Will County Gazette

Village of Crete President and Board of Trustees met June 23.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

President Mark Wiater called to order the regular board meeting of the President and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Crete on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. and led those assembled in the Village of Crete Municipal Building, 524 W. Exchange St, Crete, Illinois in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. 

The following were present in the municipal building upon roll call: Trustees Steve Bruns, Jamie Healy, Stephen Johnson, Holly Milburn, Keith Miller, and Katrina Seifert. A quorum was present. 

Also in attendance: Administrator Michael Smith, Planning & Zoning Chairman Brett Millsap and member Amy Heim, Police Chief Scott Pieritz, Media Consultant Nick Borrell, Park District Superintendent Janel Geary, Fire & Police Commissioner Jim McPhee. 

CITIZEN'S SPEAK 

Visitors are always welcome to all public meetings of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Crete. Interested parties wishing to speak should identify their intent to speak, they then may give their name and where they reside if they so choose and then make their comment. Persons may also provide their address privately to the Village Clerk if they so choose; persons are advised that addresses are considered private information under the Freedom of Information Act and thus are exempt from disclosure pursuant to any Freedom of Information Act request. However, to give proper consideration to all items on the agenda, the President has the authority to limit participants in debates and will close repetitive or abusive remarks. In addition, public comment rules are posted in the board room. 

• Oath of office of an auxiliary police officer Carmen Arroyo. Chief Pieritz introduced her to the board; she is the second part-time auxiliary officer hired by Crete. 

• Resident Danny Rohwedder, who initiated the Proclamation to be considered at this meeting, spoke in favor of it, as did resident Luke Bohm. Resident Rodney Young spoke against it 

• Resident Ernest Jones asked about rumor of the sale of Walt's. Mayor Wiater and Trustee Johnson had both talked to the owner who said he "had no idea where the rumor came from" 

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Special orders 

UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGENDA 

All items on the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a board member so requests, in which event, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and will be considered separately. 

• Approval of Minutes: Regular Board Meeting - June 9, 2025 

• Approval of Bills June 9 thru June 20, 2025 

• Ratification of Payroll - Bi-weekly payroll ending June 11, 2025 

A motion was made to move the following items to the Unanimous Consent Agenda: Old Business Item #1 Ratification on the phone poll taken on June 13, 2025 authorizing the execution on as agreement by & between The Village of Crete and Surf Internet to provide fiber optic internet services; New Business Item #1 Ordinance No. 2025-10: An Ordinance creating the office of Deputy Clerk for The Village of Crete; New Business Item # 2 Results of Bid Opening on Thursday, June 19, 2025 Rebuild Illinois road resurfacing program, awarded to Iroquois Paving Co for $356,873.32; New Business Item #3 Resolution No. 2025-752: A Resolution Appropriating $250,000.00 for the purpose of maintaining streets and highways using MFT Funds from May 1, 2025 thru April 30, 2026; and New Business Item #4 Resolution No. 2025-753: A Resolution Appropriating $244,300.62 for the purpose of maintaining streets and highways using Rebuild Illinois Funds from May 1, 2025 thru April 30, 2026. 

Motion: Trustee Milburn 

Second: Trustee Bruns 

Abstain (0) none 

Ayes (6) Trustees Bruns, Healy, Johnson, Miller, Milburn, Seifert 

Nays (0) none 

Absent (0) none 

Motion declared carried. 

In accordance with an opinion from the Illinois Attorney General's Office, President Wiater read aloud the items as listed for approval prior to action being taken on the Consent Agenda with brief explanations. 

A motion was made to approve the Unanimous Consent Agenda with additions. 

Motion: Trustee Milburn 

ON ROLL CALL: 

Second: Trustee Seifert 

Ayes (6) Trustees Bruns, Healy, Johnson, Miller, Milburn, and Seifert 

Nays (0) none 

Absent (0) none Abstain (0) none 

Motion declared carried. 

REPORTS: PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEES: 

Finance, License and Ordinance Trustee Katrina Seifert 

• In her monthly meeting with taxing bodies, they discussed starting Civics Class events open to registered residents where they can meet with government departments to learn how they work, similar to what Homewood has started doing. 

Water Department - Trustee Stephen Johnson - no report 

Road and Bridge - Trustee Steve Bruns - no report 

Public Health Trustee Jamie Healy 

• Thanked Code Enforcement's Tieri and Allison for addressing a resdient-reported dumpster issue near Burville 

Building and Grounds - Trustee Keith Miller - no report 

Public Safety - Trustee Holly Milburn 

• Attended grand opening of The Pointe assisted living facility, was very impressed with the facility, "feels like a home". Waiting for final licenses and hoping to open soon. This facility is not affiliated with St James Manor. 

President -- Mark Wiater 

• Budget meetings are ongoing. Hoping to have something to submit at July 14 meeting, with July 28 as the deadline 

• Discussed the update of Locis software to version 8, calling the upgrade "monumental". Thinks that the village front office might have to close for 2 full days of training, probably late this summer. 

COMMITTEE AND DEPARTMENT REPORTS: 

Village Administrator - Michael Smith 

• Updated on ComEd's project to replace high lines from Crete to Frankfort, replacing lattice-style towers, expected to run thru 2027. 

