elburnherald_logo728

Serving the
Kaneland area
since 1908






Home   >   Local News   >   Elburn   >   Elburn looks ahead to the new year

Elburn looks ahead to the new year

By on January 4, 2013

In this article (also found on Page 1A of the Jan. 3 edition of the Elburn Herald), the North Side Pub was incorrectly listed as sold. The sale has yet to be finalized.
The Elburn Herald wants its news reports to be fair and accurate. If you know of an error, please contact:
Keith Beebe, Editor
123 N. Main St., Elburn, IL 60119
e-mail: info@elburnherald.com
phone (630) 365-6446

by Susan O’Neill
ELBURN—Coming to a resolution on the Elburn Station development next year is high on the priority list for a number of Village Board members.

Trustee Jeff Walter said that he and other board members have suggestions for ways to improve the plan, which will turn it into something that they can approve.

“We should do everything we possibly can to get that bridge completed,” Village President Dave Anderson said. “It would be an atrocity for this board to watch as those federal dollars dry up and not work with the county to expedite the bridge. Those federal dollars will never come back.”

Anderson said that the importance of the bridge is not to Elburn alone, but to central Kane County. Calling it a safety issue, Anderson said the freight trains that come through town are not getting any shorter. And while it is an inconvenience to the average motorist, it becomes a safety issue when emergency vehicles are trying to get from one side of town to the other.

Another thing board members agree on is that the village will need to continue keeping expenses down.

“It’s all about money,” trustee Ethan Hastert said. “I don’t see money flowing into our coffers, and it will still be lean times in the next few years and for the foreseeable future. I’m glad that we have folks on the board that recognize that.”

Walter said that the board will have to continue to work on making more targeted investments in order to pay for future predictable expenses, such as the cleaning of the water tower. Walter said that it hasn’t been fun, but the board has been able to cut expenses in order to avoid having to dip into the village’s savings.

“We’ve had to make a lot of hard decisions, and it will continue to be a challenge,” Walter said.

Anderson remains optimistic about the future, however. He sees the economy beginning to turn around, and building permits are starting to increase. The village has also seen several instances of commercial growth in the past year or so. Schmidt’s Towne Tap has added a new kitchen and the North Side Pub has been sold, with the new owner planning to turn it into a full-service restaurant. A new pancake house will soon open, and Bob Jass Chevrolet has expanded their operation.

“These are all positives for the village,” Anderson said. “Businesses have indicated they like it here, and they believe Elburn is headed in the right direction. They’re an integral part of it.”

Anderson said that the village needs to look 30 and 40 years down the road, and to have the foresight to make solid plans for the future.

“There’s a reason that the rear view mirror is only 1/25 the size of the windshield,” he said. “You’ve got to keep looking ahead.”

About Susan ONeill

  • traceyj1224

    I find it interesting on how a article titled “Elburn looks a head to a new year” you mention that Northside has been sold. How exactly is that a good thing? We are being pushed out of a business for no reason except a building being sold and conveniently a new revision that we receive NOTHING…What exactly did we do to deserve to be treated like trash? We donated to many events, held charity raffles for Conley outreach, and brought back a bar that previously no one wanted to visit. Also mentioned was the new owners are putting in a full service restaurant? I’m pretty sure we had more food then alcohol sales, but how exciting that there’s going to be a new restaurant in town. Not only are we loosing our job, but so are others who put their heart into this bar as well. I find it extremely irritating and shame on all of you who know nothing about what we have gone through with this sale. We put our entire savings into this bar only to be sold and left high and dry. Did anyone bother to think about what impact this bar being sold is going to have on the lives of others? Didn’t think so….but yay for Elburn your moving forward…
    Tracey Jacobsen

  • Carrie Frantz

    In response to “Elburn Looks Ahead To A New Year” and the Northside Bar being sold…If the closing of the Northside Bar is considered “progress”…then the Village of Elburn really needs to re-evaluate what it stands for. The loss of ANY business is dissapointing in itself, however, to see a thriving local business more or less “bullied” out…under “less than forthcoming cicumstances” is unexcusable. If “progress” is two business owners pouring their hearts, souls and personal finances into a business, only to have the building it is located in be sold out from underneath them…I’ll take a pass on “progress”…EIGHT employees stand to lose their jobs and income. Is this progress? A business that supported local community programs, charity events and opened their doors on holidays and provided free meals to any locals that either could not afford a meal or otherwise had no where to go…Is THIS progress? The Village of Elburn and the Elburn Herald should be ashamed of themselves for touting the words “Progress” at the loss of Northside. Northside exemplified what a small town local business SHOULD be.

  • GM

    “There’s a reason that the rear view mirror is only 1/25 the size of the windshield,” he said. “You’ve got to keep looking ahead.”

    More like its difficult enough to see past your own nose let alone the future with that pesky mirror hanging there.
    Seems like several of these board members would be better off working as TV weather people in Chicago.