villager villager - Village of Frankfort

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villager villager - Village of Frankfort
34182_Villager:Layout 1 11/12/09 3:54 PM Page 1
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 130
FRANKFORT, IL
432 W. NEBRASKA STREET
FRANKFORT, IL 60423
T H E F R A N K F O RT
VILLAGER
2009 Governor's Home Town Award Winner
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE VILLAGE OF FRANKFORT
TO: POSTAL CUSTOMER
FRANKFORT, IL 60423
Mayor’s Message
By Mayor Jim Holland
VOL. 5 • NOVEMBER 2009
One Man Can Make A Difference
By Jerry Ducay, Village Administrator
Holiday
Bargains
VILLAGE NEWS
Shop Early… Shop Often… Shop Frankfort…
During this busy holiday
season, don’t forget to visit all
the shopping and restaurant
opportunities in Frankfort!
Whether you’re looking for
historic works of art,
specialty clothing or gift shops,
or major retail stores,
Frankfort has something for all
your gift-giving needs!
Sales taxes
are lower in
Frankfort than
in neighboring
communities.
As the holiday
season approaches, you can save
money by shopping in Frankfort.
The sales tax rate in Matteson is
two percent higher than in
Frankfort. The sales tax rate in
Orland Park is two and threequarters percent higher than in
Frankfort. Even nearby Will
County villages charge one-half to
one percent higher sales taxes than
Frankfort charges. Frankfort has
the lowest sales tax rate in the
Chicago region. Over time or on
large purchases you can achieve
significant savings by shopping in
Frankfort.
Buying general merchandise or
cars in Frankfort not only saves
you money, but it also helps fund
the services that your village
provides for you. The Village of
Frankfort receives one percent of
the amount you spend on general
merchandise in Frankfort. Sales
taxes are Frankfort’s largest
revenue source. Sales taxes help
fund general operating expenses
including your police protection,
Continued on page 23
As part of Student Government Day activities, Howard Sloan takes students
on a tour of Frankfort’s Prairie Park. It is through Howard’s leadership efforts
in the area of wetlands preservation that the Village’s award-winning
tallgrass prairie preserve came into existence.
Too often we wait until people are
gone from our lives before we give
them the appreciation and praise
they so rightly deserve. We can all
recall an old friend or close relative
who was there to listen to our
problems and offer sound advice
when it was needed. We can all
bring to mind a fellow co-worker
who worked hard to make the
organization better and to make a
difference in the workplace. When
we look back in retrospect at
the impact these individuals had
on our lives, we often regret we did
not do a better job of acknowledging
them for their efforts.
Writing an article of this nature is
difficult. It brings back all those
acknowledgments that I have missed
over the years. It also creates a
discomfort that comes with
applauding those individuals who
do not wish to be applauded,
congratulating those who want
nothing more than to perform their
jobs. In this particular instance, it
entails recognizing an individual
before that individual has had a
chance to retire.
Within the next six months,
Frankfort will see the retirement of
Howard Sloan. Howard has been
the Assistant Village Administrator
Continued on page 22
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Trustee Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Village Wins Gov’s Award . . . 5
Census 2010 Q & A . . . . . . . . . 6
Holiday Events . . . . . . . . 14-15
School Fitness Program . . . . 17
Frankfort Library News . . . . 20
34182_Villager:Layout 1 11/12/09 3:54 PM Page 3
VILLAGE NEWS
VILLAGE NEWS
Flood Insurance in Frankfort
VILLAGE of FRANKFORT
By Howard E. Sloan, Assistant Village Administrator
Village President . . . . Jim Holland
Village Clerk . . . Robert J. Kennedy
Village Trustees . . . . . Kevin Egan
Cindy Corso Heath
Todd Morgan
Mike Stevens
Dick Trevarthan
Doug Walker
Village
Administrator . . . . . Jerry Ducay
Administration Office
432 W. Nebraska Street
Frankfort, IL 60423
Phone: (815) 469-2177
Fax: (815) 469-7999
www.villageoffrankfort.com
Village Board Room
Frankfort Police Department
Lower Level
20602 Lincoln-Way Lane
Frankfort, IL 60423
Village Board meetings are held on
the first and third Monday of each
month at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are
broadcast on cable channel 6.
Special meetings and standing
committee meetings are scheduled
monthly, or on an as-needed basis,
and are announced. The public is
invited to all meetings.
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
is circulated quarterly to residents
and businesses in the Village of
Frankfort. Circulation is currently
6,900.
Statement of Purpose: To inform
the community of issues, policies
and personalities pertaining to
government in our village.
2
NOVEMBER 2009
mitigate flooding.
Open space, such as the
Frankfort Prairie Park, is utilized to
mitigate flooding.
In 1968, Congress created the
National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP). The primary purpose of
the NFIP is to make flood
insurance available to the general
public and set regulations to
prevent loss of life and property
and reduce the economic and social
hardship resulting from flooding.
Since 1979, the Village of Frankfort
has participated in the NFIP and
has met the requirements of the
flood insurance program.
Therefore, flood insurance is
available for any structure in
Frankfort, despite its location inside
or outside a flood prone area. Flood
insurance is available for both
residential and non-residential
structures as well as the contents in
those structures.
Since 1994, the Village has enacted
and enforced strict floodplain and
storm water management ordinance
to reduce flooding. We prohibit the
construction of buildings in flood
prone areas and require floodplains
to remain as open areas. The
Frankfort Prairie Park, Autumn
Fields Park and Lighthouse
Subdivision open space are
examples of areas utilized to
Floodplains are identified on maps
published by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA). The floodplain or
“Special Flood Hazard Area”
(SFHA) is shown on a Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM),
which is produced from flood
studies that determine the
frequency and limits of flooding.
The FIRM and Flood Insurance
Study are the principal tools used
to identify and establish insurance
risk zones. The floodplain maps for
the Village of Frankfort were last
updated in March 2003. In the
coming year, new digital floodplain
maps will be provided to the
Village by FEMA. These floodplain
maps are available and can be
viewed at the Village Hall or at
www.fema.gov/hazard/map/flood.
Flood insurance is mandatory for
structures, which are located in a
100-year flood prone area (an area
with a 1% chance of flooding) and
secured by a mortgage from a
financial institution. Flood
insurance is also available and
recommended for structures
located outside of the mapped flood
prone areas. Over 25 percent of
claims are paid in areas which are
not identified as floodplains on the
maps. Since a standard homeowner
policy excludes damage by surface
flooding, a separate flood insurance
policy is needed to protect the
property from flood damage.
Insurable property includes both a
building and its contents. The limits
of coverage are $250,000 for a
residential building and $100,000
for its contents. A non-residential
building and content are $500,000
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Mayor’s Message, from page 1
local road maintenance, snow
plowing and leaf and branch pickup.
Several years ago the Village
received just over $5 million in sales
tax revenues. Because of the
economic downturn and because we
budget conservatively, we predict
that this year’s sales tax revenues
will be only $3.9 million. We have
adjusted our expenses accordingly
and we have established programs
to encourage new retail businesses
to locate in Frankfort. We sponsor a
low interest loan program to assist
downtown businesses in making
façade improvements. This year we
started a downtown grant program
that helps retail businesses make
improvements to the interiors of
their stores. We are encouraged by
the results of these programs. A new
clothing boutique will open on
White Street and a new flower shop
plans to locate on Kansas Street.
