April 2015 Westchester Village Newsletter

Village of

Westchester APRIL 2015 Newsletter From the Desk of The President FIRE DEPARTMENT

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POLICE DEPARTMENT

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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CALENDAR

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PARK DISTRICT

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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SCHOOL DISTRICT

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PUBLIC WORKS

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Congratulations to the St. joe Chargers for winning the IHSA 3A Boys State Basketball Championship. Great job! You have made westchester proud!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SAINT JOSEPH CHARGERS! Saint Joseph High School of WESTCHESTER does it again!

As our front page picture shows, the St. Joseph Chargers were crowned the Illinois High School Association Class 3A State Boys Basketball Champions. From all accounts, St. Joe’s had a slight roller coaster of a season but in the end was victorious at the state tournament held at the Carver Center in Peoria. The Chargers defeated Belleville-Althoff 67-63. St. Joe’s completed the season in the Catholic North Conference with 9 wins and 2 losses. They ended their championship season with an overall record of 29 wins and 6 losses. Preliminary pre- season rankings had St. Joe’s rated 6th. They were wrong.

Coach Gene Pingatore, St. Joe’s legendary coach has coached St. Joe’s basketball to 2 IHSA State Championships and 962 career victories in his 46 year coaching history.

In 1999, St. Joe’s won the Class AA title and now again the Class 3A title in 2015. He, along with alumnus Isaiah Thomas, were named members of the first class of the East Suburban Catholic Conference’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

This is the second honor St. Joe’s Chargers have won this school year. As you all may recall, the Boys Class 3A Soccer took 2nd place in the state tournament last fall.

The Westchester Village Board has two St. Joseph Alumni in Frank Perry, Class of 1988, and Thomas Yurkovich, Class of 2000. As a lifelong resident whose son Steven graduated from St. Joe’s in 1999, we could not be more pleased and proud on the schools accomplishments in academics and athletics, not only this year, but every year.

Keep up the good work, you make us proud!!

VILLAGE HOSTS SENIOR bREAKFAST On Friday, March 13th, the Village hosted its Annual Senior Breakfast at St. Joseph H.S. I would like to thank the

St. Joseph administration for allowing us to host the event at the school, the students who helped with the set-up and serving, as well as all those residents who attended. For those who attended, I hope the information was useful that myself and the various department heads offered.

Local government has become increasingly difficult to manage, especially over the past decade. Decisions made in Springfield by the House and Senate, as well as the Governor’s office have the trickle down effect on us, the taxpayers. Balancing the needs and wants of our residents in my opinion has never been as challenging as it is now and certainly will be in our future. Thanks for listening.

WESTCHESTER 2015 VEHICLE TAGS ARE ON SALE Each year the village requires all vehicles registered in the Village of Westchester to display a Westchester Vehicle Tag. I have provided the ordinance for your review. The Code states in Chapter 11.56.010 entitled “Required” that “It is unlawful for any person residing in the village, or for any firm or corporation having its principal place of business in the village, or having vehicles registered to an address in the village, to use, cause or permit any of his, her, its or their agents or employees to operate any motor vehicle within the corporate limits of the village, or to allow any motor vehicle to be parked on public or private property located within the corporate limits of the village, unless such motor vehicle is licensed as hereinafter provided. Each and every vehicle which has been issued a license by the Secretary of the State of Illinois, which is registered to an address in the village, shall have the village vehicle sticker displayed

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Fire Department APRIL 2015

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Police Department 4

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Kids on Bikes RIDING ON SIDEWALKS If you ride near people walking don’t surprise them! Slow down, and say “Excuse me!” or use a bell or horn.

ALLEYS & DRIVEWAYS: LOOK OUT! Always look LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT before an alley or driveway. If it’s not easy to see, slow down or stop first.

AT CORNERS Watch behind you for cars turning. Stop and look LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT for cars. If a car’s stopped at the corner, make sure the driver sees you before you go.

ENTERING A STREET You shouldn’t go into a street from the middle of a block. But if you do: Stop at the curb and make sure parked cars aren’t about to move. Go to the edge of the parked cars.

Before you cross, look LEFT, RIGHT, and LEFT.

WHERE TO RIDE ON STREETS WHAT SIDE TO RIDE ON? Always ride in the same direction as the cars are going. Never ride against traffic. It’s the easiest way to get hit! Ride about 3 feet from parked cars so you don’t get hit by a car door. Don’t ride on streets unless your parents say it’s OK! Ride in a straight line. If you do, drivers will know where you’re going. Then they’ll stay out of your way! If the street is too busy, get off your bike and walk in the crosswalk.

STOP SIGNS AND TRAFFIC LIGHTS Stop or slow down Look LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT. Obey stop signs and traffic signals.

Don’t go until no cars are coming. If a friend bikes across a street before you, don’t think it’s safe for you to go too. Slow down or stop, and look LEFT, RIGHT, and LEFT.

HOW TO LOOK AROUND When you ride your bike, sometimes you should look behind you. If you don’t, a car might hit you. Here’s when to look back.

LOOK BACK just before you ride around a pothole or sewer grate LOOK BACK just before you pass a parked car that’s in your way LOOK BACK before you turn, or you move to a different side of the street.

HOW TO TURN ON STREETS AN EASY WAY TO TURN LEFT -Look LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT for cars. Stop if any cars are coming.

-Walk in the crosswalk, or ride your bike next to the crosswalk.

-Stop just before you reach the curb. Stand in front of the crosswalk, facing the way you want to go.

MOVING OR TURNING LEFT LIKE A CAR

Look back over your shoulder for cars coming from behind you.

-When no cars are coming, move to the middle of the lane. Look back again for cars.

-If you’re turning, point your arm in the direction you’re going.

-If you’re turning onto another street, look

Police blotter 1) At 3:36pm on February 25, 2015 a Theft was reported on the 2200 block of Kensington. A vehicle owner reported that their spare tire was taken and the side door of the vehicle was damaged.

2) At 3:49pm on February 26, 2015 a Residential Burglary was reported on the 600 block of Newcastle. Unknown person(s) forced entry into the garage of an abandoned house between February 16 and February 23, 2015. Nothing was taken.

3) At 4:54pm on February 26, 2015 an Attempted Burglary was reported on the 1800 block of Kensington.

Unknown person(s) had attempted to gain entry through a side service door of the garage.

Entry was not gained and nothing was reportedly damaged.

4) At 5:30pm on March 6, 2015 a Burglary to Auto was reported on the 1900 block of Buckingham. The owner of a van discovered unknown person(s) had broken open a drivers side window and removed a radio.

5) At 7:03am on March 8, 2015 a Retail Theft was reported at the JD’s Food Mart located at 10147 Roosevelt Road. 2 subjects removed 4 bottles of liquor valued at $175. The subjects were last seen traveling eastbound on Roosevelt Road in a dark colored SUV. 6) At 12:02pm on March 10, 2015 a Retail Theft was reported at the Walgreens located at 10345 Roosevelt Road. A male subject was stopped and arrested for retail theft after leaving the store without paying for $620 worth of merchandise.

7) At 7:49am on March 16, 2015 a Criminal Damage to Auto was reported on the 10300 block of Kipling. The vehicle owner reported that unknown person(s) had damaged their vehicle by spraying painting the sides with black spray paint.

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT down that street. If cars are coming, let them pass. Then turn.

IS IT READY TO RIDE? Frame Height: Check that your child’s bike isn’t too tall or too short. Have your kid stand with the bike between their legs with feet flat on the ground, just in front of the seat. For a horizontal top tube, there should be one to three inches between the tube and the child’s crotch. If the tube’s not horizontal, tie string to where the top tube meets the front of the bike. Hold it horizontally to make the measurement.

Seat Height: Ask your child if the seat feels too high or too low. If they’re not sure, have them sit on the bike with feet on the pedals. With one pedal in the six o’clock position, their knee should be only slightly bent. But if they’re used to a lower seat height, don’t raise it too much at once.

Coaster Brakes: If your child can pedal backward to apply the rear brake, the bike has coaster brakes. Here’s how to check them. While pushing the bike forward with one hand, use your other hand to pedal backward. This should stop the bike.

Hand Brakes: Here’s how to check each hand brake. While pushing the bike forward with one hand, use your other hand to squeeze the brake lever. You should be able to stop the bike without squeezing the lever all the way to the handlebar.

