Peoria Standard

Village of Swansea Village Committees met Nov. 6.

Here are the minutes provided by the committees:

COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF SWANSEA BOARD OF TRUSTEES 

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 (on line), Trustee Cary Lewis, Police Chief Matthew Blomberg, Chief Doug Little, Director of Public Works Rick Tucker, Building and Zoning Director Dan Thomas, and Kari Speir Finance Manager

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Open 6:01 PM – 6:02 PM

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

Members: Trustees Lanter, Pochek, McGuire, Thouvenot

Trustee Natalie Jablonski called the Personnel Committee to order at 6:01 PM.

Illinois State SHAM Conference Request: Kristina Essenpreis: April 30-May 1, 2026 Trustee Jablonski presented a conference request for Kristina Essenpreis, Director of Human Resources, to attend the Illinois State Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conference. She explained that after reviewing the conference agenda, it appeared to offer valuable experience for participation and training. The total estimated cost including registration, hotel fees, food, and miscellaneous expenses was $975.

Motion by Trustee Natalie Jablonski to forward the SHRM conference request to the Board. Second by Trustee Lewis. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

3. Request For Chief Blomberg To Attend The Quarterly Business Meeting Of The FBI NAARailsplitters In Peoria On October 28, 2025

Trustee Jablonski presented a travel request for Chief of Police Blomberg to attend the FBI National Academy Associates quarterly meeting. Chief Blomberg explained that there are four such meetings throughout the state, with one in the local area and three in different locations. He noted this would be his last meeting as First Vice President, as next year he would ascend to the presidency of the executive board. The total cost for lodging, food, and fuel was approximately $273.46.

Motion by Trustee Natalie Jablonski to forward the travel request to the Board. Second by Trustee Lewis: Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

The Personnel Committee was closed at 6:02 PM.

FINANCE COMMITTEE - Open 6:02 PM - 6:12 PM

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

Members: Trustees Lewis V, Pochek, McGuire,

Trustee Matt Lanter opened the Finance Committee at 6:02 PM.

1. Discussion Item - Swansea Aggregation Historical Savings Report

Village Administrator Ben Schloesser presented data compiled by Steve Bryant, the Village's consultant from Good Energy who manages the municipal aggregation program. Schloesser addressed two key points based on recent conversations with residents.

First, he explained the authority for the opt-out aggregation program, noting that frequent questions arise about what gives the Board the right to automatically sign up residents for a secondary energy supplier rather than Ameren. He clarified that opt-out programs can only be created through referendum, and in 2012, Swansea voters voted specifically on this aggregation program, with a vast majority supporting it. "The answer to the question, what gives us the authority? Illinois statutes give the authority, and the village did ask residents if they would like this program and they resoundingly said yes," Schloesser stated.

Second, Schloesser presented data showing that from 2013 through the current contract with HomeField ending in December, the average user who remained with the program collectively saved approximately $3 million on their bills. "There's a lot of misinformation out there on the cost of this program, the rates associated therein. Over time, this program has saved our residents a lot of money," he emphasized, adding that the program would continue per the referendum vote unless directed otherwise by the Board.

Trustee Cary Lewis sought clarification on the opt-out timeline, with Schloesser confirming that residents can opt out at any time. Trustee Jablonski added important details about the process: "You can opt out at any time, but once you opt out, you have a limited period in which you could opt into a different program. Otherwise, you automatically default back to Ameren and then you have to stay there for at least 12 months." She clarified the window was 60 days.

Mayor Parker raised a question about whether the 2012 referendum vote was binding upon the current Board. Schloesser indicated he could not confirm this but would research the matter, with the Mayor noting, "It doesn't make sense to be a referendum and then you can just do what you want anyway."

Res. No. A Resolution Of The Board Of Trustees Of The Village Of Swansea Authorizing The President Of The Board Of Trustees To Accept The Proposal And Execute All Documents Necessary For Credit Card And On-Line Bill Payment Service To be provided by Caselle (Civic Systems) with-fers to be absorbed by the Customer and Collected by Payment Processor (ZIFT)

Finance Manager Kari Speir presented a proposal to switch online payment providers from Payment Service Network (PSN), which the Village has used since 2012 for sewer bills and miscellaneous payments, to a new platform offered by Casselle Civic Systems. Speir explained that the new system fully integrates with the Village's accounting system and is much more user-friendly than PSN.

Key benefits of the new system include the ability for staff to help customers set up accounts, continued support for automatic payments and direct pay, and enhanced communication features. "This will also help with our sewer billing issues with the bills not getting to customers," Speir noted, explaining that the system would send emails when bills are generated, reminders near due dates, and shutoff warnings.