Even though budgets are tight, we
will continue to have our full array
of free community events this
winter. The holiday season starts
with Frankfort’s annual tree lighting
Kohl's readies its displays for the start of the holiday shopping season.
ceremony at 7:00 PM on Thursday,
December 3, at Breidert’s Green in
downtown Frankfort. The Youth
Commission will serve hot
chocolate around the bonfire while
Frankfort’s Hickory Creek Middle
School advanced Chorus and
students from the Lincoln-Way East
Madrigals perform. After the tree
lighting, Santa and Mrs. Claus
arrive on a fire engine. It’s a great
family event and it’s free.
On Friday, December 4, the
Historic Society will sponsor their
annual house walk. On Saturday
and Sunday, December 5 and 6,
the downtown merchants will host
Christkindl weekend with Saint
Nicholas visits, cookie decorating,
horse-drawn wagon rides, breakfast
with Saint Nicholas and Santa’s
secret workshop.
On January 10, 2010, we begin a
series of five consecutive Sunday
afternoon Winter-on-the-Green
events. The free events are designed
for outdoor fun and include a
carnival, dog sleds, chili, the science
of snow and Elvis. Details about
Winter-on-the-Green and other
events can be found at the
villageoffrankfort.com web site or
elsewhere in this publication.
We hope that you enjoy Frankfort’s
fun winter events and we hope that
you shop in Frankfort, because
shopping Frankfort saves money,
helps fund Village services and
shows support for businesses that
invest in our community. We wish
you a great Thanksgiving and
holiday season. ■
The annual Winter on the Green chili cook-off is popular
with residents and visitors alike.
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
NOVEMBER 2009
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
VILLAGE NEWS
Community Spotlight: Frankfort Area Jaycees
Trustee Talk: Our New, Noisy Neighbor
By Rachel Gilmore, Features Writer
By Trustee Kevin Egan
Jayteen Kelsey Blank
gets ready to admit
the Ciciura and Ansari
families to the 2009
Jaycees Haunted
House, which is the
chapter’s largest
fundraiser, according
to this year’s organizer
Paige Lenz.
You may have seen them at the
Haunted House at Frankfort
Sqaure Park District, the Egg Hunt
at Commissioners Park, Sunday
Funday at Camp Manitoqua or the
first annual RibFest on the Green
in downtown Frankfort last August.
The Frankfort Area Jaycees turn up
everywhere around town, making it
a better place to be. While the local
chapter has 25 to 30 active
members, Jaycees is actually an
international group (with chapters
in over 100 countries) that is
dedicated to community
Difference, from page 1
for 15 years. In my opinion, no one
individual embodies the essence of
this article more than Howard.
Every aspect of Frankfort’s
municipal operation has been
improved by Howard’s efforts.
He is widely respected by friend
and foe alike. An ordained minister,
avid scuba diver and devoted
family man, Howard is a role
model for many entering the
often complicated business of
government. An engineer by trade,
Howard has managed tens of
millions of dollars in road projects –
most of them paid for by grants. He
authored most of the Village’s policy
22
NOVEMBER 2009
improvement and personal
betterment.
Which is exactly why Camille Allen
joined the Frankfort Area Jaycees
two years ago and is now serving as
president. “I wanted to give back to
the community and better the
community while bettering myself,”
she said. “To sit back and see a
project that’s come together and
know success…that’s a great feeling
and that’s what Jaycees tries to
teach its members how to do.”
Members volunteer to head up
and procedure manuals, developed
engineering design standards, and
enacted development fees that
required new development to fund
nearly $30 million in infrastructure
that did not require bonded debt.
Residents may have noticed that
Frankfort does not experience the
flooding seen in other communities
during heavy rain events. This is due
to Howard’s efforts in storm water
management. In addition, it is his
environmental work that has led to
the recognition of Frankfort as a
community on the cutting edge of
preservation.
To the public, Howard’s retirement
various service projects and are
responsible for all aspects of its
development, from budget
setting to supply needs to volunteer
recruitment to publicity.
What’s unique about the Jaycees,
however, is that the target age for
membership is 18 to 40 years old.
After age 40, members may become
Associates, which allows them to
still attend meetings, organize
projects and mentor younger
members. However, they may no
longer vote on chapter business. In
addition, the Jaycees sponsor
Jayteens chapters, which encourage
students in middle and high school
to get involved early…and stay
involved.
During the past few months, many
neighborhoods in Frankfort have
become aware of a new neighbor –
the Canadian National Railway. As
most are aware, after a contentious
fight, the federal government’s
Surface Transportation Board
(“STB”) permitted the CN to
acquire the right of way of the
sleepy, old Elgin, Joliet and Eastern
Railway, which runs from east to
west throughout our Village, before
tracking west and north toward
Aurora and Barrington.
Our new neighbor is unpopular
because it is often noisy, dirty and
potentially dangerous. For these
reasons, the Village actively opposed
The Jaycees meet regularly at the
Frankfort Chamber of Commerce,
123 Kansas Street, on the first
Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m.
For more information, visit their
web site at www.frankfortarea-jaycees.org. ■
will appear as a job vacancy to be
filled. To those of us who work with
him on a daily basis, we know
Howard will be missed. Not
surprisingly, Howard has asked that
we do not hold a retirement party
for him. He will likely be
embarrassed by this article. That is
Howard. In my opinion, when it
comes to properly recognizing his
many accomplishments, it goes
without saying that a simple “thank
you” will do. I write this article in
the hopes that ample time is given
to show him our appreciation for his
efforts on our behalf.
Thank you, Howard, for all that you
have done for our community. ■
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
this acquisition as a leading
member of the TRAC organization,
joining many communities in an
unsuccessful effort to force the
STB to consider the adverse
environmental impact which would
inevitably result from this
acquisition. However, the STB
eventually allowed the CN
acquisition and we are now seeing
a major increase in freight traffic,
which generates more noise and
results in more traffic bottlenecks
throughout our community. On the
eve of approval by the STB, the
Village was able to negotiate a
one-time mitigation payment of
$2.7 million from the CN; these
funds are now being used to
Jim Testin of
Hamilton
Consulting
Engineers
addresses
resident
concerns at
the recent
Quiet Zone
open house
held at
Hickory
Creek Middle
School.
respectively. Insurance is available to
both owners and renters of
property.
percent the cost of a Standard
Policy on property in a higher risk
area.
Insurance rates are based on the
location of the property, age of the
building, elevation of the building in
relation to the base flood elevation,
type of building, and amount of
coverage. A Preferred Risk Policy is
available for property outside a 100year flood area at approximately 33
Within the Village of Frankfort,
there are currently 56 flood
insurance policies in effect for
nearly $11 million in coverage. The
overwhelming majority of these
policies are located in an area that
has been identified as flood prone.
In Frankfort, the average premium
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
mitigate the
impact of
the noise
generated by
the CN.
Village
Administrator
Jerry Ducay
and his team
worked tirelessly this past summer advising the
Village’s residents that financial
assistance was available in the form
of cash grants to plant trees and
shrubs to obscure the railroad from
view and to provide a form of psychological benefit to offset the
increased noise levels now present.
To date, roughly $400,000 in landscaping improvements have been
approved to pay for the cost of these
plantings. Additional funds continue
to be available to residents; if
anyone is uncertain as to whether
they qualify for such a grant, please
call Mr. Ducay at (815) 469-2177.
