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Mayville OKs Text Alert System

MAYVILLE — Village residents will soon have the option to hear about emergencies as well as other notices taking place via text.

Members of the Mayville Village Board this week voted 4-1 to approve a text message alert system for the village. Trustee Sun Ray Eagle Harrington voted against the resolution.

Mayor Ken Shearer first proposed a resolution to hire SlickText of Jamestown to notify residents of an emergency via text message in September. The resolution stated it would cost $139 a month and could be canceled at anytime.

At that time, trustees said they wanted more time to think about the proposal before voting. The board voted to table the resolution until its October meeting.

Shearer said the $139 cost is the maximum and that amount could be lowered, depending on how often it is used.

Along with emergencies, residents can sign up for a variety of notifications, like community events, road closures and more.

“For example, if people want to hear about Santa Claus coming to town, they can sign up to receive that, but they don’t have to,” Shearer said during a phone interview.

Shearer said he has talked to Westfield village officials and they utilize this system. “They like it,” he said.

Now that the board has given its approval, residents will likely be able to sign up for the text alert system in November. The village board will contact residents to sign up through local newspapers, radio, its website and Facebook page. A notice will also be placed in electric bills.

In other business, the village board is holding off on developing the dead end section on West Whallon Street.

In September, Shearer told village board members that they have at least one person who wants to build a house on some vacant property in that area, however because there’s no services there, a house can’t be built.

See ALERT, Page A6

Over the years, a number of residents have sought to build in that area, but couldn’t because of the needed storm drainage piping, electric utilities, public water and paving.

During this week’s village board meeting, Shearer said there are some nearby wetlands, which may prevent the development of the road. “We’re waiting on answer for that before we go any further,” he said.

Shearer said he was uncertain when the village will hear about the wetlands, noting that COVID-19 has delayed a lot of governmental agencies.

Even if the village gets approval and the board decides to move ahead, Shearer said the earliest any construction would take place would be in the spring.

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