Council discusses improvements, cannabis, lake and Olde Tyme Chrismas

DEBORAH SIMCOX

correspondent

In new business, two items were approved Monday night at the Vandalia City Council meeting:

• Change order #1 for Second Street sewer main crossing (an increase of $5,994.45 due to materials), and

• Pay application #1 for Second Street sewer main crossing (an increase of $69,510.26, also due to materials).

In other business, two autumn parades are in the near future (October) for Vandalia:

• Homecoming parade is this Thursday, Oct. 7, starting in the Vandalia High School parking lot at 5 p.m., and

• Halloween parade, sponsored by the Lions Club, on Thursday, Oct. 28, starting at Seventh Street and Gallatin (where the city Christmas tree is placed each year), beginning at 7 p.m.

Vandalia Chief of Police, Jeff Ray, cautioned parents, children, and others to be alert, considerate, and safety conscious of all those enjoying the parade.

Mayor Ricky Gottman reported that the lamps and benches for the Fifth and Sixth Street railroad crossings, running from the railroad tracks to Johnson Street, and funded by grants, had arrived, and were awaiting installation. Alderman Brett Brosman suggested that the lumens on these lights be increased.

In his report on the Vandalia Lake, Alderman Russ Stunkel conveyed that the Bass Fishing Tournament, which was held last Saturday and Sunday, had students from 39 different colleges.

The students, majoring in biology, marine biology and wildlife management, arrived from 18 different states and from as far away as California. There were 39 boats, two students per boat.

These students, who practice “catch and release,” get data for their studies and then share their technology with the Vandalia Lake Committee.

Official closing of Vandalia Lake is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 18. This includes locking down the marina and the bathrooms.

Alderman Brosman continued the discussion regarding Vandalia becoming a recipient of a “grow facility” for the cannabis industry.

He cited several figures of the financial opportunities this limited business would bring to Vandalia.

To implement this, at a later time, more in depth studies and much more discussion, plus a special permit, would be needed.

The grand opening of Atlas 46, at 410 West Gallatin Street, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Atlas 46 is a direct order manufacturer of industrial clothing and accessories. Activities for the grand opening include axe throwing, tours of the Atlas 46 facility and a scavenger hunt with other local businesses.

City Clerk, Carla Huhn, provided an update on the Olde Tyme Christmas, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, November 13, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event will begin with the lighting of the city  Christmas tree and a “lighted parade”. This new variation on the parade is for floats, walking groups and other parade participants to be strung with lighting devices. Also new this year will be an ice-skating rink.