Village of Sauk Village
March 2004, Issue 18, Vol. III
Welcome (Home)
Administration
Community Development
Finance Department
Fire Department
Police Department
E.S.D.A.
Public Works Department
Committees & Commissions
Community Organizations
Local Businesses
Sauk Talk
FAQs
Contact Us
Events Calendar
Sauk Village Family Festival NEW!

Village of Sauk Village

Sauk Talk

Home Page

In This Issue

Sauk Village Village Hall
21701 Torrence Ave.
Sauk Village, IL 60411
708-758-3330
  • Police Chief Tom Lacheta
  • Easter Egg Hunt
  • Student Government Day
  • Street Sweeping Begins
  • Community Calendar
  • Issue 18
    Vol. III
    March
    2004
    Deputy Chief Robert
    Schwertfeger
  • Fire Dept. Referendum
From the Mayor's Desk
                                                                                      Mayor Roger Peckham

Some flowers and trees believe spring has arrived, but old mother nature is not sure if it is winter or spring.  Officially spring will be here on March 20.  Please consider the appearance of your Village before you toss litter on the streets.  Every spring I receive letters and calls about papers, bottles and other litter, which becomes visible this time of year.  Make sure that on the day your garbage is out on the streets that nothing can be blown out of your garbage can onto the streets.  Please talk with your family and neighbors about keeping our Village neat.

     Our code enforcement officers will be starting their annual inspection of homes and businesses soon.  If you receive a warning letter about a code violation that you do not understand or you need help in correcting the problem, call Village Hall and talk to someone in the Community Developemant Department.

     In June of 2000, the
Board of Trustees issued bonds close o 15 million dollars to refund previously issued high interest bonds and purchase the property north of Sauk Trail, West of 394, East of Cottage Grove and South of the EJ&E rail tracks. 
 


The  Board  of  Trustees  has  been  working with a team of consultants to plan, promote and set goals on how to best utilize this property.  During the past twenty months, the team has made contacts with county, state and federal government agencies for grants and other programs for development assistance.  Most recently Congressman Jackson’s $600,000 federal grant was announced in the previous issue of the Sauk Talk.  The next important announcement will be at the end of March when the Board picks the Master Developer for this property.  The Master Developer will then begin the construction of the infrastructure, consisting of water, sewer and roads.  The infrastructure improvements will begin this summer if all the agreements can be completed this spring.  The Master Developer will then be responsible to acquire tenants, business owners, manufacturers, warehouse operators and retail businesses for the entire development based on a plan with the Boards approval.  These new businesses will still need the approval of the Board of Trustees before they will be allowed to move into the new business park.  The business park is currently called International Crossings.


 

Dunkin Donuts and Baskin & Robbins where are you?  This project was also mentioned in a Sauk Talk article in July of 2000.  This project is still on the books and has been held up by the approval of the EPA and currently the Illinois Department of Transportation.  The EPA  approved the property for development in December 2003.  The latest holdup I have been informed about is the Department of Transportation has not approved curb cuts, entrances or exits.  I have been assured that this project will be started this spring.

Finally, the Chicago area is known for its two seasons, winter and construction.  Well winter as mentioned above is about over and the construction season is about to start.  The construction on the 80/94 Kingery/Borman Expressway began last year and will continue until the spring of 2007.  The main construction of this project will be in 2004 and 2005.  Plan your travels for the next two years with alternative routes in mind.  I am sure that Sauk Village’s main east and west roads will be effected by this construction.  So when you are traveling on the expressways around the Village, please drive carefully.

Have a safe Easter holiday and spring.

News From Your Village Clerk - Liz Selvey

Attention all animal lovers, it's time to purchase Village animal licenses.  Beginning April 1, 2004, licenses will be on sale at the Village Hall.  The cost per license is $7.00 and $5.00 for seniors.  You MUST bring your pet's current rabies certificate when you are

purchasing the license.  Please do not bring your pet: animals are not allowed in the Village Hall. You must have a current license by May 1st to avoid receiving a ticket. Village vehicle stickers will again be available this year on
 

May 1st. You should purchase and display your sticker no later than June 3-, 2004.  This cost is cars-$25.00, trucks starting at $43.00, motorcycles -$25.00. Senior discounts are available. After June 30th, cost of the stickers will go up and tickets can be issued.

