November 24, 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 St. Joseph Village Board, March 8

March 8, 2022

March 8, 2022

I am here so you don’t have to be. VIllage Clerk Tiffany McElroy Smetzer is wearing a shamrock sweater which...

Cunningham wants to help Homer grow

April 6, 2021

April 6, 2021

Ray Cunningham feels he has unfinished business.  Cunningham is running for reelection as Homer’s mayor on April 6.  “I am...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board , Nov. 22, 2022

November 22, 2022

November 22, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, Eve. Apparently, they buried a time capsule today but no one told me so…. There was no...

Village to hold public hearing on marijuana dispensaries

July 26, 2019

July 26, 2019

The Village of St. Joseph will hold a public hearing to discuss allowing marijuana dispensaries in town. The hearing will...

Live at St. Joseph Village Board, Aug. 10

August 10, 2021

August 10, 2021

I was 15 minutes late. Village board is packed. Not totally sure why but its public comment time! MY favorite...

5 Questions with Republican caucus candidate Matt Wolfersberger

December 2, 2024

December 2, 2024

1. What made you want to run? My original plan was to step aside at the end of my term,...

Brush pick-up to resume in August

July 9, 2019

July 9, 2019

Brush pick up is expected to resume in August. The Village of St. Joseph held a Buildings and Grounds Committee...

Gherna resigns from village board

July 11, 2019

July 11, 2019

Andy Gherna is resigning from the St. Joseph Village Board. Gherna announced that the July 23 board meeting will be...

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...

Mayor to encourage board to allow trick-or-treating

October 1, 2020

October 1, 2020

St. Joseph Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges is going to encourage the village board to allow Trick-or-Treating. Fruhling-Voges said she had examined...

Village installs crosswalk signs on Rt. 150

June 8, 2022

June 8, 2022

Cross Rt. 150 just got a little safer. The Village of St. Joseph recently installed lighted push-button-activated crosswalk signs near...

Chittick Eye Care to open in early March

February 24, 2020

February 24, 2020

Chittick Eye Care will open its ninth clinic in downtown St. Joseph in early March. The clinic will be staffed...

Brush pick-up discussion still ongoing in St. Joseph

July 1, 2019

July 1, 2019

The Village of St. Joseph is discussing having residents purchase bags from the village for brush pick-up. Village board members...

Village votes no on TIF

February 7, 2019

February 7, 2019

After two years, the answer is no. The village of St. Joseph has voted not to proceed with a residential...

Mayor urges residents to think about neighbors and loved ones during pandemic

November 25, 2020

November 25, 2020

St. Joseph Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges is encouraging residents to wear their masks. Fruhling-Voges told village board members that a resident...

Comments
Leave a Reply