Proliferation of illegal signs spurs sign ordinance review

I put a lot of effort into keeping a straight face at a recent Palatine Village Council meeting. Call me immature, but it was hard to take the proceedings seriously when, propped up against Mayor Rita Mullins' desk, were ads seeking singles ready to mingle and a business that cleans up after your dog.

Hundreds of temporary signs - some witty, some not so much - covered council chambers. The common thread? They were all illegal.

The comical sight was supposed to prove a point. With so many people blatantly ignoring the rules, maybe the village's sign ordinance needed another look.

Several officials were salivating in the months leading up to the big sign discussion, eager to chastise those responsible.

Especially irksome were the political signs that popped up on public property weeks before Election Day. No one would guess they're prohibited until three days before the election and are required to be cleaned up within 24 hours of the polls closing.

Of all people, the councilmen said, politicians should know better. But those running for office realize the chances of the village going after them are minuscule. Even if staff had time for that, which they don't, the result is a small fine.

And good luck tracking down the origin of those dating services. Village Manager Reid Ottesen said many of the phone numbers route you to a call center in another country. So unless a public works employee happens to catch perpetrators in the act, they're probably safe.

Many ideas were thrown around. The council was on the verge of passing a total ban on signs, but backed off. There was even talk of a referendum to gauge public support.

So after two-plus hours of sometimes heated debate, the council made its decision: No changes for now.

Food drive concludes: The Palatine food drive has become a holiday mainstay since its inception in 2004. This year's event comes to a close Friday, Nov. 21, so consider rounding up some much-needed, nonperishable food items and other necessities such as diapers and baby formula.

The donations will stock the shelves of the Palatine Township food pantry, which serves more than 200 families each month.

There are several drop sites: Buehler YMCA, Ace Hardware, Palatine Bank & Trust, Palatine Opportunity Center, Birchwood Recreation Center, National City Bank, Palatine Park District, Palatine village hall, Harris Bank and Lavelle Law Ltd., which organizes the initiative.