 

Changing of
the Guard

Someone you Should Know...
Police Chief Tom Lacheta

      On February 24th, 2004, the Village Board of Trustees entered into a contract with Tom Lacheta to become the new Chief of Police for the Sauk Village Police Department. He became the Chief of Police effective February 27, 2004.
     Tom was the Deputy Chief of the police department and replaced former Chief, Cora Beem, who retired from policing and resigned from the department to accept the Associate Director’s position with the Police Training Institute located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
     Chief Lacheta has been with the department for over twenty years – first coming on as a police cadet. He became a full time police officer in September of 1986. Tom was promoted to Sergeant in July of 1994 and Deputy Chief in May of 2000.
     Tom is the son of Lucy and the late Ed Lacheta and is married to Elizabeth (Sissman). They have two daughters, Allison and Mackenzie.


                        
Village Clerk Liz Selvey swears in New Police Chief Tom Lacheta at the February
                                    24th Village Board Meeting.

           Congratulations to Deputy Chief
                  Robert Schwertfeger
Learn more about our New D.C. in our May
                    Issue of Sauk Talk

Sauk Talk is produced by volunteers of the Public Relations Committee of Sauk Village. Mary Seery, Trustee, Debbie Carl, Editor and staff members Jeni Fischer, Linda Zolp, Frank Zolp, Corinne Yates, and Linda Scott. Suggestions or comments should be directed to Village Hall, faxed to 757-5670 or e-mail to DebiCrl@aol.com



 

     In front of a packed Board room at the Village Board meeting on February 24th, former Deputy Chief Tom Lacheta was sworn in as the new Chief of Police for Sauk Village. Tom’s appointment to Chief was a mandate vote with the full support of the Village Board of Trustees. Chief Lacheta has demonstrated his commitment and dedication to police work and Sauk Village for his entire career.
     Chief Lacheta started with the police department as a cadet in December, 1981, when he was 17 years old. His dedication was clear even as a young man. After his high school graduation at Marian, he changed his clothes immediately after commencement and went straight to our police station to work as a cadet. He didn’t even stop to celebrate his graduation with his family that evening!
T     om has steadily risen through the ranks here by becoming a part-time police officer in 1984, going full time in 1986, making Sergeant in 1993, advancing to Administrative Sergeant in 1997, and being named Deputy Chief in 2000.
     The new Chief has also included community volunteering in his busy schedule. He currently serves on the Ordinance Review committee, the 911 board, the Pension Board and has also volunteered the last three years in St. James Playhouse. Tom lives in Sauk Village with his wife Liz and two daughters.
     Chief Lacheta brings many qualifications to his office. He is a certified teacher in both D.A.R.E. and P.R.I.D.E. He is a Certified Evidence Technician and Juvenile Officer. He has graduated from the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois, the School of Staff and Command at Northwestern University in Evanston, and the Executive Management School also at Northwestern University,
     Chief Lacheta has “hit the floor running,” with a highly specific plan of action for the police department. His plan has three main components. First to increase public confidence in the Police Department by working together with the community to reduce crime. Secondly, to significantly increase the professionalism of an already excellent department; and finally, very importantly, to implement strict key management tools to make for fair and even discipline, to increase the Community Policing abilities, increase police presence, to work hand-in-hand with the Community Development Department and institute ZERO TOLERANCE for gang violence and drug dealers in this town.
     Sauk Village has much to be optimistic about with all the new changes coming. Our heartfelt congratulations to Chief Tom Lacheta on a well-deserved promotion.






 

Back to Top

Sauk Village Sports Association News

Sauk Village Website Committee Trustee Kueny
www.saukvillage.org

     S.V.S.A. is looking for volunteers for Spring Clean Up Day, April 3rd from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the ballfield just north of Wagoner School.
     Opening Day Parade will be May 1, 2004. The parade will kick off from Consumers parking lot and proceed north on Jeffery Avenue to the ballpark. Prizes will be given for the banner contest and a special guest speaker will kick off the season.
     If you need more information, please contact the S.V.S.A. fieldhouse at 708-757-5873 or visit them online at www.svsa.org.



