Tamaroa Votes $1.9 million for Water Expansion, Rend Connection
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[<span style=""> The Tamaroa Village Board passed an ordinance to sell $1,914,000 in revenue bonds to fund the expansion of the village's own water system, the connection to the Rend Lake Water District and absorption of the 204 Water District. </span>
<span style="">Mike Smith of Southern Engineering said that the loan closing instructions for interim financing through Farmers and Merchants Bank are in the hands of the village's attorneys. The next step is to hold pre-closing and pre-construction meetings. </span>
<span style=""> Smith said he and Marsha Gajewski of USDA expect to have the contracts for the water project finalized by June 1. </span>
<span style="">Butch Hunter told the board he had been contacted by the 204 Water District employee. The board said the District 204 employee is welcome to attend the next board meeting. Much about the upcoming consolidation of the two water districts is undecided. </span>
<span style="">Trustee Charles Stein said he expects the 204 Water District will not be officially absorbed until Tamaroa begins supplying their water. There were several other issues addressed, including when Joyce Mazzarella would receive 204's customer information to be put into the Tamaroa database and whether or not a computer upgrade would be necessary. </span>
<span style="">Smith also asked Mayor Curtis Stube and Clerk Cheryl Pelker to sign a final application for a USDA CII grant. He said the grant amount had been raised from $30,000 to $67,500. The funds will be used to re-roof the community center. The bid for the roofing project came in at $22,500. </span>
<span style="">In other business, the board: </span>
<span style=""> * approved the appropriations ordinance for the coming fiscal year. Total appropriations were $825,500. </span>
<span style=""> * approved renewing the contract with St. Johns to turn off water service to their customers who have not paid their sewer bills. The contract is good for 10 years and is identical to a previous contract that expired two or three years ago.</span>
*<span style=""> discussed the June 13 tractor pull. Mayor Stube announced that there is $4,988 in the tractor pull fund. The board agreed to a total prize payout of $1,000. The total prize money will be divided among several brackets, which will be discussed at the next tractor pull meeting. The rain date for the tractor pull was set for June 20. </span>
<span style=""> * set a tentative date of June 12 for the Tamaroa town-wide yard sale. </span>
<span style=""> * agreed to send letters to the neighbors of Debbie Copeland and Holly Nippe. Copeland and Nippe said they have contacted both the Perry County Animal Control Office and the Sheriff's Department about dogs in their neighborhood running loose, relieving themselves on their lawn and tearing up their garden. Village Attorney Matt Foster asked for the names and addresses of the neighbors. He will send letters and a copy of the village's leash ordinance to the neighbors and ask the Sheriff's Department to cite violators.</span>