A new business
Rensselaer has a new business, a drink bar on Vine Street. It opened at the end of January and is called B&B Teas and Sips. It is filling the void left when Sblendid closed. It is located in a tiny shop that previously housed hair salons.
Here is their menu. I learned what bobas are.
And here is a look at the interior.
City Council meeting
The Rensselaer City Council met Monday evening with a short agenda. After the usual preliminaries, they discussed a fee schedule that had been tabled at the last meeting. No changes had been made and a couple of Council members thought that some fees were too high and there were too many fees. Mr Davis responded that the reason there were so many fees is because the zoning code is very complex. The Council sent it back to the Plan Commission for some simplification.
The Council made a final vote to vacate an alley way north of vine near the Maxwell Ditch. This was the second vote so the result is final. The Council also made second and final approval of new Districts. They also quickly approved a FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) request and approved Shelby Keys signing a USRDA report after the mayor approved the final document. The next item was a contribution of JCEDO but the director of JCEDO was not present so the item was tabled until the next meeting. Finally there was a brief discussion of an accounting issue. The City accounts on a cash basis and the utilities account on an accrual basis..
In comments by the superintendents, the repair of the Melville sewer line is still in the permitting stage. The line seems to have been installed in the 1930. Closure of the Scott Street rail crossing has begun. The water main along US 231 south of town has had multiple problems. There is the possibility that Rose Acre will expand and will need upgraded gas service. Office furniture has been moved into the new Park office in the light plant.
JC BZA meeting
Later on Monday the Jasper County BZA and Plan Commission met. The first two items on the agenda were variances for lot width, one in Wheatfield and one in Walker Township. In both cases the owners want to divide off a few acres behind the existing residence. Both were approved. The third item on the agenda was a special exception for a cell tower in Union Township. However, the person who should have been explaining the tower was not present, so the matter was tabled until the March 17 meeting.
JC Plan Commission meeting
The Plan Commission had four items on its agenda. The first was from the people who had received a lot-width variance in Wheatfield Township in the BZA meeting. Their request for a two-lot subdivision was granted. The next item was a request for a rezone from A1 to A2 in Walker Township. To build a house on A1 land requires ten acres but only four in A2. It was sent to the Commissioners with a favorable recommendation. The third request was for a rezone from A2 to A4 so a young man can establish a landscape business. He said he would not do retail, only park trucks and store supplies on the lot. It was sent to the Commissioners with a favorable recommendation. The final item on the agenda was a request for a two-lot subdivision in Walker Township. It was approved.
There have been rumors that Jasper County may be considered for a data center. They use large amounts of electricity and water. County officials are working on a data-center ordinance that would specify what requirements would be placed on any future center.
More odds and ends
A grandson had a birthday a few days ago. We called his watch to wish him a happy birthday. I do not think that I had ever before called a watch.
I enjoy watching the report of ice cover on the Great Lakes. After being below the average for most of the year, the cold weather last week created a spike that broke through the average. Now with warmer weather we are again below average. You can access some of that data here.
Rensselaerians can now sign up for Rensselaer's alert system.
Finally, congratulations to the Lady Bombers Basketball team who will play for the State Championship in class 2A on Saturday.
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