Water issues, nuisance complaint major discussions in Coalton village board meeting

COALTON (Heartland Newsfeed) — Some issues regarding water was the primary focus of the discussion in the Coalton Village Board’s most recent meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Water superintendent Tom Gonet involved some unidentified village residents not paying their water bill. One unmentioned resident owed upwards of $400 in past due bills and has mentioned to village treasurer Sandy Jachino that the bill be never be paid, an issue which will now be handled by Gonet personally when it comes to service shutoff.

Gonet mentioned about the recent water main breaks that have recently taken place in Nokomis, which is currently affecting their water in the village at this time, resulting in a boil order for all affected areas. It has also resulted in some additional issues on their end regarding water supply to the residents. Also mentioned was the potential of water infiltration and an action plan to resolve it.

Village Trustee Mary Speier was re-appointed by the village board to the Nokomis/Witt Ambulance Service board of directors for another term via an unanimous vote.

An ordinance regarding prohibition of sexual harassment, which was passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner last fall, was approved by the board. The ordinance had a January deadline for approval and compliance.

In other business:

• The board voted to approve the meeting minutes from the December 13, 2017 meeting.
• Gonet’s water superintendent report and departmental bills for January were approved.
• Bills payable in January specified in Jachino’s treasurer report were approved.
• Village president Rick Cearlock presented before the board that their grant status was in its closing stages, as USDA Rural Development is awaiting manual and maintenance information in order to close out the process. The new truck was delivered in late December and was viewed by the board members and any present members of the public. An article was written by the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, which helped throughout the grant process, which was released to the news media. Gonet cited some concerns with the truck, but resolving some of those issues will take some time.
• Speier, newly re-appointed to the ambulance board, briefly discussed the newer ambulance they acquired a couple months ago and that their other ambulance is beginning to become worn out. The ambulance board of directors will be seeking to go through the grant process to acquire another ambulance, with eyes focused on some prospects.
• A nuisance complaint was discussed regarding reckless driving behavior around the village. The unidentified culprit has been going around the village making awkward turns that create ruts and unnecessary additional wear and tear of the roads. It was cited that it has taken place in different parts of the village. A possible suspect was discussed, but with not enough evidence to prove it, it has been referred to village trustee Tom Detmers, who oversees the village’s police, health and safety affairs, by discussing this complaint with the Nokomis Police Department and Bill Kenny, NPD chief of police.

With no additional business to discuss, the board closed their session at 7:44 p.m., set to reconvene February 14 at 7 p.m. Present at the meeting were village president Rick Cearlock, village clerk Kay Cook, water superintendent Tom Gonet, village treasurer Sandy Jachino and village trustees Rod Eller, Steve Lee, Mary Speier and Tom Detmers.

Jake Leonard

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.

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