By KAREN PARKER | County Line Editor
Confusion over who pays the cost of impounding a vehicle cost Norwalk $2,050, village board members learned at their meeting Wednesday.
The vehicle was held by Lar’s Auto of Norwalk for 90 days at the direction of Norwalk Police Chief David Jones.
The actual facts of the matter are difficult to discern, as discussion was held in closed session. Reportedly the impoundment was ordered in connection with a criminal investigation. The vehicle has since been released to its owner, with the village paying the fees. There is no intention to recover the fees from the vehicle’s owner.
Although no motions were made, the board did agree to establish its own impoundment area in connection with the lawn-waste recycling area next to the sewer plant. That project is awaiting a second bid for the fencing.
Other business
• The civic building/maintenance shop is in need of a new furnace. A single furnace would cost about $30,000, and it may be more cost effective to install three furnaces. The board instructed the clerk to seek bids.
• Theresa Lehner of the Holidazzle civic group told the board it would donate $15,000 toward the proposed library building project, and another $10,000 would be held in reserve for upgrading the lighting at the village ball diamond.
• The Norwalk Public Library has exceeded its budget, and consideration was given to taking the additional funds from the library savings account. That account would be exhausted in a few years if this practice continued. The matter was tabled until after a discussion with the library board.
• Permission was given to the Long Shot Bar to close the alley on Monday evenings for four hours.
• Dinger’s Ag and Auto Mobile Repair was granted a $6,500 business block grant loan.
• After recent complaints that village maintenance worker Mike Muehlenkamp was picking up his own garbage without purchasing bags, village staff are now asked to report to the village clerk when they use garbage pickup without purchasing village bags.
• The homeowner adjacent to the municipal building would like to purchase a part of the vacant lot between his home and the city’s building. The clerk was instructed to ask for an offer on the property.
• The board tabled its discussion on its application to have some properties reclassified out of the flood zone, intending to study the matter further.