Fulton County Board Committee Minutes
Fulton County Board Office, 257 West Lincoln Street, Lewistown, IL 61542
Phone 309-547-0901 / Fax 309-547-3326 / email csimpson@fultonco.org
Committee: Public Safety & Campground
Meeting Place: Fulton County Courthouse, 100 N. Main St., Room 313, Lewistown, IL
Time: 5:00 pm
Date: February 8, 2022
CALL IN INFORMATION:
Call in number:(425) 4366382
Meeting code: 5189940 #
1. Call to Order
Time: 5:00pm
MEMBERS:
Cindy Arnett (present /xxxxxx) by phone
Steve Bohler (present/xxxxxx)
Mary Deushane (present/xxxxxx)
Dan Kumer (present/xxxxxx)
Nestor Madson (present/xxxxxx)
Craig Medus (xxxxxx/absent)
Karl Williams (present/xxxxxx)
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS: Roger Clark
ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICIALS: Chris Helle – Emergency Services Disaster Agency Director/Acting ETSB Director, Jeff Standard – Sheriff, Justin Jochums – States Attorney by phone
STAFF: Cindy Simpson, Administrative Assistant to Fulton County Board
GUEST(S):
2. Roll Call
Roll call was taken, quorum present
3. Call for Additions/Deletions To and Approval of the Agenda
Member Bohler moved to approve the agenda with a second from Member Deushane. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
4. Approval of Previous Minutes – January 11, 2022
Member Bohler moved to approve the January 11, 2022 minutes with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
5. Announcements, Communications and Correspondence – None
6. Public Remarks
Name: Tim Lape
Address: Pekin, IL
Topic: Lease non-renewal
Mr. Lape, lot C8 at the Fulton County Campground, discussed he is unaware of the reason for the lease non-renewal at the Campground. Mr. Lape stated Superintendent Young stated Lape agreed to lease lot C8 and C9. Two years ago, Young tried to get Mr. Fachney to pay for two lots with one check. The lease agreement states a check for each lot leased must be presented with the lease agreement. The non-renewal letter for the campground from Mr. Lape was mailed and was not received until November 6, 2021 with the Public Safety & Campground meeting being held on November 9, 2021. With this short notice, an individual would not have time to prepare for such a meeting for non-renewal lease. Mr. Lape stated the letter sent for non-renewal shall state the reasons for non-renewal. Young broke the contract agreement and the letter did not state the reason for non-renewal. Mr. Lape has not received any warnings of wrong doings from Young. Mr. Lape stated he has received harassment and nonfactual information from Superintendent Young. Lape stated a tree that had split needed to be removed in the area of the fire pit on the campsite. Young indicated the Lape would have to pay for the removal of the dangerous tree from the campsite. A bill was received by Mr. Lape which he did not pay. The new lease agreement states the campground will take care of the removal of any dangerous trees. Young threatened to take the fire pit area that was cleared by Lape and grandfathered to Lape from Stephanie Duffield, the previous Superintendent of the Campground. Three years ago Mr. Lape inquired with Young about cutting dead fall trees for fire wood to use at the campground. Young gave permission to cut dead fall trees to Mr. Lape, but later decided not to allow this without giving any notice to Mr. Lape.
Mr. Lape stated due to the dictatorship management style, many campers have left the Fulton County Campground for a different campground. There are no amenities and no calendar of events at the campground. Camping is for family and friends and everyone should have a safe and good time while camping.
Name: Sam Cutler/Velma Schumm
Address: Mackinaw, IL
Topic: Fulton County lease non-renewal
Mr. Cutler provided copies of a signed petition regarding harassment at the Campground by Superintendent Young. Cutler stated no reason was provided in the letter received for the non-renewal lease at the Fulton County Campground. Velma Schumm was advised by Young she was trespassing on another campsite at the campground. Schumm had turned in her lease to Young but was advised by Young that it was never received.
Velma discussed an incident regarding fishing for another camper’s dock, Velma had permission to fish from the dock that is in question. Young advised Velma of the trespassing issue on another dock for fishing when she had permission to fish the dock.
Mr. Cutler stated the letter for non-renewal was sent three days prior to the Public Safety and Campground committee meeting and that the non-renewal notices would be discussed at the November 9, 2021 Public Safety & Campground meeting. Mr. Cutler stated he is a truck driver and is on the road five days a week and cannot get mail every day due to his truck driving job. Mr. Cutler stated the Young has harassed Cutler for playing a radio numerous times at the campground.
