Village of Swansea Board of Trustees met Feb. 17.
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
Attendees: Board President Jeff Parker, Village Clerk Gloria J. Collier, Village Administrator Ben Schloesser, Treasurer John Walter, Trustee Sherman Pochek Trustee Matt Lanter, Trustee Cary Lewis, Trustee Thouvenot, Chief Blomberg, Chief Doug Little, Rick Tucker Superintendent of Public Works, and Dan Thomas Building & Zoning Director
Absent: Trustee Jablonski
1) Call to Order
Mayor called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
II) Pledge Allegiance to The Flag
The pledge of allegiance was led by Mayor Jeff Parker.
III) Roll Call
Roll call was conducted. The Mayor noted that Gloria was under the weather and he would be reading the ordinances and resolutions for the evening.
IV) Approval of Minutes
1. Board Minutes- February 2, 2026 *
2. Committee Minutes- February 2, 2026*
3. Community & Economic Development Closed Session Minutes- February 2, 2026
4. Review of Executive Closed Session Minutes- February 2, 2026
The Mayor entertained a motion for approval of the minutes from the Board meeting of February 2, 2026, the Committee meetings of February 2, 2026, the Community and Economic Development closed session minutes of February 2, 2026, and review of the Executive session minutes of February 2, 2026.
Motion: Trustee Lanter made a motion to approve all minutes and seconded by Trustee McGuire. The Mayor called for questions-no questions. Trustee Votes – All Ayes.
V) Acceptance Of Minutes Of Advisory Boards/Place On File
The Mayor noted there were no advisory board minutes to accept at this time.
VI) Mayor’s Announcements/Correspondence
The Mayor began by directing residents to look for the upcoming Swansea Report for his further thoughts on the reserve fund issue. He stated, “I just want to say right now that I’m in favor of the 6 month minimum reserve fund. But after 7 months, I’m all for any board member that may bring forward plans, ideas for the use of funds that they feel would benefit the village. The board may consider and vote on these majority with the rule.”
The Mayor expressed that his first thoughts for using reserve funds would be for the parks, noting, “We’ve got a full park board right now. They’ve come up with quite a few plans and the parks are absolutely part of this community. And I want to see that grow and grow.” He mentioned specific ideas like recreation leagues for kids who can’t afford select ball and continuing the Concert in the Park series.
Addressing recent negative posts about the village, the Mayor took exception to claims that the village was “going downhill.” He shared his personal perspective: “I may have been here all my life, I grant that. But I’ve been here 12 years and I’ve lived in Granite, I’ve lived in Chesterfield and I’ve lived here now. This is a great community. I’m very proud of it. I’m happy to and proud to be called the mayor of the town. And I want to serve this town with everything I’ve got. It’s just an excellent place to live.
The Mayor praised the village’s various departments, noting they were “safe with our top notch group of policemen,” highlighting that the fire department had added 14 new members over the past year. He commended the street department for their performance during the recent snowstorm, though acknowledged they would be losing their street superintendent. He also praised the administration staff, particularly emphasizing the village administrator’s crucial role: “When I came into this job, I probably knew 10 percent of what that man knows. I might be up to 15 or 20 now and I’m trying to get more and more, but without our administrator, I think we’d be lost.”
The Mayor announced that Swansea would be hosting the Southern Illinois Mayors Conference on February 26th at the Moose Lodge, expecting 75-100 attendees including mayors and their staff. He noted that Representative Jay Hoffman and Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly, both Swansea residents, had agreed to speak at the event.
Finally, the Mayor directed the village administrator to begin planning for a comprehensive plan study as soon as possible, after addressing some personnel issues. He emphasized wanting heavy public involvement, including meetings at the Thompson Center and surveys to all residents. “I just think this is a great town. I’m happy to live here. I’m going to retire and well, I am retired, I’m gonna stay here,” he concluded, thanking all residents and reaffirming “this is a wonderful town.”
VII) Village Attorney/Village Administrator-Announcements/Comment
1. Department Head Reports
a. Public Works/Sewer*
b. Police Department Stats*
c. Fire Department Monthly Stats*
d. Building & Zoning Department*
Department Head Reports
The Mayor explained they were now receiving department head reports once per month, and tonight was one of those meetings. He instructed department heads to introduce themselves at the podium so the public could see and meet them.
