The agenda for the August 2019 meeting can be viewed by clicking this link.

As many of you know, the Village of Oreana decided in the spring of 2018 to pursue the construction of a new water tower. This decision came after inspections of the current tower had revealed that it is under-sized for the demand, and also in need of repair work that would exceed the tower’s value. At that time, we began the process of applying for a low-interest loan from the Illinois EPA to finance the design and construction of a new tower, as well as demolition of the old tower. Since it has been a little over a year since we embarked on this journey, I wanted to provide an update on the process as it stands today:

As with any project, an unexpected delay often pops up. In the case of our water tower, that delay came in March of this year when we were notified that our current tower is eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places. The significance of this is that demolition of the tower requires approval from the State Historic Preservation Officer, and as such, there are certain requirements that must be met before we are able to demolish the old tower. Much as the past few months have been spent working with the State Historic Preservation Officer, our engineering firm, and a historical contractor who will complete the work required to obtain approval to demolish the tower. This process has slowed the loan application process, but we continue to move forward.

Although the loan application and approval process has been slowed by this delay, we have made progress in other areas. The design work of the new tower is nearly complete, and a location has been selected. The new tower will be located on East Street, on property already owned by the Village.

I will provide another update once we have more information to report. Thank you for your patience as we work through this process. I am optimistic that a new water tower is on the horizon. Our infrastructure is vitally important to us, and generations to come.

Mayor Aaron Keathley

Now that spring is here, The Village of Oreana is accepting applications for Golf Cart Permits. To apply for a permit, please download and complete the below form, enclose the $40.00 permit fee, and submit to the Village Clerk by mailing to: Village of Oreana Clerk, PO Box 37, Oreana, IL 62554. Once your application has been received, a representative with the Village will contact you to conduct your golf-cart inspection, and issue your permit.

To renew an existing permit, please send fill out the below form, and mail a check for $40.00 to: Village of Oreana Clerk, PO Box 37, Oreana, IL 62554 or drop in the water bill slot in an envelope marked “golf-cart permit”. We will contact you to re-inspect your golf cart and provide your new sticker.

Once your application has been received, a representative with the Village will contact you to conduct your golf-cart inspection, and issue your permit.

Please call the Village Office at 468-2476 with any questions.

[button link=”http://oreanail.com/wp-content/uploads/GolfCartApplication.pdf”]>> Golf Cart Permit Application[/button]

As we wrap up another winter and start moving toward spring, I wanted to share a few updates from the Village of Oreana. First, the Special Events Committee is planning another Easter Egg Hunt. The tentative date for this year’s event is April 13^th. We are in need of candy donations for this event. We will announce drop off locations for the donated candy soon! The Special Events Committee is also in need of volunteers that are willing to not only help with future events, but also help with the planning. We all very much enjoyed the recent Christmas Parade and Reindeer in the Park, but these events will not happen in the future without more volunteers. Please contact me, and a committee member if you would be willing to help!

There have been some questions regarding utility billing. We are now able to accept payments online at oreanail.com. The first time you sign on to your account, you will need to sign up for an account. The fee for online payments is $3.00 per every hundred dollars of your payment. This fee is charged by the service provider, not the Village. There are also multiple free options to pay your bill. Most banks offer online bill pay for free, and you can still deposit a check in the drop box at the community building, or mail a check to the Village Office. We also offer auto-debit for free. This service automatically debits your bank account on the payment due date every month. To sign up for this, fill out and submit a direct-debit form. The forms can be found at oreanail.com

For all the golf-cart owners out there, please remember March is the month the golf-cart stickers need to be renewed. We will send a reminder by mail to renew your golf cart permit. If you do not receive a reminder by the end of March, please contact us to renew.

As a reminder, the Village Board meets at 6:00 pm on the third Tuesday of the month. We always offer a time for public comment at each of our meetings. Please feel free to visit one of our upcoming meetings, or contact me at mayor@oreanail.com or 468-2476 with any questions.

Thank you,

Mayor Aaron Keathley