a consultant to represent us with Waste Management.
Staff Update on Open Space/Brown Road Meadows Planning Committee – Shouba/Boissonnas: Botanist Shouba stated we put in for three grants but the state has no money. The state is including our Harley Woods/Mill Creek Fen and Great Western Trail projects in the list of ready to go projects that would put people to work. We are working with Scout Marc McCarty to help him select an Eagle Scout project at Anderson Park, Corron Farm, or Poynor Park. The Burn season is approaching. We have our state permit, and will be contacting the fire department, and notifying neighbors. For Harley Woods a letter was sent out to neighbors updating them on our progress, workdays, and burns. Our next Prairie Doc workday will be at Harley Woods on Saturday, February 14th. A contractor called CLS will be assisting us in restoration work there next week. At Mongerson Park a contractor named JAD Treecycle has been cutting down the buckthorn and other weedy trees on the site. Four staff members attended the Chicago Wilderness Wild Things conference at UIC last Saturday. Brown Road Meadows Planning Committee Chairman Boissonnas reported they had their second meeting and decided they need to get an idea of what the needs for this site are so they will ask the stakeholders what they want there. The replies will guide them in the direction to go.
Water Study Committee – John Kupar: Water Study Committee Chairman Kupar stated Shaw Environmental, Campton Township, and the Village of Campton Hills met regarding the Elburn Station, Norton Lakes, and Stonefield land developments. We will model the Elburn Station development because of concerns about the health of our wetlands, surface water, and subsurface water. Plan Commission Chairman Morgan stated Stonefield is well defined. Elburn Station is between concept and preliminary stage.
Village of Campton Hills – Patsy Smith: Absent.
Supervisor – Neal Anderson: Supervisor Anderson stated we have final approval on the Poynor Park grant so we should be getting our check for $400,000.00 within 30 to 60 days.
Presentation by St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District – President Edward Malek: Fire Protection District President Malek introduced Trustee Chuck Dunham and stated the District covers Wayne, St. Charles, and Campton Townships but does not include the City of St. Charles. The St.Charles Countryside Fire Protection District is a paper district that contracts out for service to the St. Charles Fire Department which has provided the service for the last 40 years. There are three fire stations: one in downtown St. Charles, a second on Kirk Road, and the third on Campton Hills Road. The one of Kirk Road is the only one with a tanker truck. Our current tax rate is 0.17796 per $100. We are tapping into reserves to meet operating expenses and in three years the District will not have enough money to operate at the current level. Our District will pay St. Charles 1.75 million dollars next year and we have 1.2 million in reserves now. What are the alternatives? Can Elburn service better? It’s no closer so the solution is to get the equipment closer. The District recently decided on a referendum and the goal of presentations they are making now is to inform different government entities of the process they went through to arrive at that decision. They saw two issues. First, does the District have the necessary resources. Second, is the District meeting the expectations of the residents. They found the answer to both questions was no. They took a two pronged approach. First, they interviewed community leaders for input. Second, they initiated an opinion poll of 600 local residents by the University of New York. The results of the poll can be found on the District web page at www.sccfpd.org From the time 911 is called, the average elapsed time for service was nearly 12 minutes, which includes 9 minutes response time. National guidelines recommend 5 minutes as target response time. A person with cardiac arrest suffers long term brain damage if they don’t have emergency treatment within 5 minutes. 85% of those people will die. A small fire can reach flashpoint within 10 minutes. 83% of those surveyed answered emergency response times should be 7 minutes or less, and 90% answered it was important to reduce current slow response times. The referendum has two questions. First, it asks whether to increase the tax levy from 0.17796 per $100 to 0.320 per $100 to cover increased operational costs. Second, it proposes a $2 million bond issue to allow the District to build its first fire station. For a $350,000 home the referendum would cost about $13 more per month. Our Fire District has the fourth lowest tax rate in Kane County. The Trustees are fairly distributed between townships with two trustees from Campton Township, two from St. Charles Township, and one from Wayne Township. For the future our goal is to have one fire station in the Wasco area and one in the Wayne area. We will use 1.5 million for the west side station and put aside 0.5 million as seed money for the east side. The District can be reached by e-mail at info@sccfpd.org C. Boissonnas stated the St. Charles Countryside Fire Protection District will need an agreement with the St. Charles Fire Department that they will staff the new fire station if the referendum passes.
5. Approval of Minutes:
a. Board Meeting January 13, 2009: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the minutes of the meeting of January 13, 2009. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
b. Special Board Meeting January 26, 2009: T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the minutes of the Special Board meeting of January 26, 2009. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
6. Citizens’ Comments: Joe Garbarski stated the last newsletter from the Village of Campton Hills looked like the Campton Township newsletter. It looks like the Township is becoming second to the Village. So, because of the economy should we condense Township facilities: the Road District, Town Hall, and the Community Center? Can we sell the Community Center and move all our facilities together in one area? Al Rottmann stated if you put it on Highway District property it involves two taxing bodies and that location is too far on the edge of the township. G. Garbarski stated he doesn’t think we should combine facilities with the Village. Township Administrator Glas stated the Village has a non binding referendum asking if the Village should propose an intergovernmental agreement with the Township to cooperate on maintenance of open space.