Overall, the Village has done all that
it can to make a distinctly
unpleasant situation a bit more
palatable. While nobody sought out
the CN as a neighbor, these small
steps minimize the impact of this
unfortunate turn of events. ■
is $761 per year.
Information on the NFIP and flood
insurance are available on line at
www.fema.gov/nfip, or you may
call their toll free number,
(800) 427-4661; FEMA Regional V
office in Chicago, (312) 408-5500;
and from the Illinois State NFIP
Coordinator office in Springfield at
(217) 782-4428. ■
NOVEMBER 2009
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VILLAGE NEWS
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
Crime Prevention and Community Outreach Programs
Neighborhood Notes: Butternut Creek Woods
By Police Chief Rob Piscia
By Rachel Gilmore, Features Writer
seniors about personal safety issues,
to address crime trends that target
seniors and to listen and act on the
concerns of seniors.
Officer
Matt Misek
demonstrates
to Citizen Police
participants
how LiveScan
technology
captures
fingerprints
electronically.
As the Chief, I know the
importance of our police
department continuing to be an
active member of the community. I
also know that to keep our village
safe, the police department cannot
do it alone. Our department relies
on participation from residents to
help support our crime prevention
and community outreach programs.
To this end, I wanted to remind
people of the programs we have
available at the department.
This past summer, we started
“Seniors on Patrol.” This program
uses the retired members of our
town to help us do special patrols
or radar details in problem areas
that have been identified through
citizen complaints. Applicants are
required to complete a background
investigation and a brief training
academy.
Every spring, we conduct a Citizen
Police academy in a cooperative
effort with the New Lenox Police
department, Mokena Police
department and the Will County
Sheriff’s police. The Citizen Police
academies are intended to open the
4
NOVEMBER 2009
lines of communication between
the community and the police
departments. The purpose of
the academy is to increase
understanding between the citizens
through education and interaction
with members of the police
department. The academy gives
citizens the opportunity to learn
why we “can” and/or “can not” do
certain things. It is hoped that the
instruction will increase police
awareness to dispel suspicions and
misconceptions, and to increase
police/community rapport through
this educational program. Some of
the program topics include a
TASER demonstration, a trip to the
Will County morgue, and a tour of
the Will County Jail.
The Frankfort Police department is
also working with other police
agencies on a senior citizen
program called TRIAD. TRIAD is
a partnership between law
enforcement, senior citizens and
other community organizations to
deal with issues that are unique to
our seniors. The goal of TRIAD is
to conduct crime prevention
activities, provide education to
The Frankfort Police department is
also a sponsor of a Law
Enforcement Explorer’s Post. Law
Enforcement Exploring is a careeroriented program that gives young
adults the opportunity to explore a
career in law enforcement by
working with our officers. The
program is open to qualified young
adults who graduated 8th grade and
are ages 14 through 21. Our post
meets once per week at the station.
They have regular training sessions
that include: traffic stops, searches,
report writing and other law
enforcement related activities. Many
of our cadets have gone
onto careers in the law enforcement
industry as a result of the
knowledge gained at the post.
These are just some of the
specialized initiatives that our
department offers. We also offer
identity theft seminars for our
homeowners’ groups and we
provide security tip programs for
our business community. If you are
interested in more information
about the above programs, or you
would like to be a member of our
FREE network which is an email
based alert and tip system we
started several years ago, please
contact Officer Bender at
[email protected], or call
her at (815) 469-9435. Any young
adults interested in our Explorer
Program should contact
Detective Kevin Johnson
([email protected] )
or Officer Don Walsh
([email protected]). ■
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
The homeowners association
started in 1990 and is a voluntary,
dues-paying organization which
handles maintenance of the
entrance and the berm along Route
30, as well as the neighborhood’s
cul-de-sacs. It also has an
architectural review committee,
which approves any property
improvement requests.
“I love the sound of the trees,”
said Butternut Creek Woods
homeowners association president
Eileen Greenawalt, an eight year
resident. “That’s why we moved
here…the established trees. And I
love seeing the wildlife…the deer,
the foxes, the coyotes, even the bugs
like the cicadas and the walking
sticks and the big (garden) spiders
that spin the huge webs.”
Butternut’s 145 homes are set
among stately oaks and maples on
winding streets with no sidewalks.
Originally developed by Frankfort
resident Albert Krusemark III
about thirty years ago, Butternut is
bordered by Route 30 on the
south, Cedar Lane on the east,
Ironwood on the north and forest
preserve on the west. Residents are
a diverse mix of ages, with young
families, families with grade and
high school children and empty
nesters all calling Butternut home.
“It’s getting younger and younger,
though,” Greenawalt added.
Every December the association
sponsors a holiday progressive
dinner, along with the occasional
block party in the summer. “It’s
really a very quiet neighborhood
with very few issues,” Greenawalt
added. Frankfort Park District’s
Butternut Creek Woods Park and
easy access to the area bike trails
add to the amenities of this
peaceful, wooded enclave in
Frankfort’s northwest corner. ■
Butternut Creek Woods is a peaceful,
wooded enclave situated
in the northwest corner of Frankfort.
Your Opinion Counts!
This form is designed to make it easy for you to communicate with your elected representatives on the Frankfort
Village Board. Let us know your thoughts, concerns, or suggestions on ways to improve our village. Let us know
about acts of people who deserve special recognition. The Village will review all submissions for appropriate
response and action.
Dear Village Board,
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Address & Phone (optional)___________________________________________________________________________
Drop the completed form off at the Village Administration Building or mail to:
Village Board, Village of Frankfort, 432 West Nebraska Street, Frankfort, IL 60423
or logon to www.villageoffrankfort.com “Contact Us.”
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
NOVEMBER 2009
21
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COMMUNITY NEWS
VILLAGE NEWS
Frankfort Park District: Three Big Thank You’s!
By Jeff Boubelik, Executive Director
The first is Chris Johnson, our
dance instructor, who teaches
Ballet, Tap, and Hip/Hop Jazz for
ages three and a half to eighteen
years of age. Chris has been with
the park district since 1992, but has
been teaching dance for over 30
years. She also teaches a parent/tot
program called Wiggles and
Giggles, along with several one-day
programs. Chris’ programs always
fill up quickly and residents have
been enjoying them for years.
Longtime Frankfort Park District
instructor Chris Johnson teaches a
budding ballerina how to pose.
The Frankfort Park District would
like to highlight three instructors
that have been with us for many
years, offering up great instruction
to our residents in their popular
programs.
Julie Smith, another longtime
instructor, has been teaching fitness
classes at the park district since
1999. She began instructing Step
Aerobics and Kickboxing and has
since more than doubled her classes
to also include Pilates, Step Fusion,
and Get Fit While You Sit. Julie is
always keeping up with the popular
fitness trends and her programs
have quite the following.
We also have Julie Hein who teaches
our Tot Time program. Julie has
been with the park district since
1999 instructing this parent/tot
program with sing-a-longs, crafts
and free play. Moms keep coming
back, bringing their new babies to
this great program.
These three instructors do a
wonderful job with their classes, and
the park district would like to say
how lucky we (and our residents!)
are to have such talented individuals
teaching at the Frankfort Park
District.
