Volume 143 No. 23
Friday, May 12, 2017
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Immel looks to tighten the budget By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
LOSTANT — Having taken office as mayor of Lostant, Jack Immel has set his sights on reining in the village’s budget. One method which has already received serious thought is budget cutting, specifically where and how the budget can be reduced without damaging the ability of the village or its services to perform properly. Immel listed road projects, tree removal and police expenses as among the locations being looked into. Regarding the police department, Immel said the discussion focuses on “how (Lostant) can still provide a safe environment and atmosphere for our residents, but still cut back monetarily there.” Little cuts might have some effect, but Immel is looking for something a bit larger, including where the police
department is concerned. “I’m talking about some fairly drastic cuts for the police department,” he said. “We’ve had some over expenditures there.” In other budget-related news, Lostant has adopted a new tax levy, which totals to the amount of $49,153. Water and broken tiles was also on Immel’s mind. Lostant already had one tile breaking, which could lead to water issues; now another has been discovered. If all goes to plan, work on fixing these tiles should begin before too long. “I do want to get going on it, because the last time, it came up so quick,” Immel said, recounting a related incident. “I went out and checked it three times. And the last time I checked there was no water in the ditch whatsoever,” he said. Thirty minutes later, his intended path was blocked, and then the route he had already taken followed suit.
Immel thinks such an incident can be avoided. “I feel that if we get rid of it quicker, it won’t be quite so much,” he said. Immel connected this to the village’s plans regarding its new cell phone tax, saying the new funds are to be put aside for projects such as this. “I’d just like the general public to know that we’re aware of it and working on it,” Immel said. In other water-related discussion, Superintendent Sandra Malahy informed the village of the school’s upcoming roof replacement. The 1950’s drainage system currently in use directed roof water to roof drains, which channeled the water to an underground storm sewer. These drains are set to be replaced with exterior gutters and downspouts, which will take the water to the sewer. Work on replacing the roof will begin in June.
‘Mom vs. The Three Stooges’
Dead trees, inoperable vehicles, a mower Lostant tackles them all at village board meeting
Magnolia author contributes to newest ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ edition
By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com
LOSTANT — Dead trees continue to haunt Lostant. “There are seven, eight possibly, ash trees that need to be cut down,” Lostant Trustee Mike Cooper said. The potential harm which could come from these trees includes more than just creating unsightly locations in town; they could cause damage as they fall. “One of them has fallen,” Cooper said. “Luckily there were no houses around.” A number of these trees were left over from last year’s dead tree purge. “I think some of those, last year, we didn’t think were quite dead,” Village President Jack Immel said. With an estimated number of 15 trees looked at for removal in 2016, the current number cuts that in half. The village does not plan to stop at tree removal; considerations for the replacement of the dead trees are also being made. Cooper already has some ideas regarding a variety that should work, and that should not have to face the ash borer problem. “What I’ve seen, there’s a new maple out — silver cross — grows pretty fast,” Cooper said.
By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
Mowers and grass height
In related news, the village is reconsidering its proposed purchase of a new mower. Immel noted the board had first begun looking into the possibility because of a particular used mower which had been offered for sale. “Before that, we weren’t looking at that at all,” Immel said. Immel believes Lostant would be better off monetarily if it purchases a new deck for the current mower, or fixes the old mower already in use. When asked about current deck’s chances of making it through the season, Leland Decker expressed a lack of certainty. “I don’t know,” he said. “It might make it. It might not.” Also, the length of time individuals have to cut their grass is changing. The board has decided to amend the ordinance regarding grass heights. Village attorney Kyle Stephens noted the latest ordinance he could find set the time allotted to cut grass after a warning at 10 days, rather than the previously believed 14.
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Magnolia’s Monica Morris is one of the contributing authors to the new “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, titled “Best Mom Ever!”
Vol. 143 No. 23 One Section - 8 Pages
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MAGNOLIA — Most of us have at least one funny or inspirational story we could share about our mothers. However, most of us haven’t had one of those stories published in the newest edition of the well-known “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. The “Best Mom Ever!” edition of the newest Chicken Soup book by Amy Newmark contains 101 stories about humorous, inspiring and loving moms. It’s also available just in time for Mother’s Day, and Magnolia’s Monica Morris is one of the contributing authors. Morris said she’s been reading the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books for as long as she can remember, but she said the one which inspired her to write for them was “Chicken Soup for the Baseball Fan’s Soul.” “I received that book for my birthday from my brother, and the combination of two of my favorite things, baseball and stories about faith, made me think that writing for the Chicken Soup series might be something I’d Tonica News photo/Dave Cook enjoy,” Morris said.
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