The Village of West Salem’s Board met on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 6:30 PM. Highlights from the meeting include:
Announcements, Reports, and Discussions:
- The Mayor thanked First Christian Church for their work on the sucessful Fall Festival held on October 19th.
- The Board discussed a 1% Grocery Tax Ordinance. The purposed Ordinance would allow the Village to maintain the 1% tax revenue that the State will be eliminating on January 1, 2026. It will not increase the amount of taxes currently charged on groceries. The Ordinance will be brought back for further discussion and possible approval at next month’s meeting.
- They discussed the Village’s Levy requests for FY2025. The Levy Ordinances will be voted upon at the November 25, 2024 meeting.
- The Board tabled an Ordinance increasing compensation for Village Elected Officials. This means that the pay for trustees can not be increased until 2027.
- Announced that Courtesy Candidate Packets for the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election are available at Village Hall. Completed candidate packets can be filed at Village Hall between November 12th and November 18th.
Village Board Action:
- The Board approved a new Ordinance requiring Building Permits in West Salem. The cost of the permits ranges from $25.00 to $50.00 depending on the project. The new Ordinance can be found on the Village’s website. View the Ordinance here.
- The Board approved the ‘Annual Trees on the Square’ event on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 5:00 PM. This event is sponsored by the West Salem Development Association and will be held on the Village Square (100 South Street, West Salem, IL). The decorated trees will remain on display through January 1, 2025.
- The Board approved returning $4,350 to the West Salem Volunteer Firemen Association from the sale of a 1985 Fire Truck.
- The Board approved the purchase of a desk top scanner for the Police Department.
- The Board approved using federal ARPA grant funds for the Mill Pond Park project. The majority of ARPA (American Rescue Plan) funds were used to repair the Sewer Lift Stations in the Village, the remaining funds will go towards the Mill Pond Park which is scheduled to be renovated in the Spring of 2025. The Village also received a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that will cover part of the cost of this project.
- The Board approved using TIF funds to pay for the recently completed Seminary Street Water Main project.
Updates and Announcements from the Village of West Salem can be found on their website at WestSalemIL.com under the ‘News’ tab. The next regularly scheduled Village Board Meeting will be Monday, November 25, 2024 at 6:30 PM. The Board meets at Village Hall which is located at 106 E. South Street, West Salem, IL.