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PAGES TAMARA BELL-SUN-TIMES MFDIA 2 IWWW.PIONEERLOCAL.COM I THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012NIL BEIMONT BANK & TRUST R$EIVE A S25 GIFT WHEN YOU OPEN ONY BELMONT BANK S TRUST ACCOUNT* E1UALIYING OFFER GOOD FROM JULY iST-JULY 31ST *Accounts must be a Belmont Bank & Trust checking account with automatic activity attached to the account (i.e. direct deposit, ACH & automatic bill-pay). The gift cards limited to one per account. Offer not available to existing Belmont Bank & Trust checking customers and those whose accounts have been closed within 90 days or with a negative balance. To receive the bonus: i ) Open a new qualified Belmont Bank & Trust checking account with automatic activity attached to the account (i.e. direct deposit, ACH, and automatic bill-pay), which is subject to approval; AND 2) Deposit $2D or more at account opening. This deposit cannot be money currently held by Belmont Bank & Trust. You can only receive one checking account-related bonus per calendar year. If your checking account is closed within six months, we will deduct the bonus amount at closing. While supplies last. © 2012 Belmont Bank & Trust 8250 West Belmont Avenue EQUAL HOUSING LENDER FDI Member FDIC Chicago, IL 60634 GO LOCAL (773) 589-9500 Managing Editor: Matt Schmitz Ni LesNews 708-524-4433I msChmitzpioneerJocaL.Com PIONEERLOCAL.COM THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2012 I 5 VILLAGE BOARD VILLAGE HALL Trustees approveNiles village workersmove tounionize J BY TRACY GRUEN flood-relief grants Contributor A group of unrepresented village of NUes employees have united to form a for homeowners union with the American Federation of ___________ State, County and Municipal Employees, BY TRACY GRUEN dents should be chosen for AFSCME Council 31. Contributor assistance based on their About 40 workers would be eligible flooding issues, not their in- to be a part of the union, which would Relief may be on the waycome. include clerical positions, administrative for Nites residents who have LoVerdesaidthereis positions and others. Supervisors and been victims of flooding forabout$300,000budgeted managerial positions would be excluded several years. for the cost-sharing portion from the union. A resolution to authorizeof the storm water plan and "The reason they're seeking represen- a grant-based, cost-sharinghomeowners could possibly tation is that they really feel they're not program for residential floodget assistance in a couple of being treated as fairly as other employees relief was approved by themonths. in the village," said Tracey Abman, orga- Nues Village Board on June In the long term the vil- nizing director ofAFSCME Council 31. 26. lage is planning a first tier Abman said that in the past few years r All of the trustees, withof capital improvement proj- nonunion health-care costs have in- The Niles Municipal Building. i DAN LUEDERT-SUN-TIMES MEDIA the exceptionof Trusteeects that could take six to creased by 50 percent while union em- Rosemary Palicki, voted in10 years to finish. There are ployees did not see those increases. the village, the mayor has representation Abman added: "For the most part, favorof thecost-sharingalso tier two capital improve- An open letter to village of Niles non-and now the trustees have representa-they love their jobs." program that would assistment projects that may take union employees stated: "1br some timetion. They're seeking that kind oflevel of Municipal employees forming unions residents with the purchaseanother 10 to 20 years to now, we have watched as our standardprotection," Abman said. is becoming increasingly common, Ab- ofoverhead sewers that cancomplete. of living has eroded as the village trust- A group of village trustees recentlyman said. Des Plaines, Evanston, Scha- cost $8,000 to $10,000. Tier one capital improve- ees make decisions that directly affectusfought for an outside attorney to lookumburg and Oak Park village employees Under this flood-controlment projects total $14.6 mil- without our voi being heard." into various issues that concerned them,are part of unions. assistanceprogram,horn-lion and include: Abman said that by being part of theincluding past bonuses given to former "The illinois Public Labor Relations eowners who qualifywillu a Cleveland Avenue relief union the employees feel they will have avillage managers and other employeesAct provides that employees are guar- receive a grant totaling 50sewer with connections to real voice and secure their pay and ben-and the fact there were no minutes toanteed the right to form a union without percent of the improvementGrennanHeights,Keeney eflts. reflect village-board approval of thosefear, harassment or intimidation and we costs with a maximum ofStreet and Monroe Street at a If a majority of the roughly 40 eligiblebonuses. respectfully ask that management hon- $4,000 given per home. cost of $6.7 million. employees are interested they will move Abman said the employees are notor our right as individual employees to The goal is to help relieve. a Lee Street relief sewer forward and file a petition with the laborasking for anything outrageous. "Theychoose union representation," the open overland flooding and sew-and storage near Milwaukee board, Abman explained. want to secure the things they enjoy inletter, signed "Your Niles Co-workers," age backup. The programsAvenue and Main Street for a "If you look at what's going on lately intheir jobs right now," she said. stated. will be funded through thecost of $4.8 million. .25percentsales-taxin-u the construction of storm- crease which was approvedwater detention basins at a LIBRARY BOARD this past January cost of $3.1 million. Trustee Joseph LoVerde, "The village of Niles Board chairmanof thevillage'sof Trustees approved one of Storm Water Commission,the most significant public Trustees make rapid revearsal on online recordings said that residents with theworks projects in the history worst flooding issues will re-of the village that will reduce BY TRACY GRUEN release. "If the public could hear theing requirement. ceive the highest priority inreported basement backups, Contributor meeting, they wouldn't believe we were "I certainly see it might be of interest terms of assistance. reduce residential property reversing our decision so quickly, andto some people to listen to the record- Palickifeltthevillage'sloss, improve public health, Just a week after approving a by-now they can't even ever hear it if theyings online," she said. storm water solutions shouldimprove property values and law change requiring audio recordingswanted to." Still, referring to members of the benefit the village as a whole.simply improve the quality of of meetings to be posted online, Niles Dubiel was the only trustee who votedpublic who speak at meetings, Dimond She said she would be in fa-life of all our residents," May- Public Library Board trustees reversedagainst the reversai on the 5-1 vote to re-added: "Some of the things they are vor of establishing an incomeor Robert Callero said. their own ruling. yoke the recording requirement. Dubieltalking about are of a nature that they threshold to identify lower- The Storm Water Corn- Following an April 25 session at whichhad been the trustee pushing for the re-might not want to be recorded." incomehomeownersandmission was formed in Oc- the public portion of the meeting for thecordings to be available online. Dimond said another concern is how that they should have thetober 2008followingthe first time was not recorded as per past "I'm a member of the NUes Historicaltheir recordings would fall under the highest priority. region's worst flood in re- practice, library trustees voted in favorSociety," he said. "They work to preserveLocal Records Act and how much would Palicki expressed concerncordedhistory,explained ofimproving transparency by posting re-our history. I never thought in my life thatbe involved related to storing and main- that residents who could af-Callero. He established the cordiiigs of all public board meetings ona public library, particularly one I care sotaining the records. ford to purchase overheadcommission in response to the library website.