New truck for Summit
Santa due at Summit Park 11 a.m. Saturday
By Steve Metsch
With a pickup truck that is “literally falling apart,” according to village Trustee Aleco Julius, the Summit Village Board on Monday night voted unanimously to buy a new vehicle.
The board voted 5-0 – Trustee Mayra Ortiz was absent – to purchase a 2016 Ford F-250 pickup truck for $31,200. It will be used by the Public Works Department, Julius said.
“It’s to take employees to different sites, different jobs. The truck we have now is literally falling apart. It’s seen better days a long time ago. We’re putting bandages on top of bandages,” Julius said after the meeting.
The truck is being purchased from Summit Auto Center, 6400 S. Harlem Ave., Julius said.
“Public works more than needs it,” Julius said. “That’s a fair price.”
Mayor Sergio Rodriguez agreed: “That’s a great price, If we bought new, we may be paying double.”
Summit Mayor Sergio Rodriguez, left, and Trustee Aleco Julius agree that the village got a good deal on a 2016 pickup truck for public works. Photo by Steve Metsch.
In other business, the board approved a payment of $40,629.60 to the Strada Construction Co., based in Addison, for the replacement of sidewalk stairways on Douglas Avenue at 73rd Court and at 73rd Avenue.
The old stairways had fallen into serious state of disrepair and were crumbling after years of weather.
“When you compare before and after, it’s a world of difference. It was a real hazard,” the mayor said “It turned out great. All that’s left is adding handrails to make them ADA-compliant. They never had handrails before.’
He’s hoping that Cook County may provide some funding for the work.
The board began the meeting by going into executive session for 24 minutes to discuss “personnel issues pending, probable or imminent,” according to the agenda.
Afterward, Rodriguez and several trustees declined to say what was discussed.
During public comments, a resident complimented the village for lighted Christmas decorations in the windows of the village hall, 7321 W. 59th St.
“That would be The Warehouse Project that did it for us,” Rodriguez said.
The board’s next meeting is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at 5810 S. Archer Road. At that meeting, a hearing will be held for the 2019 budget which is expected to win approval.
In other news, Santa is coming to the Summit Park on Saturday.
Santa is expected to arrive around 10:45 a.m. on a fire truck, Rodriguez said. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Santa will be available for photos. Hot chocolate, coffee and cookies will be served.
Desplaines Valley News
Email Steve Metsch at sm4610@sbcglobal.net
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