2021.10.11 Meeting Minutes

 GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP 

October 11, 2021 REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES 

-Meeting called to order at 7:00pm by Supervisor Don Murday with the Pledge of Allegiance. 

-Opening Payer- Deacon Mark Otten from St. Boniface Church 

-Roll Call- Trustee Ralph Dietz, Trustee Mark Kovar, Supervisor Murday, Trustee Cherie Newton, Trustee Bill Wagner, Road Commissioner Jim Hilliard, and Assessor Jane Bushong all present. 

-Approval of Minutes from September, 2021 meeting – Motion to approve made by Trustee Kovar and seconded by Trustee Wagner. All in favor, motion carries. 

-New Business Part A– Discussion Re Vacancy of Township Clerk led by Supervisor Murday. Introduction of Resident Jeannie Dunigan who wishes to be appointed to fill the vacancy. Supervisor Murday stated that Resident Dunigan had met with Township Board members prior to tonight’s meeting. Resident Dunigan gave brief background information about herself. Trustee Wagner made the motion to appoint Resident Dunigan to fill the vacancy of Township Clerk, with a second by Trustee Kovar. Roll call vote, all in favor, motion carried. Interim Clerk/Trustee Newton swore in Resident Dunigan as new Township Clerk. 

-Planning Commission- Planning and Zoning Chair Jim Wayman unable to attend. Supervisor Murday relays that there is nothing to report for this month. 

-Road Commissioner’s report read by Commissioner Hilliard. 

Past Operations 

• Speed Limit survey for Kuse Rd and Pauling Rd 

 Kuse Rd No Change 

 Pauling from Center Rd. to 104th Av No Change 

 Pauling Rd from 104th Av to Rt 45 Lowered to 50 mph 

• Dralle Rd west of Rt 45 patched 350’ shoulder with N50 HMA surface 

• Drain tile repair (2) locations 

• Utility poles on 104th Ave South of MM have been moved. 

• King replaced on TRK 11 

• (5) Street lights were serviced 

• Shoulder repair to 80th Ave and Dralle Rd. 

• County aid was approved by Will County for Scheer Rd Bridge 

Present Operations 

• Mowing ditches final cut (approximately 3 miles left.) 

• Yearly Maintenance for plow trucks 

• Cleaning out culverts 

• Jetting drain tiles through Township. 

Future Operations 

 Prepping 1 mile of Dralle Road East of Rt 45 for 2022 hard surface 

 Pot hole repair to all hard surface roads 

Discussion regarding continued flooding of properties on Bruns Road east of Route 45 as well as other areas and finding possible solutions and funding to rectify standing water issues. Trustee Dietz agreed to work with Road Commissioner Hilliard to look into solutions for the areas that have the most problems with continued standing water. There are potential matching funds/grants that may be available through Will County to help assist with cost of repairs and will be looked into further. Resident Buddy Schultz asked Road Commissioner Hilliard if they repair roads before they tar & chip the roads. Road Commissioner Hilliard responded that yes they do. Resident Schultz has concerns about amount of traffic, wear and tear, and the standing water on the road north on Dralle by his residence. 

-Assessor’s Report read by Assessor Bushong.-Board of Review Appeals are wrapping up. 

Assessed Revisions Level 2 just closed the other day and notices of changes will be going out on 10/20/2021. Assessor Bushong met with Frankfort Mayor Keith Ogle and staff to discuss building permit details and had a productive meeting. Assessor Bushong recently attended software training in Elgin and was able to attend that for no charge per her negotiating. Assessor Bushong was able to meet with Ron Christensen to see the space he has available for possible office space. Space is rather large and maybe something in the future to consider if there would be a need for Town Hall space. Assessor Bushong raised the question to the Board if anyone has looked into State Covid grant money. Supervisor Murday responded that he had made an inquiry recently to third-party administrator for the grants. No money until next year and will reach out to the county executive office to look into it further. Assessor Bushong gave Board a written report regarding her preference for Assessor office space. 

