Peoria Standard

Village of Swansea Village Committees met July 21.

Here are the minutes provided by the committees:

COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF SWANSEA BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 21, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Administrative Building Board Room at 1444 Boul Avenue, Swansea, IL 62226 Attendees: Board President Jeff Parker, Treasurer John Walter, Village Clerk Gloria J. Collier, Village Administrator Ben Schloesser, Trustee Brian McGuire, Trustee Sherman Pochek, Trustee Matt Lanter, Trustee Natalie Jablonski, Trustee Brian Thouvenot, Trustee Cary Lewis, Police Chief Matthew Blomberg, Chief Doug Little, Director of Public Works Rick Tucker, Kari Speir, Finance Mananger, and Building and Zoning Director Dan Thomas

Mayor Parker Comments:

Trustee Affiliations & Fire Department Voting Concerns

Mayor Parker addressed a letter submitted by citizen Jim Fields regarding potential conflicts of interest within the Swansea Board of Trustees. The concern centered on the ability of trustees affiliated with the Swansea Fire Department to vote on matters such as equipment, personnel, and pay-especially when committee approval requires four out of six votes.

Trustees in Question:

1. Matt Lanter - Current Assistant Fire Chief, nearly 30 years of service, over 12 years as a trustee, and a local construction business owner.

2, Brian McGuire - Business owner, formerly a fire department captain (now retired).

3. Sherman Pochek - Recently appointed trustee, business owner, and volunteer chaplain for the fire department.

Mayor's Position:

• Believes Matt Lanter, due to his active leadership role, should recuse himself from fire department-related votes to avoid a conflict of interest.

• Asserts that Brian McGuire and Sherman Pochek do not have financial or operational involvement and therefore do not face a conflict under current ethics guidelines.

Legal Consultation:

• Mayor Parker consulted Mr. Allen from the State's Attorney's Office, Government Division.

• Mr. Allen confirmed, after reviewing precedents in the Illinois Attorney General's database, that:

o Matt Lanter's situation presents a conflict of interest.

o McGuire and Pochek's affiliations do not constitute conflicts.

Conclusion:

Mayor Parker agreed with the legal guidance and affirmed the following:

• Matt Lanter should abstain from voting on fire department matters.

• Brian McGuire and Sherman Pochek may fully participate in such votes without ethical concern.

Trustee Commentary on Fire Department Voting & Eligibility

Trustee Brian McGuire:

Trustee McGuire added context to the ongoing discussion by referencing Illinois Public Act 94-0316, which explicitly allows firefighters to:

• Run for elected public office

• Serve in elected roles-including on city councils or within the same municipality where they were employed as firefighters

This law affirms the legitimacy of firefighter participation in local government roles.

Trustee Matt Lanter:

Trustee Lanter addressed repeated concerns about his voting rights on fire department matters:

• He explained that Illinois law and legal precedent allow firefighters to serve and vote, provided the vote does not result in direct financial benefit to them.

• For example:

o Voting on equipment purchases (like fire trucks) is not a conflict of interest, as it does not personally benefit him.

o Voting on pay raises for all department members is legally permissible, but he typically chooses not to vote on compensation matters, despite being allowed to.

• The issue has been reviewed multiple times by:

o Attorney Carlonski, the IML General Counsel

o The Illinois Attorney General's Office

• Lanter emphasized that he will continue to vote on matters that support the fire department and serve the residents of Swansea, as long as his actions remain ethical and lawful.

Mayor Parker's Clarification on Voting & Equipment Benefits

Mayor Parker added further context to the discussion regarding trustee voting rights:

• He emphasized that trustees should absolutely abstain from votes involving their own financial compensation, as that presents a clear conflict of interest.

• However, when it comes to equipment purchases or upgrades, such decisions benefit the entire community-not just the fire department or any individual trustee.

• Items like updated gear, vehicles, and resources are intended to serve and protect all Swansea residents, and trustees voting on these matters are fulfilling their responsibility to ensure public safety and preparedness.

Mayor Parker Addresses Mr. Fields' Concerns Over Mailbox Removal

Mayor Parker responded to a letter from citizen Mr. Jim Fields, who expressed concern about the use of public resources-equipment, staff time, and tax dollars-to remove a mailbox from a private residence in Swansea. Mr. Fields questioned why village assets were involved and criticized the mayor for what he perceived as a lack of response.

