Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Nov. 14, 2023

I am here so you don’t have to be.
Doing the consent agenda. Basically, they approve the minutes, ect. all in one swoop.

This is what they approved:

Regular Village Board Meeting minutes – October 10th, 2023* – Exhibit #1

2. Regular Village Board Meeting minutes – October 24th, 2023* – Exhibit #2
3. Treasurer’s Report – November 2023* – Exhibit #3
4. Investment Recommendation – November 2023* – Exhibit #4
5. Approval of bills in the amount of $419,666.57* – Exhibit #5
6. Resolution canceling meeting on December 26, 2023* – Exhibit #6
7. Appropriations Ordinance Amendment approval* – Exhibit #7

Discussing a Request for Proposals for Development. This is for some of the land near the sewer plant.
Here is the RFP:

To summarize they want assisted living, single-family homes or duplexes.

Overview of St. Joseph, Illinois:
The Village of St. Joseph is a charming bedroom community, which offers a high quality of life.
The Village provides residents with numerous local amenities for shopping, dining, and
recreational activities. Moreover, it is conveniently situated near the bustling Champaign-Urbana
metropolitan area. St. Joseph is merely a short 10-15 minute drive from the University of Illinois,
Willard Airport, several healthcare facilities, and various other desirable amenities.
Introduction:
The Village of St. Joseph is seeking proposals from qualified developers for the development of
our 25 acres of farm ground, including a single-family house. The development can encompass
the construction of duplexes, single-family homes, or an assisted living facility. This Request for
Proposals (RFP) seeks to incorporate the best price per acre and the best concept, with equal
value attributed to each criterion.
Scope of Work:
The Village is open to proposals that include the retention of the existing house, or a demolition
proposal accompanied by plans for a new structure or structures. Applicants are required to
submit a general area plan along with their best concept for the proposed development.
Additionally, the Village expects the completion of the Evergreen Street expansion, as depicted
in the example concept included in this RFP.
Submission Requirements:
a. Detailed proposal highlighting the best concept for the development project.
b. General area plan outlining the layout of the proposed development.
c. Proposed timeline for the completion of the project, with an emphasis on swift execution.
d. Examples of previous projects and relevant experience in the field of real estate development.
e. A plan for the placement of a sign on the property announcing the development, with a
tentative completion date for units.
f. Details regarding the incorporation of the Evergreen Street expansion into the development
plan.
g. Option to retain the existing house in the proposed development plan.

207 East Lincoln Street • P.O. Box 716 • St. Joseph, Illinois 61873-0716

Phone 217/469-7371 • Fax 217/469-7019

Evaluation Criteria:
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
a. Best price per acre for the development.
b. Best concept, demonstrating creativity and innovation in the proposed design.
c. Feasibility and practicality of the proposed timeline for the completion of the project.
d. Ability to incorporate the Evergreen Street expansion into the development plan.
e. Previous successful projects and relevant experience in the field.
Contact Information:
All questions and inquiries regarding this RFP should be directed to:
Village Administrator: Joe Hackney
Contact Number: 217.469.7371
Email: joe.hackney@stjosephillinois.org
Deadline for Submissions:
The deadline for the submission of proposals is 60 days from the date of this RFP. No later than
__ at 12:00 P.M., all submissions should be returned in a sealed envelope to:

“Village of St. Joseph
Attn: Office of the Village Administrator
207 East Lincoln Street
St. Joseph, Illinois 61873”

Please note that the Village of St. Joseph has provided a rough concept as inspiration for
developers, but it is not mandatory to adhere strictly to this concept.
We look forward to receiving your proposals and partnering with a qualified developer to
enhance our community.
Sincerely,

Joe Hackney
Village Administrator

Now they are voting to annex the property they bought out near the sewer plant. #gottabeinthevillage
Talking now about the project at the sewer plant. You may have seen the cool new building going up.

Discussing sewer projects.

They are discussing purchasing 901 N. Third. Here’s the memo Joe sent out in the board packet. This is the “BOAT GRAVEYARD”

Fruhling-Voges saying they have spent a lot of time, effort and money trying to deal with the property.

“The best way to take control of the situation is to purchase it,” she said. “The biggest thing is it will give us control. It is critical commercial property by the Interstate.”

RE: Purchase agreement of 901 N. Third
Mayor and Board of Trustees:
I am writing to explain the background behind the Village’s prospective purchase of the property
at 901 North Third Street. For the past year, the Village has been engaged in court proceedings
and dedicated significant staff time towards trying to fully eliminate the nuisances that exist on
this property. Despite our best efforts, the property owner has been unable to properly address
these issues, resulting in accumulating fines and court costs.
At this juncture, acquiring the property presents an opportunity for the Village on two fronts.
First, it will enable us to ensure the complete and final removal of all nuisances on the site,
which is our primary purpose of protecting the overall neighborhood. Second, it will give the
Village control over a critical commercial lot adjacent to Interstate 74. Past zoning practices have
led to an overabundance of storage facilities and other non-strategic uses of retail/commercial
space along the I-74 corridor. Owning this property will allow us to be strategic and take full
advantage of the asset that is I-74 – something that communities without an Interstate running
through them would love to have.
The agreement to purchase this property is contingent upon completion of an environmental
analysis. If approved by the Governing Body, staff will then aggressively market the property to
retail and commercial entities that will maximize the benefits of its location next to I-74. This
presents a prime opportunity to clear the property of violations and ensure the highest and best
use of this key lot.
Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you for your time and attention to
this matter.
Sincerely,

Joseph Hackney
Village Administrator

They voted to purchase it.

Discussing the storm sewer project they are going to do with the high school. Clark Dietz recommends accepting the bid of $626,300 from Duce Construction but immediately issuing a change order to remove the Pond Control Berm work. This would result in approximately $370,000 in savings, bringing the total project cost down to $256,268. The $256, 268 will be split down the middle with the high school.

They approved it.

Discussing the Paid Leave for All Workers Act which basically gives employees an hour off for every hour they work up to 40. Basically, the village workers would get an extra week of vacation but there is a loophole they are discussing. If they pass this ordinance they are discussing the staff won’t get the extra time off.

I was going through the paperwork- They are paying $300,000 for the boat graveyard.
I don’t know exactly what they want to put there but I know they went to a retail recruitment convention a few weeks ago. They were targeting businesses that would pull people off the highway so, and this is ONLY A SORTA MADE UP EXAMPLE, like a coffee/doughnut place that people from Danville, Oakwood, ect. could hit on their way to Champaign. They want something that will bring in sales tax revenue so not storage units, ect. I honestly think a breakfast place would do a killing there. People working in Champaign could stop on their way out of town too.

60 kids attended the Halloween parade. #itwashuge #itwasfun #thweatherwasamazing. The mayor also took a photo with my kids, which is their tradition. #thankyou

Meeting adjourned.