Brady Happenings

Village eliminates one-mile junk car radius

Complaints trigger change

by Deb Egenberger

April 18, 2008

Brady village officials have spent much time and energy attempting to fight the seemingly never-ending battle against junk cars.

The village passed an ordinance in 2003 trying to eliminate unlicensed and inoperable vehicles. Since then, multiple land owners have been notified to move or cover their junk cars or face a fine.

The ordinance, which prohibits visible junk cars in the village unless they are used for business purposes, previously applied also to landowners within a mile radius of the village limits.

But at last week’s board of trustees meeting, village officials amended the ordinance to remove the one-mile jurisdiction.

The change was triggered by complaints.

“I received multiple complaints from multiple people who had been contacted by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies,” said trustee Nancy Sitorius.

Those residents, she said, believe what happens in the village limits shouldn’t apply to landowners outside Brady.

The amendment didn’t pass without opposition, though.

Trustee Bill Gengenbach voted against introducing the amendment, approving the amendment and suspending the rules to allow passage with one reading.

Still, all three motions passed 4-1 making the change affective immediately.

In other action, trustees decided by consensus that the annual Brady Days celebration will remain the first weekend of August.

The board had considered bumping Brady Days up a weekend earlier to correspond with the Brady Volunteer Fire Department’s annual dance.

Fire chief Mike Gruber told trustees that the dance was moved to July 26 to accommodate scheduling conflicts with “Fear of Flying,” the band that has performed at the dance for several years.

Gruber said the fire department has moved only the dance, not the annual barbecue supper.

That said, trustees decided to leave the weekend celebration on Aug. 1-3.

And the village will likely remain the organizing body for Brady Days activities.

Clerk Pam Diehl said she mailed letters to 13 organizations asking them to take over as sponsors. She received two responses and both declined.

In other business, the village board:

• learned from trustee Bob Golter that gates to the tennis courts remain locked by school officials. Golter had asked that locks be removed so village children and adults may use the facilities. School track equipment is inside the fence.

• received a request from the Brady Youth Baseball Program for money to purchase new equipment but the group did not include a dollar amount. Diehl will ask that organizers submit a specific money request.

• approved a donation of $200 from keno funds to the Talon Power Booster Club to help purchase prizes for its family fun night planned on May 20.

• entered a closed session to discuss possible litigation involving owner-occupied rehabilitation funds. No action was taken.