By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Union Grove officials would like to throw the welcome mat out a bit more prominently in one area of the village.
At last week’s Village Board meeting, municipal staffers and members of the elected body continued to discuss placing additional “welcome” signs in strategic areas of the community.
The northern boundary, in particular, has been pinpointed as a section of the community lacking signage letting motorists, bicyclists and other persons know they have officially entered Union Grove.
Mark Osmundsen, head of the village’s public works department, has been investigating possible areas for a welcome sign on the northern boundary — and, potentially, in additional spots in the community.
During the July 10 discussion, however, the board decided to hold off on making a final determination until the sea of orange leaves Union Grove’s main thoroughfare.
“The sign location will be taken up toward the end of the Highway 45 project,” clerk-treasurer Jill Kopp said, referring to the state Department of Transportation construction project that is underway.
In other business this week, the board:
- Continued to discuss options for a vacant trustee position, though no decision was reached.
Kopp said the agenda item was “carried forward” and could be discussed further when the Village Board meets July 24.
Former Trustee Michael Younglove stepped down from the board May 9 and did not give a reason for his decision.
Village President Mike Aimone and five trustees have comprised the Village Board the past two months, meaning tie-breaking votes, should they occur, would not be possible under the even-numbered scenario
Younglove, a veteran elected official served multiple two-year terms for his trustee No. 6 seat. Most recently, he ran unopposed in 2014 and 2016. His current term runs through next April.
Local governing bodies have several options when vacancies occur, including the commonly used process of appointing a resident to the position.
Having a special election is another avenue available for consideration, though it usually comes with an added cost because of such incidental expenses as printing ballots, programming voting machines, staffing polling sites and hiring election inspectors.
- Heard reports from several village panels, including the Police Commission, which met June 27. Trustee Tim Mallach chairs the group.
In a report to the full Village Board, Mallach outlined several notable items, including parking-related concerns near 7th Avenue and Vine Street.
In particular, complaints of high school students parking too close to driveways and in front of a fire hydrant on 7th Avenue have frequently surfaced.
Complaints also have been filed on the east side of Main Street, near the intersections of Seventh and Eighth avenues and State Street.
Before school let out in early June, complaints in that area included the same parking-related issues and instances of loud music and smoking.
David Kinservik, a sergeant with the Racine County Sherriff’s Department, said deputies had been issuing citations during the school year and would step up monitoring the area again when school resumed in September.
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