If you have not yet had the pleasure
of participating in these great
classes, or if you would like more
information on these instructors
and their programs, please contact
the Frankfort Park District at (815)
469-9400, or visit our website at
www.frankfortparks.org. ■
Frankfort Public Library News
By Nicole Suarez, Reference Librarian
We are happy to
announce the
Dewey Free
Project at the
Frankfort Public
Library District
was completed in September. By
replacing call numbers with subject
headings, patrons can choose
non-fiction materials by subject at
a glance. This makes the adult
nonfiction collection more
accessible and allows patrons to
easily browse through related topics
of interest. Colorful shelf tags
highlight different subjects in each
20
NOVEMBER 2009
collection and clearly printed spine
labels make locating an item easier.
A highly interactive map can be
accessed from our website or viewed
directly at http://frankfortlibrary.
micromaps.com/.
We encourage patrons to come and
explore the newly organized stacks!
Our large Health section is now
shelved near the Fitness and
Self-Help collections. Foreign
language books and CDs are
conveniently located next to our
Travel collection. Home decorating,
remodeling, and do-it-yourself
repair books can all be found within
the large Home collection. Find
DVDs on each subject at the
beginning of each category.
(Feature films, world cinema, and
documentaries are still located near
the music CDs!)
Visit the library soon and enjoy
the freedom of exploring and
discovering the wide variety of
materials we have - from the hottest
new music and DVDs, to the latest
fiction. Frankfort Public Library
has something for everyone! ■
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Frankfort Receives
2009 Governor’s Home Town Award
By Mary Canino, Manager of Community Relations
notification that our project would
be a “Governor’s Home Town
Award” recipient!
Village officials receive the Governor’s Home Town Award from Governor Quinn
for the Village of Frankfort’s Earth Day celebration. Pictured (l to r): Trustees Stevens
and Trevarthan, Gov. Quinn, Mayor Holland, Mary Canino.
Every year, the Department of
Commerce and Economic
Opportunity provides an
opportunity for communities across
Illinois to recognize volunteer
efforts through the awarding of a
“Governor’s Home Town Award.”
The award is presented in 8
categories, with 46 projects
represented and based on
community population. This award
provides a way to insure volunteers
receive the thanks and recognition
they deserve.
received that notification in early
August. Members of our Village
Board, as well as civic group
volunteers, attended the
presentation to the on site judges
who then toured our community.
On September 21, we received
On October 29, Mayor Jim
Holland, Trustees Dick Trevarthan
and Mike Stevens and I traveled to
Springfield to the Governor’s
Mansion to receive Frankfort’s first
place award and attend the awards
reception. In addition to the award,
each community received a 36” x
48” road sign acknowledging that
they are a “Governor’s Home Town
Award” winner.
Next time you stop by the Village
Administration office, take a few
moments to view “YOUR” award
proudly displayed at the entrance
for helping make Frankfort a
“Governor’s Home Town Award”
winner! ■
Village Welcomes
New Utilities Personnel
The Village of Frankfort is proud
that many projects in our
community benefit from the efforts
of local volunteers, and to choose
one for submission for the award
would be a difficult decision.
However, our annual “Earth Day
Celebration” seemed to be a perfect
fit for Frankfort.
After compiling all of the required
documents and photos for Earth
Day 2009 and submitting to the
State, we awaited further word
regarding a possible site visit to
further represent our project. We
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
The Village of Frankfort welcomes two new employees to the Utilities
Department. Director of Utilities Darrin Yount (left) and Foreman/Lead
Operator Alan Maross come to Frankfort from a nationwide public utility
company. Their years of expertise in the utility industry will be of
great benefit to the community. Welcome, Gentlemen!
NOVEMBER 2009
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VILLAGE NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
Census 2010 – We’re Counting on You
Frankfort Square Park District Activities at North (F.A.N.)
By Jeff Cook, Director of Community Development
By Jim Randall, Executive Director
This spring the Village of Frankfort
will be counting on you to ensure
every person living in Frankfort is
counted in the 2010 Census. It is
important we achieve a complete
count because the “official”
population recorded by the 2010
Census will ensure your tax dollars
are sent back to Frankfort. Over
$2M in state income, motor fuel
and use tax dollars are allocated to
the Village based on population and
fund the annual street maintenance
program, police protection and
other village services.
Results of the 23rd decennial
census will also be used to provide
you representation in government
and distribution of federal funding.
Here’s a summary of what to
expect:
When will questionnaires
be delivered?
Census questionnaires will be
mailed or delivered to every
household by March 2010. A
second questionnaire is then sent to
non-responsive households with a
follow-up visit by a Census-taker if
necessary.
What questions will I be
asked?
All 2010 Census questionnaires are
a short-form format and should
take just a few minutes to complete.
You will be asked to provide name,
sex, age, date of birth, race,
ethnicity, relationship and housing
tenure, accurate as of April 1, 2010.
What happened to the
long-form?
Goodbye long-form! In past
censuses, one household in six
received a long-form questionnaire
that collected detailed socio-
6
NOVEMBER 2009
The Census Bureau DOES NOT
conduct the 2010 Census via
email or the Internet.
You should be wary of ANY email
or website requesting PIN codes,
passwords, social security numbers
or other personal information.
While the Census Bureau might
contact you electronically, they will
not ask for any detailed personal
information by electronic means.
economic information. Today,
detailed socio-economic
information is collected annually
through the American Community
Survey.
Are my answers confidential?
Your responses are protected by law
(Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 9).
All Census Bureau employees have
taken an oath to protect confidentiality and are subject to a jail term,
a fine - or both - for disclosing any
information that could identify a
respondent or household.
Furthermore, the Census Bureau
employs privacy principles and statistical methodologies that ensure
confidentiality of your information.
The Census Bureau does not
release data that identifies
individual respondents or their
household for 72 years.
How can I be certain my
survey is legitimate?
If you have questions regarding the
legitimacy of a survey questionnaire
received in the mail, a phone call or
visit by a Census Bureau employee,
or other concerns of a “non-cyber”
nature, you may speak directly
with the Census Bureau via
telephone or email.
If you receive an email or find a
website that you suspect is
falsely representing the Census
Bureau:
1. Do not reply or click on any links
within the email.
2. Do not open any attachments.
Attachments may contain code
that could infect your computer.
3. Forward the email or website
URL to the Census Bureau at
[email protected].
4. After you forward the email to
the Census Bureau, delete the
message.
For more information about the
2010 Census, please visit
http://2010.census.gov/. ■
The F.A.N. program is starting its
second year at Lincoln-Way North
High School. This program is made
possible due to the Lincoln-Way
Community High School District
210 Board’s commitment to make
their outstanding facilities available
for community use.
F.A.N. membership includes all
open activities offered at the North
campus, including open gyms,
fitness center, weight room, and
family swims. It also includes free
Splash Park admission and savings
at Square Links Golf Course.
Monthly calendars are available at
the park office, online at
www.fspd.org, and the Lincoln-Way
North Aquatic Center.
Due to the tremendous popularity
of the program, the Frankfort
Square Park District has
maintained nominal membership
fees. The FSPD recently added four
televisions for fitness center
enjoyment. Members can bring FM
radios and headphones to benefit
from this improvement.
As they work
out, F.A.N.
members enjoy
watching the
four new
televisions
purchased by
the FSPD.
Family Membership
Couple Membership
Single Membership
Senior Pass (65 and older)
$100
$ 75
$ 50
$ 10
Memberships are provided on an
annual basis beginning September
1, 2009, ending August 31, 2010,
and can be purchased at the FSPD
office.
Any resident of Lincoln-Way
Community High School District
210 is eligible to purchase an
annual membership. At the time of
registration, three forms of ID are
required to ensure District 210
residency.