Handlebars: Hold the front wheel between your legs. Using moderate pressure, try to turn the handlebars without moving the wheel. If you can turn the handlebars, tighten the stem bolt.

HELMETS Kids need helmets as much as adults do.

No matter how careful they are, they can’t control everything around them. Make sure

kids wear their helmets snugly-and set an example by wearing yours!

Rating: The inside of the helmet should have one of these: a green or blue Snell sticker, meaning the helmet passed the Snell Foundation’s tests for safety; an F1447 certification label by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM); or a compliance label from the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).

Wear: Teach your child to wear their helmet level, not tilted back. A tilted helmet won’t protect your kid’s skull in a frontal impact. While wearing their helmet, your child should be able to look up and see its front edge.

Fit: Your child must have a snug fit-so that if your kid’s head hits more than once, the helmet stays in place. Tighten the straps son only two of the child’s fingers fit snugly between the strap and their chin.

Clothing:Wear bright clothing whenever possible.

Lighting: Use a front and rear bright lamp when riding after dusk Lock(s): Make sure you use a lock when leaving your bicycle unattended.

Please feel free to contact Officer Rob Verber (708) 345-0060 Ext. 440 for additional information concerning Bicycle Safety.

SEE IT ~ HEAR IT ~ REPORT IT Dial 911 to report suspicious persons and/or activity.

OPEN HOUSE (Save the Date): Police Department Open House Saturday May 16, 2015 starting at 10a.m.

John M. Carpino Chief of Police

If you have any specific question(s) concerning our community and related police services please feel free to send me an email at: chief@westchesterpolice.com.

PRESIDENT Continued from page 1 on the lower passenger side portion of the windshield of such vehicle, and the owner of such vehicle, as reflected by the records of the Illinois Secretary of State’s office shall be responsible for securing the vehicle sticker herein required and complying with the provisions herein. Any expired vehicle sticker shall be removed from the windshield of the vehicle. “ Simply stated, please purchase your Westchester vehicle tags for all of your vehicles, including motorcycles, before the April 30, 2015 midnight deadline. By Ordinance, the price of the sticker will DOUBLE beginning May 1, 2015. Administrative staff cannot modify the amount when purchasing anytime after the Thursday, April 30th deadline.

You would be surprised how many calls I get throughout the year by residents who have purchased their tags reporting that many vehicles whose owners live in town are driving around with either no vehicle tag at all or with an expired one, and they don’t believe that is fair. In some cases those not purchasing the tag are bragging that they have not purchased the required tag for years.

Several years ago the village purchased a list from the Illinois Secretary of State that indicated approximately 15 thousand vehicles were registered to the village. We have been averaging 12 thousand tag sales each year. That means 3 thousand tags or about $105 thousand dollars in vehicle tag revenue is not being collected.

Police have been and will continue to write tickets for violations of this ordinance. Do NOT be surprised if you see a ticket on your car while parked at the Jewel, Mariano’s, Westbrook Corporate Plaza, or parked in any lot open to the public where the police patrol.

NOTE: The sticker/tag must be displayed on the lower right side of the front passenger side window. As stated in the ordinance, please remove the old stickers. Having a trail of stickers obstructs your vision. Also, having the sticker/tag it in your glove box or on your table inside your house does not count. A ticket for non-display can also be written.

If you have purchased your 2015 Village Sticker, removed your old one/s and complied with our long standing ordinance, I THANK YOU. The revenue we receive pays expenses related to General Government including Streets, Police, Fire, and Public Works. If you have not purchased your tag/sticker yet, let this article be a warning that you may be in-store to receive a $75 ticket from the police, plus incurring double the fee ($70 for a passenger car) for purchasing the current tag; spending $35 dollars now per car versus a possible $145 later. You decide. Sorry… but DON’T say you were not warned.

PROPERTY TAXES I hope all of you read the fine article in our March 2015 newsletter by our Finance Director Maureen Potempa regarding how your home property taxes are calculated and

APRIL 2015 distributed.

The village of Westchester receives a total of 13.6% of that amount. The remainder goes to other taxing bodies enumerated on you August Bill.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING On Monday, March 9th, Village Manager Janet Matthys and I, along with a number of Mayors and Managers, attended a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing at the State of Illinois Bilandic Building in Chicago.

The standing room only crowd filled the capacity seating of 155. Although I was scheduled to testify, time ran out before I got my say. Several mayors did get to speak and after listening attentively, their comments echoed the group’s sentiments related to the governor’s proposed reduction of distributions to local municipalities from the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF).

Since passage in 1969, each municipality has received a portion of the State Income Tax relative to population. Governor Rauner is proposing to reduce LGDF by 50% to assist in balancing the State budget for the state fiscal year 2016. In Westchester’s case, a 50% reduction in LGDF translates to a reduction in our General Fund budget in the amount of $827 thousand dollars. This loss in revenue would be catastrophic to the Village. Mayor Jim Holland from Frankfort offered testimony that can be viewed at http://mayorscaucus. org/mayors-municipal-officials-packsenate-appropriation-hearing/.

Mayor Holland’s comments reflect accurately what we would be faced with if the LGDF Reductions are made to balance the State of Illinois Budget.

GOVERNOR RAUNER SPEAKS AT METROPOLITAN MAYORS CAUCUS MEETING On Friday, March 13th, Governor Rauner addressed an audience of Mayors attending the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Quarterly Meeting in Chicago. I, accompanied by Village Manager Janet Matthys, attended along with many of the same mayors and elected officials who had attended the Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing the previous Monday. Governor Rauner presented his view of the dire financial health of the State of Illinois and the looming $1.6 billion dollar budget shortfall necessary to pay the State of Illinois’ bills through June 30, 2015, the end of the State of Illinois’ current fiscal year.

Governor Rauner was emphatic that he will not sell any bonds or increase revenue on the backs of tax payers to pay those bills.

That being said, he heard a litany of Mayors indicate what the loss of LGDF funds would mean to local government operations.

Governor Rauner asked all governmental officials to get behind his “Turnaround Agenda” that would empower voters and increase local control. The governor indicated that the net result of these changes would more than offset the loss of any LGDF funds to local government. This is a copy of theTurnaround Agenda Governor Rauner handed out at the meeting for your review:

The Illinois Turnaround – The Turnaround Agenda Conflicts of interest have spread throughout Illinois government. Special interest groups have come to control Springfield, running it for their own benefit and pushing many local governments to near bankruptcy.

Government union leaders are funding politicians who negotiate their pay and benefits; healthcare agencies are funding politicians who structure Medicaid; trail lawyers are funding judges who hear their cases.

Special interests have taken away power from the voters, forcing unfunded mandates, unaffordable pension regulations and too many layers of government onto taxpayers, and filling the workers compensation system with fraud and abuse.

Taxes are rising, businesses are leaving and schools are deteriorating.

We must empower local voters to turn their state around.

Local voters should be able to vote on and control property tax increases.

Local voters should decide what issues can be collectively bargained in their county and municipal governments.

Local voters should decide pension and health benefits for their local governments.

Local voters should decide what issues should be subject to collective bargaining in their schools and whether teachers should be forced to pay partial or full union dues as a condition of being allowed to teach.

Local voters should decide whether their businesses should be subject to forced unionism or employee choice.

Decisions of voters in one county or municipality should not be forced upon voters in other parts of the state. The voters of Illinois should be empowered to control their own destiny on taxes, schools, and jobs.

The state shouldn’t impose costly mandates on local governments that drive up costs.

Prevailing wage requirements and project labor agreements block true competitive bidding in government construction projects and drive up taxpayer costs 20% or more.

Voters should be empowered to decide term limits on their elected officials.

With voter empowerment, Illinois can become a great state, a competitive, compassionate state again.

These reforms are reasonable, commonsense, and bi-partisan. Many states have implemented variations of them. Twentynine states and the federal government do not allow government union collection of “fair share” dues and have put some restrictions on collective bargaining. Even President Franklin Roosevelt supported this.

The states with dominant government unions (IL, NJ, CT, CA, etc) have the largest chronically unfunded pensions, debt and deficits. Most have installed high income taxes to try to deal with their recurring budget problems; but that has failed to fix their chronic deficits because the structure, the underlying conflict-of-interest in government union power, has not been addressed.

