| The Sun-Times Serving Williamsville and Sherman |
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Williamsville village board honors Red Cross,
Emergency Response Coalition
By Linda Hughes
At the village board meeting Monday Mayor Tom Yokley presented framed proclamations to two main groups
who helped clean up after the Aug. 19 tornado.
The proclamations went to the Emergency Response Coalition, represented by Brad Schaive, and to the
American Red Cross, represented by Lynn Wilson, who chairs the Disaster Committee.
The coalition is comprised of four labor unions – Laborers Local 477, Carpenters Local 16, Teamsters Local
916 and Operating Engineers Local 965. The proclamation notes that coalition members “volunteered their time
and equipment to remove debris and tree limbs from the streets and properties.” With assistance, they removed
40 truckloads of debris.
The Red Cross and Sangamon County Department of Public Health coordinated efforts to provide food and
shelter for storm victims and responders, the proclamation notes. It also mentions that over 200 volunteers from
churches, faith-based organizations and other not-for-profit entities assisted storm victims and responders. A letter
will be sent to all of those. Look for photos with the proclamations elsewhere in this issue.
In a related matter, Yokley said that as the Disaster Relief Fund has run out of applications, it is buying
hardwood trees and will give one tree to each household that lost trees in the tornado. Harold Carter is offering the
special price of $175 per tree. Residents can buy two more trees at that price.
Glacial Energy gave the village a 60-day extension on the contract, Yokley said. If it doesn’t pan out, the village will
drop the contract.
At the last meeting, officials expressed disappointment that Glacial is not saving the village money. Yokley also
expressed concern over the lapse time in billing.
Office Manager Karen Humphres said she has talked with officials in other communities and found that other
towns have dropped Glacial.
Trustee Scott Butterfield said there has been a “decent response” to the Nixle.com alert system. Some people
wondered if it is working, as no messages have gone out. Butterfield said he would send out a test message.
The board approved the bid for security systems from Young Security Inc. Butterfield said it was the best bid.
The system will cost an estimated $3,700 for the village hall and an estimated $5,400 for the police department,
the higher price being to secure the evidence vault.
Personnel will use a card swipe to get into the buildings. The card will double as a picture ID. Installing the
systems will take four to six weeks. Meanwhile, the board will come up with a policy on card use.
Preferred Tank & Tower is seeking payment through the village’s bonding company, Trustee Mike Barnett said.
The village is withholding some payments until a labor situation is resolved.
The Department of Labor is starting to investigate a subcontractor, Barnett explained. The conflict is over the
prevailing wage. He suggested that it is time for Village Attorney Randy Segatto to get involved, possibly getting
with the bonding company.
The board approved paying $259 for the village to be a part a recipe book being published by Illinois Route 66
National Scenic Highway. Trustee Valerie Patterson said the book would help promote the village. A recipe will be
solicited from the Bella Trattoria and the BluCat Café. The village will get 24 books.
Trustees authorized Patterson to spend up to $1000 for street banners promoting think local and shop local.
Yokley suggested that there should be at least six banners, maybe more, and for Patterson to check places in
Springfield to make the banners.
The oil isn’t sticking, Yokley said of the oil and chip work.
“We wasted our money. We’ve got to do something different,” he said, adding he has received 50 calls about
dust.
Trustee Mark Esker replied that the village would have to go with washed rock as the only way to eliminate dust.
At the last meeting, he said that washed rock is more expensive.
“That oil didn’t stick to old surface,” Yokley said. “We do not want to repeat this. We need to look at a different oil.”
Public Works Director Kent Thompson said he has also gotten complaints.
Yokley asked Esker, who heads the committee overlooking streets, sidewalks and storm sewers, to budget
$25,000 to $30,000 for storm sewer work and to do the sewers before the sidewalk work.
The board agreed to sell a small piece of land behind Bella Trattoria to Annette Cooper, who with her husband
owns the restaurant. Cooper had the only bid, $3,003.
