Catherine Wasmer asks city to annex site for funeral home

MENDOTA — Michael and Catherine Wasmer are asking the city of Mendota to annex a piece of property into the city of Mendota for use as a funeral home, Alderman John Pierson said after the city council meeting Monday.

During the meeting, Pierson asked the council to refer the annexation petition to the planning commission. The property the couple wants annexed into the city and to receive city services sits near U.S. 52, not far from a city sewer line that goes behind the property to Mendota High School, Pierson said.

A building at that location south of U.S. 52 previously housed a Jehovah’s Witnesses kingdom hall. Catherine Thomas Wasmer is a longtime Mendota funeral director.

Mendota Plan Commission will discuss the petition at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28.

Pierson also called for an Oct. 14 building and zoning committee meeting for discussion of occupancy permits and inspections of commercial properties.

* Also Monday, Alderman Bill Hunt thanked all of the people who came to city hall for a meeting of the public safety committee last Thursday when the committee was discussing staffing of the fire department. After the meeting, Hunt noted that contract negotiations are continuing, and the city needs to know the exact costs it faces before deciding on staffing and replacement of a staff member who retired.

He said the city has no intention of under-staffing the fire department and ambulances, but the city also needs to make an internal, comprehensive study to analyze costs.

Craig Sterrett can be reached at (815) 220-6935 or csterrett@shawmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NT_NewsEditor.