Local leaders throughout Cook County are looking to accomplish big things this year. From road improvements to retail developments, cities and villages through the county have clearly defined goals for the coming months.

A cross-section of local leaders shared with the Cook County Chronicle their goals for 2016:

Berkeley

During 2016, the village of Berkeley will see two long-term plans put into motion that will impact our industrial district and potentially reduce flooding in residential areas throughout town. Our McDermott Drive industrial district will benefit from a full road reconstruction project targeted for a spring ground-breaking. This $2.4 million project will create safer sidewalks and a fortified roadway rebuilt from the ground up. Eighty percent of this project is funded by federal dollars.

 

During the reconstruction, a 42-inch relief storm sewer will be installed and will flow storm water east to an existing detention pond that is owned by the village. This represents the first step of a $5 million improvement to provide flood relief within the village and will culminate with a retention project made possible, in part, through the support of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. This project is meant to increase the depth of the existing pond for rain storage and is expected to benefit more than 40 percent of our households, nearly 800 homes, within the village of Berkeley.

– Mayor Robert E. Lee Jr.

 

Buffalo Grove

Buffalo Grove is a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Some of our goals for 2016 include:

• Maintain a safe community.
• Advance our economic development through the pursuit of new businesses and developments, diversify our revenue streams and see growth in our sales tax revenue. Hopefully, when the state budget is completed, there will be no revenue cuts to the municipalities.
• Provide outstanding services to our residents.
• Complete the water-meter-replacement program with Siemens Building Technologies.
• Issue bonds to complete the resurfacing and/or reconstruction of       nine-plus miles of streets.
• Move the Buffalo Grove Days festival to a new location at Mike Rylko Park.
• Continue to appreciate our employees and volunteers.

– President Beverly Sussman

 

Burbank

I will endeavor to seek viable, well-known retail tenants for two vacant parcels of property in the city of Burbank. The two properties are the Old Barn Restaurant and Cezar’s Inn. Each of these properties encompasses approximately 4 acres of land.

— Mayor Harry J. Klein

 

Dixmoor

Future village project development will be done by following the new Comprehensive Plan that has been adopted by the Village Board. We have gone to the county to request properties that have been abandoned or vacated. These properties will be put back on the tax roll by bringing in new companies that are interested in having a location close to the highway and also close to the railroad.

We have large commercial locations and are developing new industrial locations throughout the village. The village of Dixmoor has two Tax Increment Financing locations at the present time and working on a possible third one.

 

The retail shopping district will be better with the arrival of many new stores.

– Mayor Dorothy Armstrong

 

Elgin

I have three primary goals for Elgin in 2016. I want to continue moving the city away from its reliance on state revenue sources. This will take years to achieve, but since reducing our city’s revenues seems to be a consistent threat by the state, I want to take steps now to ensure we will be able to continue providing our residents with necessary services.

 

Toward that goal, I want to position Elgin as the arts and entertainment center of the region. I want to expand our already amazing slate of entertainment venues, concerts, productions and events to attract a stronger regional audience and further Elgin’s economy.

 

The state’s funding reductions have also had a devastating effect on human service agencies. I want to look at the funding of these agencies and how the city can help them to continue these critical services, whether it be through city grants or helping develop a centralized, regional office staff that our agencies can tap into to help reduce their employee costs.

– Mayor David Kaptain

 

Elk Grove Village

Elk Grove Village will celebrate its 60^th anniversary this year. We have some really fun things planned, such as a birthday celebration concert featuring Foreigner and a special family-oriented birthday celebration with the library and Park District, both taking place July 17. Castle Chevrolet has donated a 2016 Camero as a prize for a drawing with the funds raised going to Elk Grove Village-based service groups; and in September, we will be having an Octoberfest.

Aside from the village’s birthday celebration, we are also looking forward to the completion of several large developments. Atlas Toyota Material Handling, which sells Bobcats and Toyota forklifts, will be the first business to open that was able to take advantage of the Busse/Elmhurst Tax Increment Financing District. In addition, we are looking forward to MC Machinery Systems (Mitsubishi Corp.) opening its new North American corporate headquarters and showroom as part of a $35 million development.

– Mayor Craig Johnson

 

Franklin Park

As village president, I am pleased to report that Franklin Park has had an outstanding year. In 2015 alone, the village received $2.3 million in grants and $9.3 million in low-interest loans to fund infrastructure and economic development projects throughout Franklin Park. These funds were awarded from a variety of governmental partners, including the state of Illinois, Cook County and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. We continue to succeed in attracting and retaining industrial businesses in the village. From the last quarter of 2014 to the last quarter of 2015, the level of available vacant industrial space in Franklin Park decreased from 8.1 percent to 6.1 percent. A robust market, excellent locational assets and the village’s strong relationship with the industrial development community has put approximately 1.2 million square feet of industrial speculative building in the construction pipeline for 2016.

