Township Board Meeting

STATE OF ILLINOIS CUNNINGHAM TOWNSHIP Laurel Lunt Prussing, Chair Phyllis D. Clark, Town Clerk CUNNINGHAM TOWNSHIP BOARD Monday, November 7, 2016 The Cunningham Township Board met in Regular session Monday, November 7, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the Urbana City Building, 400 S. Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois. ELECTED OFFICIALS PHYSICALLY PRESENT: Chair: Laurel Lunt Prussing Trustees: Aaron Ammons; Bill Brown; Eric Jakobsson; Michael P. Madigan; Diane Marlin; Dennis Roberts; Charles Smyth Town Clerk: Phyllis D. Clark Supervisor: Michelle Mayol Assessor: Dan Stebbins ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE: None ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: Carletta Donaldson; Frederic M. Grosser; Kim Hooper; Katie Moore; Members of the Media 1. ROLL CALL Chair Prussing called the meeting of the Cunningham Township Board to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Kim Hooper and Katie Moore employees of the Cunningham township assessor’s office addressed the board about Ordinance T-2016-11-003 and how section III 4(b) for travel expenses will affect their Deputy Jamie Willard and the two of them. They expressed their concerns and how these changes will affect their office if this ordinance is approved. Carletta Donaldson addressed the board to ask for clarification on the proposed compensation for elected officials. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Trustee Dennis Roberts made a motion to approve minutes from October 3, 2016. Trustee Aaron Ammons seconded. Motion carried by voice vote. 4. COMMITTEE TO VERIFY BILLS The following items were presented in omnibus fashion: 1. Town Fund 2. General Assistance Fund Trustee Dennis Roberts made a motion to approve the Town Fund in the amount of $69,146.07 and the General Assistance Fund in the amount of $15,513.51. Trustee Diane Marlin seconded. Motion carried by voice vote. Cunningham Township Board Meeting Minutes: Monday, November 7, 2016 Page 2 of 4 5. REPORTS OF OFFICERS Township Supervisor Michelle Mayol announced the annual coat drive. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Resolution No. T-2016-10-006R: A Resolution Setting Compensation of Cunningham Township Officials for the Four-Year Term Beginning May 15, 2017 (Cunningham Township Supervisor, Cunningham Township Clerk and Cunningham Township Board), and Beginning January 01, 2018 (Cunningham Township Assessor)[10/03/16] Township Supervisor Michelle Mayol sent information via email regarding the proposed change for the elected official’s compensation for the next four years. Trustee Charles Smyth made a motion to increase the salary of the township supervisor and the assessor by $900.00 per year for the next four years, freeze the town clerk’s salary at $5,700 for the next four years and freeze the trustees’ salaries at $45.00 per meeting for the next four years. Trustee Eric Jakobsson seconded. Discussion ensued. Trustee Charles Smyth made another motion to amend the original motion to zero out trustees’ salaries for the next four years. Motion seconded by Trustee Diane Marlin. Motion carried by voice vote. Trustee Eric Jakobsson made an amendment to the motion to give the township supervisor a one-time increase of $2,000.00. Trustee Dennis Roberts seconded. Motion carried by voice vote. Trustee Aaron Ammons made a friendly amendment to the amended motion to zero out the city clerk’s salary to be the same as the trustees. Motion failed due to lack of second. Trustee Bill Brown made a friendly amendment to the second motion to reduce the city clerk’s salary from $5,700.00 to $3,700.00 a year for the next four years. Trustee Diane Marlin seconded. Motion carried by show of hands. After discussion the amended motion was as follows: The township supervisor will receive a one-time increase of $2,000.00 with an additional $900.00 every year for the next four years; the township assessor’s salary will be increased by $900.00 every year for the next four years; City Clerk’s salary will be reduced to $3,700.00 a year for the next four years and the trustees’ salaries will be zero for the next four years. The motion carried by roll call vote. Votes are as follows: Aaron Ammons – Aye Diane Marlin - Aye Bill Brown - Aye Dennis Roberts - Aye Eric Jakobsson - Aye Charles Smyth - Aye Michael P. Madigan – Aye 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Audit Presentation/Financial