Economic Growth and

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Jobs Package Pass a phased-in minimum wage increase of 25 cents every year for seven years. · Implement true workers’ compensation reform legislation that updates how injuries are apportioned to ensure employers pay for injuries that occur on the job; clarifies the definition of “traveling employees” to ensure a reasonable standard that excludes risks that would impact the general public; and implements American Medical Association guidelines when determining impairment. · Enactlawsuitreformstopreventunreasonable trial lawyer venue shopping, address unfair joint and several liability requirements and provide a balanced approach to medical malpractice cases to keep doctors in Illinois. · Pass a constitutional amendment to cap unreasonable judgments (2018 ballot). · Make Illinois unemployment insurance fair for beneficiaries and employers, including legislation that cracks down on benefit fraud for those who voluntarily leave employment but receive benefits and provides a more fair definition of misconduct in the workplace. · Implement true competitive bidding in public works projects, limit prevailing wage requirements and eliminate project-labor agreements. · Restructure the motor fuel tax to appropriately invest in infrastructure. · Create local employee empowerment zones. Let voters in a county, municipality or other local unit of government decide via referendum whether or not business employees should be forced to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment. · Create a Minority Enterprise Small Business Investment Program to assist minority entrepreneurs in startups throughout Illinois. · Require unions that contract with the state to have their apprenticeship programs reflect the demographics of Illinois communities, and to have their membership on public construction projects reflect the diversity in the surrounding area.

2. Student and Career Success Package Increase state support for pre-K-12 education, especially for low-income families. · Expand access to high-quality early childhood education and make programs easier to navigate for families. · Consolidate and refocus all state boards, agencies and programs to manage an integrated comprehensive cradle-to-career statewide system of education and vocational training. · Launch an effort to increase parent participation in the classroom. · Initiate statewide task force to analyze the challenges of teenage pregnancy and loss of twoparent families. · Give local school boards the ability to modify overly burdensome unfunded mandates. · Lift the arbitrary cap on public charter schools, reduce funding disparities for public charters and provide more high-quality educational options to students through tax credit scholarships. · Reform teacher tenure and incentivize local school districts to reward high-performing administrators and educators. · Improve teacher recruitment, ensure a diverse educator base and streamline licensure

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 5 requirements to bring the best and brightest teachers to Illinois. · Eliminate unnecessary testing and institute a rigorous K-12 student growth measure, using ACT and other national metrics. · Expand vocational and technical program resources and grow partnerships among employers, high schools and community colleges. 2

Taxpayer Empowerment and Government Reform Package Make income taxes low and competitive with other states. · Freeze property taxes for two years by amending Illinois’ Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. The total property tax extension could not increase above the 2015 levy year, except for new construction or property in a TIF district. Voters would still be allowed to override the freeze via referendum. · Modernize the sales tax to include service taxes that keep us competitive with neighboring states. · Preserve a fair and flat income tax by protecting low-income families with an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit, and provide additional exemption relief to working families. · Launch a government consolidation and unfunded mandate taskforce chaired by Lt. Governor Sanguinetti to reduce the number of Illinois’ 7,000 units of government and provide more flexibility to local communities. · Extend to municipalities bankruptcy protections to help turn around struggling communities. · Pass a constitutional amendment implementing 8-year term limits for statewide elected officials and members of the General Assembly. · Protect historically accrued state pension benefits for retirees and current workers, while moving all current workers into the Tier 2 pension plan and/ or a 401(k) for their future work. Police and firefighters should receive separate special consideration. · Pursue permanent pension relief through a constitutional amendment. · Codify Executive Order 15-09 prohibiting the revolving door from state government to lobbying and extend revolving door restrictions to the General Assembly. · Empower government employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. · Empower local voters to control collective bargaining issues in their local governments and take more direct responsibility for their employees’ benefits. · Extend the prohibition on political contributions for businesses with state contracts to all organizations with a state collective bargaining agreement and organizations funded by entities receiving state Medicaid funds. · Prohibit trial lawyer donations to elected judges to address conflicts of interest in the courts. · Pass a constitutional amendment to create meritbased judicial selection as supported by the American Bar Association (2018 ballot). · Reward state workers with performance pay and incentivize employee-inspired cost-saving measures. · Pass a constitutional amendment merging the offices of Comptroller and Treasurer and return $12 million in annual savings to taxpayers.

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Require more vigorous enforcement of minority contracting guidelines and hiring in state government. · Pass a binding Balanced Budget Amendment to the Illinois Constitution that prohibits the carry-over of past-due bills (2018 ballot). · Reform the criminal code to ensure sentences are commensurate with the severity of the crime, and reduce penalties for non-violent offenses. · Launch a bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Commission with a goal to improve public safety and reduce prison population by 25 percent in 10 years. · Provide additional investment in community-based reentry and diversion programs for persons reentering the community. · Increase correctional officer staffing to improve officer and inmate safety.

There are many aspects of the “Turnaround Agenda” that in my and other legal scholars minds will involve court challenges. I believe the Governor’s message that we cannot continue to operate the way we have in the past has resonated loud and clear. It is going to take the House, Senate, and Governor’s office to hammer out the salient points to accomplish reasonable reforms in the management of the revenues and expenditures of our state.

As a result of the aforementioned discussions your Westchester Village Board approved Resolution no. 2015-442 that reads.

RESOLUTION NO. 2015-442 > A RESOLUTION URGING THE GOVERNOR AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PROTECT FULL FUNDING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT DISTRIBUTIVE FUND REVENUES WHEREAS, municipalities are front-line providers of government services to citizens and these services include police and fire protection, parks, infrastructure, water, sewer and utility services, and snow removal; and WHEREAS the State of Illinois has a longstanding tradition of collecting tax revenues on behalf of municipal governments and municipalities have relied on shared income tax revenue to provide services to taxpayers; and WHEREAS, municipalities have fewer options to raise significant revenue and rely on the full amount of revenue that the State collects on their behalf in order to fund the essential quality-of-life services expected and relied upon by community residents; and WHEREAS, the General Assembly increased the State income tax without providing any of the new revenues to municipalities and this loss of revenue has left the municipal share at levels collected during the Great Recession; and WHEREAS, the Governor proposed a 50 percent reduction in the local share of the income tax during his FY2016 Budget Address, reducing local revenues by over $600 million; and WHEREAS, the loss of this state-shared income tax revenue would result in elimination of countless jobs, local tax increases, program and service cuts, and could increase debt burdens that would be felt by all citizens.

WHEREAS, the Village of Westchester would lose $827,541; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that

the Village of Westchester urges the Governor and the General Assembly to protect full funding of the Local Government Distributive Fund and other revenue sources that allow local governments to provide for the health, safety and general welfare of their residents.

ADOPTED this 10th day of March, 2015, pursuant to a roll call vote.

It appears that the LGDF is safe for now, however, time will tell if it will be back on the table for the 2015-2016 state budget year.

RECORDER OF DEEDS KAREN YARBROUGH

On Wednesday, March 18, 2015, Cook County Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough held a Town Hall Meeting at the Village Hall regarding the increase in property tax fraud and how we as homeowners can protect ourselves. Recorder Yarbrough showed a video that involved the former Chicago City Treasurer Stephanie Neeley and what she went through when she discovered someone other than herself and family had recorded their name on her home. The accompanying attached article was authored by Anjelica Tan and Susan Chandler and appeared in the New York Times on August 27, 2011 and puts it down in black and white.

“Stephanie Neely, the city treasurer, deals regularly with giant banks and multimilliondollar budgets. But for all her financial expertise, Ms. Neely was unprepared when she learned that the name of a deceased cleric from an obscure Islamic sect was on a deed claiming he and his temple owned the Kenwood home she had lived in since 2002. Ms. Neely found out last month that a deed filed with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds listed the Moorish Science Temple of America as the owner of her home in the 1100 block of East 44th Street. It was one of more than 30 Chicago-area properties so listed. A reporter for Medill News Service in Chicago discovered the document while researching a story on a foreclosed property next door and brought it to Ms. Neely’s attention.

Ms. Neely was “shocked” to learn about the deed. “I have to hire a lawyer to straighten this matter out,” she said. “My concern is for people who aren’t aware that this may be going on with their own properties and who don’t have the resources to protect themselves.” The mysterious deed could throw Ms. Neely’s house into a legal quagmire.

