Meeting Minutes: August 7, 2018
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS:
Council called to order by Mayor Amy Joseph on
Tuesday, August 7, 2018, at 7:30 pm at the Rockford Village Hall.
Invocation – Jeff Long
Pledge of Allegiance
Those present: Gehle, Young, Pontsler, Now, Heitkamp
Fox – absent
Also attending: Tom Stankard of the Daily Standard, Robby Peel, Alyssa Joseph, Megan McGeorge, Mary Beougher, Bret Peel, Lowell Beougher, Jane Now, Nancy Leighner, Marti Lentz, Yvonne Patch, Roger Patch, Jennifer Miller, Susie Miller, Ken Kilgore, Shirley Green, Bob Green, Vivian Mohler, Rita Blossom, Brenda Barker, Linda Hart, Amy Noll, Joe Noll, Gary Brehm, Barry Peel, Sr., Chad Miller, Srgt Stetler, Chief May.
Motion Gehle. Second Heitkamp to accept the agenda as orders of the day with addition of those wanting to speak to council – Mary Beougher, Ken Kilgore, Brenda Barker, Yvonne Patch, Barry Peel Sr., Jennifer Miller.
Pontsler called for the question. Gehle = y, Heitkamp = y , Pontsler = y, Young = y, Now = y. Passed 5 yes.
Motion Young. Second Now to accept the minutes from the
July 10, 2018 council meeting as presented. Heitkamp called for the question.
Young = y, Now = y, Heitkamp = y, Gehle = y, Pontsler = y. Passed 5 yes.
Visitors to Address Council:
Mary Beougher – Lived here a long time, TJ’s in business a long time without liquor permit and made it fine. We have 4 places that already sell in a 2 block area. We appreciate the stores we have and want them to remain successful.
We don’t need another place to sell liquor in such a small town.
Ken Kilgore of Rockford RoadDog / Duncan Oil – 12 + years. Family owned company with hands on owners purchased TJ’s 3 months ago. Want to make a lot of improvements to be able to compete in the business. Planning to add a well-known taco/burrito franchise, do renovations inside and outside. Wanting to compete with the truck-stop business where people are looking for one stop shopping. We want to be a part of the community in the future and whether this goes through or not we need community support.
Brenda Barker – Same feelings as Mary. We need businesses that are already here to remain successful. Had problems with the people going around asking for signatures on a petition – Mom 90 years old was talked into signing something she didn’t even know what it was for. Evidently was for Sunday sales ?
Yvonne Patch – Same feelings – didn’t appreciate the petition going around for Sunday Sales before they even knew the outcome of the meeting.
Barry Peel Sr. – Yes – has a vested interest in Rockford, but what is good for the citizens of Rockford. Question to those in attendance to come up with 1 positive reason to approve permit? If approved would just cut the pie into 5 slices instead of 4. Doesn’t feel it would actually bring more revenue to the village. If they succeed and takes out one of the other 4 businesses then Rockford is losing instead of gaining. We already have enough places to purchase liquor.
Ken Kilgore – feels positive of increase of business in Rockford. Would cement the corner as an established place to do business as a one stop shopping instead of going to several locations for needs for those traveling and living in the village.
Jennifer Miller – works at the Eagles and has talked to a lot of people doesn’t seem to be any positives. Tom and Joyce ran a successful business for 30 years without permit. Again we already have 4 places for carry out and several sit down places that serve liquor. We don’t want a Walmart type business coming in and putting the other establishments out of business.
Barry Peel Sr. – would like to ask again – can anyone come up with 1 positive for allowing the permit ?
Gehle – Thank you to everyone coming and voicing your thoughts and concerns. We appreciate your interest in the community.
Mayor’s Report and Correspondence:
Community Announcements and events:
August 18th – Parkway Prayer Walk @ 8:30 am
Begins at the Parkway High School Entrance
August 20th – Parkway Back to School
August 20th – Meet & Greet Parkway’s New Football Coach – 7 pm
Pizza and homemade ice cream – Rockford Eagles Fellowship Hall
September 8th – Fall Craft and Vendor Show – 10 am – 3 pm
Community Building
September 9th – The Larry Seibert Memorial Concert featuring the
Lima Area Concert Band – $7 donation – Parkway Auditorium – 3 pm
Proceed to Parkway Band –
September 22nd – 9th Annual Sock Hop and Cruise in
@ The Rockford Belle – 4 – 8 pm
September 29th – Mercer County Household Hazardous Waste Day and Steel drop off – Mercer County Fairgrounds – 9 – 1 pm
Village Administrator’s Report – Jeff Long
Thank you to the Rockford Fire Department for flushing the hydrants last weekend. Waiting on report. No water problems so far !
Pontsler – Light at the park – not fixed yet.
Sewer plant project – equipment for lift station ordered as this will be the 1st part of the project.
Fremont has broken ground on their 27 million dollar expansion. They will be hiring an additional 70 people. This is great news !
Committee Reports
Finance Committee – Steve Gehle
Motion Pontsler to pay bills as submitted – $28,462.88. Second Young. Now called for the question. Pontsler = y, Young = y, Now = y, Gehle = y, Heitkamp = y. Passed 5 yes.
Motion Young to approve the monthly financial reports –
Cash Summary by Fund, Appropriations report, Revenue Report,
Budget vs Actual activity report and Bank reconciliation: also the monthly transfers. Second Pontsler. Heitkamp called for the question. Young = y, Pontsler = y, Heitkamp = y, Gehle = y, Now = y. Passed 5 yes.
Motion Now to approve monthly transfers, supplemental appropriations to date and approve additional purchase orders. Second Heitkamp. Pontsler called for the question. Now = y, Heitkamp = y, Pontsler = y, Gehle = y, Young = y. Passed 5 yes.
Service Committee: Greg Pontsler
Have worked on some pot holes with cold mix and will be working on more with hot mix once cooler.
Safety Committee: Chris Heitkamp
Economic Development Committee: Shane Young
Excited about Fremont expansion – reminder they are hiring ! This will be a boost to Rockford.
The RADC and the Bicentennial committee held a meeting together last night. Lots of plans for 2019 to prepare for year long event in 2020. The south side of the Fire Department is prepped for the mural to begin later in the year.
Public Utilities Committee: Wilbur Fox – absent
ORDINANCE 01-18
AN ORDINANCE LEVYING ASSESSMENTS FOR DELINQUENT WATER BILLS, AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
1ST reading – 06/19/18
2nd reading – 07/10/18
3rd reading – 08/07/18
Motion Gehle. Second Heitkamp. Pontsler called for the question. Gehle = y. Heitkamp = y, Pontsler = y, Young = y, Now = y. Passed 5 yes.
Rules Committee: Brad Now
Duncan Oil / Rockford RoadDog has requested a TREX transfer for a liquor permit to the Village. Council to vote on the issue to approve or reject the request. Discussion:
Gehle did some research and feels that competition in business is good, however, Mercer County has already decided that we have enough liquor permits based on our population and we would be going against that quota by allowing a transfer to take place. We are maxed out on permits and shouldn’t allow one to be transferred in.
Motion Pontsler to deny the TREX transfer for a liquor permit. Second Gehle. Now called for the question. Pontsler = y, Gehle = y, Now = y, Young = y, Heitkamp – abstain conflict of interest. The request has been denied.
Old Business
Several trees will be taken down at the park on Thursday or Friday this week.
Have not received word on the final gas disconnect at the Trailer Park.
New Business
___________________________ _____________________________
Mayor Fiscal Officer
Meeting adjourned 8:11 pm
