Merchants concerned with proposed parking fee

This letter is in response to all of the recent discussions and proposals for charging a parking fee for employees in the downtown Westmont area who are not fortunate enough to have parking behind their business.

We have empty stores, loss of foot traffic, less revenue and merchants trying to keep their heads above water and hold onto their employees in a downturned economy. Now the village wants to create a fee on a single class of employees. In addition, you must register your vehicle with Westmont or face a fine.

Almost all of the merchants in favor of this proposal have parking in the rear of their buildings, so this does not apply to them. It will apply to a lot of employees making minimum wage.

Especially when times are tough, we want happy employees dealing with our customers. This is being done just to raise revenue on the backs of the lowest paid workers and merchants who are loyal enough to have their business in Westmont.

The proposal discriminates: The village workers will not pay, nor will they have to register their autos. The merchants who have parking will not pay or register their autos.

It appears that some of the people on the Westmont Village Board and Chamber consider this a done deal. We hope the residents, along with the downtown workers, will support us in our efforts to stop the village seeking to raise revenue in this unfair manner.

Steve Rand, Artistic Grooming II; Bridget Diaz, Brandon Phillips Salon; Pete and Sandy Pawlowsk, E. Peter Pawlowski Insurance; Irv and Ruth Kaplan, Irv Kaplan Interiors; Lynn Gottwald, Kuts ‘N Such Hair Design; Svilen Minchev, Niya Sunglasses; Patrick C. Blaney, DDS; Ronald L. Isbell, DDS; Dalita Moondragon, The Moon Dragon; Cyrus Jaffrey, Village Smoke Shop; Robert Airdo, Vincitori Restaurant; Violette Hawkins, financial adviser, Edward Jones; Will Wight, Westmont Funeral Chapels; Dennis Jordan, Weshnont Pharmacy; Rick Martin, West Suburban Insurance

Residents should be aware of potential cell tower

The Downers Grove Park Board is considering putting another cell tower in Whitlock Park, in this case along Fairview Avenue north of Ogden Avenue. The location in the park has not been identified. The board has indicated that it will notify the residents immediately surrounding the park, prior to its meeting of Aug. 20.

But since the tower, if installed, will be within view well beyond the park, more general notification should be in order. The installation would consist of the normal tower itself plus an equipment building.

The Park Board’s objective is income, in addition to that which they are currently receiving from the towers in Hummer and Gilbert Parks. This might be seen as commendable on the part of the board.

It can also be further commercialization of our parks; is this appropriate use of our parks? When we run out of parks for cell towers, will beer ads appear on the backstops?

Will the Park Board maintain reasonable and adequate control over the land beneath the towers and over the towers themselves?

This cell tower instance is much more than a potential problem for Whitlock Park neighbors, because a park in your area might be next. This is the time to make your views known, whatever they may be. The board is planning to vote on the issue at its Aug. 20 meeting.

John Kikta, Downers Grove