By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
The Norwalk Village Board agreed Tuesday evening to purchase a mini excavator for about $54,000 from St. Joseph Equipment.
The board reviewed three bids but chose St. Joseph because the company offers local service. Only trustee Mike Larson questioned if the equipment, a Bobcat product, would have the reach to do some of the jobs it would need to do. The new equipment will be used to maintain the recently renovated creek banks, open cemetery graves, dig upcurb stops and sidewalks, and other tasks.
A flail mower and hammer were included as optional equipment. According to clerk Sharon Karis, the village will pay cash for the equipment by tapping funds in a number of accounts, including those earmarked for the water utility, the cemetery, parks, savings and business block-grant funds.
Other business
• The board approved enclosing an 8-by-20-foot area in the municipal building as an office for the maintenance staff. Board president Mike Wiedl said the amount of paperwork related to water and sewer continues to grow, plus the office space is needed for work and storage.
• The board will approach Don Haldeman to discuss purchasing additional property near the village sewer plant. Haldeman recently purchased the Ruth Vieregge property and had indicated he might be willing to sell part of it.
• Wiedl said he would investigate the cost of condemning the home owned by Larris Ryan on Main Street. Ryan had indicated he would clean up the property, which had been destroyed by fire, but had failed to do so. A report from the police office that illegal activity was taking place in the burned-out house provided further motivation for the board to move ahead.
• The board granted permission to the fire department to proceed with the purchase of a new truck.
• Barb Ornes of Norwalk gave an update on tentative plans for a 50th anniversary celebration of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, adding she would return to the board with updates on the matter.