Published: July 16, 2008 08:47 am      

Alcohol in the park worries mayor

Bismarck mulls aftermath of village event

BISMARCK — On Tuesday night, Village President Eleanor White expressed some concern over the number of alcoholic beverage containers discarded around the village after the June 28 fireworks at Lions Club Park.

“I would like to find out from the Lions Club what the policy is in their park for alcohol,” White said.

“We were also undermanned as far as police presence,” White added. “We had one sheriff’s deputy present, but there were more violators than he could handle by himself.”

Trustee Michael Pundt told the board the inflatable attraction operator, Party On Rentals of Westville, ended up charging the Men’s Club $660 for the inflatable attractions. The village had donated $500 for the inflatables and a DJ. The Men’s Club would have to make up the difference.

In other business, the board:

-- Learned Wilson Lane has been graded and will have ditch and culvert work done in the near future.

-- Heard the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department has advised the village that it is illegal for unlicensed vehicles to be parked along village streets.

The sheriff’s department also said it is illegal for mopeds and four-wheelers to be driven on village streets.

-- Learned Keep Vermilion County Beautiful will sponsor an old tire collection event Sept. 3 at the Vermilion County Fairground.

-- Learned from Pundt, who also is the mosquito abatement officer, that he is fighting two types of mosquitoes right now.

He said with all of the standing water from recent rains, he is fighting floodwater as well as common house mosquitoes. The floodwater strain is more active during daylight hours, while the common strain is active at dusk and dark.

Pundt also presented the board with a proposal to lease a thermal-type mosquito fogger.

The village currently uses an aerosol-type fogger. The thermal fogger produces a smoke that better infiltrates trees and brush than the aerosol type.

The thermal fogger can be leased for one year for $250 or purchased for $650. If the village decides to lease, 90 percent of the lease amount would apply to the purchase price after the one-year lease. The proposal was deferred to the finance committee for consideration.

-- Trustee Karel Volpert gave a report on KVCB grants awarded in the village this year. The Women’s Club received a grant for $250, and Bismarck-Henning Grade School received a $400 grant for their Discovery garden.

Last year, $900 was awarded to village groups from KVCB. The village makes an annual contribution to KCVB of $100.

-- Approved a resolution required by the Illinois Department of Transportation for temporary closure of streets for community events.

This is an annual requirement that allows the village to close a street for up to four hours for parades with a 10-day notice to IDOT.

-- Met in closed session to review the minutes of previous closed sessions for possible release to the public. It was decided all closed session minutes will remain sealed.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Bismarck Village Board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 19 in Bismarck United Methodist Church annex.