January Board Meeting 2023

1/19/2023

Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees, Thursday, 1/19/2023 at 6:30 PM:

01.19.22_regular_board_meeting_agenda.pdf
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Regular Meeting of the Shields Township Board of Trustees

Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 6:30pm

AGENDA

I. Call to Order & Roll Call
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. Public Comment – Three (3) minutes per speaker
IV. Reports
a. Supervisor
b. Assessor's Office
c. Community Service Committee
d. Road & Bridge Committee
e. Trustees
V. Approval of Bills
VI. Old Business
VII. New Business
a. Regular Meeting Minutes of December 15, 2022
b. Ratification of Contract with GRA Accounting, Auditing & Consulting for 2022-2023
VIII. Adjournment

MINUTES

01.19.23_janurary_board_meeting_minutes_.pdf
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Minutes – Shields Township Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting January 19, 2023
_________________________________________________________________________
STATE OF ILLINOIS, )
Lake County,            )
Town of Shields       )

            THE TOWN BOARD OF SHIELDS TOWNSHIP held its regular monthly meeting on January 19, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.

PRESENT
                        Tammy Bryan              Clerk
                        Brady Andersen            Town Trustee
                        Kathryn Walker-Eich    Town Trustee
                        David Weil                   Town Trustee
                        Jeff Urso                      Supervisor
                        Matt Garrity                  Town Trustee-Absent

Meeting Called to Order & Roll Call Supervisor Urso called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance – Deputy Supervisor Urso opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance
Public Comments –
1. Vicki Brown, North Chicago, Community Committee, if we move forward for Foss Park, is that for the senior program or any program. The committee recommends what they are in for in general, but try to aim to Senior Services. The Board has approved others. There is some flexibility, the committee can make recommendations of what can be for other items.
2. Mr. Carl Evans, North Chicago. Accommodation with Waukegan Township with Shields, he is on board. Shifting that to Waukegan, the Board with Jeff, I do apologize to you. Nothing personal, just because, when you came president of the board, who may or may not be here, said somethings about you coming on board. It was untrue, some people like to keep ideas on others instead of a focus. I will no longer listen to sugared honey iced tea. The board has proven to be good. Make sure the food pantry stays.
Reports –
1. Supervisors Report

Elevator update, parts have arrived, repairs are scheduled soon. Building has been red-tagged by the Roads chair to make sure we are ADA compliant. If any person needs assistance downstairs, the number is on the door, we can talk on the phone and/or go downstairs to work with our residents.
Water mitigation in the area, different opportunities to get grants to get the water out, they are putting in a new pump station on 41. The pump was delayed at Federal level, they had to find one American made. Janice Ahl secured a matching grant for the Township, she did a lot of great hard work.
Future of the food pantry, under Mr. Evans leadership, he will bridge something for people come. Residents have been calling Mr. Evans. He is working with Phoenix Rising, feeding 150 people, he picks up the bags, he delivers the food, working just fine, Kate comes in during the week. Mr. Evans will take contact with all residents of Shields Township, and keep it going, we are doing a great job.
Are they the same beneficiaries? Same families? Mr. Evans has a list from Shields Township and he delivers.

Assessor Helton – Thank you to Alderman Evans about the new board. Right now we are with Accubase reviewing the assessments to look at the quadrennial in 2023, this is one chance we can adjustments all over. We are not far off the 91 neighborhoods. The county will provide data soon. We should not see too much on the residential properties. Some of the commercial values, either had a change or were previously assessed to low, they were increased to pay their fair share of taxes.
Committee Report – Ms. Blahunka (read by Supervisor Urso) Had a conversation with North Chicago and FOSS IGA similar to Waukegan, asked twice and have not received a response. We have paused on that grant until the committee to give final report. Committee wants all facts before they make a recommendation. Still waiting on information on Foss Park. Scope – purely in the committee, once the committee will give their recommendation to the board for the board to review.
Road & Bridge – Mark Wussow – Has expertise in real estate in the commercial side. Some topics for discussion, state of Illinois motor vehicle tax division, there is 60K in funds that are ours. We will be using those funds for resurfacing on Birch and engineering services, more information to come on the monies. The foster Ave ditch issue is under consideration, Basil Ave, continue to work on the project there. Repair items vehicles that we own that have been neglected instead of purchasing new ones. Starbucks updates, going through site plans to control the congestion there right now, in and out of site as well as parking, will share final plan once it arrives.

We received bids for outsourcing for the township, next meeting have rec for the board.
Dan is spending roughly 20 hours a week, managing, applying for grants and the whole process. We feel Dan should be compensated for his position, it is way more than volunteering, as the Road and Bridge Committee, as him as the manager, should be considered. Urso, Ms. Janice Ahl has applied for and got grants for the board too. As a citizen, she got frustrated and figured out how to write the grant and getting more money than requested. There is grant money out there, as Shields is a small community, it is our jobs as citizens, if we all pitched in, things would get done. She is encouraging everyone to get involved and contribute to the community.
I thank everybody for their conceited efforts, I recognize the Starbucks project with Mr. Russo. The alleyway be the west of the Starbucks, the congestion of traffic in/out is terrible that it was designed. Have drive-thru exit on the side road (North Ave) instead of going east. Adding additional parking stalls on the south side of the Starbucks. Lake County is on board with the recommendations, it is up to the property owner and Starbucks.

Trustees Report – NA

Approval of Bills
1. Town Fund expenses approval $118,098.41. Trustee Andersen motioned to approve, second Trustee Weil, passed by 4-0 on a roll call vote.
2. General Assistance expenses approval $1,000.00 Trustee Weil motioned to approve, second Trustee Andersen,
3. Road & Bridge expenses approval $13,237.63. Trustee Andersen motion to approve, second Trustee Weil, passed by 4-0 on a roll call vote.

Old Business - NA
New Business
1. December 15, 2022 Regular Board Meeting minutes motion to approve Trustee Weil, second by Trustee Andersen, passed by roll call vote 3-0 Trustee Walker-Eich Abstain
2. Ratification of Contract with GRA Accounting, Auditing and Consulting for 2022-2023. The Township Auditing Firm, motion to approve Trustee Walker-Eich, second by Trustee Andersen, pass by roll call vote 3-0. Trustee Walker-Eich nay.

Trustee Walker-Eich, this should go out for RFP. Shields has a lot of CPAs, and contact local CPAs to participate. Surprised moving forward for another year, I also feel our monthly Quickbooks service that is also out of Shields is not located here. Why do we not have a resident instead of out of township, we should keep the monies within the Township. How does the auditors work, should work rotate auditors every 3-5 years is the practice, not too strong relationship, generally accepted practices.

Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m. by Supervisor Urso, motion to adjourn Trustee Walker-Eich, and second by Trustee Andersen.

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