Village of Montgomery Village Board met July 27.
Here is the minutes provided by the board:
President Brolley called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Roll Call
Trustee Gier Yea Trustee Betsinger Absent
Trustee Sperling Absent Trustee Jungermann Yea
Trustee Lee Yea Trustee Marecek Yea
Also present: Administrator Jeff Zoephel, Attorney Laura Julien, Director of Community Development Rich Young, Director of Public Works Mark Wolf, Engineer Peter Wallers, Chief of Police Phillip Smith, Clerk Penny Fitzpatrick, Members of the Press and others.
President Brolley noted the Board meeting was being held both in person with social distancing and being virtually streamed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Director of Finance Justin VanVooren was present via video conferencing.
Public Participation
A. Public Comments.
President Brolley inquired and Administrator Zoephel clarified that no Public Comments were received online or by voicemail.
Resident Todd Ellis inquired why water filter replacement and system flushing had not taken place in the spring during the pandemic onset. He shared that water taste and odor issues were being experienced in the Fairfield subdivision. President Brolley advised this issue would be discussed with staff and reported back on at a later date.
Consent Agenda
A. Public Comments.
President Brolley inquired and Administrator Zoephel clarified that no Public Comments were received online or by voicemail.
Resident Todd Ellis inquired why water filter replacement and system flushing had not taken place in the spring during the pandemic onset. He shared that water taste and odor issues were being experienced in the Fairfield subdivision. President Brolley advised this issue would be discussed with staff and reported back on at a later date.
Consent Agenda
B. Accounts Payable through July 23, 2020 in the Amount of $252,189.01.
C. Re-Appointment of Justin VanVooren, 200 N. River St, to the Montgomery Development Fund Committee for a Term through September 30, 2023.
Trustee Jungermann moved to approve Items A-C of the Consent Agenda. Trustee Marecek seconded this motion. 4 Yea. 0 No. Motion carried. Trustee Jungermann, Trustee Marecek, Trustee Gier and Trustee Lee voting yea.
Items for Separate Action
A. Ordinance 1881 Amending the Village Code (Chapter 12 – Offenses – Miscellaneous) (Second Reading).
President Brolley noted this was the Second Reading and discussion regarding Ordinance 1881. Administrator Zoephel inquired whether the Board wanted to prohibit swimming or other recreational activities in the naturalized basins. President Brolley asked and Seth Crackel of Pizzo & Associates, Ltd. explained what uses were intended in these areas. He explained the manmade basins were designed to control storm water runoff and were shallow, marshy areas that lended themselves to fishing, but were not conducive to swimming. President Brolley noted support for allowing recreational fishing and boating to continue in the basins at the residents’ own risk.
Board questions were raised and discussion was had on whether specific designated fishing areas or paths around the basins would be beneficial, whether muskrats were trapped and relocated elsewhere from the basins and whether
mowing and yard waste dumping was an issue in the basins adjacent to residential properties. Mr. Crackel noted fishing was done randomly in various locations and he explained the reasons, seasons and procedures involved with removing muskrats from these areas. He additionally suggested that homeowners could be further educated to refrain from mowing and dumping yard waste into the naturalized basin areas. Other Board questions were raised and Mr. Crackel discussed whether fishing was prevalent in all of the basins and whether recreational boating damaged the naturalized areas. Attorney Julien discussed whether liability issues existed in regard to boating and other recreational activities.
President Brolley requested the Board’s preference on whether swimming should be restricted in all of the basins. He suggested the ordinance be drafted with language to allow for the enforcement of swimming restrictions without the need to post signs surrounding the basins. Trustee Gier agreed that signs would detract from the basin’s natural beauty. Additional discussion was had regarding how swimming enforcement would be handled on private versus publicly owned property. Attorney Julien discussed how enforcement agreements could be drafted as needed with Homeowners Associations to address privately owned and maintained areas. President Brolley noted Board consensus was reached to ban ice skating, ice fishing and swimming in the naturalized basins and summarized the final ordinance language would be subject to attorney review.
Trustee Marecek moved to approve Ordinance 1881 Amending the Village Code Subject to Attorney Review (Chapter 12 – Offenses – Miscellaneous) (Second Reading). Trustee Jungermann seconded this motion.
4 Yea. 0 No. Motion carried. Trustee Marecek, Trustee Gier, Trustee Lee and Trustee Jungermann voting yea.
B. Ordinance 1882 Declaring Surplus Property (Waiver of First and Passage on Second Reading).
Director Wolf summarized Ordinance 1882 Declaring Surplus Property. He noted details regarding which Public Works and Police Department vehicles and equipment would be sold at auction, once replacement units were made available. He requested Board approval for this item.
Trustee Marecek moved to approve Ordinance 1882 Declaring Surplus Property (Waiver of First and Passage on Second Reading). Trustee Jungermann seconded this motion.
