Historic District Signs Win Enthusiastic Approval from Village Board

To a round of applause from the small but vocal audience, the Frankfort village board voted to approve a proposal for three new types of signage in the historic district. Signs identifying various restaurants, shops or other points of interest will be mounted on lightposts in and around the historic district. Markers featuring directional arrows will point visitors toward downtown where Route 45 intersects with Nebraska Street, as well as Old Frankfort Way. In addition, a stone kiosk with removable information panels that can be regularly updated will be centrally located in the historic district.

Recognizing the hours of research and review put in by the various village committees and their members, trustee Todd Morgan thanked them saying, "They have worked tirelessly to find ways to improve the downtown experience."

Added village administrator Jerry Ducay, "We're beating the national trend in our occupancy rates (for downtown Frankfort). A lot of the credit goes to the downtown partnership and all the work they've done."

The new signage should be in place within the next 30 to 60 days.

A second proposal regarding the use of banners to define the historic district boundaries was sent back to the Departmental Operations committee and will be revisited later this summer.

Committee Appointments: The village board added two residents to two different committees. Dr. Joseph Kelley, previously a member of the Economic Development committee, was selected from a pool of qualified candidates to fill the vacancy on the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. Dr. Kelley is a medical doctor and a former Air Force officer. In addition, Sue Lecas was appointed to the Downtown Frankfort Partnership Liaison committee, the goal of which is to improve business opportunities in downtown Frankfort.

Phillips Chevy Parking: The board approved the special use permit for , 9700 Lincoln Highway, to for vehicle storage. After a resident voiced concern at the May 26 public hearing over the size of the trees in the landscape buffer plans, owner Curtis Pascarella agreed to decrease the total number but increase the size of the oaks that will be planted. The parking lot expansion should be completed in about two months.

Outdoor Seating at the Stray Bar: A for an outdoor seating area with awning was also approved for Don Keane's , 17 Old Frankfort Way. The 250-square-foot patio will seat up to 12 people and will close at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. No outdoor smoking or music will be allowed.

Behold the Beauty: Nominations for beautification awards are available on the village website and are due by June 30. Residences, as well as industrial and commercial properties, are all eligible. According to Mayor Holland, the village wants to recognize those individuals who have "gone an extra measure to show that they care by making their properties look great."

Laraway Road Traffic: Extensive road construction on Route 30 and I-80 has led to traffic tie ups on Laraway Road. Village administrator Jerry Ducay announced that the village is working with the Illinois Department of Transportation to adjust the timing of the light at Laraway and Wolf Roads to allow for a longer green on Laraway during peak travel hours.

The Mayor's iPad: In an effort to utilize technology to cut labor and supply costs, Mayor Holland noted that he was using an iPad instead of a hard copy packet of the board agenda and supporting documents. A typical village board meeting requires about 50 sheets of paper per trustee packet. With eight trustees, that's 400 sheets of paper. The mayor commended the village staff for continuing to look for ways to save time and money. The iPad does not require a monthly subscription fee, so other than the initial cost of the unit, there is no additional expense. The village may opt to provide iPads for all trustees if the mayor's trial use proves economical and feasible.