Public Works/Sewer
Rick Tucker, Director of Public Works, approached the podium and stated he had nothing to add beyond his written report. When asked if there were questions, Trustee Lewis inquired about work happening in Rosewood, specifically mentioning excavators working over the weekend and complaints from citizens. Tucker responded that the only plans they had were for the final layer of asphalt in late March or early April, and suggested any current work might be fiber-related. Lewis clarified the issues were primarily on Fullerton. Tucker confirmed their current Rosewood projects were stalled until late March or early April.
Police Department Stats
Police Chief Matt Blomberg reported with enthusiasm: “I’m thrilled to report to you that we got verbal confirmation on Friday that we have been accredited by ILEAP, which is through the Illinois Chiefs Association. So we’re one of the very few accredited agencies.” He explained this meant they were doing things the right way with good policies and procedures in place. When asked about other accredited agencies in the region, Blomberg listed O’Fallon, Carbondale, and SIU Carbondale, noting there were very few.
Chief Blomberg gave special credit to Deputy Chief Howard: “I know that Deputy Chief Howard has been discussing this with you guys. The amount of work that he put into this was absolutely fantastic. I’m very proud of him. It was a monumental task and if you’ve been over to the police department you can see how it’s transformed with our renovations and then being ready for this accreditation.”
For staffing updates, the Chief reported that three officers were now off field training and on the streets themselves, working 10 AM to 10 PM shifts to have access to both day and night shift officers for well- rounded experience. He also happily reported that one officer currently in the police academy had passed firearms. The Mayor commended the department, stating “we’ve got a wonderful police department” and noting from his time with the state’s attorney that they were “up there with the best.” When discussing staffing levels, the Chief confirmed they were down 5-6 officers from where they should be, which the Mayor noted was a nationwide issue.
Fire Department Monthly Stats
Fire Chief Doug Little reported the department had responded to 73 calls for service in January with 12.5 hours of total training time. He congratulated firefighters Siegman, Claro, Ellis, and Sandage for completing their onboarding training and IFSI certification. When the Mayor asked about the grueling nature of the training, Chief Little explained: “Very much so. Plenty of as I stated with that basic operations fire program through IFSI, 20 weeks of grueling work. Our probationary program is about 6 months, not as grueling, but if they pass all those certification objectives, that meets our probationary and exceeds our probationary program on top of all the other training that we do monthly as well.”
The Mayor noted the department had many officers with extensive years of service, to which Chief Little confirmed most upper leadership had between 20 and 35 years. The Mayor praised this as “a long year of years of dedication” and asked the Chief to pass that on.
Building & Zoning Department
Dan Thomas, Building and Zoning Director, presented his report, beginning with basic numbers on code cases and building permits. He provided several updates:
The building code update he’d been discussing for a year was finally finished and with legal for review, hoping to present it at the next board meeting. On code enforcement, Thomas reported: “Another homeless camp, we seem to go through these homeless camps pretty frequently. So we had another one that was recently cleaned up and that’s all in conjunction with the police department and public works department.” He noted numerous vehicles had been tagged and towed, emphasizing “we get so many derelict vehicles. It is worth mentioning how many we field and tag and have towed.”
Thomas reported progress at North 17th mobile home park with demolition permits received to remove junky units and bring in new ones. Work continued at Pleasant Valley and Swansea MHP as well.
Regarding employee certifications, Thomas explained inspectors would be required by January 1, 2027 to be certified in their inspection areas. Both Eric and Kelly were actively training for these certifications, and he hoped to be in complete compliance by the deadline.
Thomas took a moment to recognize Eric Heisel’s 5-year service anniversary: “I just wanted to say publicly how much I appreciate Eric’s efforts, especially with the third or fourth person in this seat since he started. It just takes a lot of determination to stick around for 5 years, a place with not too much guidance in his supervisory position.”
For the March Planning and Zoning Board meeting, Thomas indicated only the small engine equipment ordinance was on the agenda. He was also working on changes to chapters 153 (subdivision) and 154 (zoning) of the code. The vacant building registry report format had changed and was no longer available in the previous format, though they continued using the system effectively.
