AUGUST 2015 BOARD MEETING MINUTES

THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE VILLAGE BOARD OF COLFAX WAS CALLED TO ORDER ON MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 3, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M. BY MAYOR RICARDO ONKEN.
     TRUSTEES PRESENT WERE:  RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE
     ALSO PRESENT WERE PUBLIC WORKS BRIAN HEREFORD AND POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT.
     TRUSTEE KELLY GRADERT MADE A MOTION TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES AND APPROVE AS PRESENTED.  TRUSTEE RICK VANCE SECONDED THE MOTION.  VOTE:  RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.
     THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, 2015 WAS IN THE FOLDERS.
     TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE MADE A MOTION TO PAY THE BILLS AS PRESENTED.  TRUSTEE KELLY GRADERT SECONDED THE MOTION.  VOTE:  RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.
     TRUSTEE JASON PIERCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE AND AUDIT COMMITTEE, REPORTED ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING HELD AT 6:15 P.M. ON MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 3RD PRIOR TO THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING.
     JASON REPORTED THAT THIS WILL BE TALKED ABOUT MORE DURING CLOSED SESSION.
     TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE, CHAIRMAN OF THE POLICE AND LIQUOR COMMITTEE, REPORTED THAT THE ACTIVITY REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, 2015 FOR THE COLFAX POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN YOUR FOLDERS.
     POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL SCOTT REPORTED ON THE PROPERTY AT 305 E COOPER.  MIKE REPORTED THAT HE RECEIVED A SIGNED AUTHORIZATION FROM THE OWNER, BARBARA CLILFF, TO TOW THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE PROPERTY.  MIKE STATED THAT HE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BARBARA CLIFF AND HER DAUGHTER, LINDA DEITZ.  THEY HAVE BEEN USING THIS HOUSE FOR STORAGE AND WILL BE GETTING EVERYTHING OUT OF THERE BY THE END OF THE MONTH.  THEY ARE PLANNING ON SELLING TO ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS.
     MIKE ALSO REPORTED TAGGING A VEHICLE AT 306 S GROVE STREET.
     MIKE REPORTED THAT THE PROPERTY AT 204 E FIFER HAS WENT BACK TO THE BANK.  MIKE IS STILL TRYING TO MAKE CONTACT DUE TO THE GRASS AND WEEDS ISSUE THERE.
     MIKE REPORTED ON SOME SCAMS IN TOWN.  MIKE STATED THAT THE VILLAGE HAD A VICTIM OF ONE OF THE SAMS - CLAIMING TO BE THE IRS.  MIKE REPORTED THAT HE GOT A SUBPEONA AND SERVED IT TO MONEY GRAM.
     MIKE WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING THESE SCAMS.  MIKE STATED NEED A GOOD WAY TO UPDATE THE PUBLIC ON ANY NEW SCAMS THAT COME OUT.
     MIKE REPORTED THAT HE CONTACTED HARLEY ON THE HARDWARE STORE.  HE TOLD MIKE THAT HE WOULD TRY TO MAKE THE MEETING TONIGHT.  MIKE NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THE BOARD WANTS HIS NEXT STEP TO BE.  THE BOARD WANTS MIKE TO GIVE HIM A WARNING AND A DEADLINE FOR SOME PROGRESS ON THE BUILDING.  MAYOR RICARDO ONKEN STATED THAT HE SPOKE WITH HARLEY AND HE IS TO GIVE HIM ONGOING PROGRESS REPORTS EVERY TWO (2) WEEKS.  THERE IS NOW A DEADLINE OF AUGUST 16TH FOR PROGRESS ON THE BUILDING.
     TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER, CHAIRMAN OF THE WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE, STATED THAT SINCE HE HAS BEEN GONE ASKING PUBLIC WORKS BRIAN HEREFORD FOR INPUT.
