HOMEWOOD
Village considering code-violation court
Trustees are considering expanding the court system to enforce code violations, but they will not move forward until the program’s costs are clear.
Homewood officials hope to enforce ordinance violations, including building, housing, zoning and fire, to reduce reliance on the crowded Cook County Circuit Court system, said Village Manager Mark Franz.
Last week, however, the Village Board deferred a vote on expanding its Administrative Adjudication/Municipal Hearing Code Program. Mayor Richard Hofeld pushed the program, but some trustees want to take a closer look before giving their approval.
Some board members said they do not have enough information on the financial costs to expand, including hiring a hearing officer and Municipal System Inc. of Palos Heights to collect the violations.
“MSI would receive 35 percent of the revenue collected from these violations,” Franz said.
He said he would gather the financial information the board requested so it can make its decision.
Margie Ritchie
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JOLIET
Problems may force courthouse to move
Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis said last week that unresolved courthouse parking problems may prompt the county to build a new courthouse and centralized office facility away from the city center.
“If [Joliet] can’t accommodate county functions in the way of parking, I don’t know it’s going to be here,” Moustis (R-Frankfort) said during an executive committee meeting. “That doesn’t mean it won’t be in Joliet; it just won’t be in the downtown.”
Visitors and jurors have increasingly complained that they can’t find parking near Chicago and Jefferson streets, where the courthouse is located.
County-owned parking for the courthouse is limited to two lots east of the courthouse. One lot provides daylong parking for $5, and the other provides two-hour parking. Both lots fill quickly, with about 25 percent of the two-hour spaces taken by commuters through a contract with Metra.
Moustis said he wants those commuter vehicles out. “We’re obligated to provide parking in close proximity for our jurors,” he said
Trial Court Administrator Kurt Sangmeister has said the county hopes to rent 100 off-street parking spaces southeast of the courthouse for jurors. The county rents 80 parking spaces for jurors in a nearby city parking garage, he said.
The city and county have discussed the problem, said Matt Ryan, chief of staff to County Executive Larry Walsh. But he said Joliet representatives shift the focus of the talk to acquisition of the state’s attorney building and other city interests. “It always ends up being a discussion with a lot of moving parts,” Ryan said.
Dennis Sullivan
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OAK LAWN
Day-care center gets OK to expand
The popularity of a day-care center for teachers and staff members of Community High School District 218 is prompting its expansion.
The school board on Monday night unanimously approved enlarging Sandbox School of Early Care and Education. The three-room school is in the district’s administration building at 10701 S. Kilpatrick Ave., Oak Lawn.
“They do an absolutely great job, and they also provide a tremendous benefit for the district and their employees,” said Supt. John Byrne, who has had two grandchildren who attend the center.
An office will be converted and should be ready for the 2007-08 school year, officials said. The expansion will allow staff members to better meet the needs of different age groups by separating children according to their skill levels.
The day-care center has a room for infants, one for toddlers 18 months to 3 years and another for older preschool children. The additional space will allow staff members to separate the toddlers.
“We’ll have four rooms instead of three to really focus on the stages of development that the children are going through,” said Sue Moustakas, a Sandbox owner. “It’s better if everything in their room is developmentally appropriate for them.”
She said extra staff members are required in certain rooms if the age and needs of children are too different.
The center has nine teachers and can accommodate up to 49 children.
Janice Neumann