The implementation cost is $1,200 including a one-time setup fee covering training and migration. Monthly fees would be less than currently paid to PSN, with the 3% credit card fee continuing to be passed to customers plus an additional 30-cent charge. Three new terminals would be needed at approximately $500 each.

When asked about customer migration, Speir clarified that customers would need to sign up for the new system independently, though the Village would download email lists from PSN to notify users and provide extensive communication about the transition.

Trustee Jablonski expressed discomfort voting without John's review, stating, "I'm not comfortable personally voting on it until John has a chance to review it." Trustee Brian McGuire agreed, asking if there was urgency. After discussion, the committee decided to bring the item back at the next meeting after consultation with the appropriate department head.

The Finance Committee closed at 6:12 PM without taking action on the payment system proposal.

JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Open 6:13 PM - 6:18 PM

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

Members: Trustee Lanter, Pochek, McGuire, Jablonski

Trustee Cary Lewis opened the Judiciary Committee at 6:13 PM.

Ord. No. An Ordinance Amending Section 70.001 And Creating Chapter 74 Within Title VII: Traffic Code

Trustee Lewis presented an ordinance that has been developed to address issues with people in the streets playing basketball and engaging in other activities. He emphasized that he, Chief Blomberg, and Dan had met to refine the draft, stating, "I believe more than anything else, it is important for us to move forward in some shape or some fashion regarding this. And if some citizens may not have spoken up in certain aspects, the biggest issue is that before it becomes a greater problem, I believe that we do need to address it."

Charlie Pitts, a resident, questioned the scope of the problem, asking how many formal complaints had been received in the past six months, year, or two years, how many different locations were affected, and how many different groups of people this was relevant to. He suggested this information would be valuable for measuring the ordinance's activity in a year.

Trustee Lewis responded that people often don't make formal complaints, explaining, "A lot of people say, hey, you know, what is the point we make a formal complaint if we're not gonna do anything about it?" He stated he had received countless complaints in several areas and wanted to remove that fear by providing a tool for enforcement.

When asked about other Board members' experiences, Chief Blomberg confirmed they had not received complaints. Dan noted he had received a couple of complaints from the same complainant on the same issue, but emphasized the value of having the tool available for future instances.

Trustee Matt Lanter provided historical context, noting this wasn't the first time such issues had arisen: "In my time on the board, this is not the only time this has come up. I mean, we've had this a small handful of times, probably less than 5." He cited previous problems in neighborhoods off Sullivan Drive and in the Harvest or Thistle area about 10 years prior.

Trustee Lewis concluded by noting that with Swansea's changing population and younger families moving in, "I believe that it very much is important for us to address this issue before it becomes something."

Motion by Trustee Cary Lewis to forward the ordinance to the Board. Second by Trustee McGuire. Trustee Votes -- All Ayes.

The Judiciary Committee closed at 6:18 PM.

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: - Open 6:18 PM - 6:32 PM

Chair: Trustee Lanter; Vice-Chair: Trustee Jablonski

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

Trustee Brian McGuire opened the Community & Economic Development Committee.

1. Res. No. Resolution Establishing A Time And Place For A Public Hearing To Consider The Redevelopment Plan And Project For The Triple Lakes TIF, Specifically 5:45pm November 24th, 2025 At The Swansea Government Center

Village Administrator Schloesser explained that this resolution was a notice required by state statute in the process of creating new TIF districts, announcing the time for a public hearing.

Motion by Trustee Matt Lanter to forward the resolution to the Board. Second by Trustee Jablonski. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

2. Ord. No. An Ordinance Of The Village Of Swansea That Proposes The Approval Of A BusinessDistrict Plan For The Proposed Triple Lakes District And Fixing A Time And Place For A Public Hearing Date On The Plan And Designating The Business District

Schloesser noted this was similarly required by state statute for creating new business districts. He pointed out that Section 1 of the ordinance incorrectly referenced "resolution" instead of "ordinance" in two places, which needed to be corrected.

Trustee Brian Thouvenot asked whether there needed to be a meeting of the taxing bodies before moving forward. Schloesser confirmed they would have such a meeting and were working with Adam at PGAV on timing, but assured that they were not "putting the cart before the horse."

Motion by Trustee Matt Lanter to forward the ordinance to the Board with corrections changing "resolution" to "ordinance" in the verbiage. Second byTrustee Jablonski. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

3. Ord. No. An Ordinance Annexing Certain Contiguous and Adjacent Territory to the Village ofSwansea, St. Clair County, Illinois

Schloesser announced that the annexation would not proceed tonight following a late afternoon call with the property owner's attorney. "They just want a quick 2 week pause. They're talking about reconfiguring potentially. We want to make sure we got the exact map for residential and commercial on the Frank Scott side of the development," he explained. No action was taken on this item.