• Surf Internet has begun excavating in our area to bring fiber optic to Crete 

• Status of village hall AC problems: contractors say that the roof top units have aged beyond their "life cycle", estimates about $60,000 to replace. 

Police Department - Chief Scott Pieritz - Report submitted 

• Participated in activities: Special Olympics Torch Run, helped with Juneteenth Freedom Walk/Run with Crete Runners Group, 

• Calls for service have averaged over 40 calls handled per day. Discussed STEP grants. 

• Deputy Chief Groszek just returned from 10 weeks at FBI Academy, something thata less than 1% of officers get the privilege of attending (Chief Pieritz had previously attended). Groszek thanked the village for sending him, explained things he learned, and said he's already used new techniques to help with a missing person case. 

Fire Department - Administrator Neal Haemker -- absent 

Superintendent of Public Works - Justin Pancrazio - Report submitted 

Building Department - Building Inspector Mike Smith 

• Received application from TacoVerse to begin renovations on the Pizza Hut building 

• Fire Services should begin construction soon on their Park of Commerce building 

Code Enforcement - Code Enforcement Supervisor Ryan Allison - report submitted 

Fire & Police Commission - Jim McPhee 

• The ad for full-time police officer 3-year eligibility list has gone live today; application period is 60 days 

EMA - Ryan Allison - report submitted 

Animal Control/Code Enforcement Officer - Katelyn Tieri - absent 

Planning Commission - Brett Millsap - no report 

Heritage & Architecture Commission - Phyllis Monks - absent Media Consultant - Nick Borrell no report 

COMMUNICATIONS: 

Notice for Zoning Hearing for property at 25930 S Cottage Grove Ave. July 15th at 5:30 PM. This relates to a new sign for the Township Community Center. 

WARRANTS: 

Excise (Telecom. Tax) - (Col. April) 2025-$ 8,579.54 2024-$ 8,524.84 

 Local Use - (Col. June) 2025-$ 5,550.46 2024-$ 28,687.86 

Sales Tax - (Col. April) 2025-$126,680.55 2024-$ 97,645.88 

Sales Tax of 1⁄2 percent (Col. April) 2025-$ 46,440.40 2024-$ 37,405.83 

Income Tax - (Col. June) 2025-$91,088.54 2024-$ 97,088.54 

MFT Allotment - (Col. May) 2025-$ 30,771.10 2024-$ 29,583.19 

Pers. Prop. Rep. Tax-(Col.) 2025-$ 2024-$ 

ComEd Utility Tax (Col.) 2025-$ 2024-$ 

Nicor Utility Tax (Col. June) 2025-$ 13,550.08 2024-$ 9,369.94 

Video Gaming Report (Col. April) 2025-$ 30,925.432024-$ 29,237.40 

OLD BUSINESS: 

Old Business item 1 was moved to the consent agenda. 

1. Ratification of the phone poll taken on June 13, 2025 authorizing the execution of an agreement by & between The Village of Crete and Surf Internet to provide fiber optic internet services. Board action is anticipated. 

2. Proclamation recognizing June as pride month in The Village of Crete. Board action is anticipated. 

After discussion of the proclamation, a motion was made to Approve: Motion: Trustee Seifert 

ON ROLL CALL: 

Second: Trustee Healy 

Ayes (4) Trustees Healy, Johnson, Milburn, Seifert 

Nays (2) Trustees Bruns, Miller 

Absent (0) none Abstain (0) none Motion declared carried. 

NEW BUSINESS: 

New Business items 1,2,3, and 4 were moved to the consent agenda. 

1. Ordinance No. 2025-10: An Ordinance creating the office of Deputy Clerk for The Village of Crete. Board action is anticipated. 

2. Results of Bid Opening on Thursday, June 19, 2025 Rebuild Illinois road resurfacing program.. Five packets were requested. Three bids were presented. Project estimate was $402,885.70. Bruce Hill from HR Green reviewed the bids received and recommends the contract be awarded to the low responsible bidder, Iroquois Paving Co. in the amount of Three Hundred Fifty Six Thousand, Eight Hundred Seventy Three Dollars and Thirty Two Cents ($356,873.32). Board action is anticipated. 

Bid amounts received were as follows: 

Iroquois Paving Co. : $356,873.32 

Gallagher Asphalt: $392,567.77 

K-Five: $413,068.60 

3. Resolution No. 2025-752: A Resolution Appropriating $250,000.00 for the purpose of maintaining streets and highways using MFT Funds from May 1, 2025 thru April 30, 2026 (MFT funds). Board action is anticipated. 

4. Resolution No. 2025-753: A Resolution Appropriating $244,300.62 for the purpose of maintaining 

streets and highways using Rebuild Illinois Funds from May 1, 2025 thru April 30, 2026 (RBI funds). Board action is anticipated. 

EXECUTIVE SESSION: No session was held. 

ADJOURNMENT: 

As there was no further business to come before the board, a motion was made to declare the meeting adjourned at 7:57 p.m. 

Motion: Trustee Milburn 

Ayes (6) Trustees Bruns, Healy, Johnson, Milburn, Miller, Seifert 

Second: Trustee Bruns 

Nays (0) none 

Absent (0) none 

Abstain (0) none 

Motion declared carried. 

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