2021.04.12 Meeting Minutes

 GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP 

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES 

April 12, 2021 

The regular meeting was called to order by Supervisor Murday at 7:00 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 

Roll Call 

In attendance were Trustees Wagner, Newton, Standish, Dietz, Supervisor Murday, Commissioner Hilliard, Assessor Bushong, and Clerk Coffey. 

There was a motion to adopt the minutes of the regular meeting held March 8, 2021 as submitted by Trustee Wagner with a second by Trustee Newton. Voice vote: Motion carried. Assessor Bushong requests copies of the minutes. Murday approves. 

Supervisor Murday stated there were attendees who might want to speak now rather than later. Murday recaps Board’s designation of $10,000 being distributed equally to Helping Hands & Jackson Creek food pantries. Representatives of both in attendance. 

Bev Christensen of Helping Hands Food Pantry thanked GGT for their donation stating HH serves the Peotone School District (Manhattan, Monee, Frankfort, & Peotone). Open the 1st & 3rd Tuesday each month. Now serving 65-75 families. The $5,000 was used to purchase extra food & update COVID requirements. In the 1st quarter of the year they have given 15 tons of food. For every $1 collected through the Northern Illinois Food Bank can get $8 worth of food. Very grateful, thank you. 

Deb & Phil Rausch of Jackson Creek Church also thanked GGT for its donation stating the pantry started with 5 families, now serving up to 80 families, and at one point it had served 160. They have incredible volunteer staff including students from Peotone who keep coming back. They said GGT is an amazing community, our donation a blessing, & the impact incredible. They look forward to a continued relationship and invite anyone to visit. They have a facebook page, website, & rely on word of mouth. The $5,000 is equivalent to ¾ of their budget from the church. Very grateful & heartfelt thanks. 

Murday suggests partnering with the organizations they represent & get the community involved. Both organizations thank Trustee Newton as does the board, she has been a great advocate securing the donation. Newton to share on website. 

Judy Ogalla (Will Co Board) stated getting more money from American Rescue Plan, and gave her contact info and will reach out to the Food Pantries when it gets to that point. 

Agenda Change (for others needing to get to other obligations) 

NEW BUSINESS 

Vote to appoint Kim Syverson as bookkeeper/secretary for Township/Road Vote to approve Christie Pera as Township accountant 

Murday stated Payroll outsourced, Kim has worked with Penny last 3-4 months, purchased Laptop for her to use with CARES money. Bill downloaded software he developed and used for years. Kim will keep her time separately between Twp & Road. No conflict with Sue. 

Kim & Christie introduced themselves and discussed their qualifications. 

Murday: Not needed but would like Board approval. 

• • There was a motion to appoint Kim as bookkeeper/secretary for Road District & Township by Trustee Standish with a second by Trustee Wagner. Voice vote: Motion carried. 
• • There was a motion to retain Christie & her accounting firm as Township accountants by Trustee Standish with a second by Trustee Dietz. Voice vote: Motion carried. 

Back to Agenda 

PLANNING COMMISSION 

Met last Monday, discussed revisions to Comp Plan, a lot happening in twp, PC front & center. Hearing May 3rd: Parker Concrete SUP located Manhattan-Monee Rd 

• • This SUP application topic at HOA meeting last week, Canterbury Lakes voiced their disapproval. May 3rd before PC, May 10th before GGT Board. 
• • Judy Ogalla to provide names of Commissioners sitting on Land Use committee. We will reach out especially for Industrial use on Ag zoned. 
• • Wayman & Murday met with applicant, should post placards. Parker has counsel, firm does a lot of work with Land Use in WC, may have a battle on our hands. Clark Property 
• • 40 acres off Center & Valley Farm, only access St Joseph Rd. Developing into 2 ½ acre E-2 lots. Still not sure if moving forward, looking for a market. 

Gateway MHP 

• • Wayman & Murday met with investment group. Murday: Same as original (Gateway) group however, different investors. Will not be Gateway. Design only to have 3 mobile homes on every acre (GGT likes 1 dwelling on 2 ½ acres). May not be well received. Lots of work to be done with us & Frankfort. Needs sewer & water, pre annexations needing to be up to Frankfort code. Need to stay up on. Dietz: Road blocks thrown up before, Co. got spanked in 2003. Discussed concern of losing acreage in regards to annexation to Frankfort & developments not fitting to Comp Plan. Dietz: Is it same HOA as Gateway? Murday: Believes separate. Dietz stated Trevor Moore (Peotone Schools) 

• concerned how it will affect schools. Murday: Should be 55 & older, discussion regarding enforcement. 

Schultz & Striggow: Ask about May 3rd meeting & if counsel for Twp will be present. Murday: May need at Co level, 

Becker’s brother an attorney as well as Canterbury Lakes resident. Counsel can be discussed later. Ogalla: Goes first to Planning & Zoning (appointed people), meets Tuesday before Land Use Committee meeting, Land Use Committee meeting (Co Board members) can choose to go with recommendations from LU staff & votes that came out of P&Z meeting or disregard. Will hear from residents or Twp can take position as well. Murday: Asked about the SUP’s allowed for Industrial use on Ag? Ogalla: Allowed with SUP. Suggested contacting our Board members if opposed or supportive of issues, a lot of times we see “No Comments”, now with postings in Vedette, you’re aware. Ogalla thanked. 