Res. No. A Resolution Approvlig A Professional Services Agreement With PGAV Planners, 200 North Broadway, Suite 1000, St. Louis, MO, 63102, For On-Call Services At Au Hourly Rate, Not To Exceed $20,000.00 Schloesser explained this was for continuing work with both the Triple Lakes project and the Village's JRV, representing regular consultation with PGAV as the Village's economic development consultant. He noted this would be reimbursable from TIF funds, not the general fund.

Motion by Trustee Matt Lanter to forward the resolution to the Board. Second by Trustee McGuire. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

Res. No. A Resolution Approving A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)/Agreement By/Between The Village Of Swansea And The DESCO Group, To Allow The Village To Affix Temporary Solar-Powered Cameras On Utility/Light Poles At The Swansea Schnucks Complex Schloesser explained the Board had previously approved this MOU, but DESCO had returned with two specific requests. Chief Blomberg detailed these: first, if the Village imposed any taxing associated with camera systems, the Village would bear the cost rather than DESCO; second, a liability provision stating that since it would be Village equipment on their poles, any liability would be the Village's. Schloesser noted the first provision wasn't possible as they weren't pole owners and couldn't limit taxes anyway, but it served as a security blanket. All other aspects of the MOU remained unchanged from the previously approved version.

Motion by Trustee Matt Lanter to forward the MOU to the Board. Second by Trustee Lewis. Trustee Votes -- All Ayes.

6. Res. No. Resolution Approving Purchase Of Two Bus Shefters Within TIF District – TBD Schloesser presented a quote that had been emailed to Board members and placed on their desks for two bus shelters to be installed at existing bus stop locations on either side of North Illinois Route 159 at Fullerton. He explained that St. Clair County Transit District and Citizens for Modern Transit had previously installed pads and benches at these locations, and the Village was asked to provide shelters as a continuation of the project. The shelters would match those used throughout the region by the transit agencies and would be funded through TIF dollars.

Trustee Jablonski asked about maintenance responsibility, with confirmation that the Village would be responsible for both maintenance and replacement if equipment failed. She noted the existing benches were flat without partitions and suggested that adding a shelter might increase the probability of homeless individuals using them as sleeping areas.

Mayor Parker explained the benches were already in place and these were the only bench types available. He emphasized the shelters were intended to protect bus riders from weather, noting the locations were highly visible on Route 159 where police could easily monitor them.

Chief Blomberg confirmed the police department would handle any issues, stating they work under the same understanding with transit as they do for the bike path: "We already know that they don't want people hanging out there. So if we see it, we take care of it."

Trustee Lewis added that the unhoused population typically doesn't want to be in such visible spots, and given that the transit district had paid for the pads and benches, "I think that it would only be within reason for us to, as a vote, pay our fair share in addressing the issue for those who are riding the bus."

Trustee Thouvenot inquired about aesthetics, noting the benches were bright red. Schloesser confirmed the shelters would be dark bronze, almost black in color, matching the standard used throughout the transit system.

When asked about advertising on the shelters, Schloesser indicated there had been no discussion about it, though it could be considered by the Board in the future if desired.

Motion by Trustee Matt Lanter to forward the resolution to the Board. Second by Trustee Jablonski. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

The Community & Economic Development Committee was closed at 6:32 PM.

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

Chair: Trustee McGuire; Vice-Chair: Trustee Pochek Thouvenot

Open 6:32 PM – 6:37 PM

Members: Trustees Lanter, McGuire, Jablonski,

Trustee Brian McGuire opened the Public Safety Committee at 6:32 PM.

1. Approval of Revised Fire and Police Commission Rules Chief Blomberg presented a significant update and overhaul of the commission rules, explaining that the previous self-made document of about 6 pages had been expanded to a 38-page document modeled after other Illinois municipalities. "It's now like a 38 page document that was modeled off some other municipalities in the state. It just kind of professionalizes our rules and it really looks good for the certification process that's coming up," he stated.

The document outlines all aspects related to the police department including hiring and promotions, but not discipline which falls under the collective bargaining agreement. The chief noted it had been reviewed by legal counsel, all commissioners, the deputy chief, and himself. The Fire and Police Commission Board had approved it at their meeting on the 23rd.

For public understanding, the chief explained that the Fire and Police Commissioners are responsible for hiring new police officers, whether brand new or lateral hires with experience. The rules establish criteria for candidates, testing processes for hiring and promotions, and serve as "basically the playbook on how to bring police officers on board and also to progress through the organization."

