Arlington Hts. residents plead for fence improvements
After nearly two months of appealing for help at village board meetings, Arlington Heights residents learned this week they will have to keep waiting for upgrades to what they've labeled an unsightly fence near their homes.
Jim Valencia, who lives along East Davis Avenue near downtown, has been attending village board meetings since early September to ask for beautification of a fence that runs parallel to the railroad tracks in front of his home.
"It is in deplorable condition. It's a shameful thing to look at," Valencia said.
It took several weeks for the village to determine whose job it would be to improve the fence - Arlington Heights or the railroad. It turns out the village owns the fence, but officials said it will not be upgraded immediately.
"Everybody has pride and ownership in this town. Where's yours?" Davis Street resident Mary Friday asked village board members Monday. "Work with us, do something. It is close to the downtown."
Village Manager Randy Recklaus said officials will consider fence improvements during its next capital projects review cycle, which will take place in spring 2016 for fiscal year 2017. The projects budget for the next fiscal year, beginning Jan. 1, already has been approved by the village board.
"There is a lot of financial uncertainty going on. There is a lot of discussion of the state changing the way we collect revenue in terms of a property tax freeze. We are also trying to redouble our efforts for road construction," Recklaus said. "This is a difficult process; we have a lot of square miles to cover. To make a decision about a single plan now and let it cut ahead of line would be unfair."
When planning capital projects, Recklaus said, the village first considers maintenance or new projects that are necessary for the health and wellness of residents or that are required by federal, state or local mandates, before looking at discretionary projects such as the fence.
It is unclear how much it would cost to beautify the fence area, but Recklaus said there are a number of options in a range of prices going all the way up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"I don't want to indicate that in any way we are shortchanging this process," Recklaus said. "I just want to make sure it is fair and to consider it with other projects that are in the hopper as well."
Residents said they don't want to see their request forgotten about if any improvements get put off until 2017.
"Arlington Heights is a beautiful place," said resident Kevin O'Connell. "We would just like it to continue. We don't want this to be something that gets lost in the shuffle or de-prioritized."