VILLAGE PRESIDENT, ROBERT “BOB” KOLOSH

Village of Thornton Newsletter

Village Hall

115 E Margaret St Thornton, Illinois 60476 Phone (708) 877-4456

Fax (708) 877-4458

www.thornton60476.com

Hours Monday - Friday

9am - 5pm Saturday

9am - 12pm

VILLAGE PRESIDENT Robert “Bob” Kolosh

VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR Doug Beckman

CLERK/COLLECTOR Debbie Pisarzewski

DEPUTY CLERK

Patti Ott

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kathie Parise

VILLAGE ATTORNEY Scott Dillner

VILLAGE TREASURER Arlette Frye

VILLAGE ENGINEER James Hus

Robinson Engineering

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ernest “Bo” Kaye

Kim Atkinson

Tom Ehlers

Joseph Pisarzewski

David Hudson

Debra Paris

Visit us at www.thornton60476.com Meetings are open to the public.

Village Committee Meetings are

held on the first and third Mon-

days of every month at 7:00pm.

Village Board Meetings are imme-

diately following at 7:30pm.

The Planning and Development

Commission Meetings are held on

the second Wednesday of the

month at 7:00pm.

FEBRUARY 2017

Hopefully everyone had a great holiday season. I would like to wish all of our residents and business owners a Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous 2017. Thanks to our Public Works Department for keeping our roads safe on the few occasions we have had snow, hopefully they won’t have to go out again until next season! The Fire De-partment is continuing its Senior/Disabled Driveway program with well over 100 house-holds signing up for service.

I hope everyone had a chance to attend one of the variety of programs/events offered during our Holiday Happenings weekend in December. An increase in participation was reported by all groups and every year it seems to grow and get better. The turnout at the Village Tree Lighting was the biggest we’ve had in years. The excitement on the children’s faces during the candy cane hunt and as Santa arrived was priceless. Thanks to our staff, local business sponsors and especially the Holiday Happenings Committee for a great weekend.

As I’ve done the past few February newsletters, I again would like to update our resi-dents on a number of improvements & activities that occurred this past year:

Remodeled the concession stand for use at Village functions such as Fourth of July and Softball Season. After years of neglect, it was great to see it re-opened.

Partnered with the Thornton United Methodist Church and installed gutters on their garage for a new source of water for the Community Garden.

Completed a remodel of the Fire Department’s training/conference room.

Held our annual Wolcott Youth Night. The kids do a great job of ‘running the Village’ that night.

Presented at the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation’s quarterly forum.

Held our annual Veteran’s Appreciation Memorial Day Breakfast at Jimbooos.

Participated with Thornton Township on their annual Day in the Park at Nason Park.

Hosted Congresswoman Robin Kelly with Harcros Chemical District Manager Bob Fitzgerald at their remodeled facility on Canal which has been designated as their Corporate Hub.

Provided a Meet & Greet with Village staff and the residents of Thorncreek Senior Living. Later attended the official Ribbon Cutting of Thorncreek with dignitaries for the State, County and other surrounding Municipalities.

Hosted our annual Village Employee Christmas Party at the American Legion.

Also included in this newsletter is a list of Board actions from 2016. I would personally like to thank the current Board of Trustees, the administration and staff for all the great things that have been accomplished in 2016.

The Planning & Development Commission and Village Board have recognized the need for an updated Comprehensive Plan. Included in the newsletter is a Community Survey which will directly impact the content of that plan. Please take some time to fill it out and return it to Village Hall before March 15. A link to take the survey online through Survey Monkey will also be available on our website and Facebook page.

Finally, I will be holding my quarterly Meet & Greet at the Recreation/Community Center on March 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. I’m inviting all the candidates running for any position in the Village to attend and introduce themselves. Candidates are also wel-come to stay and discuss individual questions from anyone in attendance.

Best wishes,

Bob

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VILLAGE CLERK

Debbie Pisarzewski, Village Clerk/Collector

Patti Ott, Deputy Clerk

115 E Margaret St

Thornton, Illinois 60476 Phone (708) 877-4456 Fax (708) 877-4458

Can you believe it’s been 2017 for a whole month already!!! The days are getting longer; and we’re half-way through winter!!! Yeah!!

