Tamaroa Water Project on Track
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Mike Smith of Southern Engineering told the Tamaroa Village Board that only two pieces of paperwork were needed before the project could be bid.
The items were a title commitment on either the pump station or the ground storage tank and an agreement with the Village of St. Johns.
Attorney Matt Foster said that he believes the agreement with St. Johns has already been obtained.
Secretary Cheryl Pelker reported that the Village is still working to obtain a key easement. The family involved is willing to sign an easement, but would like to have an out-of-state family member included in the negotiations via a conference call.
Several Trustees questioned Smith about meeting the February 2010 deadline for the initial USDA loan, as was discussed by Marsha Gajewski at the September meeting. Smith said Gajewski has not recently indicated that there could be a problem with the timeline.
Trustee Lisa Haycraft said she would contact Gajewski directly to ask about the deadline.
The project will be funded in two phases: the initial phase and a cost overrun. The initial phase for which the USDA loan was approved was solely to hook onto Rend Lake Water and run the line into the pump station.
The project has grown over the past several years to include absorbing the Consolidated Water District and hooking on additional customers. The cost overrun will be larger than the original project.
The funding for both phases of the project is expected to be around $2 million. The initial loan was to be for approximately $580,000. There is also a 30 percent grant.
The interest rate on the first phase is over four percent, Smith said. The interest rate for the cost overrun is about 3.25 percent.
The USDA has a new financing rule. Tamaroa will have to borrow all of the funds for the project from a local bank. Once the project is complete or within 18 months of the start date, USDA will sell bonds to pay off the local bank.
Smith said he would work with a committee to write letters to local banks to obtain financing.
Smith also reported that an inspection of the Community Center roof showed that the portion of the roof over the gymnasium is bowed and holds water. Standing water has caused deterioration, resulting in leaks.
He had a cost estimate of $90,000 to build up, insulate and re-roof the portion of the roof over the gym and some gables and sloping portions. The estimate for gym roof alone is $56,000.
Tamaroa is applying for a legislative grant for $25,000 and a USDA grant for $30,000 for roof repairs.
Smith said that grant funds may only cover the gym portion. Once the applications are approved, at least three bids will be necessary. The cost may be lower than the estimate at that time.
In other business, the board:
approved a new personnel policy to include a supervisory position. The supervisor, Butch Hunter, has the authority to give oral and written reprimands to employees. The Board will make all decisions regarding disciplinary action of employees. A special meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Dec. 16 to discuss the new policy with employees and discuss personnel issues.
agreed to give all five village employees a $100 Christmas bonus.
heard from Mike David-son that he would like the village to move the new stop sign from in front of his house to one of the telephone poles near the intersection. Davidson said the sign could interfere with mail delivery. He cautioned that drivers are running the stop sign and that an accident at the intersection is likely. Hunter said he did not know whether it was legal to place the sign directly onto a utility pole or not. He chose he current placement so as not to disturb telephone wires.
heard Mike Frost's side of a dispute over a pond on his property. Some of his neighbors complained to the board about the pond, claiming that it smelled, needed to be cleaned up and was a haven for mosquitoes. Frost said he cleaned up the pond, but the same neighbors who complained about it threw their yard waste in it. He offered to put up a fence, but was told that it "wasn't neighborly" so did not. The board agreed that none of the Trustees who inspected the pond on Mike Frost's property noticed an unpleasant smell or got bitten by mosquitoes. Any dispute Frost and his neighbors have over the pond is a civil matter. The village attorney will write letters to all parties involved letting them know that it is a civil matter.
agreed to open a checking account for the annual Tamaroa Tractor Pull. Village employees have collected some funds to be used for this year's pull. The board discussed holding a breakfast or dinner to raise funds necessary to fund the tractor pull. Butch Hunter was asked to price sleds and ask what dates are open. Hunter suggested that if the pull becomes profitable in the future, the proceeds could be used to purchase playground equipment. The committee will meet to discuss preparations.