2026 Village Board Meeting Minutes

 CRAINVILLE VILLAGE BOARD

Board Meeting

Tuesday April 14, 2026

   Mike Harbin                  Yea                      Sam Jones                  Yea (President)

   Julie Aue                         Yea                      John Oetjen               Yea

   J.D. Williams                  Yea                      Jim Rains                    Yea

   Brad Olson                     Yea                      Jaci Chapman            Yea (Clerk)

   Tena Steinacher             Yea                     Art Mize                     Yea                             

A quorum was present:

Minutes:

Minutes from the March 10, 2026 regular Board Meeting were presented. There were no corrections.  

Motion 1: Mize made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to approve the March 10, 2026 Village Board Meeting Minutes as presented. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report:

Village Financial Report was given to all Board Members.   

Motion 2: Harbin made the motion and Oetjen seconded the motion to bring down $30,000 from the Illinois Fund to the Village General Fund. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Bills:

April 2026 bills were presented.

Motion 3:   Harbin made the motion and Rains seconded the motion to pay the April 2026 bills as presented. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Motion 4:  Rains made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to go into Executive Session at 6:40 pm to discuss legal issues. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

The Board returned to Regular Session at 6:50 pm.

Visitor Participation  

See under Old Business Unity School Zoning Report.

PSC Engineering Report (Rodney Potts Reporting)

Motor Fuel Budget

Potts told the Board that IDOT has changed how municipalities budget their Motor Fuel Funds. IDOT has divided the budget into two tiers. Tier one is for general maintenance; which includes such line items as gravel, culverts, striping etc. any approved maintenance that is under $60,000.00. Tier two is asphalt overlay over $60,000.00. Potts presented the Board with a Motor Fuel budget of $60,000 for 2026 year.

Motion 5: Harbin made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to approve the Motor Fuel Budget for 2026 of $60,000.00. (referred to as Resolution 2026-04-01). All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Department Heads

Water Report: (Pam Borders)

1. There are 809 water customers
2. 621 garbage customers.
3. 0 Building Permits
4. 3 new customers
5. 5 final customers
6. 0 solar permit
7. Room Rental 1 $75.00

Water Appeals

There was one water appeal.

Angela Jackson had a water leak. The Board decided to take her highest bill, which was in April, and charge her for the water that was used over her average water usage at the Village’s cost from Rend Lake Water District. Sewer bill will be charged at her average sewer usage.

Street/Water-Sewer

Farrar was not present and he submitted a written report.

Jones told the Board that the work on the Barr Street water extension was passed but was never started. The Board has already approved this project. Scott Esque the contractor who was awarded the project will start work as soon as possible.

Harbin asked that the road signs around the Village be inspected to make sure that they have not faded to the point where motorist cannot easily read them. (In particular was a “No Parking” sign near the intersection of Marion Street and Wolf Creek.)

Police Report (Chief Lindley)

Chief Lindley presented his written report.

Old Business

Unity Christian School/Water & Sewer   

Jones told the Board that the Unity Christian School wants a variance to build a school on Donna Drive. At the February Board Meeting Jones advised Unity Christian School that they will have to take their request for a variance to the Zoning Board. The Zoning Board met February 19, 2026 to discuss the Unity Christian School’s request for a variance. There was a legal issue that was brought up to the Board at the March Meeting; that resulted in the Board delaying their decision regarding the variance request until the April Board Meeting.

A Representative from the Unity Christian School addressed the Board to disagree with the Village Engineer’s findings.  He told the Board that he has consulted with an engineer whose estimate of the amount of water/sewer the proposed school would use is less than what the Village Engineer has estimated.

