By Karen Haave
An Honorary Street Naming program suggested by Trustee John Phelan in September was approved by the Crete Village Board last week. The ordinance establishing the program was unanimously approved after significant discussion during the October 28 board meeting.
The ordinance notes that its purpose is to allow citizens to honor people who have made significant contributions to the community. The portion of the street designated will be one block long or limited to a single point on a village street. The honorary naming of a street is restricted to three designations in a calendar year.
According to the new ordinance, an Honorary Street sign would be displayed for one year, then taken down and given to the person being honored. Elected officials and those running for office would not be eligible for nomination for six months prior to an election.
In other business during the October 28 meeting, the board:
- Heard Village Administrator Michael Smith report he met with the Will County Center for Economic Development about the 1,100-acre CSX property on the south end of town. Properties are being vetted for possible mega-site designation. He also attended an education summit with IRMA, the village’s risk management group. He will recommend department heads attend the class in the coming year.
- Remanded a possible zoning change of accessory buildings to Crete Planning and Zoning Department. They will provide recommendations back to the village board in the coming weeks.
- Heard Trustee Holly Milburn report she and Trustee Mark Wiater attended a Traffic Incident Management class last week. She commended Emergency Management for holding the class. She also attended an informational meeting for village residents regarding lead service line replacement. The village received a grant to start replacing old lead service lines, and work is scheduled to begin in the next few months.
- Discussed canceling the next scheduled board meeting, which will be held on Veteran’s Day, November 11. It was decided to keep the meeting on the schedule as planned.
- Adopted Resolutions authorizing the closing of Rt. 1 on Saturday, December 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., for the annual Christmas parade; authorizing the sale of a village-owned lot on Burville Road and Wood Street; approving a community newsletter with other taxing bodies and the Crete Area Chamber of Commerce; and declaring a 1981 John Deere tractor surplus property and authorizing the sale of the tractor.
- Heard Media Consultant Nick Borrell discuss a video highlighting a cookie contest with village department heads. The contest will begin November 1, with the Mixing Bowl Bakery sponsoring the event.