Coal Valley Trick or Treat October 31st, 5pm - 8pm. From the. Mayor s Desk - Emil Maslanka. A safe and spooktacular Halloween in the village

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1 From the On the internet at Submit articles to: Mayor s Desk - Emil Maslanka Good news again for Coal Valley residents! Your Village s tax rate is not going to increase! At the October 19th Village board meeting, the trustees voted to NOT raise the Village s tax rate for This is the fourth year in a row that the tax levy has not changed. Coal Valley s overall Estimated Assessed Valuation (EAV) increased slightly from the previous year. In comparison, other communities and/or governmental entities are proposing some significant tax increases. Since it has been awhile since my last newsletter, I want to bring you up to date with some of the major activities that have been on going within the Village. First of all, have you noticed all the orange placards that have been placed on the old Jack and Jill? In addition to notifying the owner by mail of his building code violations, these orange placards also provide a duplicate notice of these violations. For about last year and a half, I have tried very hard to work with the property owner to bring his property up to code. The property owner did some minor repairs but continued to ignore the major structural issues that need to be addressed. These structural issues have gotten increasingly worse. The fines that were issued in the past were the minimum and had little financial impact to the property owner. Based upon the increased unsafe structural problems and his constant delay to fix the issues, I significantly increased the daily fines to get the property owner s attention. However, the property owner is still unwilling to accept responsibility and continues to ignore fixing the property up to Village standards. Therefore, we are in the process of taking the property owner to MUNICES (Municipal Code Enforcement System) whereby the property owner has been notified to appear before the hearing officer. At the hearing, the property owner may be assessed fines and/or ordered to bring the property up to code. The MUNICES hearing is scheduled on November 15, The property owner has until that date to either fix the problems or sell the property in order to avoid the fines. Because of the property owner s unwillingness to comply, a $50,000 plus fine is going to be proposed to the hearing officer for his consideration. I will let you know our progress. See From the Mayor s Desk continued on next page. Submitted by Sandra Standefer October- November 2016 Volume 18, Issue 8 Drue Mielke- editor Coal Valley Trick or Treat October 31st, 5pm - 8pm A safe and spooktacular Halloween in the village Kids look forward to Halloween for many reasons. They like the dressing up in costumes but the mostly they like it for the candy and treats! Children should always go out trick or treating accompanied by a responsible adult. If you have a group of kids going, the parents should choose two or three of them to go along and keep an eye on things. Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you. This way you can check for any problem candy and get the pick of the best stuff! Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car. Explain why this is not a Spooktacular Coal Valley good idea and what to do if someone approaches them and tries to talk to them Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars. Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult. Safety for Trick or Treaters Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don t run, across the street. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars. Drive Extra Safely on Halloween Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully. Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

2 From the Mayor s Desk continued from front page. by Emil Maslanka During the summer, we rented a Craft Co road sealant machine which allowed the public works staff to apply a flexible tar like material in cracks, small pot holes and saw cuts in both concrete and blacktop roadways. For 2 months in which the machine was available, the staff was able to complete all the concrete streets within the Village and also some blacktop streets. We plan to explore the possibility, within budget constraints, to finish the remaining blacktop streets within the Village next year. Taking this preventive measure has the following benefits: a. helps keep moisture out of the road base and thereby avoids erosion issues that cannot be seen; b. prevents cracks and spalls (splits) by not allowing water to get into these cracks and freeze during the cold season which, in turn, would cause the road surface to pop and create more potholes and new cracks; c. allows small potholes to be filled that could not be done with asphalt patching methods; and d. filling a crack will provide a better chance that it will remain a crack and not turn into a pothole. As a result, this preventative maintenance will hopefully extend the life of the roadways before major repairs are required. If you have not been to the Municipal Park after August, you probably are not aware that the pavilion walls have been painted and the floor cleaned. In addition, a new backstop fence is being installed at the ball diamond. General clean up at this and the other parks have been ongoing on a regular basis. The parks will close on October 31st. Speaking of clean up, our Village Administrator, Annette Ernst, utilized her established relationship with employees of the State s highway department to arrange the cleanup of the ditches and drainage areas at W6th Street and between E6th and E7th Street from Highway 6 to the Rock River. These drainage areas have not been cleaned out for the past 10+ years. Our public works staff is also replacing culverts at the E 6th Street and E. 7th Street area. Our plan is to also undertake clearing the drainage area near W. 6th Street. Cleaning these areas will enhance the flow of water from our residents homes to the Rock River and thereby help reduce potential flooding that could be caused by backups. Additionally, the staff has been and will be tackling other ditch/drainage areas throughout the Village during the upcoming months. Since there will not be another newsletter before Thanksgiving, I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday. Coal Valley students starting school off right School supplies dontated by Blackhawk Bank & Trust employees, customers, and people from the community were dropped off at the bank for students to start the new year off right. Coal Valley Branch Blackhawk Bank and Trust manager states we are always happy to collect these items and proud to support Bicentennial Elementary School. Trunk full of school supplies Debbie Till, branch manager of Coal Valley Blackhawk Bank and Jennifer Ekstam, Administrative Assistant, Bicentennial School. Traveling Early Voting Comes to Coal Valley for the November 8, 2016 General Election Coal Valley Municipal Center 900 1st Street Coal Valley Tuesday, November 1, :30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

