South Central Reporter

City of Hillsboro City Council met June 3.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

1. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Don Downs at 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call was taken:

Present: Mayor Don Downs

Commissioners Fred Butler, Tommy Justison, Patrick Ward and Kendra Wright

Absent: None.

Also Present: City Clerk David Jenkins

City Attorney Chris Sherer

Community Planner Sarah McConnell

Public Properties Supervisor Jim May

Police Chief Randy Leetham

3. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

4. Public Comment: Randy Reicke, organizer of the annual Old Settlers race, addressed the council. He stated they have been working with the Montgomery County Cancer Association on their event for seven years, and they believe it works well being held on the Sunday morning of the Old Settlers car show. He said he hopes the item can be added to the next agenda for approval. Downs said it will be included.

Rod Stewart addressed the council regarding flags on City-owned property. He said the issue is still a hot topic and is more about a person’s first amendment rights. He stated he learned through a FOIA request that nobody formally complained about flags that were deemed offensive. He also claimed Mayor Downs said he would resign, but Stewart said he should remain in office because one of the sitting council members would take Downs’s place if he stepped down. He said he has heard this issue is not about flags on private property, but people’s vehicles and campers are considered private property. He said every vehicle he owns has a flag on it. He also stated citizens should fight this issue at the ballot box in 2027. Downs responded to the allegation he has agreed to resign, stating he is absolutely not doing so. He stated he is here until 2027.

5. Minutes of the May 20th, 2025 public hearing and regular meeting were approved as presented.

6. Mayor and Commissioners’ Departmental Reports:

Commissioner Butler presented the reports for the Public Properties and Street Departments. He reported they have started putting the rock down for the multi-use trail.

He also stated the Marina is up and running, and Mondin Electric recently completed electrical service there.

Commissioner Justison reported the police department responded to 375 calls in the month of May, including eight accidents. He also thanked Georgia Adams for generously donating child ID kits to the department. He commended Zoning Administrator Matt Lentz for working with residents, and said his department has been working on several fence permits. Justison also read a statement regarding the ongoing flag issue on city-owned property. He expressed concern over the issue, and also expressed a desire to have a second legal opinion on the matter. He stated he wanted to put the legal opinion on this agenda as a discussion item, but Mayor Downs removed it. He said he disagreed with the mayor’s decision to remove it.

Commissioner Wright presented the reports for the Water and Sewer Departments. She reported MB Construction finished the second punch list to address properties still needing attention after the first phase of the Lead Service Line Replacement project. She also reported the Illinois EPA has signed off on Phase II of the project.

Mayor Downs stated he does not appreciate Facebook unless it is for good use. He said he and Commissioner Butler did not want the legal opinion on the agenda, and Butler was planning on addressing the flags at the next meeting anyway. Butler said he did not like Justison addressing this matter when he knew they were going to be addressing it at the next meeting.

7. Economic Development & Community Planner Report:

McConnell reported the third round of the energy grant is open. She also reported Hillsboro is within the 30-mile radius of the Kincaid Power Plant, and it is scheduled to close; which means the City will be eligible for future energy grants. She stated she met with Darla and Randy Jorn at the triangle park to go over the final placement of the digital sign. She reported headtohillsboro.net has a calendar where people can submit events they would like included. She also reported construction of the multi-use trail is underway, and the Imagine Hillsboro Parks and Recreation committee is interested in placing signs along the trail.

8. City Engineer Report:

No report was given.

9. Discussion – Natural Resources Committee Recommendations for Adjacent Landowner Requests of Licensed Lake Lots (Lora Dean to Address Council): Butler reported the Natural Resources Committee recommended a rule related to the sale of City owned land adjacent to Lake Glenn Shoals that would allow landowners to take possession of licensed lake lots if those lots had been licensed for fewer than five years. Butler stated the five-year clock would begin when the deed for the adjacent land is recorded. He said he would like to include a caveat that says landowners have to make a decision within a certain number of days that they would like to take possession of the lots. He said this would prevent a landowner from deciding to take possession of the lot after someone else has already put in the work to clean it up. Lora Dean stated she and her husband have purchased property adjacent, and have been working on purchasing city-owned property for about two years. She said there is a lot they would like to take possession of, but the license would reach five years at the end of this year. Butch Mikeska, who is on the Natural Resources Committee, said they discussed these rules for over an hour and there was no one-size-fits-all solution. Butler said he plans on having the council take action on this rule at the next meeting.

10. Discussion / Action – Illinois Paint Stewardship Program (Kevin Callarman with PaintCare to Address the Council): PaintCare Illinois Program Coordinator Kevin Callarman addressed the council regarding his program, which would allow the City to be a drop-off site for used paint cans. He stated this program will take effect December 1st, regardless of whether or not the City chooses to participate. He says it is funded by a fee that would be placed on all new paint sales. He said if the City participates, PaintCare would give them a drop-off bin at no cost. The City would be able to determine how often the bins are collected. Ward asked if there was a contract. Callarman said they have been working on them, and he could send one. Ward said it sounds like most of the council members are in favor of the program, but he does not want to take action until they see the contract. No action was taken.

