Laborer's Union wishes to add Village of Tamaroa employees
Village Attorney Jordan Campanella announced that the Illinois Labor Relations Board has been notified by the Laborer's Local Union in Marion that they wish to unionize village employees.
Clerk Cheryl Pelker was asked to hang a notice about the potential unionization in a conspicuous place.
Campanella said he would handle any associated paperwork.
Trustee Bill Place said it is up to the employees to vote whether or not to unionize. He suggested the board consider forming a negotiating committee should the employees choose to unionize.
The board also worked out the language for a help wanted ad to replace Darrell Wright who retired Feb. 1.
Pelker was asked to place the ad in all local papers.
In other business, the board:
• heard from Mike Smith of Southern Engineering that the annual DCEO grant cycle is about to begin. Last year the board wanted to spend no more than $50,000 on sewer improvements. A $150,000 program was planned for the grant, but the board was unable to complete the income survey before the due date. Smith said that the low-and-middle income rates have gone up and Tamaroa will not have to do a survey this year. They are pre-qualified. The board agreed that the same plan would be useful this year. Smith said he would look at the old plans, discuss them with Trustee Lisa Haycraft then re-price the plan. He said the village had worked with Greater Egypt Regional Planning Commission on grant applications in the past.
• heard from Place that connecting all six sewer pump stations to the SCADA system will cost $94,000. Connecting only the main station is $20,000. He suggested the board consider creating a plan to connect the pump stations as money becomes available.
• asked Smith to contact the structural engineer who looked at the middle section of the Community Center to put together a plan of action to complete the work. Smith said he would contact that engineer or find another to do the work.
• agreed to purchase 25 tons of salt. The board hopes to get a better price than $128 per ton, but said they have an indoor facility to store the salt. It won't go bad.