Volume 143 No. 19
Friday, April 14, 2017
Single Copy Cost 50¢
A landslide win for Sluder
Incumbent mayor wins second term By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — Tonica voters were clear in their choice for mayor during the April 4 consolidated election. The unofficial election results show incumbent Tonica Mayor Kevin
Sluder will be able to begin his second term after receiving 158 votes or 87.78 percent of cast ballots. Opposing candidate Arthur Foltynewicz received 22 votes or 12.22 percent. “I’d like to thank the voters for trusting me to
serve another four years as their mayor,” Sluder said the morning after the election. He said he’d like to concentrate on Tonica’s economic growth during the upcoming years, specifically by developing the area around the corner where the Old Village
Inn used to be. The three village trustee positions which were open during the election, but had no candidates, means Sluder can make appointments to fill those vacancies. Like many candidates in area elections, he’s previously said he wishes more people would become involved in their
community by participating at board meetings. Both mayoral candidates also had family connections to the position; Sluder’s father and Foltynewicz’s mother were both one-term mayors during the 1990s.
IVCC
The unofficial, eight county results for the
three community college district trustee positions, which are a six-year term are as follows: Angela Stevenson received 12,043 votes; David Mallery received 11,461 votes; former Putnam County Schools Superintendent Jay McCracken received 10,904 votes and Frank Zeller received 9,454 votes.
Better get that lawn mowed
Lostant looks at shortening time for residents to cut long grass By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
Tonica News photo/Zachary J. Pratt
The Lostant Village Board took the oath of office at its meeting Monday night. Pictured clockwise from left are Dave Mertes, Wendy Forrest, Fred Hartenbower, Mike Cooper, Jack Immel and Ray Brierley.
Immel is Lostant’s new president Hartenbower leaves seat after 10 years
By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
LOSTANT — After the April 4 election, Lostant is seeing a change in the office of village president as Fred Hartenbower steps back from 10 years in the position to make room for Jack Immel. Immel thanked Hartenbower for his service to the village, estimating a combined 25 years in the positions of trustee and mayor. “Not many people know the work and time and money you’ve put into this over the years,” Immel said.
A look to the future
With the change of positions, Immel is looking toward Lostant’s future. “I have met with every one of you and talked about what you want and see for the town and Vol. 143 No. 19 One Section - 8 Pages
for your specific departments,” Immel said to the board members. “I have — I’ll tell you this right now — been impressed. You really have a handle on things,” he said. The village has areas which need improvement, and Immel indicated that with the board’s help it will strive toward those improvements. He mentioned the need for a balanced budget, explaining that while some areas might have to be cut back, the board is going to balance the budget as well as they can. Immel noted the different board members shared many concerns and thoughts regarding the town, such as the condition of the water tower. He said he village has been submitting for a grant to solve the flooding issues for years, but that it might be worth look-
ing into fixing that problem themselves and putting the submission effort into a project such as the water tower, which is more akin to what he sees surrounding communities receiving grants for. “All of you were concerned about the conditions of some of the buildings,” he said, regarding a situation which the village will continue to strive toward improving.
An open seat
Lostant still has an open board position after the health and safety seat was officially vacated by Immel in the transition to mayor. “I have one person interested, but I think, to be fair to everybody, we should open it up,” Immel said. In the meantime, he will continue to preside over those duties.
“I have met with every one of you and talked about what you want and see for the town and for your specific departments. I have — I’ll tell you this right now — been impressed. You really have a handle on things.” Jack Immel Lostant president
Grand Opening! April 21, 2017 9am-4pm
© The Tonica News
FOOD, FRIENDS, & FACTORY REPS!
LOSTANT — Lostant is looking at shortening the length of time residents have to mow their lawns. Currently, the village ordinance is set that residents have two weeks to cut their grass after receiving a notice that it has reached 6 inches in height; the proposed change would cut that to one week. “I’d like to cut it down to seven days, give them a week’s notice,” Trustee Mike Cooper said. Police Chief Darin Trask does not foresee a shorter grace period causing problems. “They’re either going to comply, or they’re not,” Trask said. He said that proposed change should not worry people who might be out of town for vacations or other such reasons. “There are extenuating circumstances. If someone’s on vacation, we’re not going to cite them for that,” he said. The concern is how wildly out of control the grass might become during the current two-week period. “If you’re at 6 inches and give them two weeks, where is it then?” village President Jack Immel questioned. In related news, the village is still considering options regarding lawn mowers, though the mower previously being considered is no longer available. Cooper listed the different paths under consideration: New mower, used mower, and leasing the mower, or waiting until a later time. Also at the meeting, the long-discussed deteriorating building that has plagued Lostant looks to finally be seeing a brighter future under its new ownership. The building’s new owners, Robert Gibson and Michelle Gibson,
Lostant Page 2
815-993-9047
NEW NUMBER!
avantitoolsinc@yahoo.com
210 N. COLUMBIA AVE. (RT. 351) OGLESBY, IL