The Community Post

Squirrels to blame in New Bremen for power outage

By COREY MAXWELL Managing Editor

NEW BREMEN — Village Administrator Brent Richter reported Monday night that the electric department was called out four separate times over the weekend to address problems.

Richter said squirrels are “very active” right now and one was able to burn a switch up on Friday night.

He said the switch cost $7,500.

“Even though we have a cage over it, they got in there, shorted it and it ruined the switch and we had to order a new one,” said Richter.

Council Tess Elshoff thanked the department for the extra overtime they worked to deal with the issues.

Also Monday, council heard a first reading of legislation to purchase a Caterpillar wheel loader for $127,500, which includes a trade-in of the village’s John Deere backhoe.

The Caterpillar 910 compact wheel loader will add to the village’s repertoire of vehicles that will include a back

hoe and a mini excavator.

Richter said the village will be able to be more versatile with the new vehicle, and push more dirt around.

Councilors also held a second reading of an ordinance to purchase an Xtreme Vac Freightliner M2-106 dual chassis leaf truck for $195,000.

Richter said at council’s last meeting that the village had budgeted $170,000 for the truck and the rest of the money would come from the general fund.

Also Monday, council completed first readings of two ordinances that would vacate alleys in the village. The first ordinance vacates an alley running east and west lying between Lots 19 and 20 in the Highland Addition near Franklin Street.

The second ordinance would vacate an alley running north and south from Pearl Street to the south line of Kuenning Property Lots 12, 13 and 14.

Village Solicitor Jason This said the two ordinances are needed so the record can be cleared up.

In other business:

• Councilor Dan Conden gave the finance report. He reported June expenses as $2,806,715.38. Major expenses included: final payment to Buehler Asphalt Paving for the bike path and crosswalk, $74,065.60; $87,417.51 for Jefferson Street reconstruction; paid off the Komminsk Farm land loan, $1,506,958.10 and $56,000 in income tax refunds from 2021. He reported May receipts as $1,271,716.23.

• Council heard Richter report that the sludge contract was awarded to Baltimore, Marylandbased Synagro Central LLC for $572,000. He said that they want to get started as soon as possible so village crews are preparing for them to come into town.

• Richter reported that state Route 274/ Jefferson Street closure started on Monday. State Route 274 will be closed from Walnut Street to Park Street as part of the reconstruction. Truck detours include state Route 29 to state Route 219 to state Route 66. Richter said more signs will be posted for further visibility of the new routes.

• Council heard a second reading of an ordinance that would designate Fiscal Officer Amy Speelman as the village’s Sunshine Law training designee.

• Council heard a second reading of an ordinance to adopt a village investment policy.

• Council entered executive session to discuss property and personnel. No action was taken.

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