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Shorewood mayor, trustees welcomed by village board, as outgoing member, village clerk recognized fo


After taking a contested race in the April 4 election, the Shorewood Village Board of Trustees took time to acknowledge the results, by recognizing incoming and outgoing members at its May 9 meeting.

Voting records from the Will County Clerk’s office show Rick Chapman receiving 1,368 votes, while his opponent in the mayoral race Barbara “Cookie” Kirkland’s 1,322 fell short. To fill three open trustee seats, Daniel Warren tallied 1,466 votes; Daniel Anderson with 1,750; and Clarence “CC” DeBold with 1,338, while challenger Lona Jakaitis’ 1,297 missed the mark. No candidate filed to run for village clerk.

Outgoing Village Clerk Tracy Ragusa led the oath of office for returning officials Anderson, Warren, Chapman and newcomer DeBold.

“It is humbling experience, that’s for sure,” Chapman said of his re-election. “I’d like to take advantage of three or four major issues that I’ve talked about in the campaign, and, of course, one of them is something that the village board just needs to continue to focus on along with Village staff and that’s Lake Michigan Water.”

Other priorities highlighted by Chapman include keeping the Village’s radar on the construction of a recreation center and maintaining a safe community.

Anderson said he hopes to make good on his campaign promises.

“I hope to do a good job for the community,” Anderson said. “I’ll try to make the best decisions possible for the community as a whole.”

Warren gave thanks to his supporters for electing him to serve on the board for another term.

“I would like to thank my friends and all that entrusted me with this honor,” he said. “It is with a great pleasure that I’m allowed to represent and support the residents of this great community.”

DeBold said he’s truly excited to have the opportunity to represent and work for the people.

“It was a huge learning experience meeting with a variety of members and residents of the village of Shorewood,” he said, noting this is going to be an interesting four years.

Also during that meeting, Ragusa and Trustee Ed Murphy were recognized for their service to the Village. Neither individual ran for re-election in the April 4 election.

Shorewood inks agreement with TRG Venture Two

Shorewood officials are looking to bury the hatchet and move forward.

The Village of Shorewood is wading through litigation with a bonding company, Fidelity, over the completion of public improvements dating back to the most recent economic downturn, at which point the developer of the Edgewater subdivision went bankrupt and the Village sought to pick up the costs.

Village Attorney Jim Murphy said TRG Venture Two could’ve been held liable.

Shorewood officials maintain that focusing on the formation of an agreement with TRG is necessary. Such a measure allows the 51 lots in the Edgewater subdivision not completed to be sold and developed by a potential purchaser.

“We would not be able to go against the purchaser for any funds that we didn’t collect from Fidelity, but we could still potentially go against TRG,” Murphy said.

The agreement, as is, approved in the amount of $565,000 stipulates that Cal Atlantic could purchase 51 lots from TRG.

Gas main relocation at Route 52, River Road OK’d

To ensure utilities are relocated ahead of the construction schedule set for Route 52 and River Road improvements, Shorewood officials approved a contract with Nicor Gas in regards to a gas main.

Mayor Rick Chapman prefaced the board’s consideration of the contract with Nicor Gas and said this measure impacts the Village’s future roadwork timeline for Route 52 and River Road “which is going to become a major construction intersection, I hope, this season.”

Typically, a project with an April letting will begin as early as mid-June. It is the Village’s desire to see the construction season begin early.

The site in question running south of Route 52 and west of River Road includes an easement the Village was made aware of. That makes the board responsible for reimbursing Nicor for a portion of the gas main relocation.

Nicor is to pay for relocation of utilities on River Road at the intersection near the Gas & Wash. The site includes a public right-of-way, so the Village is not financially responsible for that portion.

Christopher B. Burke Engineering project manager Bryan Welch noted that ComEd and AT&T also have to relocate utilities in and around the intersection and said hopefully, the Village will start to see those efforts ramp up.

Murphy questioned if the work performed will impact the Gash & Wash.

Welch said it shouldn’t cause an issue for the station or its operations, but the utilities relocation will lead to the bike path being torn up and later replaced.

In a 6-0 vote, the board approved a $73,867.78 contract with Nicor Gas for gas main relocation.

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