LISLE TOWNSHIP
DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 12, 2010
CALL TO ORDER: The Regular Meeting of the Board of Town Trustees was called to order by
Supervisor Clarke at 7:30 p.m., at the Lisle Township office, 4711 Indiana Avenue, Lisle, IL.
1. Roll Call:
Physically
Present:
Supervisor Charles Clarke
Assessor John Trowbridge
Highway Commissioner Michael Dow
Trustee Patti Voras
Trustee Vito Modica
Trustee Robert Klaeren
Trustee Michael Tams
Clerk Richard Tarulis
Present Electronically:
None
Absent:
None
Others Present:
Virginia Wisdom
Jim Vondran
Bob Longacre
2. Public
Comments: Ms. Virginia Wisdom advised the Board that she is tape-recording the meeting for personal
use. Ms. Wisdom advised the officials that she had taken an Open Meetings Act class. She pointed out that
the agenda for this meeting was not on the township website, as required by the law. She notified Supervisor Clarke a few
minutes before the meeting, and he confirmed that the agenda was not on the website at this time. Trustees discussed whether
the meeting could be held. The consensus was that if there is anything improper about the meeting, then we should not hold
it. The annual budget ordinance is also on the agenda, and it should not be approved if the meeting is
questionable.
A special meeting will be called and held on Saturday, May 22, at 1:00 p.m., at the township office, to conduct the
meeting scheduled for tonight. Supervisor Clarke will arrange for notices to be sent out and posted.
He will also consult with the township staff and computer consultant to find out why the agenda for tonight was not posted on the
website.
2. Motion to
Adjourn: Motion to adjourn by Trustee Modica, second by Trustee Voras. Voice vote, all in favor, motion
passed. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Richard J. Tarulis
Township Clerk
LISLE TOWNSHIP
DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF MAY 22, 2010
CALL TO ORDER: The Special Meeting of the Board of Town Trustees was called to order at 1:00 p.m. at the Lisle Township
office, 4711 Indiana Avenue, Lisle, IL, by Supervisor Clarke.
1. Roll Call:
Physically Present:
Supervisor Charles Clarke
Highway Commissioner Michael Dow
Trustee Patti Voras
Trustee Vito Modica
Trustee Robert Klaeren
Trustee Michael Tams
Clerk Richard Tarulis
Present Electronically:
Assessor John Trowbridge
Absent:
None
Others Present:
Virginia Wisdom
Sue Burtnette
Aileen Eilert
2. Public Comments: Supervisor Clarke asked if anyone
was recording the meeting. Ms. Virginia Wisdom said she refuses to disclose if she is recording. She said
her attorney told her there is an exception in the evesdropping law for public meetings. Clerk Tarulis advised the Board that
the Open Meetings Act allows the township to adopt reasonable rules for the recording of meetings, but that Lisle Township has no rules, so she
can record the meeting. Supervisor Clarke found the Open Meetings Act and read the section on recording
meetings.
3. Resolution for Early Retirement Incentive Program:
Supervisor Clarke handed out a legal opinion from Heidi Katz, at the Robbins, Schwartz law firm in Chicago, regarding whether he can vote for the
ERI Resolution. Ms. Katz said that Supervisor Clarke would be prohibited from participating in the ERI Program if it were
adopted, because it would be considered an increase in his compensation during his term of office, in violation of the
statutes. Therefore, in her opinion, there is no conflict of interest for Mr. Clarke to vote on the ERI
Resolution.
Trustee Modica stated that in his opinion it is not responsible to expose the township to possibly over a million dollars of costs in order to
possibly save a little money. He said it is not efficient. Supervisor Clarke pointed out that we have saved
over $30,000 so far from just one employee early retirement last year. Trustee Tams said that the early retirement program was
created by the legislature in order to save money, and that if the township can save one dollar then we don’t have to ask the taxpayers for
it. He felt ERI is not irresponsible, and it is not a new program. Trustee Voras felt that it is wrong to
be used as a benefit for employees, and that it has been promised to employees in the past and is considered an entitlement.
She questioned how much replacement employees will cost. Supervisor Clarke referred to the projections made by him and
Assessor Trowbridge two months ago.
Motion by Trustee Klaeren to approve the Early Retirment Program effective June 30, 2010. Second by Trustee Tams.
Roll Call Vote:
Ayes: Klaeren, Tams, Clarke
Nays: Modica
Present: Voras
Absent: None (Motion Passed.)
Trustee Voras read a motion as follows:
“For clarification of purpose and transparency in government, I move that we set up guidelines for compensation, other than worker’s expenses,
for monies paid to any employee over and above their current salary. These guidelines should include Board approval for any
bonuses, severance pay and/or any additional compensation for retirement over and above regular IMRF pension payments and should be capped at a
given percentage of worker’s salary or a flat, capped amount.”