Statement FY 2015-2016 (Hope Wheeler from Clifton, Larson, Allen) Cunningham Township Board Meeting Minutes: Monday, November 7, 2016 Page 3 of 4 Hope Wheeler from CliftonLarsonAllen LLP gave a brief report concerning the annual audit that includes financial statement, accounting estimates and accounting policies for the Cunningham Township. Ms. Wheeler provided the board with a letter stating the findings during the audit that included deficiencies, corrections and recommendation moving forward. Ms. Wheeler said current township personnel do not have sufficient financial reporting and accounting knowledge to perform a review of township depreciation schedules, financial statements and related disclosures. Therefore, township personnel cannot provide a high level of assurance that any potential material omissions or other errors would be identified and corrected. An error was found in the trial balances at year-end in QuickBooks that did not balance by fund (Town and General Assistance). Assistance was given to management with training in QuickBooks to ensure funds remain in balance. Auditors also found that the Assessor’s office did not maintain timely vacation usage documentation and there was no documented review of the vacation usage. There was also a lack of written personnel policies, including a vacation policy. Discussion ensued, at this time Ms. Wheeler addressed questions from the board. Township Assessor Dan Stebbins was also available to answer questions and concerns from the board. Trustee Charles Smyth made a motion to accept the audit as presented and to post it on the Urbana City’s website. Trustee Jakobsson seconded. Motion carried by voice vote. b. Ordinance No. T-2016-11-003: An Ordinance Regulating the Reimbursement of all Travel, Meal and Lodging Expenses of Officers and Employees of Officers, in Cunningham Township, Champaign, County, Illinois. Township Supervisor Michelle Mayol presented Ordinance No. T-2016- 11-003 with recommendation for approval. Ms. Mayol stated that this is in order to be in compliance with the state. Township Assessor Dan Stebbins addressed the board and reminded them that Illinois Statute does not require a personnel policy if under five employees, which applies to his office. He also explained that travel is not an issue in his office. He and his staff are concerned with Section III 4(b) of the ordinance as they have tried this in the past. The township attorney addressed the board and explained the reason for the ordinance. He stated that this is not something the township supervisor is doing, as it is a recent requirement by the state to implement some kind of policy. Discussion ensued. Trustee Eric Jakobsson made a motion to strike out section III 4(b). Motion seconded by Trustee Dennis Roberts. Motion carried by voice vote. Trustee Charles Smyth clarify that Trustee Jakobsson’s motion was out of order, so he made a motion to send Ordinance T-2016-11-003 Cunningham Township Board Meeting Minutes: Monday, November 7, 2016 Page 4 of 4 to the next township meeting. Trustee Aaron Ammons seconded. Motion carried by voice vote. c. Ordinance No. T-2016-11-004: An Ordinance Determining the Amounts of Money Necessary to be Raised by the Tax Levy for the Tax Year 2016, Collectible in 2017. Township Supervisor Michelle Mayol presented Ordinance No. T-2016- 11-004 with recommendation for approval. She said it is the same as last year with no increase so figures are the same. Trustee Bill Brown made a motion to approve Ordinance No. T-2016- 11-004 as presented. Trustee Eric Jakobsson seconded. Motion carried by roll call vote. Votes were as follows: Aaron Ammons – Aye Diane Marlin - Aye Bill Brown - Aye Dennis Roberts - Aye Eric Jakobsson - Aye Charles Smyth - No Michael P. Madigan – Aye 8. CLOSED AND OPEN SESSION TO CONSIDER Township Attorney Frederic M. Grosser stated that there is no need to go into closed session at this time. He gave an updated report regarding the status. The Illinois Department of Revenue brief has been filed and that he expect the city’s/township briefing will be filed by November 23, 2016. 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Cunningham Town Board, Chair Prussing declared the meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m. Wendy M. Hundley Recording Secretary Phillis D. Clark _ _ Phyllis D. Clark, Town Clerk This meeting was taped. This meeting was broadcast on cable television. Minutes Approved: December 5, 2016