 

In 2016, we look forward to finalizing and implementing the Franklin Park Comprehensive Plan, a document that will guide decision-making and development in the village for the next 10-15 years. We are excited to begin work with 10 neighboring communities and Cook and DuPage counties on completing and putting into action the O’Hare Subregation Truck Routing and Infrastructure Plan, which will address existing issues of disconnected truck routes, disjointed regulations, congestion and poor roadway conditions. These documents, which are being prepared with technical assistance awarded from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, will bolster the competitive advantage of Franklin Park and the sub-region.

 

Lastly, we were pleased to announce in 2015 that the state of Illinois awarded the village of Franklin Park with designation of an enterprise zone. This economic development tool will enhance our ability to compete for companies looking to locate in the Chicago area and provide existing companies with an incentive to invest locally. We continue our work to maximize the village’s inherent assets and build upon our achievements. Situated at the center of the Chicago area and at the confluence of air, rail and freight infrastructure, the village of Franklin Park is making a faithful return to its roots as a premier industrial base and economic engine for the region.

– Mayor Barrett F. Pedersen

 

Glenview

This is a transition year for Glenview, with the village finishing up some major projects and setting the stage for the start of new ones. The replacement of all 16,000 residential and commercial water meters with new automated meters will finish up, allowing more reliable and accurate identification of water use.

 

A year-long process to update the Comprehensive Plan – the village’s visionary document to help guide development for the next 10-20 years – will also wrap up in 2016. Following the moving of Village Hall at the end of 2015 to a consolidated facility with the Police Department on East Lake Avenue, marketing plans will be developed for the former 2-acre Village Hall site on Waukegan Road with the sale to benefit continued revitalization of the downtown business district.

 

The Chestnut Avenue bridge over the west fork of the north branch of the Chicago River will be replaced in 2016, in anticipation of a future widening of Chestnut west of Waukegan Road.

 

Improvements are planned in 2016 at both the downtown and North Glen Metra rail stations, while design and engineering plans will get underway for future improvements to Glenview Road through the downtown area and water main replacements under Harlem Avenue.

 

Of course, Glenview is awaiting action on a state of Illinois budget to learn how much of the municipal share of the state income tax we’ll receive. We continue to plan for contingencies should some of that municipal revenue source be redirected elsewhere.

– Village President Jim Patterson

 

Indian Head Park

The Indian Head Park Village Board is working on goals for 2016, to be finalized by the end of January.

The board recently approved a water and sewer rate increase to begin work on the water and sewer infrastructure. In 2016, we will replace the water meters in our village. We will also look to start a program to replace the water mains that are in the worst shape, have had the most leaks and are past their life expectancy.

 

We will also look to update the village website. We have not approved the project, but plan to at our January Village Board meeting.

 

The Village Board is also considering other projects and working with our new village administrator, John DuRocher, on our village goals for 2016.

– Village Board President Tom Hinshaw

 

Justice

We came a long way.

 

From the verge of bankruptcy in 2007 to our third balanced budget, improved services and increased investment in infrastructure. Our pension funding went from 25 percent to more than 60 percent. Our budgeting process could be an example for the state and Cook County.

 

In 2016, five major streets will be reconstructed. We have developers starting two major projects. My Public Works Department will pave more than a mile of streets; and we expect several new businesses to open in Justice. Compare this to Chicago, Cook County and the state of Illinois.

– Mayor Kris Wasowicz

 

Mount Prospect

For Mount Prospect, 2015 was a year of leadership transition at the village manager level. We are most proud of our staff, who proved themselves more than capable of accomplishing major projects such as the Isabella Sewer Improvement Project and working down a 10-mile backlog of street resurfacing created by the recessionary cutbacks.

 

At the same time, our Village Board was conducting a successful search for a new village manager. We also were successful in receiving a federal SAFER grant so that we can restore Fire Engine 13 to service in our downtown station, improving response times to our residents.

 

Under new leadership and with backlogs eliminated, the village is now well-poised to face the challenges of 2016 with an action plan to implement the strategic plan adopted by the board. The challenge for 2016 will be the uncertainty created by the gridlock in Springfield that threatens to hold village funds hostage. For that reason, we have adopted a five-step contingency plan that will assist in adapting to potential outcomes in Springfield. Bolstered by the robust business outlook in the village, I am looking forward to building on the strong foundation we have created in our budgeting and planning process to meeting our residents’ service needs in a fiscally responsible way.

 

On a lighter note, we will begin our Centennial Celebration in mid-2016; and I invite everyone to join in the fun as we approach our 100^th birthday Feb. 3, 2017!

– Mayor Arlene Juracek

 

Norridge

The village of Norridge’s No. 1 goal is to complete the redevelopment of the “Norridge Theater” and “Cookie” property on Harlem Avenue. This redevelopment will include a remodel of the current theater, in addition to new retail stores and restaurants.

 

In 2016, the village will continue replacing all existing underground streetlight wiring. The current infrastructure is more than 60 years old. Additionally, we will continue with water main replacement and street resurfacing projects.

