2021.07.12 Meeting Mintues

GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP

REGULAR MEETING 

JULY 12, 2021 

The regular meeting was called to order by Supervisor Murday at 7:01 p.m. 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 

In attendance were Trustees Newton, Wagner, Dietz, Kovar, Commissioner Hilliard, Supervisor Murday, & Clerk Coffey. Assessor Bushong not in attendance. 

There was a motion to approve the minutes as submitted from the meeting held June 14, 2021 by Trustee Wagner with a second by Trustee Kovar. Voice Vote: Motion carried. 

NEW BUSINESS 

A.) Discussion with Wendie Garlich-Mobility Manager/Will-Ride: Trustee Newton asked Wendie to revisit, no progress since last presentation. Garlich explained Will-Ride/Dial-a-Ride program (informational material presented) partnering together to provide ride services. 2 grants, 1-Area Agency on Aging (Sr. riders exclusively), 2-Regional Transportation Authority of Chicago (covers Sr, disabled, & general public). Two different rates. Total cost for whole service of all Twps partnering together, Garlich gets cost for whole service of all twps partnering together, then calculates cost per trip for each twp/per rider. Credit given from grants (AA-85% & RTA-50%). Twp picks up other portion. Riders may contribute $2 a trip within twp & $4 outside twp. One-way on average $40-$45 a ride, after grant about $22, then credited fare revenue. Twp billed monthly per rider after grant.Wendie gave background info regarding her role. Call center handles scheduling. Comparison inquiries made, example Peotone budgets not to exceed $3,000. Wendie working with new administration at Co to help. She suggests starting with medical needs only (we may limit what service will provide). Murday inquires about liability. Garlich: PACE assumes liability. States Attorney looked over for other twps, verbiage Federally mandated. Agreement document between Will Co & twp. Newton: In past, that was my hang-up, agreement doesn’t specifically say PACE assumes liability. Murday: Need to look at carefully. Garlich suggests contacting Younker at Peotone, also stating there is always an “out” for the twp. All documents to be resent to Newton. Murday would also like contacts for other twps participating or those who have participated. Will-Ride handles Frankfort’s out of twp, medicaid provides services on their own. Residents cannot be authorized without twp approval. Town fund & General Assistance fund discussed. PACE contact info given. Question/Answer session. Garlich Thanked. 

PLANNING COMMISSION 

A.) Vote Map Amendment A-1 to E-1 parcel 18-13-23-400-012-0000 (8210 Bruns)- Applicant met with PC, applicant & attorney present tonight. Wayman unable to attend. PC voted 4-0 approving A-1 to E-1. Attorney presents case, 5 acres, no ag, need map amendment to obtain 

permits from Co to build. Intention: Single residence, middle of lot. Newton: Is the drive-way in? Answer: Gravel brought in for silt fencing, for run off. Ok’ed by Commissioner. Schultz: Does property go to creek? Applicant: Yes. Schultz: So in floodplain? Attorney: Correct. Kovar: My understanding E-2 provides for ag. Attorney: E-2 needed more of a variance, need more acreage. Co suggested E-1 & supports map amendment. There was a motion to approve Map Amendment for PIN# 18-13-23-400-012-0000 from A-1 to E-1 zoning by Trustee Dietz with a second by Trustee Wagner. Voice vote: Motion carried 5-0. Co to be notified of decision.

B.) August 2 Hearing – A-1 to E-1 parcel on Center, August 2 hearing before PC. Mark PC member here and thanked. Murday asks to keep everything brief.

ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT 

Past Operations 

  • • Completed paving on Prairie Schooner & Wagon Wheel 
  • • Tuscan Hills, Waterford Estates, & Canterbury Lakes (5) storm sewers cleaned 
  • • Replaced 100’ of storm drain-flooded basement (roots) 
  • • Cleaned various culverts throughout twp (large amounts of corn stalks) 
  • • Trimmed trees on Dralle (improve visibility) 
  • • Replaced 2 street signs 
  • • Re-ditched 9761 Kuse & cleared out cross culvert (300ft) 
  • • Added shoulder stone to Pauling & 80th 
  • • Cleaned out Forked Creek at 80th 

Present Operations 

  • • Mowing ditches/remove small trees around utility poles 
  • • Preparing 88th for A-1 application in August 
  • • Curb work Tuscan Hills 
  • • Landscape culverts ends & over drain tile in Tuscan Hills 
  • • Repair king pin on dump truck 
  • • Truck inspections 

Future Operations 

  • • Widen box culvert on 104th 
  • • Prepping 1 mile of Dralle east of 45 for 2022 hard surface (probably October) 

Resident thanked Hilliard for Prairie Schooner. 

