Misplaced signs cause a stir at Palatine village meeting

Palatine Councilman Jack Wagner got some chuckles Monday when he walked into Village Hall carrying a stack of illicit signs.

He spent the last month removing them from public parkways, where they're banned except for limited windows of time. His collection features ads for dating services, work-from-home gigs and house-painting specials.

Wagner's big beef, however, is with the 11 campaign signs he picked up for Ann Catherine Brady, a Democratic candidate for judge in Cook County's 13th Subcircuit.

"How can you run for judge and not obey the law yourself?" Wagner asked.

Palatine only allows political signs on public parkways - generally the area between the sidewalk and street - starting 72 hours before an election and 24 hours after the polls close. Brady's were the only political placards Wagner came across.

Brady, an attorney with a private practice, says she's familiar with Palatine's ordinance and had no idea any signs were put in banned areas.

"I'm disturbed because the only signs I've put out are in people's lawns," she said. "I'm actually a big stickler about this."

Brady is running against Republican Annie O'Donnell.

Village Manager Reid Ottesen says reminders have gone out to all the candidates. It's hard to track down violators short of catching someone red-handed, but plenty of fines - typically $75 - have been issued in the past. Some repeat offenders have been fined thousands because the violations are counted per occurrence, per day.

Brady, who planned to sweep the area immediately, said campaign volunteers were given maps, addresses and specific instructions of the signs could and could not go.

"I certainly apologize if somebody because overzealous," she said.

And though she doesn't want to accuse anybody, she does question a couple of recent incidents. In Schaumburg, a homeowner told her someone moved the placards from the yard to the parkway. In another case, one of her big signs at an Arlington Heights business was destroyed.

"It was clearly mowed down with a car," she said. "I don't want to say it was intentional, but it's just a little odd."

Wagner's collection will be displayed at the board meeting following the election, when the village reexamines its sign ordinance and enforcement.

Harper hosts book drive: The Harper College Library is in the midst of its 15th annual Kids Read Book Drive. The drive aims to collect 1,500 new or gently used books, which will then be donated to Northwest Suburban High School District 214's Community Education program and Elk Grove Township.

Books will then be distributed to low-income children, women's programs and families participating in English courses. Books can be dropped off through the end of October at the library on the main floor of Building F, or in boxes across campus.

• Kimberly Pohl covers Palatine. Contact her with story ideas at (847) 427-4472 or kpohl@dailyherald.com.