Guilford Township Board Meeting

GUILFORD TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING Guilford Town Hall, 1973 W. Rawlins Road Elizabeth, Illinois

January 12, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER The Guilford Township Board of Trustees met for business Monday, January 12, 2015, at Guilford Town Hall. The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Wachter. Following the Call to Order, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited. ROLL CALL Present: Supervisor Francis Wachter, Trustees Larry Lomax, Larry Stoneburner and Wayne Wienen. Officials present: Clerk Claire Bersbach and Highway Commissioner Jeff Winders. Also present: Township citizen Gary Diedrick. APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEE Supervisor Wachter reported that the Township Board is required to file with the Township Clerk a Warrant of Appointment to the Township Board of Trustees (to Fill a Vacancy). Wachter advised the Board that Gary Diedrick had agreed to accept appointment to the office of Township Trustee to fill the unexpired term of Dan Ripley who resigned. Trustee Wienen moved to appoint Gary Diedrick as a Guilford Township Trustee; seconded by Trustee Stoneburner. By voice vote, approved unanimously. Supervisor Wachter and Trustees Wienen, Lomax, and Stoneburner each signed the Warrant of Appointment to the Township Board of Trustees (to Fill a Vacancy). Supervisor Wachter filed the Warrant with Township Clerk Bersbach who served the Notice to One Appointed to Fill Vacancy to Gary Diedrick. Clerk Bersbach then administered the Oath of Office to Gary Diedrick. MINUTES A copy of the December 8, 2014, meeting minutes was provided to each Board member prior to the meeting. Supervisor Wachter asked if there were any amendments to the minutes. There being none, Trustee Lomax moved the minutes be approved as presented; seconded by Trustee Wienen; Trustee Diedrick abstained. By voice vote, approved unanimously. TREASURER’S REPORT AND APPROVAL OF BILLS Supervisor Wachter reported receipt of two entrance bond checks since last month’s meeting, one for $50 and one for $250. The IRS has announced that mileage re-imbursement rates for business miles driven increased to 57.5 cents per mile effective January 1, 2015. After all bills presented were reviewed by the Trustees, upon a motion made by Trustee Stoneburner, seconded by Trustee Wienen and unanimously passed by a roll call vote, the Board approved payment of $39,757.83 as shown on the Board Audit Report as well as payment of the bills received after the Board Audit Report was prepared. REPORTS Supervisor Wachter reported that the Township had received the Certificate of Status of Exempt Property. This is a list of Township properties that are exempt from property taxes. The Certificate will be filed with the County Assessor’s office by the end Guilford Township Board Meeting, January 12, 2015 of this month as required, noting again the two parcels that are not owned by Guilford Township. The Township’s Annual Meeting will be on Tuesday, April 14. Per 60 ILCS 1/30- 205, any group of registered voters may request an advisory question of public policy for consideration by the electors at the Annual Meeting by giving written notice of the specific advisory question to the township clerk no later than March 1 prior to the Annual Meeting. The request must be relevant to powers granted to electors under the Township Code. Any matter or proposal not set forth in the published agenda shall not be considered at the Annual Meeting other than advising that the matter may be considered at a special meeting of the electors at a later date. See 60 ILCS (Illinois Compiled Statutes) 1/30-20 for the powers granted to electors. Per minutes of the November 20, 2014, Finance, Tax & Budgets Committee meeting, the Chief County Assessment Officer has sent to the Illinois Department of Revenue copies of all the documents regarding the assessment redistricting for Jo Daviess County and is waiting for a response from IDOR. Supervisor Wachter concluded his report by noting publication of an informative article in Jo Carroll Energy’s Illinois Country Living titled “Townships, the oldest form of government - Improving the quality of life one person at a time” by Bryan Smith, Executive Director of Township Officials of Illinois. Highway Commissioner Winders reported that a pleasant December allowed for some brush cutting as well as some burning of the material that was cut. On Saturday, December 13th, Winders met with Jon Reynolds, the Cuba City John Deere Sloan Implement Dealer. They discussed the Township’s equipment rentals and leasing over the past handful of years. Mr. Reynolds informed Highway Commissioner Winders that due to low tractor sales and reduced government tax incentives, that the John Deere one-year tractor lease is temporarily on hold and the track loader rental for next summer depends on if the machine we used this past year gets sold. On Wednesday, December 17th, the Road District picked up the High Intensity state grant signs, posts, and hardware which includes 75 Stop signs, around 100 various regulatory signs, 112 wooden posts, and 60 metal sign posts. This is a culmination of over a four-year process. Some light drizzles put the crew on alert with the temperatures above and below the freezing mark. The Christmas and New Year Holidays came and went without the usual inclement weather. Highway Commissioner Winders concluded his report by noting that the first week of 2015 greeted the Township with snow, wind, and frigid temperatures. Clerk Bersbach reported that the Township and Road District Levies were filed at the County Courthouse December 9th, 2014. The 2015 Schedule of Township meetings was posted on the Township’s website and bulletin board in December. Bersbach completed the on-line Boundary and Annexation Survey, showing “no changes.” This is an annual request from the U.S. Census Bureau. On January 4th, Bersbach completed on-line certification for FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and OMA (Open Meetings Act). This is an annual requirement for Bersbach as the FOIA Officer and OMA designee. A copy of the certifications will be posted on the Township’s bulletin board. Clerk Bersbach concluded her report by noting she finished typing from the first Page 2 of 3 Guilford Township Board Meeting, January 12, 2015

Township Record Book. That information will soon be available to the general public in a searchable electronic format. The information may be of interest to those who have an interest in genealogy, as well as people who study word usage and punctuation of earlier years. Trustees Report – None. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None. NEW BUSINESS Highway Commissioner Winders asked the Board to pass the annual Township Weight Limit Road Posting Resolution to be enacted when the Highway Commissioner deems it needed. Trustee Stoneburner so moved; seconded by Trustee Wienen. By voice vote, approved unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS – None. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to conduct, Trustee Diedrick moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Trustee Stoneburner. By voice vote, approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Approved by the Board of Trustees: February 9, 2015