Start getting your treasures together for the Annual Spring Village Wide Garage Sale. The date is scheduled for May 20 from 9:00 to 4:00. We will start our participation list in April; but I’m giving you a heads up if you want to participate. Please note: There will be NO fall Village Wide Garage Sale this year due to the decreased resident sale participation. So let’s make this Spring sale bigger and better!! The Village is once again looking into having the TV/computer monitor recycling event behind the Village Hall on this same day. This event was a great success last year! The Clerk’s office will be asking local businesses to help fund the cost. We’ll keep everyone informed.

Dog tags for 2017 went on sale January 1st. According to Village Ordinance, all dogs must have Village tags. The cost is only $2.00; and proof of current rabies vaccine is required. Also, please be aware you can be cited by the Thornton Police Department for allowing your dog to defecate on anyone’s property but your own. When walking your pet, be sure to carry a waste bag to clean any “poop” left behind by your dog.

Village Vehicle Stickers go on sale May 1, and must be displayed on your vehicle by May 31. It has been brought to my attention there are still many automobiles in Thornton that do not have vehicle stickers. Please be aware that this is not fair to your neighbors that do purchase stickers; and a greater effort will be made this year to make sure all automobiles in Thornton have Village stickers. Residents will be happy that vehicle sticker prices will be the same as last year: $5.00 for senior and/or disabled; $10.00 for a motorcy-cle; $20.00 for automobiles, $30.00 for pickup trucks. These prices double on June 15, per ordinance.

There is a Municipal election approaching. The following Village positions will be on the April 4 ballot:

Robert “Bob” Kolosh Village Mayor (uncontested)

Debra L. Pisarzewski Village Clerk (uncontested)

Joseph (Joe) Pisarzewski Village Trustee

Kimberly (Kim) Atkinson Village Trustee

Thomas (Tom) Ehlers Village Trustee

Maxine Reynolds Village Trustee

Catherine “Cathy” Tomasik Village Trustee

There are only three trustee positions available; so if you have a favorite, make sure to get out and vote. You can cast your ballot at the Recreation Center if you live north of Queens Lane or the Village Hall if you live south of Queens Lane. Again, please note the following dates:

March 7 – Last day to register to vote in the Clerk’s office (by paper); March 19 – Last day to register to vote on line; March 20 – First day of early voting (closest location is Thornton Township); March 30 – Last day to request a mail ballot (available at the Clerk’s office); April 3 – Last day of early vot-ing; April 4 – Vote (polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.)

By the way, Joey and I still love being grandparents!!! Landon is 18 months already, and his favorite word is “Gumpa.” Go figure!!! Take care . . .

Debbie & Patti

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VILLAGE BOARD APPROVALS

The Village Board reviews and approves the Village’s vouchers (bills to be paid) and previous meeting minutes every meeting. Meetings are open to the public.

Board Members: Mayor Bob Kolosh, Trustee Joe Pisarzewski, Trustee Kim Atkinson, Trustee Tom Ehlers, Trustee Bo Kaye, Trustee David Hudson, Trustee Debra Paris.

The Board approved the following actions in 2016:

Promoted Art Schweitzer to Assistant Fire Chief and Chuck Szabo to Deputy Police Chief. Appointed of Tim Heim as Health Inspector. The Salvation Army to conduct two fund-raising campaigns within the Village limits. New ordinances which established the Blackstone Redevelopment Project Area and the Tax

Increment Allocation Financing for the Blackstone Redevelopment Project Area. Mayor’s Caucus Green Region Resolution. 3-year contract with Lauterbach & Amen Auditing Services to perform an annual audit on

Village finances. Fiscal Year 2017 Budget. Donation to the Snevely family for medical expenses of an employee’s extremely sick child. Special Use for Transport Finishes so they could open a new business at 16700 Clark Street. Appropriation Ordinance. Prevailing Wage Ordinance. Class 8 Resolution for Blackstone Spirits. Retirement of K-9 Officer Ado and the ownership transferred to K-9 Officer Houts. Appointment of Patricia Ott as Deputy Clerk. Directed Village Attorney to obtain a court order to demolish 101 Laura Ln. Accepted the bid from Gallagher Asphalt to complete a road project at various locations in

the amount of $309,817.26. The funds were left-over from the Bond taken out in 2014. Fiscal Year 2016 annual report. Purchase of a Stryker Power Load system for improved patient care. Agreement with ComEd to provide LED street lighting on all ComEd owned utility poles for

