April 10, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, March 8

I am here so you don’t have to be.

VIllage Clerk Tiffany McElroy Smetzer is wearing a shamrock sweater which I can get down with because I am 75% plus Irish.

They are doing the minutes, bills, treasurer’s report. The stuff they gotta do but is boring. #itsbasicallyhousework

Crowd control: It’s just me. Said the St. Joseph DQ is going to be awesome and is going to hold a fundraiser for the splash pad. Date TBD.

Board is discussing the different type of residential zoning. R1, R2, R3, R4 are all different but barely. They are discussing when the zoning meetings are to discuss the updated zoning map. This does not have anything to do with Philo Exchange Bank. This is the zoning update they have discussed previously which was first discussed 5 years ago. (I know it was five years ago because I was on maternity leave with Sully.) #historicalknowledge #Nooneelsewouldknowthis #trivia

Picnic table time. There are 1800 pounds of bottle caps that have been collected. #somany The kids at Prince of Peace Early Learning Center count them, sort them, ect. then the village stores them and when there is enough they can have picnic tables and park benches made out of them.

Max Painter is discussing how they could do a park bench in honor of Ross Booker. It would cost $300 plus the plaque. Tami saying there is no set policy on this for the village. Tami is recommending the village order it and then people who want to donate to the cause donate towards the bench. So they are ordering four benches, one will be to honor Ross and if you want to donate towards it contact the village.

They are discussing a fee for people who want to do solar panels on their home or in their yard. Are there enough people in town that want solar panels that they need a fee? I guess so.

The fee for solar panels and wind turbines will be $50. #gogreeniguess

Discussing the minimum wage increase through 2025. Joe has information from other communities.

They have been discussing this for a while but it’s all theoretical so I am not going into it. Basically, they will eventually, sometime in the future discuss it again.

The next meeting will feature the village’s bond council. #pleasesendhelp #bondsareboring

The community survey results are in. I will get the results. #didyousayyouwantedasplashpad #youbetterhave.

They are announcing the winners of the gift cards. The winners are Amber Barnett and Julie Woller. Come to village hall to claim your IGA gift card.

The village hall has lost WIFI. No one panic. #Wehavebeenlosingitatourhouseallday

Tami saying please keep the Booker family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. They are discussing the Gift of Life flag-raising ceremony that was held earlier for Ross at Carle due to his organ donation.

MIke Sennert is here and trying to get the internet back up. #idontknowifitwillwork #heistryingthough

Art is saying he has spoken to two people who moved from Champaign to other area towns because of the school situation in Champaign. He feels like the village needs to do something to expand residential development in order to encourage more people to live here. Tami said Joe is having meetings to spur development along.


Meeting adjourned.





Banner
Related Posts

Love of libraries motivates new director

July 12, 2022

July 12, 2022

Allison Wakefield loves libraries. When she was little, she and her family went to libraries in every town and city...

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...

St. Joseph VIllage Board, Feb. 8

February 8, 2022

February 8, 2022

I am way late to Village Board but I am here. They are discussing snow plowing and how people got...

Storm cleanup to take place this week

July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

Help has arrived. The cities of Champaign, Effingham and El Paso, in addition to Champaign County Highway staff and various...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

This should be a short meeting. #Yesijustjinxedit On the agenda tonight: the never ending discussion about the public works storage...

Board to hold hearing on allowing marijuana to be sold within the village

July 24, 2019

July 24, 2019

The St. Joseph Village Board wants to know what its citizens think regarding marijuana dispensaries within the village limits. The...

Community members attend board meeting to support Assistant Public Works Director

May 2, 2024

May 2, 2024

On April 29, dozens of people attended a village board meeting and signed up to praise a village employee—Luke Fisher....

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

July 11, 2023

Jim Wagner is not here. Jeff Van Buskirk’s seat isn’t filled yet. They approved the minutes, bills, treasuer’s report. An...

Haan hopes to help Ogden grow

March 31, 2021

March 31, 2021

Jim Haan wants to help Ogden grow.  “Ogden is a safe, affordable, and friendly town and I want to keep...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board

October 8, 2019

October 8, 2019

The past few meetings have been packed… not this one. Only two audience members. They approved the minutes, are going...

LIVE AT ST. JOE VILLAGE BOARD

September 24, 2019

September 24, 2019

Tonight they are finalizing the vote to not allow dispensaries. Sewer main in the alley behind old firehouse that feeds...

Philo Exchange Bank holds meeting to address concerns

March 1, 2022

March 1, 2022

Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges wants residents near a proposed location for Philo Exchange Bank to know she is not in favor...

Live at St. Joseph Village, Jan. 10, 2023

January 10, 2023

January 10, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. Discussing bills. Art has some questions about the bills. Discussing Sterling...

Ogden Village Board to discuss recycling tonight

June 6, 2019

June 6, 2019

The Ogden Village Board discussed recycling again in May and will do so again tonight at their June meeting. In...

Village hopes to accommodate restaurants for outdoor seating

May 26, 2020

May 26, 2020

The Village of St. Joseph is hoping to help its restaurants in any way it can. Governor JB Pritzker announced...

Comments
Leave a Reply