The village of Oswego will be conducting hydrant flushing in different locations throughout the month of May.

KENDALL COUNTY

 Deadline looms for Sheriffs’ Association scholarship

The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association in partnership with Peace Keepers, Inc. announces that it will be awarding college scholarships throughout Illinois to law enforcement or military dependents wishing to pursue higher education during the 2020-2021 academic years.

The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, books, and fees only. The student must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within the state of Illinois.

There will be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex, or national origin. The only limitations are as follows:

• Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents
• Scholarships must be utilized at institutions of higher learning within the State of Illinois
• Students must be enrolled as a full-time student during the 2020-2021 school years.
• Applicants must be dependents of active duty or retired Law Enforcement or Law Enforcement killed in line of duty death or dependents of active duty military, active military reserve, active National Guard or a member killed in action

Applications are now available on the website for Kendall County at www.co.kendall.il.us/sheriff or on the ISA website www.ilsheriff.org .

Students must complete the application; answer the essay question and return all documentation to the Sheriff’s Office in their permanent county of residence by May 15.

For more information, contact your local Sheriff’s Office, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, high school advising center or college financial aid office.

MONTGOMERY

Village hosts benefit for Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry

The Village of Montgomery, Montgomery Foundation, Engineering Enterprises, Inc. (EEI) and atlasGO have announced a partnership for “Miles for Meals” 31 miles in 31 days virtual run/walk challenge.

All proceeds to benefit the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry.

“In these times of anxiety and isolation, we want to launch a campaign of hope, solidarity and an event that all ages can take part in. Now more than ever is an important time to take care of your community. Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry is providing a large need for the public in this “new normal”.” said Village President Matt Brolley.

The central piece of the challenge will be atlasGO (www.atlasgo.org), a fitness tracking app with a social impact component. During the month of May, users will be able to track or log their daily runs, hikes, and other indoor activities on atlasGO.

Throughout the challenge, the users will post sweaty selfies and encourage each other to go the extra mile all while helping the Aurora Food Pantry.

Register at https://dash.atlasgo.org/challenges/5eaa1b21c0cd4ac40ec0fe79/tickets. Registration is $25 per person, with an option to donate more to the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry.

OSWEGO

 Hydrant flushing begins throughout village 

Look for signs in your neighborhood and avoid daytime laundry during the next four weeks as the village of Oswego Public Works Department flushes water mains throughout the village between May 4 and May 29.

Crews will begin flushing each day at 7:30 a.m. Public Works will put up signs to alert residents of upcoming flushing in your neighborhood. Please watch for these signs, which will be placed throughout the village the week before the flushing.

Should you notice discolored water from your cold-water faucet, simply run the water until the water clears up. This usually takes only a few minutes. Do your laundry before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on days that village staff are working in your neighborhood to avoid rust discoloration of clothes.

If your clothes become discolored, notify the Public Works Department at 630-554-3242.

The Public Works Department flushes all fire hydrants in the spring and fall under the recommendation of the Illinois EPA.

Flushing scours the water mains by running high flows of water through fire hydrants to get rid of iron deposits that could produce colored water and allows village staff to evaluate the operation of fire hydrants.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has closed the intersection of Harvey Road at Route 30 to install a cul-de-sac, permanently closing traffic. (Google map)

Village publishes reminders on garbage rules

Two weeks ago, Groot asked all residents using regular trash cans to begin bagging their trash. If you use your own trash can, you must bag your trash, tie the bags, and put them in the trash can. In many cases, haulers collecting trash cans must touch the can in order to toss the garbage into the truck.

If a hauler sees loose garbage in your trash can, they will not touch the can.

If you use a Groot-issued toter cart, nothing has changed. Place your trash in your toter cart as usual. Haulers will collect your trash using the mechanical arm on the garbage truck, as usual.

Until further notice, waste haulers will not collect bulk items, electronics, construction debris, or appliances. Haulers will not collect any recycling that is left outside of your recycling cart.

Haulers will not return to collect any trash that is missed or not put at the curb on time.

If you or someone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19, or is exhibiting symptoms related to COVID-19, including couch, fever, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, bag your recyclables and place them in your trash/refuse cart. Continue this practice until symptoms subside.

If there are no signs of COVID-19 in your household, continue to place your loose recyclables in your recycle cart.

The TV recycling event originally scheduled for this month has also been postponed. A new date will be announced in the future based on guidance from the CDC and state and local health authorities.

Bagged yard waste collection will continue unless additional announcements are made. Yard waste must go in a Kraft paper yard waste bag and get a sticker.  Yard waste bags must weigh less than 50 lbs. and cannot contain dirt or wood chips.

For now, residents are encouraged to seek out eco-friendly ways to reduce consumption of packaging and trash volumes.

New dates for Spring Cleanup Week will be announced pending additional information, and residents will be able to put excess trash out then without a sticker.

IDOT closes intersection at Harvey Road and Route 30

On April 27, the Illinois Department of Transportation closed the intersection of Harvey Road at Route 30 to install a cul-de-sac, permanently closing traffic at the hazardous intersection near Oswego East High School.

Traffic on Route 30 will instead access Oswego East and adjacent homes and businesses from Treasure Drive, where a new traffic signal has been installed at Treasure Drive and Route 30.

The signal includes equipment that senses and allows emergency vehicles through the intersection when emergency lights are enabled.

YORKVILLE

 City seeks Small Business Stabilization Program Applicants

The city Yorkville anticipates participating in the Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program.

The Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program has been established to provide working capital funds to community’s businesses economically impacted by the COVID-19 virus.

The program makes funds available for 60 days of verifiable working capital up to a grant ceiling of $25,000. The application will be processed through the city, however, the award decision will be made by the State of Illinois.

Applications for the program must be made through the city. Grant funds are then given to communities as a pass through to eligible businesses which must document the need for grant assistance.

The city is expected to participate on behalf of eligible businesses. The criteria that your business must meet to be eligible for this program:

•   You must have been open in Yorkville since Jan. 1, 2017. Any business

that opened after that date is not eligible.

•   You cannot be a franchise business.
•   You must have a least one other W2 employee, in addition to the owner.
•   You must have less than 50 employees.
•   The ownership of your business must be exactly the same from Jan. 1, 2017 to the current date.
•   You must be a non-essential business, as defined by the State of Illinois.
•   Some essential business may apply, if social distancing is limiting the ability of the business to operate with customers/clients on a normal basis.

If you believe your business meets all of these criteria, you should be prepared to:

•   Complete the necessary application, which will include financial information (including bank statements) about your business, other required documentation, and explanation of how the business has been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
•   All of this information will be available for public review, as the process includes a public hearing, which will take place at the city level.

This is a loan program that will convert to a forgivable grant, if the business is able to accomplish the following:

•   Remain open for a minimum of 60 days after funding is awarded.
•   Use half of the award funds for payroll expenses, and half for other working capital business expenses, not to exceed $25,000.

If you are interested in this program, or would like to review an application packet contact: Lynn Dubajic, United City of Yorkville, Economic Development Consultant at: lynn@dlkllc.com or by phone at: 630-209-7151.