Membership is not available to
non-District 210 residents. Daily
fee usage is available to residents
($5.00) and non-residents ($10.00).
For more information on the F.A.N.
program and other Frankfort
Square Park District offerings,
please visit www.fspd.org or call the
office at (815) 469-3524. ■
2010 Census: Key Dates
• February – March 2010
Census questionnaires
delivered.
• April 1, 2010
Census Day
• April – July 2010
Census-takers visit
non-responsive households.
• December 2010
Census Bureau delivers
counts to President.
• March 2011
States receive redistricting
data.
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Lunch with Santa
When:
Saturday
December 5, 2009
Where: Lincoln-Way North
Cafeteria
Time:
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
or 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Registration and $7.50 fee per
person are required.
Frankfort Township
Food Pantry
Frankfort Township’s food pantry
assists people in the Township who are
experiencing difficult times. Food
donations are always welcome and
may be dropped off at the
Frankfort Township Office,
11000 W. Lincoln Highway. For more
information, please contact
Lucy Eaton at (815) 469-4907. ■
For more information, contact FSPD at (815) 469-3524.
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
NOVEMBER 2009
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COMMUNITY NEWS
VILLAGE NEWS
Spotlight on Education
National Merit Semi-Finalists & Commended Students
By Dr. Lawrence A. Wyllie, Superintendent, Lincoln-Way High School District 210
Recently the Lincoln-Way High
School District 210 Board of
Education honored the district’s
students earning the academic
achievement of being named
National Merit Semi-Finalists and
Commended Scholars. The
National Merit Scholarship
program is an annual academic
competition for recognition and
college undergraduate scholarships
that began in 1955.
The seven Semi-Finalists are:
Jacob Behm, son of Jeff and Natalie
Behm of New Lenox; Dayl Carlson,
daughter of Jo and Dave Carlson of
New Lenox; Alexander Cisneros,
son of Henry and Lisa Cisneros of
New Lenox; Richard Deering, son
of Rick and Michele Deering of
Frankfort; Kelsie Dykstra, daughter
of Julie and Thane Dykstra of Joliet;
Thomas Weithers, son of Tom and
Mariola Weithers of Frankfort; and
Taylor Williams, daughter of Crystal
Williams of Frankfort and Ron
Williams of Mokena.
The 17 Commended Scholars
are: Gregory Anthony, son of Larry
and June Anthony of New Lenox;
Rebecca Bartels, daughter of Steven
and LeeAnn Bartels of New Lenox;
Alexandria Bartlett, daughter of
Scott and Sebrena Bartlett of
Frankfort; Courtney Biscan,
daughter of Thomas and Cathleen
Biscan of Manhattan; Matthew
Bum, son of Dooil and Jennifer
Bum of Mokena; Elisa Cherry,
daughter of Douglas and Rebecca
Cherry of New Lenox; Erik
Christiansen, son of William and
Laura Christiansen of New Lenox;
Molly Gallagher, daughter of Rob
and Dianne Gallagher of Frankfort;
18
NOVEMBER 2009
Dr. Lawrence A. Wyllie, superintendent, right, and Mr. David Izzo, president of the
Lincoln-Way 210 Board of Education, left, proudly pose with a group of
National Merit Semi-Finalists and Commended Scholars.
Vikrum Joshi, son of Sanjeev and
Medini Joshi of Frankfort; Kaitlyn
Kirby, daughter of Donna Kirby of
New Lenox and her father, Mark
Kirby; Nathan Lindley, son of
James and Katherine Lindley of
Frankfort; Joshua Miller, son of
Thomas and Deanna Miller of New
Lenox; Gianluca Panici, son of
Giovanni and Rosaria Panici of
New Lenox; Nora Quinn, daughter
of Gregory and Regina Quinn of
Mokena; Samantha Sainsbury,
daughter of Stephen and Janet
Sainsbury of Mokena; Dayna
Smith, daughter of Peter and Linda
Smith of Frankfort; and Tyler
Yonke, son of Timothy and Linda
Yonke of Mokena.
the 96% of college-bound juniors
who took the test. Semi-Finalists
students represent less than 1% of
the nation’s high school graduating
seniors.
We are most proud of our fine
students who have earned the honor
of qualifying for National Merit
Semi-Finalists and Commended
status. They are academic leaders in
the classroom and leaders in school
activities. They have achieved this
honor through their hard work with
help and support from their parents
and teachers. We wish them the very
best. ■
Currently, more than 1.5 million
students in approximately 22,000
high schools enter the National
Merit Scholarship Program each
year. Commended students are in
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Frankfort Youth Commission Update
By Christine Moler, Youth Commission Coordinator
With the school year well under
way and the holiday season
approaching, the Frankfort Youth
Commission already has a full
calendar. During these first few
months, members have been
brainstorming and planning. Along
with the Frankfort spiritwear
sweatshirts, t-shirts and tote bags
that are currently available, the
teens are excited about designing
new long-sleeved shirts and
baseball hats for the fall. Keeping in
line with that designing spirit, the
teens are working on a plan to
repaint the Teen Room at the
Founder’s Center. Not only is the
Teen Room where monthly
meetings are held, it is also a part
of the Hang-Time program
sponsored by the Frankfort Park
District. The Youth Commission
members will present their ideas to
Census Questions
or Concerns?
Please call or e-mail the
Census Bureau Regional
Office in your area.
U.S. Census Bureau
Chicago Regional Office
1111 W. 22nd Street
Suite 400
Oak Brook, IL 60523-1918
(630) 288-9200
or 1-800-865-6384
Fax: (630) 288-9288
TDD: (708) 562-1791
E-mail:
chicago.regional.office
@census.gov
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Youth
Commission
members Matt
Moler (left)
and Collin
Hickey are
busy at work
making
blankets for
Roseland
Community
Women’s
Shelter at a
monthly
meeting.
Executive Director Jeff Boubelik,
and once approved, will get busy
putting a fresh coat of paint on the
walls.
In November, the Youth
Commission will reach out to
community residents when
members go door-to-door
collecting canned goods and other
non-perishable food items for the
Frankfort Township Food Pantry.
This is an annual event that the
teens really enjoy. Another annual
event is the visit to the Frankfort
Police station. Officer Leanne
Bender always has useful
information for the teens and they
always have many questions for her.
In December the members will
make holiday cards for the service
men and women when they
participate in the Red Cross
program, “Holiday Mail for
Heroes.” At the Village tree lighting
ceremony, residents will see the
teens serving up hot chocolate and
cookies with a warm smile, despite
the typically chilly temperatures.
Finally, in the works is a joint
adventure with senior members of
our community. The Frankfort
Youth Commission members are
making plans for a Saturday “game
day,” whereby they will share time
playing board games with seniors.
More details to come!
If any of these activities sound like
something you would like to be
involved in, and you are in grades
6 through 12, please contact
Christine Moler at (815) 469-2177,
or at email address cmoler15@
comcast.net. It would be an honor
to have you join us! ■
Youth Commission
2010 Meeting Dates
Founders Center Teen Room
140 Oak Street at 6:30 p.m.
January 21
February 18
March 18
April 15
May - TBD
NOVEMBER 2009
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VILLAGE NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
Energy-Saving Ideas for Your Home
By Craig Eyer, Building Department Director
coatings and low solar gain. A high
efficiency furnace and water heater
will also save on home energy costs.
