By Bruce Rolfe
After fielding questions from multiple village residents last year regarding trees in the Village right of way that have been damaged or rotting and are a hazard to property, the topic resumed at the May 20 Council meeting.
The Council paid to have a tree removed in the village right of way on North Main Street last summer and approved full reimbursement for another tree in village right of way at the same address at the May 6 meeting.
Village Council President Bill Lewis said he received a letter from a resident on North Church Street asking for partial reimbursement for removing a tree in the village right of way last year.
The resident said a similar request to split the cost 50/50 or for the Village to pay the entire cost to have the tree in the village right of way in front of the couple’s home removed, was denied by the Council last year. The letter writer said the Council’s response last year was the tree removal budget was exhausted.
The letter adds the home owners then received permission by the village to remove the tree in the village right of way they felt was hazardous, however the couple paid the entire cost.
The letter writer said the rotting tree posted a safety concern to the property and surrounding area. The homeowner said the couple’s concerns were shared with the Village prior to having the tree removed. The couple’s insurance provider also expressed concerns about the tree and recommended the tree be removed. The cost to have the tree removed, which Lewis said was $2,800, was also provided.
Lewis said the couple met the criteria by getting permission from the Council to have the tree removed. He said while the decision to reimburse the couple for a portion of the cost or the entire amount, will be up to the board. He also reminded the Council the budget will have to be considered.
The Council is expected to consider the request at the June 3 meeting.
Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson noted since the Council approved covering the cost to have two trees removed on North Main Street, the DPW has fielded requests by other residents who would also like to have older trees in the village right of way in front of their homes removed by the village.
Lewis suggested hiring an arborist to review all trees in the village right of way to provide an opinion which trees should be removed and which trees could be salvaged as an option to consider.
Estimate for Water Tower Tank Inspection, Cleaning Approved
The Council unanimously approved an estimate of $4,600 from Dixon Engineering and Inspection, plus any additional costs that may be needed, to have the inside of the village water tank inspected and cleaned.
Gibson said the inspection and cleaning is scheduled to take place the second week in August when the water tank will be shut down for one to two weeks.
Fencing in Park Will Be Repaired
To gain access where the weather warning was installed in the Village Park, a section of the fence along the west side of the park had to be removed.
Because a portion of the fence that was removed was damaged creating easy access near a Village drain pond, the Council felt a safety issue was present and approved an estimate Gibson provided to have the section of fence replaced.
Gibson provided two quotes for 148 linear feet and two double swing,12 foot gates plus a walk in area. The Council approved the quote for $4,240.60.
The fence replacement money will come out of the Parks budget, which Clerk Linda Coburn said would likely have to be amended because funds in that budget would likely be exhausted to cover the total cost.
Funds Will Be Moved to Credit Union in Galesburg
After noting the Council has over $960,000 at Sturgis Bank and Trust and $250,000 is insured, Finance/Insurance and Administration Chairperson Denise Pyle said she spoke with a Consumers Credit Union representative about moving some of the Village’s money into a Consumers Credit Union account at the credit union’s new branch that was recently opened in Galesburg.
Pyle said the representative she, Lewis and Coburn met with, offered a money market rate of 4% if the Village would move $250,000 into the Consumers Credit Union account. She said the interest would accrue $10,000 in one year. She adds the credit union has the ability to insure up to $500,000 as the funds increase, however the interest rate may decrease slightly.
The Village Treasurer can move the funds to Consumers Credit Union, however the Council unanimously approved a motion to allow the Village Treasurer to open an account, moving $250,000 to Consumers Credit Union in Galesburg.
After noting the approximately $21,000 the Village receives annually from a T-Mobile contract with the Village to have telecommunications equipment placed on top of the village water tower currently goes into the water budget, Pyle suggested the money be placed in the Village’s General Fund budget. She said money could be used for tree removal and streets and sidewalks repair.
Lewis said the water fund is very healthy, with $450,000 to $500,000 currently available.
After brief discussion the Council unanimously approved the motion.
In other items covered at the May 20 meeting:
• The DPW asks residents to break down tree limbs from storm damage into small, manageable piles.
