The Tinley Park village board has agreed to ease a residency requirement for nearly all full-time municipal employees.
The unanimous vote at Tuesday’s board meeting came after officials earlier this year approved a contract with the union representing police officers that dropped the requirement that they live within the village.
As under that contract, full-time employees would be able to live within a 30-mile radius of the intersection of 183rd Street and 80th Avenue — residency outside of Illinois will not be allowed — but holders of executive positions including police and fire chief and village manager would still have to live in the village. The residency rule would also remain in place for the public works director and emergency management/911 communications director.
Village Manager Dave Niemeyer had previously told trustees that the residency restriction has made it difficult to recruit applicants for positions, such as community development director.
In other business, the board approved a contract with a California firm, at a cost of about $42,000, to replace the fountain at Zabrocki Plaza near the Oak Park Avenue Metra station.
The previous multitiered fountain was heavily damaged in an act of vandalism a year ago and was removed.
The new design has a circular water-filled base ringed by water jets and multicolored lights that can both be controlled remotely, according to the proposal from Tournesol Siteworks. Installation of the fountain, for which the village will award a separate contract, is targeted for spring, and expected to cost about $15,000.
According to police Chief Steve Neubauer, the village received $10,000 as part of a plea agreement with the man charged with toppling the fountain last year.
Trustees also approved an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation for the resurfacing of 80th Avenue from 159th Street to 171st Street.
Estimated to cost about $1.2 million, the project will be largely funded by federal money the village obtained through the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, with the village’s share estimated at $257,000. Work is expected to be done in spring.
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