By Sue Moore
In a 4-2 decision, the Vicksburg Village Council recently voted to enclose the ends of the community pavilion, reversing an earlier decision to just caulk and seal the beams and use flashing to protect the wood from water settling in the cracks. The action brings closure to an issue which had been discussed since the completion of the pavilion last year.
John Polacek of the Lions Club who was one of the local Timber Framers on the project had suggested enclosing the ends to protect the wood from rotting away too fast because of exposure to the elements. Chris Newman, a village council trustee and also one of the Timber Framers Guild members helping with the design and the building of the pavilion, had strenuously objected to the building being enclosed.
At the special Council meeting, appeals were heard from both sides with President Bill Adams calling for a compromise from each party, but that did not happen.
Adams had wanted all options to be considered before anything was done at the pavilion, since there had been experts testifying to their various positions at the last three council meetings. Each view was aired at the special meeting, but the timing was becoming much more important as winter approaches, thus the need to make a decision.
Since the village owns the pavilion now that the Historical Society has signed off on it, the final decision was entirely in the council members’ hands.