3 by Drue Mielke Fall harvest season means being alert and aware Fall is in the air and there are a lot fun things going on around Coal Valley like hay rack rides, corn mazes, and picking out a pumpkin in one of the area pumpkin patches or local merchant. With fall also comes two safety issues, one is deer accidents. Most deer-vehicle accidents occur during the months of October, November and December. Some of this has to do with the harvesting going on in area fields. Deer Season Most car-deer accidents happen between the hours of 5 to 10 p.m. and 5 to 8 a.m. University of Illinois Extension service tells us this: At night, use high-beam lights when appropriate. Deer often use woodlots, fencerows, field edges or areas near water. Extra caution is needed when these habitats are close to roadways. Slow down around curves in areas where deer are known to occur. Slow down and prepare to stop if a deer is along the side of the road. There are likely more deer nearby. Deer will often follow one another single file across a road. Trying to cross through the middle of such a group often results in deer colliding with the side of the vehicle. Deer may stop in the middle of the road or decide to double back to the side of the road. Hard pavement such as concrete or asphalt provides poor traction for the hard and sharp hooves of deer. They may even fall down. If there are deer near the road, and there are no vehicles close behind, slow down, honk the vehicle s horn in short bursts and flash the headlights. If deer are near the road, tap the brakes or use the emergency flashers to alert other drivers. Prepare to safely stop if the deer move toward the roadway. If there are deer on or approaching the road, do not slam on the brakes or swerve sharply to avoid the deer. It is instinctual to do this, but doing so may cause a loss of control of the vehicle and a more severe accident. Fall Harvest Season Fall harvest season is upon us, so rural drivers can expect to share the road with large farm implements. It s important for drivers and farm equipment operators to remain alert at all times and be considerate of each other. Here are some good driving tips to keep in mind during harvest season. Always be on the lookout for farm machinery. Remember it can unexpectedly turn onto public roads from a field or driveway. Farm machinery typically travels at 25 mph or less, so be prepared to slow down in order to avoid a rearend collision. Keep a safe distance. This gives better visibility to both drivers and equipment operators. Allow adequate time and distance for farm equipment to make wide turns. Just because you see the equipment does not mean the equipment operator sees you. When passing farm machinery, be sure the machinery is not turning left. Look for left turn lights or hand signals. If the machinery slows down and pulls toward the right side of the road, the operator may be preparing to make a wide left turn. Likewise, sometimes to make a wide right turn, the operator must veer to the left. Determine whether the road is wide enough for both your vehicle and the farm equipment. Check for roadside obstacles such as mailboxes, bridges or road signs that may cause the machinery to move to the center of the road. Be sure there is adequate distance for you to safely pass and be on the look out for oncoming traffic. 15 Years of Thankfulness Finally, I want to thank the residents of Coal Valley for allowing me to be editor of your newsletter as I being my sixteenth year. Fifteen years ago, I took over the editing of The VIllage News from Barb Byrne. My mom, Nancy Jahn Mielke who recently passed away, encouraged me to be involved in positive efforts in our community. My first issue due to come out October 2001 was being worked on and then 9-11 happened. It was almost done but I started over as it changed the entire newsletter just as it changed our country. I am looking forward to many more years volunteering as your newsletter editor and publisher and welcome your positive involvement in our newsletter. Contributions of articles and news of intererst to Coal Valley and encouraged. Publicized events must be open to the public and meet the village s criteria for appropriateness. Please any newsletter submissions to cvnews@coalvalleyil.org. This is your newsletter, please help make it the best it can be. SOMETHING SPOOKY IS HAPPENING AT THE POST OFFICE ON HALLOWEEN! Postmaster Jason is inviting everyone to stop by the Coal Valley Post Office on October 31st between 5:00 p.m and 8:00 p.m for some Halloween treats. The post office is located in the village green in downtown Coal Valley at 121 E. 22nd Avenue, a block off U.S. 150.

