Published: November 10, 2009 08:28 pm      

Oakwood board closes alley

OAKWOOD — Two residents appeared before the village board Monday to express their concern about the high volume of traffic in the alley behind their homes.

Catherine Huddleson and Carl Lewis, both of Scott Street, asked that the village do something about the traffic. Huddleson and Lewis believe most of the traffic has been caused by the rerouting of traffic around the grade school.

“However, the traffic is not limited to before and after school,” Huddleson said. “My bedroom is closest to the alley and there is traffic at 2 and 3 a.m.”

Trustees believe a lot of the traffic may be from parents dropping off or picking up students at the grade school.

“They don’t drive slowly either,” Lewis said. “I am afraid that there is going to be an accident with the speeding down the alley.”

The alley, located south of Longstreth Street and north of Sailor Street runs east and west between Scott and Olmstead streets.

According to Public Works Director Steve Wendell, there are no utilities running down that alley. Wendell said all utilities run down the north/south alley.

Trustees approved the temporary closure of the east/west alley and approved the installation of barricades at the intersection of the north/south alley. Signs will be posted that the alley is closed.

In other action, trustees:

-- Learned the bids received for the Lee Street culvert project came in about $30,000 more than the engineer’s estimate. Mayor Tom Cook has asked the village engineer to redesign the project to lower the cost and said the project would be rebid in time for work to begin in the spring.

-- Heard from Trustee Dave Parker who spoke on behalf of the Oakwood Junior High student council about the recycling survey the student council had agreed to do in the village. Parker said the students had surveyed about 125 residents so far but that it was difficult for students to gather more signatures due to conflicts with extracurricular activities and the unavailability of a bus and driver to bring

the students into town. Trustees discussed the possibility of putting the survey question on the water bills to solicit input. It was decided to send a letter out to water customers ahead of time explaining the survey and that the question would be placed on the return portion of the water bill.

-- Instructed the village attorney to make changes to the liquor ordinance that would allow the village to fine and/or possibly suspend a liquor license if the establishment holding the liquor license is fined by the Illinois State Liquor Commission for violations such as selling alcohol to minors. The village would seek a fine from $500 to $1,000 for the first violation. A local establishment was fined $500 by the Illinois State Liquor Commission this summer for selling alcohol to a minor in a sting operation.

Cook also requested a change to the liquor ordinance that would have an establishment holding a liquor license not be entitled to a refund on their license if the establishment goes out of business before the liquor license expires.

-- Set new village office hours effective Jan.1, 2010, as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

-- Set the number of hours an employee must work to be considered full-time at 32 hours per week.

-- Cook will serve as host for a Christmas dinner for village employees and trustees at 6 p.m. Dec. 14 before the regular December board meeting at the Oakwood Park pavilion. The regular board meeting will start at 8 p.m.

NEXT UP

The Oakwood Village Board will meet at 8 p.m. Dec. 14 in the Oakwood Park pavilion.