The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By: Shirley Linder, Quill Editor
Before Stronghurst village board president, Gary Root, called the regular meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 3rd, David Vancil was sworn in as a trustee by Clerk Lou Ann Nortrup. The swearing in was item #2 on the regular board agenda. Vancil was absent from the May meeting when the president and trustee Betty Waterman was sworn in.
Item #6 on the agenda, which included hiring summer help, was also discussed and the decision made to hire Eric Hilligoss and Kyle Mesecher before the board was called to order. David Vancil made the motion to hire the two but was informed the meeting had not yet started so no motion could be made, No motion was forth coming in regular session.
The meeting was then called to order at 7 p.m. and the minutes and bills approved.
The liquor committee had held one meeting and discussed the direction they wanted to go and are doing a lot of research. They emphasized the meetings are open and anyone from the community is welcome to attend. The next meeting will be Wednesday, June 12th at 6:00 p.m. Since West Central F.S. and Fishers Food Center have both shown an interest in selling package liquor they will be invited to attend this meeting. Attorney Bill Rasmussen advised the committee to go ahead with the package liquor ordinance and then take their time hammering out an ordinance for selling liquor by the drink. He advised the ordinances need to be one that can and will be enforced.
President Root told the board he was not going to pursue a liquor license after doing a lot of checking on it. When asked what he had found he told the board there is not a large profit on sales and the state makes unannounced visits to check for violations. He said if the beer is not rotated by date, it is a $500 fine with no warning, so he is throwing in the towel.
When asked if there was more profit in selling hard liquor he said he had not inquired because the last he knew they weren t going to sell hard liquor. He said when it was put on the ballot it was for beer and wine.
President Root also told the board, he had the matter of Seth Bundy s privacy fence taking care of. Apparently Tom Crotts, Bundy s neighbor felt the fence was not built on the right property line. Ron Schaley, who issued the building permit for the fence had gone to Bundy and asked him to stop building it until things could be checked out, but the fence was built anyway. Crotts has now decided to let it go and give Bundy the easement for the land or whatever it takes. Root said since both neighbors are now cool with it the matter is closed.
However, Brendan Schaley, asked the attorney if his dad, Ron, has any authority after a permit is issued to say let s just stop here a second and make sure we are doing this right. Attorney Rasmussen suggested being a little more stringent when it comes to issuing the permits. In the case of a fence he suggested taking a can of spray paint and marking exactly where that fence is to go then if the owner is not on the line it is an easy case to prove a violation.
The police report for the month of May included: 150.5 hours worked; 807 squad car patrol miles; 8 traffic stops; 3 verbal warnings; 6 uniform traffic tickets; 4 service calls; 2 agency assists; and 22 business courtesy checks.
In other business:
President Root would like to put in a sidewalk at his property. Normally the village pays half and the homeowner pays ½ but since he is a contractor he asked the board for permission to dig, frame, and provide the gravel for the walk and the board would pay for the concrete at a cost of $500. Permission was granted.
Present were: President Gary Root; Trustees, Mike Bohnenkamp, Deb Hale, Betty Waterman, Brendan Schaley, Tony Anderson, and David Vancil; Employees, Lou Ann Nortrup, Ronnie Gittings, Mike Nelson, Arbry Vancil, Attorney Bill Rasmussen; Guests, Melissa McIntire, Fern Fude, and Shirley Linder.
The next board meeting will be held on Monday, July 1st at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall.