In the spirit of full transparency and community pride, the Walnut Village Board of Trustees & President are proud to provide an update on the many positive things planned for the Village as we head into Summer.
Walnut has a lot of good things going, including great employment, and a population of not only our life long Senior group, but so many young families calling Walnut home. Many homes are trading hands, and most of them are doing major updates to improve the quality of the property and making the home comfortable and adding value for many years to come. There are many reasons to bring your family to Walnut or start your family here in Walnut.
FY24 Budget Approval: Two weeks ago, the Walnut Village Board approved the budget for the upcoming 2024 Fiscal Year (FY24) which spans May 2023 through May 2024. The annual budget process not only fulfils the legal requirements but also establishes a Business Plan to guide and hold the board accountable for using monies to the best of their abilities.
As we all know, there are many projects that need attention, however the Board must prioritize projects that will most effectively serve the residents of the village. This year there are minimal capital equipment purchases, several projects for street repairs, engineering costs for the planning of water pipe replacement, as well as continued care and maintenance to village properties and our cemetery.
Street Repairs in “the 40”: One of the biggest projects will be the streets repairs on the East side of town. The streets in “the 40” have been in disrepair for many years. The need for street repairs in this area is complicated by the need to replace many of the water and sewer lines under the same streets. It makes no sense to put down new pavement until these repairs are done.
Due to funding and loan forgiveness program availability, the water and sewer line replacement project is not planned to begin in 2025. The Village has applied for other Federal and State grants to help with this project, but it will be Summer before we know if any such grants will be received.
With this in mind, the Streets and Alleys Committee, Village Superintendent Carl Minks, and Austin Snyder, Assistant Superintendent, developed a plan to make common sense, fiscally responsible repairs where possible. The Board has approved the plan and funds have been allocated for repairs to Depot, Court, Meltzer Streets and Stephens Avenue streets, to begin in the coming months.
Additional Street Repairs: In addition to the streets in “the40”, the 2023 Streets and Alleys plan allocates over $230,000 which also includes projects on Yerk Street, Don Marquis Drive, Valley View Drive, and Centennial Circle.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Solar Project: In early May, the Village entered into an agreement with Clean Energy Design Group. The available land at Walnut’s wastewater treatment plant is an ideal location for solar panels that will substantially reduce power demands from the electric grid.
The project construction costs will be absorbed by the Clean Energy Group which has completed many such solar projects for towns all over central Illinois. The contract provides the Village of Walnut with a long-term reduced power rate. Pending state approval, this project is scheduled to be online in late 2023 or early 2024. Hopefully, this is only the first of several projects to move into sustainable and predictable cost power for village services.
Main Street Sidewalk/Street Light Replacement: Phase 1 of a project to replace the sidewalks and streetlights in the Main Street business district will begin construction very soon. This project is possible through an Illinois Department of Rural Development grant received in 2022, and addresses four blocks along Main, Liberty and Jackson streets. Earlier this year the board submitted a grant application to fund Phase 2 of this project to address another large portion of the Main Street business district. The hope is to receive grants this year for Phase 2 and an additional 2024 grant in for Phase 3 to complete the project.
Proactive State/Federal Grant Submissions: As mentioned, the board has been seeking and applying for State and Federal Grants which apply to the critical needs of the village. In addition to the Grant proposal for water and sewer replacement in “the 40”, two other grant proposals have been submitted. One for the replacement of sidewalk/bike paths on Main and Walnut streets primarily for Walnut’s youth to safely access the school and park district. The other is for the replacement of water main, sewer, pavement, and curbs in the downtown business district.
These Grant applications were sent to our Illinois Federal representatives for consideration. Both Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworth as well as Representative LaHood received Grant applications from Walnut to be considered within their discretionary spending budget for community improvements.
Finally, a friendly reminder: Spring and Summer are fast approaching. Be it for Park District activities, the best July 4th celebration in Northern Illinois, or our newest draw, Music on Main, there will be many people visiting our town. The Village asks everyone to consider their property’s appearance. It is important for everyone to take part in keeping their property clean, mowed, and free from junk or clutter in the yard. Please remove abandoned vehicles, lawn mowers, and any other disabled or unused equipment from your yard and or property. Taking pride in your property is very important to everyone in Walnut.
The Village Board is committed to respectfully enforcing the local ordinances. If you have any questions or concerns, please visit the Village office, contact a Village Trustee, or attend a Village Board meeting to ask questions. Our meetings are the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 7:00pm at the Village Hall (please use Liberty Street entrance). All are welcome to attend. We hope you agree that many good things are going on in town, with more in the planning stage. The Village Board of Trustees and Village President believe it is important to keep residents informed and involved in our town. We ask that you all support our local businesses and be involved with your community.
Respectfully,
Walnut Village Board of Trustees: Ryan Rosenthal – Village President, Dewayne Christensen, Brian Stull, Kevin Cox – Village Police Chief, John Middleton, Carl Minks – Village Superintendent, Brian Smith, Austin Snyder – Assistant Village Superintendent, Lee Johnston, Tiffany Miller – Village Clerk, Melissa Dye, Autumn Wolf – Village Treasurer
