Stratford sidewalk plans raise snow concerns

By Kevin O’Brien

Stratford students and other residents will have a new stretch of sidewalk to walk on after a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) project is completed in 2026, but at least one landowner is expressing concerns about snow removal in the future.

At a public hearing held before last week’s village board meeting, project engineer Dan Knoeck of MSA Professional Services went over plans for installing sidewalk on the east side of STH 97, from Reflection Street south to the Mediterranean Place Mobile Home Park.

Just a handful of residents attended the hearing, including Jim and Veronica Schmidt, who own the single largest stretch of frontage along the sidewalk route. Jim Schmidt said he understands the need for the project, but he questioned how he would remove all of the snow and ice along his portion of the sidewalk.

“There’s no way I can handle it,” he said.

DPW Scott Dennee confirmed that the village ordinance requires residents to remove snow from the sidewalks in front of their properties within 24 hours of a snowfall. He urged the Schmidts to speak with the village board, which they did later that night.

Knoeck explained that the sidewalk project came about as part of a SRTS plan approved in 2019 as a way to encourage more kids to walk to school. Last year, the village qualified for a Transportation Alternative Plan grant, which will cover 80 percent of the project costs.

In addition to putting in a fivefoot wide sidewalk from Reflection Street to the mobile home park, the village will also install flashing beacons at the STH 97 intersections with Trailview Street and Spirit Street, which leads directly to Stratford’s public schools. The western edge of the sidewalks will be located about 15 to 20 feet back from the STH 97 shoulder, and four to seven feet off the private property lines along the road. Shallow drainage ditches will be dug out between the sidewalk and the road.

Private driveway culverts will be replaced as part of the project, and some storm sewer work will be done near Dollar General and Citizens Bank, according to Knoeck. A few temporary easements will need to be obtained from landowners in order for the work to be done, he said.

While the initial cost of installing the sidewalk will be covered by the state and village, Knoeck said any future repairs or replacements would be likely be paid for by the adjoining property owners as special assessments.

Knoeck said MSA has completed about 30 percent of the design specs for the project, with the goal of being ready to bid out the work in 2026 and start construction in the fall of that year.

Jim Schmidt said he’s lived along that stretch of highway his whole life and he sees the need for safety improvements given the number of heavy trucks that speed through there as fast 60 to 70 miles per hour.

“Something’s got to be done or some kid is going to be hurt and I don’t want that,” he said.

Schmidt also spoke during public comment at the village board meeting held following the hearing, expressing his concerns to village officials about future snow removal.

“I’m legally blind and I will not be able to keep that sidewalk clear,” he said. “I want that understood right now.”

When he asked about the purpose of the project, village president Keith Grell said it’s to provide pedestrian access to Dollar General and the mobile home park and to also offer a safer route to school. Schmidt also asked why the sidewalk was not being put on the west side of the highway, where there are more homes, but village officials did not address that question.

“They’re all going to have to walk on the road to get to where they’re going to cross the highway,” he said. “I mean, it’s just a question.”

Grell said state statute does not compel the board to answer questions raised during public comment.

“You’re allowed three minutes to speak, but we don’t have to comment,” he told Schmidt.

Other business

■ The board approved $89,595 in playground upgrades, which includes five pieces of equipment, additional concrete paths and replacing woodchips with rubber mulch. A majority of the money, about $72,600, will come from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, with the rest coming out of park reserves.

“I’m glad to see we’re getting different types of equipment,” said trustee Todd Belter. “We haven’t done anything new for quite a few years.”

■ In a related matter, Grell said he met with someone from Mid-State Independent Living Choices about applying for grant money to pay for improvements at local parks that would improve access for individuals with disabilities. If awarded, the grants could be used to pour additional concrete paths and make other improvements.

■ A representative of Dairyland Labs spoke to the board about the possibility of the village abandoning an alley between Legacy and Legion streets that crosses the company’s property. In exchange, Dairyland would pay the village an agreed-upon amount and grant it a utility easement.

“We’re wiling to compensate you a reasonable amount,” he told the board.

Trustee Dale Heil, chair of the public works committee, said the village would have to go through the legal process for abandoning an alleyway and look back to see what it has accepted for compensation in the past. Other board members were supportive of the idea, but no action was taken.

■ Police chief Thomas Koontz’s monthly report mentioned that the current police facility is too small to meet the department’s needs, and he’s been getting cost estimates for refurbishing the police garage to provide more space. When asked about this, Koontz said his intention was to bring the item to the public works committee for discussion before taking any action.

■ The board approved a new two-year labor agreement with the Teamsters Local 662 Local Law Enforcement League, which establishes an hourly wage of at $26.15 for full-time officers Kyle Gurlaski and Sydney Nussbaum in 2025 and increases it to $27.20 in 2026. Parttime officers will be paid $19.84 per hour next year and $20.63 in 2026.

■ The board approved 2025 salaries and wages for the village’s full-time employees, including $72,800 for Chief Koontz, $70,620 for village clerk Jamie Heindl, $77,000 for director of public works Scott Dennee, and $44,720 for utility clerk/treasurer Stephanie Betlinski. Wages for public works employees include $26.80 for Nate Frodl, $28.80 for Warren Manecke and $24 for Robert Auberg.

■ The board accepted an offer from Partners Bank to provide a $587,000 general obligation note, which will be paid back over 12 years at an interest rate of 4.99 percent. The money was needed to pay for a street project completed this past year in tax-incremental district 4.

THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL - Dan Knoeck, a project engineer with MSA Professional Services, points to a map showing where new sidewalk will be installed on STH 97 in Stratford. A handful of residents showed up to a public hearing held last Tuesday as a requirement of the Safe Routes To School program. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN O’BRIEN