• Public Safety/Fire/Law Enforcement/Disaster Planning Chairman Nick Ludwig said he reached out to the Kalamazoo County Dispatch Authority why the new weather warning siren was not set off when a tornado touched down in Galesburg May 15.
Ludwig said a representative from the Kalamazoo County Dispatch Authority said the county is split into 4 segments. He was told because the north part of the county is where the tornado was identified, the weather warning siren in the Village of Climax was not set off.
Ludwig said the Council could ask the Climax Township Fire Chief permission to set the siren off and that option will be discussed with the fire department.
With the Council recently purchasing and having a weather warning siren installed from West Shore, Ludwig provided a quote for a four-year maintenance plan contract. He said the annual fee, which would cover a visual inspection, service inspection, testing and adjustment and new batteries after four years, would cost $500 and be locked in for the entire four years.
• Ludwig also provided the cost to add another camera to the village’s surveillance system to provide additional coverage in the Village Park. He said the cost for an additional camera would be $580. He said the estimate to install an additional camera, an ethernet cable installed from the new camera to the network switch and labor, would be $1700.
The Council approved a software upgrade purchase of $40 that will potentially give the Village’s camera surveillance system better resolution and clarity.
• Ludwig said there were 31 officer initiated calls from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department in the Village for the month of April including 23 for directed patrol. There were five citizen initiated calls for service.
• Gibson said the wires that held the Memorial Day banner on North Main Street, were removed by Consumers Energy following the recent storms and the banner will not be put up this year.
• Cemetery/Parks Chairman Ben Moore said Sam Dougherty, who the council hired to make a chain saw wood carving out of the trunk of a very large tree in Prairie Home Cemetery that was removed, will provide a paper quote for $300 to clean, paint and reseal the carving.
• The Council held the Planning Commission proposed ordinance second reading and a first reading of the Law Enforcement Officer proposed Ordinance.
The planning commission ordinance will be brought before the board for adoption at the June 3 meeting and the second reading for the Enforcement Officer proposed ordinance will be held June 3.
After fielding questions from multiple village residents last year regarding trees in the Village right of way that have been damaged or rotting and are a hazard to property, the topic resumed at the May 20 Council meeting.
The Council paid to have a tree removed in the village right of way on North Main Street last summer and approved full reimbursement for another tree in village right of way at the same address at the May 6 meeting.
Village Council President Bill Lewis said he received a letter from a resident on North Church Street asking for partial reimbursement for removing a tree in the village right of way last year.
The resident said a similar request to split the cost 50/50 or for the Village to pay the entire cost to have the tree in the village right of way in front of the couple’s home removed, was denied by the Council last year. The letter writer said the Council’s response last year was the tree removal budget was exhausted.
The letter adds the home owners then received permission by the village to remove the tree in the village right of way they felt was hazardous, however the couple paid the entire cost.
The letter writer said the rotting tree posted a safety concern to the property and surrounding area. The homeowner said the couple’s concerns were shared with the Village prior to having the tree removed. The couple’s insurance provider also expressed concerns about the tree and recommended the tree be removed. The cost to have the tree removed, which Lewis said was $2,800, was also provided.
Lewis said the couple met the criteria by getting permission from the Council to have the tree removed. He said while the decision to reimburse the couple for a portion of the cost or the entire amount, will be up to the board. He also reminded the Council the budget will have to be considered.
The Council is expected to consider the request at the June 3 meeting.
Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson noted since the Council approved covering the cost to have two trees removed on North Main Street, the DPW has fielded requests by other residents who would also like to have older trees in the village right of way in front of their homes removed by the village.
Lewis suggested hiring an arborist to review all trees in the village right of way to provide an opinion which trees should be removed and which trees could be salvaged as an option to consider.
Estimate for Water Tower Tank Inspection, Cleaning Approved
The Council unanimously approved an estimate of $4,600 from Dixon Engineering and Inspection, plus any additional costs that may be needed, to have the inside of the village water tank inspected and cleaned.
Gibson said the inspection and cleaning is scheduled to take place the second week in August when the water tank will be shut down for one to two weeks.
