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Howard board discusses enforcement of village code

By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer


HOWARD – The village board met in open session for less than 15 minutes Monday, Aug. 10.

The main topic of discussion was complaints about a lack of village code enforcement in Howard.

Trustee Craig McAllister said he received phone calls and emails about traffic and how people drive.

“I was kind of wondering if we could have maybe even a meeting with law enforcement, the (direct enforcement officers)… if there’d be the possibility of having more enforcement for speed violations,” he said.

Village Administrator Paul Evert said village hall has also received complaints about speeding in Howard.

“We get a lot of calls,” he said. “We’ve added extra enforcement on Riverview, and Hillcrest is really bad, right when it was fresh pavement with no lines.”

Evert said it would be possible to have a discussion with Direct Enforcement Officer Josh Sanford about issues related to speeding in the village.

Trustees Scott Beyer and Adam Lemorande said they also have been receiving complaints about code violations in the village.

“I’m getting a lot of complaints,” Lemorande said. “We got an anonymous letter the other week. I don’t know if board members have had the chance to drive around the village, but I see a lot of issues. I think the Planning Commission did not want to take this up because of COVID, but what I’m seeing is pretty unbelievable, and I think Mr. Beyer is echoing this.”

Lemorande said board members “need to discuss what we want the village to look like in the future.”

Village President Burt McIntyre said the issue will be a future agenda item for the board to address.

Licenses, permits

As part of the consent agenda, the board approved two outdoor concert permits and a pair of Class B retailer’s licenses for the Avenue Bar at 1745 Velp Ave. to hold a fundraiser benefit event from 1:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 29 and an annual customer appreciation event from 1:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 19.

The Howard Fire Auxiliary was granted a Class B retailer’s license to host the beer tent at the Rock the Commons event in the Village Center from 4-8 p.m. Sept. 6.

Board members also approved a change order of $19,342 to correct back lot line drainage along a storm water pond and some erosion issues at the pond as part of the Cottages at Hidden Creek roadway project, which increased the contract total to $664,353.

The project was designed by and awarded to Carl Bowers and Sons.

Closed session

The board went into closed session at the end of the meeting to discuss the potential acquisition and a development agreement for three parcels owned by Jacobs Brothers along Shawano Avenue, but no action was taken.

Evert said the village, which owns property nearby, is looking into possibly constructing a storm water facility in the area.

The village also is planning to extend sanitary sewer through that area as part of making improvements near where the State Highway 29/County VV interchange is being built.

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