Macon Reporter

Village of Warrensburg Village Board met June 2.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Hackl called the meeting to order at the Warrensburg Village Hall on Monday, June 2, 2025 at 5:30 p.m., reminding everyone the meeting was being recorded.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was recited.

ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor Hackl, Trustees Fisher, Bons, Davis and Netherton. Also present were Attorney Jankowicz, DPW Allen and VAC Booth. Absent: Trustee Eskew.

Chief Wheeler arrived at 6:10 PM due to responding to an emergency call.

MAYOR’S COMMENTS: None

PUBLIC COMMENTS: None

NEW BUSINESS: None

ENGINEER: Stephanie Brown, Chastain Engineering, updated the Board on the negotiations with ICC for widening the road and installing new crossing arms at the railroad crossing on Main Street. Once confirmed, this grant will re-imburse the Village for the work to be done in August 2026. It should take about 20 days to complete. No mention if the railroad crossing by the school will be done also, but Stephanie stated that the ICC will attempt to perform the work at the same time to save costs.

REVIEW/APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A motion was made by Trustee Netherton, seconded by Trustee Bons to approve the minutes of the May 19, 2025 regular meeting. Motion carried.

VILLAGE ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK: Trustee Netherton moved and Trustee Bons seconded to approve the balance sheet, pay the bills and make the appropriate transfers for June 2, 2025.

VAC Booth mentioned that the new flooring in Village Hall has been completed and the remaining balance is due to Flooring America. She reminded the Board that Covid funds were used for this project. VAC Booth also highlighted payments to Chastain and Associates for their work on MFT projects, the first installment of Macon County real estate taxes and Rohlfs Implement for the sewer department’s new Land Pride mower deck.

Roll Call Vote: Yes – Trustees Netherton, Fisher, Bons and Davis.

No – none. Motion carried.

VAC Booth explained that the TIF reimbursement check from 121 Coffee Run is still in the Buena Vista account and recommended transferring $37,000 to the Illinois TIF Fund account in order to earn more interest. She pointed out that it received $4.66 in interest compared to the approximately $500 in interest monthly if moved to the Illinois Fund account.

Trustee Netherton made a motion for VAC Booth to transfer $37,000 from Buena Vista Bank to the Illinois TIF fund, seconded by Trustee Bons.

Roll Call Vote: Yes - Trustees Fisher, Bons, Davis and Netherton. No – none. Motion carried.

VAC Booth discussed the General Code estimate to update and post the 9 Ordinances that she sent to them. There were 27 pieces of Legislation that did not need to be codified, such as land easements, etc. The estimate ranges from $1,462 to $1,681, as the final total depends upon the number of pages.

Trustee Bons made a motion to pay the invoice from General Code once it is finalized, seconded by Trustee Netherton.

Roll Call Vote: Yes – Trustees Netherton, Davis, Fisher and Bons. No-none. Motion carried.

FINANCE: Trustee Netherton presented the findings of the Finance committee regarding establishing a fee for using a credit card to pay for utilities and other payments to the Village. He stated that the Village is presently being charged between 2.7 and 2.9% per transaction, depending upon the amount of the transaction. Discussion followed concerning the amount that other businesses currently charge to recover the difference. It was determined that VAC Booth will contact LOCIS and the Village’s credit card processing company to discuss how to add the charge to every credit card transaction.

Trustee Netherton also discussed the recommendation of the Finance committee regarding the electric aggregate program. He stated that Direct Energy’s current rate of .06946 will rise to .08653; however, the rates from the 2 other energy providers used for comparison were substantially higher and also had more fees associated with their rates. It was also determined that renewing the Direct Energy contract with a longer term would keep the rate steady.

Trustee Netherton made a motion to accept a 3-year contract with the Village’s current provider, Direct Energy, seconded by Trustee Davis.

Roll Call Vote: Yes – Trustees Netherton, Davis, Fisher and Bons. No – none. Motion carried.

BUILDING: Trustee Netherton updated the Board regarding the Warrensburg signs currently in production at Dynagraphics. They will place the sign at Village Hall and on one side of 121 as soon as they are completed. The issue with the Shaw’s still has not been resolved, but once the sign easement is established for that other end of town, Dynagraphics will place that sign as well.

POLICE: Chief Wheeler presented the monthly report for May 2025.

Harold Hawkins inquired about the number of Officers currently training and about who will hire the new SRO position; which the School and Village will work together to fill.

Mayor Hackl asked Chief Wheeler about Brutus’s retirement, as mentioned in this month’s newsletter. Chief Wheeler explained that Brutus has regained the use of his hind legs and improved a great deal since his surgery but is not fit to return to duty. Instead, he is enjoying his retirement with the Wheeler family and their new puppy. There are no plans to replace the K9 unit with another dog.

SEWER: Nothing

STREETS: Mayor Hackl stated that it has been brought to his attention that a street light is needed near the intersection of Roosevelt and Lane. Discussion followed regarding the process to do so and determining the correct pole number. VAC Booth will send a request to Ameren once the pole number is ascertained.

Trustee Fisher made a motion to place a street light at the first (new) pole at Roosevelt and Lane, seconded by Trustee Netherton.

Roll Call Vote: Yes – Trustees Fisher, Bons, Davis and Netherton. No- none. Motion carried.

WATER: Nothing

PUBLIC WORKS: DPW Allen presented estimates for asphalting the pavement in front of Village Hall and sealing the cracks from Main to 121. He recommended the estimate received from Etherton, which was the lowest bid and the only one received that fell below the approved amount for MFT.

Trustee Bons made a motion to accept the Etherton bid for $24,920 for asphalting the pavement at Village Hall and sealing the cracks from Main to 121, seconded by Trustee Netherton.

Roll Call Vote: Yes – Trustees Bons, Fisher, Netherton and Davis. No- none. Motion carried.

VILLAGE ATTORNEY: Attorney Jankowicz informed the Board that he has been in communication with a group interested in purchasing the former Crown, Cork and Seal property. The group, known as Warehouse Bargains, headquartered in Quincy, IL is interested in adding the property in Warrensburg to their growing company. There is a zoning issue, as the property is currently zoned as general industrial. Attorney Jankowicz recommended that the Board could alter the special uses item to allow for retail sales, contingent on this closing. He stated that the Village would be able to maintain control of the use of the property, and the opening of a large retail warehouse in Warrensburg would be good for the community. The group has requested a quick turn-around in the process, so Attorney Jankowicz has suggested a zoning board meeting to be held on June 23, 2025 and a special board meeting to be held immediately after the zoning board in order to discuss and approve their recommendation.

Trustee Bons made a motion to ask the zoning board to amend VM-2 General Industrial Zone, Special Uses, to allow for retail sales, seconded by Trustee Netherton.

Roll Call Vote: Yes- Trustees Davis, Fisher, Bons and Netherton. No-none. Motion carried.

Attorney Jankowicz reminded the Board that resident, Rusty Simpson, would be appearing in court the following morning to answer to the Ordinance violations against him. He will keep the Board informed.

OTHER AND/OR OLD BUSINESS: Mayor Hackl stated that there is some confusion regarding the easement between Illinois Street and Indiana Street. Discussion followed and it was agreed to allow SKS Engineering to locate all of the pins.

A motion to adjourn was made by Trustee Netherton, seconded by Trustee Bons.

The meeting adjourned at 6:43 PM.

The next regular meeting will be on Monday, June 16, 2025 @ 5:30 PM.

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