Column | News and Happenings of April 21

•Willow Springs mayor-elect Alan Nowaczyk says the lame duck
Village Board is pushing to annex property before their terms
expire next month. Annexing 10-acres in DuPage County was
discussed at the last Village Board meeting and could be voted on
before the newly elected board takes office. The 10-acres are
located on the northwest corner of 91st and County Line Road.
The annexation request does not include a development proposal
but controversy erupted about 18 months ago over a proposal to
annex land in DuPage and develop townhomes. This plan was
shot down and Nowaczyk says a development at this site would be
costly.
    “To cross a natural boundary like County Line Road is a bad
idea,” he said. He said development would require costly
infrastructure additions and expansions of police and fire services.
Finally, since the land is in DuPage County, the village would then
be forced to deal with another layer of government in Wheaton.
    • Congratulations to the Chicago’s Daley family on the 50th
anniversary of the day Richard Daley was sworn in as mayor of
Chicago.
    • Disposed unused medication can cause danger to the
environment. Lyons Township will collect unwanted medication on
Wednesday, May 11 so now is the time to clean out your medicine
cabinet and drop off all those old prescriptions at Town Hall, 6404
Joliet Rd., Countryside.
    • In a bid to ease parking congestion in front of Heritage/Graves
school, the village is expected to make 74th Avenue between 59th
place and 60th street a one-way street between the hours of 7:30
a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on school days. The
board is responding to a request from the school for the change.
“It gets really congested over there,” said Summit mayor Joe
Strzelczyk. “This should help. The janitor has better things to do
than stand outside directing traffic.” The Principal of Heritage
Middle School Dennis Lewis said the school has sought the
change for the past few years. “It is mainly a safety issue,” he said.
“With all the traffic here in the morning — if we can get everybody
going in the same direction it would be a lot easier to monitor.”
    • A Roberts Park Fire Protection District firehouse in Justice
caught fire April 16. No one was injured but offices and
infrastructure damages occurred. The chief did not return calls for
comment.
    • Lyons Township Assessor Barbara Weyrick, who also serves as
president of the Township Officials of Illinois, is working to quash
a proposed state law that makes bicyclists “intended and
permitted users of roads.” House Bill 2390 could cost local
governments cash since the rule change may alter legal
protections, liability costs and would force government to post
signs and make road changes for bicyclists.
    • The Bridgeview Village Board has voted to reduce fees for
recycling, scrap metal and junk yards in town. The $2,000
Bridgeview junk yard fee will now range from $100 to $700.
    • Thank you to all the Desplaines Valley News readers who
offered condolences on the death of my “papa” Henry Borgardt
who passed away last month. It means a lot to me.

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