After the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, the Supervisor called the meeting to order @ 7:00  P.M.  at the Hollis Town Hall, 6430 West Wheeler Road, Mapleton, Illinois  61547-9615.

 

Supervisor  Gary W. Thomas;  Clerk  Kelsey A. Archer;  Trustees:  William J. Gerdes,  James E. Bailey  and  Brian B. Fengel. 

The Supervisor announced a quorum was present.  Trustee  Tal B. Beckman arrived at 7:03 P.M.

           

The Road Commissioner  Dennis R. Beckman  and  the Tax Assessor  Alice B. Dailey attended this meeting.

            

There were no visitors.  There were no corrections or additions to the Agenda.

 

 

Prior to tonight’s meeting, copies of Minutes from the Regular Monthly Meeting held on Thursday,   September 25, 2014  were distributed to Board Members for their review.  

MOTION to accept the Minutes as presented made by Bill Gerdes;  second  Brian Fengel.       

Motion passed unanimously with all ayes.

 

 

1. MOTION to accept for payment all Town Fund Invoices as presented to the Board on the Disbursement Summary  dated  October 30, 2014

Motion  Brian Fengel;   second  Jim Bailey.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

*******Trustee Tal Beckman arrived and joined the meeting.

 

2. MOTION to accept for payment all Road & Bridge Fund Invoices as presented to the Board on the Disbursement Summary   dated  October 30,  2014.

Motion  Jim Bailey;  second  Bill Gerdes.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

3. MOTION  to accept for payment all   Joint  Bridge  Fund  Invoices  as presented to the Board on the Disbursement Summary dated October 30, 2014.

Motion  Jim Bailey;  second  Brian Fengel.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote. 

 

TOWN  BUILDING, GROUNDS & EQUIPMENT:   

Trustee Jim Bailey has worked with a representative from Laser Electric to change the non functioning fluorescent lights in the office building to T8 ballasts and replacement lights.  

Trustee Bailey had one estimate for handicapped toilets for the office building; however, he will continue researching to get additional plumbing estimates.

 

COMMUNICATIONS & Correspondence:

 

1. The Supervisor reported on his research regarding the property on Tuscarora Road which is located next to the Tuscarora Fire Department Building.  There are tall weeds surrounding the house and the property appears to be abandoned.  

This house was repossessed and is now in the hands of a mortgage company  The mortgage company was asked to have the property mowed.  The Supervisor will follow-up to see if the property is maintained. 

 

2. PEORIA COUNTY TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS OF ILLINOIS ~~ Annual Holiday Dinner:

Sunday, December 7, 2014 at the Itoo Hall ~ 4909 W. Farmington Road in Peoria ~ Dinner  6:00 P.M.

Buffet:  cost is $25.00 per person.     Copies of notice provided to Board Members.  

A check for reservations must be received by the PCTOA no later than November 25, 2014, which is the date of our next meeting.                See Motion in New Business.

 

3. Acknowledgement and appreciation notes received from the Illinois CancerCare Foundation and also from Rob Emert for the Hollis Township Memorial donation sent to honor the memory of our former Tax Assessor, Debra Emert.

 

TOWN BUSINESS  ~  Supervisor:  

Richwoods Township would like to send a representative to our meeting next month to discuss economic issues in our area.  

 

CLERK BUSINESS /  Business & Comments:

The Hollis Township website has been updated and the information is current.  Our Clerk was forwarding information to Eric via email; however, his new spam filter was rejecting her documents.  Now, they have devised a system to verify that Eric is getting the information monthly. 

 

ROAD BUSINESS ~ Highway Commissioner:  

1. Every week, the Road Commissioner is finding another culvert under a road that needs replaced or re-lined.  There will be a great deal of cost expended from the Joint Bridge Fund to update these culverts.  

 

2. Someone has been dumping trash on the back lot of the Township property.  The Road Commissioner is considering installing a cable over the roadway at night & placing signs warning not to dump refuse.

 

3. Denny has been in contact with Karen Raithel, the Peoria County Recycling Director about a tire pickup.  Truck loads of tires have been dumped in the Pekin Bottoms.  

