By JOSIE JENSEN | County Line Reporter
Police Chief Philip Welch said at Monday’s Ontario Village Board meeting that he had received reports of prowlers in the area.
The reports spanned September and October and may be connected to the Sept. 13 vandalism at the Milk Jug Café, Welch said Monday, as well as the Sept. 27 break-in at RiversEnd Bar & Grill. Phil’s Tap in La Farge also reported a break-in on Sept. 27.
The Ontario Police Department is working with the La Farge Police Department to determine if these reports could all be connected.
Welch did not elaborate further on the matter at the Monday meeting and was not available for comment Tuesday due to a prior commitment.
A video of the RiversEnd Bar & Grill break-in is available on the Vernon County Crimestoppers Facebook page.
Other business
• Ontario’s Halloween trick-or-treating hour will be from 4–7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, with activities and roller-skating at the Ontario Community Hall starting at 6 p.m.
• Board member Sue Rego noted that a leaky cooler needed to be fixed at the Ontario Community Hall, plus the facility smelled musty, possibly a result of the July flood. Public Works Director Paul Gibson recommended opening the hall’s doors, windows and skirting underneath to let air flow dry up any lingering flood mud stuck under the building.
• Two new operator’s licenses were approved. Also, the board’s process of issuing operator’s licenses was reexamined at the meeting, as board member John Hansen questioned if it were possible to reduce the time it takes to deny a license, a process that now takes two months.
According to process, if the board denies a license, a letter is sent to the person applying for the license telling them so, and he or she has until the next board meeting to discuss and/or rectify any issues. It would then be brought up at the next village board meeting for approval or denial.
After discussion with Village Clerk Terri Taylor and Police Chief Philip Welch, the board determined that the village was following proper statutory regulations and would continue to do so in issuing of operator’s licenses.
• The board began the process of having Vernon County take over control of the old feed-mill building on Garden Street. The dilapidated structure is a source of safety concerns, according to board members.
• According to Public Works Director Paul Gibson, the roof of the white shed at the Park Street park needs repairing. It needs either a total replacement for $300 to $350, or a patch job for $50 to $100. After discussion about which would be better option and the possibility of moving items in the shed, the topic was shelved until a later date.