By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer

HOBART – A public hearing is set for Dec. 15 on a proposed ordinance to create a procedure governing the possible participation of Hobart’s stormwater fund to make stormwater improvements on private property within the village.

If criteria outlined in the proposed ordinance would be met, the village would pay for 50 percent of any stormwater improvement project on private property with the other 50 percent allocated to a single property or multiple properties.

The Hobart village board discussed the measure Nov. 17 when it heard recommendations on the revision of the wording from Village Attorney Frank Kowalkowski.

“Conceptually, it’s fine,” he said. “That’s not an issue, but there were a few things where – maybe a little clarity on the maintenance of… whatever infrastructure is put in after it’s in place.”

Kowalkowski said the village currently isn’t obligated at its expense to fix a drainage issue it didn’t cause on private property, while the proposed ordinance revision could be “a step to kind of maybe voluntarily start getting into that realm of pitching in when maybe it’s not necessary.”

“That’s not to say there never, ever could be a situation where there was some liability for the municipality,” he said. “I mean, the storm waters are clogged and backed up and not maintained and that’s what’s causing the flooding. Well, that’s a different fact. But as a general rule, just because a property has some water drainage issues, that does not make the municipality legally compelled to incur all the costs to remedy it.”

Kowalkowski also suggested wording in the proposed ordinance revision giving the village the final say on how to fix a stormwater problem on private property.

“If there is a problem, the village has to say, ‘I agree or disagree there’s a problem, and in the event of a dispute, we, the village, decide on the fix,’” he said. “Someone says, ‘A swale’s adequate,’ and someone else says, ‘No, no, no, we need to put in a whole new storm sewer line or something, some manholes to collect water,’ I think ultimately you’re going to want that to be the village’s say, because the last thing you want is four different ideas and no one being able to pick the solution.”

Office remodeling

After receiving a tour from Police Chief Randy Bani of the front portion of the village office to be remodeled with security upgrades, the board approved awarding a contract to Becks Quality Cabinets to do the work, with the glass supplied by Tri City Glass & Door, at a final cost not to exceed $15,000.

“Once they start pulling it apart, there may be a couple issues they have to deal with, so we think $15,000 would be right in the ballpark,” Bani said.

The scope of the work will include dismantling the existing front counter and moving it forward, new columns and countertops where the front desk is being modified, along with miscellaneous wood parts.

Funds for the project will come from the village’s 2019 budget surplus, which was allocated earlier this year to the capital projects fund.

The work is expected to be done in December or January.

Manual amendment

Board members also approved a change to the village employee personnel manual as it relates to paid holidays.

Because both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are paid holidays, when Dec. 25 falls on a Saturday, the change designates the following Monday as a holiday. Christmas Day will fall on a Saturday next year.

The village’s holiday policy typically calls for designating a holiday on Friday when it falls on Saturday.