Serious sales at Campton Hills' farmers market

Heads up, farmers.

If you haven't been out to Campton Hills' new farmers market, you might be missing out on some serious sales.

In its first two weeks, the Saturday market drew steady streams of customers eager to snatch up fresh flowers, vegetables and homemade jam.

Village President Patsy Smith said last week that about six vendors have been participating, though there appears to be a demand for more.

"I heard everything ran out by 11," Smith said of the July 14 market. "It was slim pickin'."

The market takes place through October from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday at Campton Square Shopping Center, on the southeast corner of Route 64 and LaFox Road.

The vendors set up in an interior parking lot you can access from Campton Crossings Drive, at the south entrance to the shopping center.

Smith said the market already has featured vegetables, flowers, coffee, beef, chicken, sausage and bacon.

But organizers still are looking for area vendors to sell fresh bread and fruit, among other items.

To get a sales space, vendors must pay a seasonal fee of $150, which the village uses to advertise the market.

You can get more information, or register as a vendor, by calling (630) 584-5700.

Road rebuttal: Plato Township folks who became part of Campton Hills when the village incorporated this spring might have been pleased to read in the Daily Herald that the village plans to repair several of their roads.

But the story, which appeared July 10, left Plato Township Highway Commissioner Joe Hulke a little disappointed.

The article reflected several village trustees' comments that Plato roads have been neglected over the years and will be costly to repair.

Officials also indicated Plato should pick up some of the latest repairs tab because the township will receive 2006 tax dollars this year, while the village won't get road money until 2008.

Hulke said he doesn't want to get into "mudslinging," but feels the new village isn't giving him a fair shake.

"Plato Township has done as much as we could possibly do with the money with have available," he said of a $375,000 annual road budget, spread over 50 miles of roads.

Hulke pointed out that the village inherited about 10 miles of Plato roads in the incorporation, and several of them were damaged by a harsh spring thaw.

Yet Hulke said he's continued some regular maintenance -- mowing, re-shouldering, cleaning up trees and picking up dead animals -- at no charge while the village gets itself in order.

Hulke said he also made $13,000 in repairs to Lenz and Kendall roads, at the village's request.

He expects to get that money back.

"I'm not here to take shots at anybody," Hulke said.

"These are the roads they inherited. It goes with the territory."