Village cost savings. Recognized Marilyn Blackford (Ethics Commission) and Rocco Consorti (Planning/

Development commission) for their years of exceptional service. Liquor license for Koch’s Lounge; a new business opened in the Plaza on Chicago Rd. TIF Re-development agreement with Blades & Fades at 100 S. Williams. An Inter-Governmental Agreement with the Village of East Hazel Crest to provide inspection

services at the rates charged by East Hazel Crest’s ordinances. Replacement of the emergency backup generator at the North Pump house. Handicap accessible sidewalk installation at the pavilions in Hubbard and Nason Park. Declared a $100,000 surplus in the Industrial TIF. ZERO percent increase in Tax Levy Ordinance. Purchased an ambulance from the Village of South Holland and declared the 1999 ambu-

lance surplus. Special use for Tire Connections to open a new business at 599 N. Williams St. Proclamation for Homer Dillard for his service to our Country and the Village.

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TTHORNTON POLICE DEPARTMENT

Glenn Beckman, Chief of Police Charles Szabo, Deputy Chief

700 Park Avenue

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8am to 4pm (708) 877-2531 Non-Emergency

(708) 877-4440 Records (708) 877-5525 Fax

KEEP YOURSELF SAFE AND SECURE

Occasionally, just like in every other community, Thornton has a rash of car break-ins. This is when an unknown of-fender or offenders walk around a three or four block area and test cars to see if they are unlocked. When a car is found unlocked it is quickly rummaged through for money or other small sellable items. Our patrol officers do a very good job of making sure the Village remains a safe place to live, but they can’t do it alone. Here are some things homeowners and residents can do to help out: 1. Lock doors on houses and garages and make sure personal items (bikes,

skateboards, sports equipment, etc.) are not left out. 2. Lock the doors on all vehicles. Items like GPS’s and IPASS’s should be

taken in for the night or locked in a glove box. Don’t leave items on the dashboard or center console that would make it attractive for a burglar to break in to.

3. Leave outside porch and garage lights on at night as criminals usually avoid well-lit places.

4. Don’t advertise on social places like Facebook that you’ll be going out of town as the information can be passed from people you know to people you don’t.

5. Most importantly, if you see something that looks out of the ordinary – CALL. Although our officers try to cover as much of the Village during

their shift, they can’t be everywhere at once.

2016 UPDATE Full-time officer James Mullins decided he wanted to pur-sue other work and left the department in early 2016. Of-ficer Patty Kappos who was originally hired as a part-time

officer, was hired to full-time status to replace Officer Mullins. The depart-ment had two officers complete the part-time academy in 2016. Officer Ken-neth Maslan and Officer Anthony Notter have started field training.

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TRECREATION & COMMUNITY CENTER

Hours

Mon - Thu 9am - 8pm

Fri 9am - 10pm

Saturday 9am - 1pm

FREE PROGRAMS

Play Pals every Tuesday 9-11:30am ages 0-4

Pinochle every Thursday 1:00pm

Hand & Foot every Friday 5:00pm

Alcoholics Anonymous

Senior Fitness Center (62+)

Scout Meetings

PARKS AND GROUNDS

Charles P Nason Park, Highland Avenue

Walter Diekelman Park N Kinzie St

Marian Mikrut Memorial Park, Pawnee Drive

Hubbard Park, 102 N Hubbard St.

Skate Park, Park Avenue

Memorial Park NW corner of Williams and Eleanor St

COMMUNITY SERVICES

K-9 Training Academy

T.O.P.S.

Recycling

Party, Conference Room, Field and Pavilion Rentals

Table and Chair Rentals

First Aid Equipment Rentals

Sharlee Dunlop, Director of Parks and Recreation Amy Potwin, Assistant Director 701 Highland Avenue (708) 877-4454 (708) 564-5078 Fax thorntonrec@yahoo.com

The Kodenkan Academy of Marital Arts is hosting a Winter

Clinic at our dojo!

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, February 17, 18 & 19.

Save the date!

EASTER EGG HUNTS Saturday, April 8

11:00 AM Ages 0-4

8:00 PM Ages 5-10

Thornton Residents ONLY!

