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WALNUT— Illinois State Rep. Donald Moffitt of the 74th District was in attendance at the Dec. 15 Walnut Village Board meeting.
In August, the village board learned Walnut had been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Moffitt came to the village board meeting to present the actual check from this awarded grant.
In his remarks, Moffitt expressed his congratulations to Walnut on receiving this grant. He also said that as a former city council member and mayor, he is pleased local communities can benefit from these types of grants. He also commended the village on its persistence in completing the process for the grant, as the initial application was made in 2009.
Money for this type of grant, Moffitt said, comes from fees for license plates, taxes on sundry items and liquor, and from the Illinois Lottery. No general fund money is used to provide funding.
Moffitt also extended congratulations from Sen. Darin LaHood. LaHood was unable to attend the meeting but had asked Moffitt to express his message.
This $50,000, acting village President Dennis Grobe said, has been used by the village to cover a portion of the cost of repairs to the village water tower. Those repairs were completed in the summer and were paid for out of the village’s water and sewer fund. This money has been paid back to that account and will relieve the possible prospect of increasing taxes within the Walnut community.
In other business:
• Walnut Police Chief Tom Ptasnik said that there were no traffic stops during the month of November. Ptasnik also wanted to thank part-time patrolman Chad Winner on his willingness to volunteer to make the Walnut Police Department better. Winner has done some non-patrol activities that are beneficial to the department.
• Grobe said he has made new committee assignments with the addition of Sharon Smith to the village board. A complete list of these assignments was provided to each board member. Smith will be serving on the water and sewer, cemetery and local improvements committees.
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