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Oquawka "Chickens Running All Over Town"

Oquawka Work Session

by Jeff Tee of Oquawka

The Oquawka Village Board held it's regularly scheduled work session meeting on Thursday, October 18. For this column, I'm going to start by listing the cast of characters.

Chief DeJaynes asked the board if they wanted to enforce the existing poultry ordinance. The ordinance prohibits chickens, ducks, geese, etc., along with other farm type animals, from being inside city limits.

DeJaynes wanted to know if the board was going to enforce the law or change it because he has been getting complaints about chickens running in people's yards. He stated there are chickens running all over town. Keith told the board that there was a residence that had dozens of chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc., and he was getting ready to take them away from that residence because they aren't being properly cared for and they are a nuisance to the neighbors.

Scott Ray said it was argued by the last Mayor that chickens weren't covered under the poultry law.

DeJaynes said he didn't care either way, but right now there was a law against chickens and he wanted to know what the board wanted to do with it.

Nancy Bundy asked about a heath or smell ordinance. Keith said he would like to see a limit to the number of animals that could be kept at a residence. He gave an example of no more than 10 chickens, ducks, turkeys combined. Mayor Eldridge read the existing ordinance:

..... The keeping, maintaining, stabling, staking, herding, grazing, pasturing and running at large of any animal or fowl of the species of horse, mule, cattle, sheep, goat, swine, poultry or geese in the corporate limits of the village within 400 feet of any dwelling located in the village is hereby declared a nuisance.

Mayor went on to say that the ordinance was dated August 2, 1971.

Eldridge asked if the board agreed that this meant nobody inside city limits could have any fowl.

Keith said if someone has chickens and another person lives within 400 feet then they're illegal.

Scott Ray stated a city block was 300 feet. Nancy Bundy said this means nobody can have them. Eldridge then said that a previous board had discussed the fact that it s food and how do you stop somebody from getting the eggs. gs.

Shawn Lain said eggs are $1.50 at the store. Scott Ray said back in the 70's a family member had raised some hogs and was told he could't do that. He also stated the family member had quail and was told he couldn t have those either.

Tammy Bundy said she had chickens at one time and she didn't care who told her she had to get rid of them, she wasn't going to do it because they belonged to her son. She stated her neighbors have chickens and they don't bother her.

Nancy Bundy said you can't enforce the law on one and not the other.

Jason Howard suggested they change the law and have a limit such as no more than 10. Tammy said she would like it to be 12. 12.

Nancy asked what do you do if they're running loose.

Eldridge asked if they just wanted to limit it to poultry. Ray answered they would have to. to.

Lain asked if they could limit it to 3 or 5. Tammy said she thought 12 would be better. Lain felt 12 was too much. Keith said he thought 6 would be plenty.

Jason said they would have to be caged and not free roaming. Keith again said he thought 6 was enough.

Lain said he would stand behind that. Jason agreed. Nancy agreed. Tammy said she would like it to be 10. Eldridge said he would put it on the agenda for the next meeting to change the existing poultry ordinance to allow up to six poultry birds.

Eldridge stated the maroon squad car was getting a new rear end in it, and they had sold the old squad car.

Eldridge said they needed to figure out what they wanted to do about Chris Peterson's insurance. Chris has requested to be put on the employee plan. It would raise the premium about $350. Jason said he was fine with it.

Tammy said eventually she would like to see all employees on a 80/20 plan where the city pays 80% of the premium and the employee pays 20%. 0%.

Lain said his only reservation was they just gave all employees a $1/hour raise. He thought there might be a fairness issue. After more discussion Eldridge said he would get it on the agenda for the next meeting.

Eldridge then informed the board that Hal Jern had resigned earlier in the week. Eldridge stated that he has nominated Brenda Tee to fill the remaining few months of Hal's term.

Since Hal had more than two years left on his term Brenda's nomination will end in April and the seat will then go on the April election ballot.

Eldridge held up a copy of a 9-page draft of the purchase agreement for the fire protection district to buy the fire station and equipment from the Village.

He suggested they look it over at home and have a special work session to discuss more before the next regular meeting so that the city attorney can make any changes. es.

Tammy asked if the contract stipulated that the ambulance would continue to use the fire station.

Lain said there was also the issue of the purchase price of the building if the district ever decides to sell it.

Lain said he wants to make sure the contract gives the village the same option of buy back at 50% appraised value that the village is offering the district.

Eldridge expressed some hesitation and wondered if the district would agree.

Lain said the Village is selling the building and equipment to the district for 50% of appraisal.

Howard agreed and said they were just talking about the buy back of the building, not the equipment and if the district ever decided to sell the building we wanted the same deal that the Village is giving them.

Tammy said they were up front with the district about this.

Board agreed to a special work session to discuss the purchase contract on Thursday, October 25.

Eldridge asked Nancy how the bids were going for the new backhoe.

Nancy said she hadn't heard back yet.

Lain asked if the board would consider a used backhoe. He said he found a John Deere at Martin Equipment that had 31 hours on it for $120,000 before the municipal discount. He said he thought it would be around $100,000 after the discount. He said new backhoes are $160,000-$180,000. He said he needed to follow up and see what kind of warranty it came with. th.

The board seemed interested in this but will get bids from other dealers as well. It was noted that they would be trading in their existing backhoe which would lower the price even more.

Nancy Bundy said the cemetery board had been in touch with her about 3 trees that were on city property next to the cemetery. The trees are dead and the cemetery board are worried that they are going to fall on headstones. es.

The village board will have Jeff Peterson look at them to see if the workers can cut them down. If not they will put it out for bid.

Tammy asked how long Erin will be reading the water meters. She also wanted to know who was going to do it after Erin was done. It was explained that Erin will continue to do it indefinitely, just not if there s snow on the ground.

There are several water meters throughout town that are not working. Chris said she had a partial list of the faulty meters from Erin.

Chris stated the readings for the last month had to be estimated again. She couldn t use the actual readings because they had been estimated for so long (due to no meter reader on duty for the last six months) and they had been under estimated during the summer months. hs.

She stated the actual readings were now bringing up $70 and $80 water bills.

Lain said at some point the people used that water and should have to pay for it. Jason said it would ve been a few dollars a month instead of $80 at one time.

Chris asked if they should just start from scratch, and from now on the bills wouldn t be estimated and would be correct.

Lain said we need to run this like a business and figure out how to bill a little bit each month until it s caught up.

Other board members thought since it was a city error they should just start over.

Lain said this goes back to the water accountability issue.

He stated all water used needs to be accounted for every month. He went on to say it has to do with federal grants. He said they have to know what their water loss rate is because if they apply for a grant to update the water system that s the first question that will asked.

Lain asked Chris if she knew how many gallons she billed out for each month. Chris answered it s not something that she figures on a regular basis but she could start. Lain said Jeff Peterson could read the master meter at the well and the difference in the two numbers would give the water loss rate. Eldridge said that is something they need to look into in the future.

There was more discussion on how to bill someone who has been under estimated. Eldridge said they just need to forgive what s there and move on. Jason said he wanted to get the city guys to start fixing meters. Eldridge told him there is a list now and they could have Jeff get started on it. There was some discussion on giving the city guys a quota to get done by a certain time. There are two businesses in town that have broken meters. Lain asked if those could be moved to top of list. City workers will start going down the list starting with the business first.

Lain suggested they give Erin a pay raise since they ve had a hard time finding someone to read meters. The board discussed how much of a raise to give Erin and it will be on the agenda to be voted on at the regular meeting.

MEETING ADJOURNED

Jeff Tee

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