MEETING MNUTES-BOARD OF TOWN TRUSTEES
STATE OF ILLNOIS }
MCHENRY COUNTY } SS
ALGONQUIN }
The board of Town Trustees met at the office of the Township at 3702 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake Illinois on Wednesday, April 1 1, 2018 at 7 PM. The following were in attendance:
Supervisor: Charles Lutzow
Trustee: Rachael Lawrence
Trustee: Dan Shea
Trustee: Melissa Victor
Trustee: Dave Chapman
Clerk: Karen Lukasik
Also present: Township Assessor Rich Alexander, and Township attorney James Kelly.
Supervisor Charles Lutzow acting as Chairman and Karen Lukasik acting as Clerk, the following business was transacted. The meeting was called to order at 7 PM.
Approval of Minutes:
A motion was made by Shea, seconded by Victor to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held March 14, 2018 with corrections. Voice vote: All Ayes. Motion Passed.
Audit of Bills & Treasurer's Report:
A motion was made by Shea, seconded by Victor to audit the claims of the Town Fund in the amount of $95,452.30. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Chapman seconded by Shea to audit the claims of the General
Assistance Fund in the amount of $10,520.62. No Discussion: Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Lawrence, seconded by Shea to audit the claims of the Road and Bridge Fund in the amount of $301,314.46. Discussion: Victor asked about $11,000.00 in legal services and on A and E report but no invoice. Lutzow said the A and E report was in error and there was no bill for the $11 ,000.00. Chapman made a motion seconded by Victor to remove the $ 1260.80 bill for Garrett Discovery which was resubmitted again after being denied last month. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; ; Lutzow, yes, Lawrence, no. Motion carried. Lawrence made a motion seconded by Shea to amend the new amount of the Road and Bridge to $289,253.66 after she questioned Attorney Kelly's math on the removal of the
$ 1260.80 bill. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Shea, seconded by Victor to audit the claims of the Equipment and Building Fund in the amount of $40,636.87. No Discussion. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
Public Comment: Residents spoke about concerns with LITH (Lake in the Hills) selling water supply to a private company, legal costs in the Road District and questioned the crumbling infrastructure when the Road District is spending so much on legal bills. A resident spoke out against the current Highway Commissioner and welcomed the former Highway Commissioner back.
Discussion of Budget: A motion was made by Chapman and seconded by Shea to move the meetings of Township Budget Hearing, Road and Bridge Budget Hearing and the regular township board meeting to May 14th, 2018. Discussion: Lawrence asked whose responsibility it is to set the date for budget hearings. Clerk Lukasik said it was hers. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
Shea had several concerns with door locks and lack of explanations on big budgeted items. Moving forward he would expect a courtesy of having more information. Further he feels that the Township property is owned by the Township and not the Road District and any alterations made to the property should go through the board approval. He also is concerned with missing equipment on a tuck as being justification for this new security system. Clerk Lukasik assured there was no missing tuck plow as she found in the records it is with Nunda Township on a duck that was previously sold to them through an intergovernmental agreement. He wants to ensure money is allocated to find the any records from a security system that was previously installed to be handed over to the Clerk from the Cloud. He further went on to share his concerns with claims of malfeasance and any investigation of this should be handled by the State's Attorney not inhouse.
Lawrence said that she was pleased with the budget.
Chapman said there should be policies put in place to ensure trustees are made aware and given justifications for budgeted items.
Victor is concerned with the line item in the Road and Bridge budget to allow $250,000 in legal fees. She believes these fees have no merit and that she is concerned that the attorney representing the road district has no malpractice insurance.
Shea shared that the line items are vague for building/upgrading and trucks/equipment for spending $1 ,700,000.00.
Chapman stated that he feels that the board needs to adopt the budgets on items deemed necessary by law.
Lawrence cited wording from the law that Chapman was referring to and she is satisfied of spending the line items in the budget. She feels the legal line item is necessary and Attorney Hanlon is the attorney for the Road District.
Old Business: None.
Eagle Scout Resolution: A motion was made by Lawrence and seconded by Chapman to adopt a resolution for recognition for an Eagle Scout. No Discussion: Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
Discussion of LITH (Lake in the Hills) water supply issue: No action taken
Discussion of Clerk's employee/contractor: No action taken
Discussion of reconfiguration of space: Victor made a motion remove Highway Commissioner to building 6 and the Township can have all records in main building of Township.
Before a second was made, Lawrence interrupted discussion of this agenda item and asked to discuss something unrelated. She then made a motion seconded by Victor to adopt the resolution sent to the frustees regarding the LITH (Lake in the Hills) water supply issue.
Attomey Kelly suggested that he draft a resolution stating only facts that the frustees can sign to support LITH to continue to supply water services to the unincorporated areas. Lawrence rescinded her motion seconded by Victor. She then made a motion seconded by Chapman to draft a resolution in support of LITH (Lake in the Hills) continuing to supply water services to those in unincorporated areas of LITH. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, yes; Lutzow, yes. Motion carried.
Victor brought up the fact that she was not finished discussing the move of the Highway Dept to building 6. She made a motion and was seconded by Chapman to move the Highway Department to building 6 and move Clerk's records to the Township administrative building. Discussion: Lawrence questioned Victor about what all would be moved in the Road District to building 6. Shea asked ifjust administrative offices would be moved to building 6.
Victor rescinded her motion seconded by Chapman and made an amended motion seconded by Chapman to move the administrative offices of the Highway Commissioner to building 6 and the Clerk's records be moved to main building of the Township. Discussion: Chapman said that Mr. Gasser needs to be closer to his employees and be a team. He fully supports the Clerk and her efforts to get the records straightened out and in order. Lutzow said that it needs be thought out. Lawrence thought the motion was vague. Shea asked about the cost and Victor said that it would be minimal as there are phone lines and internet already hooked up. Chapman said that Mr. Gasser does not want to be a team player as shown in actions as of late and needs to be separate from the Township. Roll Call Vote: Victor, yes; Shea, yes; Chapman, yes; Lawrence, no; Lutzow, no. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Chapman and seconded by Shea to go into closed session for pending litigation. Chapman rescinded his motion and was seconded by Shea. An amended motion to go into a short recess was made by Chapman and seconded by Shea. Voice vote: All Ayes
A motion was made by Shea and seconded by Lawrence was made to go back into session. Voice vote: All Ayes.
A motion was made by Shea and seconded by Chapman to go into closed session for purposes of pending litigation for case #2018CH 238. No discussion. Voice Vote: All Ayes.
A motion to enter back in to open session was made by Shea and seconded by Chapman. Voice vote: All Ayes.
A motion to Adjourn was made by Shea and seconded by Chapman. Voice vote: All Ayes.
Karen Lukasik
Algonquin Township Clerk Approved: KL
Date of Approval: