The Weeks | Nov. 20

DEMOCRACY WATCH

Engaging the community with development projects
Homewood and Flossmoor regularly have new development projects that are at various stages of the process, from planning to permits to construction. Large projects often generate significant concern among residents, even organized opposition, but even smaller projects often provoke questions and reservations.

Development projects bring change, and people worry about the impact those changes will have on their lives. 

I’ve watched quite a few projects go through the process while covering local government over the years. When residents resist projects, there are often a range of concerns about the specifics, but what seems common across different projects in different communities is a common feeling that projects are something to be “done to us” rather than “done with us.”

Required public hearings don’t always make a dent in that feeling, because by the time a project gets to that stage, the major decisions have been made, and it usually seems very difficult for residents to have much influence.

There are ways to get residents involved earlier and give them more say in how developments are shaped. City Bureau Chicago has published a useful guide to community benefits agreements and their alternatives. 

City Bureau describes itself as a “journalism lab reimagining local media … by equipping people with skills and resources, engaging in critical public conversations and producing information that directly addresses people’s needs.” Its work, and the CBA guide, are focused on Chicago, but the approaches it describes could be adapted to the South Suburbs. 

I recommend giving the guide a look. Economic development will, I hope, continue in our community, because without it we risk stagnation, but how development happens and who is involved in the process matters.

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Flossmoor Board of Trustees will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road. 

• Read the agenda here.
• Watch the livestream of the meeting here.  Use meeting ID 863 6594 5653, passcode 60422, or join by phone at 312-626-6799. 
• Highlights:  Deputy Police Chief Keith Taylor and Fire Capt. Tom Farley will be sworn in. There will be a resolution honoring retired Deputy Police Chief Clint Walker. The board also plans to convene in closed session to discuss the employment of specific individuals, property acquisition and litigation. 

Homewood Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, at village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road. 

• Read the agenda here.
• Watch the livestream of the meeting here. Use meeting ID 980 4907 6232, password 830183.
• Highlights: Trustees will consider a class 8 property tax relief renewal for 17859 Bretz Drive, owned by Sullivan & Sullivan Properties; memoranda of understanding with Homewood Professional Fire Fighters Local 3656 – International Association of Fire Fighters (AFL-CIO) and Teamsters Union, Local 700; a resolution appropriating $125,000 of Motor Fuel Tax revenue to purchase rock salt; a TIF incentive for the South Suburban Humane Society to  make building improvements at 2207 183rd St.; and a letter of intent with Mid-America Development, which will explore the feasibility of redeveloping 3043-3055 183rd St., site of the former Brunswick Zone bowling alley and Big Lots store.

Flossmoor seeks volunteers for Build-a-Bed project
The Flossmoor Community Relations Commission will partner with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build beds for children in need. The village is looking for 60 volunteers to help build 20 beds on Jan. 14 as part of the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

To register, visit www.shpbeds.com. Select the Oak Forest chapter and the date of Jan. 14, 2023.

Flossmoor seeks projects for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
The village of Flossmoor is inviting individuals, businesses and organizations to sign-up to host a project or contact Community Relations Commissioner Jackie Riffice at [email protected] with questions. 

This year’s Day of Service is Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. Volunteers can begin signing up to help with projects in mid-November.

Light up the holidays
Flossmoor Service League is selling luminaries to help fund its charity work in the South Suburbs. The league is also offering the opportunity to sponsor a set of luminaries to light up Flossmoor Park during the Dec. 1 downtown businesses holiday open house. 

Luminaries are also available at UpsaDaisy, 18100 Martin Ave. in Homewood, and Gypsy Fix, 1056 Sterling Ave. in Flossmoor.

Flossmoor baseball and softball registration opens
Winter is just getting under way, but ball players are already thinking spring. Flossmoor Baseball and Softball has opened early registration for winter workshops and the 2023 season.

Angels winter basketball
Angels Athletics winter basketball league sign-up is available now  for girls in first through eighth grade. Games will be played from Jan. 15 to Feb. 26. Email [email protected] for more information.

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Marian students sign with colleges
Marian Catholic High School announced last week that three student-athletes signed letters of intent with collges. Kayden Porter will be playing softball at Western Illinois University. Quentin Jones will be playing basketball at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) and Mila Popovic will be playing volleyball at UTEP – The University of Texas at El Paso.

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District 233 school board extends contracts for H-F superintendent, principal
District 233 Superintendent Scott Wakeley and Homewood-Flossmoor High School Principal Clinton Alexander received contract extensions and raises from the Board of Education.

Stoney Point Grill gets $850K in startup assistance
Homewood trustees approved a development agreement worth $850,000 over five years with Stoney Point Grill of Mokena, which will open a second location on the first floor of the new Hartford Building, currently under construction in downtown Homewood. Village officials expect the restaurant will generate about $1.5 million in sales and places of eating tax revenue by 2040.

A good news story about property taxes? Read on …
District 233 has saved taxpayers more than $12 million over the past four years by going beyond the requirements of the Property Tax Relief Grant program.

Shots fired during carjacking attempt
Homewood police responded Tuesday afternoon to the 17600 block of Halsted Street to a report of shots fired. The victim told officers that someone was attempting to steal his vehicle. There was an exchange of gunfire, but the victim was unhurt, police said.

Honoring school staff
On Monday, District 153 honored several staff members for their accomplishments.

Homewood police officers raise more than $1K for Anew
Homewood police officers presented a check for $1,330 to Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse. Twenty-seven officers participated in the fundraising project by growing a beard during the past month. 

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