Updates and reports given  by Village of Rockton

Updates on current events and reports were given at both of the July Board of Trustees meetings (July 7 & July 16) for the Village of Rockton. 

Village Administrator Happy Welch said, “We received statements of qualifications from four engineering consultants to perform a study to determine sewer plant improvements and the options available.  

“Our current plant is aging out and needs to be replaced and that will require a new facility or connecting our adjacent sewer providers, all depending on cost, locations, plant oversight, plus any other factors,” Welch said. 

Welch added, “Our committee will be interviewing the top two rated consultants and then bringing a recommendation to the board for approval. The study will take a year to complete then we will have to decide next steps.”

Trustee Sarah Doerflinger asked, “Is this strictly to build a new sewer plant? Welch answered, it will be part of that. There will be a report on what our options are. Welch also cited previously mentioned specifics in his reply. 

Terrie Garlow was appointed to be a member of the Historic Preservation Commission, to serve a five year term. 

Trustee Dave Winters gave the Rockton Police Department  activity summary  report from June 16- July 6. 

“We had 135 traffic tickets and 137 warning tickets issued. There were 34 criminal arrests, five warrants issued following investigations, and four traffic accidents, one with injuries.”

In comparison, the July Police Department Activity Summary Report showed these numbers from July 6-20: 114 traffic tickets, and  163 warning tickets issued, There were  21 criminal arrests, four warrants following investigations, four traffic accidents, two with injuries.

New Discatcher  Tour  baskets  will be added to the  Woodland’s Disk Golf Course. These will come  from Innova at a cost of $9,225.

Director of Parks and Recreation Don Self has an agreement with SDGA  (Stateline Disc Golf  Association).

A Special events application was approved for Jack’s Joy Ride to be held in Settler’s Park on Oct. 3 from  2-6 p.m. 

Jack’s Joy Ride is in its fourth year of honoring the memory of four -year-old Jack Baumann. 

All proceeds are used for pre-K education scholarships in memory of Jack Baumann through the Jack Baumann Memorial Foundation. 

The Village is continuing to wave the fees for this event as they have in the past few years. 

Trustee Dan Baumgartner gave the Parks and Recreation Activity Report. 

“At the Rockton Athletic Complex Stateline Youth Baseball continued through July 16. 

Rampage football had their final game on July 11. Youth football has now started  at the complex. 

Brian Elmer is finishing up work on the bathroom facility in Settlers Park. There was heavy tree damage from the storms  that went through Rockton on July 3.

Staff have been busy cleaning that up, and Busy Beaver has been removing trees.

The registration website is still going very smoothly for the swimming pool.  Baumgartner added. "That has been a huge plus."

Mowing and trimming is ongoing at Thunder Rock Prairie. 

At the other parks, flail mowing has been started,  including the Woodlands. 

New mulch has been added to the playgrounds in the Village Green Park and Woodland’s Park. 

A shredding event sponsored by Village President John Peterson and Senator Chesney was held on Saturday, July 25 with the purpose of helping residents prevent possible fraud.

The board decided to move ahead with future sidewalk repairs  where needed in the village by Safe Step Sidewalk Repair. 

Public Works Director, Dan Barber said, “We get to decide from the bid if we are going to have anything done this year, or choose not to have anything done. ”

Trustee Jamin Unger  suggested that as the village moves forward with their budget  process that they  put  a sidewalk package together every year for x amount of dollars, identify the locations around the village we want repaired, then send it out for bid. 

“Whatever that amount allows us to get repaired, the next item can go on next years budget item. The village will have final say up to the projected amount of $17,000,”Unger said. 

The board voted unanimously under the heading of Zoning for an EV Charging text amendment. This amendment updates local zoning codes to regulate electric vehicle supply equipment. 

A Residential Solar text amendment was also approved.

The text amendment for Solar was simply adding a section to the Village's Code of Ordinances pertaining to Residential Solar installations in the Village. 

Community Development Coordinator Mark Henderson explains, “If anyone wants to put solar panels on their roof, they do not need a permit from the Village to do so. They would just need to get permits from the County.

However, if they wanted to put a Ground Mounted Solar installation  in their yard, then they would need to get a Zoning Permit from the Village, and would need to comply with the same type of zoning rules that, say, a shed, would require. 

Additionally, they'd need to apply for a Special Use Permit, which would require a vote before the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Village Board in order to be passed. 

Lighthouse Speech Therapy was given the green light  to move forward with their design review to do renovations in their business.

Approval was given to purchase  a Chevy Equinox, at a cost of $22,805.58, to be used by Detective Sgt. Davies of the Rockton Police Department  to replace her current vehicle.

The board also approved the purchase of  two  2026  GMC 2500 Pickups, and one GMC Canyon at a cost of $27,206. 98.  

All of the vehicles will  be purchased through Enterprise Fleet Management, and each has a five year lease. 

Board approval for Public Works Director, Dan Barber to sign the agreements for these vehicles. 

A John Deere 410 P, backhoe/loader  will be purchased from West Side Tractor Sales  at a cost of $200,880.25.

Bad Boy Rebel Zero Turn lawn mowers have been approved at a cost of $16,167.60. 

The board approved the purchase from R.N.O.W., Inc. for a Schwarze, Model A9 Monsoon Street Sweeper and mechanic training at a cost of $396, 260.50. 

Two fire hydrants will be replaced by Core and Main at a cost of $8,819.88. 

UPS Systems (Uninterruptible Power Supply) which are emergency battery backups that prevent intersections from going dark during power outages. These will be installed by William Charles Electric on traffic lights in the areas of  Rockton Rd., and Door Rd., Blackhawk and Main and Blackhawk and Union. 

The cost of the UPS System  is $27,106.50.