[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6123511,"mediaKeyId","2689534-0642bb1d1b60b570419d99d229514774","parentId",2689534,"title","Residents press Riverwoods over Saunders Road tree removals and board adopts new open-burning permit rules","audioSeconds",1056,"startMs",1672000,"endMs",2728000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2689534-0642bb1d1b60b570419d99d229514774&start=1672&end=2728","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2689534-0642bb1d1b60b570419d99d229514774/thumbnail_1672000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6123511/Riverwoods/Lake-County/Illinois/Residents-press-Riverwoods-over-Saunders-Road-tree-removals-and-board-adopts-new-open-burning-permit-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123511-812f614af7216b1de355f249a3efe54c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144277&Signature=CUwcvDpNKmto~ktmfpjl2Uz~Wv-hHk~p-ndEyFy98fwQ8faDiFODbSx2m~Xaky3HgA3MLxylG85h2APEYgieylFxTivyh20ZfO1heRExi4Wffby7cyYYJRpv-p8atDjdUrKQS0rVXePYCZjgfQ0hKz3~RpjzxjmjWBVmvGLdHFwCfc2Oh0XXZ8g2zcS5fw8u-tlUFdn6ENLFjb5YviweCXqmtDtIVDy3x7iypJDTD~r1MXwqHVCvaYaUxTuhabzLcSTEjgNAdd1~Um9R1zcgSjCghNbV3JtdsSgPoFBR~DfRlqJ63SKNBAGOSmoQetD6DLewT5Zq-9ZhdKNv4hdr6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Village of Riverwoods, IL","date","2025-03-19T15:56:11.383Z","article","Residents criticized the timing and notification of tree removals along Saunders Road and asked the village to provide federal, state and local guidance to property owners, while the Board of Trustees approved a unit-price contract for hazardous-tree removal and adopted an amended ordinance governing landscape-waste burning.

At the meeting William Myers, speaking for himself and a neighbor, said they first learned of tree cutting on Saunders Road \"only late last week without time to appeal to anyone\" and asked why some properties were spared while others had trees removed. He requested that the village provide affected property owners with IDOT and other guidance at least one month before removals and asked that replacements be sized to restore privacy and canopy: \"5 30 foot trees should be replaced with 5 equivalent 30 foot trees,\" Myers said.

Director of Community Services Witt acknowledged shortcomings in direct notice to affected residents and apologized publicly: \"We certainly acknowledge we could have done a better job in communicating the pending removal directly to affected residents along Saunders Road and for that we publicly apologize.\" Witt said the village is planning a neighborhood meeting before the Saunders Road project is let for bids in June and that specifications for the project include replanting at least 70 trees.

On hazardous-tree removal, Witt explained the village solicited proposals and received a single bid from Lucas Landscaping & Design, the same contractor used in 2022. He recommended awarding the contract on unit pricing; the program includes emergency removal and an optional village cost-share program for invasive shrub removal when residents choose the village contractor. Trustee Jamieson pointed out four trees listed in the contractor's proposal were misattributed to village ownership and Witt said staff will ensure billing is corrected.

The board also spent extensive time on an amendment to the Village Code regulating landscape-waste burning. The adopted changes require permits for open burning, limit permitted burn areas on property with a map provided to permit holders, set a permit fee ($50 per quarter), allow permits to be rescinded when conditions or rules cannot be satisfied, and permit the mayor to post alerts (fire or air-quality) that prohibit burning on affected days. Director Witt said the permit process will include a map and that Community Services will distribute permit information to the Police and Fire District so field officers can verify compliance.

Trustees and residents debated permit length and enforcement. The ordinance allows a permit to be issued for up to 90 days (a quarter); Witt said the 90-day window is intended to let property owners plan seasonal cleanup, not to allow continuous burning, and that enforcement includes rescission of a permit and fines for repeated noncompliance. Resident Mag Radlowski and others described repeated nuisance smoke and safety concerns; Radlowski said, \"Putting the fire department and police ... is almost unfair\" because responders are being asked to manage recurrent complaints.

Why it matters: The hazardous-tree contract and burning ordinance affect how the village manages vegetation hazards and neighbors' exposure to smoke and fire risk. The Saunders Road removals and forthcoming Saunders Road project have prompted public calls for improved resident notice, replanting and faster mitigation of driveway/rights-of-way impacts.

What happens next: Witt said the hazardous-tree program will proceed under unit pricing, with a resident choice to use Lucas or a private contractor; staff will notify affected homeowners and adjust billing where property ownership was misrecorded. The village will schedule a neighborhood meeting before the June bid letting for Saunders Road and will publish information about alerts and permit procedures. The burn ordinance will be enforced by Community Services with support from the Police Department and Fire District; the board indicated it will revisit implementation after experience with the new permit process.

