Monday, March 18, 2013
The Oak Forest city council completely revised and approved a new special events ordinance at its meeting on Tuesday, March 12. The new ordinance calls for a new 'major event' and 'minor event' differentiation and more.
Event promoters looking to arrange major and minor festivities in the city of Oak Forest have a new set of rules by which to abide in order to get their events off the ground, after the city council approved a new special events ordinance at its Tuesday, March 12, meeting. The new ordinance condenses and replaces several older ordinances, Oak Forest Police Chief Greg Anderson said. “This is a complete rewrite of a couple of ordinances that we had before,” Anderson said. “Concerts and public dances, as well as carnivals and festivals. The reason that this needed to be revisited was because the language and several of those old ordinances were confusing.” Highlights of the new ordinance are: The big change comes in the form of the …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The Oak Forest city council and IDOT have an agreement in place to begin work on Ridgeland Avenue, between 151st Street and Victoria Drive. The work will cost the city $103,500, with the remainder of the costs covered by a grant.
Ridgeland Avenue, between 151st Street and Victoria Drive, will be a smoother ride for motorists in the coming months, after aldermen reached an agreement with IDOT for construction and construction engineering. The agreement will cost the city $103,500, with the remaining costs of $378,000 coming from a previously secured grant. “This agreement is with the Illinois Department of Transportation, that just states that we've budgeted the $103,500,” said Public Works Director Troy Ishler. The city's contribution to the project is already included in the city's Motor Fuel Tax program for the 2013 budget year, Ishler said. Covered in the work is repaving, curb and sidewalk repairs and the planting of 77 trees along the roadway, Ishler said. …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Aldermen were split on the 'right of entry,' for city police and animal control officers in animal cases, and so are Patch's readers. Now, it's time to voice your opinion on the issue.
Oak Forest aldermen sparked a heated debate during a March 12 city council meeting, while discussing revisions to the Oak Forest animal control ordinance. The lengthy discussion centered on a police or animal control officer's 'right of entry,' to a resident's property. Aldermen's discussion spilled over to the Oak Forest Patch Facebook page and on the original article's comment thread, with readers wary of the power of the original wording of the revisions. Below is the original wording of the revision to the ordinance, which was struck from the revisions that the city council passed. “For the purpose of carrying out the provision of this chapter, a police officer, animal control officer or any other City official charged with enforcing …
Oak Forest aldermen approved several changes to the city's animal ordinance at the city council's Tuesday, March 12 meeting. Aldermen also held a lengthy discussion on the 'right of entry,' for city officers and officials looking to enforce the ordinance.
Oak Forest aldermen broke out their red pens and took to the Oak Forest animal control ordinance to make several revisions during the council's regular meeting March 12. The revisions, which were presented by Police Chief Greg Anderson, were: “I took the opportunity to go ahead and review the animal control ordinance and make some needed changes to it,” Anderson said. “It's certainly not a complete rewrite.” The ordinance review came at the request of an alderman who has a resident living in their ward with a pot-bellied pig, Anderson said. The ordinance revisions were passed after a lengthy exchange between aldermen about the wording of one specific change, which ultimately was deleted from the ordinance and will be revisited at a later …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
The new three-year deal between Oak Forest and Sikich LLP for auditing services continues the pair's five-year relationship. The contract calls for two minor bumps in costs in year two and three, and can be extended an additional two years.
The city of Oak Forest will continue to open its books to Sikich LLP for at least the next three years of auditing services, after aldermen Tuesday agreed to a new three-year contract. Sikich, which audited the city's books for the past five years, was lauded by Oak Forest Finance Director Colleen Julian for their work during the previous contract. “We have been with Sikich for the last five years and I think they have a large presence in the municipal audit field,” Julian said. “They've done a great job.” The contract with the city did not go out to open bid, Julian said, because of the relationship Sikich and the city have developed. “If I thought it would add a lot of benefit to the city, I would recommend going out and looking at other…
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Tinley Park Village Board members are expected to approve a large property tax break for Golden Corral, according to Sun-Times reports. The break would drop property taxes from $213,000 to just $92,396 annually, over the next 10 years.
