Board votes to fix sidewalk at Cook Park Library

A divided Cook Memorial Public Library District board on Tuesday agreed to tear out and then rebuild a stretch of sidewalk at the Cook Park Library in Libertyville because its slope doesn’t meet village building standards.

The library district will be responsible for the estimated $4,500 cost of the work, which board members hope can be done this fall before winter weather makes such work more expensive.

The sidewalk was just the latest thing for village and library officials to disagree about when it comes to the Cook Park Library, which was renovated and expanded last year. They’ve also feuded over a plan to change the parking lot layout, particularly the ways cars can enter and exit the space.

Some measurements have shown the roughly 30-foot-long stretch of sidewalk, which is on the south side of the building, is slightly steeper than local building code allows. Other examinations have shown the sidewalk meets safety requirements.

Architect Michael Padavic, library administrators, a village engineer and others re-examined the sidewalk Aug. 25, and the engineer again ruled the sidewalk was too steep.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Padavic said the board isn’t obligated to keep the sidewalk in place, and he suggested it be replaced with sod if the panel didn’t want to rebuild it.

“That solution will cost less than repairing the sidewalk,” Padavic said, later indicating concrete removal and sod installation would cost about $3,225.

The board eventually voted 4-3 to replace the sidewalk, pending village approval of a design plan.

Tom Milowski, Ann Oakley, Nathan Johnson and Wendy Vieth voted to redo the sidewalk. Board President Bonnie Quirke and trustees Marti Gorun and Mary Ann Phillips opposed the proposal.

Milowski had harsh words for the job ahead.

“It’s an absolute waste of taxpayer money,” he said.