The Mayor commented on the significant property movement occurring and how they often get “stymied in court.” Thomas acknowledged the court process was lengthy and different from what he was accustomed to: “It just takes longer and it just is the way it is. There is nothing we can do to expedite it once it’s in the court’s hands.”
The Mayor and Thomas discussed increased inspections and the “growing pain” for the village. Thomas noted that stricter code enforcement would benefit any community: “We just haven’t been as stringent here and so we kicked that up. Of course there’s a lot of concern brought up.” He encouraged residents who receive notices to call and work with them.
Trustee Lewis commended Thomas for his handling of fiber optic issues, noting residents had given positive feedback. He clarified that building and zoning was the appropriate department for fiber optic complaints.
Village Administrator Report
Village Administrator Ben Schloesser began by following up on the fiber optic discussion, noting they had met with Socket Fiber that morning. He mentioned they had been responsive to complaints, including one from resident Mike Cannon on Tanbark related to a broken water line on Lotus that was being resolved.
Schloesser provided several housekeeping updates:
• He had successfully gotten Clear Wave to waive a late fee for John Walter, Treasurer
• Updates to agenda procedures had been implemented as discussed
• Bus shelters ordered in coordination with St. Clair County Transit wouldn’t be delivered until August
• He had already begun working on an RFP for comprehensive planning services, reaching out to other Southern Illinois communities about their experiences
Schloesser reported on his attendance at Issues and Eggs with the Belleville Chamber of Commerce, where Jay Hoffman and Secretary of DCEO Eric Whitfield spoke. He highlighted that Illinois’s infrastructure bill was currently larger than Texas’s and California’s combined, and larger than all Midwest counterparts combined. He emphasized the village would continue being aggressive in making applications for these funds.
On the topic of data centers, Schloesser explained the US grid system, noting they operate on MISO (Mid-Continent Independent System Operator Grid) which includes multiple states. He clarified that a data center’s proximity doesn’t necessarily mean stronger effects on local electricity rates, and that IML continues advocating for solutions at state and regional levels.
For the legislative update, Schloesser noted both state chambers returned to session that day, with over 1,500 bills introduced for the spring session. He mentioned several bills they were tracking:
• Senate Bill 3450: Restores local control to prohibit local solar energy systems
• House Bill 4800: Local government building permit act regarding approval timelines
• House Bill 4925: Statewide regulation for electric bikes
• A Senate bill for prohibition on kratom
• HJRCA 22: Regarding home rule, allowing two-thirds of corporate authorities to vote for home rule status without referendum
Schloesser discussed the proliferation of FOIA-related bills addressing mass requesters, vexatious requests, and Al-driven requests that were bogging down staff hours across municipalities.
Regarding refuse service, credits promised last month had been issued to bills, and Republic would offer additional credits on a case-by-case basis for further issues. The voltage curtailment plan was confirmed, providing $13,000 annually just for participation, with additional payments when called upon to curtail energy usage.
Finally, Schloesser announced they received their permit package from IDOT for the 159 Streetscape project that morning and hoped to bring contract approval to the board on March 16th. He also confirmed plans for laptops for board members to go electronic, with computers spec’d under $600 each, asking if anyone didn’t want one. One trustee indicated they didn’t need one, and Trustee Lanter suggested he might need to coordinate with IT due to fire department security requirements.
VIII) Park Board Chairman Report
Park Board Chairman Report
Charlie Pitts, standing in for Park Board Chairman Lisa Wilson, presented three items for the board’s awareness.
First, he reported on Heartland’s Conservancy’s attendance at the last park board meeting for the first gathering of input for the Parks Master Plan. When asked to explain who they were, Pitts clarified: “Heartland’s Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) that does among other things manages puts together master plans for parks and recreation.” He explained the purpose was to qualify the village for grants, noting “generally, when you put in for a grant, the first question they ask is do you have a master plan? We’re gonna fix that absence.” The process would take 6-9 months with public input sections forthcoming.