The motion was seconded by Trustee Modica.
Trustees Voras and Modica said that the employee buyout last year was not approved by the Board in advance, and the Board was not even notified
before a severance check for $40,000 was handed out. They felt the township Board should have more control.
Supervisor Clarke suggested that the Board can only set the budget, and that he hires, fires and sets compensation for
employees. Trustees questioned whether they had the authority to adopt the motion.
Trustee Voras amended the motion to obtain two legal opinions whether the Board had authority to adopt the guidelines described in the motion,
and to put the question on the June agenda. Voice vote, all in favor, motion passed.
4. Approval of Minutes: Motion by Trustee Klaeren to
approve the minutes of the April 14, 2010 Town Board meeting. Second by Trustee Tams. Voice vote, all in
favor, motion passed.
5. Public Hearing on Budget: Motion by Trustee Klaeren
to open the public hearing on the tentative Budget for the Town Fund and General Assistance Fund. Second by Trustee
Tams. Voice vote, all in favor, motion passed.
Supervisor Clarke called the public hearing to order. Mr. Clarke noted that the tentative budget has been posted for public
inspection for over 30 days. Ms. Virginia Wisdom questioned the line for a new building. Trustee Tams
pointed out that this was discussed at the budget workshop, which Ms. Wisdom attended. The line is for a reserve fund to
construct a new building for the assessor’s office in the near future. The building has been leaking and needing substantial
repairs during the past few years. At some point the township will be better off building a new building than continuing to
fix up the old one. Ms. Wisdom suggested that the line be re-named “New Building Reserve” for
clarification. No one objected, so Supervisor Clarke will have the name of the line changed.
Ms. Sue Burtnette advised the Board that the budget looks like it was prepared by kindergarteners. She thought the budget
should be tabled in order to address her concerns. She said the township attorney should also be present at all
meetings.
Trustee Modica suggested the following revisions to the tentative budget: Line #1306 – Building Maintenance – change from
$150,000 to $100,000; Line #1308 – Capital Improvements – change from $200,000 to $150,000; and add a new
line #1310 for Contingencies in the amount of $100,000. Also, Mr. Modica suggested that line #1631 – ERI – be reduced to
$200,000 from $250,000, because the Supervisor and Assessor cannot participate in ERI pursuant to the legal opinion from Ms.
Katz. Trustees agreed to make the changes.
Trustee Voras questioned whether the township was buying one van or two vans. Supervisor Clarke answered two.
6. Approval of Budget for Town Fund: Motion by Trustee
Voras to approve the Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the fiscal year 2010 – 2011 for the Town Fund as amended. Second
by Trustee Klaeren.
Roll Call Vote:
Ayes: Voras, Klaeren, Tams, Clarke
Nays: Modica
Absent: None (Motion Passed.)
7. Approval of Budget for General Assistance Fund:
Motion by Trustee Tams to approve the Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the fiscal year 2010 – 2011 for the General Assistance
Fund. Second by Trustee Voras.
Roll Call Vote:
Ayes: Voras, Klaeren, Tams, Clarke
Nays: Modica
Absent: None (Motion Passed.)
8. Public Hearing on Road District Budget: Supervisor
Clarke called the public hearing on the tentative Budget for the Road District to order. Mr. John Quinn gave the Board a
summary of the road projects that are scheduled for this year. Highway Commissioner Dow noted that there will be only four
brush-pickups this year instead of six, in order to save money. Trustees asked several questions. There
were no public comments.
9. Approval of Budget for Road District: Motion by
Trustee Modica to approve the Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the fiscal year 2010 – 2011 for the Road District. Second
by Trustee Voras.
Roll Call Vote:
Ayes: Voras, Modica, Klaeren, Tams, Clarke
Nays: None
Absent: None (Motion Passed.)
10. Report of Township Supervisor: None.
11. Reports of Township Officers: None.
12. Other Business: None.
13. Audit of Expenditures:
Motion by Trustee Voras to audit
expenditures. Second by Trustee Modica. Voice vote, all in favor, motion passed.
The following total expenditures in each fund were reviewed:
Town
Fund
$ 53,703.70
General Assistance
Fund $ 7,669.29
Road & Bridge Fund
$ 34,145.96
Motion by Trustee Voras to approve the audit of the expenditures. Second by Trustee Modica.
Roll Call Vote:
Ayes: Voras, Modica, Klaeren, Tams, Clarke
Nays: None
Absent: None (Motion Passed.)
14. Motion to Adjourn: Motion to adjourn by Trustee Modica, second
by Trustee Tams. Voice vote, all in favor, motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Richard J. Tarulis
Township Clerk
** Next regular meeting Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at the Lisle Township office **
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