Hoskins resigns as Ontario police chief

Phillip Welch will serve as Ontario’s temporary police chief. Matt Hoskins recently resigned from the position. (Contributed photo)

By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor

The next time you see Ontario Police Chief Matt Hoskins, he likely will be wearing a Monroe County Sheriff’s Department uniform.

Hoskins, who had served the village for nine years, resigned earlier this month to take a county position.

On Monday evening, the Ontario Village Board appointed Philip Welch to serve as interim police chief at $17 per hour until the board finds a candidate for the position. Welch has been working part time for the village and is employed full time with the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office. He lives in Westby.

Other business

• Ontario American Legion Post Commander Mark Williams suggested a plan to renovate the headstones in Ontario’s two cemeteries. Williams had received $1,000 from Art Luetke for the project and inquired if perpetual-care money could be used as well.

The government may pay for veterans’ stones, but others are also crumbled, falling down and otherwise unreadable, Williams said.

The board agreed to tour the cemetery and develop a plan for improvements.

• The board heard a request from Tonya Payne for a conditional-use permit for property she wishes to purchase from Dave Duren on Highway 33, west of Lamb Hardwood Lumber. The area is zoned industrial, but Payne would like to build a cabin. A zoning committee meeting will be scheduled to deal with the matter.

* On another zoning matter, Don and Shirley Finucan requested that the board amend a conditional-use permit they had received last month for property they own on County Highway ZZ. They asked the board to increase the number of camping rigs they can host from two to four and the increase the length of stay from five days to two weeks.

They also requested permission to keep their camper on the property year round, rather than three seasons.

Although trustee Bette Ferries questioned if it were not sounding more like a campground, all board members voted in favor of the changes while adding the word “nonconsecutive” to the length of stay.

• Enterprising Woodworks of Cashton submitted a bid for three different grades of cabinets for the Ontario Community Hall kitchen, ranging from $5,000 to $9,500 with an additional $2,000 for countertops. The board will meet with the kitchen committee to discuss the proposals.

• After comparing prices from four different suppliers, the board chose Premier Cooperative as its propane provider.

• Operator’s licenses were issued to Lisa Sullivan, Donald Frees Jr. and Larry Handschy.

Comments are closed.

  • Strains of spring 

    March 22nd, 2024
    by

    Brookwood Junior/Senior High School hosted its spring concert Thursday.  Esther Wooten and Drew Powell provide percussion for the senior high […]


    Pretrial conference for Barton yields no updates, more charges possible

    March 22nd, 2024
    by

    Monday’s pretrial conference for former Wilton clerk/treasurer Leigha Barton, who was charged in January with counts related to embezzlement from the village, resulted in no new developments, according to Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger. 


    Royall hires new principal

    March 13th, 2024
    by

    Kole Huth will serve as the new Royall Middle School/High School Principal, the board of education decided at its meeting Monday. 


    Crowd attends meeting on Ontario development projects

    March 13th, 2024
    by

    No one quite expected the crowd of about 25 people to show up at Monday evening’s Ontario’s regular monthly board meeting. What drew so much interest was a hearing held about the new 12-unit apartment building under construction on Church Street.


    Kendall OK’s $2.1 million downtown project

    March 13th, 2024
    by

    Kendall approved a $2.1 million downtown (South Railroad Street) infrastructure project, which will occur in conjunction with the state’s reconstruction of Highway 71, at its regular meeting Monday. 


  • Norwalk police chief resigns

    March 13th, 2024
    by

    After nine years with the village, Police Chief David Jones submitted his resignation to the Norwalk Village Board, which it accepted at its Tuesday meeting. 


    N-O-W School Board approves expenditures, applications for college-credit program

    March 13th, 2024
    by

    The N-O-W School Board approved student applications to Brookwood’s fall college credit program totaling a little over $27,000 in tuition and materials.


    Wilton board candidates take part in reception

    March 8th, 2024
    by

    On Saturday, the Wilton Public Library hosted an open reception with the candidates for the Wilton Village Board.


    Royall boys earn first conference title in 11 years

    February 29th, 2024
    by

    The Royall boys basketball team clinched the Scenic Bluffs Conference title outright with a win over Bangor 53–37 on Feb. 22.


    Royall girls gain first regional title in 47 years

    February 29th, 2024
    by

    The Royall girls basketball team marked history in its program, as the team earned its first regional title since 1977.


    Wilton, N-O-W work out details of softball-field project

    February 29th, 2024
    by

    To refine an agreement allowing the Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District to use Wilton’s new softball field, school representatives met with the Wilton Village Board on Tuesday. 


  • Archives