ASSESSOR’S REPORT – Murday states Bushong unable to attend, tendered report will attach to minutes. Murday reports ongoing tasks/projects, field work, assessment changes. Will attest to fact that majority of phone calls are for Assessor. Bushong busy & doing a great job. 

TRUSTEE’S REPORT 

Ralph Dietz – Reports Mike Evon’s complaint regarding farmer herbicide overspray, told him usually comes back. No restitution or police call. Yorkshire Lane contacted, wants natural gas line (farmer impeded in past) tried 2013 & 2016. Hilliard informed he controls culvert percentage & shouldn’t be a problem. Nicor contacted, 88th to Dralle for natural gas tee off into Yorkshire. Murday: Ralph also reviews agenda on Co level for anything impacting GGT.

Cherie Newton – Reports Chistina from WCDOT sent communication regarding Town Hall. TH is not on Co Landmark list, coming from her contact at Land Use. Murday: We need to get to bottom of this. TH committee to find answer. Newton: Does not mean it’s not historic, just not recognized by Will Co as a Landmark.

Bill Wagner – Reports working on 5 cemeteries within twp, Bushong providing PIN’s, Coffey working on deeds. State statute, we do have ability to go in & maintain cemeteries as long as owning body doesn’t object. There is a process to maintain if needed. If already being maintained, nothing in statute saying we could do much else. Statutes pretty much for abandoned cemeteries. Some cemeteries within twp don’t have perpetual care funds. Discussion regarding Union Cemetery, caretaker, & maintenance. Murday: Bill instrumental in twp finances currently working with accountants on monthly finance reports. 

Mark Kovar – Suggests H.S. clubs needing community service hours or donation to clubs to provide students to help with cemetery clean-up. Murday: Concern being liability, if we pay, are we responsible for the kids. Wagner: Not sure if we have right to make donations. Kovar: Met with Assistant Chief (fire dept) regarding Assessor office, Bushong made contact with them, little small for what she needed. $1500-$1800 more than what they originally told me (couple hundred). Called a place with portable office’s, $500 a month (no restrooms). Bushong also spoke with Monroe about office in Insurance Bldg, about $1000 a month. That’s where we are at now. Thought Sheriff would be here (was to attend June meeting). Murday: Spoke with sergeant, perhaps August, to speak regarding contact person at Co. Kovar: Sheriff Dept has app & website, very informational. Discussion regarding recent shooting, phone calls, & having no contact to get answers. Murday: Told Frankfort’s issue (domestic), no public alarm. Sheriff spoke to stated most officers on east side of 57 not west. Kovar: 2-3 deputies working 9 twps. 

Murday skipping Supervisor’s Report, going to Old Business. 

OLD BUSINESS 

A.) Town Hall Committee – Murday states Chiocca on phone, will get together when Bushong available. Future of TH, build? Not our property, not sure if it’s our bldg, many factors coupled with Bushong’s need. Important time to plan going forward. Committee to look at options for TH & Bushong’s need for space. Will present & decide. B.) Cemetery Committee – Murday states Bill, a 1 man committee, could use help. Heidi Christofilos volunteers. Back to Supervisor’s Report 

SUPERVISOR’S REPORT – Murday reports seminar for newly elected supervisors handling of General Assistance Fund. Thinks he should attend. 

PUBLIC COMMENTS – Schultz asks about 104th & Dralle (Cook Co dumping yard waste)? Dietz: Renter across street complaining, called twice this past week. Water brown, is waste contributing? Brought her sample containers with instructions from Monee, $38 to have tested. Renter stated would give to landlord. Renter called WC Health Dept, with complaint, but never dropped off test samples. Water looked like tea, is it related? 4 inches of rain, water everywhere. Knocked down piles north of drive (still bags & stuff), still piled south of drive. Don’t know what’s going on. Schultz: Co was out there, tested well & it’s polluted. Renters had to leave, Co told renter, up to property owner on what to do. Hilliard adds, renter (Erica) moved today. Spoke to Tim Anderson (WC) complaint filed against owner, only way EPA will hear complaint is if papers are served. They tried to serve him but he will not respond. Sounds like he’s in touch with State’s Attorney. Sounds like Erica was in touch with EPA, she stated well is contaminated. I saw water, it is nasty. Discussion regarding number of wells that may be impacted. Schultz concerned about wait time. Hilliard states that’s just how government works sometimes, even offered to pay Cook Co to serve papers. 

