The Dwight Village Board of Trustees met Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

Trustees in attendance were Marla Kinkade, Joshua Jahn, Dan Hansen, Austin Haacke, and Deb Karch. Absent were Trustee Pete Meister and Village President Paul Johnson. Kinkade presided as President Pro Tem.

The following consent agenda items were approved:

1. Payments of July 22, 2025 of $134,637.43
2. Payments in between board meetings of $142,169.29
3. June 2025 Treasurer’s Report
4. Minutes of the June 24, 2025, Regular Board Meeting
5. Minutes of the July 15, 2025, Committee Meeting

PUBLIC FORUM

•  Dwight resident Kathy Kissiar spoke to the Board expressing her continued concern with nuisance properties in her neighborhood on East North Street. Kissiar had raised the issue with the Board about a year ago and felt no progress was being made on the situation.
• Dwight resident Larry Seabert was in attendance to get information on the Village’s proposed purchase of his property at 105 Watters Drive in Dwight. The Board would be discussing the purchase later in closed session.
• Dwight business owner and Dwight resident Rhonda Branz addressed the Board asking them to put focus on the condition of Downtown Dwight and the improper use of some of the downtown structures being used primarily as storage units.

ORDINANCES / RESOLUTIONS

1. Ordinance 1550 – Chapter 8 of the Municipal Code with respect to Park Hours was amended and approved:

Remove: All municipally owned parks except Stevenson Pool shall be closed from 8:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for any person under the age of twenty-one (21) years of age unless accompanied by a parent or guardian or attending or leaving a village sponsored function.

Update the language to: Lions Lake shall be open twenty-four hours per day; however, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., the park may only be used by individuals engaged in fishing on the lake.

All other municipally owned parks and public-use properties, excluding Lions Lake, shall be closed between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. local time.

2. Resolution 2025-11 – This resolution approved the website design and maintenance proposal from Browntown Communications. Cost would be $7,500 for initial design and a $2,500 retainer fee through March 2026.

3. Resolution 2025-12 – This resolution authorizing an agreement between the Village of Dwight and FGM Architects for a bathhouse assessment at the Stevenson Pool was approved at a cost of $5,500.

4. Resolution 2025-13 – This resolution approved and authorized a financial commitment in the Safe Routes to School Grant Program(Dwight Township High School District #230).

5. Resolution 2025-14 – This resolution approved and authorized a financial commitment in the Safe Routes to School Grant Program(Dwight Common School District #232).

OLD BUSINESS

1. Ordinance 1549 – An ordinance to Propose the Approval of a Business Development District Redevelopment Plan and Establish a Date for a Public Hearing for the Dwight Business Development District No. 1 was approved.

2. A motion to approve the updated Dunkin Donuts Economic Incentive Agreement was approved. The agreed rebate will be 50% of the 1% Municipal Sales Tax generated by the establishment for a period of 10 years.

3. A contract with SHOW BUS for subsidized transportation in Dwight was approved.

•  Beginning August 11, SHOW BUS will provide one lift or ramp equipped vehicle every weekday to the general public for local trips within the Village of Dwight. Interruptions of service for holidays or any other reason will be pre-arranged.
• Riders will call the SHOW BUS office at 800-525-2454 to request demand-response, curb to curb (or door to door as needed) for service between their homes and locations within the Village of Dwight. Requests should be received by 9:00 a.m. the weekday before the desired service. Initially, pick-up times will be scheduled from 9:45 am to 11:00 am and from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. Times will be adjusted by mutual consent between Dwight Township, Village of Dwight, and SHOW BUS.
• Transportation may be cancelled on a given day by any party if the weather is inclement. SHOW BUS reserves the right to return passengers early if the weather becomes inclement during the day.
• Dwight Township and the Village of Dwight will share the $325 monthly cost of the service. Dwight Township will pay 70%  and the Village of Dwight will pay 30%.
•  There is no charge for Dwight residents to ride the bus but donations are accepted.

4. A payment to Chamlin & Associates in the amount of $26,690.50 for Public Works Building Concept was approved.

5. A payment to Peoples National Bank in the amount of $22,265.64 for the cot loan was approved.

NEW BUSINESS

1. Laurie Pope of Mack & Associates provided an overview of FY25 audit.
2. A motion was approved to hire Darek Perrine as a Dwight Police Officer at Step B as recommended by the Services Committee.
3. A Street Closure Request for October 4, 2025, from 6:00 am – 4:00 pm for the south E. Main St. parking lot for a charity bicycling event was approved.
4. A Special Use Permit for William Sole to allow for a single residential unit, located at 103 John Street, Dwight, IL was denied.

The Board moved into closed session to discuss:
Section 2 (c) (5) Purchase or Lease of Real Estate or Section 2 (c) (11) Litigation.

No official action came following the closed session.

The next regularly scheduled Board Meeting will be Tuesday, August 26.