Glen Fest To Return In October

By Charlie Feldman

cfeldman@timestribunenews.com

Glen Fest is back, thanks to action by the Glen Carbon Village Board at its Tuesday, May 25 meeting.

The semi-annual event, canceled last year due to COVID-19 and also the year before, will be held on Saturday, October 2 in Miner Park.

Mayor Bob Marcus said he thought it was time. “We have not had Homecoming for two years now so we do have the funds,” he said. “I think it’s good for the residents and for the village to have an event to get community involvement. So I’m really excited for it to occur in October.”

“My thought would be if we ran the event, make it a little more turn-key,” said village administrator Jamie Bowden “There’s bands available. We can probably get a band. Get some costs for fireworks. We’ve got the Bubble Bus. And bring in a couple of beer venders and four or five food vendors.

“I think we could probably do it for $15,000 or less,” he said. “Obviously and probably for the vendors, not charge very much as a village event this time – maybe $50 bucks, $75 bucks – and $100 bucks for the alcohol vendors just to get this thing rolling again. I think it can be done.

In other developments, the long-awaited transition to the Illinois American Water supply will begin during the week of June 7, according to village officials. As part of that, the village hydrant flushing program will take place at the same time. Locations will be listed on the Village of Glen Carbon Facebook page. Residents should remember to avoid doing laundry and other water activities while crews are flushing in their area, Mayor Bob Marcus said.

Utilities superintendent John Leezy said there would be no need for a boil order as the switch occurs because there won’t be a drop in water pressure. The water tanks that provide it will be full ahead of time.

“It really will be similar pressures the whole entire transition,” he said. “We’ll be opening up valves from our side as well as closing valves for what’s being fed in from Edwardsville and it will be really a seamless transition into the tank.”

The village approved the appointments of:

• Nekisha Omotola as village trustee for the term May 25, 2021 to April 30, 2023. She brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and public relations and is actively involved in many community service groups in Glen Carbon and Edwardsville. Her husband and two children were there to watch her being sworn in.
• Christina Laswell to the Glen Carbon Police Commission for the same period of time.
• Tonya Genovese to the Planning and Zoning Commission for the same time period.

Village Administrator Jamie Bowden presented his direction for the latest protocol for village operations – including public meetings – as COVID-19 restrictions lift:

1. Return to the regular meeting schedule and locations for all committee and village board of trustees meetings. All meetings would be open to the public with the village board meeting being streamed to Facebook. The board and the Planning and Zoning Commission will continue with a “hybrid” or partial Zoom meeting format until July 1 and reassess at that time.
2. Village Hall and Senior Center Operations continue to have the mask policy in conjunction with CDC and State regulations.
3. He is working on a plan with the Senior Center and Public Works to transition back to regular operations in conjunction with CDC and State regulations.

Also, all employees who have been vaccinated are required to keep a copy of their vaccination card to be kept in their confidential medical file. If they have been fully vaccinated and have provided documentation of such status, they will be no longer required to wear masks and maintain social distancing at work. All employees who have not been fully vaccinated the village encourages all employees to become vaccinated. However, and until such time they have become fully vaccinated, they will continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing at all times at work.

“I think you have your direction,” said Mayor Bob Marcus.

The next Village Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.