Quotations from the meeting

\"We certainly acknowledge we could have done a better job in communicating the pending removal directly to affected residents along Saunders Road and for that we publicly apologize,\" Director Witt said.

\"Is Riverwoods more interested in federal money to add a shoulder than to be committed to the local environment?\" resident William Myers asked, urging that replacement trees restore privacy and canopy.

Clarifying details

- Hazardous-tree program: request for proposals was sent to nine recommended contractors; only Lucas Landscaping & Design submitted a bid; the contract is unit-price based so total contract value depends on work ordered by property and is not a fixed lump sum.

- Saunders Road: tree-removal work at the Federal Life site is complete and some logs remain to be removed along Saunders Road; village staff said work should finish by the March 31 bat-habitat deadline and that the Saunders Road reconstruction will be let for bids in June with a neighborhood meeting planned beforehand.

- Burning ordinance specifics: permits valid up to 90 days (quarterly), permit fee $50 per quarter, permit includes map and setback checks (50 feet from structures and not in required front/side/rear yards), permits may be rescinded if conditions cannot be met or if burning creates a nuisance; bonfires and prescribed burns require additional review by Fire District.

Proper names in this article: Village of Riverwoods, Lucas Landscaping & Design, Federal Life, SeeClickFix, Saunders Road, Orphans of the Storm, IDOT.

Ending

Residents asking for firmer timelines and replacement tree standards will meet with staff; the board asked staff to return with corrections (misattributed trees in the hazardous-tree list) and to implement the new burning-permit system with Police and Fire District coordination for enforcement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOT Meeting 3/18/25","oneSentenceSummary","Residents raised objections to tree removals along Saunders Road and asked for clearer communications and replanting; the board approved a contract for hazardous tree removal, discussed the Federal Life demolition work and passed an ordinance regulating landscape-waste burning that establishes permits, maps and enforcement tools.","taxTitle","Riverwoods, Lake County, Illinois","taxId",74455,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6123515,"Riverwoods board adopts 2025 appropriations ordinance; approves demolition, energy and maintenance actions",1050,460000,1510000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2689534-0642bb1d1b60b570419d99d229514774&start=460&end=1510","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2689534-0642bb1d1b60b570419d99d229514774/thumbnail_460000.jpg","/articles/6123515/Riverwoods/Lake-County/Illinois/Riverwoods-board-adopts-2025-appropriations-ordinance-approves-demolition-energy-and-maintenance-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123515-85daba41e877406ca5da0469b9ccbc77/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144277&Signature=CRJsOkjzE2vuAg4WlihvJBEGt-I3VHdobFv1keb4MpBsuDFdYeg6Xj~UKPbXkDgQM4olRa8qFdgJvbaB7ADSHoyk-Xqy4WCbZQXykLA5PZ6hMag28WaWELDCKwiTZ7fzI82vxZsTxaLD2ca3lBkC23WMkSs6V-gxm-g0plDv2wL09ftKaRta-va-NGSE2Ykz2wDbzL6hHFb7Ky~htOeDT5SSfK-ngqxjfZD3Nog8Ex~ztmM2lU0a-aSU1fCMht7TTAY2vJZEfVPlWcVXYcaTw6YBoxPBpo8GlcpVvgMwe-ZDIXjfPzbfdhf8skyOm5ji0IxX2yQBC6Gs4cr-7qv~~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Board of Trustees of the Village of Riverwoods adopted the Appropriations Ordinance for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025, during its March meeting and approved several related and separate administrative actions including a demolition change order, termination of the village's Nordic Energy aggregation agreement and an extension of a mechanical maintenance contract.

Finance Director Vasquez told the board the Appropriations Ordinance sets an upper bound for expenditures and is deliberately higher than the budget to leave room for contingencies and as-yet undecided capital projects. \"Unlike the budget, which we prepare for planning and managing expenditures, the Appropriations Ordinance sets an upper bound for expenditures,\" Vasquez said. He also said appropriated amounts typically run about 10% above the budgeted line items and that the village is not required to spend the full appropriation.

The ordinance passed on a roll call vote with trustees recorded as voting in favor. Vasquez highlighted several fund-level forecasts included in the packet: the general fund shows about a $160,000 deficit for 2025 after removing a $300,000 contingency line; the Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) fund shows a deficit driven by the upcoming Saunders Road project; the water fund shows a reduced capital program and a roughly $170,000 deficit; and the sewer fund shows an approximate $335,000 deficit driven by capital needs. Vasquez said 2024 included one-time activity that affected margins: about $1 million received from Lake County for stormwater storage at the Federal Life parcel and approximately $950,000 spent by the village for its portion of that property.

