November 18, 2025 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Live at Ogden Village Board, May 2, 2024

Dollar General is here to talk about what their new store layout will look like on the Pink Pig land. It will be a DG Market with “enhanced food offerings.”


It’s all zoning talk. How high fences need to be, offsets, and how trucks will pull in and out of the property. And drainage. So much drainage.

They approved the zoning board variances so now DG can close and get it moving.

GFL is here to discuss a city-wide garbage company for Ogden. They came to St. Joseph earlier. They pick up 38,000 in Peoria per week and have contracts as small as 33 homes in smaller towns.

Discussing the number of homes, the cost and how they do the billing. The company would like the village to do billing through their water bills.

Discussing what happens to the Republic carts if they go with GFL and if residents would have to pay the cancelation fee. GFL rep saying that usually companies waive that fee if a town goes with a city wide carrier.

They are discussing how GFL offers recycling, board saying that would eliminate some issues at the recycling Dumpster.

The board is going to do some research and talk to constituents to see what the public thinks.

The board is looking at their appropriation ordinance. That is an ordinance that allows them to spend money but they don’t have to spend that money. For example, if they put $20,000 in the appropriation for an audit. They can spend up to that amount but don’t have to.

Approving software to do water billing.

They approved the donation so all Ogden residents can participate in the Electronic Recycling event on May 18.

They tabled the Christmas Decor System Contract for $1810 because they want to price more lights.

Discussing hosting a Dumpster Day and how it would be monitored. Kelly asking if they have the money to do this. John Wright saying it’s less about the money and more about the logistics. They are researching what it will take to logistically. It’s tabled.

Discussing whether they will contribute to the sign at PVO south. Ben Smith saying he thinks that since its on the main road and a key source in the village he would like the village to donate. Acklin asking if he has thoughts on an amount. Sue thinks they should donate something. Brandon Lewis saying he wishes the village had their own electronic signs at the park. PVO South averages 22,000-24000 in county sales tax. They may be levying that for bond payments or other maintenance items, said Acklin. Jim saying he thought it was an odd request for a superintendent to ask a village. “I have mixed feelings about it but I told Mr. Isenhour I would ask the board.” Tabled that.

Discussing appointing Mr. Chestnut to the zoning board.

Library agreement- they are tabling it until next month.

They were supposed to have a bid opening on April 23 but they haven’t gotten any bids. Acklin saying he had very little communication from Berns Clancy leading up to the bid opening.

Don Wauither is here from Berns Clancy. #he’smyfavoriteengineer. Some contractors told him they wanted him to delay the bid opening due to a state bid for a large project being due the same day. Wauither said he decided to cancel that bid opening and reschedule and forgot to notify the mayor and Clerk Bowman. “It’s nobody’s fault but mine,” he said. “I will endeavor to do better. I dropped the ball.”

“I don’t want the village to be backed into a corner where we get some outrageous number for the sewer plant project and we can’t do anything else,” Acklin said.

Wauither saying they could reset the bid process for two and three weeks.

They will do a bid opening in two or three weeks.

Committee reports: Had to have an electrician come down to the water plant because the boosters weren’t working.

Working on some nuisance properties.

Discussing Rick’s Tractor Service closing. There will be a mobile coffee shop in town later this year. #SOCOOL

Discussing some flooding caused by a collapsed tile on Lynn Street under a concrete driveway. It will cost $4,500. Acklin enacted his emergency powers to get it fixed so they didn’t have to wait two months.

There will be an Ogden open air market starting soon in downtown. There will be food trucks. Thursday after Memorial Day is when it starts. It will end Thursday before Labor Day.

Acklin got an email from Gieselle Hamm about rebuilding downtown main streets and economic recovery. Basically, it’s grant programs. Deadline is July 22 for grant applications.

Meeting adjourned.



Banner
Related Posts

Live at VIllage Board July 26, 2022

July 26, 2022

July 26, 2022

Rachael Schott and fourth grader Lana Schott are here to discuss a downtown Christmas tree. Lana is presenting her idea...

Village reminds residents to pick up after their animals

October 6, 2020

October 6, 2020

Poop is a problem in St. Joseph—dog poop that is. Village of St. Joseph Office Manager Julie Hendrickson said that...

Brush pick-up suspended indefinitely in St. Joseph

June 17, 2019

June 17, 2019

St. Joseph Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges has suspended brush pick-up indefinitely. Fruhling-Voges said she understands why residents are upset with the...

Ogden Village Board to discuss recycling tonight

June 6, 2019

June 6, 2019

The Ogden Village Board discussed recycling again in May and will do so again tonight at their June meeting. In...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

April 23, 2024

Presentation on a potential community building.Todd Hitt and Jim Page In 2018-19 Tami and Jim Page put together a group...

Live at Ogden Village Board, Oct. 6, 2022

October 6, 2022

October 6, 2022

Chickens are on the agenda. #itshappening #maybenot #ilovechickens Discussing the rail trail. Apparently, the village can’t enforce ordinances on the...

Live at Ogden Village Board July 8

July 8, 2021

July 8, 2021

The Matanky Group is here saying they want to bring in a lot of business here to Ogden. He said...

Is a new village hall in St. Joseph’s future?

March 29, 2022

March 29, 2022

The Village of St. Joseph is discussing selling three properties downtown. And it could come with a new use for...

‘It’s probably the biggest event, the biggest natural disaster we have had’

June 30, 2023

June 30, 2023

Assistant Public Works Director Luke Fisher has never seen anything like it. “It’s probably the biggest event, the biggest natural...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Oct. 8, 2024

October 8, 2024

October 8, 2024

I am a tad behind but Jayne Deluce is here from Experience CU to ask for money. She’s talking about...

Talk of the Town with Mayor Ray Cunningham

August 25, 2019

August 25, 2019

Recently, Homer lost its grocery store and the Main Street Belly Deli. Mayor Ray Cunningham discusses how Homer is hoping...

Lewis wants to give back to hometown

April 5, 2021

April 5, 2021

Brandon Lewis has one goal as trustee—give back.  Lewis is running for Ogden Village Board on April 6.  “I want...

LIVE AT ST. JOE VILLAGE BOARD

September 24, 2019

September 24, 2019

Tonight they are finalizing the vote to not allow dispensaries. Sewer main in the alley behind old firehouse that feeds...

Talk of the Town….. with Gabe Clements

September 5, 2019

September 5, 2019

Every week we ask a village trustee, mayor, school board member or administrator three questions. This week we talked to...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Oct. 11, 2022

October 11, 2022

October 11, 2022

We are live at village board. The news everyone is waiting for. Halloween Trick or Treat hours are Oct. 31...

Comments
Leave a Reply