The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Caldwell Installed On Stronghurst Village Board

by: Shirley Linder, Quill Editor

Leota Caldwell was sworn in on Monday, June 7th, as a village board member, replacing Mike Nelson, who resigned when he was hired as a full time employee of the village.

Chief of Police Gary Smith presented State's Attorney Ray Cavanaugh with a plaque of appreciation from the village board and the Stronghurst Police Department. Cavanaugh has been appointed as an associate judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Chief Smith thanked Cavanaugh for all the help he gave in setting up the Stronghurst Police Department.

Josiah Boyd's request to start tattooing, part time in Henderson County was given general consent by the board members. He will need to be licensed in Illinois, have consent from the county and the Henderson County Health Department before he can begin.

Bob Dillon questioned who owned the late Martha Warth property, on which the house has been pushed in and awaiting the MST Fireman to burn it. He told the board the village did not own the property and questioned why they kept track of the hours they worked on it. Chris Cook stated it was so they could put a lien on the property when it was sold in order to recoup some of the money.

Chief Smith reported the police department has begun performing additional traffic enforcement on elizabeth and North Streets in response to the increased traffic due to the junction closure.

He also said the summer work schedule went into effect on June 1. This includes the normal work schedule during the week and extended hours Friday-Saturday.

Mike Bohnenkamp reported to the board the police committee did not understand that the medicare/society security amount was to come out of the police budget and they did not allow for this. Therefore they will need to think about passing a public safety tax to raise more for the budget. Chief Smith said the only other solution was to cut back on hours.

In other business:

• Discussed the Disaster Warning Signal is: Siren-2 minutes solid blast-15 seconds off-Repeat 4 times-Take Cover. All clear: Siren-4 short blasts-15 seconds off-repeat 4 times
• Agreed occupied parked vehicles on the perimeter of the park after curfew were in violation of the ordinance
• Accepted a bid in the amount of $1200 from Jeff Peterson for a 1979 Chevy C70 custom deluxe truck equipped with rock bed and snow plow
• Accepted a bid in the amount of $1501 from Gary Jarvis for a Galion No 503 Motor Grader
• Accepted a bid in the amount of $21,900 from FrameKon, for the concrete approach at Highway 94 and South Street in Stronghurst
• Approved the Fun Run on Labor Day, September 6th, sponsored by the Stronghurst Booster Club
• Heard employees will begin installing new water meters north of the track the week of the 14th. Four people will be hired to help with this project.
• Heard Darci Renken and Eric Hilligoss are helping with the village mowing and cleaning at the park
• Heard there is vandalism occurring in the village park
• Jerry Nortrup was selected to serve on the village Zoning Board
• Heard a request from Amanda Kane that a stop sign be placed in front of her house at North and Elizabeth Street, there by making it a 4 way stop
• Heard the lift pump on Elizabeth Street has been completed
• Approved $6745 for repairs on pump for water plant
• Approved $9582 for a new pump for water plant

Present were: Trustees Lawrence Neff, Mike Bohnenkamp, Chris Cook, Angela Myers, David Vancil, and Leota Caldwell, Clerk/Treasurer Lou Ann Nortrup, Employees Ronnie Gittings, Mike Nelson, Chief of Police Gary Smith, plus approximately 17 guests. Mayor Eric Chockley was absent.

The next board meeting will be at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 5, 2010.

Leota Caldwell, new board member