 

4. Saturday, October 11, the Road Commissioner spent three-fourths of a day picking up trash, nails, screws and televisions along a quarter of a mile stretch in the Pekin Bottoms.  The EPA rules prohibiting televisions and all electronics from being taken to landfills have created a burdensome problem for us.   

 

5. Engineer, Patrick Meyer has applied to FEMA for grant money to help pay for his engineering fees for the culvert relining project completed by Pipevision this summer.     

 

6. The Road Commissioner is asking for a Resolution to change the Hourly Standard used for employees to participate in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.  Currently, the Hourly Standard is 600 hours per calendar year; the Resolution would change that Standard to 1,000 hours for any new employees hired after the date of the Resolution.                                          See Motion in New Business.

 

7. Peoria County Highway Department Motor Fuel Tax:    We did not receive a report the first week of October which would reflect any deposits to our account for the month of September.

     

 TRUSTEES/ Information / Business: nothing.

 

TAX ASSESSOR’S  OFFICE / Information / Business: .  

Our Tax Assessor is working with Andrew Couri from the Peoria County Supervisor of Assessments Office to complete looking at properties required to be assessed in 2014 for payment in 2015.  They are hoping to get ahead of inclement weather.  

In January 2015,  the Quadrennial Assessments will begin.  Every property in Hollis Township must be reevaluated every 4 years.  

 

The 3-Member Audit Committee met at the Town Hall on Saturday, October 11, 2014 to review and complete their audit of the Hollis Township and Road District for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2014.  Their Certificate was signed and has been delivered to the Peoria County Clerk’s Office.  An

Original Certificate will  remain in our office as part of our permanent records. Find Certificate attached to these minutes.

The members of the Audit Committee were:  Maryann S. Morrision,  Russell M. Look  and Christopher R. Lofgren;  all are Hollis Township residents and have served on the Township Board in previous terms.  None of the audit committee members are related to anyone currently serving on the Hollis Township Board.  Payment  ($50. each) for two members of this committee may be found in the Town Fund Board Audit this month.  Russell M. Look declined payment.  

 

Mr. Look offered some suggestions for more clarity in our budgeting to reflect detailed long term plans especially for equipment purchases.  

Regarding the Highway Commissioner’s Annual Report on Tools, Equipment and Machinery Inventory,  Mr. Look suggested more information would be helpful such as date and cost to acquire, was it new or used, method of purchase (balance due, lease?), condition now, planned replacement year and approximate replacement cost.      

 

NEW BUSINESS:         

1. Peoria County Township Officials ~ Annual December Dinner ~ Sunday,  December 7, 2014 @ the Itoo Hall on Farmington Road in Peoria.  Gather at 5:00 – Dinner at 6:00 P.M.

 

Reservations must be received by PCTOA no later than Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

The full cost of the buffet dinner is $25.00.  In past years, each official and guest has contributed $10.00 out of pocket to defray the cost to the Township for the dinners.  Therefore, the following motion is presented and may be revised if necessary.

 

MOTION to approve the payment of $25.00  per Official (including our Secretary) as well as payment for one guest per Official (and our Secretary) to attend the Peoria County Township Officials Association Dinner on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at the Itoo Hall  in Peoria.  (continued next page)

 

To defray the cost of each ticket,   all individuals attending will pay $10.00 by check, out of pocket,  to reimburse the Township.

In addition, door prizes are requested.     Approve the payment for 2 door prizes not to exceed $20.00 each. (Our secretary has purchased 2 door prizes for this event and will submit the receipt for reimbursement)  

 

Motion  Tal Beckman;  second  Brian Fengel.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

   

2. Note regarding:   RESOLUTION  NO.  2014-01,   TO ADOPT THE ANNUAL 1,000  HOUR STANDARD FOR ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND  PARTICIPATION; therefore, changing the Hollis Township 600 Hour Standard from this date forward.   

This Resolution was tabled until next month.  The Road Commissioner will gather additional information at the Annual Conference in Springfield, Nov. 10 & 11.  He will report back to the Board.