Fencing in Park Will Be Repaired
To gain access where the weather warning was installed in the Village Park, a section of the fence along the west side of the park had to be removed.
Because a portion of the fence that was removed was damaged creating easy access near a Village drain pond, the Council felt a safety issue was present and approved an estimate Gibson provided to have the section of fence replaced.
Gibson provided two quotes for 148 linear feet and two double swing,12 foot gates plus a walk in area. The Council approved the quote for $4,240.60.
The fence replacement money will come out of the Parks budget, which Clerk Linda Coburn said would likely have to be amended because funds in that budget would likely be exhausted to cover the total cost.
Funds Will Be Moved to Credit Union in Galesburg
After noting the Council has over $960,000 at Sturgis Bank and Trust and $250,000 is insured, Finance/Insurance and Administration Chairperson Denise Pyle said she spoke with a Consumers Credit Union representative about moving some of the Village’s money into a Consumers Credit Union account at the credit union’s new branch that was recently opened in Galesburg.
Pyle said the representative she, Lewis and Coburn met with, offered a money market rate of 4% if the Village would move $250,000 into the Consumers Credit Union account. She said the interest would accrue $10,000 in one year. She adds the credit union has the ability to insure up to $500,000 as the funds increase, however the interest rate may decrease slightly.
The Village Treasurer can move the funds to Consumers Credit Union, however the Council unanimously approved a motion to allow the Village Treasurer to open an account, moving $250,000 to Consumers Credit Union in Galesburg.
After noting the approximately $21,000 the Village receives annually from a T-Mobile contract with the Village to have telecommunications equipment placed on top of the village water tower currently goes into the water budget, Pyle suggested the money be placed in the Village’s General Fund budget. She said money could be used for tree removal and streets and sidewalks repair.
Lewis said the water fund is very healthy, with $450,000 to $500,000 currently available.
After brief discussion the Council unanimously approved the motion.
In other items covered at the May 20 meeting:
• The DPW asks residents to break down tree limbs from storm damage into small, manageable piles.
• Public Safety/Fire/Law Enforcement/Disaster Planning Chairman Nick Ludwig said he reached out to the Kalamazoo County Dispatch Authority why the new weather warning siren was not set off when a tornado touched down in Galesburg May 15.
Ludwig said a representative from the Kalamazoo County Dispatch Authority said the county is split into 4 segments. He was told because the north part of the county is where the tornado was identified, the weather warning siren in the Village of Climax was not set off.
Ludwig said the Council could ask the Climax Township Fire Chief permission to set the siren off and that option will be discussed with the fire department.
With the Council recently purchasing and having a weather warning siren installed from West Shore, Ludwig provided a quote for a four-year maintenance plan contract. He said the annual fee, which would cover a visual inspection, service inspection, testing and adjustment and new batteries after four years, would cost $500 and be locked in for the entire four years.
• Ludwig also provided the cost to add another camera to the village’s surveillance system to provide additional coverage in the Village Park. He said the cost for an additional camera would be $580. He said the estimate to install an additional camera, an ethernet cable installed from the new camera to the network switch and labor, would be $1700.
The Council approved a software upgrade purchase of $40 that will potentially give the Village’s camera surveillance system better resolution and clarity.
• Ludwig said there were 31 officer initiated calls from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department in the Village for the month of April including 23 for directed patrol. There were five citizen initiated calls for service.
• Gibson said the wires that held the Memorial Day banner on North Main Street, were removed by Consumers Energy following the recent storms and the banner will not be put up this year.
• Cemetery/Parks Chairman Ben Moore said Sam Dougherty, who the council hired to make a chain saw wood carving out of the trunk of a very large tree in Prairie Home Cemetery that was removed, will provide a paper quote for $300 to clean, paint and reseal the carving.
• The Council held the Planning Commission proposed ordinance second reading and a first reading of the Law Enforcement Officer proposed Ordinance.
The planning commission ordinance will be brought before the board for adoption at the June 3 meeting and the second reading for the Enforcement Officer proposed ordinance will be held June 3.
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