New school year, new programs, new chief in Galatia

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Mike Herron returned to the role of chief of police Monday night and his priority is ensuring roads of the village of Galatia are safe for the beginning of the school year.

Herron, retired Harrisburg police chief and longtime regional DARE officer, had been serving as temporary chief after the resignation of Tom Maynor, who decided to go into business for himself in Harrisburg.

"We are getting ready for school, getting stop signs replaced and crosswalks," Herron said.

There will be a crosswalk painted on the road at the crossing many high school students use to walk to Bondo's Pizza.

The village is in talks with Illinois Department of Transportation, attempting to move a stop sign at the Galatia Road and state Route 34 intersection. There have been several wrecks at the intersection over the years. Law enforcement officers have said the stop sign is a fair distance away from the road and can become obscured by trees, giving drivers little warning they are approaching the busy state highway.

"I'll be running radar in the mornings to get the traffic slowed down," Herron said.

Herron will be working 35 hours a week, Billy Kinser will be working for two nights and the Galatia Village Board is hiring other part-time officers, hoping to have police protection to cover six or seven nights a week.

The Saline County Sheriff's Department and the Illinois State Police fill in the gaps when an officer is not on duty.

"But the village has a certain obligation to do what it can to provide police protection," Herron said.

Crime saw an increase in Galatia over the summer. Two trucks were stolen and recovered. The most recent was the truck of David Dudley, stolen from 716 N. Park St. and it was recovered Tuesday on another part of Park Street in a wooded area. The Saline County Sheriff's Department investigated the thefts as well as vandalism to Leroy Bird's truck. Herron believes the truck thefts were by joy riders.

Herron was employed as truancy officer for the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative working with all schools in the area signed up with the program. In that capacity he became re-familiarized with the school since his days as DARE officer. He will not be doing the DARE program for the school, but is making himself available to the schools.

"I'm going to still try to take care of truancy and be in the schools every day. Truancy and somebody for the kids to talk to, counseling or what have you. I will be available to the schools," Herron said.

Neighborhood Watch

Maynor initiated a neighborhood watch program earlier this year with a well-attended meeting of residents interested in signing up. Maynor distributed literature about the program and posted Neighborhood Watch signs up, but then went on a medical leave to recover from a vehicle accident involving a deer.

Herron hopes, after school is under way, to schedule Neighborhood Watch meetings and get the program going.

"I have all the records. I'll be scheduling meetings and try to get the community interested. We have the watch signs at both ends of town. We're ready to go if the public shows interest and we will give them the opportunity to show interest," Herron said.

Senior Wellness Program

Herron is also interested in the village's planned wellness program of village employees, likely the village clerk, according to Mayor David Harrawood, calling disabled people on a regular basis.

Herron said Leslie Curry, family nurse practitioner in the newly established Galatia Family Practice, has offered her help with the program.

People have inquired about the program, but no one is yet signed up.

The village is starting up another program to help people unable to communicate during an ambulance call. The Vial of Life program involves a plastic bag attached to the refrigerator that includes medical information. Emergency Medical Technicians will see a sign near the person's front door that tells them to look in the bag on the refrigerator for information on what the problem might be. Forms will be available at the Village Clerk's Office.

Golf Carts on streets

The village decided during Monday's meeting to draw up an ordinance permitting the use of golf carts and mule-type all-terrain vehicles on city streets. The program will likely begin next week. Those who are interested may get a permit at the Village Clerk's Office if their machines meet certain criteria.

"Insurance is required, they must have a horn, lights and a 'slow moving vehicle' sign. They must be at least 18," Harrawood said.

The ordinance was filed Thursday. Harrawood said since the ordinance is beginning so late in the year, the permit will be free this year. Next year it will be $35 a year.

The machines are to be used only on village streets, not on state Route 34. Riding on highways on the machines is against state law. The highway may be crossed as people travel from one village street to another.

"A lot of seniors called and asked if they could ride them to the gas station, bank or post office because they can't get out of a vehicle very easily," Harrawood said.

"And it's kind of an energy-saving device for people here around town."

Harrawood has a mule-type ATV and plans to apply for the permit himself.

-- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.