A lot exchange between the Jensen family and the Village of Gays Mills sparked a long conversation about the proposal at the village board meeting Monday, Jan.6.
The Jensens own a lot at 408 Orin Street near the Haggerty residence. They proposed trading that lot for two wooded lots located near Park and Rebecca Streets that are owned by the village.
That forested lots were planted by volunteers under the direction of village forester Cindy Kohles. The planting was in part funded by a grant. The lots were vacant due to a previous flood buyout of the property.
“Why do you want the forested lots?” Gays Mills Village Trustee Kevin Murray asked the Jensens when the matter came up on the agenda.
Beth Jensen explained their interest was in improving the property by installing birdhouses and possibly creating a walking path.
Murray cautioned that once the property became private it would probably remain in private hands and its future beyond the Jensens would be uncertain. The trustee favored having the wooded property remain public and usable to the village.
The small lot the Jensens offered to trade with the village for the forested lots could be easily mowed by the village, which already mows an adjoining piece, Beth Jensen explained.
Gays Mills Village President Harry Heisz seemed to favor the exchange and noted the mowing of 408 Orin Street could be quickly accomplished by the village workers when they mowed the adjacent piece.
Maintenance of the forested lots was discussed. Murray remained firmly against the idea. He noted the village doesn’t need to own and mow any more private property.
Gays Mills Village Trustee Art Winsor felt that tabling the matter for now was good idea.
Murray move to table the matter of the lot exchange. The motion was seconded by trustee Ethan Eitsert and passed by the board.
In other new business, the board approved sending a letter to the owners of two blighted buildings in need of repair and maintenance.
The buildings are located at 200 and 208 Main Street, the former Nuzum’s Lumber Yard and the former county shop.
Gays Mills Village Clerk Dawn McCann confirmed that a notice of the addressing the blighted buildings with repair and maintenance was sent to the owners two months ago. However, there had been response. The board approved sending a letter urging the owner to take action to improve the situation with the blighted buildings.
Another problem in the village, involving a camper parked on a lot, was resolved when that camper was moved, village president Harry Heisz reported.
The issue of unshoveled snow on sidewalks was addressed. The current ordinance essentially requires snow to be removed within a specified time. The board approved advertising the snow removal ordinance as it is written in the Crawford County Independent & Kickapoo Scout.
In other matters, the Gays Mills Village Board:
• learned that camper dump stations would be equipped with donation boxes to accept donations from those using the facility to empty waste from their campers
• learned that the public property committee had reached a swimming pool bathroom agreement with the Kickapoo Stump Dodger Campground, which clarifies the arrangement with a better understanding of what is expected
• approved the recommendation of public property committee to take $1 per square foot of space annually, which is to be set aside for maintenance, and place that money into a Mercantile Maintenance Saving Account–the maintenance money will be taken in increments from the monthly rent of tenants of the Gays Mills Mercantile
• approved the property committee recommendation to purchase another village truck from Sleepy Hollow at the cost of $115,089 with a snowplow, sander and chains to assist with snow removal
• also approved a loan resolution authorizing the loan to be taken from the People State Bank as they were the low bidder on the interest rate at 4.98%
• approved the swimming pool rates as discussed at a previous meeting
• learned that a Phosphorous minimization plan was underway and water trading credits with area landowners were being pursued to get the village into compliance with the allowable phosphorous discharge limits for the sewer plant
• decided to return some of the health insurance savings back to employees-the savings accrued when employees did not use all of the funds set aside to pay deductibles