Southern View board reviews ordinance to cancel Neighborhood Watch agreement

The Village of Southern View Board of Trustees held a special meeting Nov. 13 to discuss Ordinance 24-10-04, which would authorize termination of the Village’s agreement with the Southern View Neighborhood Watch Committee.

President Mike Patsche read the ordinance in full and said the Village had not received required quarterly reports and that the committee had voted to remove a Board-designated liaison. He said the committee "has outgrown their britches by telling the Police Chief what he will do," and the ordinance text, read aloud at the meeting, states the President is authorized to send notice of termination to the Neighborhood Watch.

Village attorney Don Craven cautioned that, as a registered nonprofit, the committee may retain rights under Illinois law and "would be allowed to do whatever they want under Illinois law," limiting what the Village could unilaterally control. Trustee Mike Tavernor asked whether the ordinance would give the Village control over all committee activities; Craven answered it would not override nonprofit protections.

Supporters of the ordinance cited a pattern of noncompliance: the ordinance text says the committee "has not complied with the terms of that agreement" and that the Village had not received quarterly reports and that the committee disregarded the police chief's advice. Opponents at the meeting said the problems stem from poor communication and interpersonal conflict rather than misuse of funds or mission drift.

The discussion left open how much authority the Village could assert if it sent a termination notice; the board did not take a final vote on Ordinance 24-10-04 during the public discussion recorded in the minutes.