Murday: Congrats to newly elected officials and thanked Striggow, Newton, & Ogalla for all the support received. 

HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER’S REPORT 

Past Operations 

• • Plow trucks, all wing bolts changed 
• • Replaced seals on wing cylinder 
• • Office floor installed 
• • PM to: skid steer, one ton, chip truck, boom truck, case tractor (every piece gone through) 
• • 2 trucks serviced at Jones Trucking 
• • 4 ditch locations have been reshaped (about 500’) 
• • Regraded dirt by drain tile entrance 
• • Replaced heating element for total patcher 
• • Repaired drain tile in 88th Ave road ditch 
• • Installed 2 entry culverts 
• • Serviced 4 street lights 
• • Employee handbook draft is complete 

Present Operations 

• • Dirt & seed plow damage & ditch work 
• • Pothole repair 
• • Pauling hard surface, bids in, finish contract with Austin Tyler tomorrow 
• • 104th south of Manhattan-Monee, working to increase shoulder & decrease slope of ditch with WC engineers. Drawing going to ComEd tomorrow, recommend moving telephone poles. 

Future Operations 

• • Widen box culvert on 104th south of Pauling 
• • Hard surface roads planned for 2021: 104th north of Pauling (quarter mile). Prairie Schooner & Wagon 

Wheel are scheduled for repave with letting on 4-21-21 completion of 6-31-21 

• • Replace cross culvert on 80th south of Dralle 

Schultz: Pond? Hilliard: Other things needing to be done, not sure if anything should be done there, may have to ask Co. Bushong: Know we do not maintain Harlem, can we get any help when we can’t get help from Monee? Hilliard: Send me email, I’ll talk to Dave (Monee Twp Hwy Com). Newton: Regarding election signs. Can we put here? Hilliard: Already out back. 

Murday: May 16th ceremony for Bob Massat at Road District, Wagner, Hilliard & Murday to speak. Asked Chris Russell to put in paper & on website. 

Murday: Spoke with Jane today, discussion for Budget on agenda. Assessors Budget subsumed into Town Budget, have been working with Jane & Bill, will talk about later. 

ASSESSOR’S REPORT 

• • Normal assessor tasks, soft appeals, etc. 

Bushong: Will discuss budget, hoping to put to bed. Too much time, conversations, countless hours since January spent on this budget. I need to hire staff, & don’t have any place for them. Wagner & Murday decided to renovate TH to accommodate Assessors Office. Murday: Not decided anything, spoke with you , we have TH getting into shape, if needed, could be here. Not going through your budget item by item tonight. Bushong: No discussion? Murday: No, told you this morning. Jane to follow up with Wagner in May & June, doesn’t understand the disconnect. Wagner: Just realized what I sent you was a mistake, updated file was not the one I sent. Bushong: There has been a lot of confusion, and I can’t keep spending time on this. I have reduced it tremendously (copies provided). Come back to me, explain, & share with Board. Wagner: Not sure if Board got right copy or not, but it will be $43,000 which we levied for, will resend to Board. Bushong: If no longer going to vote on Assessors Budget, can I request Trustees to send to me in advance what they want it to be? Instead of spending all this time & it changing anyway. Tell me what you want in advance. Murday: Not sure that is what you would want. What you have is what you started with, you wouldn’t want some Trustee to prepare your budget. Jane to meet with Bill, apparently mistake made with what you were sent today that was totally different, and I didn’t know what you were talking about, now I know. Murday explained budget process and asked Bushong if she can’t do her job because of this? Bushong: Continue to say every meeting, a lot left on table without having staff & tools. Murday: No one has stopped you from hiring. Bushong: Where do I put them? Using 2 rooms out of my house now, can’t have employees at my home. Murday: That comes out of Town Budget, which is a town fund expense. I like your idea of a committee to discuss converting section of TH into Assessors Office. What are other offices doing? Bushong: They all have offices. Murday: We don’t and are trying, must be others that don’t have offices, or 1 in office & some at home. We could have 

used CARES if you needed more. Discuss Committee for Assessor Office to include Wagner, Bushong, a volunteer & resident Murday has in mind, Trustee Newton volunteers, stating this issue isn’t something just brought up. Newton told she is needed elsewhere. Committee to discuss costs, pros & cons. Murday: (Jumping ahead in agenda) suggests temp space in TH, internet coming($5,000 Comcast expense, not ours), Russ in touch with Co regarding TH. Looks as if staying since National Landmark no talk of knocking down. May have to work on parking. Reed Township has a beautiful TH and they are smaller than us. Would like to see a flag & more use of the building. Denise Bettenhausen has done a great job, haven’t seen this clean in years. Further stating if additional money comes in from Co, we will get. Bushong: Reminds board needs to be secure space for records. 

