BREAKING NEWS
Early this morning, the Village of Elwood issued a press release announcing the cancellation of the Public Hearing for NorthPoint Development that was scheduled for April 23, 2018 at 4:00pm. No additional details were provided other than that there was not sufficient board support for the project. The press release is below.
WJOL broke the story early this morning on the Scott Slocum show. Mayor Jenco was a guest – you can hear his radio interview by visiting http://www.wjol.com/elwood-says-no-to-northpoint/.
You can also read more in the Joliet Herald News article: http://www.theherald-news.com/2018/04/17/elwood-mayor-cancels-public-hearing-on-compass-business-park/aw2tt/.
Here’s the statement from our Facebook page:
People said it was inevitable. That it couldn’t be done. We fought anyway. People told us to give up, and that it wasn’t worth fighting. We fought harder. They said it was a done deal. We fought intelligently, strategically and with facts and hard evidence.
This morning, the Village of Elwood issued a press release cancelling the public hearing for NorthPoint Development citing a lack of board support for Compass Business Park.
We thank Mayor Doug Jenco and the trustees for listening to the people and doing the right thing. Thank you to the community members who supported us, and to everyone who stood up for what was right. Thank you to everyone who fought for our community.
Let this be a lesson to always speak the truth. Always do what’s right. Even when it’s scary. Even in the face of the unknown. You never know when you’ll persevere. We just did!
I sent this public comment to the ICC today
Dennis OConnor
In the previous ICC related [16 year old] case T01-0064, I wrote over 20 futile public comments. They had zero effect.
Paul Streicher, the village of Elwood’s attorney in that case, was against a bridge [grade separation] at Ira Morgan Road and Ill. Rt. 53, Elwood, Il. John Fortmann of IDOT, even sent an ex parte letter directly the ALJ? Remember?
Now, in the instant case, Paul Streicher humbly requests a bridge on behalf of EastGate a/k/a NorthPoint in the same location?
It now appears,that the only credible attorney, on both cases, is Ms.Jennifer R. Kuntz, Assistant Chief Counsel
Illinois Department of Transportation? 2300 South Dirksen Parkway, Room 313?Springfield, IL 62764
jennifer.kuntz@illinois.gov. I trust and respect her.
Jennifer went to SIU-C Law. As a fellow SIU alumni, I opine, she would have denied the EastGate a/k/a NorthPoint grade separation [bridge] at Ira Morgan Road. Air and noise pollution? Safety issues? But now, it matters NO MORE!
Today, [APRIL 17, 2018] I am PLEASED to announce, that EastGate – Compass Park – NorthPoint – has been quashed by the Elwood trustees. It’s all OVER. It’s done. So now, PLEASE close this case and save over-taxed Illinois taxpayers maybe a few 100 thousand dollars, which could be better spent – elsewhere?