Seneca seeks input on vacating street
Carlson Oil would buy West Street to allow business expansion
SENECA – The public will have the chance to comment on vacating West Street for an intended commercial expansion.
A public hearing on the proposal is slated at the Seneca Village Hall prior to the regular village council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 19.
Carlson Oil Company, owner of BP Amoco at U.S. 6 and Illinois 71, is proposing the expansion, and needs the unused West Street to make provisions for sewer and utilities. About 60 feet by 200 feet in size, West Street is south of Jackson Street and north of West Birch Lawn Place.
The site was recently appraised at a fair market value of $6,000. According to the proposal, the village would retain a 40-foot easement over the 60-foot strip of land.
Carson Oil has offered to pay the village $12,000 for the site. The council is agreeable to the offer, having noted the site would probably never be used as a public thoroughfare.
During Tuesday evening's regular meeting, the Seneca Village Council reorganized following the April 7 consolidated election, bidding goodbye to outgoing Commissioner Gary Hamilton, and hello to incoming Commissioner Jerry Sears.
Both Sears and Mayor David Spicer, who was elected in his own right April 7 following his appointment two years ago, were given the oath of office by Village Clerk Therese Russell.
"Welcome aboard," Spicer said to Sears. "You are officially behind the counter."
Of Hamilton, who was absent from the meeting, Spicer wished him well.
"I thank him for doing a fine job of taking over on the spur of the moment," the mayor said. "He did a fine job for us."
Hamilton took the appointment to fill an unexpected vacancy last fall, then lost his bid for election in his own right in the April 7 contest.
In other business, the council:
• Accepted the resignation of James Rehak from the Seneca Plan Commission for health reasons. Spicer thanked Rehak for his service to the village. The vacancy will be filled by appointment.
• Has swine flu masks available without charge at the village hall.
• Is awaiting a legal opinion from Joliet attorney David Silverman as to whether the special use permit on the Seneca I-80 Railport needs extending beyond the June 6 expiration date. Silverman was the village's special counsel on the multi-million dollar logistics park proposal by Gerard Keating of Geneva.
• Noted repairs are complete on the river bridge across Illinois 170 at Seneca, and the 15-ton weight limit is removed.
• Learned street repairs will be an ongoing project throughout the summer. Due to lack of funding, no major rebuilding will take place – only pothole repairs.
• Will flush village fire hydrants in mid-May. Residents are alerted to possible rust in the water during the flushing period.
• Congratulated Streets Department employee Paul Rivett and the wastewater treatment plant for winning the state's Group 2 Plant of the Year Award.
"He should be congratulated," said Spicer. "He does a great job."
• Noted cleanup of the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal, and also the standing water on the east side of Crotty Park. Property lines will be set, and trees cut from the drainage ditch at the park.
• Village-wide garage sales will be Saturday, June 6. For placement on the village's garage sale map, contact Our Savior's Lutheran Church at (815) 357-6128.
• Village cleanup dates will be Friday, June 12; Saturday, June 13; and Sunday, June 14. All items are to be brought to Olson's Salvage Yard on West U.S. 6. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Curbside pickup is not available.
Seniors and disabled residents, however, may call the village hall at 815-357-8771 for pickup arrangements for June 12 only.
No tires, concrete, dirt, stones, yard waste, paints, or hazardous materials will be accepted.