GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP
November 8, 2021 REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES
-Meeting called to order at 7:00pm by Supervisor Don Murday with the Pledge of Allegiance.
-Opening Payer- Pastor Dave Feddes
-Roll Call- Trustee Ralph Dietz, Trustee Mark Kovar, Trustee Cherie Newton, Trustee Bill Wagner, Road Commissioner Jim Hilliard, and Assessor Jane Bushong, Supervisor Murday, and Township Clerk Jeannie Dunigan all present.
-Approval of Minutes from October 11, 2021 regular meeting and October 12, 2021 special meeting – Motion to approve made by Trustee Kovar and seconded by Trustee Newton. All in favor, motion carries.
-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 – Commissioner Hilliard.
Past Operations
• Ditch mowing completed
• Improved Drainage in road easement rear of Whispering Prairie Subdivision.
• Reshaped ditches throughout township.
• Installed (1) culvert
• Staked Dralle Road East of Rt5. 45 for widening
• (5) Trucks have plow equipment installed and ready for snow.
• Tuscan Hills cracks filled
• Cleaned out culverts and jetting drain tiles through Township
Present Operations
• Service and maintenance for plow tracks.
• 104th Ave South of MM Rd adding shoulder and moving ditch
• Hard road surface repair
• Building up low spots on gravel roads
Future Operations
Prepping 1 mile of Dralle Road East of Rt 45 for 2022 hard surface.
Scheer Road Bridge north of Offner Road to be replaced.
Supervisor Murday had asked Road Commissioner Hilliard questions regarding snowplow drivers and salt for the roads. Drivers will be needed for the season and road salt is secured.
Resident Buddy Schultz asked Road Commissioner Hilliard about the new culvert on Lagrange Road and to what was being built on that parcel. Parcel in question is one of two that Resident Steve Molter owns and will be placing/has placed mobile homes on.
-Assessor’s Report – Assessor Bushong
Board of Review Appeals
Continued work for first round of BOR appeals is in process.
Assessor Office physical location move
Assessor moved file cabinets (THANK YOU JIM HILLIARD & Staff) into the new Assessor office.
This new office space will allow the Assessor’s office to begin hiring STAFF as well as provide a location for the Assessor to directly meet with constituents.
The Preliminary Equalized Assessed Values for 2021 from Green Garden Township assessments are significantly higher for 2021 then they were in 2020.
SUMMARY – this significant increase will provide added revenue to all of the Green Garden Township Taxing Bodies.
-Trustee’s Report- Trustee Wagner and the Cemetery Committee meet with residents Richard & Barb Stuenkel and are still working on recommendations and have plans to meet again. Trustee Newton asked Assessor Bushong if she wanted her office address changed to the new location on the website, Assessor Bushong said to leave as is for now. Trustee Newton will meet with Chris Russell, owner of the Vedette Newspaper, about website hosting regarding the township’s website. Trustee Kovar – No report. Trustee Kovar asked if the Building Committee will continue to exist in regards to future plans of building a new town hall. Supervisor Murday stated Building Committee will continue (no new tornado sirens will be placed in the township). Trustee Kovar stated phone apps are more advanced than the outdated sirens. Trustee Dietz- Toured the township with Road Commissioner Hilliard to look at problem areas with continued standing water issues. Fawn Landscaping & Nursery will now have a portion of their property rezoned from A1 to I1.
-Discussion of flooding & standing water issues. Supervisor Murday spoke with Trustee Dietz and Road Commissioner Hilliard about forming a committee with residents. Notices will be posted on the township website and in the Peotone Vedette to reach out to residents who would like to be on this committee. Hold a meeting with residents to identify areas in Green Garden that are the most problematic. Prioritize these areas and to research what needs to be done to secure local, county, state, and possible federal funds that may be available to assist with the projects. Have the committee put a plan together and present it to the board. Resident Sean Spiess questioned the matching funds that are available from Will County to assist with the project repairs. Supervisor Murday stated that the money expires 12/31/2021 but funding opens back up 1/1/2022 with a total of $135,000 for the county. There is $17,000 left for this year, but there would not be enough time for the committee to have a proper plan prepared by year end. Resident Dennis Spada questioned if the board realizes how bad the area is on Bruns Road just east of LaGrange, Supervisor Murday assured him that the board realizes the situation. Supervisor Murday also mentioned possibly reaching out to Representative Anthony DeLuca.
-Supervisor’s Report- The Township Audit is complete and filed with the state. Audit and Financial reports were sent to the board for review. No trustees had any questions regarding reports. Supervisor Murday was informed that Former Supervisor Jim Nolan is still the authorizing body for the IMRF and the township needs to appoint a current board member. The board motioned to nominate Supervisor Murday, motioned by Trustee Wagner, seconded by Trustee Kovar, all in favor, motion carries. Trustee Wagner is working on the Tax Levy for Truth in Taxation and information will be posted on the township website and the Truth in Taxation Notice will be posted in the Vedette. A hearing will be held at 6:45pm prior to the next regular meeting on December 13, 2021 at 7:00pm.
-Meeting adjourned at 8:09pm with a motion by Trustee Kovar and seconded by Trustee Dietz. All in favor, motion carries. The next regularly-scheduled board meeting will be on December 13th, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
Repectfully submitted,
Jeannie Dunigan, Clerk