Elk Grove officials want new group to focus on business park

Elk Grove Village plans to disband its industrial and revitalization commission and replace it with a new group that officials hope will accelerate revitalization efforts in the village's sprawling business park.

The volunteer commission, made up of business owners and two village trustees, was organized in 1996 at the recommendation of former Mayor Chuck Zettek and former Village Manager Chuck Willis. The group completed a master plan in 1996 that suggested improvements to the business park, and updated the plan in 2011.

But since then, the commission hasn't been as involved in the "nitty-gritty" of the business park, said Village Trustee Jim Petri, who co-chairs the commission with Trustee Sam Lissner.

And there's only two members of the existing 10-person commission who own businesses in the business park, Petri said.

That's why Petri and Lissner have proposed dissolving the current commission and forming a "business leaders forum" that would include current commissioners as "legacy members," and invite other business owners from the park to provide feedback on potential improvements.

Petri said he spoke with a number of people at the village's Made in Elk Grove manufacturing and technology expo in October who expressed interest in getting involved.

Commission member Giovanni Gullo, president and CEO of Gullo International Development Corporation, told village trustees this week that he hopes the new group would come up with ideas to spur development.

"It could be remodeled to get some very aggressive people to help Elk Grove to be much more aggressive to redevelop much faster," Gullo said.

Mayor Craig Johnson said the commission's recommendations have resulted in a total of $60 million in business park upgrades, including the installation of turning bays to improve traffic flow, as well as lighting, landscaping and signage improvements.

The village board plans to vote on a formal ordinance dissolving the commission Feb. 10. The commission would be disbanded formally on May 1.