By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan Town Board appointed board Chairman Ryan Simons, supervisors Larry Malsch and Chris Marsicano and resident Mike Grover to an ad hoc Community Park Building committee on Oct. 20. Simons said he is still talking with a potential fifth candidate.
Simons said the meetings of the committee will be open to the public. Marsicano said the meetings will likely begin in December or January and be held once a month. Marsicano said the committee might meet more often the closer it gets to actually coming to the board for approval or a groundbreaking.
Administrator John Olson said no timeline for construction of a new park building exists and it will likely be two or three years in the future before the project comes to fruition. Olson said many committee and public meetings will take place before then, and the board must approve the project. The board in July approved a $5,000 contract with DePietro Design to facilitate meetings and design preliminary building plan options.
Building inspector
The board approved a new three-year contract with Professional Building Services to provide building inspection services in the town beginning in January. The town has used Independent Inspections Ltd. since 2006.
Olson said the town had not put out a request for competitive bids since 2006. He said the board heard many favorable comments about Professional Building Services and voted unanimously to make the change.
Simons said the town anticipates an increase in building over the next three years and he wants to make sure the town has the best inspector in place to handle the increase. He said the town is seeing a pick-up in building permit activity and the general economic recovery is having a positive effect on the town. Simons said the number of renovation projects has increased, and homeowners are moving forward with building plans for lots have been approved in the township.
Simons said Professional Building will provide services at about the same rate as Independent Inspections, but a review of the proposals and discussions with local building contractors and other local government officials convinced Simons that Professional Building Services was the best choice for the town.
Operator’s licensing
The board approved a new ordinance that provides for the issuance of a provisional operator’s license for serving alcohol. The new license will be effective for no more than 60 days and comes with a $15 fee.
Simons said a lapse occurs between the time an individual applies for a license and when it is reviewed by the Administrative Committee. He said an applicant can now work during that time period. Simons said having a uniform provisional license would make it easier for the police to determine if operators have a valid license.
South Shore Drive
The board approved a request from Sho-Deen Development for an access point to its planned 124-lot subdivision in the Town of Walworth along South Shore Drive. The proposed access street would be located east of Broad Street and west of Dutch Mill Lane.
Simons said the access road does not pose any hazard or disadvantage to the town and the town has expressed no opposition to the access road.
New police vehicles
The board approved buying two new Ford Explorer police vehicles at a cost of $86,800 to come from the 2016 capital budget. Malsch said the vehicles were approved now because Kunes Country Ford is offering an $1,800 credit if the order is placed before Nov. 1. Malsch also recommended the bid from Kunes over a bid from Ewald Ford in Milwaukee because getting the vehicles serviced would be easier from a local dealer.