A Background of the Incident:

• On the morning of Friday, July 11, 2025, a vehicle struck a brick mailbox, prompting a police response for a 10-50 (accident) report.

• The police attempted to clear debris but found the remains too heavy.

• They contacted Public Works for assistance. The crew arrived with a backhoe, dump truck, and additional staff to safely remove the debris from the street, sidewalk, and part of the homeowner's yard.

Context & Clarification:

• Mayor Parker emphasized that Public Works responded to a police call, not a resident's request.

• The team removed debris including a heavy brick piece from the yard of a single woman in her 50s, which took approximately 2 minutes.

• Parker strongly supported the crew's decision, noting they acted out of public duty and compassion, and commended their initiative.

Mayor's Approach:

• As a former detective, Mayor Parker explained that he gathers all facts before responding to any concern.

• He expressed no issue with the way village staff handled the situation, stating:

"You didn't go out there to fix someone's mailbox. You responded to a call from law enforcement, saw the extent of the damage, and chose to help a resident. That's public service."

He closed his comments by thanking Rick and the Public Works crew for their swift and thoughtful support.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE - Open 6:10 - 6:55PM

Chair: Trustee Jablonski; Vice-Chair: Trustee Lewis V

Members: Trustees Lanter, Pochek, McGuire, Thouvenot

a. Travel Request- IGFOA Annual Conference- Kari Speir- Sept. 15-17, 2025

Ben Schloesser explained that this was the annual Government Finance Officers Association conference, which this position has attended every year.

Motion to forward the travel request to the board was made by Trustee Jablonski. Seconded by Trustee McGuire. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

b. Resignation from FD - Kody Koudelky

Chief Doug Little informed the board that firefighter Kody Koudelky had submitted his resignation after 22 1⁄2 years of dedicated service to the village. He explained that Koudelky had decided to spend more time with his son and focus on other aspects of his life.

Motion to accept the resignation was made by Trustee Jablonski. Seconded by Trustee Lanier. Trustee Votes -All Ayes.

Trustee Jablonski asked Chief Little to thank Koudelky for his service on behalf of the board of trustees.

c. Executive Session

The board entered into executive session at 6:10 PM to discuss the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity, as per 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1).

The board returned from executive session at approximately 6:55 PM.

d. Recognition of Officer Daniel Voelker for His Leadership and Efforts Associated with The Inaugural FOP Charity Golf Tournament, Which Was Held May 2nd

Mayor Parker recognized Officer Daniel Voelker for his outstanding work in organizing the inaugural Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Charity Golf Tournament. He explained that Voelker had taken on the responsibility of organizing the event, which was highly successful. The tournament was sold out with 36 teams participating. As a result of Voelker's efforts, the FOP was able to make donations to several charitable causes, including the Tyler Timmons Foundation, the Illinois State Police Team Illinois Youth Camp, Brett's First Responders Foundation, and the Swansea Fire Department safety trainings. The FOP also purchased a shadow box for a recently retired sergeant and contributed to artwork for the new workout facility in the police department basement.

Chief Blomberg mentioned that former Sheriff Lincoln from Madison County had praised the event as the best first-year tournament he had ever participated in. The board expressed their appreciation for Officer Voelker's efforts and requested that their gratitude be conveyed to him personally.

e. Approval of Job Description for Director of Human Resources

Trustee Jablonski presented the job description for the Director of Human Resources position.

Trustee Jablonski made a Motion to approve the job description for Director of Human Resources. Seconded by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

f. Essenpreis- Pay Rate Letter

Trustee Jablonski presented a pay rate letter for Christina Essenpreis, proposing an increase from her previous rate of $90,000 to $100,000 annually for her new position as Director of Human Resources.

Motion to forward the pay rate letter to the board was made by Trustee Jablonski. Seconded by Trustee Lanter. The motion passed with one opposition, Trustee Thouvenot opposed.

g. Res. No. A Resolution Approving a Pay Rate Increase For Part-Time Duty Officer Firefighters From $15/HR To $19/HR

Trustee McGuire explained that Fire Chief Little and Deputy Chief May had been working to find daytime part-time firefighters. He proposed increasing the pay rate from $15 to $19 per hour to help attract more candidates, McGuire noted that this rate was based on the average pay in neighboring departments. Ben Schloesser, when asked about the budget impact, stated that while it might cause the line item to go. over budget, the worst-case scenario would be less than a $10,000 impact by the end of the year. Mayor Parker commented that this was a small price to pay for readiness and emergency response capabilities.

