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Travelon

The Village is proud to be the new home of Travelon. Travelon is an industry leader in providing forward-thinking travel products and accessories with an emphasis on anti-theft features and modern design. Their new facility at 11333 Addison Ave, Unit 200 has 20,000 square feet of office space and nearly 95,000 square feet of warehouse space. Serving as their new headquarters, this facility will accommodate about 100 employees dealing with distribution, design, and product development. Find additional coverage on this ribbon cutting ceremony here!

Jersey Mike's

Mayor Barrett Pedersen and representatives of the Village of Franklin Park celebrated the addition of Jersey Mike’s Subs to the growing retail development at Grand Avenue and Mannheim Road. The sandwich shop prides itself on their use of fresh ingredients and culture of giving—each Jersey Mike's partners with a local charity. Jersey Mike’s has joined AT&T and the future home of Sprint to fill the newest Franklin Park Marketplace development by Glazier at 2830 Mannheim Road!

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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.

Chipotle

Chipotle is open for business in Franklin Park!

Mayor Barrett Pedersen,Trustees Karen Special , John Johnson and Andy Ybarra, Clerk Irene Avitia and Village staff cut the ribbon to officially welcome the new restaurant to the area. Chipotle Mexican Grill is located at 2926 Mannheim Road. Chipotle offers a menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients that are sustainably grown.

Fire Department Open House - October 12

Learn more about fire safety and have a fun afternoon at the Fire Department’s Open House on Saturday, October 12 from 10 AM to 2 PM. The event will include games, station tours and give-a-ways. Enjoy refreshments including coffee, donuts, hot dogs, and other treats too! Meet our firefighters and paramedics and get an up close look at the fire engines, ambulances and equipment. Join the fun at Fire Station #2, located at 10001 W. Addison.

Remember, working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors save lives -- test yours every month! For more information, call 847-678-2444. Read more fire prevention tips here .............

Tax Workshop – October 17

Mayor Barrett Pedersen and Board of Review Commissioner Mike Cabonargi will host a special workshop entitled “How to Appeal Your Property Tax Assessment” on Thursday, October 17. The event will be held at the Police Station in the Community Room at 6:30 PM. Attendees will learn about the property tax system and the appeals process. Staff will be on-site to answer your questions. Remember to bring a copy of the second installment of your property tax bill.

Senior Health and Resource Fair – October 18

Mayor Barrett Pedersen invites you to our annual Health and Resource Fair on Friday, October 18 from 9 AM to 1 PM at the Park District’s Centre at North Park at 10040 Addison Avenue. This informative event will feature dozens of vendors providing important health care information, sample products, giveaways and FREE medical testing for blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.

Osco will be offering flu and pneumonia shots for a fee but most insurance plans will cover the cost of the vaccinations, so to bring your insurance or Medicare card. The Illinois Secretary of State will be on-site to assist you with simple Driver’s License or State ID renewals and vision tests.

Learn how to make healthy lifestyle choices and about resources available to support senior living. Representatives from government agencies and community organizations will be available to answer your questions.

Bring your unwanted and expired medications for proper disposal by the Police Department. Refreshments and lunch will be served. This event is sponsored by Senator Don Harmon and Senator Robert Martwick and is in partnership with the Villages of Franklin Park, Schiller Park and River Grove. .

Trunk or Treat – October 25

Calling all costumed kids and parents who love to decorate! You are invited to a Village-wide Trunk or Treat hosted by downtown businesses on Franklin Avenue. The Halloween-themed event will be held on Friday, October 25 at 6 PM at 9678 Franklin Avenue. Join the fun by decorating your car trunks and trucks! There will be candy for costumed kids and prizes for the best trunks! For more information, call or text 708-257-0378. The rain date is Saturday October 26 at 1 PM.

Senior Snow Removal Program - Apply Now!

Apply now for the Village’s Senior Snow Removal Program. Qualified seniors, 65 or older, and disabled residents will pay a discounted fee per each service request. If you have previously participated in the program, you MUST apply again. Applications are available at Village Hall or by calling 847-671-8240. Apply early before the program fills up!

