Palos Park Commissioner G. Darryl Reed said at Monday's council meeting that the payment system for residents needs to be upgraded. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)
Palos Park to offer online payment system for residents
By Jeff Vorva
Palos Park Commissioner G. Darryl Reed introduced a resolution upgrading an enterprise resource planning system at Monday’s village council meeting.
He said the last upgrade came in 2013 and the system is outdated.
“We want the dinosaurs out of here and make room for the Jetsons,” he said.
So, the council is jettisoning the old system as it unanimously passed the resolution for a service agreement between the village and BS&A Online for the implementation and use of the new planning system. It will cost $94,600 to implement the software.
Reed said this will allow Palos Park residents to pay their bills online and not to have to mail them in or come into the office unless they want to. He said that with all of the changes, this may not be fully in use for several months.
Speaking of technology, the council also voted to approve a contract with Proven Business Systems LLC of Tinley Park for maintenance of the village’s IT equipment.
The cost will be $4,160 monthly for the next 36 months for 32 devices. If another device needs to be added, the village will be charged $130 per device.
Short-term rental problems
The council is asking the Plan Commission to look into amending the zoning code regarding the regulation of short-term rentals in the village.
Village Manager Rick Boehm said short-term rentals “have resulted in neighbor complaints and the need for police involvement.”
He said that the current code prohibits short-term rentals but that the language in the code might not communicate a clear policy and it should be reviewed.
Parade to cause closures
The village’s biggest event each year is the Autumn in the Park festivities, which take place Friday and Saturday.
Because of the parade on Saturday, 123rd Street will be closed between 96th Avenue and 80th Avenue from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Alternative routes will be offered on Route 83, 119th Street and 131st Street.
Local News
Star student earns college scholarship
Spread the love St. Laurence High School senior Priscilla Bonilla stands with her family, minutes after learning she has earned a four-year academic scholarship to the University of St. Francis. In college, she plans to study theology and secondary education, with a hope to return to St. Laurence one day as a teacher. A West…
Worth Park District asks voters to support parks
Spread the loveWorth Park District officials will ask residents on April 4 if they are willing to pay a little more to support facilities. The district will ask voters to approve a 0.2000 percent tax rate increase. If approved, residents would pay about an additional $5 per month for every $100,000 of equalized assessed value…
OLCHS, Richards Contest Play advance to state finals
Spread the loveBoth Richards High School and Oak Lawn Community High School Contest Play productions advanced to state finals March 24 and March 25 at Glenwood High School in Chatham after earning the title of Sectional Champions. OLCHS’ Mariana Salazar, Mariam Chuli, Melanie Cabrera, Jet Peleaz, Matthew Perry, Shawn Perry, Vasili Patrianakos, and Kathryn Fragapane…
Yarbrough and O’Grady join elected officials to recruit Election Day workers
Spread the loveFacing a critical shortage of election poll workers, Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough on Tuesday joined Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and Maywood Library Board Director Erica Sanchez to ask suburban residents to heed the call, help their local community, and get paid to volunteer as poll workers for the upcoming April…
At Stagg, bald is beautiful for St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly Students and staff at Stagg and Sandburg high schools raised thousands of dollars for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on St. Patrick’s Day, with many going all out and getting their heads shaved. Leah Ellis, a counselor at Stagg, has been coordinating the Palos Hills school’s participation in the annual fundraiser…
Sterling Estates woman charged in death of 19-month-old son
Spread the loveA woman from unincorporated Sterling Estates in Justice was charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment stemming from an incident involving her 19-month-old son that started in October, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday. On Oct. 17, Sheriff’s Police responded to a residence in the 800 block of Victory Lane in unincorporated Sterling…
Centennial Park West band shell project ready to roll
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva A project that has been 20 years in the making finally is good to go. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted Monday, March 20, to give a green light to the Centennial Park West project. The revamped park will have a permanent stage to host three major…
Taking sides in mayoral race
Spread the love. Clearing, Garfield Ridge endorsements start to emerge By Tim Hadac While neither Paul Vallas nor Brandon Johnson has campaigned to any significant degree in Clearing or Garfield Ridge, their supporters—including several here in the neighborhood–are starting to go public. The latest endorsement to be snagged occurred last Friday, when U.S. Rep. Jesús…
Casten still learning the lay of the land in the south suburbs
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Sean Casten is getting to know his new mayors. Casten, the Democratic Congressman of the revamped 6th District, has been spending a lot of time meeting 40 mayors in recent weeks after he was sworn into office in January. Casten beat out Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau in the November…
Court’s in session for Palos Park mayoral candidates
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Yes, they are lawyers. And they know how to give a closing argument. Longtime Palos Park Commissioner Nicole Milovich-Walters and Ronette Leal McCarthy are a pair of lawyers seeking the job as mayor to take over for John Mahoney, also a lawyer, who is retiring and did not seek a…
Neighbors
Indoor vaping, cat declawing could be banned under recently passed bills
By JERRY NOWICKI & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed 68 bills this week while the House had advanced 284 as of Friday morning with hundreds more to go before their adjournment for the week. It was the first in a two-week stretch of legislative deadlines for bills to…
Lawmakers approve kindergarten reform, plan to address childhood literacy
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Lawmakers are looking at several ways to improve learning outcomes and access for young students in Illinois. On Thursday, members of the House of Representatives approved a proposal that would require school boards in Illinois to provide full-day kindergarten starting with the 2027-2028 school year. The…
Former Madigan political director details push by speaker’s office for key ComEd bill
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – As was the case with many big legislative efforts in Springfield, former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s staff was deeply involved in negotiations over what would become the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2015 and 2016. FEJA had many backers in environmental circles and organized labor…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
Advocates push for tax credit aimed at increasing affordable housing
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers are considering bills that would create a new tax credit for affordable housing, referred to as the “Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit.” The legislation, contained in the identical House Bill 2044 and Senate Bill 1737, would mirror a federal program administered by the Illinois Housing…
Utility’s indicted CEO considered Madigan when hiring, witness says
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – In April 2017, a top staffer in then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office was looking to leave his job after a combined nearly 18 years working for the speaker’s office and as his political director. Will Cousineau applied for a high-level job with electric utility Commonwealth…
House passes bill prohibiting book bans
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit libraries from banning books or other material because of partisan or doctrinal pressure, prompting strong opposition from Republicans who called it an assault on local control. House Bill 2789 is an initiative of Democratic Secretary of…
ComEd’s former top lawyer paints Madigan confidant as ‘double agent’ in testimony
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Being the longtime friend of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan granted Mike McClain certain privileges not afforded to other lobbyists in Springfield, jurors heard Tuesday in a federal corruption trial that, in part, centers around the relationship between the two. McClain “had pretty free access”…