7. Planning Commission: Nothing.
8. Old Business – Presentation and Discussion for Action:
a. Discuss and Act Upon Approving Estimate on Repair to Corron House Porch: Administrator Glas stated we have three quotes. J. Kupar asked are these estimates apples to apples? Answer yes. Staff recommends Red Post Construction. Jim Morgan volunteered to help through the project regarding the appropriate use of cypress. T. Stutesman moved the Board accept Red Post Construction, Inc.’s price on the Corron porch repair, not to exceed $10,000 using cypress where appropriate. The motion was seconded by J. Kupar. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
b Discuss and Act Upon Proposal for Engineering Drawings and Construction Management of Corron Farm Entrance: Administrator Glas stated the OLT (Open Land Trust) grant the township accepted required signage (its up), handicapped parking, and a new entrance with public parking. We are required to do this by the grant. We need a bid package and permits for this entrance which will be directly across the road from the Forest Preserve entrance. We have three bids. Staff recommends Western Surveying and Engineering. They did all our alta land surveys for our open space. They are under $12,000, and they are local in Geneva. We will need an asphalt apron connecting with the road and gravel parking for 25 to 30 cars with a grass area for expanding. J. Kupar moved the Board accept Western Surveying & Engineering, P.C.’s proposal for the Corron Farm entrance and parking not to exceed $7,000 for tasks one, two, and three. The motion was seconded by T. Stutesman. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
9. New Business – Presentation and Discussion for Action:
a. Discuss and Act Upon Capital Improvement by Wasco Diamonds Fast Pitch: Bill Morrow of Wasco Diamonds stated the Diamonds request Board approval to make $1000 in capital improvements to field #6 to make the field ready to play. He asks for the $500 fee of the Township be waived. Administrator Glas stated the Township needs the $500 to cut the grass. C. Boissonnas asked has the Township waived fees in the past? Answer was no. C. Boissonnas asked what kind of precedent would we set if we waived fees now. Administrator Glas stated these two fields are the best we have. B. Morrow stated we have to keep an automatic defebulator at the field and he is certified for it. This is a State of Illinois requirement. The Diamonds are willing to absorb the cost of the defebulator. They are a not for profit organization of 10 teams. Administrator Glas stated we will investigate the defebulator question. J. Kupar moved the Board approve capital improvements for Wasco Diamonds to make to field #6. The motion was seconded by T. Stutesman. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
b. Discuss and Act Upon Accepting Maintenance Plan for Harley Woods: Administrator Glas stated this is the development phase of our recent purchase of Harley Woods. The written plan includes a Mission Statement, five pages of native management guidelines, maps, and four extensive appendices to guide the development of Harley Woods. J. Kupar moved the Board accept the 2009 Native Landscape Management Guidelines for Harley Woods subject to annual review. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
c. Discuss and Act Upon Proposed Storage Facility at Poynor Park: Administrator Glas stated this is a proposed storage barn for Poynor Park. It has two concession areas, and a storage area for tractors and lawn mowers to maintain fields. The two bays are for township storage of maintenance equipment and the third bay is for the two concession areas. It has a second floor for further storage. This is in next years budget. T. Stutesman moved the Board approve the purchase of the Menard’s kit for the storage building at Poynor Park with the steel option in an amount not to exceed $19,000. The motion was seconded by C. Boissonnas. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed. J. Kupar moved the Board approve Fox Valley Garage for labor to construct the Poynor Park storage building in an amount not to exceed $12,000. The motion was seconded by K. Judy. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
d. Set Public Hearing Date for Town Fund Budget for April 9, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.: J. Kupar moved the Board set April 9, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. as the Public Hearing for the Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance – General Town Fund Ordinance #09-01T. The motion was seconded by T. Stutesman. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
e. Set Public Hearing Date for Road Fund Budget for April 9th, 2009 at 7:15 p.m.: K. Judy moved the Board set April 9, 2009 at 7:15 p.m. as the Public Hearing for the Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance Road and Bridge Fund Ordinance #09-01R. C. Boissonnas seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
f. Discuss IMRF Financial Challenges – Retirement Fund for Employees and Officials: Administrator Glas stated she attended a conference given by IMRF (the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund). The fund is for public employees and officials. Because of market decline IMRF lost money last year. They have three options on how to pay it down. She will know more in April and will bring it back then. We only have one retiree.
g. Discuss and Act Upon Projects that May Qualify for Economic Stimulus Package: Administrator Glas stated Illinois State Representative Kay Hatcher called Campton Township regarding the economic stimulus package. See the high priority Corron Farm parking lot for $87,000 and the secondary priority Motz Historic House renovation for $150,000. If the project is shovel ready in 120 days we have a better chance of getting funding. J. Kupar stated we can add a low head hydroelectric dam project at Lake Campton to the stimulus proposal. T. Stutesman stated let’s add landscaping at Poynor Park to the proposal. J. Kupar moved the Board add a low head hydroelectric dam project for $990,000 to the proposal, and landscaping to Poynor Park for $15,000 to the proposal. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
10. Claims and Demands for Payment:
a. Town Fund: C. Boissonnas moved the Board approve the claims and demands on the Town Fund. J. Kupar seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. 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 Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed.
c. Park and Recreational Fund: None.
11. Executive Session – Land Acquisition and Review Executive Session Minutes: T. Stutesman moved the Board go into Executive Session to discuss land acquisition and to review Executive Session minutes. The motion was seconded by J. Kupar. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed and Executive Session began at 10:27 p.m.
12. New Business – Approve Executive Session Minutes: Supervisor Anderson resumed the regular session. J. Kupar moved the Board approve the minutes of the Executive Session of December 9, 2008. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a roll call vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman voted aye. Trustee Judy voted no. The motion passed.
13. Adjournment: N. Anderson moved to adjourn the meeting. T. Stutesman seconded the motion. In a voice vote Supervisor Anderson and Trustees Kupar, Boissonnas, Stutesman, and Judy voted aye. The motion passed and the meeting adjourned at 10:47 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Richard Johansen
Clerk