Trick or Treat Hours

The Village’s official Trick or Treat hours are 3 to 7 PM on Halloween. Remember to shop local for your Halloween costumes, decorations and candy including Nestlé’s Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars produced right here in Franklin Park!

Get Help Applying for Government Assistance Programs

No appointment is necessary to meet with Leyden Family Services at Village Hall on the following Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 AM:

October 9 and 23
November 6 and 20
December 4 and 18

Staff can assist you to apply for Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, the Medicare Savings Program and LIHEAP. They can help you make sense of your medical bills, obtain prescription assistance and to get license plate discounts and free train and bus passes! Bring your Social Security award letter and paycheck stubs that show the amount of income you receive. Check the Document Checklist before you visit here ....

Submit Names Now for Veteran’s Monument

The Village is inviting you to submit the name of a Franklin Park resident now to have it added to our Veteran’s Monument. Interested veterans or family members must provide a copy of the veteran’s DD214 form to Office of the Village Clerk at Village Hall. Documents must be received by no later than October 15 to ensure the name will be added to the monument in time for the Village’s annual Veteran’s Day ceremony on November 11. For more information, please call 847-671-8242..

Village Starts Leaf Pick-up Service

The Village's contractor Republic Services will begin leaf removal service this month. Leaves cannot be picked-up if they are placed in plastic bags or put in the street. Please put leaves in brown biodegradable bags only and place them near your trash and recycling for pick-up. Bags can be purchased at local grocery and hardware stores. Please do not put or blow leaves into the street. It jams the street sweepers and causes unnecessary maintenance costs.

Leaves that are swept or blown into the street clog the sewers causing back-ups and street flooding. Also, remember that burning leaves is not permitted in Franklin Park. Residents can skip the raking and mulch their leaves instead. Simply mow over the leaves a few times and then leave them on your lawn to add nutrients and to provide protection from winter weather. Also, sprinkle over your plants and shrubs to help retain water during winter months.

The Department of Public Works will sweep Village curbs through late November. Please remember to check signs on your block for parking restrictions. For more information, call 847-671-8252.

Avoid Street Flooding

We ask for your assistance in helping to avoid street flooding during prolonged periods of rain, like the ones we have been experiencing lately. Please do not blow or sweep your grass cuttings or seeds into the streets. They will clog the sewers and cause a back-up of standing water onto the street if there is a heavy rain. Instead, please sweep cuttings and seeds up and mulch them or bag them for removal.

Thank you for your cooperation on this matter

Village Introduces New WaterSmart Program

Franklin Park residents can sign-up to have access to a program designed to help you reduce your water usage and save money on your monthly water bills. WaterSmart is an online program that allows users to review and understand their water use. Setting up an account is fast, easy and free from a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Users can analyze current water use and also review usage history from monthly figures even down to an hourly use. The program also allows you to set up alerts via text or email to help you detect leaks or other unintended water use. In addition,you to compare your water use with other similar users in your area. WaterSmart is available now but you must enroll to participate by calling 847-671-8252.

https://franklinpark.watersmart.com

Senior Citizen, Disabled and Veteran Property Tax Exemptions Available

Make sure to check your property tax bill to verify that you are receiving all the exemptions for which you are eligible. Homeowners, 65 and older are eligible to receive a Senior Homeowner Exemption. You must apply annually to receive this exemption. Renewal notices were mailed. Make sure to return the application immediately.

The Senior Freeze Exemption is available if you have an annual household income of $65,000 or less. There are also exemptions available for Disabled Persons, Disabled Veterans and Returning Veterans. To get more information regarding these exemptions, go to www.cookcountyassessor.com and click on exemptions. Homeowners who are at least 65 years of age by June 1 and whose household income is $55,000 or less can apply for the Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral program.

This tax-relief program works like a loan and allows qualified seniors to defer a maximum of $5,000 per tax year which will not have to be paid until the home is sold. To check eligibility and get an application, go to www.cookcountytreasurer.com.