Bloom Township Seniors
The Bloom Township Senior Department is holding sign ups now for Diabetic Protective Shoe fittings.
Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions across our country with devastating complications and results, Diabetic Protective Shoes are now available and completely paid for by Medicare.
If you have diabetes and are covered by Medicare, you are entitled to a “free pair of diabetic protective shoes” every 12 months. These special shoes feature extra-depth, molded insoles and protected toes designed exclusively for diabetic patients.
Bloom Township is partnering with Surgi Med, to arrange diabetic shoe fittings. If you are interested in obtaining an appointment for shoe fittings at Bloom Township, call the Senior Department at 708-754-9400 ext. 244 to sign up.
 

     After a period of inactivity, the Village’s community website has been redesigned and is now available to all residents at www.saukvillage.org. The website committee encourages all residents to log on and check out the changes. Although the website is still under construction in many areas, we would like to hear from you as to what information you would like to see made available in the future. The feedback we get from you will help us develop a better website.
     The redeveloped site contains a calendar of local events, a listing of local businesses including phone numbers, local organizations (churches, youth groups, senior groups, veterans groups, library, etc.) and Sauk Talk online. There is information pertaining to Village administration, local, state and federal elected officials, Village departments and a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) and their answers. If you are wondering when a committee or commission meets, you can find this information as well.
     If you are a local business or organization and would like to see your name added to our list of local businesses or community organizations online, or have an upcoming event you would like to see posted on the website, please contact the Website Committee via written correspondence to Village Hall or email to Trustee Kueny@cs.com.
     Finally, the Website Committee is looking for people who are website savvy, full of creative ideas or just want to be involved in the Website Committee process. Please contact Rita Kueny at Village Hall 758-3330 or TrusteeKueny@cs.com if you are interested.

 

Economic Development Committee

     The Economic Development Committee in partnership with the Public Relations Committee is currently looking at marketing tools for Sauk Village. The public is welcome to attend these meetings and provide input. The next meeting will be Monday, April 5, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Hall.
     On February 28, 2004, two businesses opened their doors, Al’s Roast Beef/Nancy’s Pizza located on Sauk Trail just West of Torrence Avenue and El Tarasco located in Sauk Plaza.

 Stop in, welcome these new businesses to Sauk Village. Both have received excellent reviews from residents. Show your support as a Village resident and continue to encourage your friends and family to shop Sauk Village.
The economic Development Committee is still looking for volunteers. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact Trustee David Hanks at the Village Hall 758-3330.
 

       

Fire Department

     It has been another busy couple of months around the fire station. In the January edition of Sauk Talk, there was a brief mention about the upcoming American Heart Association’s April CPR Drive. The Sauk Village Fire Department is proud to be a part of this. Help us to meet our goal of teaching at least 50 citizens this valueable life saving tool. Watch for posters and fliers throughout the Village. So far, the dates for classes are:
                                 Monday, April 5 at 6pm to 9pm
                                 Saturday, April 17 at 3pm to 6pm
                                 Monday, May 17 at 6pm to 9pm
     More classes will be added as needed. There is a $10 fee and this includes a card, book, and a pocket CPR mask. Participants should be at least 10 years old and anyone interested is encouraged to call the fire station at (708)758-2225 during normal business hours to register. Class size is limited, so call soon!
     Other news- in January and early February, the fire department responded to four house fires that were caused by some common household items that every resident should be aware of. Two of the fires were started by portable electric space heaters that were left too close to furniture and other flammable materials. This is a major concern throughout the winter months and some simple rules of thumb can help prevent tragedy in your home. Allow at least three feet of clear space around any space heater and never leave a heater running unattended.
Careless use of candles started the other two fires. Again, use these simple rules of thumb when using candles in your home: Never leave candles unattended.