Second, Pitts reported on efforts to create a consolidated Memorial Day plan. Representatives from the park board, VIP, Legion, VFW, and Moose had met and reached basic agreement on a single consolidated plan to take place at the Moose on Memorial Day. The Legion would take responsibility for the formal Memorial Day remembrance ceremony, with other activities organized by the Legion and Moose. Pitts expressed excitement: “We want to remind the folks that there’s not quite so much military these days and we want to remind people the purpose of Memorial Day.”
Third, Pitts announced “April Wellness Wednesdays” – free public seminars on health and wellness to be held each Wednesday in April at the Thompson Center. All participating businesses were Swansea businesses donating their services, with four committed and more expected for the five Wednesdays in April.
When the Mayor asked about the Rotary’s flag program, Pitts explained they place flags at businesses on national holidays, with about 112-113 flags placed along Route 159 and throughout the park. The Mayor used this as an opportunity to encourage people to join Rotary, emphasizing their “service above self” motto and community focus.
IX) Treasurer’s Report*
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer John Walter first addressed a question about the budget deficit, clarifying that the $403,000 figure represented the full year while they were only 75% through the year at $213,000, noting they were at 76% of expenditures and only 1% over budget.
Walter then read the fund balances as of January 31, 2026:
• General Fund: $7,656,031.10
• Fund 3 (MFT): $0.00
• Fund 6 (Motor Fuel): $1,317,686.06
• Fund 11 (Rural King District): $273,005.98
• Fund 12 (159 Business District): $1,881,198.95
• Fund 13 (2501 Redevelopment): $198.98
• Fund 14 (TIF #1): $2,564,723.41
• Fund 15 (TIF #2): $346,512.57
• Fund 21 (Sewer O&M): $925,200.59
• Fund 22 (Sewer Capital Replacement): $7,955,775.66
• Fund 25 (Swansea Reserve): $759,060.96
• Fund 97 (Capital Fund): $5,506.19
• Fund 99 (Capital & Maintenance): $10,530,650.90
• Grand Total: $25,205,552.15
Motion: The Mayor entertained a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. Motion was made by Trustee Lanter and seconded by Trustee McGuire. Trustee Votes – All Ayes.
During public comment on the treasurer’s report, a resident asked if only balances were read, which Walter confirmed. The resident inquired about getting a copy and whether expenditures were reviewed. Walter and Lewis clarified that while only balances are read publicly, the board reviews detailed bills every two weeks. The information is available online and paper copies can be inspected at village hall.
X) Public Comment
Public Comment
Several residents engaged with questions about reserves and taxation during the public comment period:
One resident asked about the $25 million total, clarifying that included sewer funds and understanding the general fund was at $7 million. They questioned whether this was standard for municipalities of Swansea’s size. The Mayor explained the need for reserves, citing potential tornado damage and loss of major revenue sources like Schnucks, Walgreens, and Amazon. He noted auditors said they were doing very well as a municipality, and that recommendations had evolved from 2 minimum/4 maximum fifteen years ago to current needs due to changing prices. He emphasized the need to be proactive for emergencies and then use funds beyond 7 months for community needs, particularly parks.
When asked about the ordinance creating no limit on reserves, concerns were raised about never-ending taxation. A resident suggested park improvements should be separate budget line items rather than coming from reserves. The Mayor clarified this was just one example and he was open to all suggestions.
Another resident questioned the annual tax rate increase of 4.99% and whether it was needed given excess funds. The discussion clarified that the village asks for 4% more dollars but individual bills depend on many variables including reassessments. The notification threshold was 5%, so they stay under at 4.99%.
A resident asked about the 6.something percent tax increase mentioned in the December newsletter. The Mayor and Walter clarified this was due to uncontrollable costs like insurance (up 18-20%) and pensions, not reserves.
Questions arose about what happens to unused departmental funds. The Mayor explained departments typically spend 99-99.5% of budgets, with small amounts returning to the general fund for investment.
Charlie Pitts interjected with an example of COVID’s impact: “When COVID hit as I recall it was 3 and a half months in which there were no revenues given to the village or almost no revenues at all. However, the expenses for maintaining the salaries and all those things continued. So you have 3 full months of absolutely no revenues coming in whatsoever. It’s that kind of catastrophe that is easy to put together.”
