SUBLETTE – The agenda for the Village of Sublette meeting on May 13 was both long and bold as the trustees had plenty to discuss and vote yay or nay.

One of the most pressing issues was a grant for the village’s water service line.

“We had a big committee meeting with Matt Hanson from Willet & Hoffman Associates to talk about water service lines regulations and requirements the IEPA has really pushed,” said Village of Sublette President John Stenzel. “Matt told us about a grant that will help us because we have 54 unknown service lines of material. We’re going to dig around each side of the shutoff terminal to determine what type of material was used.

“At the meeting, it was approved to begin writing the grant application. The grant could possibly be worth $30,000. That’s just the inventory where you determine what it is. Replacing it is a whole other objective. We have to determine if we have to replace it.

“As of right now, we don’t believe we have to replace the water service lines, but we can’t say it 100 percent without finding out.”

The approval was for $1,500 to be paid to Willett & Hoffman to gather and start the paperwork for the grant writing process.

The grant is generally for Sublette in whole, but there will be a target zone on older downtown homes that may need updated, improved lines.

Appointments were approved for village positions to take effect May 1.

Returning to their titles are Will Klein as village treasurer, Don Dinges as village economic development coordinator, Hopkins & Associates as certified public accountant, Dana Considine as village attorney, Makenzie Kessel as freedom of information officer, the Sublette Centennial Park Board of Chris Leffelman, Steve Althaus, Klein, Tyler Jackson, Katie Leffelman, and Greg Vaessen, the Sublette Planning Commission of Jeff Spitz, Hugh McCoy and Joe Klein, and the Sublette Antique Tractor & Toy Show Committee of Anthony Morgan, Mark Henkel, Jeremy Zapf, Evan Bickett, and John Stenzel.

The one change to the positions is Maurice Zimmerlein leaving the tractor and toy show committee and Alex Leffelman joining the crew.

“It’s awesome to have people willing to commit because we all have such hectic lives nowadays,” Stenzel said. “When somebody is willing to take the time and put the effort into making a difference, it’s extremely important. “

Meetings in March and April featured talks of Lee County adjusting R2 zones to allow chickens to residential areas.

In the last month, Lee County has abandoned the idea.

“Lee County withdrew their petition to change R2 zoning to allow chickens,” said Stenzel. “The larger lots that are R2 are more rural, an acre or two, don’t affect neighbors. The larger lots should be allowed to have chickens. Smaller, in-town lots shouldn’t be allowed to have chickens.”

OTHER ITEMS

• Approved getting updated prices on replacing filter media at the water treatment plant

• Updating storm water ordinance

• LED speed signs are almost ready for installation

• The draft of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan is on subletteweb.com

• A water service line that was leaking was found and the shutoff was installed

• Bike rack was installed downtown, off of Main Street

• Temporary liquor license was approved for Hops & Harmony on September 7 at the Ellice Dinges Center

• The Village of Sublette donated $5,000 to Sublette 365 for Hops & Harmony weekend to help accommodate kids’ activities, bounce house, petting zoo, tractor pull, and Saturday’s entertainment, country band Diamond Rio.

Important dates to remember are the Village clean-up at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 1 and the Village of Sublette Board adopting the 2024 Comprehensive Plan at the June meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, June 10.