 

     When you are leaving your home or going to bed, make sure the candles are out. Never leave candles burning in areas where children are playing unattended. Do not use candles (or any open flame) in areas where flammable liquids or vapors are present.
     As a side note, no one was injured in any of these incidents, however, the national statistics for people getting hurt or killed in residential house fires every year are staggering. By following some simple rules, you can help by keeping you and your loved ones from adding to these statistics.
On a lighter note, the Fire Department’s annual Valentine’s Dance was a huge success. A huge THANK YOU goes out to all those that attended and helped to make this event so successful.
     Also, the School Safety Team program at Rickover Jr. High is up and running. The program has been opened to all three grade levels and currently eight students are participating. They have been learning about fire safety and will soon be learning first aid and CPR. If you have a child that attends Rickover and would like to have them participate in this program, feel free to contact Ms. Julie Iverson at Rickover (708) 758-1900, or Capt. Rich Atwood (708} 758-2225 at the fire department.
     Finally, watch the Fire Department’s column in the Sauk Talk for a new feature, beginning this month. Every issue, we will be “spot-lighting” a member of our department. We want you to get to know your fire department personnel better.
Again, thank you all for your support. BE SAFE!

 


Chief Sewell has been with the Sauk Village Fire Department as its first full time chief since October, 2002. Chief Sewell originally started with the department as a cadet at age 16, but left in 1993 to take a full time job as Training Administrator with the Flossmoor Fire Department. Chief Sewell has a Bachelors Degree in Fire Service Management and brings over 17 total years of fire service experience to the department. Chief Sewell is also a Licensed Paramedic. He chose this field after losing a niece to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. “After my niece died, I joined the cadet program. This is what I’ve been doing ever since. I can’t picture myself doing anything else.” Chief Sewell says delivering a baby at a residence was his most rewarding experience as a paramedic. As for worst on-the-job experience, “Some years ago…we had three fires within a year where several small children and adults died. It was a period of time that took (us) a long time to overcome. For several of us, we will never forget.” As for the fire service, Chief Sewell says it is the most rewarding profession in the world. “No one except the police or military can ever understand the brotherhood that exists between firefighters.”

 

Fire Chief
Christopher Sewell

 

 
Back to Top

Human Relations
 Commission

 Sauk Village Student
Government Night

NEWS FROM THE HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION

The Human Relations Commission wants you to know your elected officials. This issue we are featuring TRUSTEE VERLYN “ZEKE” LUTHER.

MEET YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Trustee Luther has been a resident of Sauk Village since 1958. He and his wife Letitia “Letty” will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this month. They have 6 children, 12 grandchildren and 4 great grand children with another one on the way. He has been a very active resident and volunteer in the Village including serving as a volunteer fireman for 35 years and achieving a rank of Assistant Fire Chief. Trustee Luther is a retiree from Sysco Food Service and Sauk Village Fire Department. Trustee Luther is the Chairperson of the Senior Committee.

We asked Trustee Luther the following candid questions:
Q. What encouraged you to run for this office?
A. “I was encouraged to run for this office because I wanted to see this town improve its image. I have lived in Sauk Village since March, 1958 and have seen this town go up and down.”

Q. Do you work outside Village Hall?
A. “Yes I manage a storage lot on Glenwood Lansing Road.”

Q. How do you spend your down time?
A. “I belong to the Leisure Timers Senior Club and on weekends I go camping.”
What is your vision for the Village of Sauk Village?
“My vision for Sauk Village is to get more industrial and commercial business, I would also like to see a senior housing complex for our seniors. We also need some youth activity programs besides baseball and basketball.”

             
            
 

              

     Tuesday, March 9, Students from Rickover Junior High School were sworn in as Village Trustees and Officials to conduct business as usual. These students were chosen through an essay contest entitled “September 11, 2001, how it effected Sauk Village and myself personally.”
T     he students were: Shalamar Keys as Mayor, Kevin McCarthy as Village Clerk and Chantel Johnson, Khrystin Cox, Brandon Neely, Kristie Nieman, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Shayna Harris as Trustees. Also, Dominique Williams as Village Manager, Lauraann Wood as Treasurer, Trace Capps as Police Chief, Ashley Hawkins as Fire Chief, Jackie Toliver as Director of Public Works, Julie Calow as Director of Community Development, Justin Smart as Finance Director, Myklejo Wieringa as ESDA Coordinator and Avery Miller and Nicole Kinkade were alternates.
     The students did an excellent job and were treated to dinner on Thursday at Villa DeBruno where they read their winning essays for family and Village Officials.


