By Debbie Rogers
WALBRIDGE — The village pool will open for the summer, but not on Memorial Day weekend.
At Wednesday’s council meeting, Mayor Ed Kolanko said that village crews are working non-stop on getting the pool prepared and open, but it is slow going.
“The pool is aging infrastructure and every year it gets a little bit more difficult to get ready and prep it for the opening of the season,” he said after the meeting.
“The pool is now 60-plus years old … and our staff has done a good job this year of getting it ready and making it safe,” Kolanko said.
The pool will open June 3 and will be open until Labor Day weekend.
In other business, council continues to discuss a ban on angled parking in the village.
Introduced by Councilman Larry Boday, the ordinance had three readings, then was tabled at the last meeting.
Boday’s motion to bring it off the table died for lack of a second.
Councilwoman Sue Hart-Douglas, who chairs the buildings and lands committee, said that she wants more time to research how the village’s zoning laws affect this new ordinance.
Some council members seems reluctant to ban angled parking throughout the village, which could affect parks and churches and events, such as parades.
“There were questions about angled parking at the parks, and angled parking at different businesses,” said Council President Karen Baron.
Boday said that the police chief said his officers would use judgment in enforcement.
“I have trouble with no angled parking, flat out, at the discretion of police,” Hart-Douglas said before the motion to un-table the ordinance. “I would not vote for it at this point.”
“We can’t discuss how we would vote,” Kolanko said.
“There’s no motion on the floor at this point,” said Councilman Ron Liwo.
Then, Boday made the motion and it died.
He said there has been enough discussion.
“We’ve had two meetings about this with the chief and with Brian (Ballenger, solicitor). We’re just stalling,” Boday said.
Also at the meeting, Councilwoman Vicky Canales asked for more police presence at the parks, which have had some vandalism.
“It’s escalating. Somebody’s furniture was burned,” she said. “I think we need to address that and get on top of it.”
Council canceled the July 5 meeting.
Councilwoman LaDenna Johnston, who was absent, was excused.
