GAYS MILLS - Village resident and former village president Craig Anderson made some comments on two subjects during the public input portion of the regular monthly Gays Mills Village Board meeting.

Anderson began with a warning about what might be called a ‘scam’ involving a mail solicitation intending to appear as an official communication from the Village of Gays Mills about deed warranties.

From the envelope used and the content of the letter, it appears in every way to make the people believe the village is communicating to residents there is a need to the warranty on their deeds. This is not the case. The letter asks people to send money and/or call a phone number given in the letter.

The letter is not from the village and that is not a message from the village. One other village resident has reported receiving such a letter to the village clerk Dawn McCann.

Anderson observed the letter may be legal, but it is certainly not ethical.

Board member Emily Swiggum noted the letter senders had definitely put money into the packaging to make it look official.

“Well forewarned is forearmed,” Anderson said in ending this portion of his public input.

Board appointment

Anderson’s other point, brought up under the agenda item listed as ‘Citizens and Delegations,’ concerned the appointment of a board member at the meeting last month. The board approved appointing Kevin Murray to the empty seat on the board after he lost his seat in the spring election.

Anderson questioned why the seat, formerly held by Seamus Murray was allowed to go unfilled for 10 months,  but then filled after the election by an appointment of the board.

Gays Mills Village President Harry Heisz said that 10 months ago it was unclear if there was enough interest is serving on the board to have a seven-member board going forward. This concern led to an idea of the possible need to go to a five-person board if there was not sufficient interest.

Anderson disputed that claim noting that there were sufficient people running in 2022 to fill the three open seats, with one person not being elected.

A review of the 2022 Gays Mills Village Trustee election show that Ethan Eitsert received 85 votes, Seamus Murray had 65; Lee Ann Ruegg had 60; and Craig Anderson had 57. Seamus Murray’s seat became vacant shortly after the election when he moved out of the village. It remained vacant until last month, when Kevin Murray was appointed fill out the remainder of the term (one year).

Heisz maintained the problem was the lack of interest in serving on the board. He was indicating that there might be a need to reduce the number of trustees to five.

At one point, Anderson noted that he had been out of town and missed, the last village board meeting but was surprised to see the vacant Seamus Murray seat was filled for the remaining year by appointment.

Public Works

During the Director of Public Works report, Jim Chellevold noted grass cutting had been reduced because most of the grass is burnt off by the dry weather. The department has been focusing on repairing village streets.

The village has fixed bumps in the street near the Catholic Church and on Evergreen Street, according to Chellevold.

The village will also use some American Rescue Act Plan funding for eligible projects, like fixing damaged storm sewers on Rebecca Street and Railroad Street.

A discussion of swimming in the Kickapoo River was brought up by the trustees. There is currently a ‘No Swimming’ sign on the remaining dam power house building. However, it is probably not visible to the swimmers who tend to use the little sandy beach closer to the bridge and the boat landing.

Trustee Emily Swiggum said there used to be more no swimming signs.

Trustee Kevin Murray said the matter should be researched and the village should clarify its position on swimming in the river.

Sewer plant report

The report on the current sewer plant was accepted. It noted the village rating fell from an ‘A’ down to a ‘C’ based on the increased amount of phosphorous. Chellevold said it is unclear where the source was for the increase of phosphorus recorded in October and November.

Swimming pool

Gays Mills Swimming Pool Director Sam Gallagher reported things at the pool were running smoothly and there were plenty of certified lifeguards available. The pool director also noted the new diving board had been installed and was working well.

Gays Mills Village President Harry Heisz explained the pool’s diving board, replaced the original diving board installed in the 1950s when the pool was built The new diving board cost $5,000 and was paid for by the Friends of Gays Mills.

Trustee Lee Ann Ruegg thanked Sam Gallagher for the good job he is is doing at the pool

Gallagher said that another late swimming lesson could be added in the first week of August to respond to children currently playing softball.

In other business

In other business, the Gays Mills Village Board:

• learned that bids for resurfacing of four pickle ball courts and one tennis court, as well as an adjacent basketball court, have been received

• decided to not fund that resurfacing work until the amount that could be raised by the pickle ball group was determined

• learned through pickle ball organizer Craig Anderson  that donations for resurfacing the pickle ball courts can be made to a special account through Gays Mills Village Clerk Dawn McCann

* learned new boards had been installed in the benches in the fishing spot near the dam on the Kickapoo River

• agreed to order half a dozen signs from the county to direct people toward the pool–more signage in the village is planned

• agreed to road repair on the village portion of Stevenson Road to be coordinated with the town of Utica resurfacing effort on their portion of the road

• decided to make village donations in the same amounts to same entities as last year as follows:

-fire department $500 for fireworks show

-Stump Dodger Bash $1,000 for advertising

-Gays Mills Farmers Market $500

-CDA Tourism Promotion $500

• approved a St. Mary’s Catholic Church request for  a Corpus Christi Procession from the church in Gays Mills to Rebecca Street and back to the church–tables will be set up in each of three vacant lots on the street for each of the parishes; St. Mary’s, St. Philips (Rolling Ground) and St. Pat’s (Seneca).