City of Palos Heights Beautification Committee met Aug. 11.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
Call to Order
Chairman John Hanley called the meeting of the Beautification Committee to order at 7:00 p.m. in Room 106 at the Recreation Center. Present were: Alderman Jeff Key, Bob Grossart, Denise Hyker, Eileen Lunter, Brian Bohne, Bob Starzyk, Anne Girzadas, Lynda Schiappa, and Recording Secretary Margaret Carey.
Approval of Minutes
Bob Grossart motioned to approve the minutes of the June 9, 2021 meeting, seconded by Bob Starzyk. All in favor. Motion carried.
Chairman’s Report
Chairman Hanley welcomed everyone. He attended the Ed Dombrowski tree dedication at Lake Katherine. It was a nice event.
Committee Reports
Keep Palos Heights Beautiful: Eileen Lunter
Eileen said she has received lots of nomination forms. If you see a beautiful home or business, please contact Eileen with the address. Awards Night is October 20th. Please bring a snack or dish to share at the event. John Hanley asked if she had received any nominations from HOA’s. She had not. Eileen will reach out to Oak Hills.
The Art Garden entrance will need to be repaired when the road construction is completed. John Hanley added that the Ed Dombrowski memorial dedication will be held off until those repairs are complete.
Proposed Sidewalks on 123rd Street
The Committee discussed. Alderman Key said there was a discussion at the Roads Committee meeting last night. Many residents showed up for the meeting. The Mayor is in support of the program. Alderman Key said this topic has come up in other Committee meetings as well and is somewhat complicated when it comes to connecting to 76th Avenue and IDOT regulations, etc. Many Beautification Committee members expressed their strong support for the sidewalk program; stating it ties into the Committee’s mission which includes economic development and projects that benefit residents and visitors. This sidewalk program provides connectivity which would accomplish those objectives. Members asked how they can be heard and Alderman Key suggested contacting the Mayor.
Adopt-A-Pot: Denise Hyker
Denise said the pots look very good. A great start for Vince’s first year. Alderman Key added that he received a letter from his HOA expressing that the pots look “unbelievable”. He has received numerous other positive comments about the pots. Denise expressed her thanks to Public Works for doing a great job keeping the pots watered. Denise will follow up with Jan Colvin about purchasing the additional pots for next year.
Car Classic Event: Bob Starzyk
Bob Starzyk expressed that the Car Show was a success. The committee members enthusiastically agreed and applauded a job well done. Bob thanked Anne Girzadas and Jan Collopy for their help. There were many interesting and rare vehicles at the show. Even though sponsorship was down, the event took in approximately $20,000.00, with a profit of $10,102.00. Sam Van Bruggen won the raffle. The prize was $2,500.00. Margaret Carey will prepare the thank you letters for the event sponsors.
Bob announced that he will be stepping down from the event. Jan Collopy and Anne Girzadas will meet with Bob to get all event details and create a “how to” run the event.
Lake Katherine:
John Hanley reported the Lake Katherine Butterfly event will be run a little different this year. The event is scheduled for September 17, 18, 19. The fundraiser is on September 17. The butterfly viewing will be private this year, available through an online reservation. Visitors can sign up for time slots available on September 18 and 19. There will be no vendors this year.
Public Arts Commission: Lynda Schiappa
Lynda Schiappa reported that the PAC is working on an interactive holiday light display for Community Park. They received 3 quotes. The company they selected is offering a 3-year commitment, but each year we can add more. The event will be an economic draw for the city. The agreement still needs final approval through the Building & Grounds Committee.
The PAC is also working on a pop-up art gallery for the month of October to celebrate Arts & Humanities month. They have begun searching for a location. They have been focusing on empty storefronts along Harlem Avenue. The event will feature works of local artists and it will be coordinated with specials offered by nearby restaurants.
Another project being discussed is a pop-up children’s art garden. Lynda provided examples of other pop-up gardens that are based on a theme – like a children’s book for example. The Commission is still working out the details and looking for a location. John Henley suggested using a butterfly theme for the garden. He also said that the Beatification Committee would definitely help with the project.
Business/Economic Advisory: Bob Grossart
Bob Grossart discussed the Fusion 59 program. He said the Trinity students are incredible. There are currently 5 students in the program. Their biggest help has been assisting businesses with their social media presence. So far the program has assisted: Royalberry, Harvest Room, Prime Choice Meats and Noral Jewelers. Upcoming projects will be assisting Manhattan Grill and the Palos Heights library. Also, students from the Organizational Leadership program will be assisting Lake Katherine with business objectives, etc. Alderman Key interview staff from the Fusion 59 program on Channel 4. You should watch it.
The Welcome Back program at Trinity is August 25th.
BEAC will meet on September 30th to make the final decision about Holidays in the Heights. We are currently collecting money from vendors, etc. The final decision will be based upon 2 factors; 1.) The amount of money collected, and 2.) the Governor’s position on COVID.
Public Comment
None.
Old Business
MVCC Scholarship
John Hanley asked about the status of the scholarship program. Bob Starzyk said the scholarship will be awarded soon. It is based on need and the staff at MVCC evaluate the applications to determine which student will be awarded. It was suggested that the student be recognized at a City Council meeting. The committee agreed. Bob asked the Committee if they would be agreeable to a 5-year commitment to the scholarship program. John Hanley said it will be included on the next meeting agenda for a vote.
New Business
Landscape Grants
Denise asked about the status of the Landscape grant program. Margaret Carey sent a summary of information to committee members after the last meeting. The Mayor’s Office has not received any requests this year and she thinks residents may be unclear that there are actually 2 programs; one offered by the Beautification Committee and the other offered by the City and approved by the Mayor. Margaret will update the Beautification section of the City’s website to include information about the grant program. The Committee also discussed running a story in the Regional.
Next Meeting
Next meeting is Wednesday, October 13 at 7pm.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Bob Grossart moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Anne Girzadas. Meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
https://palosheights.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08112021-540
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