Board Members received the minutes of the Zoning Board Meeting that was held on February 19. 2026. The Zoning Board recommended to the Board that the variance request from the Unity Christian School be denied. The Zoning Board based their recommendation on several issues.  One issue was the cost that the Village would incur in order to upgrade the infrastructure that would be needed to accommodate the school. The cost of the upgrades is all on the Village as the tax revenue that would be used for the upgrades will not come from the tax on the property.  Another issue is that Unity Christian School is wanting to build their school in a Village Commercial Zone. If the school builds in the Village Commercial Zone their location would limit the types of business that could locate in this area; and also, by putting a school in an area that is zoned commercial, would remove valuable commercial property from the Village’s future tax base.

Motion 5:  Rains made the motion and Harbin seconded the motion to deny the request by the Unity Christian School for a variance in order to build a school in an area on Donna Drive that is zoned Commercial. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Budget

The Budget was tabled and will be reviewed and voted on at the May 12, 2026 Board Meeting.

New Business

Spectra Tech

Spectra Tech lined the sewer manhole at Lakeshore for $3,700.00. Before the Village will line any other manholes, Jones recommends that the Village see how the lining on the current sewer lining holds up.

Zoning Board Members

Motion 6: Harbin made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to appoint the following Village Residents to the Village Zoning Board: Sherrie Runge, Brett Maurizio, and Randy Strunk. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

James B. Childress Scholarship

Harbin told the Board that there were several applications for the Childress Scholarship. Two applicants for the scholarship were received that met all the qualifications. Their grades point averages were within a tenth of a point from each other, they both had excellent letters of recommendation, each had well written letters, and both showed community service. Harbin told the Board that since the Village did not receive any applications for the James B. Childress Scholarship in 2025; he would like to recommend that the Board grant two scholarships this year. He recommends that Evan J. Marik and Kenady Compton each be awarded the James B. Childress Scholarship for 2026. They would both receive a $1500.00 scholarship.

Motion 7:  Rains made the motion and Williams seconded the motion to award two James B. Childress Scholarships recipients for 2026 (to receive $1500.00 each); Evan Merrick and Kennedy Compton.  All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Economic Development Grant

Jones told the Board that Turner’s Table is wanting to do some upgrades to their building. They would like to asphalt the parking lot, paint the building, and do some other aesthetic upgrades to the property. The owners are inquiring about any economic development grants the Village would have in order to help them with the cost of these upgrades. The Board decided to include this item with budget discussions.

Rend Lake Water District

The Rend Lake Water District has notified the Village that they will be raising their water rates 5% each year for the next three years. Jones proposed that the Village raise their water rates 5% to offset the Rend Lake new water rates. New rates would start on May 1, 2026.

Motion 8:  Harbin made the motion and Oetjen seconded the motion to increase the Village’s water rate by 5% starting May 1, 2026. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Carterville High School

The Carterville High School sent the Village a thank-you note for placing an ad in the Carterville High School Year Book.

East Grand Sewer

William and Linda Sperling bought property that is located in Williamson County, but borders the Village of Crainville. Their property is located close to the Village of Crainville sewer system. They were told by a County Official that they could go ahead and tap into the Village sewer. After they had tapped into the Village sewer, they found out that their property had to be within the Village limits in order to tap into the Village sewer system. The Board decided to allow them to use the Village sewer, but they will be charged out of district sewer rate.  

Motion 9: Oetjen made the motion and Harbin seconded the motion to charge William and Linda Sperling out of district sewer rate of $3.00 over in district sewer rates for the first 1,000 gallons and additional $3.00 over in district sewer rates per 1000 gallons used over the first 1,000 gallons.  All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

Executive Session

Motion 10: Mize made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to go into Executive Session at 7:30 pm to discuss legal and personnel issues. All present voted yea and the President declared the motion carried.

The Board came out of Executive Session at 8:25 pm.

Motion 11: Harbin made the motion and Aue seconded the motion to adjourn the Board Meeting at 8:35 p.m. All present voted yea and the Acting President declared the motion carried.

                                                    Respectfully Submitted                                

                                                    Jacquelyn Chapman, Village Clerk