As Americans continue to tighten
their wallets during these difficult
economic times, they are also
looking for ways to save money and
make their hard earned dollars
stretch further. As homeowners,
one way to conserve cash in the
long term is to invest in energysaving products and appliances for
the home.
One energy-saving way to save on
heating and cooling costs is to
adequately insulate the home. The
best way to ensure that the house is
insulated properly is during the
construction process. When the
house is an older home, however,
several retrofitting ideas can be
beneficial. Installing additional
insulation in the attic can lower
energy bills substantially at a
relatively inexpensive cost. In
Help save energy with the use of
compact fluorescent light bulbs.
addition to the attic, insulating the
basement as well as the rim board
around the foundation (the area
where floor joists meet the
foundation) will help conserve
energy. Furthermore, homeowners
may wish to consider replacing
older, less energy efficient windows
with new windows with low E
The quest to save money on home
energy costs depends on how much
a homeowner is willing or able to
spend on implementing energy
conservation measures. Instituting
even modest conservation efforts,
such as weather stripping drafty
windows and doors, can pay big
dividends in controlling energy
costs today and in upcoming years.
To obtain a permit for a home
improvement project, or to get an
answer to a building question,
contact the Building Department
at (815) 412-2446 or visit the
Village website at
www.villageoffrankfort.com. ■
A Busy Time for Public Works
By Terry Kestel, Superintendent of Public Works
As leaf collection ends, the four
trucks used for the program will
be quickly re-equipped for snow
removal. This is very important
should snow and ice come early in
the season. With the addition of
these trucks, the full snowplow fleet
will be ready for action. While
snowplowing consumes a large
amount of time, it is not the only
thing occupying Public Works
crews during the winter months.
dependent on weather that affects
ground conditions in order to move
heavy equipment, it can be a
lengthy process. Also during the
winter season, crews will be clearing
and cleaning sidewalks and
maintaining the fire pit so that
everyone will be safe and warm at
the Winter on the Green events
taking place from January 10
through February 7. Indoor
maintenance in Village-owned
buildings escalates during the winter
season, with painting or remodeling
projects taking place, as well as
regularly scheduled maintenance.
After the holidays, lighting will be
removed from the trees and stage at
Breidert Green. As this task is
The winter season continues to be
a busy time for the Public Works
crews! ■
preparations for the Village’s Tree
Lighting Ceremony at Breidert
Green on Thursday, December 3.
Public Works employees cold patch
potholes on Pfeiffer Road in this photo
taken last winter.
As this month’s Villager arrives in
homes, Public Works crews will be
busy finishing the fall leaf collection
program. During this same timeframe, crews will be completing
8
NOVEMBER 2009
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
District 161’s Student Wellness Program
Features New Fitness Assessment
By Superintendent Keith Pain
will receive an individualized
copy of their student’s results
during Parent-Teacher Conferences
on November 9-10. The
FITNESSGRAM report for parents
will summarize a student’s personal
levels of health-related fitness
compared against the healthy fitness
zone. The report will identify ways
to promote healthy lifestyles within
the family setting to help a student
reach healthy fitness zones in those
areas where he/she needs to
improve.
Over the years, student wellness,
including good nutrition and
physical activity, has been promoted
in District 161’s educational
program, school activities, and
school meal programs. New this
school year is the incorporation of a
student fitness assessment utilizing
the FITNESSGRAM model within
the District’s Physical Education
program.
FITNESSGRAM is a national
fitness assessment and reporting
system for students. The assessment
establishes a baseline of a healthy
fitness zone, the established health
standard based on gender and age,
from which students can set goals,
check their progress to help them
plan for lifelong physical activity,
and maintain and improve their
fitness level.
The FITNESSGRAM assessment
program evaluates different parts of
health-related fitness, including
measurement of aerobic capacity
(the pacer), measurement of upper
body strength/endurance
(pushups), measurement of
abdominal muscular strength/
endurance (curl ups), measurement
of the trunk extensor strength
Mary Drew School third-grade students
Mark Gardner (left) and Sean Fisher set
up for the curl up fitness test under the
direction of their Physical Education
Teacher Mrs. Nancy Clarey.
(trunk lift), and measurement of
flexibility (sit and reach). At this
time, the District will not assess
body composition testing.
The program’s emphasis is on
enjoying the activity and learning
to perform test items successfully.
The ultimate outcome sought is
individual improvement.
Initial testing took place in midOctober with follow-up testing in
the spring to assess growth. Parents
Once baseline data has been
generated, Physical Education
teachers will meet to strategize
methods and best practices to help
move students into (or maintain
them within) the healthy fitness
zone.
Just as the NWEA and DIBELS
assessment programs enhance a
student’s academic growth,
the District believes the
FITNESSGRAM assessment
program will enhance a student’s
overall physical fitness development
and development of a life-long,
healthy lifestyle. ■
Village Recognizes Former Police
Pension Board President
At the quarterly board meeting of the Frankfort Police Pension
Board, Mayor Jim Holland presented a plaque to former President
David Hartley. His 15 years of service, 13 as president, are
appreciated by the Village and the Police Department. ■
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
NOVEMBER 2009
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Frankfort Chamber
of Commerce
Sponsors 14th
Annual Midnight
Madness Event
Join Frankfort businesses for fun,
refreshments and special
promotions until midnight on
Friday evening, December 11.
Beginning at 6:00 p.m. through
midnight, in and around the
entire shopping area of Frankfort,
participating merchants are
staying open until the midnight
hour offering special promotions!
Frankfort’s Historic District
retail shops and many additional
stores in the surrounding area
will remain open late for your
shopping pleasure. Approximately
25 stores will participate in this
annual event, so look for lights,
signs, and luminaries.
For more information, call the
Frankfort Chamber office at
(815) 469-3356, or visit
www.frankfortchamber.com for a
complete listing of participating
businesses. ■
16
NOVEMBER 2009
VILLAGE NEWS
Frankfort School District 157-C
Appreciates Community Partners
Frankfort Hosts Quiet Zone Open House
By Thomas A. Hurlburt, Superintendent of Schools
District 157-C appreciates the many
excellent partnerships it has within
our community that benefit our
students and schools. For example,
Hickory Creek Middle School
students are members of the
Kiwanis Builders Club, sponsored
by the Frankfort Kiwanis Club.
Hickory Creek Middle School
Principal Kevin Suchinski and
Assistant Principal Nikki Beck are
the adult sponsors of this club that
has been in existence for the past
three years.
Last year, along with help from the
Student Council, the Builders Club
sponsored fundraisers to benefit the
Make-A-Wish Foundation, cleaned
up the walking trails in Frankfort as
an Earth Day activity, collected
packages for soldiers serving in Iraq
and made gift bags for residents of
the Frankfort Terrace Nursing
Home and patients at Silver Cross
Hospital. The Builders Club is
sponsoring similar activities again
this year.
Co-Presidents Rachel Stone and
Courtney Matheu, Vice President
Molly Noonan, Treasurer Grace
Juracka and Secretary Karly Bunge.
Kiwanis International, a service
organization that develops leaders to
aid children worldwide since 1915,
offers several levels of participation.
Along with Kiwanis organizations
for adults, college students can
become involved with the Circle K
clubs, high school students can join
Key Clubs and middle school
students can join Builders Clubs.
Through their participation in the
Builders Club, our Frankfort
students are providing a valuable
service to the community while also
developing practical leadership
skills. These skills will help them
become our leaders of tomorrow.
