By Josh Staloch
Staff Writer

HOBART – The Hobart-Lawrence Police Department officially promoted one of its officers to sergeant.

Randy Radloff, who has been with the department since 2012, was sworn in at the Tuesday, May 17, Village Board meeting.

Originally from Northeast Iowa, Radloff holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management from Concordia University and also graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s Police Academy.

“Over the past 16 years, Radloff has served in the United States Army and the Army Reserves as a military police officer,” Police Captain Mike Renkas said. “He is a sergeant first class, which is designated as the army’s first senior, non-commissioned officer rank. He is also a Purple Heart recipient for wounds sustained during an explosive attack while in Iraq.”

Renkas said in the past decade, Radloff has served as one of the department’s main field-training officers (FTO).

“This is a position that, to an organization, is critical to our long-term success,” Renkas said. “As our FTOs set the tone and our culture and the reputation for the department. FTOs are often touted as being the most important roles in an organization, as it relates to police. He’s done an exemplary job in that role.”

Sergeant Radloff and his wife Katherine reside in Hobart with their three children, Aubrey, Grant and Hannah and are expecting their fourth this July.

2021 audit

The board reviewed the village’s 2021 fiscal year audit, which was prepared by village staff and accounting firm Clifton Larson Allen (CLA).
“I’m here to announce to the board and to the residents of Hobart that the fiscal 2021 year was a success,” Village Administrator Aaron Kramer said. “The actual cash surplus of the village was $264,000. Our reserve accounts have never been this healthy. Our capital reserve, our debt service and other segregated funds, are all in extremely healthy situations.”

Kramer said the village made it through the financial turbulence brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in good shape, maintaining surpluses over the last three years, not including any stimulus or American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“In your general fund, we always like to see what’s set aside in your rainy-day funds,” CLA representative Elizabeth McMasters said. “And you can see the unassigned fund balance is $1.6 million. We always look to see, what is that amount in comparison to the expenditures that are generally happening, and when you calculate that, you’re looking at about 45%, which is a very healthy amount. I would say you’re doing well.”

The audit is available online for residents to examine.

Development moving forward on Autumn Joy

A final plat was approved unanimously by the board for a single-family plat creating six new single-family homes, as well as one outlot on a property located at 1260 S. Pine Tree Road.

The new residential lots will have street frontage along the future Autumn Joy Drive, which is planned to be constructed this year, serving as a second roadway accessing the previously-approved Southwind Estates Subdivision.

In other business

The board also scheduled five public hearings for its June 21 meeting, pertaining to:

• The rezoning of 1244 S.. Pine Tree Road from A-1 agricultural to R-1 residential district and R-2R: residential district.

• A rezoning request for 522 Orlando Dr.

• Modifications/amendments to the zoning ordinance, 295-187, conditional uses pertaining to religious institutions.

• A conditional use permit (CUP)for a religious institution located at 522 Orlando Drive.

• A CUP for a faith-based residential recovery facility for substance and alcohol abuse residents located at 1071 Hill Drive.