September 1, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

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

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

The Hitts and the Parsons are here. You may remember them from last time with the sewer issue.

Kirsten Schaefer is also here to discuss her food project.

They are doing investments and bills right now.

Schaefer is speaking now. She has worked on a community service project “Feed your Neighbor.” The project helps with food insecurity. She created the project because her friend has to pay for their own dinner from their birthday or Christmas money.

10 percent of the hs is food insecure. Restaurants around St. Joseph allow people to pay for a meal at Roch’s, Scratch, El Toro, and the Ribcage. Food insecure residents can go to restaurants and redeem a free meal.

I am going to get more info. This is an amazing project she has put together.

Fruhling-Voges said she thought it was a good project.

Hitt and Parsons time. Painter wants to wait until the next meeting because there are so many people gone.

Art kinda hinted that the insurance company refused the claim again but didn’t say it outright.


To recap, the lift station failed, the alerting system failed, the Parsons ended up with sewage in their basement. It cost more than $7,000 to clean up not even counting the build back and the family wants some form of payment from either the insurance or the village since it was the village’s lift station that failed.

Todd Hitt is asking for clarifications and saying he has rebuttals to what the insurance company has said. Joe the village administrator said he wants the rebuttals in writing.

Hitt says the village is negligent. He is disappointed people aren’t here to take the vote, ect.

Basically- they aren’t giving them an answer tonight.

Clark Dietz gave the village a pro/con list of locations for the splash pad. I am going to get a copy of it. They are being vague but whatever. Next meeting is when Water Odyssey is going to be here. Art wants to know how much water it is going to use. Question- would the public be willing to pay a 25 cent surcharge on their sewer bill so $3 a year to fund the water?

We raised more than $800 from the trunk or treat. THank you Wagners and IGA. The fire wives are donating 10 percent of their Christmas Pancake Breakfast to the splash pad and we are placing doorhangers out.

Max suggested a QR Code.


Go to Stjosephsplashpad.com I made this website to keep people updated and you can also donate to our go fundme from there.

Discussing pedestrian walk ways now.

Luke is talking about the changes they are making to keep the lift station failure from happening again.

Oh wait, Dan Davis isn’t here either. SO its Wagner, painter and Art. It’s only a quorum since Tami is here and can vote.

Mike saying previously the lift station had alarms and no one called. HOW is that possible. If someone hears a boom it’s on the St. Joseph page. How would no one call for a blaring alarm? I mean I believe it but lord.

They are discussing selling vehicles, buying new ones.

They are discussing light bars for vehicles.

Discussing staff coaching and governing body coaching services. It sounds like this is “hey, you can do this this and this as a trustee” but you shouldn’t do “this this or this.” Its probably to tell them that they are to decide policy not like nitty gritty stuff like where the signs for a business are going to be located.

Costume parade was very very well attended. About 30 kids attended. (My three were there!) It was a good event and beautiful day, the mayor said. (It was. So cute.)

On Veterans Day Shawn Hallett, the SJO resource officer, will be speaking at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Monument near the HS. and then the legion will host ham and beans and chilli after the presentation.

Discussing some tree situation. Painter hates that they didn’t buy local. They bought trees in Bloomington and Painter wanted them to buy local. #makessense

Mike saying he did get a quote and they were higher.

Meeting is over.

Banner
Related Posts

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, June 13, 2023

June 13, 2023

June 13, 2023

No one is here in the audience. Are you all watching on Youtube? Anyway… Jim Wagner isn’t here, neither is...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Aug. 22, 2023

August 22, 2023

August 22, 2023

Ken Cooley resigned from planning and zoning and the mayor is appointing Steve Peters for that term. That term runs...

5 Questions with Republican Caucus candidate Terri Cummings

December 2, 2024

December 2, 2024

What made you want to run?  When my husband and I moved to St Joseph 14 years ago I felt...

Brush pick-up suspended indefinitely in St. Joseph

June 17, 2019

June 17, 2019

St. Joseph Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges has suspended brush pick-up indefinitely. Fruhling-Voges said she understands why residents are upset with the...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board

May 12, 2020

May 12, 2020

We are live at St. Joseph Village Board. Terri Cummings is being appointed to fill Bob Rigdon’s trustee position. Four...

SJO soccer to have new home in 2023, while issues arise about current field maintenance

July 14, 2022

July 14, 2022

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School soccer team is set to have a new home field for the 2023 season. SJO...

Village to look at signage for downtown, parks

July 9, 2024

July 9, 2024

The Village of St. Joseph is considering adding wayfinding informational signs to the town. Wayfinding informational signs provide directions, identify...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Oct. 11, 2022

October 11, 2022

October 11, 2022

We are live at village board. The news everyone is waiting for. Halloween Trick or Treat hours are Oct. 31...

Library releases statement about TIF

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

The St. Joseph Township-Swearingen Memorial Library Board of Directors thought this was important information you should know about the village...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board Feb. 22.2022

February 22, 2022

February 22, 2022

Discussing the proposed location of Philo Bank. Max Painter saying the lot has been vacant for a long time. Tami...

Ogden mayor resigns effective Nov. 1

October 26, 2023

October 26, 2023

Gabe Clements has resigned as the mayor of Ogden effective Nov. 1. ,In his resignation letter to the Village Board,...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023

May 9, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be. They are swearing in the board members today. #newbutold Jeff Van...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board August 9, 2022

August 9, 2022

August 9, 2022

I am the only one in the audience so far. Thanks to MX electric for sponsoring our live blogs. They...

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...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, July 9, 2024

July 9, 2024

July 9, 2024

Here at village hall. They are discussing how village board wants the bills broken down more. They want to know...

Comments
Leave a Reply