Several residents of the south Vandalia Lake area were in attendance at Monday night’s Vandalia City Council meeting to address the issue of water for residents around Vandalia Lake after the council did not approve easements for Fayette Water Company at an earlier council meeting. The residents read a letter citing their concerns with the council’s non-approval of easements as well as their lack of faith in the city due to an ongoing closure of the Thrill Road bridge. Following the reading of the letter to open discussion about the water issue, Vandalia Mayor Rick Gottman first brought the residents up to speed with what was currently going on with the project explaining the delay in fixing the bridge has not been because of the city but due to the bridge being controlled by IDOT and the city having to abide by the IDOT process.
Vandalia Lake area resident Larry Carroll then addressed the water situation asking after the north side of the lake had already received water from Fayette Water Company, why would the city not approve easements for Fayette Water Company to continue their project on the south side of the lake to which Mayor Gottman explained the city was not sure they legally had the right to do so.
With Carroll and south Vandalia Lake resident J.D. Vieregge explaining that the residents in attendance were mainly owners of their homes and the land they are on and not on a 99-year lease with the city and also stating that Sharon Township had already given approval for Fayette Water Company to cross their land, Mayor Gottman explained it is a situation where the attorneys for the two need to get together and figure out the legality issues with the project.
After much more discussion between the council and the residents as well as Fayette Water Company Executive Director Dennis Vaughn addressing the council to try and clear up some of the stated issues it was decided to leave the matter to be discussed between the Vandalia City Council and the city’s attorney and the Fayette Water Company Board and their attorney at a special meeting scheduled for next Monday at 6:30pm that was already requested earlier in Monday night’s meeting during the Water & Sewer committee report.