Trustee McGuire made a motion to forward the resolution to the board.

Seconded by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes - All Ayes

FINANCE COMMITTEE Open 6:55 - 7:02 PM

Chair: Trustee Lanter; Vice-Chair: Trustee Thouvenot Jablonski

a. General Fund Analysis

Members: Trustees Lewis V, Pochek, McGuire, Kari Speir presented the general fund analysis for the first two months of the new fiscal year. She highlighted several key points:

• A quarter of the capital projects transfer ($215,000) had been made, which was different from previous years when half was transferred immediately in May.

• Property taxes started coming in during July and would be reflected in the next month's report.

• The veteran's property tax exemption allocation was not funded by the state of Illinois this year, which was accounted for in the budget.

Matt Lanter pointed out that there were some timing issues with expenses, such as a lump sum payout for a sergeant who retired earlier than expected, and one-time payments for PGAV and legal bills related to Triple Lakes.

Kari Speir explained that the capital projects fund transfer was for equipment purchases, vehicles, and other budgeted items, totaling $860,400 for the year.

The board also reviewed other fund balances:

• Sewer fund: Positive $446,000 (billing month)

• Motor Fuel Tax fund: Positive $83,500

• Capital Projects fund: Positive $193,000

• Non-Home Rule fund: Positive $41,000

Kari Speir noted that the Motor Fuel Tax fund received an additional high gross payment in June, which explained the higher than normal revenue.

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: 

Nothing Requested at Agenda Time

Chair: Trustee Lewis V.; Vice-Chair Trustee Thouvenot

Members: Trustee Lanter, Pochek, McGuire, Jablonski

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: 

Nothing Requested at AgendaTime

Chair: Trustee Lanter; Vice-Chair: Trustee Jablonski

Members: Trustees Lewis V., McGuire, Pochek, Thouvenot

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE - Open 7:02 - 7:09

Chair: Trustee McGuire; Vice-Chair: Trustee Pochek 

Members: Trustees Lanter, McGuire, Jablonski, Thouvenot

a. Res. No. ____ A Resolution Accepting the Price Quotation Of $21,115.08 Submitted By Axon Enterprise, Inc., 17800 N. 85th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85255, For Three (3) In-Car Video Recording Systems, Camera Mounts, And Cloud-Based Data Storage For The Swansea Police Department to Safely and Effectively Carry Out their Duties

Chief Blomberg noted that the state has a program that will reimburse the village for the entire cost of this purchase.

Motion to forward the resolution to the board for consideration was made by Trustee Lanter, Seconded by Trustee Jablonski. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

b. Res. No. A Resolution Authorizing the Purchase Of A New 2025 Ford Super Duty F-250 SRW For A Swansea Fire Department Duty Vehicle, At A Purchase Price Of $57,120, From Sunset Ford of Waterloo, 1425 II-3, Waterloo, IL, 62298

Ben Schloesser presented details about the vehicle being replaced, a 2014 Ford Explorer with 74,000 miles and significant engine hours. The new vehicle would be used in the duty officer rotation. Trustee McGuire explained that while they typically purchase vehicles through state bid, this truck was available immediately from Sunset Ford, whereas a state bid vehicle would require a 6-month wait. He also noted that the F-250 was chosen over an F-150 due to its more robust engineerable V8 engine, which is better suited for the high idle times typical of emergency vehicles.

The total budget for the vehicle, including upfitting, was $80,000. Upfitting would include warning lights, a camper shell, radios, center console, and computer holder.

Motion to forward the resolution to the board was made by Trustee McGuire. Seconded by Trustee Jablonski. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: 

Nothing Requested at Agenda Time 

Chair: Trustee McGuire: Vice-Chair: Trustee Lanter

Members: Trustees Pochek, Lewis V., Jablonski, Thouvenot

CULTURAL COMMITTEE – Nothing Requested at Agenda Time

Chair: Trustee Lewis V.; Vice-Chair: Trustee Pochek

Members: Trustees Lanter, McGuire, Jablonski, Thouvenot

SWANSEA REPORT COMMITTEE - Nothing Requested at Agenda Time 

Chair: Trustee Jablonski: Vice-Chair: Trustee Pochek

Members: Trustees Lewis V., McGuire, Lanter, Thouvenot

Mayor Parker closed the committee meeting at 7:10 PM.

https://www.swanseail.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_07212025-122