October 24, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

St. Joseph Village Board, June 27, 2023

Special event permit for Pickleball tournament during Community Festival.

Proposal is to do a tournament at the festival. Either doing Friday night or Sunday.
Do it at the tennis court because the surface at the sports complex is not ideal. They got together and chalked out one court. They can get four pickle ball courts on the tennis court. Participants would get a towel, or item. Talking about getting sponsorships, getting signs, ect.

Constitution pickelball tournament had 64 players, ect.

They approved the special events permit for the festival.
They are discussing the future of pickleball now. Giving a brief history of how many people in America play, ect. Also discussing how easy it is to play, ect.

Pickleball saying they aren’t taking anything away from tennis because SJO tennis doesn’t practice at the village facilities. They also aren’t trying to take money away from the splash pad or any other group.

Tami is telling them there is no set revenue source for parks and is pushing her half-cent sales tax plan so soccer, baseball, softball, splash pad could have some funds and would allow the village to maintain things.

Joe saying Over a 10 year period the village has run an operational deficit for 1.6 million for parks and recreation. That’s 160,000 a year.

Terri brought up strategic planning and how the village board just went through two sessions in May to make sure they are fiscally responsible.

I am just going to go out on a limb and say that the majority of towns that don’t have a park district run a deficit in their parks and recreation fund because you can’t really bring money in if you 1. don’t go out and recruit major softball/baseball tournaments. 2. Have a tremendous space that people want to rent out. I love the parks but no one is paying $100,000 to rent out the pavilion at BJ Hackler Park.

Tami saying they need a group of engaged citizens to push the half-cent sales tax.

Pickleball players are passionate. The only other time this many people have shown up to a meeting is to discuss the failed zoning towncenter downtown. So if any group can get the sales tax passed I bet they can.

the tennis court needs replacement lights.

They are now discussing designated times for pickleball at the tennis court.

Joe is saying he doesn’t want to do designated times because the village will have to police it. #hemeanshewillhavetopoliceit

Saying Savoy has dedicated times for different sports. I just checked and they do! They have pickleball-specific times but they also have a Parks and Recreation Director.

Discussing solar panels on village buildings now. Won’t be voting because Art and Dan aren’t here and Jeff’s seat is still unfilled.

Brandon Moore and Brad Bengston are here to discuss storage units at the Boat graveyard. Basically, they claim you can’t build anything but storage units because the lot is small and it is an irregular shape. #maybe #iamnotadeveloper #IDK

There are 20 boats on the property!#OMG #WHOWOULDHAVETHOUGHT

Saying again the lot isn’t big enough for retail or restaurants. “It’s a small space and why take the chance?”

18,000 feet of storage in St. Joseph right now. Saying the need is there.

Saying that area is a mix of restaurants (Shoutout to the DQ and Monicals) Apartments, self storage, retail (Our friends at Merchantile) and an autoshop (shout out to St. Joseph Auto)

Developers talking about how people park in their driveway and road because they use their garage for storage. #heisntwrong

Tami saying it would need a special use permit in the commercial zoning. The drawings look nice though. Kinda reminds me of the one in Savoy across from the CVS. I had stuff in that storage unit before we moved out here and it was a nice facility. For a storage unit.

Max saying he doesn’t want to do a straw vote because Art and Dan are gone and they will have “big opinions.”

Max saying he is more positive towards this proposal because of the fact that it isn’t right by the other restaurants, ect. like the other proposed storage unit that came before the board a few months ago.

Tami said this property has been a huge issue so getting it cleaned up would be a huge plus.

Luke asking why people should rent a storage unit instead of placing a storage shed on their own property.

Developers say 1 in 11 houses in America use self-storage. #OMGcleanoutyourstuff

Developers saying that less than 5 percent of people don’t pay. #storagewarsauctions?

Terri saying she also doesn’t feel comfortable deciding without Art and Dan.

These developers are on point. “We would love to come back. We are committed to St. Joe. St. Joe is a great community.”

Another person has a letter of intent and it is for event planning, weddings, ect. (they believe)

Discussing Electric Aggregation. You can STILL OPT OUT. You will save around 10 percent if you opt out. SAVE YOURSELF SOME MONEY!!!! The phone number to opt out is 866-694-1262

Motion to adjourn.






Banner
Related Posts

Talk of the Town.. Ogden Mayor Gabe Clements

June 17, 2019

June 17, 2019

Every week we ask a village mayor, trustee, school administrator or school board member three questions. This week we talked...

State moves towards bridge phase

March 23, 2021

March 23, 2021

By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With 64 percent of the state’s seniors having received at least one dose...

Philo Exchange Bank looks to expand in St. Joseph

February 23, 2022

February 23, 2022

Philo Exchange Bank wants to be an active part of St. Joseph. The bank has entered into a purchase agreement...

Trustees not sold on VeoRide plan

March 6, 2019

March 6, 2019

VeoRide was scheduled to present to the St. Joseph Village Board in February. The company asked to have its presentation...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Dec. 14, 2021

December 14, 2021

December 14, 2021

I am here so you don’t have to be. This time about five years ago Bob Rigdon and BJ Hackler...

Wetlands home to 620 new trees

February 18, 2019

February 18, 2019

Earlier this winter, 620 white tubes were installed on the south side of the St. Joseph wetlands. Inside those tubes...

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 Blog, St. Joseph Village Board May 11, 2021

May 11, 2021

May 11, 2021

We are here at village board. Van Buskirk is absent as is Davis. Rapp, Cummings, Painter and Wagner are here...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board

May 25, 2021

May 25, 2021

Jim Wagner is running IT tonight. The new lawyer is here. Marc Miller. #somanychanges Bill time. Apparently Spring Green took...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Aug. 24, 2021

August 24, 2021

August 24, 2021

I am here at village board. There are four people in the audience. The lawyer and Mr. Sennert doing IT....

Live at Ogden Village Board

May 5, 2022

May 5, 2022

I am here so you don’t have to be. The village just voted to purchase lime for the baseball diamonds....

Live at St. Joseph Village board, July 27

July 27, 2021

July 27, 2021

Reg Ankrom is here discussing electrical aggregation and is saying the village should take a break from aggregation for a...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board on March 9, 2021

March 9, 2021

March 9, 2021

Bills. Fun paperwork stuff. No public comment. This could be a short meeting. Luke Fisher is getting an employee appreciation...

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 the St. Joseph Village TIF public meeting

April 15, 2025

April 15, 2025

I am here so you don’t have to be. Nothing is being voted on today. It’s a public comment type...

Comments
Leave a Reply