Manteno OKs extra Public Works building

MANTENO — After the village of Manteno completed the construction of its new public works building in the second half of 2023, the department realized it didn’t quite have enough room for storage of miscellaneous equipment.

“We built the building plenty big enough for all the essential equipment,” said Jim Hanley, superintendent of public works at Monday’s village board meeting. “It’s just a lot of the material stuff does not pack well in that building.”

Through discussions during recent Public Works Committee meetings, the village decided to build a cold storage building behind the new Public Works building on North Maple Street.

The board unanimously approved a contract Monday with Piggush Simoneau Inc., of Kankakee, for $298,298 to construct s 66-foot-by-136-foot building.

“We’re going to have a little more space to grow into,” Hanley said.

The minimal building with a 16-foot-high ceiling and two garage doors will allow for storage of cold patch, light poles and park equipment when it’s not being used and things of that nature.

“We can keep stuff out of the elements,” Hanley said. “… There’s quite a bit of stuff.”

Construction on the cold storage building won’t start until the spring and will take approximately three months to be completed.

SNOW ORDINANCE

With the Sunday-Monday snowfall of 2 inches in Kankakee County, according to the National Weather Service, the village’s policy on snow removal was brought up at the board meeting.

Trustee Diane Dole reminded residents that after a snowfall of 2 inches or more, residents shouldn’t park on village streets, opting for their driveways, per village ordinance.

“It is advisable to remove your vehicle as soon as it begins to snow,” she said. “This parking restriction shall be in effect for the entire village during any snow fall of 2 inches or more, and shall remain in effect for a minimum of 24 hours after the snowfall ends, and until the street in question is completely cleared from curb to curb.”

Any person in violation could have his or her vehicle towed at the owner’s expense and subject to a fine not to exceed $200.

Mayor Tim Nugent said the ordinance was instituted this past year.

“The whole purpose is not going to say to tow your vehicles,” he said. “The purpose is to try to keep the streets clear so the snow plows can get through.”

Police Chief Alan Swinford said the police department hasn’t towed a vehicle yet.

“That’s a last resort,” Swinford said. “We’ll try really hard, we’ll go to the door multiple times, call on the phone, talk to neighbors, whatever.”

Swinford said the police work with the public works department to get the cars moved.

“They’ll call us and let us know a car needs to be moved, and we’ll go over there and run the plate and try to contact the owner,” he said. “If they can get it moved in some reasonable amount of time, I don’t think we’ve towed a car yet.”

Hanley said the village just received a 150-ton delivery of salt and has used about 75 tons so far this winter. He suggested that when residents plow their own driveway, not to push the snow into the street, but to move it to either side of the driveway.

“That [snow] is either going to end up back in your driveway or your neighbor’s driveway,” he said. “… That was a couple of things that we noticed, but, all in all, it’s been a pretty soft winter so far. A couple times where we get more of this freezing rain or a half inch of snow, basically all we’re doing is throwing salt.”

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