July 9, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

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

This should be a short meeting. #Yesijustjinxedit

On the agenda tonight: the never ending discussion about the public works storage needs, sidewalks curbs and gutter maintenance and and intergovernmental agreement between the village and the high school. First reading only on the agreement. That means they won’t vote on it.

They are discussing how in the bills they are paying Mark Miller to help with a FOIA request. Five different ones have come in. #notfromme

Discussing, with an audience member, how a turf softball field at the HS may flood certain houses. Now discussing what drainage districts may be involved. #doesanyonereallyknow?

Old Business: Public Works Storage Unit. Joe wants them to take a tour of the public works storage facilities. He thinks it would be good to see the actual facilities.

I gotta say whatever Mike Sennert has done to the speaker is remarkable. I can actually hear. #Iamonzoom #Mattisdesigningaspecialsectionfortheillini

News Business: Sidewalks, Curb and Gutter maintenance.

They are discussing curb and gutter repairs. Bids will be due April 26 and the work must be completed by Sept. 1.

Curbs

On Main Street, Sherman and Lincoln will be redone. As well as Fourth and Northgate.

Sidewalks on Main, 3rd and Lincoln, 4th and Ethel, Lincoln, Sherman and Warren will be fixed.
As well as sidewalks on Locust, Juniper, Catalpa, Sycamore, Grand, Crestwood, Laurel and Bluestem.

The street will be patched at Sherwood and Laurel, Sherwood and Main.

They accepted a bid for raising the sidewalk.

Illini Concrete Raising for $4,522.
Sidewalks on Lincoln, Rt. 150, Grand, Locust, Glover, Meadowsweet, 7th Street and Main will be raised.

Now they are discussing, but not voting on, the intergovernmental agreement with the high school. It’s to address drainage concerns with the new turf football and softball fields.

Here’s what the village will do:

  1. The Municipality shall initially designate the Village Administrator as being its point of
    contact with authority to act under and make decisions under this agreement.
  2. The Municipality shall work with the engineering firm Clark Dietz to design, bid and
    oversee a stormwater improvement project to accept, transport and dispose of stormwater
    diverted from the St. Joseph High School meeting customary drainage standards and
    accommodating flood events equivalent to a 100-year flood event or greater.
  3. The cost of engineering costs will be paid one half by Municipality and one half by
    CHSD with payments for same made within 30 days of receipt of billing.
  4. Municipality shall approve of bidding contracts with the advice and consent of CHSD
    which shall be expeditiously provided and not be unreasonably withheld.
  5. Municipality shall engage the bidding contractors to construct the work contemplated by
    this agreement with the cost of same paid one half by Municipality and one half by
    CHSD with payments for same made within 30 days of receipt of billing.
  6. All work shall be taking place on Municipality’s property and through Municipality’s
    right of ways and easements but Municipality shall have reasonable access to CHSD’s
    property and shall use reasonable care when accessing same.
  7. Municipality shall undertake coordinating its efforts with CHSD’s construction efforts on
    its own property.

    Here’s what the High School will do:

  8. The CHSD shall initially designated its Superintendent as being its point of contact with
    authority to act under and make decisions under this agreement.
  9. The CHSD agrees that Municipality shall work with the engineering firm Clark Diets to
    design, bid and oversee a stormwater improvement project to accept, transport and
    dispose of stormwater diverted from the St. Joseph High School meeting customary
    drainage standards and accommodating flood events equivalent to a 100-year flood event
    or greater. CHSD acknowledges that the current design of its proposed field with
    synthetic turf presents certain risks in the event of flooding which it has investigated,
    understands, and accepts waiving claim against Municipality for damages arising from
    such flooding.
  10. The cost of engineering costs will be paid one half by Municipality and one half by
    CHSD with payments for same made within 30 days of receipt of billing.
  11. CHSD agrees that Municipality shall approve of bidding contracts with the advice and
    consent of CHSD which shall be expeditiously provided and not be unreasonably
    withheld.
  12. CHSD agrees that Municipality shall engage the bidding contractors to construct the
    work contemplated by this agreement with the cost of same paid one half by Municipality
    and one half by CHSD with payments for same made within 30 days of receipt of billing.
  13. To the extent that Municipality utilizes its own equipment, supplies and labor to
    undertake and complete the within project, CHSD agrees to reimburse Municipality for
    one half of the reasonable cost of same with Municipality being responsible for bearing
    the cost of the other half. To secure reimbursement, Municipality shall provide CHSD
    with a reasonable accounting for same, submit it to CHSD, and CHSD agrees to make
    payment to Municipality within 30 days of such submittal.
  14. Municipality and its contractors shall have reasonable access to CHSD’s property to
    facilitate the within project.
  15. CHSD shall be responsible for all costs of the project taking place on its own property.

This discussion kinda went sideways. Some board members aren’t too keen to split the cost because a few years ago the board wanted to do a TIF district and the schools weren’t too excited about. They also discussed whether or not the school needs to do the field updates. The trustees want to make sure they are being financially responsible. Some want the school to pay anything beyond $300,000. The village and the hs would split up until that cost.

Basically, the high school is putting in turf for softball and football/soccer. Astro turf gives off more water so the current storm tile which goes out to the Ox bow is at the capacity and would have to be expanded by at least 28 percent. A larger tile would be added. If the village does nothing the HS will have to build a retention pond. #WHATAHAZARD The village would get an upsized tile for the neighborhood and it would benefit the houses around the high school. The High School does have a larger tax share.

This particular project is apart of the storm water master plan that was done in 2004 so it’s not out of the blue. It was on the list.

I really jinxed this being a short meeting.

They are going back and forth regarding what to do if the project goes higher than $300,000. Basically, the village only wants to pay $150,000.


I got kicked off zoom but I am back now. Basically, Joe is going to figure it out.

BREAKING NEWS: DUMPSTER DAY IS MAY 20 7-10 a.m. IT HAS BEEN MOVED.

Tami saying that the American Legion has started a sons of the American Legion.

Discussing how St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District is 75 this year. #welovethefiredepartment

There’s standing water by a house in the village and Luke says it appears to be an underground spring! #WHAT?!?!?!? #thisiscool #probablynotforthehomeowners

adjourn



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