I was late.
By like two minutes.
But it’s full and someone is giving a presentation about a rock road.
They want the city to remove the excess rock in the yards by the end of March and they want the road resurfaced or oil and chip when warm enough. They would also like improved communication from the village to neighborhoods when work is going to be done and regarding concerns.
The road is Woodland. Basically it sounds like the village needs to do some rock clean.
Art is voting no on the consent agenda because he doesn’t want to transfer the 400,000 plus dollars the village has to the St. Joseph Recreation group who are doing the community building.
GAM properties and the village are entering into a TIF agreement.
I will pull this out tomorrow and go further into it. The fastest the developer will build is 20 houses a year if like everything goes right. 2026 would be 4, 2027 it would be 20. Its probably closer to 10 if we are all being honest.
“This location is where many people believed St. Joseph should be expanding,” Mayor Page said. “Ralph Woodard who owned this property many owners ago thought this is where St. Joseph should expand.”
Page saying if this passes and develops the village won’t have to develop at the park.
“This could be the beginning of longer term growth in this area,” Page said.
“This is why we passed the TIF,” Matt Wolfersberger said.
Joe reminding them that even if the agreement is passed that the developer has to go through the zoning plan and that the 4 houses they estimated in 2026 isn’t likely.
Joe saying it will be September before its approved. So this time next year they will probably start building.
Terri saying “You have to start somewhere.”
Art saying that they still have the park in their “vest pocket” But you have to start somewhere.
I am just going to say I think it’s a political nightmare to develop the park. I haven’t talked to anyone who supports that plan.
The are asking for a pre annexation agreement with the Woodard family for 208 acres. Right now they are farming tracts. Basically, they are doing this in case it becomes houses but it isn’t doing that right now. #thefutureisbright.
FY26-27 BUDGET TIME.
Joe has been working on the budget.
Joe has given them a list of discretionary spending that they can modify. One is wage adjustments. A lot of the items in a municipality budget is just stuff they absolutely have to do.
They have two bids for fireworks but he put it on the discretionary list. #DONTTOUCHOURFIREWORKS
Last one is a parks and recreation manager. They have to finalize a job description. Maybe slow down on the spending. Just my hot take.
Joe saying the pay is behind where it should be because the rate increase is behind the actual CPI. Which is basically a cost of living increase.
Jim hiring people full time people in public works demands competitive wages.
Jim saying that there was a dog bite in the village recently. “It would be nice to say call animal control so they can follow up on these.”
Joe asking if they even want to do fire works. Matt Wolfersberger “I think it is necessary.” #festivalhero
Andrea Childers agreeing that it would be nice to do.
Terri saying donating to the recycling facility that is asking for a donation to build isn’t at the top of her list.
Joe saying the fireworks are his least favorite expense.
If they don’t sell the sewer plant they will have to cut expenses.
Jim saying they will have to raise sewer rates significantly if they don’t sell it.
In Ogden, the public told the village board that they would rather pay doubled water rates as long as the village kept ownership of their water plant and the board listened and decided not to sell. #justthoughtthatwasinteresting.
Art is saying that they should market the church on Main as for sale.
FYI Everyone, the former Baptist Church is for sale.
Joe saying that the village did a RFP for the property. And has been shown 12 times. “It is out there.”
What do you think should go there? A daycare? Tear it down for houses? Tear it down and build a village hall there? A splash pad? A dog grooming business? It has to be something with not a ton of traffic, because it is a residential area.
Matt Walsh asking if they are working with a realtor.
Wolfersberger asking what it is listed for. It is appraised at $140,000.
Meeting adjourned.
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