The Mayor emphasized they try to be conservative, noting they don’t tell staff to spend budgets just to maintain them next year. He acknowledged unpredictable overtime costs for police and snow removal. He reiterated his commitment to the comprehensive plan process with public forums and surveys, and mentioned restarting his “chat with the mayor” group for citizen input, inviting anyone interested to get his contact information.
XI) Report of Committees
A) Personnel Committee- Comments
1. Presentation of 2025 Officer of the Year Award to Detective Alex Wilken
2. Presentation of 2025 ACE Awards to Officers Andrew Hewitt, Matthew Lindley, and Derek Schackmann
Presentation of 2025 Officer of the Year Award to Detective Alex Wilken
The 2025 Officer of the Year Award was presented to Detective Alex Wilken.
Presentation of 2025 ACE Awards to Officers Andrew Hewitt, Matthew Lindley, and Derek Schackmann
The 2025 ACE Awards were presented to Officers Andrew Hewitt, Matthew Lindley, and Derek Schackmann.
B) Finance Committee Report – Comments
1. Approval of Bills*
2. General Fund Analysis*
Approval of Bills
Motion: Trustee Lanter reported bills totaling $1,028,203.67. The Mayor entertained a motion to pay. Motion was made by Trustee Lanter and seconded by Trustee Thouvenot.
Before the vote, Trustee Thouvenot raised questions about the Bank of Springfield Visa charges, asking which department heads receive cards and who inputs the descriptions. Schloesser explained Maddie, the administrative accounting administrator who reports to Christina, handles accounts payable. Thouvenot expressed concern about vague descriptions like “operational supplies – $500+ for late refills, USB, mouse pad, paper cups”, suggesting more detailed descriptions would be helpful. The Mayor agreed they could provide more particulars.
Trustee Votes – All Ayes.
General Fund Analysis
No discussion was recorded regarding the general fund analysis.
C) Judiciary Committee – Comments
1.Ord. No. 2009 An Ordinance Amending Section 36.032 Of The Swansea Municipal Code By Raising The Financial Reserve Maintenance Level To No Less Than 6 Months And Changing Language Regarding Revenues And Expenditures Within That Section*
Judiciary Committee
Ord. No. 2009 An Ordinance Amending Section 36.032 Of The Swansea Municipal Code By Raising The Financial Reserve Maintenance Level To No Less Than 6 Months And Changing Language Regarding Revenues And Expenditures Within That Section
The Mayor read the full ordinance title and entertained a motion to accept. He initially wanted to add an amendment that after 7 months reserve funds, the board may entertain proposals for use. When it was noted this would require a first reading and going through the whole process again, the Mayor agreed to leave it as is but come back with an amendment.
Trustee Thouvenot suggested tabling the ordinance to get it right and be fair to the public, asking “what’s the rush?” He noted the attorneys had confirmed what they were doing was lawful. The Mayor moved to table with his proposed amendment about the board entertaining processes for fund use after 7 months.
When the motion to table failed to receive a second, discussion continued. Trustee Lewis made a motion to approve, which was seconded by Trustee McGuire.
During extensive discussion:
Trustee Lanter requested clarification on the mayor’s proposed amendment, asking if it was setting a cap at 7 months. The Mayor clarified there would be no cap, but after 7 months any board member could bring forward projects for vote. Lewis pointed out this could already happen without the amendment through the annual budgeting process.
Trustee Lanter then provided extensive historical context, describing the village’s poor financial shape when he joined the board, including financing sub-$20,000 police cars and paying unnecessary interest. He detailed the 2015-2017 state budget impasse when the village went months without regular payments, forcing them to delay bills to meet payroll. He recounted having two police cars totaled within a month during this financial crisis, requiring unbudgeted replacements and equipment.
Lanter emphasized the importance of reserves as a savings account, noting major expenses like $150,000 dump trucks and a $2.5 million ladder truck needing replacement. He stressed infrastructure costs of $5 million per mile for road reconstruction with 65-70 miles of village roads. He argued against arbitrary spending at 7 months, suggesting they might need to save for major projects. He concluded: “If you elect the right people, they’re good stewards of your money, and we spend those things on things that make sense for the community. If not, you get rid of them.”