Schultz: Property south of gas station (between gas station & horse farm) on 45, was sold. Believe the same people who bought property south of CD & Me that do whatever they like, whenever they feel like it. Vehicle storage, haul in & out, and filled wetlands. Except when they tried to go over pipeline, they shut them down. Few days ago, same old thing, they don’t come to zoning. Want eyes on the property he thinks they bought by gas station so same things don’t happen there. Murday: Ok to keep eyes on it. Schultz: Really ought to be on the well thing on 104th. Striggow: Jim, wasn’t all that stuff dumped supposed to have been incorporated into the soil in a certain amount of time? Hilliard: Yes, called owner (Laura Wood), met her there, had conversation. Supposed to put on 1.2 acres of ground & make pristine farmland. Called WC, asked if this sounded right? They sent literature from Bureau of Land Management (how to manage land using organic material). Took son there (graduate of U of I school of Ag) he said it doesn’t look right at all. Called Co back, stating no way this is going to go on 1.2 acres. Co stated it was going on 80 acres. Called back in the spring & told them they planted the 80 acres, leaves still there. They called Laura Wood’s son (who is in charge of all this), he stated it was more work than he thought & he’s not going to do anything, he’s leaving it. That’s why they are serving him with papers, to clean it up. Guess that was the trigger for EPA to act on. Discussion regarding paper serving, land owner’s responsibilities, & compost. Murday: Jim & I to meet regarding flooding issues, need to enlist State & Co. Also, Land Use, States Attorney, EPA & report back in August. 

Striggow: Ron Wagner cuts grass at Union Cemetery, years back came to twp looking for gas money (there were no endowments), back then we couldn’t find the money to throw his way. Same guy cutting. Schultz: Doing out of the goodness in his heart. Wagner: Maybe once we find out who owns it. Newton: Is that the Milbert Johnson deed? Striggow: Yes, he was in charge at one time, he’s deceased. 

Striggow: The guy complaining of overspray, he should be here talking. Not the twps job to bring forward. Michael Schmidt: Has 80 acre parcel & had Illinois Department of Agriculture pesticide & plant inspector out. Worst spray she has ever seen. Schmidt describes his property & damages, inviting anyone to look. Stating it affects us all. Further stating the farmer came out while windy & in the mid 80’s, spraying ¾ mile across street from him, he could smell & taste it 

