SUBLETTE – The agenda and conversation during Village of Sublette meetings have featured reoccurring projects over the last year.

Before the Monday, Oct. 14 meeting, a committee meeting took place with an engineer form Willett Hofmann & Associates.

“There was a committee meeting with the engineer about more projects in Sublette that need to be done,” Sublette President John Stenzel said. “We’ve had a preliminary budget for engineering and design, and we added to it because we expanded the scope. We’re at the point where we need to expand again because more stuff has been added.

“He showed us some maps with designs he has worked on. We went over the maps for the drainage, water, and street projects on Richmond, Virginia, and Reeve Street, and we went over motor fuel tax project for 2025 and the sidewalk replacement plan. The consensus was to put another $20,000 into the design budget.” 

Sublette is also in the process of setting up a meeting with the Illinois Department of Transportation about the tile running under Hwy. 52.

The paperwork for a $30,000 IEPA Grant for water service line inventory has been accepted and received. The board hopes to hear by the end of November of whether or not the grant will complete in the same fashion as the paperwork.

Sublette received three bids for the three-year maintenance contract the board has advertised since the existing deal with Rick’s Lawn & Property Maintenance expires Tuesday, Nov. 12. Rick’s did not want to renew the contract.

A motion was made to go with Turf Tamers, LLC in West Brooklyn for $38,450 per year for three years. The motion was seconded, but voted against, 4-2.

After discussion and Stenzel stating the board could either rebid or someone could make a motion for a different sealed bit, an alderman mad a motion to accept Nick’s Lawn Care’s bid of $55,000 per year.

It was seconded and the vote was 3-4 with two nays and one abstaining, which means Nick’s Lawn Care will get the Sublette maintenance contract.

The filing period for the April 2025 election is November 12-18 for five positions on the Sublette board: president, clerk, and three trustees.