              

Sauk Village News That Will Affect Your Neighborhood

PUBLIC WORKS ANNOUNCES BRANCH PICK UP, STREET SWEEPING AND HYDRANT FLUSHING
 

STAY OFF THE STREET! 

T     he street sweeping schedule for the 2004 season is:
     Week beginning April 19, May 17, June 21, July 19, August 16, September 20 and October 18. Sweeping for the month of November will follow the leaf pick up program.
     If additional sweepings are necessary, notification will be posted on the Marquee located on Sauk Trail at the corner of Cornell Avenue.
     Ordinance prohibits parking on the streets between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. during the day of your garbage pick up.
     Tree Limb Pickup. The first pickup for the 2004 season will begin Monday, May 3 and end on Friday May 14. Residents are asked to have limbs out no later than Sunday, May 9th.
     The second and final limb pickup will be Monday September 6 and end Friday September 17. Residents are asked to have limbs out no later than Sunday, September 12th.
     Please remember to bundle small branches and stack branches neatly in the same direction. This will speed up the tree limb pick up.
     Hydrant Flushing
     Hydrants will be flushed in the following sections of town on the specified daters:
     April 7-South side, south of Sauk Trail, west of Torrence extending to Deer Creek.
     May 5-North side, north of Sauk Trail extending to Carlisle Estates.
     June 2-Eastern section, east of Torrence Ave and south of Sauk Trail.
     July 7-South side, south of Sauk Trail, west of Torrence extending to Deer Creek.
     August 4-North side, north of Sauk Trail extending to Carlisle Estates.
     September 1-Esatern section, located east of Torrence and south of Sauk Trail.
     October 6-South side, south of Sauk Trail and west of Torrence extending to Deer Creek.
     Actual flushing begins at 11:00 p.m. of the previous night, continuing through the morning until the area has been completed.
Residents should refrain from washing whites during flushing and for 24-36 hours after flushing.
 

Police Chief Tom Lacheta warns $50.00 tickets will be issued. Summer is around the corner and again the issue of people walking in the streets becomes a real problem. Persons walking or playing in the roadway WILL BE ticketed and face a fine of $50.00 per violation. Only in residential areas that do not have sidewalks may a pedestrian walk along the side of the road, single file, and in a way as to not obstruct traffic. Officers have been ordered to write citations and not to give verbal warnings. Warnings have not worked in the past and this problem had only gotten worse. A copy of this article published to all residents will be presented to the Judge as proper notification.






                    Play Bunco
Join the Ladies Auxiliary of the
Sauk Village Fire Department on April 2nd and May 7th for their BUNCO! Everyone has a great time and you could leave a winner!







The Next Fire Department Pancake Breakfast is scheduled for April 4, 2004 at the Sauk Village Fire Department
 

Back to Top

Community
Development

Lion’s Coming to
Sauk Village

     The Community Development department has some new faces in our ranks. Our town is lucky to be able to tap into the experience, expertise and commitment they bring to the community.
     The first new officer is Sue Dobrzeniecki, a Sauk Village resident since 1978. She and her husband moved here a year after marrying and have two sons. Most of you know Sue from working at Consumer Drugs where she still works part time. Sue is working mainly in the Code Enforcement facet of the department since she started working here last September. She started out part-time, but has since moved up to full-time with us. You will certainly see her out around the Village during the week.
     Our newest member to the department is Earl Mayton. Earl’s family moved to Sauk Village as one of the original homeowners in 1958. His son and members of his wife’s family still live in the Village. Earl has been a Certified Industrial Electrician for Cargill for the past 34 years. He also started Mayton Construction in 1972 and has been doing the highest quality building and remodeling work, (much of it in Sauk Village) in which he is also certified, for the past 32 years. Earl will be spending most of his time working on new construction, both residential and commercial, in our town. These two individuals are going to really help keep our town on the path to “Pride and Progress”.
     In the vein of “Pride and Progress”, some of you have already received letters concerning property maintenance and soon some of you who have not, will receive one. We really count on all of our residents to do their part to help keep our community looking good. It also benefits each individual with higher property values and ultimately lower home repair costs if small problems or violations are corrected right away. If you have received a letter, please try and correct any problems as soon as you can and call our office to let us know what you have done. On the same note, if you have any questions please call and talk to the officer who looked at your property. Remember it is always a good idea to go outside every year when the weather starts to get nice and look at your property to find small (or large) problems and correct them before they get out of hand. Every year this town is looking better and better. Let’s keep the progress moving forward.
 

