By KAREN PARKER | County Line Publisher Emerita
Though it seemed the question of where a taco truck could park had been resolved at April’s Ontario Village Board meeting, that appeared not to be the case at Monday’s meeting.
In April, trustee Sue Rego said that Jennifer Popp, owner Wildcat Inn, was not pleased to have the truck parked a half block from her establishment. To satisfy everyone, the board decided to ask the truck to move to Division Street, near the Firemen’s Shelter.
But that it not where it ended up. On Jose’s Taco Truck’s next visit, the vehicle parked by the basketball court on State Street.
“I defied you,” said Ontario Police Chief Dave Rynes to the board. He went on to argue that he thought the Division Street location presented a number of hazards: the street is narrow, motorists are turning off the highway, and taco customers were likely to stray into traffic.
He said he had had a conversation with Popp, and while she was not overly pleased with the State Street location, it would be acceptable. The debate continued for some time until board president Mark Smith noted, “We say we want new business in this town, but this is how we treat them.”
Considering the truck visits only one day a month, the board decided that the State Street location should continue to be the home for the taco truck.
Other business
• Any hope of seeing the village’s new pavilion in place by July 4 evaporated when the board learned the trusses would not be delivered until the first week of June.
Meanwhile, the board will have a special meeting Thursday, May 19, to open bids for the new pavilion.
• The plat was accepted for the 35-acre Taylor property south of Highway 33. The area will be called Woodland Heights, and the three streets are Taylor Way, Woods Trail and Pearson Place.
• Tony Kelbel was given permission to establish a campground on land he owns south of Highway 33. And old block building on the property recently was razed as part of FEMA flood mitigation. Kelbel will need to acquire an elevation study, obtain county approval, contract for liability insurance, and gain permission from Ontario’s flood plain manager, James Twomey.
• Paul Gerber was hired for summer help, starting next week and working through September.