Meeting Place: Jane Boyd Building, 260 West Lincoln St., Lewistown, IL
Time: 6:00 PM
Date: August 4th, 2026
1. Call to Order
Time: 6:01 PM
2. Roll Call
Roll call was taken, quorum was present
MEMBERS:
Dave Barbknecht (Absent)
Jim Barclay (Present)
Landon Smith (Present)
Andy Steck (Absent)
Karl Williams (Present)
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS:
ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICIALS: Cindy Gallegos – Campground Superintendent, Chris Helle – ESDA Director
STAFF: None
GUEST(S) : None
3. Call for Additions/Deletions To and Approval of the Agenda
Member Smith moved to approve the agenda with a second from Member Barclay. Motion carried by voice vote with all ayes.
4. Approval of Previous Minutes – July 7, 2026
Member Smith moved to approve the previous minutes with a second from Member Barclay. Motion carried by voice vote with all ayes.
5. Announcements, Communications, and Correspondence – None
6. Public Remarks
Sue Tisdale raised multiple concerns including the missing dump station drain cover (which was reported stolen), road conditions and repair plans, mowing responsibilities and coverage of empty lots and common areas, inconsistent electric billing rates (25 cents vs 15 cents per kilowatt hour), rumors about meter reading charges, and early arrivals at the gate before 10 AM office hours. She suggested holding periodic committee meetings at the campground for better accessibility.
Committee responses addressed these issues:
Member Williams expressed that the contractor mows 40 acres at $40 per acre compared to the standard $125 per acre rate. The recent electric bill for the entire campground was $61,000 for three months. Superintendent Cindy reported that the dump station cap was stolen and a replacement costing $480 has been ordered. Member Williams reported that the shower house flooded and some parts cannot be obtained; estimated repair cost is over $3,000 with parts potentially arriving Monday, August 10th. Last year’s bills at 25 cents per kilowatt should not be paid; only current year bills at 15 cents per kilowatt are owed. Cindy and Tim cannot be expected to work 24/7, and office hours are 10 AM to 7 PM.
Jody Vannattan presented detailed electric usage data collected from monitoring a sub-meter serving 14 sites on Meadow Lane throughout July. She requested clarification on how electric bills are calculated and where the $395 annual electrical fee is allocated. She also noted discrepancies in billing methods and expressed confusion about meter multipliers. Superintendent Cindy provided information on electric charges: Annual additional electric charges total $64,694 including fees from Constellation ($2,272/month), Ameren ($929/month), and Spoon River Electric ($2,189/month) for delivery, transmission, sub-panels, and security lights. She added that the county provides all meters, connections, breakers, connectors, and wires at no charge to campers. Member Williams expressed that Steve Blackwell will come out to review the meter readings and billing calculations.
PUBLIC SAFETY
7. Policies– None
8. Declaration of Surplus Property – None
9. Claims
Member Smith moved to approve claims, with a second from Member Barclay. Motion carried by roll call vote (3,0)
10. ESDA – None
11. Old Business – None
12. New Business – None
CAMPGROUND
13. Claims
Member Smith moved to approve claims, with a second from Member Barclay. Motion carried by roll call vote (3,0)
14. Old Business – None
15. New Business
a. Discussion/Action: Electric Disconnection For Lack of Payment
Member Williams expressed that meter readings will be conducted monthly instead of quarterly to prevent large outstanding balances. Electric disconnection will occur after 15 or 30 days of non-payment (State’s Attorney reviewing the timeline). A $25 late fee will be assessed 10 days after the due date and a $100 reconnection fee will be charged if service is disconnected after 15 days. Monthly billing notifications will be sent.
Member Barclay motioned to send to the full Board, with a second from Member Smith. Motion carried by voice vote with all ayes.
b. Discussion/Action: FY27 Campground Budget
Member Williams reported that the county engineer provided cost estimates: seal and chip costs $35,000 per mile, with higher costs for shorter distances. Discussion was held about using alternative materials including cold patch or millings. Discussion was held about maintenance and staffing. Ideally, a full-time maintenance person and office staff are needed, but the campground cannot currently afford both positions. Superintendent Cindy manages 221 campers with constant phone calls starting at 6 AM. The committee discussed adding another part-time person for weed cutting and maintenance. Challenges include difficulty finding workers willing to do outdoor maintenance work. Discussion was held about organizing volunteer work days for campers. Member Williams clarified that volunteers working on campground improvements are not covered by county insurance if they are negligent, but the park could be liable if a safety hazard created by the park causes injury. Campers are welcome to trim vegetation and perform minor maintenance around their own lots as long as they do not cut down large trees. Discussion was held about requiring campers to mow their own lots. Current agreements do not include mowing requirements, so enforcement is not possible this year. Superintendent Cindy reported that the state recommended adding a $100 mowing fee to next year’s agreements if the county has to mow a camper’s lot. Previous policy under the former superintendent was that campers were charged $50, but committee agreed $100 is more appropriate given current labor costs. Member Williams discussed purchasing a gas-powered UTV (not a golf cart) for campground operations including trash pickup.
16. Camp & Rec Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Cindy received a request to possibly install automatic lights in the shower house to reduce electricity waste. The lights are supposed to be automatic but tenants reportedly leave them on. There is a possibility that solar lights could be installed.
17. Executive Session – None
18. Misc. – None
19. Adjournment
Member Smith moved to adjourn at 6:50 PM with a second from Member Barclay. Motion carried by voice vote with all ayes.
