Village Board Hears Updates on Electrical Aggregation Savings

The Village Board learns that electrical aggregation saved the average single-family home owner more than anticipated.

As the Village of New Lenox nears the end of its electrical aggregation contract, a Northern Illinois Municipal Electrical Collaborative spokesperson reports that residents village-wide saved close to $3 million in the past 18 months. For the average single-family home, the savings was about $500. At the regular Monday village board meeting, Dave Hooper, NIMEC spokesperson said in the first eight months of the program, between October 2011 and May 2012, the village saved $850,000 for residents village-wide. The average savings for a single-family home was $147 during that period. In the last year, village-wide savings total $2,048,000, meaning the average single-family home saved $344. The savings realized in New Lenox were more than …

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Village Trustees Discuss Changes to Public Works Building Project

A requested $45,000 change to the salt storage structure is expected to save money in the long-term. The new dome structure diminishes the need for a costly conveyor.

As the Village of New Lenox moves forward with plans to construct a $9 million public works facility, trustees during a Monday Committee of the Whole meeting were brought up-to-date on a staff preference to build a dome salt storage structure instead of the traditional storage building. Kurt Carroll, village administrator, said since the staff's review of the plans for storage needs, a dome structure—the same type of structure the Illinois Department of Transportation relies on—is preferable because it increases the capacity and it's easier to load. The building would hold 5,400 tons of salt, while a dome can handle about 6,200 tons. The further advantage is that the dome makes it easier to load.  "You can just push it in," whereas the …

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Linda Carson

7:50 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013

I think if you go to City Hall and look up- at the building- you will see it.   more ›

Junior Warriors are Super Bowl Champs

One team became the first back-to-back champ in New Lenox Youth Football, and the other didn't allow a point all season.

Village Approves Fresh Tax Increase, but Offers 55 Percent Rebate Opportunity

The village's property tax levy will increase by about 4.8 percent from last year.

The New Lenox Village Board of Trustees Monday adopted the 2012-2013 property tax levy, which reflects a 4.8 percent increase over a year ago. Last year, villagers also saw an increase that averaged $10 as well. However, the village saw $5.3 million in fresh growth in 2011. This year, growth from new homes and medical facilities brought in to accommodate Silver Cross Hospital made up for only $1.8 million, said Kim Auchstetter, finance director.  Meanwhile, the equalized assessed value of New Lenox homes is estimated to be down about 5.5 percent compared to a 5 percent drop last year, said Auchstetter. The drop is due to the diminished value of homes in 2011.  Overall, the village is expected to levy $2.3 million. That amount coincides …

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New Lenox Foreclosure Rate Among Lowest in Chicago Area

Hard work and conservative spending established stability, according to village officials, and businesses and new developments are on an uptick in New Lenox.

Crain's Business News announced last week that New Lenox was among the top 10 municipalities with the least amount of foreclosures in the Chicago region. New Lenox was tied with Naperville and Highland Park in achieving a foreclosure rate of a mere 2.5 percent per every 1,000 mortgageable properties. The communities with the most foreclosures in the Chicago region included Dolton, Bellwood and Round Lake Beach. Read the whole story in Crain's Business News. Read below for the top 10 communities with the lowest foreclosure rates in Chicago. Last week at the New Lenox Village Board meeting, Mayor Tim Baldermann lauded the fact that New Lenox was on par with communities such as Wilmette and Lake Forest.  In a later interview with New Lenox …

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Leaf Collection Program Gets Underway this Fall in New Lenox

Letter of Credit policy for developers is up for review.

The Village of New Lenox is introducing a Leaf Collection Program beginning in October. Kurt Carroll, village administrator, unveiled plans at Monday's village board meeting. While the details of the program have yet to be finalized, he said the village is looking to dispatch leaf vacuum trucks regularly on Mondays in the fall. Having raked in a good deal of experience in village-sponsored leaf programs in the past, including one he initiated in the Village of Shorewood, Carroll further investigted similar programs in surrounding communities. Already, the Village of Frankfort, Frankfort Township and the City of Lockport implement annual leaf collection programs. "It's a nice benefit for the residents," he added. The older subdivisions, of …

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Village Board Bits: National Champion Cheer Team Honored

The board is also looking at solutions for frequent accidents near Schoolhouse Road and Joliet Highway.

What a way to cap a first season. After being created just last June, the Cheer Envy Allstars won a national championship in the COA Ultimate Nationals last month in Orlando. The team was honored Monday night at the Village Board meeting. "Thank you to everyone involved," Mayor Tim Baldermann said. "You're representing our community very well." The team includes Jessica Abbott, Rachel Benda, Madison Edwards, Haylie Farmer, Isabella Goebel, Rebecca Hagadus, Kara Hogan, Taylor Jacobs, Erica Johnson, Drew Litynski, Baylee Mankiewicz, Jenna Martino, Bree McCabe, Taylor McGovern, Julie Miner, Kaylen Stelmaszek, Natasha Tuminello, Marissa Valencia and Lily Valentine. The team is coached by Rebecca Bradshaw, Emily Broadhurst and Marcy Valentine, …

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New Village Administrator Kurt Carroll Ready to Take the Reins

Carroll comes to New Lenox from Shorewood and will make $153,000 a year.

A few weeks ago, the long-time village administrator, Russ Loebe gave a tearful goodbye in front of the Village Board. This week, on a night when Mayor Tim Baldermann and the re-elected trustees were sworn in for another four-year term, new administrator Kurt Carroll's contract was approved by the Village. Carroll comes to New Lenox after working in the same role in the village of Shorewood, and according to his contract, he will be bringing in an annual salary of $153,000.  "It's hard to compare him to (Loebe), but he will be pouring a lot of hours into the job," Trustee David Smith said after the meeting. Carroll was selected from a field of 67 applicants. "We'll miss (Loebe) but we're very happy to start a new era with (Carroll). I'm …

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UPDATE: Shorewood Village Administrator is New Lenox's Choice to Replace Loebe

The Village Board finalized its choice Monday night and will announce the new administrator on May 9, but a source in Shorewood says Kurt Carroll is the pick.

Updated 12:30 p.m. April 20 Village Administrator Kurt Carroll is leaving Shorewood to take a job with New Lenox, according to Shorewood Patch. Carroll could not be reached for comment, but New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann confirmed that Caroll is coming on board. "He is," Baldermann said. "We're just finalizing the details with him ... Russ has been a tremendous person to have in New Lenox and he is hard to replace, but we're excited to have Kurt and the experience he brings."  Carroll has been the top man in Shorewood government since January 2001. He was working as an assistant city manager in Munster, IN, when he was hired by Shorewood. He is heading to New Lenox to take the administrator post for that village, "probably for more money…

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Village Board Agenda: Driveway Parking, Culver's, Route 30

The board meets at 7 p.m. today. Here's a rundown of what will be discussed in case you want to share your opinion.

Whether you want to speak out a certain issue, ask a question about something else or just keep informed on the village's work, we offer you a rundown of the Village Board agenda. The New Lenox Village Board meets at 7 p.m. the second, third and fourth Monday every month in Village Hall. Public comment portions are allowed. To see an agenda of tonight's meeting, see the attached PDF underneath the photo in this article. The biggest issue being discussed tonight is a driveway parking ordinance. At the board's Feb. 14 meeting, trustees approved an ordinance to restrict on-street parking to four hours at a time for vehicles with higher than a B-class license plate. So, if cars are moving off the streets, where can residents park them? That's …

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