Atwood Village Board Budget on Track
By Doris Elmore
Staff Writer
The regular meeting of the Atwood Village Board was held on Monday, January 13. Village President Bill Fleming stated the village is into 8 months of the fiscal year and he is pleased to report that all village funds are below budget. He gave the following financial report: Administration Fund is 30% below budget; Police Fund is 2 % below budget; Streets & Alley Fund is 20% below; total General Fund Expense is 24% below budget; Water/Sewer is 17% below budget and Business District Fund is 20% below budget. Fleming said the village Revenues received is $1,150,003.52 and Expenses have totaled $906,613.95. Revenues have exceeded expenses by $243,389.57.
Following discussion, the village board adopted Ordinance #25-0-2 regarding the agreement with the school district on the Pickleball Court installation and public access. Section 2 of the agreement reads: School or Atwood agree as follows:
A. School hereby allows Atwood to use the courts located on the Northeast corner of the Atwood Grade School located at the corner of North Illinois Street and West Hickory in the Village of Atwood, Piatt County, State of Illinois.
B. School hereby allows use of the court areas except during hours when students are in attendance.
C. Atwood shall install signs on the exterior of the fence stating: “No public use when student is in attendance.”
D. Atwood will install the posts and nets required for the pickleball court between April 1-April 15 of each calendar year.
E. The “West” set of posts and net shall be removed between August 1-August 15 of each calendar year by Atwood.
F. The “East” set of posts and net shall be removed between October 15-October 31 of each calendar year by Atwood.
The agreement states that Atwood shall be responsible for the pickleball equipment at all times; plus, Atwood shall be responsible for all labor expenses connected with the use of the equipment. Insurance shall be obtained and maintained by the school as owner of the real property. This is just a small portion of the agreement which is available to read at the village clerk’s office.
An update was given on the Message Center sign which will be located in front of the Atwood Police Department. President Fleming told the board the sign framing has been fabricated and waiting on the signs to come in for final assembly. Once the contractor has the message center in hand, they can schedule installation. He added that this will be a two-part install with the foundation install being first and the sign being installed a week or so after. The company will be scheduling a time to get together to inspect the sign location area and call in JULIE.
Fleming said he had put the contractor on hold on the village sign east of Dollar General until the easement agreement has been completed.
President Fleming read the following comment: “I want to extend a special thank you to Jeff and Daron for their excellent work to plow snow and salt to keep our streets and downtown sidewalks open and as safe as possible. Also, I’d like to thank them for all their help to install and remove Christmas decorations on Main Street as well as removing the flower box cover and miniature trees for the Atwood Chamber of Commerce. I saw several compliments on FB regarding their work and I’d like to echo the thoughts of our residents.”
He continued, “Also, on behalf of the village, we’d like to thank all those who helped their friends and neighbors during the snow event. Whether it was scooping driveways or walks, or just checking on people. One of the good things about social media is to see how people are helping there in our community and we are grateful for the extra kindness shown to those who need a little extra help in our village.”
The board passed a motion to purchase a new Hydrovac unit for approximately $128,000. The village will pay $28,000 up front and finance the $100,000 with the bank over the next five years. The old vac unit sold to a company in Alaska for $32,000.
Work on the sewer plant has stopped until better weather conditions.
Atwood Police Chief Joe Duncan presented the Law Enforcement Order of the Purple Heart to Atwood Police Officer Wayne Powell. (Story was published in January 22 edition).
According to the NIBRS state crime stats, the overall reported crime stats for Atwood for 2024 were down 66% when compared to 2023. According to information from Chief Duncan, it is clear that with more police presence and enforcement action, a positive impact has occurred in making Atwood safer. The suspect in the Atwood Mini Storage burglaries, Cody Leach was finally located and arrested on Atwood warrants for 7 counts of burglary and 6 counts of theft. He was booked into the Douglas County Jail on December 5. Word was received on January 13 that fugitive Tyson Hays was arrested in Decatur driving a stolen U-Haul van.
Atwood enforcement stats for December 2024, were reported as follows: 236 total shift activity entries: 57 total traffic stops producing: 7 village ordinance traffic citations, 15 state traffic citations, 32 written warnings. Eleven (11) total crime/offense reports were generated with 7 total arrests.
The board passed a motion to allow Thatcher Rodmaker to take the squad car home so he can respond to emergency calls without having to go to the police station to get the car. Rodmaker recently moved to Pesotum. The squad car can be used for department business only.
Action was taken by the board to approve the quote from Farnsworth Engineering for the site plan and estimates for the park project at a cost of $15,100.
The board approved expenditures totaling $9,582.47.
