Projects Help Beautify Village

By Ellen Proctor, Reporter

A number of projects to beautify the village of Marine are in various stages of completion this season.

Using paint that was donated to the village, painter Mike Swift of MKB Painting spent two days of his vacation time volunteering to paint the pavilions at Heritage Park. Streets and Parks committee chairman Mark Voigt told the mayor and village board members that it looks wonderful.

Voigt presented a plan to clean up the community building in Village Park, to be completed before the Marine Homecoming event. The board voted to spend no more than $900 on the project which will include digging out the bushes which are growing into the doorways. Voigt’s plan is to place two large bouders at either side of the door, plant hostas which are low-maintenance perennials, and put down river stone. Voigt got prices for supplies from Joe’s Market Basket in Edwardsville.

“The bushes definitely need to go,” Mayor John Molitor said. “They’re overgrown.”

Police chief Chris Singleton said that the two juveniles who owe the village forty hours of community service can help with the labor.

The trustees voted to have Village Park treated for mosquitoes four times at a cost of $150 per application totaling $600. The treatments will be applied in June for the Marine Homecoming, in

August for the Chillin’ and Grillin’ BBQ event and in September for Balloons Over Marine with an extra application to help keep the bugs down in July.

The solar power grant application process is moving forward, with bids coming in from several companies. The mayor said that he and Superintendent Travis Horner looked at the trees in

Village Park to determine whether it would be feasible to place a solar panel there rather than at the post office as was discussed in previous meetings.

“Six trees are somewhat in the way, and five of them are not great,” Molitor said.

The trustees voted in favor of placing the panel on the pavilion.

Also on the agenda was a bid from Rooter’s to put new asphalt in Heritage Park for a total of $1335. Voigt said that $293 remains from the PEP grant and the village would only need to pay $1,042. The motion passed by a roll call vote, with all trustees present and all voting aye.

Trustee Darren Apken reported that the water plant building had been painted for a total of $985.26.

“It looks awesome,” Apken said.

The board voted to pass ordinance number 747, for the 2019-20 budget appropriations.

The trustees also voted in favor of a wage increase for a village employee who had not received a raise following the executive session held on April 17.

Trustee Steven Bartlett reported that the storm siren has been fixed after an outage due to a telephone problem. He also said that the repeater for the fire department will be installed at the water tower this month.

Bartlett commended the police department’s rapid response to a recent 911 call.

“Someone fell down near the coin company, and the police arrived one minute and fifty seconds after the 911 call,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett also made a motion to take the 2004 Jeep Wrangler that was seized in a felony case to

Voigt’s garage to be looked over for repairs, new tires, brakes, and to replace a cracked windshield. He said that the police department will need to utilize it for two years before it can be sold due to a new law. All voted in favor with Voigt abstaining.

Singleton reported that following a recent burglary at Marine Coin, the two suspects were apprehended in two hours and 45 minutes, and the property was returned after three hours.

He also thanked the residents of Outback Trails who showed up with signs supporting the department for the recent Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics.

“We really appreciate what they did,” Singleton said.