By Jason Arndt
Correspondent
Union Grove Village Board members continue to pursue downtown revitalization efforts by working to recruit new businesses and encouraging existing ones to contribute to beautification efforts along Main Street.
The issues were discussed June 10 at a meeting of the Village Board.
The Community Development Authority has made a mission of filling vacant storefronts by targeting more than a dozen new business prospects since the start of 2013.
“We are reaching out to the businesses instead of waiting for them to come to us,” said Village Trustee Teresa Holm.
The CDA has sent out 20 letters, asking various businesses to consider coming to Union Grove and encouraging them to be part of the community.
At previous Village Board meetings, President Mike Aimone mentioned multiple local businesses in Illinois as good prospects to fill some vacant Village business spaces.
At first, the Community Development Authority planned to recruit nationally recognized chain stores to the Village, but officials are now looking more at locally centered businesses.
In addition, the CDA also has tried a new tactic to promote cleanliness in the downtown by mailing letters to business owners asking them to assess their properties and determine what needs to be completed.
Holm reports all businesses except two have met all compliance guidelines set forth in zoning laws, including appropriate signage on storefronts.
Village Building inspectors will pay visits to the two businesses if the compliance codes are not met by a specific date.
Public input sought
In another matter, the Department of Water, Wastewater, Streets and Parks was recently made aware of a resident’s concern about the safety of children along State and 16th streets, due to reports of speeders along the block.
Last month, Department members decided to postpone the issue since there have not been further complaints and the cost for adding more street signs to the one block area.
Monday night, Public Works Director Mark Osmundsen estimated the cost of adding a “Slow, Children at Play” sign would be nearly $1,000.
Village Board members indicated that if more citizens come forward with concerns about the issue, they’ll consider making necessary adjustments.
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