If she wanted to sell, refinance or take out a second mortgage, the deed could derail the process. Meanwhile, the person who filed the deed could try to take out a mortgage on the property and, if successful, could walk away with the proceeds.

It is not difficult to file a deed on a property, even for someone with no legal claim to it. A person need merely fill out a blank deed purporting to show that the property’s owner is transferring the property to someone else.

Once the document is notarized and a fee is paid to the recorder of deeds, the document is part of the official record of ownership.

Few homeowners ever check their property records after they buy their homes. Perhaps they should. A Chicago News Cooperative investigation has found that people

purporting to be members of the Moorish Science Temple have filed dozens of bogus deeds claiming ownership of local properties estimated to be worth more than $10 million.

R. Jones-Bey, grand sheik and moderator of the Moorish Science Temple of America, said the church had no knowledge of the deeded properties in Chicago. “There have been other organizations that have been calling themselves the Moorish Science Temple of America,” said Mr. Jones-Bey, who is based at the temple’s headquarters in Washington.

“We have no affiliations with them.”

C. Fuqua-Bey, the temple’s grand governor of Michigan, who is familiar with the issue, said the church had been victimized. “We’ve had to take people to court on identity theft,” Mr. Fuqua-Bey said. “We have to check the system ourselves to see if people are utilizing our name.”

In about half the 30 known instances of Chicago-area deeds with the temple’s name on them, including that of Ms. Neely’s property, the name of Noble Drew Ali, the deceased founder of the temple, appears on warranty deeds with the recorder’s office. The deeds grant the properties to his church. (By law, dead people cannot transfer property or receive it; only their estates can.)

In one case last spring, a man wearing the Moorish temple’s trademark red fez took boards off the windows and doors and moved into a foreclosed home belonging to E*Trade Bank in the Kenwood neighborhood in Chicago, not far from President Obama’s home. Property records show that around this time, a deed was filed in the name of the temple. The man, who identified himself as Abdul-Musawwir El Shakoor Bey, was later charged with criminal trespass by the Chicago Police Department. His next-door neighbor was Ms. Neely.

Ms. Neely has asked the Illinois attorney general, Lisa Madigan, to investigate possible mortgage fraud. Robyn Ziegler, Ms. Madigan’s spokeswoman, confirmed that Ms. Madigan was looking into the matter.

The same pattern of mysterious deeds has surfaced recently in North Carolina, California and Virginia, where people professing to be members of the temple have claimed dozens of foreclosed homes. In numerous cases, they have moved in.

But the number of such deeds filed in Chicago makes them stand out, said Thomas McNulty, head of the real estate practice at Neal Gerber & Eisenberg in Chicago and former head of the tax unit at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. “I’ve not seen that kind of a number — 30 to 40 properties,” he said. “It’s usually two or three.”

But Mr. McNulty has little doubt what the endgame is: getting a mortgage on the properties and walking off with the cash.

“You want to make it look like an entity that a bank would lend to owns the property,” he said. “They are doing it ultimately to set up mortgage fraud.”

In most of the Chicago cases, the victims are banks that are foreclosing on properties.

In addition to E*Trade Bank, lenders caught

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Chamber 8

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 6 up in the scheme include Deutsche Bank, Fifth Third Bank, CitiMortgage and JPMorgan Chase. In one case, people purporting to be temple members claimed ownership of a property belonging to an evangelical Christian church on the Far South Side.

The real owners must go to court to get the properties back in their names, a costly and time-consuming process.

Normally, a warranty deed is used after a sale to transfer ownership of a property from one owner to another. In Ms. Neely’s case, Countrywide Bank, Ms. Neely’s lender, appears to be transferring the warranty deed to Mr. Drew Ali, the founder of the Moorish Science Temple, who died in 1929 and who preached that all African-Americans were of Moorish descent and not true citizens of the United States. Members were instructed to carry “Moorish passports” with their “real names,” which were created by adding El, Bey or Ali to their given names.

The deed is accompanied by an amendment citing the “Asiatic Nation of North America ” and “Egypt, the capital empire of the Dominium of Africa” as its legal authorities.

It also includes a statement from Mr. Drew Ali that says the church honors “all the divine prophets: Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha and Confucius.” The same amendment was attached to deeds of dozens of other Chicago properties claimed by the temple.

The exotic language in the deeds appears to reflect the belief of many members of the Moorish movement that they have rights under a 1786 treaty in which Morocco recognized the United States and that they are therefore subject only to the laws of Morocco. As unusual as such documents appear, a spokesman for Eugene Moore, the Cook County recorder of deeds, said the office had no choice but to accept the documents, which have the legal effect of transferring ownership of the property.

Lesser known today than Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader, Mr. Drew Ali foreshadowed the rise of the Black Muslim movement when he founded the Moorish Science Temple of America in New Jersey in 1913. He settled in Chicago in 1925. After his death, four years later, the church split into several factions.

But the church’s various incarnations have thrived in the country’s prisons. “They appeal to the streets,” said John Hagedorn, professor of criminal justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “Prison regenerates them.”

I have read this article several times and have difficulty believing that this criminal activity occurs.

Unfortunately it does.

Recorder Yarbrough has always been a champion for the citizens she represented as our former State Representative and now as a Cook County elected official. If you were unable to attend the town hall meeting additional information can be found at www. cookrecorder.com or 1-800-728-3858.

REMEMBER ELECTION DAY

APRIL 2015 Tuesday, April 7th, is Election Day. We have three candidates for Village Trustee who will fill the three open positions: Carl Celestino, Frank Perry and Thomas Yurkovich. Trustee (and former Mayor) Paul Gattuso has decided not to throw his hat in the ring – thank you for your service to the Village, Paul! There are three candidates who will fill the three openings on the Westchester Park Board: Steven Busa, Matthew Martin and Joseph Christopher. There are four candidates on the ballot that will fill four openings on the Westchester Public Library Board: John Lamberti, Gerald Chenski, Heather Susnik and Demitrus Evans. Congratulations to all!

There are 2 contested races that affect our school districts. Westchester Public School District 92.5 has 4 candidates running for 3 seats. Proviso Township High School District 209 has 7 people running for 3 seats.

Hopefully you have done your homework and have decided on the candidate who you believe most closely represents your best interests. Casting a vote is one of the most basic tenets of our democratic form of government. Please make sure you take the time to go to the polls and vote!

LET’S TALK State Senator Kimberly Lightford, the Assistant Majority Leader of the Illinois Senate, is hosting a community health forum designed to address “The Stigma of Mental Illness in our Community.”

The event will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2015, at 7pm at Riveredge Hospital located at 8311 Roosevelt Road in Forest Park. Representatives from the local mental health community will be present to answer questions and discuss concerns. We are reminded that 1 in 4 people are affected by a mental health problem in any year. For more information call 708-343-7444 or www. senatorlightford.com.

E-RECYCLING – NEW LOCATION! E-Recycling will resume on Saturday, April 11th. E-Recycling events are held by the Westchester Environmental Sustainability Commission on the second Saturday of each month from 8:30 to 12:00. Volunteers are always welcome! Please note we will be moving the location of the e-recycling events to the base of the Westchester Water Tower on Enterprise Drive. Please DO NOT leave any recycling items behind the Westchester Fire Department. Illegal dumping will be subject to a fine. Please visit the Westchester website at http://www.westchester-il.org/ for more information on items accepted and directions to the recycling site. For volunteer opportunities, please contact Jessica Spencer at 708-345-0020.

WESTCHESTER CIVIC THEATRE IS BACK Westchester Civic Theatre presents STEEL MAGNOLIAS, by Robert Harling. The shows will be held at St. Joseph High School Sirus Theater located at 10900 W. Cermak Road in Westchester.

Show times are: Saturday, April 11th at 7:30pm; Sunday, April 12th at 2pm; Saturday,

April 18th at 2pm, Saturday, April 18th at 7:30pm and Sunday April 19th at 2pm.

Ticket prices are $13 for Adults and $11 for Seniors and/Students (with ID).

If you plan on attending either of the Sunday Performances on April 12th or 19th, enjoy dinner after the show at Mattone’s and receive a 20% discount on your bill.