One of the leading cafeteria-style restaurants in the nation is poised to move into Tinley Park, due in part to a large tax break from the Village, according to Sun-Times Media reports. On Jan. 23, the Tinley Park finance committee approved a tax break for Golden Corral, 6803 W. 159th Street. The break would drop the property taxes over the next 10 years from $213,000 to just $92,396 annually. Golden Corral developer Bhavin Patel told reporters that without the tax break, he and his partners would not be able to build the 11,000-square-foot building to house the restaurant. Golden Corral is expected to bring between 100 to 120 full- and parttime jobs to the village, according to the report. The village board is expected to vote on the tax …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The city of Oak Forest has a new $1 million line of credit with MB Financial following the approval of an agreement between the two entities by the Oak Forest city council. This is the third such move by the city ever.
The City of Oak Forest has a new credit line with MB Financial after the city council voted to extend a previous agreement with the bank until Oct. 16, 2013. Previously, the city executed an agreement with the bank in October of 2010 to borrow $2 million during a one-year term. “This has become routine business in the last few years,” said Colleen Julian, Oak Forest's Finance Director. “That we do need a line of credit for short-term needs.” Julian said that the city needs access to funds like this during fiscally slim times, and that the money would only be used when absolutely necessary. “We do experience inadequate liquidity at times, so I just encourage your support,” Julian told the council. The money could be used in instances such …
Monday, January 14, 2013
The city council approved $718,000 worth of road work within the city, focusing mainly on neighborhood roads. Stretches of road along Ridgeland Avenue, El Morro Lane, Charleston Drive and Ceder Road will all see work.
Several streets in Oak Forest are set to be reworked in the coming year, thanks to a move by the Oak Forest city council and some funds from the city's Motor Fuel Tax. The council approved the work in a unanimous vote, agreeing to spend $718,000 on work on four roads in the city, with the possibility of work on three other roads, depending on projected costs. The four roads guaranteed to see a facelift in the coming year are: Other streets up for possible work are: Liberty Square, from Terrace Drive to Reynolds Lane, Lockwood Avenue from 163rd Street to 159th Street, and Betty Anne Lane, from 155th Street to Natalie Drive. Work on the roads will be completed by a yet-to-be-named business, with engineering design by Baxter and Woodman. “The…
Friday, January 11, 2013
After a challenge by James Hortsman booted current Ward 6 Alderman Peter Muscarella and challenger Greg Simos off the ballot, the former and remaining candidates react to the change.
Following the removal of two of the four candidates from the April 9 ballot for the Ward 6 Alderman seat, reaction from the remaining and removed candidates was varied. Incumbent Peter Muscarella, one of the two candidates removed, said that being removed from the ballot was definitely a blow, but that it was his own mistake that cost him his spot on the ballot. “I misfiled, I made an error on the application … that is the bottom line,” Muscarella said. “I was wrong by legality, but nothing to be subversive.” Muscarella said the challenge was based on signatures on his petition that were printed, not signed in cursive, which is why the challenge was accepted and he was removed from the ballot. “They criticized printed signatures. We have …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Dotty's, a country-style kitchen restaurant, was approved for a liquor license at the city council's Jan. 8 meeting. The business is currently under review by the building commission and continues to move towards opening soon.
A new restaurant in Oak Forest took another step towards completion at the Oak Forest city council meeting Jan. 8, as the council approved a liquor license for Dotty's, 6070 W. 159th Street. The council approved the move in a unanimous vote, 7–0. According to Community Development Director Adam Dotson, Dotty's is a country-style kitchen with video gambling terminals. He added that the council's approval was only one step in the process towards getting the establishment fully into Oak Forest. “They do have a building permit application in, in the building department,” he said. “They're having their plans reviewed at this moment. But, in order for them to move forward they do need a liquor license approval at this moment.” Dotson added that …
Patricia Lowczyk
8:52 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
I live on Long Ave between 149th and 147th. My street is crumbling, with several potholes and a sewer collapsing in front of my house. In the 25 years we've lived here, the street has never been resurfaced. I've called Public Works several times about the sewer, and when they finally came out all they did was dump gravel in the hole, which didn't hold. I also emailed our alderman last summer, but… more ›