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Starbucks

Mayor Barrett Pedersen, Trustees and Village staff held a ribbon cutting in June, 2017, to welcome Starbucks to Franklin Park. The popular international coffee retailer moved into a recently-constructed 2,500 SF building at 2800 Mannheim Road, on the northwest corner of Grand and Mannheim. The new retail facility features a drive-thru, an outdoor patio, a bright and spacious interior and nitro cold brew coffee on tap. The new Starbucks is located on a former BP gas station site, which was remediated by the property owner in 2009.

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T-Mobile

The Village is pleased to welcome T-Mobile to Franklin Park. Mayor Barrett Pedersen, Trustees and Village staff held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the business's new facility at 2926 N. Mannheim Road, Unit 3. At their grand opening event, T-Mobile invited employees to shave their heads to raise money for Franklin Park children fighting cancer through the St. Baldrick's Foundation. T-Mobile's brand new space is part of a three-unit, 6,000 SF commercial development recently constructed by Glazier Corporation.

Panattoni Development Company

The Village of Franklin Park held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the largest construction project of 2016: a new 491,089 SF industrial speculative development by Panattoni Development Group at 3400 Wolf Road, the former site of Castle Metals. Over 300,000 square feet of the building has already been leased to distribution firm CST. Panattoni Development Company is one of the largest privately held real estate development companies in the world and has 24 offices in the United States, Canada and Europe.

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Molto Properties

The Village of Franklin Park celebrated the construction of a new 367,000 SF industrial speculative development by Molto Properties with a ribbon-cutting in early November of 2016. The new building at 10501 Seymour Avenue will be followed by construction of a second 106,000 SF industrial speculative building on the same site. Colliers International is currently seeking industrial users for the new space, which is located across the street from O’Hare Airport and less than a mile to I-294 and the I-90 interchange.

Road Closure

Waveland Avenue, between Scott Street and Hawthorne Street, will be closed daily from Monday, August 14 from 6 AM to 4:30 PM through Wednesday, August 23. The Village will be making upgrades to the water system during this time.

Thank you for your patience while we complete this work.

25th Avenue Improvements in Franklin Park and Melrose Park

Beginning Monday August 7, 2017 6 a.m. the Illinois Department of Transportation will begin resurfacing 25th avenue between Grand and Armitage. The resurfacing will also include repairs to gutters, curbs and the cleaning of drainage on both sides of the road. Portions of the sidewalks will be closed.

The estimated completion date is late September. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment. If you have questions or require assistance with this, please call 847-671-8203 Thank you for your cooperation.

County Offers Low Cost Rabies Vaccines - August 22

The County’s Mobile Rabies Clinic will be in Franklin Park on Tuesday, August 22 from 10 AM to 2:45 PM in the Jewel parking lot at 10203 West Grand Avenue. The cost of a vaccination is $7 for a 1 year vaccination, $21 for 3 year vaccination and $9 for a 1 year ferret shot. Only cash or checks are accepted -- no debit or credit cards. All residents must show a valid identification or proof of residency in Cook County. For more information, go to www.cookcountyil.gov/service/low-cost-rabies-clinic.

Leyden Family Services Information and Assistance Days

Leyden Family Services will be at Village Hall on Wednesday, September 6 and 20 from 9:30 AM to Noon to help residents who have questions or need help applying for the government assistance programs listed below. Please remember to bring your award letter from Social Security and paycheck stubs that show the amount of income you receive. Many of the following programs require additional information to be brought with you so make sure to read the Document Checklist BEFORE you visit: Document Checklist

Medicare
Medicaid
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)
Medicare Savings Program
Benefit Access (License plate discount and ride free bus/train pass)
Extra Help (prescription assistance)
Doctor bills that you don’t understand
LIHEAP (energy assistance-when available)

What Would You Put In a Time Capsule?

The Village is taking suggestions for items to be included in our next time capsule that will be opened in 25 years. This fall we will open the capsule sealed on our 100th Anniversary and bury a new capsule for the future. What should the village include in the capsule? We need your best ideas! What will be interesting to those opening the capsule in 25 years? What will be inspiring or surprising or meaningful? Send your ideas to villagenews@vofp.com and watch this page and our Village newsletter for details on the upcoming time capsule event.

Cooling Centers Available

When temperatures rise and become uncomfortable, please note that the Village provides Cooling Centers. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are possible so please be careful. It is important to stay hydrated. Stay in an air-conditioned room and out of the sun. Young children and the elderly are extremely susceptible to heat related injuries and illnesses.

