Public Works projects coming to Village of Rockton

The Village of Rockton is moving forward with various projects. For example, when the Walt Williamson Pool opens for a new season next summer, swimmers will notice a noticeable improvement.

At the Rockton Village Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, the board voted to purchase a new RenoSys PVC liner to be installed at a cost of $99,584.

Village President, John Peterson asked, “How long have we been needing a pool liner?”

Parks and Recreation Director Don Self said. “I have been here for 12 years and I have been painting it for 12 years. It all goes back to somebody who painted the pool with house primer about 20 years ago. I am still getting those green and red primer chips up.”

Trustee Dan Baumgartner said, “After touring with Don, this is much needed. This was also budgeted for.”

Trustee Sarah Doerflinger asked about the life expectancy of the liner. Self said, “The guarantee is 10 years. One of the sites I visited just replaced theirs after 18 years.”

With the new liner being installed, this year's “Doggie Swim” was the final one.

Before the pool was drained for the season, dogs had a chance to romp, play, and swim in the Walt Williamson Pool, a tradition that lasted over 20 years. In the 2025 event, 23 dogs enjoyed a day in the pool.

Trustee Dave Winters presented the police activity summary from Aug. 16-31. He reported that there were 78 traffic tickets and 94 warning tickets issued, 16 criminal arrests, one warrant issued following an investigation and 14 traffic accidents, three with injuries.

Trustees voted to approve the low bid for the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Main River Crossing and path at a cost of $911,825.45. NTRAK Group was awarded the low bid.

The board also approved a $911,825 bid from NTRAK Group for the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Water Main River Crossing project for the village’s water system, which will use a booster pump from one side of town to the other, connecting across the river between the athletic fields and path area.

"This project is going to be short by $700,000,” Barber said.

The motion passed with a 5-0 vote.

Trustees approved $25,000 to provide expansion water tanks for the 59 homes in the Blackhawk and Watts Avenue area who have annexed into the Village after PFAS was found in private wells in their neighborhood. Last year a $1.5 million grant was secured for forgiveable loans to connect these residents of unincorporated Rockton to the Village water system, promising them there would be no charge. 

Winters asked why the additional $25,000 was required. Barber said, “The Winnebago County inspector came out to inspect the houses as the water was getting hooked up and declared that they cannot hook our water to their houses until they have expansion tanks with the water heaters in every single house. That is the law, that is the rule and that is how it's got to be,” according to the Clean Water Act.

Barber added, “The engineer and I didn't think about it" since it is interior plumbing that wasn't included in the estimate. But the contractor is paying $50,000 to the Village of Rockton to cover inspection fees and work done by Public Works employees. "The $25,000 will come out of that."

Winters asked if Winnebago County enforces permits. Barber replied, “Whenever you are running water into a house, it has to be inspected when it's going from a private well into city water.”

Winters added, “Or it would be grandfathered in otherwise.”

Trustee Dan Baumgartner gave the Parks and Recreation Activity summary. He said the part-time employee is done for the summer, but an offer has been made to a full-time staff member, waiting on the background check and drug tests.

The final River Market was on Sept. 3. Stateline Baseball games began on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Games will be four nights a week.

Warriors and Junior Indians Football and cheer practice are at the Rockton Athletic Complex, on a nightly basis.

Warriors will play football games at the Rockton Athletic Complex on Sept. 20 and 27. Hononegah soccer practice is happening weekly there.

A small wedding is coming to the Settlers gazebo on Sept. 6.

Don Self is working on quotes and visiting sites for the Rockton Athletic Complex AED, dugout covers, scoreboards, Settlers Park bathrooms and sections of the boat launch.

The board also approved $15,400 in repairs by Roscoe Garage Doors at the Public Works building.

The Village of Rockton is now a member of the Northern Illinois Land Bank, a critical tool to more effectively fight blight by speeding up the process of selling abandoned, vacant buildings.

Barber worked with Village Attorney Aaron Szeto to regulate any future excavations and utility construction in rights of way along roads in the Village of Rockton.

The new ordinance says that excavations, such as those done by fiber internet companies, must be at least four feet from the water main, sewer main or storm sewer. Electric or gas excavations must be two feet from them. "That limits how much we have in our right of way," Barber said. "There is so much stuff on Rockton Road right now, you can't dig without hitting something.”

Barber said, “We are tightening it up because we have so many companies wanting to come through such as Metronet... we don't want that. By law you cannot stop them from coming in unless your ordinance has some teeth to it, some regulations."

Trustee York asked, “Will this affect what is going on right now?”

Barber answered, “We cannot stop Metronet because they are on their last two permits. but what it does stop is anybody else coming in because there isn't a lot of room in our right of ways.”