Peotone Chamber of Commerce – New Website!
Click here to visit this new site and learn more about the great things happening in our local business community!!
The Peotone Chamber of Commerce recently rolled out a new website.
I-57 Access Study Newsletter #1
This past November, our study team held the first public meeting for the I-57 Access Study on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. The meeting took place at the Will County Fair Atrium, 710
S West Street, Peotone, IL 60468 from 3 – 6 PM. Thank you to all the community members, elected officials, and members of the press who attended!
Village Draft FY 26 Budget
The Village of Peotone’s next budget begins on April 1st, 2025. This will be the fiscal year (FY) 26 budget.
The draft budget includes a number of highlights including:
- Maintains 30% fund balance
- Increase in Village annual fund balance
- Conrad Street Storm Sewer
- Resurfacing of Crawford Street
- Increase in percentage of Police Pension funding
- Needed vehicle purchase for Public Works Department
- Funding for downtown facade improvement program
Now Hiring – Public Works
The Village of Peotone Public Works Department is seeking a hardworking and energetic applicant for full-time employment in the Public Works department. This position is responsible for a variety of manual labor projects. This position will be expected to work from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Monday-Friday.
Starting wage $18.50 (union position) Applications available online or at Village Hall.
Village of Peotone to End Vehicle Sticker Program in 2025
The Village of Peotone will vote to officially end its vehicle sticker program at their board meeting on January 27, 2025. This decision comes after many years of discussion and a current review of the program’s impact on both the Village’s budget and its residents.
The Village Administrator presented the historical data on the program to the Mayor and Trustees at the December 16th board meeting. The board discussed their initial concerns about the impact of elimination of this program on revenue. Following this review, the consensus was that the vehicle sticker program should be ended.
“There were some concerns about how ending the program would affect our revenue streams and budget, but with the steady increase in revenues from new and existing businesses, we are confident we can make this change without negative consequences,” said Mayor Peter March
The vehicle sticker program, which required residents to purchase a sticker for every vehicle regularly parked or housed in the village, has been in place for many years. Renewal forms were typically mailed to residents in late December, with stickers available for purchase until mid-February. The process has long been a manual, staff-intensive operation, which required residents to make trips to Village Hall to pay fees and obtain their stickers.
Village Administrator Nick Palmer noted that ending the program would benefit residents by eliminating the need for them to complete the task each year. “This is a way to give some dollars back to our residents while eliminating a process that was costly and time-consuming for the Village,” Palmer said. The Village has collected approximately $70,000 annually and staff believes these dollars can be replaced with other resources of revenue and streamlining operations.
Mayor March emphasized the Village’s focus on improving services and cutting unnecessary costs. “The Trustees and I have continually asked our staff to find ways to streamline services and better serve residents. Ending the vehicle sticker program is a practical step in that direction,” he said.
The Village Board will review a draft ordinance to formally eliminate the program in January 2025, at which point the program’s formal discontinuation will take effect. As a result, no renewal letters will be sent out to residents at the end of December, marking the end of the annual process that has been in place for years.
This move is seen as a positive step toward simplifying village operations and reducing unnecessary burdens on both staff and residents.
Village of Peotone begins new process for Code Enforcement; Seeking compliance over ticketing
The Village of Peotone is announcing the start of code enforcement “sweeps” this week as part of a new effort to seek compliance with Village codes for businesses and residents. The Village board recently approved a contract with B&F Construction Code Services, Inc. to conduct property maintenance enforcement. This follows the departure of a Village staff person who previously was charged with these duties.
“The departure of the previous staff person gave the Mayor and the Board the opportunity to reconsider how we were doing code enforcement in the Village,” said Village administrator Nick Palmer. “We believe this expanded scope of work for B&F will be both more cost effective and efficient for the Village.”
B&F already does permit approvals and plan reviews of construction projects for Peotone, but the approval of the property management, or code enforcement, work adds some additional duties to their scope of work. As opposed to paying a full-time employee a salary plus insurance and benefits, the Village now will only pay B&F staff an hourly rate to conduct periodic sweeps of town and follow-up activities to seek compliance with the Village Code.