     On February 26, 2004 a meeting was held at the Sauk Village Senior Center with the Lions International and members of the Community Leaders.
     This meeting was held not only to start a Lion’s Club Chapter in Sauk Village, but to see what the Lion’s could do for Sauk Village.
     A list of several items was presented to the Lions Members.
     Members of the Village Board, School Board and Pastors from Sauk Village Churches were in attendance. Approximately 25 people attended.
To start a chapter in Sauk Village, 20 persons are needed to join.
The next meeting will be help on April 15th at 7:00 p.m. at the Senior Center. This meeting is open to all individuals interested.




             
                                     



S.V. Parks and Recreation annual Egg Hunt and Visit with the Easter Bunny
Saturday, April 10th, 2:00 PM
at Welch Park
 

Public Relations Committee
Trustee Seery

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

     Sauk Talk is accepting advertisements from local businesses. The ads are a standard business card size, and we ask that you take out an ad on a yearly basis, but it is not necessary. If you are interested, please contact Debbie Carl at 757-5619 or via email at DebiCrl@aol.com.
     The Public Relations Committee will again be sponsoring a Community Wide Garage Sale. This is scheduled for May 22. Residents are asked to register at Village Hall and pay $5.00 per address. This will cover the cost of advertising. Last year, there was a mix up in the ads that is not going to happen this year. Even with the mix up, the sale was quite a success. The best turn out was in areas where there were more than one sale on a block, so encourage your neighbors to participate


 

     Saturday, April 24th, 2004 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Oak Forest Public Works Department, 15440 S. Central Avenue, Oak Forest.
This is an opportunity to dispose of household products that are harmful to your health and the environment.
     You may drop off: Aerosol cans, anti-freeze, cleaning products, hobby chemicals, household batteries, lawn and garden chemicals, motor oil and gasoline, oil based paint, solvents and strippers.
DO NOT BRING: Ammunition or fireworks, automotive batteries, business and commercial wastes, fire extinguishers, latex paint, propane tanks or smoke detectors.
     For more information call 708-206-1155.
Sponsored by South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Graduation time is coming soon. If you would like to have your graduate featured in the next issue of Sauk Talk (May), please write the information and leave it at Village Hall to the attention of Sauk Talk. Be sure to include your name and phone number in case there are any questions.

D.A.R.E. Graduation

The Economic Development
Committee welcomes
new businesses
Al’s Roast Beef/Nancy’s Pizza
and El Tarasco!
 

On February 6th, 2004, Officer Robertson and the faculty of Strassburg Elementary School held its annual D.A.R.E. Graduation for nearly 200 fifth graders.
The D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program is a drug abuse awareness program presented by Officer Robertson who is the School Resource Officer for the Sauk Village Police Department.
As part of their graduation, students were also treated to a Pizza Party on January 30th and were invited to the D.A.R.E. Skating Party on February 13th, 2004.
Officer Robertson will also present a K-4 D.A.R.E. program in the Spring with both Strassburg and Wagoner Elementary Schools.
In addition to working with the elementary schools, Officer Robertson spends two days a week at Rickover Middle School interacting with students, faculty, an

Saturday May 22                                                                                                                                 Only $5.00 per Address
8am-3pm
Register at Village Hall
                          
<!--[if !vml]-->Village Wide Garage Sale     
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Registration includes
                                                                                                                                          advertising and placement on map

 

S a u k  V i l l a g e  S t u d e n t
G o v e r n m e n t  N i g h t

Enter content here

Enter content here

Enter content here