4 Welcome to Deanna Hullinger, our new Village Clerk Deanna Hullinger was appointed to the position of Village Clerk with the moving of Amber Dennis to the Coal Valley Police Department with the retirement of Sandy Standefer. The Village Hall will be closed Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th in observance of Thanksgiving. Newly appointed village clerk Deanna Hullinger is welcomed by Mayor Emil Maslanka Regarding the new appointment Village Administrator Annette Ernst states, I am pleased to have Deanna on board as Village Clerk /Accounting Assistant. Her prior municipal experience will make the transition of Sandy retiring and Amber s new job responsibilities seamless.

5 Happenings Special Events for Adults Card Making with Donna Banta Saturday, October 29th: 11:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Recurring Events for Adults Mondays - 6:00 p.m. Mahjong Group Mahjong is a 4-player tile game that plays somewhat like rummy or poker. Players of all skill levels are welcome! Mondays - 10:00 a.m. Needle Arts Craft Group Bring your embroidery, knitting, quilting, etc., and join us for a morning of needlecraft. Beginners are welcome! Recurring Events for Kids Toddler Tales Storytime- Thursdays 10:30 a.m. Your pre-readers will improve literacy skills that they need for their upcoming kindergarten year. This storytime features longer books which are accompanied by a variety of activities, including finger plays, sings, rhymes, simple crafts, and a healthy snack. No registration is required. Upcoming Themes Include: Dinosaurs, Going Buggy, A Hat on My Head, and Friends are Special! LEGO Club - Challenge The 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Hear a story, design an amazing creation with a weekly theme, and let your imagination run wild. This club is suitable for boys and girls grades K - 5. Legos will be supplied (donations are always welcome). To register, stop by the library circulation desk or call Monday, November 7th - 3:30 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 21st - 3:30 5:00 p.m Calling all Minecraft fanatics! Join us for afternoon as all things Minecraft related! We ll talk about the game, strategy, and even make a Minecraft inspired craft! Registration is required. Additional Information E-news: Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter if you d like to receive information regarding programs and services we offer. Sign up at the library in person, call to get signed up, or coalvalleylibrary@gmail.com Bow Wow with Dogs Thursday, November 17th - 3:15 4:15 p.m Improve your child s reading and communication skills by reading to an animal! Elementary school-age readers are invited to read to a certified listening therapy dog. Therapy dogs are great listeners and provide an an inviting environment for children to practice their reading skills. Children sign up for a 15-minute session when they arrive at the library. They may select a book from our collection or bring one from home or school. In Memoriam We wish to note the passing of Nancy Jahn Mielke, Robert R. Jones Public Library Trustee. Nancy was a long-time Coal Valley resident. NOTICE OF CAUCUS Notice is hereby given That on December 5, 2016 A caucus of the CONSERVATIVE party In the Village of Coal Valley In Rock Island/Henry Counties, Illinois Will be held at: COAL VALLEY MUNICIPAL CENTER 900 1ST STREET COAL VALLEY, ILLINOIS Commencing at: 6:00 P.M. For the purpose of nominating candidates for the following offices: (3) TRUSTEES FOR A 4 YEAR TERM (1) VILLAGE PRESIDENT FOR A 4 YEAR TERM One year residency requirement preceeding the consolidated election on April 4, 2017.

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