The purchase of the former Moline Elementary school and property by Leighton Township isn’t really completed yet because there still is some cleanup to be done on the site.
The Township Board intends to have the building and property cleaned up and is holding up the escrow fund for seller Stephen Austin, who may get less than the $50,000 currently in the fund.
Board members said Austin took care of most of the chores before vacating the premises just before the end of the year. However, a few tasks remain, and they my subtract cleanup costs from the fund.
Leighton Township earlier this year bought the old elementary school building and adjacent property with the intent of using it to extend the Moline recreational park that houses a softball field and parking. The township paid $650,000 in money gifted by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Austin paid just $45,000 six years ago to use the building and property for his RV repair business, “Happy Camper.”
The board absorbed some criticism for paying a steep price for the property and a building that may be costly to raze to make way for added recreational use, such as pickle ball courts.
Trustee John Hooker explained that the township many years ago wanted to buy the old school and property, but didn’t have the necessary funds until ARPA came along.
He said the township now will be able to set aside the building and property for generations to come to extend recreational activities.
Citizen Tom Miller, who worked with Austin at Happy Camper, was in the audience and defended him, suggesting the escrow penalty seemed unfair.
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the board:
- Listened to a presentation on the Wayland Area Emergency Services (WAEMS) Board from former Supervisor Steve Deer, Watson Supervisor Kevin Travis and Monterey Supervisor Henry Reinhart. They outlines reasons for continuing rising costs and indicated all municipalities will be asked to contribute $4,000 a year and then be billed on a per-run basis. Customers also will see a higher bill when served. Travis acknowledged WAEMS gave employees nice raises, but maintained, “(Retaining) Talent is an issue in the current medical field.”
- Learned from Fire Chief Matt Weston that the department handled 412 calls in 2022, 101 of which were fire alarms and a whopping 233 were medical requests. He noted the new fire truck was parked outside the hall before the meeting to be showcased.
- Was told by Trustee Hooker, the board’s representative on the Planning Commission, that developers of a massive apartment complex project on Division, just north of 12th Street, came to the meeting, but their request was tabled until the February meeting.
- Learned that the number of building permits issued for 2022 was 31, but none in December.
- Was told the six-month revenue sharing check from the Gun Lake Casino totaled $18,183, just about the same amount as pre-Covid 19 levels.
- Learned that the only paving project in the township for 2023 will be from 144th Avenue west to 12th Street.
- Approved Supervisor Steve Wolbrink’s appointments of Ron Schrotenboer and James Kooistra as alternates on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
- Hired Shafer Tree Service to handle tree trimming and removal services for $3,050 this spring.
- Scheduled a budget workshop meeting for 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the hall.