in the house. Striggow: Inquired about air conditioning. Schmidt: Asked that comments be made when he was done. The farmer is a friend, respects him, & he runs his ground. Chemical applied in an improper manner, admitted problems with equipment & conditions weren’t appropriate. I understand has to be done couple times a year. Plant damage across my 80 acres, neighbors have damage. Met inspector twice, out again this week. Discussion regarding curled leaves, stunting growth, length of time for mature trees, farmland, etc. Schmidt: 40 yrs ago owner planted by hand, trying to keep it going, timber for my future, can’t replace in my lifetime, not mad at farmer, application process improper. Striggow: Disagrees, incorrect. Schmidt: Damage irreversible, it’s like running over someone’s kid, can’t fix. Ongoing investigation, not looking for anything other than to raise awareness. You’re worried about leaf compost getting in the wells, what about pesticides? Striggow: Pesticide is systemic, what you’re saying is not necessarily true. Schmidt: The farmer has apologized, stating this was new product & won’t use again. He sprayed this week & made sure wind was coming out of N.E. What about others? Murday: Same pesticide? Schmidt: Used a variant of 24D, PBS documentary about 24D & 25DT that was used for agent orange in Vietnam, it’s still being used. Striggow: No, it’s not. Murday: Have you asked for compensation? Schmidt: Ongoing investigation, waiting for Ill Dept Ag report. Out this week taking more samples & photos. Evon & I live ¾ mile apart, every property & even behind Canterbury has damage. Some to be expected, not 60ft in the air. Murday: You came to twp so we are aware, what can we do to help remedy situation? Schmidt: Not looking for anything from twp, want to know if anyone else is having problem? How to move forward with this to make everyone safe. Lived here 42 yrs, farming going to happen, there are other methods. I’m changing mine going forward. What can be done in an organic manner? Not saying everyone has to, want my parcel as pristine as possible. Murday: Would you have cause of action against this guy for damage? Schmidt: I did not ask applicator for restitution, just asked how to avoid in future. If it happens again this year, the trees will not survive. I have 65 acres of woods. Murday: Has he offered restitution? Schmidt: Mike Evon & I have filed drift complaint. Evon asked for insurance info immediately. Stating farmer wants to wait for report. Understandable, maybe we’re all just having a bad year, but happened 4 days after application to 5 people all at same time. Not like it goes away, slow process. Murday: You have, (Ralph started reporting in minutes) expanded on that with 1st hand info in regard to what happened & invite you to continue to monitor & keep twp informed to what is going on & pursue any rights you have as a private homeowner over & against somebody causing damage to your property. To me it’s a civil action where you can seek your remedies. But it’s important to twp & understand what you are saying, agree it is something we need to make people aware of. Schmidt: State does their inspection & files report. Inspector is not allowed to tell me what they applied on my property. Farmer said 24D. Once report done, I’ll get notified whether farmer was found in violation, then State will put farmer on warning for 3 yrs. If happens again in 3 yrs, it’s a criminal act. Farmer’s a friend, I’m not mad, I called him first. Never returned my call. I filed complaint, that’s the process. Going to pursue, don’t want to eat chemicals 3 times a year when they spray, because he was in a hurry, 25 mile an hour winds, & hot out. He shouldn’t have been spraying. Murday: Did you know at the time? Could you have tried to stop him? Schmidt: Knew it was happening, drift on, didn’t know what that does. Experienced it last year. Talked to arborist, chemical drift, it happens. This year with some knowledge, few days after spray, all the signs visible. Murday: Would recommend you do as well, if you pursue something civilly you’re going to want to make sure you have evidence, you don’t want time to wash away. Schmidt: Samples taken, put in freezer. Murday: By State? Schmidt: State, myself, neighbors, I have independent lab that has samples. Murday: You’ve done what you need to protect yourself & your interests. Sounds like you’re preserving evidence which is what you would need at some point later, if some remedy is not forthcoming that satisfies you & your neighbors. Sounds like process from governmental aspect is playing out right now & you’re doing what you should. Keep Dietz advised of happenings, share with Dietz the name of the investigator that comes out from the State so that twp can make some contact with that individual as well. Don’t want you to think twp is uncaring for the private homeowner. Schmidt: We all live here, we’re family, everybody’s property, not just mine. Newton: Address? Schmidt: 7748 Bruns. Wagner: Government paid Harold (previous owner) to plant those trees, right Monroe? Schmidt: It’s in the conservation reserve program. I’m still being subsidized to keep it in conservation & timberland. Wagner: Thought they stopped that program. Schmidt: No, there’s sign ups now, they’re looking for land, government trying to conserve land & have farmers conserve land, helps the food web. Striggow: How far are you from spot sprayed? Schmidt: Across street. Striggow: No, you’re further, happened at corner of Bruns & Harlem. That farmer doesn’t farm across from you. Schmidt: They farm from Harlem all way to ¼ mile line which is 240 acres. I’m directly across street. Striggow: No, he doesn’t, that’s not 240 acres. Words exchanged. Murday: Ok, we’re done. This is my meeting, I will put end to now. Monroe, if you want to come to this then you play by the rules, when I say we’re done, we’re done. Striggow: Oh really? Murday: Yes, oh really. Striggow: This is a public meeting, this ain’t your meeting. Murday: This is a meeting I run, & I’m saying we’re done, not going to devolve into he said, she said. Striggow: Trying to get all the details, the twp does not have anything to do with this. Murday: What do you mean it has nothing to do with this? Striggow: Nothing wrong with him coming & voicing his concerns. You guys have no jurisdiction. Murday: You live here too, aren’t you worried about your health? Well being? Striggow: Sure am, no jurisdiction from twp. Murday: He’s let us know the issue, Dietz will do what he needs to do on behalf of twp. Not getting into some mudslinging argument. Any other Public Comments?

Coffey reports (per Bushong) 

There were 116 property assessment changes submitted. Not counting adjustments requested for prior years. Of those 116, the following total assessment amounts were changed: 

  • • Farmland values: was 35,151 in assessed values, now 35,151 (no change) 
  • • Improved Land (residential land): was 2,768,253 now 3,589,561 an increase of 821,308 
  • • Other or Farm building values: were 129,594 now 140,406 an increase of 10,812 
  • • Non-Farm buildings (home, etc) were 7,384,402 now 11,360,563 an increase of 3,976,161 
  • • Assessment totals for those 116 properties was 10,317,400 now 15,125,681 resulting in an increase of 4,808281 in assessed values 

Newton: That’s great. Murday: All part of what will be appended to minutes. 

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

Meeting adjourned at 8:48 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Susan Coffey, Clerk 

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