Kankakee Times

Village Of Loda Village Board met Sept. 9.

Here is the minutes provided by the board:

The Village of Loda Board of Trustees held their regular meeting at the Village Hall. Present were: President Carol Areseneau, Trustees: Ronda Breeden, Cathy Tittle, Jon Boone, Joyce Gharst, Gene Breeden jr, Patricia Allen and Village attorney Dale Strough. Clerk Regina Ptacek Meeting called to order at 7pm, all spoke the Pledge of Allegiance.

Minute: Ronda approve meeting minutes and waive reading, Gene 2nd all aye, no opposed

ERH: Read work report, no comments

Water: Tom present and waiting for IEP permit, hope to have prior to next meeting and will keep Carol advised of updates. Meeting for 9/16 cancelled due to waiting on permit.

Build Illinois Grant: no update

Recyclers: Dale did verify and advise they do need to pay the $2500 towards street repairs per contract. Sending them letter, no updates currently.

Properties: Continue to see progress and will keep re evaluating

Treasurer: Stan with audit will be here hopefully before we end as he is at another village meeting also going over their audit.

Clerk: Roberts and Swanstroms have both had golf carts inspected and permits been issued. There is a side by side in town that need to see who new owners are and need permit. Darrel Templeton has new golf cart but need to get lights and blinkers before inspection.

Park: Ronda verified have estimate from JC Plumbing & Heating to replace plumbing in bathroom for material and labor $877.18

Gene made motion to approve JC Plumbing & Heating for $877.18 to replace plumbing in park bathroom. Jon second, Roll call, all ayes. Motion carried.

Tractor: Jerry continue to repair, current total is $864.87, additional parts needed bearing $180, bearing housing $165, double u joint coupler $390.00 this adds to over previous $1500 budget and does not include labor.

Ronda motion to approve additional $500 for tractor repairs. Pat second, roll call, all ayes, motion carried.

Dale: verified will have levy to add to agenda for October

New:

Halloween: discussion with members on concerns and safety with Covid. Idea for trunk or treat at park and concerns for store bought candy vs homemade.

Ronda motion for Trick or Treat in Loda Oct 31 5-8pm, Cathy 2nd. Roll call, Ronda-yes, Gene-yes, Pat-yes, Cathy-yes, Jon-no, Joyce-yes. 5 yes, motion carried.

Carol received letter from Paula Rossow, her committee will be distributing campaign materials with volunteers going door to door during the next few weeks. Will not be ringing doorbells as with keeping everyone safe with covid, will be placing “door hangars”. They will have masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer in case a resident would like to talk.

Clerk: consolidated election April 2021, will have election packets available Saturday before September 22. Petitions can be circulated starting September 22. We have 5 positions, Mayor, Clerk and 3 Trustees.

Trustees:

Cathy mentioned there is water spouting like a fountain over at the apartments by firehouse. Was verified with ERH and not Village concern.

Carol verified that JR is no longer Loda water, he is with ERH but different capacity. Brayden is now Loda Water and will update phone list to have his number listed.

Ronda mention hearing a rooster close by, believe at Joyce Deatley old house. Discussion with sound but agreed that it is against Village ordinance.

Bills: Ronda motion to pay bills, Gene second. Roll call, all ayes, motion carried.

Public:

Richard, Fire dept. Concerns with last meeting and dept advised used 300,000 gallons. Myles verified was first reading since meter installed. Richard verified that April- August 2020, 11 calls and mutual aid calls. The department will fill trucks to be full to go to fire but then fill from that location to bring back trucks full and ready. Concerns with how reading meter as it is deep and constantly full of water. Discussion with understanding concerns in that back area of water that is accumulating and verified not village water, so something is untapped with the old dwellings that have been in that area. Carol verified will get straightened out with ERH and the meter. Cathy stated need to have a retraction for paper, Carol verified a retraction that last month reported 300,000 gallons and we will research to figure out. Meter was put in to watch usage and be accountable with EPA. Richard also verified that they do report to the State any fire and usage. Discussion on also seeing next meter reading and how getting to read with stated issues on meter being deep and water.

Fire Dept also currently doing smoke training on Maple, not burning anything currently. Also still waiting on permits for the Genzel property that will also be used for training.

Donna Wise: inquire on water bills and verified read every other month, she does that a back-house reader and last 3 bills all been exactly same at 19,000 gallons. They do not have garden, no vehicles been washed and crawl space is dry, not understand usage, verified 405 E Jefferson. Carol verified will watch and try to figure out.

Richard Coffey inquire for trees at park. Regina verified have mentioned to Cindy at bank since they were purchased as a gift from them and had mentioned replanting.

Ronda motion for meeting to end, Gene second at 7:45pm

Stan for audit review arrived and Trustees were still present and verified to go over information that did not need anything approved. Handed out a copy of audit information, one attached to be with minutes in book. Audit went well has few areas of concern and like last year, concern with Water balance and to look at everyone usage and to increase base rate for everyone. Stan had comparison with Champaign. Carol verified a lot of fixed income in Loda and hard to pay now. Carol verified that we cannot compare with Champaign. Concerns with meters do age and can slow down with age and need to be replacing some meters at residents that have older ones. Advised the older meters baffle’s ware out so water is not correctly accounted for. Stan has done our audits for many years and has seen the changes and concerns.

*Recommendations for water fund:

Go to monthly billing, raise base rate to $20 month, each year there after add $3 to base rate

Charge $0.5851 cents per 100 gallons

Meters slow down as they age and need to be upgraded

*Recommendations for Tax Levy:

Eliminate the unemployment and work comp tax levy and add it to the insurance levy

Put all your tax levy income to insurance, you spend $13,452 but only collected $8,400

The additional 5% will be approx. $1,195

Discussion ended at 8:05pm

http://www.villageofloda.com/TownMeetingDocuments.aspx