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Dairy Days, truck sale and spring elections on Soldiers Grove Village Board agenda
Soldiers Grove

SOLDIERS GROVE - The Village of Soldiers Grove Board had a short meeting on Thursday, Jan. 3. At the meeting, they accepted bids for their old plow truck and the box, discussed camping facilities with Dairy Days representatives, and determined the order that candidates for the village board will be listed on the spring ballot.

The village received four bids for the old plow truck and the box. Of the four bids, one was for the truck and/or the box, one for both but would only take the box with the truck, one for the truck only, and one for the box only.

The board voted to sell the truck to the highest bidder, Carl Riff, for $3,656, and the box to the highest bidder, Digger Don Olson, for $900.

Dairy Days

About a half dozen members of the Dairy Days organizing committee were present to discuss plans for the 2019 event. Among them were Bill McCormick and Anita Kelly.

The board raised concerns about the number of camping spaces that were used in 2018 for members of the carnival crew.

“We just want to be clear that if the carnival crew is going to use the camping spaces, then they are going to have to pay for the spaces,” village trustee Vicki Campbell told the Dairy Days representatives.

Bill McCormick indicated that Dairy Days would not be having the same sort of carnival next year that they have had in previous years, and thus, would not be contracting with the same company in 2019.

“We’re cutting out the Friday night part of the event, and just holding the Saturday and Sunday events,” Anita Kelly said. “The carnival will be scaled back to a few bouncy houses and such over by the gazebo area.”

McCormick told the board that their group was ready to provide assistance in getting the park put back together in the spring. He also said he had received phone calls from members of the BMZ Motorcycle Club expressing interest in volunteering.

“We’re still waiting to hear back from FEMA about what amounts of money they are going to approve for projects in the park,” Campbell said. “One idea that we have proposed is to combine the tennis courts and skateboard park into the space previously occupied by the tennis courts, and then build a shelter where the skateboard park previously was. Until we have a plan, I think we should hold off on signing up volunteers.”

Spring election

Three trustee seats will be up for election in the April 2019 election. Jerry Miller and Vicki Campbell will run for re-election, but Paul Nicholson has indicated that he will not seek re-election. In addition, Village President Steve George will also be seeking re-election.

Other business

In other business, the Soldiers Grove Village Board:

• heard that the fire department will need to discuss proposed changes to their bylaws before bringing them to the board for approval;

• learned that both the fire department and the water treatment plant had undergone a safety audit before Christmas, and were taking steps to correct the minor problems identified;

• received a report that payment on all loans given by the Village were current, and back due room taxes had been added to the property tax bills;

• declined to renew their real estate contract with Whitetail properties;

• contracted for maintenance on the village’s storm siren for one year; and

• approved a $3,500 donation to the North Crawford Rescue Squad.