Mattone’s Restaurant is located at 31st Street and LaGrange Road in the Village of LaGrange Park.

For more information call 1-708-928-5010 and ask about the Mattone’s Dinner Package.

For ticket information call 1-708-928-5010 or visit us at www.westchesterplays.com.

APRIL 15TH IS TAX DAY Just a friendly reminder that April 15th is tax day. Both Federal and State Income Tax Forms are due. As an additional reminder, Westchester has recently been receiving monies owed to the village through the State of Illinois Debt Recovery Program that I have written about in the past. We signed on to the program some 2 years ago and have uploaded information about delinquent fines/tickets into the program. Offsets to state income tax returns will be made regarding any delinquent debt owed not only to Westchester but to any debt you may owe to other municipalities who have signed onto the program.

Pursuant to the intergovernmental agreement with the state, the municipality will notify the state comptroller of delinquent debt the municipality wants the state to collect. The state comptroller deducts from a debtor’s state income tax refund, payroll check, or other state payment the amount due to the municipality for the local debt.

The comptroller then deposits the deducted amount into the comptroller debt recovery trust fund and notifies the debtor of his or her right to contest the deduction. If the debtor fails to object within 60 days, or if the hearing officer rules against the debtor, then the comptroller will pay the collected debt amount to the municipality, minus an administrative fee. Although there are a few administrative and procedural hurdles to clear before a debt can be collected through this process, this legislation does offer municipalities an additional tool in collecting outstanding local debt.

If you have an outstanding debt, ticket, or bill issued by the Village, I would suggest you contact our finance director as soon as possible to remedy the situation so your state tax return will not be reduced. The finance department can be reached at 708-345-0020.

EARTH DAY IS APRIL 22nd Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.

(Source: Wikipedia). 2015 - Earth Day’s 45th anniversary - could be the most exciting year in environmental history. The year in which economic growth and sustainability

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join hands. The year in which world leaders finally pass a binding climate change treaty.

The year in which citizens and organizations divest from fossil fuels and put their money into renewable energy solutions.

These are tough issues but we know what’s at stake is the future of our planet and the survival of life on earth. On Earth Day we need you to take a stand so that together, we can show the world a new direction. It’s our turn to lead. So our world leaders can follow by example.

Earth Day, observed by over 1 billion people, is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities.

The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and establishment of the EPA soon followed. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. (Source: Earthday Network) For more information visit www. earthdaynetwork.org.

ARBOR DAY IS APRIL 24Th Once again, village staff and Westchester School District 92.5 have partnered to plant a tree at one of the public schools in honor of Arbor Day. Last year we were pleased to plant a tree at the Westchester Intermediate School. We are still working on the exact time and school location. As further information comes together we will put it on our electronic sign and web site.

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS - SPRING CLEAN UP DAY APRIL 25TH Please mark your calendars for April 25th for our annual SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY. We will be meeting at the Village Hall Community Room at 8:00am and will be picking up trash, branches, leaves and other similar items around town. Volunteers are always welcome.

This a great way for students to get those community service hours! Please bring your rakes, brooms and shovels and community spirit as we work to clean up the town. We will work until 11:30am and will be serving lunch as a thank you for all the volunteers.

Please contact Jessica Spencer or Katy Finn at 708-345-0020 to let us know you or your group will be participating.

DIVINE INFANT TRIVIA NIGHT On Saturday, April 25th, the Divine Infant School Board is hosting a TRIVIA NIGHT. The game consists of trivia questions being read aloud and then giving tables/teams a chance to answer. There are 10 rounds of 10 questions. Doors open at 6pm. Trivia contest begins at 7pm. The event will be held at Langan Hall. This is a BYOB Event. Bring your

See PRESIDENT, page 11

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 9 favorite beverages, snack foods, and table decorations. All proceeds benefit the Divine Infant School. Space is limited. Reservations are required. There will be 8 players per table and the event fee is $20 per person. Must be 21 years or older to attend and play. For more information contact Peggy Perry at 708-8657470 or by e-mail at peggyperry03@aol.com

ST JOSEPH CHARGERFEAST

Also on Saturday, April 25th from 6pm to midnight, Saint Joseph H.S will be hosting CHARGERFEAST 2015. The theme this year is The MEATBALL COOK-OFF! The event will consist of : Food: Meatball Taste-Off and More, Fun & Games: Euphony band, Horseracing, Pull Tabs, Split the Pot. Prizes: Silent Auction, Trivia & Super Raffle Drawing. Come see the Euphony Band perform classics from Earth, Wind and Fire…

The Doobie Brothers…Stevie Wonder…

The Jacksons…and many, many more. For Information Call 708-562-7488

WESTCHESTER CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD RECEIVES AWARDS The National League of Cities (NLC) recognized Trustee Tom Yurkovich and the Westchester Citizen’s Advisory Board (CAB) for recent completion of key health and wellness goals for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC). LMCTC is a major component of First Lady Michelle Obama’s comprehensive Let’s Move! initiative to ensure that kids can grow up healthy. LMCTC works closely with local elected officials nationwide to adopt policies that improve access to healthy affordable food and opportunities for physical activity for their constituents across five goal areas.

“We congratulate Westchester for your dedication to building a healthier community for children and families,” said NLC President Ralph Becker, mayor, Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Through the tireless leadership and action of local elected officials in cities, towns and counties across the country, we hope to see continued progress in reversing America’s epidemic of childhood obesity.”

The CAB was awarded a gold medal in Goal V in recognition of mapping all playspaces, completing a needs assessment of all playspaces and developing an action plan and launching a minimum of three recommended policies, programs or initiatives from the action plan to increase access to physical activity. The CAB was awarded a silver medal in in recognition of mapping all playspaces, completing a needs assessment of all playspaces and developing an action plan. The bronze medal was awarded for mapping all playspaces.

Congratulations to the CAB Members and Trustee Tom Yurkovich on not only receiving the awards but doing what we can to motivate our children to “Get Out and Play” to create healthier community for healthier kids.

WESTCHESTER CHAMBER

APRIL 2015

OF COMMERCE The Westchester Chamber of Conference would like to invite you to attend their MULTI-CHAMBER BUSINESS EXPO to be held on Thursday, April 16, 2015. The EXPO will be held at the Divine Providence Catholic School at 2500 Mayfair Avenue in Westchester. The Expo will be open to the public from 5-7pm. This event is free to the public with an opportunity to “Win a Flat Screen TV.” Business Exhibitors from Chambers of Commerce from BELLWOOD, HILLSIDE-BERKELEY, LAGRANGE PARK, AND WESTCHESTER will be on hand to showcase what they have to offer to you, the consumer. Please Support Local Business…

The life blood of your community. Hope to see you there.

CALLING ALL WESTCHESTER VETERANS

FIGURE 1 > COMMISSIONERS BOYKIN,TOBOLSKI, GORMAN FLOOD MEETING PART 2 Project ID

Description

Project cost est.

Mwrd Funding

Status

$2.5 M $5M

$2.1 M TBD

Underway Negotiation

$13M

TBD

Const. 960 Acre Northlake > Reservoir Melrose Stone Pk > Channel Impr.

Melrose Pk > Addison Creek Belwood > Northlake to Broadview Westchester Broadview Stabilize Streambank Northlake > Addison Creek

$157M

$157M

Preliminary Engineering Preliminary Engineering

$239K

$239K

ADCR-7B

Funding Partner Northlake

$3M

$1M

ACDR-9

Stabilize Streambank Broadview N. Riverside

$359K

$359K

Westchester Expand Mayfair Res. Drainage Impr.

Supplement Pump > Melrose Park Station > iDOT 12 IDOT 15 ADCR-6B

ADCR-7A

New Storm Sewer (North Ave.) Install Relief Storm Sewer > 1st Ave. Loyola Hospital

I have recently been advised that the Village of Westchester has one of the highest number of veterans in the west suburban area. Hines VA Hospital lists Westchester as having 1378 veterans. Did you know that Westchester has an American Legion Post? The Colonel A. L. Brodie Post #1437 hosts meetings every 1st Thursday of the month in the Westchester Village Hall Community Room at 7pm. If you are a veteran, I’m sure your attendance would be extremely welcome. Come out and be recognized by your fellow service members. As this newsletter will be delivered on Monday, April 6th, their next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2015 at 7pm.

