The Empire Village Council Work Session held on February 12, 2026, addressed several key topics including infrastructure projects, health insurance policy renewals, and ongoing discussions regarding budget amendments. The meeting concluded with unanimous approvals for multiple motions, reflecting active engagement on community matters.
Public comments
Several residents voiced concerns regarding sidewalk clearing as a safety issue. Steve Stepanek, Jeff Hemingway, and Ed Peplinski all raised similar concerns, emphasizing the importance of resident participation in meetings and the need for sidewalks to be cleared efficiently. Joey Reutter inquired about the authority for ticketing related to snow removal, while Steve Lewis commented on the safety of walking in the streets due to the current conditions of street and sidewalk clearing.
Infrastructure projects
The Council approved a bid from Molon for Union Street overlay and Alley paving, not exceeding $90,000. The Council reviewed the bidding process, with Bacon tasked to request a project oversight proposal from Engineer Graf of Gosling Czubak. Following this, Davis was designated to sign the contract upon receipt. Additionally, BACON initiated a discussion about potential changes to the Civil Infraction Ordinance related to improvements in language clarity and enforcement.
Other Business
The Council conducted a review of the Village 2026-27 budget, which included increases for tree management and street lighting. A motion to renew the employee health insurance policy with a 14% increase was also discussed and supported by council members. The sidewalk policy was referred to the Streets Committee for further recommendations due to challenges in current practices.
Action Items
1. Engineer Graf of Gosling Czubak to provide a proposal for overseeing the Union Street overlay and Alley paving project.
2. The Streets Committee to review the sidewalk policy and make recommendations.
3. The Personnel Committee to meet for discussions regarding changes to the Personnel Policy.
4. Council to enhance the budget process by including changes in the Fund Balance for future meetings.
5. Ordinance #107 to be sent to the attorney for review as approved by the Council.
Source Document
This summary was AI-generated from the official meeting record. The full source document is the authoritative version.