Pingree OKs work on Route 72-Reinking

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Updated: October 29, 2011 12:41AM

PINGREE GROVE — Village trustees have moved ahead with installation of a traffic light and other improvements at Route 72 and Reinking Road, approving a proposal from Lintech Engineering for engineering work on the project.

The improvements are intended to address safety concerns and also will include the design of eastbound and westbound left turn lanes on Route 72 for Cambridge Lakes’ Neighborhood 19 and Cambridge Lakes North respectively.

In February, trustees amended the village’s budget to include $1,050,000 from Cambridge for future intersection improvements, and allocated $20,000 to be spent on project study and design at Reinking and 72.

Trustee Robert Spieker was the lone no vote on approving Lintech for the work, expressing concern that bids were not let for the $83,000 work.

Village Administrator Bill Barlow said that since Lintech principal Jeremy Lin also is the village engineer and the firm already was in the midst of the design work on the project, it make sense to award it that portion of the work.

He also noted that Lin has worked closely with the Illinois Department of Transportation on getting the project to this point.

“They have prepared the first phase of the project and the engineering and design is a natural continuation of that work,” he said.

Village President Greg Marston said he understands Spieker’s interest in trying to save the village money by bidding out projects, but that this was the right move.

Lintech, he said, is “very competent and (has) built relationships with IDOT.”

Marston also noted that sending these professional services out for bid would lengthen the timeline and cost the village $5,000 to $10,000 to perform a request for proposals. He said the village will solicit bids form contractors for work on the actual road improvements.

“This is standard procedure and their costs are right in line with market prices,” he said

The village hopes to finish the improvement by the end of the year.

Clerk appointments

In other business, trustees:

Voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that will allow Village Clerk Joanna Wester to appoint up to two deputy village clerks to assist with her duties which include taking minutes at village board meetings, taking roll during votes and signing official documents.

Wester was elected clerk this past spring and is compensated at the rate of $50 per meeting.

Under the ordinance and in accordance with state statute, Wester’s appointments would not require the approval of the village board. The deputy clerk would serve with no additional compensation.

Wester had previously unofficially appointed Village Administrator Bill Barlow as deputy clerk. Barlow had agreed to write up board minutes, saying it was logistically just as easy for him to do because he had the information at hand and could easily perform the task.

Barlow did not receive extra compensation for those services.

Trustees clearly stated their position on Barlow and any other village staff assisting with the clerk’s duties, by including an amendment to the ordinance that no existing village employees can be named as deputy clerk.

Heard from Marston that the Fourth of July events planned by the village’s newly formed Community Events Committee were a success. The events were held on July 2 and included a fireworks show and the village’s first-ever parade.

“It was a great time and we raised over $2,000 for future events,” said Marston, who joined members of the Pingree Grove Police Department and others in the dunk tank, where visitors lined up to give them a plunge.

According to Barlow, thousands were in attendance and the police department reported no incidents.