Efforts to restore North Judson’s Pioneer Cemetery have gotten a bit easier, thanks to some help from the town. Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann told the town council Monday that town employees had conducted a water tap at the cemetery and installed a yard hydrant with a padlock to limit access.
Dr. Dennis Dalphond has been leading efforts to beautify the cemetery, but the site’s inoperable water system presented an obstacle to his volunteers. Rather than repair the system, the town council decided last month to install a single water source at a central location.
On Monday, Dr. Dalphond thanked council members for their help. “Friday, Marshall came into the office dripping wet with sweat, asked to speak to me, passed me a key with the ring on it. I said, ‘What’s this?’ He said, ‘It’s the key to the water that you now have up at the cemetery.’ I really thank you guys a lot,” Dalphond said. “I got on one knee, took the ring off the key, and asked him, and he turned down my proposal,” he joked. “But thank you so much. I really appreciate it, folks.”
However, North Judson’s having a bit more trouble when it comes to the town’s alleys. Horstmann blamed delays in alley repairs on equipment issues.
Council member Jane Ellen Felchuk proposed moving garbage collection to streets, to reduce wear on the alleys. However, her motion failed to receive a second. Some council members said the change wouldn’t solve the actual issue of alleys needing repair. In the end, they decided to wait for repairs to be completed before making any changes to trash pickup.
