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2021.12.13 Meeting Minutes

GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP

December 13, 2021 REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES 

-Meeting called to order at 7:19 p.m. by Supervisor Don Murday. 

-Present: Supervisor Don Murday, Trustees Bill Wagner, Ralph Dietz and Cherie Newton. Trustee Mark Kovar not in attendance. Also present Assessor Jane Bushong and Road Commissioner Jim Hilliard. 

-Approval of Minutes from November, 2021 Meeting prepared by Clerk Jeannie Dunigan. Motion to approve made by Trustee Wagner and seconded by Trustee Dietz. All in favor, motion carries. 

-Board received Resignation Letter from Clerk Dunigan. Trustee Dietz made the Motion to accept her resignation and Trustee Wagner seconded the Motion. All in favor, Motion passes. Trustee Dietz made a Motion to appoint Cherie Newton as Interim Clerk with a second by Trustee Wagner. All in favor, Motion passes. 

-Planning Commission-nothing on the Agenda for January, 2022. 

-Road Commissioner’s Report presented by Commissioner Hilliard: 

Completed in the past month: 

-All preventative maintenance done on township vehicles. 

-First ¼ mile of Dralle Road just east of Route 45 staked and widened. 

-Installed plows and salt spreaders on three trucks. 

-Two driveway culverts installed. 

-Streetlights requiring servicing throughout the Township completed. 

-Added kitchenette to Road District office. 

Currently working on: 

-Tree and brush removal along Dralle Road. 

-Ongoing: 104th ditch south of Monee-Manhattan Road—approximately 50 6-wheelers of dirt trucked in to correct drop-off for safety reasons. 

-Pothole repairs. 

Long-term/future work: 

-Hard road surfaces for Dralle Road 

-Scheer Road bridge north of Offner Road to be replaced. 

-Assessor’s Report presented by Assessor Bushong:

-Board of Review Appeals hearings completed for this year, still processing/finalizing reports and notifications. 

-Assessor’s physical office location at 10808 West Monee-Manhattan Road is making great progress. 

-Completed interviewing for a new employee who will be answering incoming calls, emails, assisting residents, appraisers, mortgage reps, realtors and so forth with needed information regarding exemptions, general questions and requests. All of this should allow the Assessor more time to effectively, actually complete assessments. 

-‘21/’22 reminder: Assessor’s office is committed to fair and equitable assessments on all properties and does not work on the basis of favoritism. Green Garden Township has many inequitable properties and the Assessor is working to change that, as this affects everyone. Revalues of properties for ‘20/’21 should result in significant increases in revenues for our taxing bodies. 

-Assessor requests that she be included in emails that affect the Assessor’s office. Supervisor Murday asked that communications be a two-way street. 

-Discussion regarding how differences in properties are reported to County. 

-Trustee’s Report—Trustee Dietz reported that there will be a meeting on December 14 at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall with himself and Road Commissioner Hilliard to meet with residents to discuss various flooding issues within the Township. To be determined, yet, if this is homeowner’s responsibility, Township or County, and perhaps look into the County’s “50/50 program.” Trustee Newton asked Assessor Bushong to re-forward the new website email that the two had previously discussed. Trustee Newton also mentioned that she will be forwarding the information along to the Board regarding Sexual Harassment Training (required by the State of Illinois) and the Statements of Economic Interest (Will County). With the Board’s agreement, Trustee Newton will place an ad in the Peotone Vedette for vacant appointed Clerk position. Trustee Wagner reported the Cemetary Committee met and is continuing to gather information on the cemetaries in the Township. Will report more next month as information becomes available. 

-Supervisor’s Report—Nothing to report. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone. 

-New Business-Motion made by Trustee Wagner to pass the Tax Levy Ordinance for the Road District (RB2021-02) with a second by Trustee Dietz. Roll Call Vote: Trustee Dietz-yes; Supervisor Murday-yes; Trustee Wagner-yes; and Trustee Newton-yes. Motion carries. Motion made by Trustee Dietz to pass the Tax Levy Ordinance for the Township (TR2021-02) with a second by Trustee Wagner. Roll Call Vote: Trustee Dietz-yes; Supervisor Murday-yes; Trustee Wagner-yes; and Trustee Newton-yes. Motion carries. Motion made by Trustee Wagner to adopt the 2022 meeting dates for Planning Commission and Township Board with a second by Trustee Dietz. All in favor, motion passes. Supervisor Murday asked Assessor Bushong to have a proposed Budget prepared for the January, 2022 meeting so the Board can begin discussions. 

-Old Business-Already covered throughout the meeting. 3 

-Public Comments-Resident Scott Bettenhausen presented the Board with his farm rent check for the year 2021 (to be deposited into the Town Fund account). Resident Ron Christensen shared that Helping Hands in Peotone will be distributing new and gently used toys for Christmas (made possible with the National Honor Society and the Peotone Police Department). 

-Meeting Adjourned at 8:05 pm with a motion by Trustee Dietz and seconded by Trustee Wagner. Motion carried. The next Board meeting to be held on January 10, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. 

Respectfully submitted, Cherie Newton (as Interim Clerk) for Green Garden Township.