For more information contact Stan Kolodziej at 708-790-9640.

I would like to thank all of the students and staff at the Westchester Primary School for inviting us to be guest readers on Dr. Seuss Birthday again this year. Village Manager Janet Matthys, Police Chief John Carpino, Fire Chief James Adams, School Resource Officer Rob Verber and I had a great time reading the various Dr. Seuss books to the children. For me, going back to my Grade School (aka the Kennedy School for us oldtimers) and reading a book in my former “New Math” 5th grade teacher Mrs. Zdun’s room was especially memorable. READERS ARE LEADERS…Thanks for the Invite…Sam

WESTCHESTER BOY SCOUT TROOP 1 NEWS

MAYFAIR RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT NEWS

During the month of April, Boy Scout Troop 1 will be collecting donations of personal hygiene items to help homeless veterans.

The scouts are working with Soldiers’ Angels, a charity which helps veterans, and Hines VA Hospital, to assemble personal hygiene kits for homeless veterans. Body wash, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, body lotion, razors, and shave cream are needed.

The scouts have placed collection boxes in the Village Hall lobby, Park District and Fire Station buildings, and our Public Library.

Residents can stop by any of these locations between now and April 25th to make a donation. Soldiers’ Angels is hoping to collect 8,800 hygiene items, enough to make 800 hygiene kits. The kits, which the scouts will help assemble, will be distributed in May at a Stand Down in Chicago. Stand Downs are one to three day collaborative events where supplies such as food, clothing, and personal hygiene items, shelter and services are provided to homeless veterans.

Please consider helping out our veterans who are in need. They were there for us, now we need to be there for them…Sam Questions about the program can be sent to WestchesterBoyScoutTroop1@gmail.com

Due to cold, snowy, frozen ground the Mayfair Reservoir expansion project will be taking another month to complete.

Additionally, permit changes that went into effect in mid-January from the IEPA stalled us for a few weeks in March. I’m told we will be continuing to excavate the clean fill from the site back to the Chicago Highlands Golf Course the last week of March and throughout April. The target date for completion has been extended to May 1st. Of course, neither I or any board member is happy with this delay, however, this is the best hand we have been dealt. Thank you for your patience as we get this done…

WESTCHESTER PRIMARY SCHOOL

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COMMISSIONERS BOYKIN,TOBOLSKI, GORMAN FLOOD MEETING PART 2 On Friday, March 20, 2015, a second meeting put together by Cook County Commissioners Richard Boykin (1st District), Jeffery Tobolski (16th District) and Liz Gorman (17th District) re-convened at the Westchester Village Hall to receive and discuss information supplied from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District on what projects they are funding in our neck of the woods to address our storm water problems with flooding. Commissioner Tobolski/Mayor of McCook chaired the meeting with Commissioner Gorman.

MWRD engineering staff presented a written

Construction Fall 2015 On Hold > Lack of Local Funding Construction Fall 2015

document listing the following projects for our review:

(SEE FIGURE 1 above FOR DETAILS) As you can see, MWRD is attempting to take the lead with funding and projects that hopefully will reduce/mitigate and hopefully prevent flood events to occur in our region. I did take MWRD to task somewhat in pushing for the Addison Creek Reservoir Project to get off the ground. I expressed my displeasure at the time frame since 2011 when the project was approved for a watershed project from MWRD and the fact that property negotiations have not been completed as of yet. We were assured that we would be receiving property appraisal numbers by our next meeting in April. I reminded all in attendance that our rainy season is just around the corner and that MWRD should have been further along way before now. All of the mayors agreed with my comments. I will continue to be as tenacious as necessary to provide flood relief to Westchester and the region as a whole through Federal, State, and Local Channels…Sam

WESTCHESTER CHAMBER HOSTS LUNCHEON On March 24, 2015, Village Manager Janet Matthys and I attended a Westchester Chamber of Commerce Member Appreciation Luncheon at the Mayfair Park District Banquet facility. The Westchester Chamber of Commerce appreciates all of their members and wanted to say “thank you” by providing this networking luncheon.

Chamber President Jeannie Helgesen and committee heads presented the benefits of membership, how the chamber can help support your business and what your membership can do for you! Many “business” guests that would benefit from learning more about the chamber were in attendance. For more information on the Westchester Chamber of Commerce,

See PRESIDENT, page 29

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APRIL 2015

MONDAY, APRIL 6 Special Budget Meeting, 6:00PM Divine Infant Jesus School, 1640 Newcastle Avenue, is closed for Easter break. School will resume on Monday April 13th.

TAG, the Teen Advisory Group meeting at 3:30 PM at Library. Contact Teen or Youth Dept at (708) 562-3573.

April 6-10 - Easter Break- Divine Providence TUESDAY, APRIL 7 Ladies Bible Study on Heaven @ 1:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-5623040 Parent Teacher Conferences (12:007:00 PM) No School for StudentsWestchester Public Schools Tuesday, April 7- Life Line Screening –D.P. School – Call 1-888-6536450 for appointment or www. lifelinescreening.com/community partners. – Pkg 1 – 4 tests - $139 ( Stroke, Vascular Disease, Heart Rhythm); Pkg. 2 – 5 tests - $181 (Add Osteoporosis Screening) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 Bar-W & Youth Groups K-12, 6:45pm – 8:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-5623040 Adult Bible Study “What is Worship?” & Prayer Meeting 7-8pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 Classes Resume- Westchester Public Schools 4:30 -5:30 PM Tai Chi – Wellness – Divine Providence (Narthex) FRIDAY, APRIL 10 8 AM -- Devotion to St. Peregrine (Church)- Divine Providence SATURDAY, APRIL 11 Woodcock Spotting Join local birders on the deck of the Prairie House to observe the male woodcock’s unusual courtship flight. A flight he will repeat several times in one evening. Westchester is one of only a few places to observe this spring phenomenon. After dusk - 11225

Constitution Drive on the northern edge of Wolf Road Prairie. For further information, call 708-354-5512.

Divine Providence- 9:30 AM Baptism Preparation (Ministry Cen-ter) 3:15 – 3:45 PM Confessions, 4 PM Mass Shopping Certificate Sale Weekend SUNDAY, APRIL 12 Sunday School: “God is Faithful” 9:30am, we have a great time of Bible study for all ages. Come join us for an in-depth study where questions are welcome.

Morning Service @ 10:45am, series on Nehemiah & Evening Service, series on 1 John @ 6:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-5623040 The Single Mothers Support Group invites one and all to join us for a delicious Brunch on April 12, 12:30-2:30 in the Garden Room at the Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church at 149 W. Brush Hill Rd., Elmhurst. Come with your children for Brunch, and we have child care at 1:15.-2:30 p.m. for infants through age 12. Sharon Kane, a therapist counselor, will be speaking on the topic “Unlocking Emotional Obstacles to Happiness.” Spring and summer clothes will be available for children. Come with a friend. For further information e- mail Jane at janeloe@aol.com.

8:30 & 10:30 AM Masses- Divine Providence-(10:30 Mass – Children’s Liturgy of the Word) 9 & 11 AM Masses- Faith Lutheran Church MONDAY, APRIL 13 Classes Resume- Divine Providence School- 7 PM - Religious Ed Classes – Grades 7 & 8 (School) TUESDAY, APRIL 14 Village Board Meeting, 7:00PM Ladies Bible Study on Heaven @ 1:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 Field trip to the Art Institute at 9:30 am for 7th grade students at Divine Infant Jesus School, 1640 Newcastle Ave. For more information, call the school

office at 865-0122.

8071 for more information.

Divine Providence-St. Vincent DePaul Meeting , 7:30 PM (Ministry Center)

Divine Providence- 9:30 AM Religious Ed. – Grades Kdgt. – 6(School), 3:15 – 3:45 PM Confessions , 4 PM Mass

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 Adult Bible Study “What is Worship?” & Prayer Meeting 7-8pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 Bar-W & Youth Groups K-12, 6:45pm – 8:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 Divine Infant Jesus School Advisory Board Meeting at 7:00 pm at the Rectory, 1601 Newcastle Avenue.

For more information, contact the school office at 865-0122.

