MCC Conference Center entrance.

After going to Bill Prims’ $20 fund raiser at the Red Mill Inn right before Route 47 on the road to Downtown Woodstock at 5, I’ll be off to the best show in town.

That’s tonight’s Oakwood Hills Village Board meeting.

Tonight’s meeting will be held at McHenry County College’s Conference Center. The auditorium seats 350 people, probably necessary to accommodate the pent-up frustration of village and area residents.  It may not be big enough.

In the run-up to the first Oakwood Hills Village Board meeting since the abbreviated zoning meeting on the gas-generated electric power plant, Village President Melanie Funk has issued the following statement:

PRESIDENTS STATEMENT

All village board meetings are for the conduct of public business of the village. The agenda item Executive Session is on every agenda in most municipal bodies in the event that an item that qualifies for executive session may be discussed in executive session. It has always been on our agendas. If someone from the Herald had inquired prior to printing its Article of September 2nd, they would have been able to find out that there is nothing for executive session discussion at the meeting of September 4th.

In conversations with the Attorney Generals office we discussed a need for a venue that would accommodate more than the allotted 43 citizens plus the board and personnel allowed in our current boardroom according to the Fire Marshall that came out this last week.

I was told that as long as we made every effort to find another venue, whether we were able to or not that we have done our due diligence to follow the open meetings act.

I contacted other municipalities and schools and each one sent an email declining the use of their buildings.

These would have been free to use.

Now we have been forced to pay for the use of MCC, which is money we do not have in our very tight village budget.

I am certain that Thursdays meeting will set a precedent for future village meetings and we will be forced again to pay for a venue.

Since we have to pay by the hour we have to limit the amount of time of our meetings to conduct the business of the village.

We also want to clarify on what residents may speak about concerning the agenda items.

For instance, the motion to consider the Eagle Scout project is about the project, not about Eagle Scouts.

People may speak for or against the project, which is the subject matter of the agenda item and not for, or against Eagle Scouts.

If we are allowed to conduct the public business of the village there should be plenty of time to allow those to comment during the public forum.

Melanie Funk, Village President

The agenda follows:

Oakwood Hills Village Board Meeting
Thursday, September 4, 2014
7:30 P.M until 9:00 P.M
*Seating will begin at 7:00 P.M*
(Emphasis in the original)
McHenry County College
Parking Lot ‘B’ Room B170
8900 U.S. Rt. 14
Crystal Lake, IL 60012

I. Call to Order

II. Roll Call

III. Pledge of Allegiance

IV. Moment of Reflection

V. Consider Minutes of Regular Board Meeting dated July 10, 2014

VI. Consider Bill List dated July 1, 2014 through July 31, 2014 in the amount of $25,782.95
Consider Bill List dated August 1, 2014 through August 31, 2014 in the amount of $82,599.83

VII. Public Forum: Agenda items ONLY (Emphasis not in the original.)

VIII. President’s Report:

Video Gaming Letter
Chalet Street Signs
Village Garage Removal
2014 Car Show
Salt for the 2014-2015 Snow Season
Approve $500 from Lowes Excavating to remove footings at old garage site
Consider the sale of Village of owned property.

IX. Motions, Resolutions, and Action Items:

Trustee Leigh (1) Motion to pass Ordinance 14-09-01 Lake Watering; (2) Motion to consider the CMAP letter of request for review; (3) Motion to approve tree removal by JAD NTE $600; (4) Motion to consider the Eagle Scout project by Peter Stewart, Troop 580; (5) Motion to approve fish stocking by Richmond Fisheries NTE $3,000; (6) Motion to approve the final payment to Pipeline Solutions for last year’s project NTE $500. Trustee Rider (1) Ratify the expenditure to Hastings Asphalt in the amount of $2,790 for work performed at 20 Woody Way; (2) Motion to consider Chalet Hills roof variance.

X. Communications from Trustees, Department Heads and Consultants: Building Department report(s), Police Department report(s), and Treasurer Department report(s)

XI. Executive Session:
XII. Any Other Business:
XIII. Public Forum – Non-Agenda items.

XIV. Adjourn

Here are the rules the Board has posted:

For those attending please park in “B” parking lot and enter through the “B” entrance. The meeting will be held in the Luecht Conference Center (room B170), Keep in mind that ALL individuals entering the premises may be subject to search of their person, parcels, or other unusual items. Please allow yourself extra time for this as the Conference Center will be open for seating at 7:00 P.M, the meeting starts at 7:30 P.M.

The McHenry County College Student Code of Conduct prohibits wearing, transporting or possession of weapons including, firearms, knives or any object which may be used as a weapon (Article VI, B. #20). We are requesting that NO poles or sticks be brought into the building for this reason. Signs may be carried by hand. Also keep in mind to promote a safe, clean and healthy learning environment for students, employees and community patrons, McHenry County College is now a tobacco-free campus environment. So, breathe a sigh of relief. Now everyone can learn tobacco free while at MCC.

= = = = =
How a village board can keep people from talking about anything they want to talk about is beyond me.

Since there is a “Moment for Reflection” on the agenda, maybe those wishing to comment on the power plant can “reflect” on the feelings and opinions and facts.