Guilford Township Board Meeting, May 13, 2013
Guilford Township Board Meeting
Guilford Town Hall, 1973 W. Rawlins Road
Elizabeth, Illinois
May 13, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
The Guilford Township Board of Trustees met Monday, May 13, 2013, at Guilford Town Hall. The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Francis Wachter. Following the Call To Order, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited.
ROLL CALL
Present: Supervisor Francis Wachter; Trustees Larry Lomax, Dan Ripley, Larry Stoneburner, and Wayne Wienen. Officials present: Clerk Claire Bersbach and Highway Commissioner Jeff Winders. Other(s) present: Township citizen Gary Diedrick.
MINUTES
A copy of the April 8, 2013, meeting minutes was provided to each Board member prior to the meeting. Supervisor Wachter asked if there were any amendments to the minutes. There being none, Trustee Ripley moved the minutes be approved as presented; seconded by Trustee Stoneburner. By voice vote, approved unanimously.
TREASURER’S REPORT AND APPROVAL OF BILLS
The Board was provided with a copy of the proposed FY 2013-2014 Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the Township and for the Road District. The Public Hearing is scheduled for June 10th at 7:45 p.m. Both Ordinances are available for public inspection by making arrangements with the Clerk.
The TOIRMA insurance renewal contribution of $10,963 is unchanged from last year and is due June 1, 2013. The amount for Town is $3,947 and the amount for Road & Bridge is $7,016. TOIRMA’s current total membership is 1,370 Townships & Road Districts and 312 Multi-Township Assessing Districts.
The Catastrophic Medical Insurance premium for the period July 1, 2013, to July 1, 2014, in the amount of $1,032 is due. Per the April issue of Township Perspective, the $313 decrease from last year’s amount is due to changes that become effective January 1, 2014, with the Affordable Health Care Act and possible new legislation by the State of Illinois. The deductible is $15,000 and coverage is up to one-million dollars. The funds to pay the premium come out of the General Assistance Fund.
The Educational District 7 Seminar for newly elected and returning Township officials is in Rockford on Friday, July 19. Registration is $85 per official. Registration deadline is July 5.
The invoice for the Township Clerk’s annual dues has not yet been received as the Clerk’s Division is awaiting the updated list from the elections before mailing out the renewal notices.
The Township received a $20 check from Jo Daviess County for Town Hall Rental for the April 9 Consolidated Election and two checks from the Illinois State Comptroller for Personal Property Replacement Tax. The amount for the Township was $228.28; the amount for Road and Bridge was $320.56. All checks have been deposited.
After all bills presented were reviewed by the Trustees, upon a motion made by Trustee Lomax, seconded by Trustee Wienen and unanimously passed by roll call vote, the Board approved payment of $58,829.99 as shown on the Board Audit Report as well as payment of bills received after the Report was prepared.
REPORTS
Supervisor Wachter reported the MTAD Board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, at Guilford Town Hall to adopt the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 budget and elect officers for the new term. The meeting is open to the public.
The checks from Council Hill, Guilford, and Scales Mounds Townships for the Intergovernmental Agreement were given to MTAD Treasurer, Steve Stadel, for deposit to the MTAD account.
Supervisor Wachter noted the Township received a letter from Attorney Roth summarizing the meeting he and Mr. Leinen had with Jo Daviess County Board Chair Ron Smith, Vice Chair Merri Berlage, County Administrator Dan Reimer, and County State’s Attorney John Hay regarding the Re-districting issue. Mr. Hay requested several weeks to review the issue. Mr. Roth’s office requested a $2,000 retainer which has been paid.
Earlier this month the Township received a copy of a letter sent by Mr. Leinen to Mr. Hay asking for a response as soon as practicable to the issues raised at the meeting.
The Township received a letter from the Senior Resource Center in Freeport requesting $250 from Guilford Township to help support the services they provide to older adults. During Fiscal Year 2012 the Senior Center served 16 seniors from Guilford Township and included a report detailing the types of services residents of Guilford Township received.
Wachter advised there was no Elizabeth Ambulance District meeting in April due to Townships holding their Annual meetings on that date.
Wachter and the Board discussed the possibility of the Township acquiring a parcel of property for additional storage.
Highway Commissioner Winders reported that spring work went on in earnest during the past month. Ditching along West Guilford Road, North Mill Creek Road and West Morley was needed due to the heavy rains which took place prior to and throughout the spring thawing period. Repairs to both gravel and seal-coated shoulders along North Rawlins, Territory Drive and Blackhawk Trace were done. The entire road system has been swept and cold patched since spring season has begun.
Winders attended the Northwest Illinois Highway Commissioner Annual Spring Seminar on April 11th and found it to be another interesting and educational experience for township, county and state officials.
Highway Commissioner Winders concluded his report by noting that the crew rotated snow removal equipment to the old shop and brought chip seal and summer maintenance machinery to the home base.
Clerk Bersbach provided access to Township records on April 18th, 25th, and May 9th.
The Public Notices for the Public Hearing of the Town and Road District Budget and Appropriation Ordinances, scheduled for June 10th, were published in The Flash.
Bersbach attended County’s April 25th Finance, Tax and Budgets Committee meeting. The auditors’ report was reviewed. The auditors commented this is their second year to audit Jo Daviess County, it is one of the better ones to work with, department heads work together. While noting some areas that need attention, they gave a “clean, unqualified opinion,” the highest that is given.
The Board of Review held the public hearing April 17th. There were no objections to the negative factor. The factor was approved and applied, letters went out, the abstract was sent to Springfield. Some assessors have already been bringing in some of their work.
Chief County Assessment Officer Berlage said SB1894 was approved by the Governor (PA 98-0007) increasing the general senior citizen exemption from $4K to $5K.
There was extensive discussion on how to meet the $117,000+ yearly payment on the Public Safety Radio Communication System. It was noted the cost of “repeaters” was approved but the parts were not here yet to be installed.
After confirming with Highway Commissioner Winders that Township roads were no longer “posted,” Bersbach updated the Township’s website accordingly.
Bersbach and Highway Commissioner Winders signed the Supervisor’s Bond. A copy will be filed with the County Clerk’s office, as required.
Clerk Bersbach noted she was sworn in by a Notary Public on Friday, May 10.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS — None
NEW BUSINESS
In accordance with information from TOI (Township Officials of Illinois) that newly elected and re-elected Township Officials may be sworn in prior to the official date on which they begin their duties for the 2013 - 2017 term, Township Clerk Bersbach administered the Official Oath of Office to the following: Supervisor Francis Wachter; Highway Commissioner Jeffrey Winders; and Trustees Dan Ripley, Wayne Wienen, Lawrence Stoneburner, and Lawrence Lomax. Copies of the Oaths of Office will be filed with the County Clerk’s office, as required.
PUBLIC COMMENTS — None
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to conduct, Trustee Stoneburner moved to adjourn the meeting; Trustee Ripley seconded. By voice vote, approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:42 p.m.
Approved by the Board of Trustees: June 10, 2013
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