The following items were discussed and/or action was taken at the Lincolnwood Village Board meeting on Tuesday.
The following commissioners and board members were reappointed by the village president:
Board of Fire and Police Commissioners: Pablo Alcantara and Sheri Doniger
Economic Development Commission: Patrick Kaniff, James Kucienski, Paul Levine and Patrick McCoy
Human Relations Commission: Carol Georges Oraha and Karen Holmes
Park and Recreation Board: Amy Kaniff, Arthur Lovering and Victor Shaw
Plan Commission: Irving Fishman and Don Sampen
Zoning Board of Appeals: Jean Ikezoe-Halevi, Martina Keller, and Kirill Vorobeychik
Telecommunications Advisory Commission: Brad Fox and Joan Friedman
Traffic Commission: Mark Bonner, Donald Gelfund and James Lee
Public input sought on proposal to lift video gambling ban
The public is invited to an open forum on May 17 at village hall to discuss a proposal to allow video gambling in Lincolnwood.
Gambling is currently prohibited in bars and restaurants within Lincolnwood, but many communities throughout the state lifted their pre-existing gaming bans when the state of Illinois changed the law to allow video gaming four years ago.
The village of Lincolnwood began discussing the potential financial and aesthetic impacts video gambling could have on the community after representatives from Des Plaines-based gambling chain Stella’s Place asked the village in February to consider lifting its gaming ban.
Laredo Hospitality, the parent company of Stella’s Place, has expressed interest in opening a gambling establishment in a strip mall on the 3900 block of West Devon Avenue. The company has also recently applied for permits in Norridge, Prospect Heights, and has plans to open in Morton Grove, according to Charity Johns, chief operating officer for Laredo Hospitality.
The public hearing will be held during the Committee of the Whole portion of the Village Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. at village hall, 6900 N. Lincoln Ave.
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Redesign of medians along Lincoln Avenue to begin
Rosemont-based company Christopher B. Burke Engineering will oversee the engineering design phase of an $850,000 project to redesign the medians on Lincoln Avenue between Jarvis Avenue south to Devon Avenue.
The company has been the village’s official engineer for the past two years, according to the public works department. The Village Board on May 3 approved a motion to waive the competitive bidding process and authorize an agreement with Christopher B. Burke for approximately $34,800 for the design phase of the project.
According to a preliminary proposal presented to the Village Board in January, the medians will be refreshed with perennial landscaping, irrigation, and brick edging.
Local officials said they hope the investment, which will be paid for with a combination of money from the general fund and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds, will make the Lincoln Avenue Corridor more attractive to commercial developers.
Construction is scheduled to begin this fall.
Village to rebid sidewalk repair project
The Village Board on May 3 rejected a proposal from the sole contractor that submitted a bid for a sidewalk replacement project that was sought through a joint bid program through the Municipal Partnership Initiative with the Villages of Glencoe, Kenilworth, Wilmette, and Winnetka.
The only company that submitted an application to Lincolnwood out of seven packets that were sent to vendors was Schroeder & Schroeder of Skokie. The village said the bid from the company was rejected because their quote was higher than several proposals received by other communities in the joint-bidding program. The village plans to go out to bid again for the project.
Village purchases road salt for next winter
Detroit-based Detroit Salt Company will supply the village with road salt this winter, according to a resolution approved by the Village Board on May 3.
The Village purchases approximately 800 tons of bulk rock salt on an annual basis for snow and ice control operations during the winter months.
The salt is purchased in bulk with a joint-bid initiative with Glencoe, Glenview Kenilworth, Northbrook, Palatine, Wilmette, and Winnetka.
Detroit Salt Company quoted the lowest purchase price out of four companies that submitted bids, according to the village.
The cost agreed to by village officials will be $65.50 per ton for a total of $52,400. The village had budgeted $66,000 for road salt this year, so the savings will be $13,600, according to the village.
New shelter in Proesel Park to be ready in June
Renovations being completed on the 20-year-old picnic shelter area in Proesel Park are expected to be completed by June 4, according to the village.
When the shelter reopens, park patrons will find new restrooms, LED lighting in the picnic area, new roofing, and a repaved asphalt path leading to the shelter area, among other renovations.
Along with the replacement of the roof, the contractor hired for the project, Filotto Construction, Inc. of Crest Hill, Ill., installed 16 skylights to better illuminate the shelter, according to the Public Works Department. A new drainage system including new gutters was also were installed to help better control storm water build-up.
The Village received $120,000 in donations from Friends of the Community Center to pay for the costs to rehab the shelter, according to the Parks and Recreation Department. Friends of the Community Center raises funds to support parks in the community via the annual Lincolnwood Fest, a three-day carnival with live music held in July.
Next Village Board meeting scheduled
The next Lincolnwood Village Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 6900 N. Lincoln Ave. The Committee of the Whole portion of the meeting begins at 6:30 p.m.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.