Land purchase for fire station approved
By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Darien Village Board voted Sept. 16 to terminate its service contract with Utility Service Co. for maintenance of its water tower on Oak Street.
The board discussed terminating the contract Aug. 19 meeting but tabled the issue and sent it back to the Pubic Works Committee for further discussion.
Administrator Diana Dykstra said at that meeting the contract costs the village $26,000 for the first three years and $10,000 for the last year and questioned the need to pay for maintenance the village could do or contract out on its own for less money.
Public Works Director Greg Epping said at that meeting he did not oppose canceling the contract but said the village will need to budget for the costs it will incur that were previously covered in the contract.
On Sept. 16, Dykstra said the village would commit to putting aside money in its capital fund to cover expected costs that would have been covered under the contract, and the village will spend less doing that than paying the contract. One expense Dykstra said the village already has to save for is repainting the village’s second water tower near Maxxx Motorsports because the paint is failing. The village does not have a service contract for that tower.
Attorney Brad Lochowicz said the village had to be sure to give the company at least 90 days notice per the contract if it votes to cancel. He had some questions about what the anniversary date was for the contract saying that it could be in January or February depending on interpretation. The village was safe either way by canceling Monday night.
Fire station
The board approved a vacant land contract with Gerald Pelishek for four acres of land at the intersection of Gerry Way and Badger Parkway near the Darien cemetery on Highway 14 to build a new joint fire station with the Town of Darien. The purchase price for the land was $140,000. Dykstra said no timeline or cost of construction for the station have been determined yet.
Square dancing
The board approved renting the senior center to the Limber Timbers Square Dance Club for $75 per dance. The club intends to rent the center in the summer months about six times on Wednesdays and is open to accepting new dancers.
Trustee Molly Jo Baars said the group would be a neat organization to have in the community. President Kurt Zipp said any additional exposure for the village would be a good thing.
Trick or treat
The board decided to move Halloween trick-or-treat hours from the traditional 4 to 6 p.m. to 5 to 7 p.m. in response to a request from a resident to move the hours. The resident was unavailable to take her children trick-or-treating because she works. The board decided the later hours might help but did not support moving the hours to the Sunday before Halloween.