4 Yea. 0 No. Motion carried. Trustee Marecek, Trustee Gier, Trustee Lee and Trustee Jungermann voting yea.
mowing and yard waste dumping was an issue in the basins adjacent to residential properties. Mr. Crackel noted fishing was done randomly in various locations and he explained the reasons, seasons and procedures involved with removing muskrats from these areas. He additionally suggested that homeowners could be further educated to refrain from mowing and dumping yard waste into the naturalized basin areas. Other Board questions were raised and Mr. Crackel discussed whether fishing was prevalent in all of the basins and whether recreational boating damaged the naturalized areas. Attorney Julien discussed whether liability issues existed in regard to boating and other recreational activities.
President Brolley requested the Board’s preference on whether swimming should be restricted in all of the basins. He suggested the ordinance be drafted with language to allow for the enforcement of swimming restrictions without the need to post signs surrounding the basins. Trustee Gier agreed that signs would detract from the basin’s natural beauty. Additional discussion was had regarding how swimming enforcement would be handled on private versus publicly owned property. Attorney Julien discussed how enforcement agreements could be drafted as needed with Homeowners Associations to address privately owned and maintained areas. President Brolley noted Board consensus was reached to ban ice skating, ice fishing and swimming in the naturalized basins and summarized the final ordinance language would be subject to attorney review.
Trustee Marecek moved to approve Ordinance 1881 Amending the Village Code Subject to Attorney Review (Chapter 12 – Offenses – Miscellaneous) (Second Reading). Trustee Jungermann seconded this motion.
4 Yea. 0 No. Motion carried. Trustee Marecek, Trustee Gier, Trustee Lee and Trustee Jungermann voting yea.
B. Ordinance 1882 Declaring Surplus Property (Waiver of First and Passage on Second Reading).
Director Wolf summarized Ordinance 1882 Declaring Surplus Property. He noted details regarding which Public Works and Police Department vehicles and equipment would be sold at auction, once replacement units were made available. He requested Board approval for this item.
Trustee Marecek moved to approve Ordinance 1882 Declaring Surplus Property (Waiver of First and Passage on Second Reading). Trustee Jungermann seconded this motion.
4 Yea. 0 No. Motion carried. Trustee Marecek, Trustee Gier, Trustee Lee and Trustee Jungermann voting yea.
A. Mill District Restaurant Stimulus Program.
Director Young noted this item had been discussed previously and shared it addressed expanding the Montgomery Development Fund Program to provide incentives to improve vacant structures and construct new, mixed use buildings in the Downtown Mill District. He noted the program would encourage restaurants and outdoor cafes to locate in the downtown area and attract people to shop, eat and live there. Director Young explained this would be the fourth Montgomery Development Fund Program use and stated requests would go through an application review process for consideration of up to $200,000 in financial assistance. He also advised how long a business would have to remain in operation after a grant was provided without incurring repayment conditions if the business failed.
Trustee Marecek inquired and Director Young advised what rating and evaluation mechanism would be in place to help the Montgomery Development Fund Program Committee determine what amount of grant assistance best matched the applicant’s investment, scope and scale of the improvement or development. Trustee Lee questioned and Director Young clarified that mobile food vendors would not be considered for this program. President Brolley thanked Director Young and the Committee for this new program extension proposal. He also shared that feedback from Trustees Sperling and Betsinger would be needed for further program consideration and discussion at a future meeting.
New or Unfinished Business
Trustee Gier congratulated Engineer Jeff Freeman of EEI, Inc. for being honored as an ISAWWA Water Professional of the Year Award recipient, and he thanked him for all the work he had completed for the Village of Montgomery. Trustee Marecek and President Brolley also thanked Engineer Freeman for this well-deserved award.
Trustee Lee inquired and Director Wolf addressed why water flushing was postponed during the onset of the pandemic in the spring. He discussed how system flushing could have impacted the water quality and would have affected the large number of residents who were sheltered at home at that time. He further explained the staff limitations and split shifts experienced during the national emergency had affected what Public Works operations could reasonably be completed at that time. Director Wolf shared that system flushing had been handled in key locations to sustain minimum water quality standards, and he noted additional flushing could potentially be handled this fall. President Brolley agreed that staff had diligently worked to maintain safe and clean drinking water for residents during the pandemic circumstances.
Future Meetings
A. Plan Commission—Thursday, August 6, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
B. Village Board Meeting—Monday, August 10, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
C. Beautification Committee—Wednesday, August 12, 202 at 6:00 p.m.
D. Historic Preservation Commission – Monday, August 17, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. – (Canceled)
E. Committee of the Whole Meeting – Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. – (May Be Canceled) F. Intergovernmental Committee Meeting—Monday, August 24, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. (Canceled)
G. Village Board Meeting—Monday, August 24, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
Executive Session: None
Adjournment: 7:36 p.m.
Seeking no further business to come before the Board, it was moved by Trustee Jungermann and seconded by Trustee Marecek to adjourn the meeting.
4 Yea. 0 No. Motion carried. Trustee Jungermann, Trustee Marecek, Trustee Gier and Trustee Lee voting yea.
https://ci.montgomery.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08102020-472
https://ci.montgomery.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08102020-472
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