Stepping Stones EC 2017-09-16 185_slide
Local News

Incentive for day care, public works projects approved in Homewood

The Homewood village board approved a business incentive Sept. 12 to help Stepping Stones Child Care make improvements to its building and parking lot. 

  Stepping Stones Child Care will make improvements 
  to the building and parking lot with help from 
  Homewood’s business incentive program.
(Photo 
  by Eric Crump/H-F Chronicle)
 

The Homewood village board approved a business incentive Sept. 12 to help Stepping Stones Child Care make improvements to its building and parking lot. 
 

Stepping Stones opened at 17560 Dixie Highway 24 years ago. The owners intend to invest $64,000 in the property.
 
In a memorandum, Homewood Director of Economic and Community Development Angela Mesaros said village staff recommended a $7,000 incentive package that would cover 25 percent of the cost for siding and windows. The property also will get a new roof.
 
This funding will come from Homewood’s non-tax increment financing (TIF) business incentive program, which is used to help businesses not located in a TIF district. 
 
The board also approved the repainting of a water storage tank at 17755 Ashland Ave. for $346,800. Era-Valdivia Contractors of Chicago received the contract.

The 1 million-gallon tank was last painted in 2000. Director of Public Works John Schaefer said the repainting is routine maintenance that should be done every 15 to 20 years.
 

Trustee Jay Heiferman asked why a lower bid from Celtic Commercial Painting of Woodridge wasn’t accepted. 
 
“To the best of my knowledge, with the information that we’ve received, (Celtic) were not experienced at painting those water tanks because it’s both the exterior and the interior that must be done,” Mayor Richard Hofeld said. “They hadn’t provided any references to prove the fact that they had (done similar work).”
 
Village Attorney Chris Cummings said one of the requirements in the bid process was to provide evidence of 10 other completed jobs, which Celtic was unable to do. 
 
The board also accepted a bid from Independent Mechanical Industries to construct a new manifold and make electrical improvements to a water plant. It was the lowest of five bids at $345,000. 
 
Homewood police will donate 30 bicycles to charity. The bikes have all been in storage for at least 180 days and none have been claimed. 
 
The village paid $590,832.94 worth of bills at the meeting. Hofeld pointed out that three items — village employee insurance for $195,173.07, a payment to Thorn Creek Sanitary District for $79,224.78 and $71,100 to Utility Dynamics for new lights along Dixie Highway — made up about 58 percent of those costs.

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