| The Sun-Times Serving Williamsville and Sherman |
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Glacial Energy not producing expected savings for
Williamsville
By Linda Hughes
In reply to concerns expressed by audience members, Williamsville Mayor Tom Yokley said officials are talking
with other small towns where the railroad goes through and are in the same boat.
“We’re not just putting our head in the sand,” he said.
His remarks came at the regular board meeting Monday.
Yokley said he has talked with people at the Illinois Department of Transportation “trying to work something out.
I’m letting them know we’re concerned.” He said the Planning Commission is involved in these discussions.
Trustee Valerie Patterson asked if there are any expectations on when all those questions are going be
resolved.
“It could drag on for years or be resolved in three months,” Yokley said he had been told.
In another matter, Yokley asked office manager Karen Humphres to contact Glacial Energy to give the village in
writing that it can have a two-month extension on the contract or it will cancel.
The board voted unanimously to give Yokley the authority to cancel the contract if the village can’t get a two-
month extension in writing. Yokley said he would like to have the letter by Friday.
Humphres earlier told the board that the village is not saving any money with Glacial.
The board accepted the one bid received, for $3,003 on the property behind Bella Trattoria. The bid for the 25-by-
67 piece of property comes to $1.80 per square foot. Yokley pointed out that as long as the property belonged to
the village, it was off the tax rolls.
Yokley told trustees he would like to have the budget finished by the first meeting in December.
“I think things are going to get better,” the mayor remarked, saying that revenues are down in the general fund by
$160,000. which is “pretty significant.” Gas taxes are down $42,000, income taxes are down $53,400, sales taxes
are down $55,000 and interest income is down $8,000. He pointed out that the village has not received all the
property taxes.
“Hopefully, things will turn around a little,” Yokley said, noting that Casey’s is open again.
Trustees discussed what to do about people who don’t pay the fines connected to ordinance violations.
Village Attorney Randall Segatto said the village now has to take them to court.
Yokley said he needs to appoint a committee to deal with the situation. Police Chief Richard Edwards said that
at one time area law enforcement officials talked about establishing a regional committee.
The fines are so low it is not cost effective to go to court, Trustee Mike Barnett said.
Segatto said the board needs to make sure the fines are significant, that “it’s willing to put teeth behind its bark.”
Some people have gone for more than a year not paying fines, Edwards said.
Trustee Scott Butterfield announced that the Nixle alert system is now up and running. He has gotten both text
messages and e-mail. Nixle has announced a contest for the community that signs up the most people per capita,
with a prize of $10,000. To register, go to Nixle.com.
Barnett brought up the Department of Labor issue with the prevailing wage at Preferred Tank & Tower. A letter
was sent Oct. 15, but the company has not communicated with DOL for months.
Preferred did work on the water tank in Sherman. The village is withholding payment on a subcontractor’s work
until the DOL is satisfied that the issue is resolved.
“We’re stuck until we get something from the Department of Labor,” Barnett remarked.
Patterson showed a logo she had designed for Shop Williamsville. She needs a graphic designer for certain
aspects, she said. She also needs a graphic designer to put promotions on the Web site.
Yokley suggested she put the logo banners on flagpoles. He also asked her to find out how much money she
needs and bring that back to the next board meeting.
Twenty park benches arrived for the village, Public Works Director Kent Thompson said. They were bought
used over the Internet. Trustees discussed various ways of cleaning them up.
Thompson said the village has plenty of salt for the winter.
Williamsville
By Linda Hughes
In reply to concerns expressed by audience members, Williamsville Mayor Tom Yokley said officials are talking
with other small towns where the railroad goes through and are in the same boat.
“We’re not just putting our head in the sand,” he said.
His remarks came at the regular board meeting Monday.
Yokley said he has talked with people at the Illinois Department of Transportation “trying to work something out.
I’m letting them know we’re concerned.” He said the Planning Commission is involved in these discussions.
Trustee Valerie Patterson asked if there are any expectations on when all those questions are going be
resolved.
“It could drag on for years or be resolved in three months,” Yokley said he had been told.
In another matter, Yokley asked office manager Karen Humphres to contact Glacial Energy to give the village in
writing that it can have a two-month extension on the contract or it will cancel.
The board voted unanimously to give Yokley the authority to cancel the contract if the village can’t get a two-
month extension in writing. Yokley said he would like to have the letter by Friday.
Humphres earlier told the board that the village is not saving any money with Glacial.
The board accepted the one bid received, for $3,003 on the property behind Bella Trattoria. The bid for the 25-by-
67 piece of property comes to $1.80 per square foot. Yokley pointed out that as long as the property belonged to
the village, it was off the tax rolls.
Yokley told trustees he would like to have the budget finished by the first meeting in December.
“I think things are going to get better,” the mayor remarked, saying that revenues are down in the general fund by
$160,000. which is “pretty significant.” Gas taxes are down $42,000, income taxes are down $53,400, sales taxes
are down $55,000 and interest income is down $8,000. He pointed out that the village has not received all the
property taxes.
“Hopefully, things will turn around a little,” Yokley said, noting that Casey’s is open again.
Trustees discussed what to do about people who don’t pay the fines connected to ordinance violations.
Village Attorney Randall Segatto said the village now has to take them to court.
Yokley said he needs to appoint a committee to deal with the situation. Police Chief Richard Edwards said that
at one time area law enforcement officials talked about establishing a regional committee.
The fines are so low it is not cost effective to go to court, Trustee Mike Barnett said.
Segatto said the board needs to make sure the fines are significant, that “it’s willing to put teeth behind its bark.”
Some people have gone for more than a year not paying fines, Edwards said.
Trustee Scott Butterfield announced that the Nixle alert system is now up and running. He has gotten both text
messages and e-mail. Nixle has announced a contest for the community that signs up the most people per capita,
with a prize of $10,000. To register, go to Nixle.com.
Barnett brought up the Department of Labor issue with the prevailing wage at Preferred Tank & Tower. A letter
was sent Oct. 15, but the company has not communicated with DOL for months.
Preferred did work on the water tank in Sherman. The village is withholding payment on a subcontractor’s work
until the DOL is satisfied that the issue is resolved.
“We’re stuck until we get something from the Department of Labor,” Barnett remarked.
Patterson showed a logo she had designed for Shop Williamsville. She needs a graphic designer for certain
aspects, she said. She also needs a graphic designer to put promotions on the Web site.
Yokley suggested she put the logo banners on flagpoles. He also asked her to find out how much money she
needs and bring that back to the next board meeting.
Twenty park benches arrived for the village, Public Works Director Kent Thompson said. They were bought
used over the Internet. Trustees discussed various ways of cleaning them up.
Thompson said the village has plenty of salt for the winter.
Issue Date: Oct. 29, 2009