     BRIAN HEREFORD REPORTED THAT THE TOWER AND TANK WERE CLEANED FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015.  BRIAN STATED THAT THE INSPECTOR STATED THERE WAS VERY LITTLE SEDIMENT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE WATER TOWER.  THE TOWER COULD PROBABLY GO AT LEAST FIVE (5) YEARS BEFORE IT NEEDS CLEANED AGAIN.
     BRIAN REPORTED THAT THE TONKA TANK HOWEVER HAD ABOUT A FOOT OF SEDIMENT IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT TANK.  THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEANED MORE OFTEN.  BRIAN STATED THAT NEED TO TALK TO TONKA ABOUT THE MEDIAN.
     BRIAN REPORTED ON THE RECENT FLOODING AND THE PROBLEM IN THE VILLAGE WHERE THERE ARE OPEN SEWER PIPES WITH NO CAPS ON THEM.  BRIAN FOUND THREE DURING THE RECENT FLOOD AND RECAPPED THEM.  BRIAN STATED HE NEEDS TO WALK THE PROPERTIES AND FIND THESE.
     TRUSTEE RICK VANCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE STREETS AND LIGHTS COMMITTEE, REPORTED THAT HE SPOKE WITH CURT MEINER REGARDING THE RAILROAD TRACK ON GROVE STREET.
     RICK STATED HE WILL TALK TO THE COUNTY REGARDING THE DITCH AND SEE IF THEY KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BE CLEANING IT OUT.
     BRIAN HEREFORD ASKED THE BOARD ABOUT DOING SOMETHING WITH THE ALLEY BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND NORTH STREET.  BRIAN STATED HE HAS BEEN FILLING IT WITH COLD PATCH BUT THAT ISN'T HELPING.  IT NEEDS MILLED OUT AND SOMETHING DONE.
     THE FIRST ITEM ON OLD BUSINESS WAS REGARDING THE CONCEALED CARRY ORDINANCE THAT THE VILLAGE ALREADY HAS IN PLACE.  MIKE IS WONDERING IF THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED SINCE THE NEW CONCEAL CARRY LAWS HAVE CHANGED IN ILLINOIS.  HE STATED SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE JUST CHANGED THEIR ORDINANCE TO FOLLOW THE STATE GUIDELINES.
     MIKE STATED THAT THE VILLAGE NEEDS TO ADD A BLURP TO OUR VILLAGE ORDINANCE TO ALLOW THOSE WHO ARE LICENSED TO CARRY.
     CHANGE TO FOLLOW THE STATE GUIDELINES.
     VILLAGE RESIDENT TORRIE THOMPSON WAS PRESENT TO LET THE BOARD KNOW ABOUT THE SITUATION AT HER RESIDENCE SINCE THE PAST FLOOD.
     THE LAST ITEM UNDER NEW BUSINESS WAS THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF BLOWING GRASS INTO THE STREETS.  THIS ITEM WILL BE TABLED UNTIL NEXT MONTH TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON AN ORDINANCE REGARDING THIS.
     TRUSTEE RICK VANCE MADE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, COMPENSATION, DISCIPLINE, PERFORMANCE, OR DISMISSAL OF VILLAGE EMPLOYEES.  TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER SECONDED THE MOTION.  VOTE:  RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.
     TRUSTEE LONNIE MEINER MADE A MOTION TO GO INTO OPEN SESSION.  TRUSTEE DAVID RATHKE SECONDED THE MOTION.  VOTE:  RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHKE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER- AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.
     BRIAN HEREFORD REPORTED ON THE AREA WEST OF THE PETAL PUSHER THAT GOT WASHED OUT WITH THE RECENT FLOODING.
     MAYOR RIC ONKEN ASKED THAT DRAINAGE ISSUE BE PUT ON NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
     TRUSTEE RICK VANCE MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.  TRUSTEE CAROL STEPHENSON SECONDED THE MOTION.  VOTE:  RICK VANCE - AYE; DAVID RATHE - AYE; JASON PIERCE - AYE; CAROL STEPHENSON - AYE; LONNIE MEINER - AYE; KELLY GRADERT - AYE; MOTION CARRIED.
     MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:50 P.M.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
NANCY KIPER, VILLAGE