Board Meeting: Graduating Peer Jury Recognized, WSBA Scholarships

Western Springs seniors were honored at Monday night’s board meeting for their service on the Village Peer Jury, while others received $1,000 scholarships towards their college education from the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association as well as the Western Springs Business Association.

The graduating seniors were Dan Brooks (five years), Johnny Cox and Zoe Scott (four years), Maggie Jacobson, Jack McClure and Kristi Tausk (three years), Ali Austermuehle, Matt Cotiguala, Ryan Kearney, Elis Rohan and Kristen Shannon (two years) and Johnathan Bronson, Katie Mangin, Matthew Westhoff and Zoe Irons (one year). Those who attended received a framed certificate and a gift from Western Springs Police Chief Pam Church.

Irons also received the WSCPA scholarship towards her coming pursuit of a criminal-justice degree at Michigan State. WSBA scholarships went to seniors Conor Gorman (Western Washington), Nathan Gornik (UIC), Kelly Bastyr (University of Missouri) and Jason Stankiewicz (Villanova).

The meeting was the first complete session for new trustees Edward Tymick, Patrick Word and Sheila Hansen, and the neophytes were presented with official—if, as Village President Rodeghier pointed out, ceremonial—badges.

Most other business taken up at the meeting was menial, with perhaps the most notable being a request from owner Jack Hogan of the new restaurant Mecenat for an extra hour of alcohol service on outdoor dining Village-wide. Currently, outdoor alcohol hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday; Hogan has requested a one-hour extension on the evening. (The board resolved to have Village Attorney Michael Jurusik draft an ordinance and examine it in committee.)

Trustee Word had the honor of announcing that the Western Springs Police Department has taken first place in the 11-25 sworn-officers division of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Challenge, with a special commendation for outstanding achievement in pedestrian/bike safety. The Department’s application for the award will continue at a national level, with a chance of winning a new police vehicle.

Trustee Tymick, the new chair of Planning and Zoning, issued a reminder that public hearing of the Plan Commission regarding the downtown redevelopment plan—and its conflicts with the 2003 land use plan—will be reopened on June 28th at 7:00 p.m.

President Rodeghier declared his intent to reappoint three Villagers to various boards and commissions: Art Roman as chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals, James Tyrell to the same board and Len Kurfirst to the Police Pension Board. Rodeghier will also appoint (for the first time) Dan Ruzic to the Infrastructure Commission. All terms are three-year.

Finally of note, the Village is prepared to liquidate a vehicle seized in a sex-crime arrest in 2008, and expects to get $22,000 for it. The other option was to add the vehicle to the Village fleet—an option that was passed over. (The vehicle will likely be sold on eBay.)