 

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TAX LEVIES FOR 2014  must be established and approved at least 20 days prior to adopting them on Tuesday, November 25, 2014, either at a hearing or during our Regular Monthly Board Meeting.  Levies must be filed with the Peoria County Clerk no later than Tuesday,  December 16, 2014.

If the Township or Road District is planning to levy more than 105% over the previous year’s tax levy extension, we must ESTABLISH A NEED for a “Truth in Taxation Hearing” at this meeting tonight.

In addition, if there is a hearing, a legal notice of the “Truth in Taxation Hearing” must appear in a newspaper with distribution in the Township and must be published not more than 14 days, or less than 7 days prior to the date of the hearing.

Board Members:  Please find your copies of the Town & Road District Tax Levies included in the documents for this meeting.  Levies will be approved tonight, October 30, 2014 and will be adopted on Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

 

First: Establish if there is a need for a “Truth in Taxation Hearing” for the tax year 2014.

Second: Determine and Approve Tax Levies for 2014.

 

3. MOTION to declare: The Hollis Township Board has established there is

NO NEED FOR A “TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING”  FOR THE Tax Year 2014, collectable in 2015, since the TOWNSHIP  will be levying NO MORE THAN 105% of the 2013 Total Tax Levy Extension which was $53,778.36. The increase shall be $2,688.  Therefore, the following request will be submitted:        

 

The Town Fund will levy $56,367.  The General Assistance Fund will levy  $100.

The Total 2014 Township Tax Levy request shall be  $  56,467.

Motion: Jim Bailey;  second  Tal Beckman.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

4. MOTION to approve  the Hollis Township Tax Levy in the amount of  $56,467.00  for the Tax Year 2014, collectable in the year 2015, with the Ordinance shown below:

 

TOWNSHIP  TAX  LEVY  ORDINANCE  NO.  2014  -  10

Town Fund Tax Levy   $  56,367.        General Assistance Fund Tax Levy   $  100.

Motion: Jim Bailey;  second  Tal Beckman.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

 

 

5. MOTION to declare: The Hollis Township Highway Commissioner has established there is 

NO NEED FOR A “TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING”  for  the Tax Year 2014, collectable in 2015, since the ROAD DISTRICT will be levying NO MORE THAN 105% of the 2013 Total Tax Levy Extension which was $ 136,078.84. The increase shall be $ 6,803.  Therefore, the following request will be submitted:          Road & Bridge Fund $  94,302.

         Joint Bridge Fund                                 $  28,576.

                     Equipment & Building Fund           $  20,003.

 

The Total 2014 Road District Tax Levy Request shall be:   $   142,881.00

Motion:  Tal Beckman;  second  Jim Bailey.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

6. MOTION to approve  the Hollis Township Road District Tax Levy in the amount of  $ 142,881.  for the Tax Year 2014, collectable in the year 2015, with the Ordinance shown below:

ROAD  DISTRICT   TAX  LEVY    ORDINANCE   NO.  2014  -  11

Road & Bridge Fund Tax Levy   $  94,302.00

Joint  Bridge  Fund Tax Levy  $  28,576.00  ~  Equipment & Building Fund Tax Levy   $  20,003.00

Motion:  Jim Bailey;   second  Bill Gerdes.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

7. MOTION to approve the Hollis Township Road District CONSENT FOR TAX LEVY INCREASE in the amount of  $  22,861.00  for the Tax Year 2014, collectable in 2014, authorizing the Road Commissioner to levy an additional 4% of the Road & Bridge Fund Tax Levy, for a total of 16 ½%, in the Ordinance shown below:

ROAD DISTRICT CONSENT FOR TAX LEVY INCREASE ~ 

ORDINANCE    NO.  2014 -  12

Motion:  Jim Bailey;  second  Tal Beckman.  The motion passed with all ayes on a roll call vote.

 

8. MOTION to adjourn made by  Tal Beckman; second Jim Bailey.  The motion passed unanimously

Meeting adjourned at  7:51 P.M.

 

 

Respectfully submitted:

 

Kelsey A. Archer,  Town Clerk