April 30, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Live at St. Joseph Village Board

The Champaign County Forest Preserve is here to ask the board to endorse their tax increase.

Meeting to start in six minutes.

Oh wait, they are going to start early. #notillegal #dont@me

Terri Cummings saying the sports complex repaving looks really nice. #itdoes #mykidsevencommentedonit

Painter and Davis are on Zoom.

Sarah and Mary Ellen from the CCFPD are here to talk to us. Basically, on Nov. 3 they are asking for a limiting rate increase of .016 percent on the Forest Preserve’s property tax levy.

There are 4,000 acres in the forest preserves.

The rate has remained unchanged for 40 years. (WOW)

The increase will yield $700,000 yearly for improvements and operating expenses.

With the referendum, they would be able to restore Middle Fork’s Willow Pond, improve the Homer Lake Interpretive Center, Replace the roof on the covered bridge at Lake of the Woods, repair the dam and spillway at Lake of the Woods and Homer lake, upgrade the public bathrooms, improve bike paths and trails and create more nature and history connections through children’s programming. #funfactmattandigotmarriedatHomerlake

If it fails they will have to forego needed repairs across all sites, close unsafe and deteriorating facilities and structures, cut some programs and events and raise fees on others, delay restroom, trail, playground updates and shrink the budget for equipment, staffing and tech needs.

During the quarantine, my family visited ALL the forest preserves in Champaign County. If you haven’t, I highly recommend you take a drive and see what great facilities, parks and trails we have at our disposal.

Asking for an endorsement for the tax increase from the board.

Art is pressing them on their finances. “With the progressive tax on the ballot, it may be difficult.”

Tami saying the forest preserves and the Rail Trail are an asset to the town.

The trustees saying it’s a “no brainer” to support the tax increase and are making a motion to endorse it.

Matt Silver resigned from Planning and Zoning due to work obligations. Brian Knight has been recommended to take his place.

Tami is sharing things with the board-I think it’s emails that are complaints but she said she’s not going to go into details.


The finance committee has been meeting a lot in August, said Cummings. The last meeting was on Aug. 19 and Steve Carter for the Illinois City and County management association came to share info when considering hiring a village administrator. They are discussing having an interim village administrator so they can have a broad search which can take six months. They want staff, trustees, ect. and community members to weigh in.

Tami saying she sees the value in having an interim position.

They currently have an ordinance that I think was written when BJ was mayor so it’s obviously going to have to be redone.

I am interested to see if the village actually has enough work for a village administrator. I used to cover a town that had one and, at least in that instance, it made the mayor role basically obsolete because the administrator was actually running things. When they get the job description done I will get a copy and see what they envision the role to be.

Buildings and grounds, sewer have nothing.

Luke and Mike are down on Lincoln Street dealing with the split tree.

There will be a presentation service sign for Dustin Leemon on SEPT. 6, a 33-year-old Afghanistan war veteran. He will be back over the labor day weekend. It will be at the sports complex. 6 p.m. at the Veteran Memorial Monument.

The school board has signed on to the agreement to finally end the drainage tile saga. #FINALLY #LOOKINGUP But now there are some issues with the daycare and Abbetfield. #OHNO

Meeting is over. 🙂

Banner
Related Posts

Mondays with the Mayor… Ray Cunningham

January 22, 2019

January 22, 2019

Every Monday we will ask a Mayor from an area village to answer three questions. This week it is Homer...

Village reminds residents to pick up after their animals

October 6, 2020

October 6, 2020

Poop is a problem in St. Joseph—dog poop that is. Village of St. Joseph Office Manager Julie Hendrickson said that...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, September 27

September 27, 2022

September 27, 2022

I am here so you don’t have to be. MX electric sponsors our live blogs. SO if you have an...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, March 24, 2026

March 24, 2026

March 24, 2026

I am here so you don’t have to be. But if you have an opinion on the village hiring an...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, July 13

July 13, 2021

July 13, 2021

SO not only am I late to village board because #dancemom I am also outside typing this on the hood...

Live at Ogden, Aug. 5, 2021

August 5, 2021

August 5, 2021

Discussing Rail to Trail intergovernmental agreement. Village would have to remove snow. Sue Esposito saying she wants them to plow...

Safety first: Village urges residents to slow down near school crossing guards

August 25, 2021

August 25, 2021

When Matt, Andrew and Mark Case were young, their mother Beverly was thankful for a crossing guard to help them...

Village hires administrator

June 24, 2021

June 24, 2021

The Village of St. Joseph has its administrator.During its June 22 meeting the village board voted to hire Joseph Hackney....

Village installs crosswalk signs on Rt. 150

June 8, 2022

June 8, 2022

Cross Rt. 150 just got a little safer. The Village of St. Joseph recently installed lighted push-button-activated crosswalk signs near...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

Presentation on a potential community building.Todd Hitt and Jim Page In 2018-19 Tami and Jim Page put together a group...

Live at Village Board, April 25, 2023

April 25, 2023

April 25, 2023

We are here. On the agenda, the festival committee, the Fourth of July parade, outdoor dining for Roch’s and El...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, April 11

April 11, 2023

April 11, 2023

The mayor is doing a proclamation declaring April as Autism Awareness Month. Doing the general stuff they always do- bills,...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Nov. 12, 2024

November 12, 2024

November 12, 2024

I am going to be honest. I am watching on Youtube because I have the plague and am trying not...

‘Julie has been the backbone of this village for a long time’

December 28, 2021

December 28, 2021

Julie Hendrickson loves St. Joseph. And a piece of the small town’s footprint will soon step away from a long-time...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Nov. 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

November 9, 2021

I am here at village board. Terri Cummings, Jeff Van Buskirk are not here. Wagner is on zoom. The Hitts...

Comments
Leave a Reply