Emergency Response Coalition
By Linda Hughes
At the village board meeting Monday Mayor Tom Yokley presented framed proclamations to two main groups
who helped clean up after the Aug. 19 tornado.
The proclamations went to the Emergency Response Coalition, represented by Brad Schaive, and to the
American Red Cross, represented by Lynn Wilson, who chairs the Disaster Committee.
The coalition is comprised of four labor unions – Laborers Local 477, Carpenters Local 16, Teamsters Local
916 and Operating Engineers Local 965. The proclamation notes that coalition members “volunteered their time
and equipment to remove debris and tree limbs from the streets and properties.” With assistance, they removed
40 truckloads of debris.
The Red Cross and Sangamon County Department of Public Health coordinated efforts to provide food and
shelter for storm victims and responders, the proclamation notes. It also mentions that over 200 volunteers from
churches, faith-based organizations and other not-for-profit entities assisted storm victims and responders. A letter
will be sent to all of those. Look for photos with the proclamations elsewhere in this issue.
In a related matter, Yokley said that as the Disaster Relief Fund has run out of applications, it is buying
hardwood trees and will give one tree to each household that lost trees in the tornado. Harold Carter is offering the
special price of $175 per tree. Residents can buy two more trees at that price.
Glacial Energy gave the village a 60-day extension on the contract, Yokley said. If it doesn’t pan out, the village will
drop the contract.
At the last meeting, officials expressed disappointment that Glacial is not saving the village money. Yokley also
expressed concern over the lapse time in billing.
Office Manager Karen Humphres said she has talked with officials in other communities and found that other
towns have dropped Glacial.
Trustee Scott Butterfield said there has been a “decent response” to the Nixle.com alert system. Some people
wondered if it is working, as no messages have gone out. Butterfield said he would send out a test message.
The board approved the bid for security systems from Young Security Inc. Butterfield said it was the best bid.
The system will cost an estimated $3,700 for the village hall and an estimated $5,400 for the police department,
the higher price being to secure the evidence vault.
Personnel will use a card swipe to get into the buildings. The card will double as a picture ID. Installing the
systems will take four to six weeks. Meanwhile, the board will come up with a policy on card use.
Preferred Tank & Tower is seeking payment through the village’s bonding company, Trustee Mike Barnett said.
The village is withholding some payments until a labor situation is resolved.
The Department of Labor is starting to investigate a subcontractor, Barnett explained. The conflict is over the
prevailing wage. He suggested that it is time for Village Attorney Randy Segatto to get involved, possibly getting
with the bonding company.
The board approved paying $259 for the village to be a part a recipe book being published by Illinois Route 66
National Scenic Highway. Trustee Valerie Patterson said the book would help promote the village. A recipe will be
solicited from the Bella Trattoria and the BluCat Café. The village will get 24 books.
Trustees authorized Patterson to spend up to $1000 for street banners promoting think local and shop local.
Yokley suggested that there should be at least six banners, maybe more, and for Patterson to check places in
Springfield to make the banners.
The oil isn’t sticking, Yokley said of the oil and chip work.
“We wasted our money. We’ve got to do something different,” he said, adding he has received 50 calls about
dust.
Trustee Mark Esker replied that the village would have to go with washed rock as the only way to eliminate dust.
At the last meeting, he said that washed rock is more expensive.
“That oil didn’t stick to old surface,” Yokley said. “We do not want to repeat this. We need to look at a different oil.”
Public Works Director Kent Thompson said he has also gotten complaints.
Yokley asked Esker, who heads the committee overlooking streets, sidewalks and storm sewers, to budget
$25,000 to $30,000 for storm sewer work and to do the sewers before the sidewalk work.
The board agreed to sell a small piece of land behind Bella Trattoria to Annette Cooper, who with her husband
owns the restaurant. Cooper had the only bid, $3,003.
Issue Date: Nov. 12, 2009