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Winter 2011 IN THIS ISSUE • New CodeRed Emergency Noti cation System • 2010-2011 Freedom Hall Performances • New Mural Comes to DownTown MAYOR’S MESSAGE On the brink of a new year, it’s good to is a resolution of governance issues: exactly major project to improve its facilities in look forward and visualize what might be how much control will be in the hands of Homewood and to create a huge cargo possible for the coming twelve months and Will County officials versus officials from train facility in Harvey that will result in beyond. Despite the current downturn in the south suburban communities. We believe thousands of new jobs for south suburban economy – which has resulted in loss of jobs, that governance has to be shared because, residents. In concert with the new airport, home mortgage foreclosures, and increasing while the airport physically may be located the CN facility will provide our region with difficulty in attracting more commercial and in Will County, the major impact of traffic, the opportunity for increased shipping and retail businesses for local communities – development, etc., will occur in the south warehousing enterprises that will contribute there is great hope for the future. It’s been suburbs. At present, with the involvement of to improvement of our local tax base while said that “the time to repair the roof is when the governor and his staff, we’re working to also improving job opportunities. the sun is shining.” While that’s true, equally resolve that issue so this project can move true is the fact that planning for repair of forward to the benefit of everyone. I am Highway Improvements. The fourth the roof needs to be done on one of those confident the airport will be built within component of transportation improvements cloudy, rainy days that precede the coming the next few years and that it’s presence will for our area is the Illiana Expressway, a new of warmth and sunshine. Otherwise, who’s have a dynamic impact on the economic highway system advanced by Governor going to be ready to do the heavy work development potential of Park Forest. Quinn that will connect existing roadways when the right time finally comes around? in a manner that reduces the current High-Speed Rail. Already, a plan for high- congestion that is too commonplace along In the south suburbs, much of that long- speed passenger rail service between Interstate 80. It also will provide increased range planning presently is focused on Chicago and St. Louis has been announced, opportunity for commercial transportation transportation. Some very exciting plans and those trains will be passing directly that will improve economic opportunities are in the works that could result in major through our south suburban region. Also for our area. Imagine a new highway that will improvements in the economic condition of scheduled to pass through the south allow travelers on Interstate 55, Interstate 57, our entire region, including our community suburbs would be a high-speed rail line from Interstate 94, Interstate 90, all to connect in of Park Forest. Your Village officials and our Chicago to Champaign-Urbana, connecting an easy fashion with Interstate 65 in Indiana. professional staff have been deeply involved the brain trust of the University of Illinois’ Since the Illiana Expressway would go in much of that planning, always being main campus with the state’s commercial through our south suburban region, it offers attentive to how regional improvements and corporate center. Governor Quinn often great potential in attracting new business also mean improvements for our own has spoken of this second high-speed rail line to our local community. It also would serve municipality. and has included it in his schema for making as an additional link to the new Abraham the south suburbs a major transportation Lincoln National Airport. Abraham Lincoln National Airport. hub. Coupled with the airport, high-speed All of what I have listed above is not merely Governor Pat Quinn has been deeply rail service in the south suburban area a dream but what actually is being planned committed to the development of a third offers the potential for dramatic economic and beginning to take place in our region. Chicagoland airport right here in our south benefits for our region and for the Village of While the current economic times may not be suburban region. He has continued the state’s Park Forest. perfect for some of the plans to materialize program of acquiring land and working with immediately, certainly the groundwork is the various local governmental bodies to Cargo Delivery. The acquisition of major rail being put in place. I am confident that our move the airport concept along. A few years lines throughout the Chicagoland area by hard work over the last dozen years, which ago, Park Forest was one of the founding Canadian National (CN) has resulted in the has been a crucial investment in our future, members of the Abraham Lincoln National firm investing millions of dollars in improved will result in multiple benefits within the Airport Commission (ALNAC), and I serve transportation activity in our immediate coming year or shortly thereafter. Economic as the vice chairperson of that body. We’ve area. Although we initially opposed the CN downturns are temporary. Eventually we will worked diligently, with the guidance and purchase of several area rail lines because see a return to the good times that we’ve assistance of Congressman Jesse L. Jackson of our concern for increased rail traffic enjoyed in the past. I don’t believe there’s an Jr., to bring reputable private developers to through our local community, after the sale area of Chicagoland that is as well positioned the project. They are ready to put the shovel was approved by the U.S. government over to benefit from economic recovery as is in the ground and begin airport construction, our objections we worked to enter into an our south suburban region. And, when our using their own private funding. LCOR and agreement with CN that will minimize the region benefits, so does Park Forest. SNC-Lavalin – the private developers – have negative effects on our residents. A number an outstanding record of effectively building of other south suburban communities John A. Ostenburg, Mayor airports both in the U.S. and abroad. The have entered into similar arrangements. only complication for the project at present For its part, CN already has undertaken a 1 Emergency Communication Made Easy The Village of Park Forest recently Over the past decade, the rise of the cell to detour residents from adding their expanded its partnership with the villages phone has created a high number of information. of Matteson, Olympia Fields and Richton homes across the country where land Park to provide an emergency notification line phones are no longer in use. In these “CodeRED gives those who want to be system to residents. The CodeRED cases, where cell phones are the primary included an easy and secure method Emergency Notification System is an ultra phones, it is critical for residents and for inputting information. The data high-speed telephone communication businesses to register their cell phone collected will only be used for emergency service designed to deliver emergency numbers with the Village. notification purposes. Residents can opt messages and distribute information to also receive non-emergency messages considered to be important to the public. “No one should automatically assume from the Village via email if they’d like. his or her phone number is included.” But, again, the resident has full control.” “CodeRED allows geographically based Wilcox said, urging residents to register delivery, which means street addresses their information to receive emergency Those without Internet access can register are required to ensure emergency notifications via the new system. via computers at the Park Forest Public notification calls are received by the Library. proper individuals in a given situation. To do so, individuals and business owners The system works for cell phones too, should visit the Village’s Web site at For questions about the CodeRed but we need to have an associated street www.villageofparkforest.com and click Emergency Notification System, contact address to provide relevant messages,” on the link to the “CodeRed Community the Park Forest Fire Department at explained Fire Chief Bob Wilcox. Notification Enrollment” page—located 708-748-5605. at the top of the home page. Wilcox cautioned that although this new technology will be a great help in To enroll, residents are required to enter communicating information to residents their first and last name, street address (no in times of emergency, such systems are P.O. boxes accepted), city, state, zip code, only as good as the telephone number and primary phone number. Additional database supporting them. “If your phone phone numbers may also be entered. number is not in the database, you cannot be called.” Wilcox does not want privacy concerns 2 Human Relations Commission Recognizes Removed Exemptions Could Mean Good Eggs Big Shift in Tax Dollars The Park Forest Commission on Human Relations is pleased to announce Derrill The Cook County Assessor’s Office has Director of Community Development Miller, Jr. of Richton Park and Jesse removed homeowners exemptions from Larrie Kerestes says the Village identified Martinez of Park Forest as recipients of the almost 1000 single family properties in a number of homeowners who were 2010 Good Egg Award. the Cook County section of Park Forest. receiving the homestead exemption while living outside of Park Forest. The Good Egg Award recognizes The removal of the exemptions come leadership and community service some four years after Park Forest officials By law, homeowners in the state of that has had a significant impact on began to cross-reference the Village’s Illinois are entitled to a homestead fostering inter-group relations and equal housing data with that found on the exemption on the property in which opportunity in the South Suburbs.

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