WPS Family Reading Night (6:308:00 PM) THURSDAY, APRIL 16 Board of Education Meeting at WMS (7:00 PM) Divine Providence- 9 AM SCHOOL MASS, 10 AM – D.P. Over 50 Board Mtg. (Ministry Center) 4:30 -5:30 PM Tai Chi – Wellness– (Church Narthex), 7 PM Teen Seekers of Faith (MC) 9 AM Women of Providence, Quilting (MC) Newcomers always welcomeDivine Providence FRIDAY, APRIL 17 Woodcock Spotting Join local birders on the deck of the Prairie House to observe the male woodcock’s unusual courtship flight. A flight he will repeat several times in one evening. Westchester is one of only a few places to observe this spring phenomenon. After dusk - 11225 Constitution Drive on the northern edge of Wolf Road Prairie. For further information, call 708-354-5512.

WMS Band Trip 4/17-4/18 SATURDAY, APRIL 18 The Divine Infant Women’s Guild is sponsoring a Mother/Daughter Mass & Fashion Show. Mass will be at 9:00 am at Divine Infant Jesus Church with continental breakfast and fashion show to follow in Langan Hall at Divine Infant Jesus School, 1640 Newcastle Avenue.

Contact the rectory at 708-865-

SUNDAY, APRIL 19 Sunday School: “God is Faithful” 9:30am, we have a great time of Bible study for all ages. Come join us for an in-depth study where questions are welcome.

Morning Service @ 10:45am, series on Nehemiah & Evening Service, series on 1 John @ 6:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-5623040 Divine Providence- 8:30 & 10:30 AM Masses (Children’s Liturgy of the Word) MONDAY, APRIL 20 Divine Providence- 7 PM - Religious Ed Classes – Grades 7 & 8 (School) TUESDAY, APRIL 21 Ladies Bible Study on Heaven @ 1:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 WIS Moms & Muffins (7:30 AM) School Improvement / Early Re-lease Day (see school calendar for dismissal schedule) Westchester Public Schools Divine Providence- 6:30 PM -- 1st Communion Practice (Church) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 Bar-W & Youth Groups K-12, 6:45pm – 8:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 Adult Bible Study “What is Worship?” & Prayer Meeting 7-8pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 All School mass at 8:00 am at Divine Infant Jesus Church, 1600 Newcastle Avenue. Come join us.

For more information, contact the school office at 865-0122.

School Improvement / Early Release Day (see school calendar for dismissal schedule) West-chester Public Schools Market Day pick-up from 5:30 – 6:30 Hall at Divine Infant Jesus, 1640 New castle Avenue. Call the

Calendar APRIL 2015

Adult Bible Study “What is Worship?” & Prayer Meeting 7-8pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040

Divine Providence- 11:30 AM to 1 PM, Table Grace (D P MC) All are welcome! Bring bag lunch 4:30 -5:30 PM-- Tai Chi– Wellness – Divine Providence (Church Narthex)

All School mass at 8:00 am at Divine Infant Jesus Church, 1600 Newcastle Avenue. Come join us.

For more information, contact the school office at 865-0122.

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

Field trip to the Chicago Symphony at 9:00 am for Band students at

The Spring Choral Concert will be held at 1:00 pm & 7:00 pm at Divine Infant Jesus Church, 1600 Newcastle Avenue. For more information, contact the school office at 865-0122.

Divine Infant Jesus School, 1640 Newcastle Ave. For more information, call the school office at 865-0122.

Divine Providence- 4:30 -5:30 PM -Tai Chi – Wellness– (Church Narthex)

WMS Community Morning Concert (10:00 AM) WPS Incoming Kindergarten Visitation Day (12:00-12:45 PM) WPS Incoming Kindergarten Parent Meeting (7:00 PM) Teetering Tots is a free playgroup for children ages 0-4 and a parent or caregiver. The group meets in the DP gym on the 2nd and 4th Thurs-day from 9:30am-10:30am. The group has been established to provide stayat-home and part-time working parents with a local activity to promote friendships and provide emotional support to parents with children in the early years of their lives.

Divine Providence- 6:30 PM Daisy Meeting (Mayfair Room) ;6:30 PM --1st Communion Practice (Church) FRIDAY, APRIL 24 Arbor Day Ceremony Westchester Middle School 1:30 pm SATURDAY, APRIL 25 ALL U CAN EAT HOMEMADE PIZZA BLAST FUNDRAISER 4-8pm $5 11+years; $3 4-10yrs; under 4 free Westchester Christian School, 10600 W Cermak Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

information.

The Divine Infant Jesus School Board will host “Trivia Night” in Langan Hall at 1640 Newcastle Ave-nue.

Tickets are $20 per person (must be 21 years or older to at-tend) and can be purchased at the school office or parish rectory. This is a BYOB event which includes in-teractive trivia, games, and prizes! For questions or more in-formation, contact Peggy Perry – Peggyperry03@aol.com Saturday, April 25th/9am - Pitch, Hit and Run for ages 7-14. Free event at Mayfair Park Market Day Pick-up 8:00-9:00 a.m.Divine Providence

Morning Service @ 10:45am, series on Nehemiah & Evening Service, series on 1 John @ 6:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 Annual Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony at 2:00 PM at Library. Contact Youth Dept or call 708-562-3573.

Sunday, April 26th, 10:00 am Worship Service with special music by renowned Christian Musician Bryan Sirrchio- Westchester Community Church Divine Providence- 8:30 & 10:30 AM Masses (Children’s Liturgy of the Word) MONDAY, APRIL 27

Divine Providence- 11:30 AM --1st Holy Communion (Church)-8:30 – 9:30 AM -- Market Day Pick-up (Mayfair Room), Confessions – 3:15 – 3:45 PM; 4 PM Mass; Manna Shopping Certificate Weekend

Village Board Meeting 7:00pm**Please note schedule change in meeting day)

9 & 11 AM Masses- Faith Lutheran Church

No Village Board Meeting

Spring Clean-Up Day Eucharist Retreat at Divine Infant Jesus School - 9 am to noon for 2nd graders of Divine Infant Parish making their First Communion.

Contact Sr. Susan Majcen at 708-865-8086 for more

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708-562-3040

rectory at 708-865-8071 for more information.

WMS Spring Band Concert (7:00 PM)

SUNDAY, APRIL 26 Sunday School: “God is Faithful” 9:30am, we have a great time of Bible study for all ages. Come join us for an in-depth study where ques-tions are welcome.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28

Ladies Bible Study on Heaven @ 1:00pm Westchester Bible Church, 708-562-3040 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 Bar-W & Youth Groups K-12, 6:45pm – 8:00pm Westchester Bible Church,

Board of Education Organizational Meeting at WMS (7:00 PM) Bilingual PAC Meeting at WPS (5:30 PM) 4/30-5/4 FRIDAY, MAY 1 Faculty Inservice - No School – Divine Providence School SATURDAY, MAY 2 First Communion for 2nd graders of Divine Infant Jesus Parish - 1:30 pm Mass at Divine Infant Jesus Church, 1640 Newcastle Avenue.

Contact Sr. Susan Majcen at 708865-8086 for more information.

SUNDAY, MAY 3 9 & 11 AM Masses- Faith Lutheran Church** Please not that May 17th will be the last Sunday with 11AM Mass, we start summer hours and only have 9AM mass** ***Advertisements published in the Westchester Newsletter in no way constitute an endorsement of the product or service by the Village of Westchester. The Village of Westchester recommends that homeowners and local business owners research with whom they are doing business before pur-chasing services or signing a con-tract. A list of registered contrac-tors is available on the Village website as well as in Village Hall upon request.***

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 11 visit the Chamber’s website at www. westchesterchamber.org/.

MAYFAIR BANQUET FACILITY For those of you who have never held a birthday, communion or confirmation party at the Mayfair Banquet Facility, you do not know what you are missing. The Westchester Park District Commissioners, Director Gary Kasanders, and above all, Ms. Karen Younan, the facility banquet manager, need to be commended for the most well run, clean, and affordable location to host your event. The facility can accommodate 20-240 people with a Westchester resident discount. The Forest the Fox Playbox is a great addition to any family event. For more information call Karen at 708-562-6410 or www.mayfairbanquets@comcast.net.

ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS If you live in PROVISO TOWNSHIP, you are invited to join our 7th District State Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch in FORECLOSURE INTERVENTION RIGHTS & OPTIONS DAY on Saturday April 25, 2015, from 10am to 2pm. Assistance will be available for those who may be at risk of foreclosure and do not know what to do. The event will be held at Representative Welch’s Westchester office located at 10055 Roosevelt Rd Suite D. (Right across from Ashland Addison Florist). The event is sponsored

by US Bank and PNC Bank, both of which have branches in Westchester, along with the Monroe Foundation Stable Project. For more information contact the Monroe Foundation at 1-773-914-1534 or email omonroe@ themonroefoundation.org.

Westchester has over 60 identified homes that have been foreclosed and taken over by a bank. The information and assistance being provided at this meeting may be of assistance. Please take advantage of these and other programs…Sam

SENATOR KIMBERLY LIGHTFORD Our 4th District Senator Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford is hosting her 6th Annual ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” event on Sunday April 26th 2015 from 3-6pm. During the event grandparents are recognized and honored with a luncheon, live entertainment and raffle prizes! If you would like to nominate someone you may know as a deserving grandparent raising a grandchild please complete the attached nomination form and fax to (708) 343-7400 or email to senatedistrict4@comcast.net. All nominations have to be received by April 13, 2015. Any questions or concerns please contact in our District Office, at (708) 3437444.

MEMORIAL DAY INVITE – SAVE THE DATE Speaking of recognition, each Memorial

Day, which occurs on the last Monday in May (this year May 25th), the Westchester Park District hosts a ceremony honoring those service persons that have made the ultimate sacrifice for us all. I am inviting all Westchester Service Persons and their families to attend and be recognized. The Westchester Veteran’s Memorial sponsored through the generosity of Mr. Jerry Spahn and Family is located at the Westchester Park District Facility at 10835 Wakefield. More information will be available in our May Newsletter.

COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS The Department of Veterans Affairs was created by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in December 2012. It is designed to serve Cook County employee veterans and veterans who live in Cook County through outreach and support services. PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a real concern for service members returning and actively serving in our military. Help is available to who are struggling with recent or past trauma. A host of other services are available by contacting the Cook County Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-312-603-6423 or email veterans.affairs@cookcountyil.gov.

sorrow in our Midst George “Georgie” Strnad passed away on March 29th. Georgie is the son of George and Lois Strnad and the brother-in-law of Fire Chief Jim Adams. Georgie had Downs Syndrome and his family was blessed to have him with them for 51 years. He will be missed greatly by his parents and sisters Mary Ellen Riddle, Nancy (Jim) Dziekan, Pattie (Jim) Adams and Debbie (Jamie) Ross and his loving nieces and nephews. Georgie was preceded in death by his sister Karen who died in an auto accident many years ago. Georgie was well-known to hundreds of faculty members and alumni at St. Joe’s High School where he spent much time with his father George, who has taught at St. Joe’s since the late 70’s. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Strnad and Adams families.

SPRING IS HERE - I THINK I’m writing this newsletter the week of March 25 and we just had another 5 inches of snow this past week. I do not know about you, but even though this was not our worst year of snowfall I’ve had quite enough. The seesaw of too much plowing, too little plowing, too much salt put down, not enough, snow route parking violators ticketed, not ticketed, alternate side street parking tickets issued, not ticketed, snow on driveway aprons, snow in alleys, etc. all have made for a challenging year.

I think my in-laws have the right idea to snow-bird in Florida from November to May, then come back to see everything blooming.

Unfortunately, most of us can’t do it so we just have to grin and bear it. Thanks to everyone for putting up with the negativity of being cooped-up in the house, shoveling more than we wanted too, and helping each other when we could. We live in Chicago, the only place the weather predictions change by

the second.

The special events committee has been trying to put together a host of summer events this year. We will do our best to provide more family orientated outings again this year.

Please try to make the best of the summer months and above all have some fun.

CEDA FUNDING CUT I have received information from the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County Inc. (CEDA) that funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in Cook County has been exhausted for this program year. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has informed CEDA that the program that was to end on May 31st 2015 has ceased as of 5pm on Friday, March 13, 2015. Cook County residents can still apply for the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP), ComEd Residential Special Hardship, Peoples Gas Share the Warmth, and also recertify, when instructed, for the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP).

SORROW IN OUR MIDST On Tuesday, March 17th, Westchester lost one of its true heroes. Mr. Joseph J. Vorel, my second father, passed away after a brief illness. Mr. V, as I fondly called him, was a WWII veteran of the Navy Air Corps from 1943-1946. He was a fighter pilot and flew many missions in defense of our country. As a businessman, he and his brother Bob started a butter and egg delivery route in the Berwyn Cicero area and expanded and opened up a butcher shop in Westchester where Jeannies Hair Company is now located at Cermak & Mannheim Rd. The Vorels operated the California Cleaning Palace located in the heart of the Pilsen area at 22nd and California in Chicago for over 40+ years. Mr. Vorel was highly involved in the early days of the Westchester Chamber of Commerce, and a charter organizing member of the Kiwanis Club of Westchester. He was the owner of the old Noonan’s store, for you historians, located at 1922 Mannheim Rd. Mr.V was lucky to have married the most beautiful woman, Shirley, and raised their two children Timmy and Ricky on Robinhood Street. Unfortunately, Mrs. V., the most positive-pleasant woman on the planet, passed away back in 2004. As you can see, I can go on and on about the Vorel Family, my adopted one, but I will close with the thought that the entire Pulia family is far better off having known Mr. and Mrs V. than we ever could imagine. I know they are flying high in the sky delivering joy and happiness to everyone they meet. A memorial service is scheduled to be held at the Alpine Banquet House on April 12th at 2pm.

FROM THE BOARD At the February 17th Special Budget Meeting, the draft budgets were discussed for the following: General Fund – Public Works > Utilities Fund > Motor Fuel Tax Fund > Capital Projects Fund At the February 24th Village Board Meeting, the following items were approved under the Consent Agenda:

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Approval of the Record of Bills ending 02-19-2015 in the amount not to exceed $682,312.02 Approval of Minutes of the February 10, 2015 Village Board Meeting, the February 10, 2015 Committee of the Whole Meeting, and the February 10, 2015 Executive Meeting An Ordinance authorizing the sale or disposal of surplus property owned by the Village of Westchester An Ordinance amending Chapter 7.112, entitled “Trees and Shrubs,” of Title 7, entitled “Public Peace, Safety and Morals,” of the Westchester Municipal Code A Resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LTD. for design and construction observation services related to the Municipal Complex Parking Lot and Roadway Improvements Project At the February 24th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under New Business: Amending Section 11.32.160 Entitled, “Parking on Alternate Sides Between 8:30am and 4:30pm”, of Chapter 11.32 entitled “Parking” of Title 11 entitled “Vehicles and Traffic”, of the Westchester Municipal Code A Contract Renewal for TreeTrimming /Tree Removal Services At the March 3rd Special Budget meeting, the draft budgets were discussed for the following: General Fund – Police Department, Emergency Management, Fire & Police Commission, and Fire Department

E-911 Fund At the March 10th Village Board Meeting, the following items were approved under the Consent Agenda: Approval of the Record of Bills ending 03-05-2015 in the amount not to exceed $1,235,078.91; Approval of Minutes of the February 17, 2015 Special Meeting, Minutes of the February 24, 2015 Village Board Meeting, Minutes of the February 24, 2015 Committee of the Whole Meeting, and Minutes of the February 24, 2015 Executive Session Minutes ; Approval of Departmental Monthly Reports from the Community Development Department, Fire Department, Police Department, and Public Works Department ; At the March 10th Village Board Meeting, the following items were approved under the Active Agenda: A Resolution Urging the Governor and General Assembly of the State of Illinois to Protect the Full Funding of Local Government Distributive Fund Revenues; At the March 10thVillage Committee of theWhole Meeting, the following items discussed under New Business: Change Order – Mayfair Reservoir Expansion Project > Quarterly Financial Report – Fiscal Quarter Ended January 31, 2015 ; At the March 10th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under Information Only: Timetable for Issuance of $2,200,000 General Obligation Bonds (Sales Tax Alternate Revenue Source) Series 2015 ; At the March 17th Special Budget Meeting, the draft budgets were discussed for the following: General Fund – Revenue, Administration & Finance, Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, and Community Development > Debt Service Fund > Hotel-Motel Tax Fund

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