We appreciate the cooperation of
the Frankfort Kiwanis Club and the
other local community and civic
organizations that take the time to
serve as role models and mentors
for our students. ■
Students inducted as officers of the
club for this school year include
Hickory Creek
Middle School
Kiwanis Builders
Club 2009-2010
officers: (l-r)
Grace Juracka
(Treasurer), Molly
Noonan (Vice
President), Rachel
Stone and
Courtney Matheu
(Co-Presidents),
and Karly Bunge
(Secretary).
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
A representative from Robert E.
Hamilton Consulting Engineers discusses
the proposed Quiet Zone crossing
locations with residents.
The Village of Frankfort and
Robert E. Hamilton Consulting
Engineers hosted an open house on
September 14, 2009, for the public
to review information concerning
the designation of a “Quiet Zone”
along the Canadian National
Railway (CN) tracks in Frankfort.
The open house, held at Hickory
Creek Middle School, served as an
update to the public regarding the
Quiet Zone process, as well as an
invitation to the public to ask
questions and offer feedback
regarding the Quiet Zone proposal.
Approximately 60 residents
attended the open house, asked
questions, and viewed displays
representing the intersection
improvements to designate a Quiet
Zone.
intersection unless an emergency
situation arises. The study includes
an inventory of equipment at each
railroad crossing, along with the risk
index for the location and a review
of the safety improvements needed
to achieve the Quiet Zone
designation. A Notice of Intent to
create a Quiet Zone is expected to
be filed with the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA) by the end of
2009. Frankfort expects the Quiet
Zone process to take 18 to 24
months for completion.
As part of an agreement between
Frankfort and the Railway, CN
agreed to fund the engineering
studies and required intersection
improvements that would be
necessary to achieve the designation
of a Quiet Zone in Frankfort from
Harlem Avenue to 116th Avenue.
With a Quiet Zone designation,
train engineers are prohibited from
sounding the train horn at each
“Establishing a Quiet Zone will
benefit our residents by eliminating
the requirement to sound the
exceptionally loud train horn at
each intersection. However, we
need to confirm that appropriate
supplemental safety measures are in
place at the designated intersections
to insure the safety of our
residents,” commented Mayor Jim
Holland. ■
Village of Frankfort Purchases Fox Lumber Property
The Frankfort Village Board
approved a contract to purchase the
3.5 acre property at 1 N. White St.,
commonly known as Fox Lumber,
for $795,000 at the November 2,
2009 Village Board meeting. Fox
Home Center officials plan to close
the hardware and lumber business
by the end of 2009. Fox Home
Center has another location at
11150 Cicero Avenue in Alsip.
A recent study of Frankfort’s
downtown district by the Hitchcock
Design Group suggested that if the
property became available, the
Village should acquire it for development to enhance the downtown
district and its quality standards.
The immediate expectations are to
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
remove some of the lumber storage
structures, and as the economy
improves, to solicit proposals for
development of the space.
Mayor Holland stated, “When the
Laird family indicated that the Fox
Lumber site could be purchased, we
told them that we wanted their store
to remain in Frankfort, but if this
key downtown property became
available, we were interested in
acquiring it. The Village supports
economic development that
preserves the character of the downtown for our residents. The
opportunity to redevelop such a
significant downtown parcel is an
historic event for our community
and will benefit residents greatly.”
John Laird, President of Fox Home
Centers, Inc. commented, “For the
27 years that we have been part of
the Frankfort community, we have
appreciated our customers’
friendship and loyalty. Our
Frankfort sales staff looks forward
to continue to serve them from our
newly remodeled showroom and
drive-through lumberyard in nearby
Alsip at 111th and Cicero.” ■
NOVEMBER 2009
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VILLAGE NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
Frankfort’s Old Plank Trail 5K Run/Walk
Draws Record Crowd
Frankfort Fire District News
New Fire Apparatus Makes Its Debut
By Assistant Chief Bob Wilson
What’s on
Channel 6?
A complete listing of channel
six programming can be
accessed at
www.villageoffrankfort.com.
For Our Channel 6
Viewer’s
Convenience…
The mascot from Cardinal Fitness in Frankfort leads the runners in warm up exercises.
A cold morning greeted a record
crowd of over 200 runners and
walkers who participated in the Old
Plank Road Trail 5K Run on
Saturday, October 10, 2009. This
year marked the 13th anniversary
celebration of the race. Participants
from Chicago, Joliet, Wheaton,
Peotone, Tinley Park and Palos
Heights, to name a few, enjoyed the
run through the scenic Old Plank
Road Trail in Frankfort. The overall
male winner was Mathew Wyble
from Chicago (18:05) and overall
female winner was Cheryl Thurman
(23:10) of Westchester.
Frankfort Trustee Mike Stevens
welcomed the participants and congratulated the winners during the
award presentation ceremony
immediately after the race. Trustee
Mike Stevens also helped hand out
the computerized chip bands to
each of the participants. Trustee
Dick Trevarthan participated in the
race as one of the many walkers.
During his welcoming remarks,
Trustee Stevens acknowledged the
10
NOVEMBER 2009
generous donations and support
from Frankfort businesses: Jewel
Food Stores, Old Plank Trail
Community Bank, Cardinal Fitness,
who provided the warm up exercises
for the participants. Trustee Stevens
also thanked the volunteers, the
Frankfort Youth Commission, and
the Frankfort Police and Fire
Departments for their event
support.
“It is a pleasure to welcome so
many Frankfort residents and
visitors from nearby communities to
this annual event. Not only can they
enjoy the Old Plank Road Trail as
they run or walk, but they also have
an opportunity to experience our
downtown district and beautiful
community,” commented Trustee
Mike Stevens.
Results from the race have been
posted and can be viewed at
www.villageoffrankfort.com as well
as the www.theracershub.com. ■
In addition to the Monday
broadcast of the Village Board
meeting at 7:00 p.m., viewers
can now watch a repeat of the
board meeting at 7:00 p.m.
every Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. and
7:00 p.m. every Thursday and
10:00 p.m. every Saturday.
The Frankfort Fire Protection
District has placed two new pieces
of fire apparatus in service over the
past month. Both units were built
and purchased from Pierce Fire
Manufacturing in Appleton,
Wisconsin, and will be assigned to
Stations 1 and 5.
Engine 1 is assigned to Station 1on
Nebraska Street and is a 2009
Pierce Arrow XT. This engine is
capable of pumping 1500 gallons of
water and has a 500 gallon water
tank along with a 30 gallon foam
tank. Engine 1 is also a paramedic
engine with all the Advanced Life
Support (ALS) equipment that an
ambulance carries and is equipped
with the majority of the District’s
vehicle extrication equipment for
auto accidents. This unit is
replacing the current engine which
will be relocated to Station 4, which
is currently under construction at
Engine 1 takes up residence at Station 1
on Nebraska Street.
Steger Road and 80th Ave.
Engine 5 is assigned to Station 5
on Wolf Road and is also a 2009
Pierce Arrow XT with similar
capacities to Engine 1. Both
engines were designed by the
Mobile Equipment Committee and
its members: Trustee Bob Tutko
(Chairman), Trustee Larry Nice,
Assistant Chief Bob Wilson, Lt.
Chris Wolf, Lt. Kevin Linhart and
Firefighter Mike Donnellan.
