Sangamon Sun

Village of Chatham Committee of the Whole met June 9.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

Attendance

Chairman Gerger

Trustee Chiaro

Trustee Detmers

Trustee Mann

Trustee Mau

Trustee Scherschel

Mayor Kimsey

Call to Order

Chairman Gerger called the meeting to order. Roll call was taken.

Approval of the Minutes from May 12, 2020

A motion was made by Trustee Detmers and seconded by Trustee Scherschel for approval of the May 12, 2020 minutes. Motion was approved unanimously.

New Business

Engineering Update

Jim Michael (CMT) gave an update on the following topics:

With the approval of the MFT resolutions, the village will be moving forward with internal maintenance and roadway projects. Additionally, staff is looking at funding options and bonding money for capital improvement projects and will be prioritizing those projects for presentation to the Board.

The Village is reviewing their IEPA permit for storm sewer systems. Points of interest that are being reviewed include erosion control and trying to reduce chemical discharge into natural waterways and Lake Springfield.

The Village is closing out their MFT program from the previous year and completing the audit documents.

The Village is reviewing possible solutions to the drainage issues by the maintenance building along South Main and reduce the flooding that occurs in the Parkview subdivision.

Mr. Michael addressed questions regarding whether the IEPA provided any additional guidance regarding their requirement to reduce silt and sentiment levels. He provided several examples of steps the Village has taken to address the concerns raised by IEPA. Mr. Michael indicated that the Village provided documentation to the IEPA and it was reviewed and accepted.

Trustee Detmers stated that a resident from the Parkview subdivision sent pictures of his property showing the recent flooding and property damage. Village Manager McCarthy stated that there is no short-term solution and that the long-term solution is to build a pond. Mr. Michael provided additional details that will need to occur to alleviate the flooding in that subdivision.

Village Manager Update

Village Manager McCarthy gave an update of the following topics:

Employees are back to work full-time.

Citizens have raised concerns regarding the mowing and upkeep of parks and cemeteries. The village will ask the four part-time parks employees to return to work.

Chairman Gerger stated that there was a report that baseball games were occurring in the park.

Trustee Detmers stated that he heard that the pickleball courts are cracking. Village Manager McCarthy stated that the Village and the Pickleball Association did not pay for the repair of the cracking.

Utility Oversite Committee Discussion

Chairman Gerger stated that the committee is requesting information on the company that was to perform the switchover to chloramines at the water processing plant. Since it has been over two years for the request to change to chloramines and it is still not completed, the committee would like to know if there is another company available that would perform this task. The committee voiced its general frustration with the South Sangamon Water Commission. Chairman Gerger requested the general council to review the contract between the Village and the Commission regarding a variety of topics relating to the commission providing water to the village.

The committee also discussed the topic of the contract entered into for the collection of leaf and branch pick-up in the village. There is a branch pile in the village maintenance area where residents can obtain a permit and place their unwanted branches. The company that has the contract to collect the branches in Chatham did not collect the branches from this communal location. Village Manager McCarthy requested the company to collect these additional branches and entered into a second contract with this company. Chairman Gerger believes that the collection of these branches in this communal location should be part of the original contract and has asked the general council to investigate the matter.

Public Comment

Darlene Judd questioned the payment of $125,000 on water investigations in 2019. Village Manager McCarthy addressed the question.

Bonnie Bileck asked if the Village sends out a notification letting the residents know that there is a switchover to using water provided by Springfield. Village Manager McCarthy stated that there is not. Ms. Billick asked if the village could send out a notification. Village Manager McCarthy went on to explain the monitoring process when the village is receiving water from Springfield.

Adjournment

With no further business, Trustee Mann with a second from Trustee Chiaro made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/chatham/Board.nsf/Public