By Annette Newcomb~Editor
Spring is in the air, at least in theory at the Village of Twin Lakes. During Monday’s regular board meeting board members discussed road projects and the Aquanuts, both sure signs warmer days are coming.
Trustee Tom Connolly sat at the helm, filling in for village president Howard Skinner. Also absent were Sharon Bower and Jeremy Knoll. Regardless, the board had quorum with Aaron Karow, Kevin Fitzgerald, Mike Moran and Connolly present.
The board approved a work order with Baxter Woodman, not to exceed $21,700. The engineering firm will provide services for the 2013 street resurfacing project which includes fixing asphaltic surface, hot mix asphalt patching and a hot mix asphaltic pavement overlay on the following streets:
Barry Road to Wilmot to Chapel; Elm Street to Manor to end; Haegel Drive to Lucille to end; Hunt Avenue to Park to Hillside.
Also Lake Street to Wilmot to end; Lucille Avenue and Musial to end; Manor Drive to Maple to end; Maple Street to Wilmot to end; Park Avenue to County Highway Z to West Main; and Wilmot Avenue to Legion South to Lake.
The public parking lot on Main Street is not included in this project. Bids have not yet been let for this project.
The board also approved a request from the Aquanuts for a special barefoot competition called Nutfest to be held on Lake Mary in front of Lance Park on April 27. That’s one week before the first day of fishing season so the whole family can enjoy the award-winning water ski show.
The board also approved a grandfathered longevity benefit for employees. It’s been on the books as long as anyone can remember but the language was recently cleaned up to make sure there was no misunderstanding.
Employees who were full time as of Dec. 31, 2012, are eligible for longevity pay upon complete of the required years of full time employment as follows: five years of full time service, $115 per year; 10 years of full time service, $230 per year; 15 years of full time service, $340 per year; 20 years of fulltime service, $460 per year and 25 years of full time service, $560 per year.
Village administrator Jennifer Pollitt said the amounts are in addition to normal wage or salary or eligible employees regardless of their salary step. Payment is made the first pay check of December/ part time employees are not eligible for longevity payment.
No employee hired or existing employee moved to full time status on or after Jan.1, 2013, will be eligible for paid longevity.
The village will soon have a new electronic message sign, in place of the one now sitting at the corner Main Street (Highway Z) and S Lake Street.
The board approved a low bid of $11,345.90 from Sass Graphix of Salem. The electronic sign will allow the village to input messages from a laptop. The board opted to forgo the signs that offered graphics and stick to a higher resolution sign that carries text only. Probably they might choose to visit a firm similar to this houston sign company and take inspiration from them on what ideal signage would be befitting for the onlookers.
The frame of the current sign is rotting so the board will ask public works to take a look and determine what can be done before the new sign goes in. Trustees discussed using a masonry or brick frame to replace the wooden one, but will wait until they get more information. The board had originally budgeted $15,000 for the project so the excess funds could be used to build a more substantial frame.