The process development time
for each engine from design to
delivery to the Fire District was
approximately one year. Each
engine is expected to be in service
for 15-20 years. ■
24th Annual Christkindl Weekend
Friday, December 4
Historic District Merchant Open House 10 am - 9 pm
(Select merchants open during House Walk)
Chamber Open House
5 pm - 9 pm
House Walk
5 pm - 10 pm
(Sponsored by the Historical Society. For tickets
call (815) 469-6541 or (815) 469-3356.)
Saint Nicholas Visits around Town
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides*
Cookie Walk**
Cookie Decorating (Miritello’s Pizza)
Santa’s Secret Workshop (Star Visions)
Pet Blessing & Pet Parade
Noon
Noon
Noon
1 pm
1 pm
-
4
4
4
3
4
3
pm
pm
pm
pm
pm
pm
Holiday Music & Carolers Throughout Downtown
Interested in
Becoming a FCTV
Channel 6 Host?
Do you have a new idea for a
FCTV Channel 6 program?
We’d like to hear from you!
Contact Mary Canino at
[email protected] for a
volunteer application.
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Saturday, December 5
Merchants Open
10 am - 5 pm
Saint Nicholas Visits around Town
Noon - 4 pm
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides*
Noon - 4 pm
Cookie Walk**
Noon - 4 pm
Cookie Decorating (Miritello’s Pizza)
1 pm - 3 pm
Santa’s Secret Workshop (Star Visions)
1 pm - 4 pm
Lantern Parade (Historical Society Museum)
4:45 pm
(Cookies and hot chocolate provided by the
Historical Society)
Bonfire/Storytelling (follows parade - Breidert Green)
Sunday, December 6
Breakfast with St. Nicholas
(KidsWork Children’s Museum)
Merchants Open
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
8:30 am - 11 am
10 am - 5 pm
*Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides
$3.00 per person - unlimited rides
Children 3 and under ride free!
(Tickets available at Miritello’s Pizza)
**Cookie Walk
Tickets are $5.00 each
(Tickets available in advance at Pickwick Tea Room,
Lil’ Surprises, Chew on This Dog Barkery, Claire a Bella
Boutique & The Paper Spot)
Purchase your tickets today - limited supply!
More information about these events is available
in the Downtown Historic Businesses or online at
shophistoricfrankfort.com. ■
NOVEMBER 2009
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VILLAGE NEWS
VILLAGE NEWS
Frankfort “Future Land Use” Open House
Provides Info for Public
You’re Invited…
Village of Frankfort
Tree Lighting Ceremony
The Village of Frankfort hosted an
open house on September 9 and 12
at Founders Center regarding a
“Future Land Use Plan Update.”
Hosted by the Community
Development Department, the
open house provided the public
with an opportunity to review draft
maps, plans and information as part
of an update to Frankfort’s 2004
Future Land Use Plan. Interested
parties were invited to submit
comment cards and interact with
Village staff during the open house.
The participants, ranging from
Frankfort and Green Garden
residents to business landowners
and public officials, appreciated the
opportunity to review the draft
plans and ask questions.
Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m.
Breidert Green
Downtown Frankfort
Welcome from Mayor Jim Holland
Opening Prayer
Musical Selections
Tree Lighting on Breidert Green
Santa’s Arrival
Refreshments Will Be Served
Throughout the Holiday Program
Bonfire for Everyone to Enjoy
Winter on the Green 2010
Beat the winter blues and join us for five fun-filled
Sundays in January and February, 2010 at Breidert Green
in downtown Frankfort, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
January 10:
January 17:
January 24:
January 31:
February 7:
Ice Fest
Winter Carnival
Snow-ology
Chili Cook-Off
Valentine’s Weekend
Sponsored by the Village of Frankfort, Frankfort Park
District & Frankfort Chamber of Commerce
Details available soon at www.villageoffrankfort.com.
“We are pleased with the response
received to this open house by the
Frankfort and Green Garden
communities. The input and
communication between our Village
staff and community members
Community Development Director Jeff Cook discusses future land use
plans with Green Garden residents.
provided a good dialogue regarding
the future land use plan,”
commented Mayor Jim Holland.
The process will be ongoing, with
further discussion at future plan
commission meetings. For
“Keep the Wreath Red”
At the beginning of each holiday season, a large
holiday wreath is placed on the front of each of the
Frankfort Fire Protection District stations. Each
one of the wreaths will be decorated with large red
bulbs that will be constantly illuminated during the
holiday season. Should a fire occur during the
holiday season that is determined to have been
directly caused by a holiday decoration, a white bulb
will replace a red bulb. This will happen every time there
is a holiday decoration caused fire.
The symbolism behind the wreath is for the residents of the Frankfort Fire
Protection District to be exceptionally safety conscious during the holiday
season. May everyone enjoy the festive activities of the season and “Keep
the Wreath Red.”
additional information regarding
the draft plan, please contact
Jeff Cook, Director of Community
Development, at the Village
Administration office,
432 W. Nebraska Street. ■
Snowfall Parking
Reminder
Per Village Ordinance, it is
unlawful to park any vehicle, or for
any vehicle to remain parked, on
any street in the Village between
8:00 P.M. and 8:00 A.M. after a
2” snowfall.
We also ask that driveway snow
not be pushed out
into a recently
plowed street.
Thank you! ■
A safe and happy holiday season to all!
14
NOVEMBER 2009
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
NOVEMBER 2009
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VILLAGE NEWS
VILLAGE NEWS
Thank You…
Mayor Jim Holland and the Frankfort Village Board
would like to thank the people who have made Frankfort’s
special events in 2009 so successful. We extend our appreciation
to the volunteers, the civic groups, the sponsors and all
the people who attended Frankfort’s special events in 2009.
Thanks to the Frankfort Country Market
committee and the customers of the country
market for another successful year.
Thanks to the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce, the hundreds of volunteers, various civic groups, school bands,
B.E.T.A. Team, Lions Club, parade participants, Historic Downtown Merchants, local businesses and the thousands of visitors
who continue to make the Frankfort Fall Fest one of the best festivals in the Midwest!
Thanks to the Winter on the Green committee for warming up our Sundays in
January and February, and for all those who braved the cold.
Thanks to the many civic groups and
volunteers who helped “clean up the
Village” during Earth Day 2009.
Thanks to our talented artists and all our visitors who enjoyed their beautiful
artwork during our annual Fine Arts Fair in June.
Thanks to the Frankfort Area Jaycees and all our amateur chefs during our
first annual “Amateur Rib Cook-Off” held in August.
Thanks to the Frankfort Car Club for lining the downtown Frankfort
streets with classic cars every Thursday evening.
Thanks to the “Concerts on the Green”
committee for Sunday evening
musical entertainment.
Thanks to our Frankfort anglers who enjoyed the
“Get Hooked on Frankfort” fishing derby at Prairie Park.
12
NOVEMBER 2009
Thanks to the “Movies on the Green”
committee for hours of summer movie
enjoyment.
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
Thanks to those who attended our
annual Memorial Day observance
ceremony to honor our veterans and
their service to our country.
Thanks to the runners, walkers and
volunteers of our annual
Old Plank Road Trail 5K Run/Walk.
Thanks to the cooperation of the DANK
South organization, the Frankfort Park
District and the hundreds of visitors for
making our annual German Heritage
Celebration a huge success.
Thanks to everyone who attended
our “Night Out Against Crime” event
in August.
Thanks to the families who will wait
in line to visit with Santa during the
annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on
Breidert Green.
We look forward to your continued support of all our events in 2010!
THE FRANKFORT VILLAGER
NOVEMBER 2009
13