10-31-2022 4:31am

Village meetings plan to look back and look forward

Michael McGinnis Editor

Staff photo

The villages of Roscoe and Rockton are holding their regular twice-monthly Board of Trustees meetings on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Each municipality holds these public meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at their respective municipal offices. The Roscoe meeting [PDF] begins at 6:30 p.m. at 10631 Main Street, Roscoe, Illinois. The Rockton meeting [PDF] begins at 7 p.m. at 110 E Main Street, Rockton, Illinois.

After offering the floor to the public for brief comments, Village of Roscoe president Mark Szula will present the 2021 fiscal year Village of Roscoe audited financials. One of the Village of Roscoe's two representatives on the Stateline Mass Transit District board will also give a report.

The Roscoe trustees plan to take final action to approve the final plat No. 1 of Villas of Rose Way, between Bluestem and Prairie Rose Drive. Developers want to build 27 duplexes on the property, which is zoned two-family residential. The property is owned by Dennis Gilg and is adjacent to other upscale development, such as the Gardens of Prairie Rose, and Landmark Appartments.

Resolution 2022-R69 will establish the estimated tax levy for tax year 2022. A tax levy estimate, despite the name, does not actually change tax rates. Most property taxes go to local schools; Roscoe Township actually lowered their tax rates between 2020 and 2021.

Treasurer Mark Olson will give a cash report (basically, listing the village's bank balances) and present the bills that need to be paid. After a few questions, trustees generally vote to pay them. Olson will also go over year-to-date revenues and expenses.

The Roscoe board will vote on entering into an agreement with Premier Technologies Inc. of Beloit for professional information technology consulting services for next year. The meeting will conclude with another invitation for public comment.

In the Village of Rockton, Mayor John Peterson will ask the board to approve 2023 meeting dates and times for the Rockton Village Board and its standing subcommittees. All meetings are open to the public.

Trustee Justin York will give a report on Rockton Police Department activity, including the number of traffic stops and arrests. Trustee Dan Baumgartner will ask for a consensus to pay an additional $750 for Microsoft software licenses.

Trustee Jodi May will ask for approval of the low bid of $45,000 from Cahoy Group to fill up and seal Well #8, which is being abandoned. The board will also consider Ordinance 2022-25, which amends the purchasing procedures of the Village of Rockton, and Ordinance 2022-26, which authorizes the execution of the Illinois Municipal League's Risk Management Association (IMLRMA) minimum/maximum contribution agreement.

Trustee Scott Danielson will recommend the Village pay $7,250 to WTVO to market Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26, promoting independent, small, local businesses, and the 38th Rockton Christmas Walk on Dec. 2-4. The S. Prairie Street well house has brick walls which need $5,000 worth of tuckpointing. And the seniors group 50 North has donated $1,500 to the Village of Rockton, which needs to be formally accepted.