Also, please remember to provide plenty of water for pets and to limit their exposure to the outside. Cooling centers are located at the Franklin Park Community Center (9560 Franklin) and at the Fire Department Headquarters (10001 Addison).

The Franklin Park Police Station (9451 Belmont) is also available Monday through Friday, from 6 AM to 10 PM. The Franklin Park non-emergency number is (847) 678-2444. An operator is available at this number 24 hours a day so you can call it at any time if you have a question or concern. Also, Leyden Township offers a Cooling Center at 2620 Mannheim Road which is open 6 AM to 9 PM on Monday through Friday and from 9 AM to 3 PM on Saturday.

During extreme heat, Cooling Centers are open seven days a week - 5:30 AM to 8:30 PM at West Suburban Hospital and 8:30 AM to 5 PM at Rush Oak Park Hospital. Hours may be extended when weather conditions warrant. Call West Suburban Medical Center at 708.763.6747 or Rush Oak Park Hospital at 708.660.6000 with questions about extended hours.

Take Precautions to Avoid West Nile Virus

Protect yourself and your family by taking simple steps to avoid the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus. Limit your time outdoors especially at dawn and dusk. Wear long-sleeves, pants and socks, and use insect repellent with DEET, primarily applied to clothing. Eliminate breeding sites by cleaning gutters, storing containers upside down, covering trash containers to keep out rainwater and emptying birdbaths and wading pools every few days. Keep grass and weeds cut short and close screen doors tightly.

Village inspectors are larviciding mosquito pools that are found and reported. Also, backyard catch basins can be treated by calling 847-671-8245.

Maintaining Lawns

Residents are encouraged to mow their lawn on a regular basis. Please eliminate weeds growing in alleys and areas behind your home.Grass and weeds cannot exceed six inches in height because mosquitoes and rodents can hide and breed there. Please note that the Village will start issuing tickets to homeowners whose grass is over six inches high.

If you are disabled or elderly and need assistance complying with this request, please call us at 847-671-4800. Thank you for your cooperation.

Special Exemptions Available to Seniors

Did you know that residents who are 65 or older, can qualify to receive free garbage pick-up service in Franklin Park? Simply bring your water bill and a valid Drivers License or State ID to Village Hall to update your records. Seniors also qualify to receive a free vehicle sticker each year and for the Village-subsidized grass-cutting and snow removal!

State law now requires that Seniors have to reapply annually for their Senior Exemption on their Property Taxes. The Senior Exemption provides tax relief by further reducing the equalized valuation of an eligible residence. Go to www.cookcountyassessor.com or contact the Cook County Assessors Office for assistance

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Our Community Celebrates

Our annual Franklin Park Fest was a huge success. Visitors from around the region joined Franklin Parkers in enjoying the music, the food and the carnival. Train enthusiasts came out in droves to view unique and vintage train cars, train memorabilia and to celebrate our heritage at Railroad Day on Saturday. Jazz Night, featuring the Buddy Rich Big Band, drew its largest crowd. We further celebrated our heritage by commemorating our Village’s 125th Anniversary by honoring some of the Founding Families of Franklin Park. The Library produced a wonderful exhibit full of Franklin Park history with great stories about our town.

Green is Gold!!

Employing sustainable practices in your home and garden not only preserves the environment, but saves money as well. Using lawn clippings to mulch, instead of bagging it as yard waste, also reduces your costs. Rain barrels are a type of green infrastructure that captures rainwater from your roof and saves it for when you need it. By keeping this water out of the sewer system, rain barrels can also help prevent sewer overflows and flooding.

Make sure to leave the valve at the bottom of the barrel open a little year round to ensure that there is sufficient capacity when it rains. To obtain a rain barrel, go to www.mwrd.org. Use your dishwasher and washing machine only when full. Switching from hot water to warm water will cut your energy use in half.

Recycling – A Goal for Our Village and Our Planet

Did you know that when you recycle properly, you can save taxpayers money? The Village offers a 64 gallon recycling cart to all residents and we encourage you to use it, but please recycle properly. Do not put items into the recycling cart unless you are sure they are recyclable. Putting non-recyclable items into the recycling bin actually costs the taxpayer money.

You can click on the Recycling Guide icon below to see what can be recycled and how to recycle properly. You can also contact my office at 847-671-8236 to obtain that information.

Join your neighbors in making it a goal to recycle correctly!

Mayor Barrett Pedersen