-Trustee’s Report- Trustee Newton said she received an email from Chris Russell, owner of the Vedette Newspaper, that he has a working website demonstration for townships. Trustee Newton was not able to view it by the time of tonight’s meeting but will. Assessor Bushong was able to view it and said it was very nice with great benefits. Supervisor Murday was also sent the link to view the demonstration website. No details regarding price were presented with the demonstration that was sent. Trustee Wagner- Met with the Cemetery Committee on Friday October 8th, 2021. (Present were Trustee Wagner, Resident/Committee member Heidi Christofilos, Resident Schultz, and Resident Russ Standish.) Discussion of historical documents for the 5 cemeteries. Committee/Resident Christofilos spoke with the Joliet Historical Society and they agreed to digitize and store the historical documents in their vault. Documents will still belong to The Township and we will be able to get them back at any time. Plan to have a reading/walk- through of each cemetery which would entail gathering any and all information on any graves and finding out any information from unmarked graves that they can. Who owns Union Cemetery, funding, and maintenance on that cemetery are being looked into by the Committee. The Committee is looking into publishing notice in papers to help with the search. Will hopefully have more information at the next meeting. Trustee Dietz- No report . Trustee Kovar – No report. 

-Supervisor’s Report- Township Audit is complete and filed with the state. Trustees were given a bound copy and will figure out next step (if Audit has to be filed anywhere else and/or published). Supervisor Murday was made aware by the Comptroller’s office that there was an issue with the previous year’s filing, so it was not an “official document” but was told township is good for 2020. Trustee Wagner was instrumental in getting what was needed to our auditors to complete and properly file for 2021, along with Secretary Kim Syverson and a number of others. We have now set the baseline moving forward. Auditor will send a report in the next couple of weeks as to how we can do things better as a township, but it was a clean report. Monthly financials, working with accounting firm to have everything categorized properly so moving forward it will be just a keystroke to find information needed. Road Commissioner Hilliard has helped with the road district on this note. For November’s meeting hope to have John Baird or Christie Pera from the accounting firm present or on the phone to go over September’s financials with the Board. Surpervisor Murday and Trustee Dietz have plans to meet with Frankfort Mayor Keith Ogle as well as Monee Mayor Therese Boggs to introduce themselves to the newly- elected officials and go over land use. Levy is due and needs to be passed by December 31st 2021. Supervisor Murday and Trustee Wagner will begin drafting the levy. 

-New Business Part B- Office Space for Assessor. Town Hall Committee met approximately 10 days ago to go over the two leases, no consensus was reached. Leases for Striggow Insurance and the Frankfort Fire Department were given to Township Board members last week to review and now looking for decision. Town Hall Committee, Supervisor Murday, Trustee Kovar, Assessor Bushong, and Resident Mark Sarkasian.(All committee members present as well as Mr. Monroe Striggow who has offered a lease proposal for office space within his building on Monee-Manhattan Road). Time was allowed for committee members to speak to the pros and cons of the two proposed lease agreements. Committee Member/Resident Mark Sarkisian gave his view point of the spaces. Mr. Striggow was able to answer questions and verbally agreed to some changes and offered clarification on some points raised. Concerns remain on verbiage of proposed lease agreement from Mr. Striggow. Assessor Bushong expressed her concerns with options for the Assessor’s Office at the fire station. Mike Cavanaugh, who is on the board for the fire department, was present but was unaware of the possible lease of office space but was offering to answer some concerns regarding the fire station. Questions regarding insurance coverage changes and verbiage as to indemnification to also be looked at further per lease agreements. Supervisor Murday said he will make a call tomorrow to get clarification and possible cost difference regarding the insurance, contents and personal insurance. Board continued to discuss due to lingering questions. Resident Dean Christofilos (long-standing realtor in the area and knowledgeable on leases) offered his insight on real estate and the proposed lease agreements and the verbiage regarding Mr. Striggow’s proposed lease. He has volunteered to serve as liaison to meet with Mr. Striggow to get clarification and see if he could help come to terms that both the Board and Mr. Striggow can agree on for a new proposed lease agreement. The board moved to appoint Resident Dean Christofilos, motion by Trustee Newton seconded by Trustee Kovar. All in favor, motion carries. 

-Special Meeting set to reconvene on Tuesday October 12th, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. with a motion by Trustee Dietz and seconded by Trustee Wagner. All in favor, motion carries 

-Meeting adjourned at 9:03pm with a motion by Trustee Newton and seconded by Trustee Kovar. All in favor, motion carries. The next regularly-scheduled board meeting will be on November 8th, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. 

Repectfully submitted, 

Jeannie Dunigan, Clerk 

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