11. Discussion / Action – Ordinance No. 1826 an Ordinance Authorizing the Issuance of Combined Waterworks and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds of the City of Hillsboro, Montgomery County, Illinois: Wright reported this item was tabled during the last meeting because she and Ward were unsure of why the City would be issuing bonds for the new sewer plant. Ward said it is part of the USDA loan, and the amounts are the same. He said it is classified as a bond because it is the only way to get that amount of money for that long. He said the amounts have not changed. Motion by Ward and second by Justison to adopt Ordinance No. 1826. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

12. Discussion / Action – Ordinance No. 1827 an Ordinance to Set Date for a Public Hearing for the City of Hillsboro Tax Increment Financing II Redevelopment Plan and Project: McConnell stated this is the next step in the process for the second TIF district. Motion by Ward and second by Butler to adopt Ordinance No. 1827, which sets the public hearing for August 5, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. Justison and Wright abstain. Motion carried with a 3-0-2 vote in favor.

13. Discussion / Action – Appointment/Reappointment of Certain Planning Commission Members: Downs stated he wanted to table this item until he has a chance to speak with all of the members affected. Motion by Butler and second by Wright to table this item. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

14. Discussion / Action – Façade Improvement Grant Application from Brian Lee & Stan Huber for Work to be Completed at 511 S. Main St.: McConnell reported this and the following two façade grant applications are all for the same kind of work, but at different totals. Ward said all three will fall under the $5,000 maximum amount the City disburses. Motion by Ward and second by Justison to approve the façade improvement grant application from Brian Lee and Stan Huber for work to be completed at 511 South Main Street. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

15. Discussion / Action – Façade Improvement Grant Application from Brian Lee & Stan Huber for Work to be Completed at 509 S. Main St.: Motion by Justison and second by Ward to approve the façade improvement grant application from Brian Lee and Stan Huber for work to be completed at 509 South Main Street. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

16. Discussion / Action – Façade Improvement Grant Application from Brian Lee & Stan Huber for Work to be Completed at 505 S. Main St.: Motion by Justison and second by Ward to approve the façade improvement grant application from Brian Lee and Stan Huber for work to be completed at 505 South Main Street. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

17. Discussion / Action – Reimbursement Request to Main Street Improvements LLC in Accordance with TIF Redevelopment Agreement for Work Completed at 400 S. Main St.: Motion by Butler and second by Ward to approve the reimbursement of $10,406 to Main Street Improvements LLC in accordance with their TIF agreement for work completed at 400 South Main Street. Justison and Wright abstain. Motion carried with a 3-0-2 vote in favor.

18. Discussion / Action – FY25 Lead Service Line Replacement Project Amendment #1 to Professional Services Agreement: Wright reported this amendment is required by IEPA to add a schedule to Woodard & Curran’s services. Motion by Ward and second by Wright to approve amendment #1 to the professional services agreement for the FY25 Lead Service Line Replacement Project. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

19. Discussion / Action – Estimate from Bob’s Marine Inc. for Repair of Fire Department Boat: Justison reported this estimate is for the repair of the hydraulic steering system of the fire department’s boat. The estimated cost is $1,625.98. Motion by Justison and second by Butler to approve the estimate from Bob’s Marine Inc. of $1,625.98 for the repair of the fire department’s boat. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

20. Discussion / Action – Pay Application #2 to Capri Pools & Aquatics for Hillsboro Pool Project: Butler reported this pay application is for the remainder of the design of the pool at a cost of $121,888.25. Motion by Butler and second by Wright to approve pay application #2 in the amount of $121,888.25 to Capri Pool & Aquatics for the Hillsboro Pool Project. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

21. Discussion / Action – Estimate for Playground Surfacing Material at Sherwood Forest Campground and Central Park: Butler reported the council received a quote from Stillwater Mulch in their packet. He said he received a quote from the company the school used for mulch as well, but it was $10 more than Stillwater’s. Motion by Butler and second by Justison to approve the estimate from Stillwater Mulch for an amount of $2,360 for playground surfacing material at Sherwood Forest Campground and Central Park. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

22. Discussion / Action – Temporary Tags for Non-Highway: Butler stated he would like to have temporary stickers for golf carts at the campground only. He said he would recommend those tags be $10 a week, and they would only be sold at the campground. Ward asked if the City needed to define what area the carts would be allowed in. Leetham stated he would recommend they be required to stay within the campground because many of the golf carts may not have seat belts or other equipment necessary for travel on the roadways. Motion by Ward and second by Justison to approve allowing temporary tags for non-highway vehicles at a cost of $10 per week. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor.

23. Discussion / Action – Adjourn: Motion by Justison and second by Wright to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried with a 5-0 vote in favor. Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

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