Quiet Zone Update

The Village has received a $1,416,343 Pedestrian Rail Safety Grant to fund a significant portion of the safety improvements needed at the pedestrian crossing at the Calwagner and 25th Street grade crossings and the Metra Station. We are working with Metra to design and construct the safety improvements. The Village will make street improvements including installing a median barrier at 25th and Ruby. Watch our Village newsletter for updates as we move closer to obtaining a Quite Zone Designation in Franklin Park!

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Infrastructure and Street Improvement Update

Safe streets and reliable infrastructure are the foundation of a strong community. The Board of Trustees and I have a firm commitment to keeping our Village in a state of good repair. That is how we keep our property values stable and attract more investment and jobs to Franklin Park. Thanks to Illinois’ recently passed Capital Plan, Build Illinois, over $1.3 million will go directly to the Village of Franklin Park for important safety and infrastructure projects.

New Traffic Light at George and Grand Avenue

Installation of new traffic signal will improve traffic safety by helping motorists exit the Jewel parking lot where many accidents and injuries have occurred.

Safe, Efficient Drinking Water

The Village’s infrastructure study determined the Curtis Street pump station is old, in disrepair and providing little benefit to our Village. The new funds will be used to close the Curtis Street facility and prepare the King Street pump station to efficiently provide safe drinking water to the Village.

Additional Metra Parking

Build Illinois funds will also support creating Metra commuter parking at the site of the old police station on Belmont Avenue. In addition, we will demolish the Leyden News Agency building near the Metra lot and pave the area to add even more commuter parking. These parking expansions will help keep our residential streets clear from commuter parking. Expanded parking also encourages mass transit use, relieves traffic congestion and helps our environment.

Update on Reuter and Naples Subdivisions

Work has been progressing in the Reuter Subdivision to replace under-sized storm water sewers and provide better storm water drainage. Underground work for the sewer and water main reconstruction along Reuter Street to 25th Avenue and from Johanna Avenue to Nevada Avenue has been completed. To continue the enhancement of the area, portions of the completed areas will be landscaped and final paving will begin this month. This fall, the Reuter Subdivision Phase 2 will begin on Leona Street from Johanna to Richard.

This project includes a new water main, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and a total street reconstruction. This work is expected to be completed in the fall of 2020. The replacement of these storm sewers will increase drainage capacity and help alleviate flooding or water accumulation. In the spring of 2020, the Reuter / Naples Phase 3&4 will commence and will include a new water main, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and total road reconstruction. The Village has been approved for an IEPA low interest loan for the water and sewer portion of the project and the 1% sales tax funds will fund street reconstruction.

2019 Street Improvement Projects

In accordance with the Village’s comprehensive pavement analysis of all streets in Franklin Park, the Board has dedicated the 1% sales tax for street and infrastructure repairs. This has enabled us to bring our streets into repair without further burdening the property tax. Projects from this year include:

Reconstruction of the frontage road from Melrose Avenue to Wolf Road.
Resurfacing of Seymour Avenue from Carnation Street to Centrella Street.
Resurfacing of Scott Street from Waveland Avenue to Addison Street and partial resurfacing from Addison to Pacific Avenue. This work begins in September and will be done in combination with improvements to two alleys between Birch Street and the CN Railroad tracks, north and south of Chestnut Street.

Coming Soon -- 2020 Improvements

The Village has been working on plans for street improvement projects for next year too. We will focus on roadway improvements near Leyden High School. Improvements are slated for Panoramic Drive from Mannheim Road to Dora Street, on Nichols Avenue, Davis Avenue, Addison Street from 25th Street to Nichols, Britta Avenue, Kimmey Court, Hacke Court, Nerbonne Avenue, and Leyden Court. Improvements will be complete by the fall of 2020.

A Year of Giving

Franklin Park’s Year of Giving has resulted in increased volunteerism and participation in community projects. Channel 5, the local NBC affiliate WMAQ and Telemundo recognized our community’s spirit of giving and profiled Franklin Park in June, 2019. Every day, our police officers and firefighters place themselves in harm’s way for our safety. And they also volunteer their time in many charity events throughout the year. Every year, as we solemnly commemorate the 9/11 attacks on our country, we are also asked to honor all First Responders. Please join me in taking an opportunity to thank OUR First Responders for all they do.

Mayor Barrett Pedersen