“We have stressed to B&F through our Village Administrator that the goal of this work is compliance not excessive ticketing of our residents and businesses,” said Mayor Peter March. “We also have set a high expectation for professionalism and politeness when these enforcement personnel are out engaging with residents and business owners.”
The Village expects B&F staff to conduct initial sweeps throughout the entire Village where they will identify any code violations. These enforcement staff will inform the owner of the issue and of the need to correct the violation. After fourteen days if the violation is not corrected, then B&F staff will formally notify the residents of the violation. If not corrected after another seven days, the violation will continue to escalate and could end up before an administrative adjudication hearing officer. The frequency of these sweeps will depend on the need for these investigations.
“Residents can always report code enforcement complaints to the Village via our website (www.villageofpeotone.com) or by contacting Village Hall. Our goal is to keep Peotone as a great place to live, work, and raise our families,” said Administrator Palmer. “If anyone has concerns or questions, please feel free to reach out to me to discuss further.”
Project Starting in Village this week
The Village of Peotone is pleased to announce that Pavlov Media, Inc. has submitted an application, received on October 15, 2024, to construct an underground fiber optic network throughout the Village. This advanced network will provide residents and businesses with state-of-the-art telephone and broadband services, significantly enhancing connectivity in our community.
Over the past month, Village officials have been diligently reviewing Pavlov Media’s plans. A company representative addressed questions from the Mayor and Trustees at the October 28 Board Meeting, and Village staff hosted a preconstruction meeting to discuss the proposed project in detail.
What to Expect During Construction:
The construction process will primarily involve installing fiber in parkways throughout the Village, with minimal disruption to the community. Crews from Pavlov Media are set to begin work as early as this week. The installation process may include some digging and equipment setup in neighborhoods, but Pavlov Media has assured that restoration work will be completed promptly, weather permitting.
Learn More at Our Upcoming Information Session:
To keep residents informed, the Village is coordinating with Pavlov Media to host an informational session in early December. This session will provide details about the construction process and answer any questions from the community. Additional information, including the date and location, will be announced soon.
Stay updated on this exciting development through the Village’s website and social media pages. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to bring this cutting-edge technology to Peotone!
Consolidated Election Petition Notice
VILLAGE OF PEOTONE NOMINATION PETITION FILING – 2025 CONSOLIDATED ELECTION NOVEMBER 12-18, 2024
Candidate nominating petitions for the Tuesday, April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election for the offices of one (1) Village President, for a four-year term and three (3) Village Trustees, each for a four-year term, will be accepted at the Village Clerk’s Office during regular business hours at the Village Hall, 208 E. Main Street, starting at 8:00am on November 12, 2024 through 5:00pm on November 18, 2024.
If petitions are filed for the same office at 8:00am on the first day or between 4:00pm and 5:00pm on the last day of filing, a public lottery will be held to determine the order of candidates’ names on the ballot for the first and last positions on the ballot. If necessary, a lottery will be held at 4:00pm on November 26, 2024
Leaf Collection Reminder
Each Fall the Department of Streets and Alleys collects leaves from residential parkways. The program guidelines are:
- The program will run from mid October through early December, weather permitting.
- The pick-up schedule is subject to weather and emergencies. Weather conditions may cause delays or permanent closure of the program for the season.
- FOR SAFETY SAKE: Please- only leaves and mulch- no branches, rocks, litter or other materials. These items can injure personnel and damage equipment. The Village cannot collect leaves mixed with these items.
- Leaves should be in the parkway close to the curb by 6:00 a.m. Monday. The entire village will be collected each week. Some properties may not be collected until the end of the week.
- To save fuel and operating costs, we cannot conduct return trips. Leaves placed in the parkway after the crew has passed your home will not be picked up until the following week.
- Please place leaves in the parkway and away from storm drains.
- We must be able to reach the leaves. Leaves must be accessible to the vacuum tube – not behind mailboxes, utility poles, parked cars, etc.
- Please do not place leaves in the streets- they will clog storm sewers and increase the potential for street flooding.