By TIM REILLY
At the January 9, 2013 Oak Lawn Village Board meeting there was a discussion about making improvements to sidewalks. Under the voluntary 50/50 program residents agree to pay half the cost of sidewalk repairs even though the sidewalks are publicly owned on village easement. One trustee proposed prioritizing the worst sidewalks and going ahead with repairs to minimize suits against the village regardless of the homeowner’s interest in having the work done. In the same discussions, District 4 trustee Tom Duhig proposed that the Village place a lien on property when an owner fails to contribute 50 percent of the sidewalk repair work.
I am astonished that a district trustee would propose initiating a formal legal process against residents that would potentially jeopardize their home ownership and credit rating over public sidewalk repairs that they may not even have initiated. To be fair, the village does place liens on property for lesser amounts; however, those situations typically involve unattended, foreclosed properties which requires the village to perform fix-ups or maintenance specifically on the owner’s private property. The lien is intended to recoup costs and force the owner to acknowledge ongoing responsibility for the property.
Mr. Duhig’s proposal is either an irresponsible statement demonstrating lack of understanding of the difference or a truly uncaring proposition demonstrating a complete disconnect with the community. Only a very small minority of Oak Lawn residents—if any—would agree with Mr. Duhig; thank God no other board members expressed any support for this at the meeting.
In most cases, the repairs involve having 4-5 sidewalk squares replaced and the homeowner’s share is a few hundred dollars. For this Mr. Duhig would place a lien on their home? The legal and administrative fees to execute this ill-conceived approach could easily outweigh the return; that is not to mention the insensitivity to homeowners of this bizarre proposal.
There are many seniors on fixed incomes. There are quite a few people out of work or underemployed. The economy has been weak and many responsible, hard-working homeowners are finding it difficult to pay their bills. Mr. Duhig is proposing to initiate legal proceedings against them if they are facing difficulty to help pay for repairing publicly owned property? I would trust village staff to reasonably manage this process without needing to apply such extreme measures. I could not disagree more with Trustee Duhig and I would guess that most residents share my belief on this issue.
Tim Reilly is a candidate for Oak Lawn Village trustee in the fourth district. Patch invites all candidates running for local offices to submit editorials and blog on Patch. For more information, contact the editor, Lorraine Swanson, at lorraine.swanson@patch.com.
Blowing Smoke
6:26 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
Um. Mr. Reilly. There was no Village Board meeting on January 9th. Just sayin...
OakLawnGuy
7:11 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
I can tell you from experience it's more than a few hundred for 4 or 5 squares. And the Village will mudjack them before replacing them, unless they are ruined beyond repair. Even forgetting the lien, to "make" a resident contribute half towards sidewalk repair is ludicrous.
O.L. Taxpayer
7:37 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
So, if I get this right, you want the rest of the village to pay for a sidewalk repair at the 50/50 rate if they can afford it and if you are old or on a fixed income,you suggest the rest of the village should pay for it? I am truly shocked that someone would be so inconsiderate to the whole village as not to upset the credit rating of a few. If you would have stated that IF elected you would propose the elimination of the whole 50/50 program, maybe we would give it a listen. This whole article is written just to slander an opponent, not to give an example of what you would do to improve the village as a whole with you as a member of the board. Did Dr. Bury or Trustee Phelan write this for you? Ironic since they are your opponents modus operandi.
SmallManBigWoman
7:50 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
Sounds like Heilmann wrote it..
Grunty
10:37 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
I really don't understand this whole program, but it sounds like it might have been started because the village was neglecting sidewalks and homeowners wanted to do something about it even if they had to pay. An optional program that homeowners could elect to take part in, or just wait for the day when sidewalk repair came their way.
I don't know, but unless the village is going to let me extend my property line to fifty percent of each square I don't think its my personal responsibility to replace sidewalks anymore then its the village's job to repair fifty percent of my mailbox.
JRV1813
11:36 am on Monday, January 14, 2013
Grunty is 100% correct.
rick
12:01 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
How about a lien on not taking care of the parkway too...at least "Sleepy Tommy" was awake for this part of the village meeting.
James Manning
12:03 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
Mr. Reily, what is your position on impact fees for the village from advocate medical center?? Oh yeah your on one of their boards right?? Your running mate the mayor is against them. And you say?
Doing my part
5:54 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
I think the program sounds good but the quality of the new concrete is terrible or could it be the work. My sidewalk is almost eighty years old and all over the place but not falling apart like some off the new work in the neighborhood.
Grunty
11:03 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
I just did a bit of research and it seems like the 50/50 program is a pretty common thing in Illinois. Doesn't mean I like it, but what can you do...
Dave W.
11:31 am on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Indeed, if a resident WANTS to have a new sidwalk put in before it is really necessary, or has to because they redid their driveway or something, that should be either 50/50 or even all born by the resident. Why should other taxpayers fork over extra just because somebody else wants to get stamped concrete for a driveway and needs a 'new' sidewalk to go with it?
However, on the flipside, I have never understood why taxes aren't allotted for 100% the other way if a sidwalk is in true disrepair, be it fixing it or replacing it. Some people hardly even use sidewalks adjacent to their property, and corner lots get double the 'public' way, without any relief, if not higher taxes to begin with.
For that matter, why doesn't the city have to come mow THEIR lawn on the park way? (Which, ironically, if you park a car on the parkway, I am told you get a ticket more often than not...) How much do we have to pay in taxes which keep going up, without getting services equal to what we pay?
Lastly, whether it is the modern concrete or the people pouring it, I do not know, but the sidewalk in front of my house is hundred years plius old...still in great shape. The neighbor decided for whatever reason to replace theirs a couple of years ago...it is crumbling in many spots and they need the town to come back out this summer. Nice.