Trustee Thouvenot countered with financial data showing general reserve fund growth from $2.3 million in fiscal 2020 to $6.68 million in fiscal 2024, arguing that despite rough times and surprise bills, the village had managed to save substantial money. He expressed concern about vehicle purchases exceeding what taxpayers could afford and argued for a cap to ensure fiscal discipline: “I think that does a disservice to the taxpayer.”
After continued debate about whether discussion was productive, Trustee Lewis withdrew his motion as there was no point.
Motion: Roll call vote: McGuire – No, Pochek – No vote recorded, Lanter – No (explaining he wanted further discussion about a cap, suggesting perhaps a 12-month cap), Thouvenot – No, Lewis Abstain. Motion denied.
Trustee McGuire emphasized there was no rush and suggested everyone provide suggestions to Ben or Lewis (as judiciary chair) for discussion. Lewis expressed frustration that the issue had already been through the process and suggestions should have been brought sooner. The Mayor reiterated his stance on open debate being excellent and asked that negative commentary about Swansea stop, encouraging focus on what’s good and what needs improvement: “We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of in this community, nothing.”
D) Community & Economic Development – Comments
1. Res. No. A Resolution Authorizing Execution Of A First Amended Redevelopment Agreement Between The Village Of Swansea And Triple Lakes Farm, LLC*
2. Res. No. A Resolution Approving The Planned Business Submittal For The Storage Units At Jennings Station In Accordance With The Zoning Regulations Of The Village Of Swansea*
3. Special Property Oversight List*
Community & Economic Development – Comments
No specific committee comments were recorded.
Res. No. 1-2730 A Resolution Authorizing Execution Of A First Amended Redevelopment Agreement Between The Village Of Swansea And Triple Lakes Farm, LLC
Motion: The Mayor read the resolution and entertained a motion to approve. Motion was made Trustee Thouvenot and seconded by Trustee McGuire. Trustee Votes – All Ayes.
Res. No. 1-2731 A Resolution Approving The Planned Business Submittal For The Storage Units At Jennings Station In Accordance With The Zoning Regulations Of The Village Of Swansea
Motion: The Mayor read the resolution and entertained a motion to accept. Motion was made by Trustee Thouvenot and seconded by Trustee McGuire. Trustee Thouvenot confirmed the stipulations would carry, which was affirmed. All in favor, opposed none. Motion carried.
Special Property Oversight List
Noted as discussion only, no action taken.
E) Public Safety Committee – Nothing Requested At Agenda Time
F) Public Works Committee – Comments
1. Request to Approve – Organizational Chart for Public Works Department*
2. Service Anniversary – Cody George – 5 Years
Public Works Committee
Request to Approve – Organizational Chart for Public Works Department
Motion: The Mayor entertained a motion to accept the organizational chart. Motion to approve was made Trustee McGuire and seconded by Trustee Lanter. All in favor, opposed none. Motion carried.
Service Anniversary – Cody George – 5 Years
The board acknowledged Cody George’s 5-year service anniversary without requiring a motion.
G) Cultural Committee – Nothing Requested At Agenda Time
Trustee Lewis reminded everyone to fill out the disability pledge and return it to himself, Gloria, or Ms. Crawford as soon as possible.
H) Swansea Report Committee -Comments
1.Finalize Draft March Swansea Report-articles due to sproffitt@swanseail.org by February 20, 2026
The Mayor reminded that articles for the March Swansea Report were due to sproffitt@swanseail.org by February 20, 2026.
XII) Old Business
No old business was discussed.
XIII) New Business
No new business was discussed.
XIV) Announcements
The Mayor shared that he had encountered someone who mentioned Bartelsso’s zip code day. He announced that Swansea’s zip code day would be June 22, 2026 (6/22/26), and he had ideas for t-shirts and a picnic to celebrate. Trustee Thouvenot jokingly noted that would be his birthday and he’d “take a party.”
XV) Adjournment
Motion: The Mayor entertained a motion for adjournment. Motion was made and seconded. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 8:31 pm.
https://www.swanseail.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02172026-162
