Guilford Township Board Meeting, November 10, 2014

Guilford Township Board Meeting

Guilford Town Hall, 1973 W. Rawlins Road

Elizabeth, Illinois

November 10, 2014, 7:30 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER

The Guilford Township Board of Trustees met for business Monday, November 10, 2014, at Guilford Town Hall. The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Wachter. Following the Call to Order, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited.

ROLL CALL

Present: Supervisor Francis Wachter, Trustees Larry Stoneburner and Wayne Wienen. Absent: Trustees Larry Lomax and Dan Ripley. Officials present: Clerk Claire Bersbach and Highway Commissioner Jeff Winders. Also present: Nancy Schamper, Guilford Township’s Representative on the Galena Area Emergency Medical Services District Board.

MINUTES

A copy of the October 13, 2014, 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 Wienen moved the minutes be approved as presented; seconded by Trustee Stoneburner. By voice vote, approved unanimously.

GUEST SPEAKER

Nancy Schamper, Guilford Township’s Representative on the Galena Area Emergency Medical Services District Board of Directors, gave Township Supervisor Wachter a copy of the Annual Audit Report which shows Total Liabilities of $30,870 and Total Assets of $406,725 which does include the building.

Ms. Schamper commented the Annual Audit costs $5,600 and said they could always use more volunteers. They are gathering information to fund as a taxing body at some time in the future; mapping for the District is now complete, they are waiting for the assessment figures then all property owners in the District will be sent a letter explaining the “Special Service District”.

Ms. Schamper agreed to continue to represent the Township next year. Supervisor Wachter thanked Ms. Schamper for attending the meeting and for continuing to represent Guilford Township on the Galena Area EMS District Board of Directors.

TREASURER’S REPORT AND APPROVAL OF BILLS

Supervisor Wachter reported the final property tax distribution was received too late to include in this meeting’s financial reports and will be included next month.

The Township received the annual website renewal Invoice from TOI. It is not due until January; therefore, it will be put with the bills to be approved at the December meeting.

After all bills presented were reviewed by the Trustees, upon a motion made by Supervisor Wachter, seconded by Trustee Wienen and unanimously passed by a roll call vote, the Board approved payment of $38,948.36 as shown on the Board Audit Report as well as payment of the bills received after the Board Audit Report was prepared.

REPORTS

Supervisor Wachter reported that citizens of Guilford Township cast 732 ballots in the November 4th election (of which 488 were cast at Town Hall) which represents a voter turn-out of 66.3 percent; County-wide the voter turn-out was 50 percent.

The Council Hill-Guilford-Scales Mound Multi-Township Assessing District Board (MTAD) met October 23rd at Scales Mound Town Hall to discuss and approve the Levy for the coming year. The amount levied was $15,422.00. Treasurer, Steve Stadel, reviewed the financial status and is hopeful our MTAD will not need to execute an Intergovernmental Agreement. The next MTAD meeting is March 12th, 2015, to set the meeting dates for Fiscal Year 2016 and propose the tentative budget. The meeting is open to the public.

Wachter noted the October Elizabeth Ambulance Meeting was cancelled but he did go over to sign the Annual report.

Jo Daviess County Township Officials met October 27th for the 61st Annual Dinner-Meeting. Twelve Townships were represented. Also attending was R. J. Winkelhake, District 5 Representative on the Jo Daviess County Board. The 2013 Minutes and the Treasurer’s Report showing a balance of $3,610 as of October 1, 2014, were approved as presented. Guest speaker Beth Baranski shared information about the League of Women Voters forming a Water Protection Partnership, noted that Ann Heller, Vinegar Hill Township Clerk, and Jeff Winders, Guilford Township Highway Commissioner, are on the Committee. Baranski listed goals and projects, mentioned storm water run-off and abandoned wells as issues of concern, and asked for ideas to include in the study.

Officers Jeff Winders, Theresa Cole, Ann Heller, and Kitty Rhodes were re-elected with Marc Cueno elected to replace Janice Toay who resigned.

Supervisor Wachter gave a summary at the Dinner-Meeting of County’s decision related to Redistricting of Assessment Districts. Effective 2017 there will be nine Assessment or Multi-Township Assessment Districts, reduced from the previous eleven. There was a brief discussion about which Townships were in the two new MTADs. Apple River, Thompson, Nora, Rush, and Warren chose to form a new MTAD; Berreman, Derinda, Pleasant Valley, and Wards Grove lost population, were required to form a new MTAD, and joined with Stockton. Other Assessment Districts or Multi-Township Assessment Districts remained the same.

Highway Commissioner Winders reported that fall dirt projects were attended to, among these were a slope improvement on West Morley and finishing a stretch of bank removal and shaping along Menzemer Road. Improvements on the two largest culvert entrance ends crossing Cording Road have been addressed. A driveway entrance on Cogan Lane was widened. Pre-winter preparations have begun, such as snow plow and snow fence installations.

The Township Highway Department was invited to a two-day training at the Case Customer Center in Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Jeremy Williams (Road Crew member) and Highway Commissioner Winders attended.

Highway Commissioner Winders concluded his report by noting that a metal ceiling has been installed in the Township Garage third bay and the bay is now fully insulated.

Clerk Bersbach reported that election ballots were posted in three public places, as required. Bersbach has continued to type from the first Township record book and has completed 217 out of a total of 324 (hand-written) pages.

Trustees Report – None.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None.

NEW BUSINESS

The proposed 2014-2015 Levy for the Township is $270,438. This represents slightly less than a 5% increase over what was extended to the Township

The proposed 2014-2015 Levy for the Road District is $531,887. This represents less than a 5% increase over what was extended to the Road District. The Township and Road District Levies are ready to be adopted at the December 8th meeting.

Supervisor Wachter noted no paperwork had been received for the IMRF Executive Trustee Election.

Supervisor Wachter reported he had talked with Trustee Ripley who may decide to resign from the board. The Township will await written notification from Trustee Ripley to that effect.

PUBLIC COMMENTS – None.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to conduct, Trustee Stoneburner moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Trustee Wienen. By voice vote, approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.

Approved by the Board of Trustees: December 8, 2014

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