Mr. Cutler provided copies of the contract and pictures to the Public Safety and Campground committee of his campsite.
Name: Ron Menard
Address: Pekin, IL
Topic: Fulton county Campground new rules
Ron Menard discussed the golf carts being shut down at 10:00pm at night that is due to numerous complaints at the campground. Menard stated he uses the golf cart to go to the shower house late at night to shower when he has been out fishing and would rather use the golf cart instead of his vehicle that would cause more noise for everyone.
Mr. Menard stated he has been at the campground for eight years and the direction the campground is going is not good.
Name: Marla Randall
Address: Washington, IL
Topic: Fulton County Campground Complaints
Marla Randall discussed she is leaving the campground. This is her second year at the campground. Marla loves to camp and brought a camper as she has camped in a tent at the campground. Marla stated the original lot that was assigned by Young was M13. After moving a camper that was purchased to M13, Young stopped at the campsite and asked her what she is doing on this lot, she was on the wrong lot and should be on M12. Young stated Randall did not have a signed contract. Randall stated the contract was turned in previously but Young stated he could not find the contract that had been turned in to the Campground. Randall stated with all the issues at the campground this is causes her to have anxiety. The Campground is like a church retreat and do not camp in a dictatorship instead of a campground.
Member Kumer stated a camper approached him to make comments at the Public Safety and Campground meeting, but with being a committee member, Member Kumer would like to defer to have Mr. Cutler make the remarks.
Chairman Clark stated there have been over 25 minutes regard the same issue and no additional public remarks will be made at tonight’s Public Safety and Campground meeting.
7. Policies – None
8. Declaration of Surplus Property – None
9. Claims
a. Sheriff
Sheriff Standard reported the total Sheriff claims were $24,152.12. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
b. Jail
Sheriff Standard reported the total Jail claims were $32,600.38. Member Madson moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Bohler. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
c. Animal Control
Sheriff Standard reported the total Animal Control claims were $3,286.62. Member Kumer moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Bohler. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
Sheriff Standard reported the second Animal Control claims were $2,876.91. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
d. Merit
Sheriff Standard reported the total Merit claims were $14.00. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
10. ESDA
a. ESDA Claims
Director Helle reported the total ESDA claims were $524.90. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Kumer. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
b. Covid – None
PUBLIC SAFETY
1. Old Business – None
2. New Business – None
3. Campground
a. Campground Claims
Member Deushane reported the Campground claims were $4,045.91. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Deushane. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
Member Deushane reported the second Campground claims were $221.40. Member Bohler moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Madson. Motion carried by roll call vote (6-0).
b. Tourism Council Claims – None
4. Old Business – None
5. New Business – None
6. Fulton County Camping and Rec
a. Superintendent’s Report
John Young, Camping and Rec Superintendent discussed since the last committee meeting there have been no incidents reported to the office.
The biggest impact the snowstorm had on the Campground was a pause to add underwater structures for fish habitats. The process is going well and will continue while the ice is still safe to work on. Work is underway for an updated count on the goose nests and __cpLocation and repairs are being done as needed.
The waiting list for 2022 is fifty-three. Currently, there are no electric sites open to the public, and the last electric site was filled on January 29, 2022. There are three non-electric sites open. At the start of the season, we will have sixteen electric and four non-electric sites open for campers to bid upon.
The reworking of the Fulton County website will be finished by the end of this week or next week.
Some expanded programming for the 2022 season will be outlined and the hope is to have this on the new campground website.
7. Executive Session: – None
8. Misc.
Member Kumer discussed the Superintendent of the Fulton County Campground, John Young needs to attend all meetings to answer questions regarding the campground that come up during the meeting. Member Kumer stated there have been some serious accusations at the Public Safety & Campground meeting tonight.
Chairman Clark discussed this issue has been discussed at numerous meeting and was voted on in November of 2021.
Member Williams discussed there is a big problem at the Campground that needs to be addressed.
Sheriff Standard discussed is there a recourse on the complaint.
Justin Jochums, States Attorney inquired what the committee is discussing and is this item on the agendas. This could be considered an Open Meetings Act violation.
9. Adjournment
Time: 5:33pm
Member Bohler moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:33pm with a second from Member Arnett. Motion carried by roll call vote (5-1) with Member Kumer voting nay.
Minutes Public Safety Campground Feb 8 2022