Trustee Thouvenot confirmed the document also addresses board composition, with the chief explaining it includes the appointment process by the mayor, defines positions of chairperson, secretary, and third member, and ensures compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

The document allows some flexibility within state statute, such as education requirements where the Village requires at least an associate's degree or 60 equivalent hours with emphasis on bachelor's and above.

Trustee Jablonski recommended that as a living document subject to future updates, each page should be dated for reference purposes to avoid confusion about which version is current. The committee agreed to this revision.

Motion by Trustee Brian McGuire to forward the revised rules to the Board with the revision that any future changes will be dated. Second by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

2. Notification of Road Closure for Twin Lake Drive on October 17th for the Annual Wild Branch Fall Festival

Chief Blomberg presented this as a formality notification for a road closure that had already been implemented for the annual fall festival.

Motion by Trustee Brian McGuire to place the notification on file. Second by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes -- All Ayes.

The Public Safety Committee closed at 6:43 PM.

PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE: Open 6:37 PM - 6:43 PM

Chair: Trustee McGuire: Vice-Chair: Trustee Lanter

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

Trustee Brian McGuire opened the Public Works Committee at 6:37 PM.

Ord. Mo. An Ordinance Declaring Personal Property Owned By The Village Of Swansea And Used By The Public Works Department As Surplus

Trustee McGuire presented a list of equipment to be declared surplus: a 2003 Ford F-550 Super Duty 7 Ton Dump Truck with 68,044 miles, a 2006 F-250 XL Super Duty truck, a Scag Turf Tiger zero-turn mower, another Scag Turf Tiger zero-turn mower, and a Scag Turf Tiger diesel mower.

Motion by Trustee Brian McGuire to forward the ordinance to the Board, Second by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

2. Res. No. A Resolution Authorizing The Purchase Of A New Pegasus 35 Mower with Quattro Blade System At A Price Of $65,865.50, From Erb Turf & Utility Equipment, Inc., 1503 Bowi Avenue, Swansea, IL 62226

Trustee McGuire shared his positive impression after seeing the equipment at the dealership, noting it looked like "a really cool mower." Public Works Supervisor Dave Sager had explained the system would save money on blade replacements, as individual blades could be replaced rather than entire sets, making them "fairly cheap" to maintain. The system was expected to "eliminate possibly some major time in the parks."

Trustee Jablonski inquired about the timing of the order given the approaching end of mowing season. Rick Tucker from Public Works explained the units are built to order and would include training upon delivery. He assured it would "most definitely be ready for mowing season coming up in spring."

Trustee Thouvenot asked about the impact on future mower purchases. McGuire confirmed this should eliminate the need for two mowers, with Tucker adding they had no plans to purchase additional zero-turn mowers and were surplusing three current mowers.

Administrator Schloesser noted the Village had foregone purchasing asphalt equipment budgeted at $102,000-$124,000, and this purchase would help utilize that budget capacity while staying within overall budget limits.

Motion by Trustee Brian McGuire to forward the resolution to the Board. Second by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes -- All Ayes.

3. Res. No. A Resolution Approving The Price Quotation Of $6,810.00 For The Purchase Of A Sure-Trac 7x24 Tube Top Trailer, From Camper Exchange, lac, 141 Illinois Street, Bellevillo, IL 62220

Rick Tucker explained this would replace an older trailer that was failing. The current equipment trailer lacks brakes, and state law requires equipment trailers to have brakes. The new trailer would be equipped with brakes and allow the department to hold more equipment on one trailer.

Motion by Trustee Brian McGuire to forward the resolution to the Board, Second by Trustee Lanter. Trustee Votes - All Ayes.

4. Res. No. A Resolution Authorizing The Purchase Of A New 2025 Ford 6-150 4x4 Supercab, From Broadway Ford Truck Sales, Inc., 812 B. Taylor Street, St. Louis, MO 63147, For The Swansea Public Works Department, At A Purchase Price Of $49,300.00

When asked if this was replacing one of the vehicles being surplused, Tucker clarified it was not. He explained he would be driving this truck, his current vehicle would be passed to the sewer locators, and their current truck would likely go to Public Works for the parks department.

Motion by Trustee Brian McGuire to forward the resolution to the Board. Second by Lanter. Trustee Votes – All Ayes.

The Public Works Committee closed at 6:43 PM.

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

Draft November Report articles due to sproffitt@swansealborg on October 23rd

Trustee Jablonski announced that a draft report was in place and encouraged submission of articles to sproffitt@swanseail.org prior to October 23rd.

https://www.swanseail.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_10062025-137