Preschool Open House for the

2017-18 school year.

Thursday, March 16

6:30-8:00 PM

CO-ED Softball League

Monday nights under the lights!

$500.00 per team

Games will begin in May

TYBL Thornton Youth Baseball League

Co Ed Ages 4-6 $70.00

Registration is now open

Please call Tim at 877-5149

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THORNTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

David Habecker, Fire Chief Joe Eaker, Deputy Fire Chief

Art Schweitzer, Assistant Fire Chief

115 E Margaret Street (708) 877-4459 Non-Emergency

(708) 877-1506 Fax

Winter is here! Did you know that most winter fires in residential settings occur mainly in the early evening between 5 and 8p.m.? Most residential fires are caused by cooking which we do in our homes all year long. But the second leading cause of fires in winter is heating equipment.

FURNACE HEATING

Be sure all furnace controls and emergency shutoffs are in proper working condition.

Leave furnace repairs to qualified specialists.

Inspect the wall and ceiling near the furnace along the chimney line. If the wall is hot or discolored additional pipe insulation or clearance may be re-quired.

Check the flue pipe and pipe seams. Are they well supported, free of holes and cracks? Soot along or around seams may be an indicator of a leak.

Is the chimney solid, with cracks or loose bricks? All unused flue openings should be sealed with solid masonry.

Keep trash and other combustibles away from the heating system.

OTHER FIRE SAFETY TIPS

Never use a range or an oven as a supplemental heating device. Not only is it a safety hazard, it can be a source of potentially toxic fumes.

If you use an electric heater, be sure not to overload the circuit. Only use extension cords which have the necessary rating to carry the amp load. TIP: Choose an extension cord the same size or larger than the appliance electrical cord.

If there is a fire hydrant near your home you can assist the fire department by keeping the hydrant clear of snow so in the event it is needed, it can be located.

FINALLY…

Be sure every level of your home has a working smoke alarm, and be sure to check and clean it on a monthly basis.

Be sure your home has working CO detectors outside of sleeping areas.

Plan and practice a home escape plan with your family.

Feel free to contact the Thornton Fire Department for advice if you have a question on Home Fire Safety.

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THORNTON PUBLIC WORKS

Bryan Roberts, Interim Superintendent

321 E Harriet Street Office Hours: Monday – Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm

After hours: Call Lynwood dispatch 708-758-4744 ext. #1 Maintenance tech is on call 24 hours, 7 days a week.

(708) 877-4462 (708) 877-1627 Fax

2016 PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT REVIEW

An all new water main and new valves were in-stalled in the 400 block of Water Street. This al-so included the removal of the entire street and the excavation of the old road base. A new stone base and pavement were then added. In addi-tion, North Hunter St. was milled and resurfaced from Harriet to Marion. Project in progress, new handicap accessible sidewalks are being installed at both of the pavilions located at Hubbard and Nason Park. Due to the weather, we had to hold off on completing the installation. We hope to have these finished by the end of March, weather permitting.

YARD WASTE REMINDER

Tri-State Disposal will resume yard waste pickup the first week of April 2017. This service will continue through the end of November 2017. Please keep in mind that all yard waste cans must be marked with yard waste stickers. These are available at the Village Hall in the Clerk’s Office.

ONE LAST THING… Please remember to keep your outdoor water sen-sor clear of bushes and objects. The meter readers need this to get an accurate reading of water usage.

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BULK RATE

U.S. Postage

P A I D

Thornton, IL

60476

Permit No. 8

POSTAL CUSTOMER

THORNTON, ILLINOIS 60476

From the Thornton Historical Society…

When Gypsies Visited Thornton

During the first World War, approximately 100 gypsies started camping in the woods on the Hoxie Farm (Wampum Lake). They came with their horses, ponies and painted wagons. During their stay, they went around picking pockets and stealing other things. Local Mothers and grandmothers, would make sure the chil-dren were in the house so they wouldn’t be kidnapped. The king of the gypsies along with his wife, are buried at the Washington Cemetery in Homewood, Illinois.

To learn more about Hoxie Farm or the gypsies, visit the Thornton Histori-cal Society. Open the first and third Saturdays of the month from 1-3pm. The next meeting will be held on Monday, March 27 at 7:00 PM