– Mayor James Chmura

 

Northbrook

My goals for the year are simple. This year brings both challenges and opportunities to the village of Northbrook. First and foremost, the state legislators must produce a budget for fiscal year 2016 and for 2017, which addresses the state’s financial problems. The village of Northbrook has made difficult financial decisions. We are strong financial stewards of our residents’ tax dollars. It is time for the state of Illinois to do the same without laying the burden on their constituents.

 

Living with the uncertainty of state funding has tested us. I remain firm that we will continue to provide exemplary services in a cost-effective manner while maintaining flexibility so that we can adapt to changing needs as well as the changing economy.

 

In addition, the village will continue our commitment to maintaining and improving our essential infrastructure. Our recently approved Capital Improvement Plan includes $27 million in necessary infrastructure projects during 2016.

 

Finally, Northbrook will continue to welcome businesses and responsible development into our community, which will allow people to live where they work.

– President Sandy Frum

 

Northfield

There are three primary objectives for the village of Northfield in 2016. The first remains the safety and well-being of our residents and we are grateful for the support and dedication of our public safety and fire rescue teams for creating a secure environment for our community.

 

The second goal is continuing to improve our infrastructure. Last year saw the completion of the $30 million comprehensive improvement of Willow Road as well as the resurfacing of Winnetka Road, the two main east-west arteries in Northfield. Working together with Cook County, we are planning a Phase 1 Study of Happ Road, as well as a joint venture with Glenview on a new storm sewer system.

 

We hope to implement our $8.5 million 10-year Infrastructure Improvement Plan in 2016 directed at our local roads, storm sewers, life safety and streetscape. Implementation of the plan will require voter approval via a referendum in March and will ensure that the infrastructure of Northfield is up to date for the 21^st century.

 

The third objective is economic development. Named one of the 10 best places to open a business in the state of Illinois, Northfield is blessed with a diverse and vibrant business community. Retail vacancies remain at record lows. In 2016, we plan to launch a new website and marketing campaign aimed at supporting our local businesses and highlighting the unique character of our community.

 

A completed study of the Northfield Road Corridor will lead to new zoning in 2016 as this strategic district evolves from its manufacturing origins into residential, business, medical and recreational uses. Finally, while disappointed that Kraft is leaving Northfield after many years, we are optimistic that a new tenant will be found for this highly desirable corporate campus.

– Village President Fred Gougler

 

Posen

With the village of Posen’s positive characteristics and the recent opening of ramps entering and exiting I-294 onto 147^th Street (Route 83), which runs through the middle of the village, and the same access to I-57, the village is anticipating economic growth in the development of prime sites within the village.

 

Quality government and low taxes enhance the benefits.

 

Posen ensures attention to public safety with low crime rates and quality fire suppression and ambulance services.

– Village President Donald W. Schupek

 

Prospect Heights

We continue to re-brand our identity with signage and massive streetscape improvements throughout the city. Our streets are fully repaired and repaved and we now have a fully staffed, fully equipped police department. Much time was spent to develop and operate with a very solvent budget and strong reserve factors.

 

Union contracts were successfully negotiated and our economic development projects led the way to new revenue. Construction began on the 100-unit assisted living complex, the 700-storage-unit facility and a new full-service grocery with a fresh meat market opened its doors. The “walk to school” sidewalk program and the acquisition of the Old Town Sanitary District were completed. We reached an agreement with Chase Bank to construct its new facility.

 

Important too is the fact that we have a great working relationship with our immediate neighbors in Wheeling, Mount Prospect and Palatine.

 

Prospect Heights continues to be a fun place to live, work and play.

– Mayor Nicholas J. Helmer

 

Richton Park

We’re very excited about the Walmart Super Center that will be opening this spring.

A number of retailers are in contact with our economic development team expressing interest in locating in the village. We also anticipate the redevelopment of our Lakewood Plaza area to begin this spring.

 

The third area is our Town Center development, which is a transit-oriented development centered around our Metra station. The TOD is designed to be a mixed use development with easy access to Chicago.

– Mayor Rick Rienbold

 

River Forest

The Village Board’s priority has been economic development, and a number of projects have begun or are in the works that will bring in new revenue, strengthen our property values and stabilize property taxes.

 

In the long run, this objective will benefit River Forest as a whole for years to come. As promised, we will be wrapping up another important board goal — the Northside Stormwater Management project. The largest infrastructure project in River Forest history is on time and on budget. We would like to thank the staff, the people who worked on this project and of course, the residents, for their patience and understanding while this long-planned effort became a reality.

 

We accomplished several other goals, which will add to the value of our homes and quality of life. These efforts come as a result of building partnerships with School District 90, the Park District, Dominican University and the village of Forest Park. We hope by late this year the collaboration efforts among all of our units of government will draw ideas or solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing our community.

 

We are looking ahead to building on our economic development successes by reinvigorating Madison Street and North Avenue, updating the village’s Comprehensive Plan, enhancing the village’s communication efforts and continuing to collaborate with other taxing bodies. Residents will be hearing a lot more about what government will be doing for them in the coming months.

– President Cathy Adduci

 

 

 

 

 

 

— Cook County municipalities unveil grand plans for 2016 —