TRUSTEE’S REPORT 

Bill Wagner: Nothing else. 

Russ Standish: Christina from IDOT thinking 4 options for intersection with a light. They will be in touch. She said it’s a landmark & don’t want to do anything with moving it, parking may be compromised and may need to move the sheds behind TH for parking. No money discussed to do that. Looking for grants for sirens & cemetery (Union Cemetery) haven’t come up with anything. Spoke to Samatha at Co., about stimulus checks, waiting to hear back. Also, talked to Anthony DeLuca’s secretary about same things. Told siren guy we would need help with the $23,000 per siren, unless we put up 4. 

Mark Kovar to meet with Russ to take over TH & public safety. 

Striggow: Russ did you attend meeting at Monee Village Hall last week? I did, this building is not a “Historical” landmark, just landmark, 2025-2026 changing whole intersection, buildings on both sides encroach easements. They are going to start buying. Bushong: Spoke to some commercial property people, Co is requiring new commercial development to have turn lanes for widening. Murday: We need to verify & weigh options. Standish: Can’t buy this property from us, we don’t own it. Discussion regarding Krusemark property, building & ownership. Standish: Christina stated she may be able to make the turn lanes go more to the north. She had 4 options, don’t know what they were. Hilliard states storage sheds in back of TH used to store seasonal equipment, plenty of room to build at Road District if needed. 

Cherie Newton: Resident contacted me regarding sign at the “dog spa”, if they needed approval for a lit sign like that? Ogalla: Usually lit sings need approval. Wagner: I think needs permit. Ralph to follow up with Code Enforcement. Newton also stated TOI magazine has very informative checklist published with detailed info. Bushong: According to TOI every elected & appointed official should receive, no one is signing us up & they have great programs listed. Murday: Sue to take care of. Wagner: Subscription form used to go to the Supervisor. Murday: Have not received. Newton: New email: [email protected] Murday: Would like all officials to have Green Garden email address. Discussion for emails & phone numbers for GG officials. 

SUPERVISOR’S REPORT – Done 

NEW BUSINESS – Taken care of 

OLD BUSINESS 

Discussion re: Township & Road District Budgets-Hearing Date 

• • Wagner disseminated Twp & RD Budget over weekend. Discussed date & time for Budget hearing. Murday: If Board has questions regarding budgets, call Wagner or Hilliard. In May, we can discuss any remaining questions or issues. Have hearing in June. Sue to remind Murday to put notice in paper. 

CARES relief 

• • May be more money coming, need to be aware & on top of. Use of Town Hall – Already discussed 

PUBLIC COMMENTS 

Bobbie Schultz recaps ongoing issue brought to Board previously regarding neighbor on Dralle able to legally have 6 horses, they have over 22. Called Brian Radner (Planning & Zoning). Variance & SUP denied. Co Board also denied. Resident running illegal boarding, they are zoned residential. Contacted Land Use when all the horses came back, LU stated they (horses) are her friends & go home at night. How do they overturn full Co Board? Was told they were “Grandfathered” in. They were renters in 2017, bought in 2020. Murday: If in violation, we will look into, need to find out what happened & why. Can’t undo Co, but can make sure they are in conformity with what Co told them they can do. Schultz: 6 weeks ago they were all over my property. No one from Co follows up. If someone can find out why after being denied by full Co Board, how did this happen? Ogalla: Don’t recollect, did you contact Moustis & Koch? Contact Brian Radner. Murday: Dietz to follow up. 

Ogalla: Reapportionment Committee looking at census results (don’t have yet). Increase of 17,000 residents in WC. Districts may be redrawn. You can attend any Co Board meeting via Webex at willcountyboard.com see how you’re represented today, how you want to be represented. Also discussing Cannabis distribution ($ collected from Cannabis Tax) how funds may be distributed. LU tomorrow, hearing on permit costs, changes coming into effect. They want to do per cost of construction. I don’t support that. I support by type of project you’re doing. LU does same inspection regardless of materials used. I think should be based on sq. footage of building. 

Ogalla: Farmer off I-55 wants to establish agriculture area, in WC our size must be 100 acres by state statute, self conservation for 10years. We have 1 in Peotone 459 acres established in mid 80’s. Co Board not sure they want to allow that. Big here in GGT if farmers want to set aside land as farm, they should have the right to do so. Again, www.willcountyboard.com Become more involved in Co government, especially in rural areas, everyone else lives in municipality, doesn’t know what it’s like to live in unincorporated. They want to control & make sure everyone follows rules. 

We live here for different reasons. Makes a lot of difference for decisions made by Co Board when they hear from you. 

Reminder: Annual Meeting Tomorrow 7:00 p.m. 

There was a motion to adjourn the meeting by Trustee Wagner with a second by Trustee Standish. Voice vote: Motion carried. 

Meeting adjourned at 8:58 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Susan Coffey, Clerk