There will be a new sign in Beecher to highlight downtown businesses. And it won’t cost the village what it originally thought it was going to cost.
On April 28, the village board agreed to use Tax Increment Financing funds to purchase a wayfinding sign from Steger-based All-Right Sign, Inc., for $6,077.95.
The sign is 10-feet-tall and 3-feet wide, and each business will have a 9 x 36-inch sign on it. It would replace the current sign that is roughly 5-feet-tall. The village will install the sign once it is ready.
Mayor Marcy Meyer said the specs were the same as a sign being used in Manteno.
During a March 24 meeting, the board discussed the sign and received an $8,000 estimate from one vendor, and board members thought that was too high.
But Meyer consulted with lawyers about using TIF funds, rather than village funds, because the businesses are all covered in the TIF district. She received the lawyers’ blessings, and the project is on, although the board did not discuss a day in which it will be erected.
The mayor said in March she wanted the businesses to receive more visibility.
Youth will be served
The board passed the 2025-2026 budget with total revenues of $4.4 million.
During the public hearing, a $4,000 expense to the Youth Commission was the major topic of discussion.
“A $4,000 contribution was put in this year,” Meyer said. “When the Youth Commission was established, there was no guarantee we would be able to fund it forever. We are able to fund it for most years, but there were many years we couldn’t.
“Last year, we ran into some issues with the budget where we had to make ends meet. At that time, the youth commission had over $12,000, maybe $13,000 in the bank account, so it was determined they could survive without the money last year.”
But this year, she said the account is under $10,000, and the village is able to allocate $4,000 to the commission, but it may not be enough.
“With the way things are headed, there are going to have to be fundraisers, even with the contribution we are doing,” she said. “It’s very difficult.
“The $4,000 is back, and we hope to be able to do it all the time, but we can’t guarantee it.”
She added the commission needs some clarity about what its responsibilities are.
“There is only so much they can do without a ton of volunteers,” Meyer said. “But we will work our way forward from there.”
Beecher bits
•The board honored Patty Meyer for more than 20 years of service to the village, holding various titles throughout her tenure.
•A one-month extension of the risk policy for the new police station was approved as the old policy was set to expire May 1, and the move-in date is expected to be in late May.
