Rolling Meadows eyes billboard for revenue

The Rolling Meadows City Council put off for one more week approving contracts that would put a billboard along Route 53 to gain revenue for the city.

The council held an executive session to try to reach decisions on the issues, but Mayor Kenneth Nelson said after the meeting that more information was needed.

The Rolling Meadows Park District offered land it owns along Route 53 because a billboard erected on city-owned land could block the sign at the West Meadows Ice Arena, 3939 Winnetka Ave.

At issue is how much the city might pay the park district for the land.

The council wants to plug part of its financial hole by leasing land for a billboard to Lamar Advertising, Inc., Chicago.

The council plans to finalize the contracts with the park district and Lamar in a special meeting before the Committee of the Whole meeting Aug. 17.

In other business the council voted 4-3 to reinstate a liquor license for the park district so it can sell beer during home games of the new Chicago Hit Men Hockey Club. The park district previously was licensed to sell beer but had not done so for a number of years.