In separate votes, the board:

- Approved a change order for demolition work at the Federal Life site to remove lighting poles, conduits and a flagpole, at a cost of $20,675. The board discussion indicated the contractor will remove poles, foundations and associated site features before mass grading.

- Approved a resolution authorizing termination of the village's aggregation agreement with Nordic Energy. The village attorney explained Nordic Energy invoked a material-adverse-change clause after market auction pricing rose; the termination resolution authorizes execution of a termination agreement that, if finalized, would leave neither party with continuing liability and would allow residents to revert to ComEd service.

- Approved an extension of the mechanical maintenance contract with Emmy Bach, to continue service for Village Hall and the police department through Dec. 31, 2026, at an amount not to exceed $7,700. Director Witt said the extension aligns contract periods with fiscal-year administration and that unit pricing remained consistent with prior service when adjusted for contract length.

The board’s approval votes were taken by roll call and carried. Trustees voting in favor of the appropriations ordinance and these items were recorded during the meeting minutes and roll calls provided in the packet.

Why it matters: The appropriations ordinance establishes the village’s legal spending ceiling for 2025. The other votes (demolition change order, termination of the aggregation agreement, and contract extension) affect near-term project costs, service continuity for village facilities, and how resident electric service will be handled if the aggregation program is ended.

Looking ahead, Vasquez said the audit is underway and he plans to start the 2026 budget process in July with a goal of presenting a full budget and appropriations to the board in December rather than March.

Votes at a glance

- Appropriations Ordinance (fiscal year ending 12/31/2025): motion for second reading and approval made at the meeting; roll-call recorded votes in favor (Trustees Dickon, Eastman, Hollander, Jamieson, Smith, Crane). Outcome: approved.

- Change order, Federal Life demolition (removal of lighting poles, conduits, flagpole): motion made and seconded; roll-call votes recorded in favor (Trustees Hollander, Jamieson, Smith, Clayton, Dickon, Eastman). Amount: $20,675. Outcome: approved.

- Resolution authorizing termination of Nordic Energy aggregation agreement: motion made and seconded; roll-call recorded ayes (Trustees Jamieson, Smith, Clayton, Dickon, Eastman, Hollander). Outcome: approved. The resolution authorizes staff to execute a termination agreement that would state no early termination costs are due from the village.

- Extension of mechanical maintenance contract with Emmy Bach (Village Hall and Police Department): motion made and seconded; roll-call recorded ayes (Trustees Smith, Crane, Dickon, Eastman, Hollander, Jamieson). Amount not to exceed $7,700; contract extended through Dec. 31, 2026. Outcome: approved.

What officials said

\"We can spend money for our purposes from revenues received during the fiscal year, as well as from our investment balances,\" Vasquez said when explaining revenue estimates and how appropriations interact with spending authority. He added that investment interest was higher than budgeted in 2024 and that the village budgets conservatively for interest in 2025.

Clarifying details

- Contingency: a contingency line item shown in the budget increased in the packet from $300,000 (budgeted) to roughly $3,000,000 in appropriated amount due to the standard practice of increasing appropriation lines about 10% and to provide authority for possible property acquisitions or other unanticipated capital needs; the village has not historically spent to the full appropriated amount.

- Fund balances: general fund shows about a $160,000 deficit for 2025 after removing the $300,000 contingency; MFT and sewer fund deficits were attributed to major projects (Saunders Road, sewer capital). The village reported large one-time 2024 activity (about $1 million from Lake County and ~$950,000 spent on the Federal Life property acquisition) that affected 2024 results.

Proper names mentioned in this article: Village of Riverwoods (agency), Federal Life (property), ComEd (utility), Nordic Energy (aggregation supplier), Emmy Bach (mechanical contractor), W. B. Olson (demolition contractor).

Ending

Board members said they expect to revisit budget and program topics as audit results and project bids arrive; staff said it will begin the 2026 budget process in July with a finance workshop in the fall.","The Village of Riverwoods Board of Trustees approved the Appropriations Ordinance for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025, and voted on a series of contracts and resolutions including a demolition change order, termination of an energy aggregation agreement and an extension for building maintenance services.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents press Riverwoods over Saunders Road tree removals and board adopts new open-burning permit rules

Riverwoods board adopts 2025 appropriations ordinance; approves demolition, energy and maintenance actions