6 minute read
Letters
Denis Moran, 78 Proprietor of Moran’s Garage
Denis M. Moran, 78, of Forest Park, died on Feb. 9, 2020. Born on April 1, 1941, he was the proprietor of Moran’s Garage in Forest Park. Denis was the husband of Kathy J. (nee Cavicchia); the father of Molly (Darrell) Kays, Kelly (Joseph) Spillane, Maura (Tom) Doyle and Dan (Gina); Grumpy to Matthew, Tommy, Shannon, Danny, Maeve, Jeremy and Maddisen; great-Grumpy to Zeke; the brother of Frank “Buzzy” (Anne), Denise “Tiny” (the late John “Red”) Halloran, Margaret “Mardy” (Don) Johnson and the late Nancy Buckley; former spouse of Mary Lou (Bob Armbrust) Moran; and uncle and friend to many. Visitation will be held at ConboyWestchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road, in Westchester (2 blocks west of Mannheim Road) on Friday, Feb. 14 from 4 to 8 p.m. Meet on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Forest Park’s St. Bernardine Church, 7246 Harrison St. for 11 a.m. Mass. Interment will be private. The family appreciates memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association. Additional information is available at 708-F-U-N-E-RA-L.
George Silva, 60 Owned George’s Automotive Service
George William Silva, a lifelong resident of Forest Park, died on Feb. 6, 2020. Born on April 24, 1959 to Maria and the late Hernan Silva, he attended St. Bernardine School and Proviso East High School and eventually opened his own automotive repair shop in Forest Park. George’s Automotive Service has operated in the alley of 7222 Madison St. since June 9, 1985. When not fixing cars, he enjoyed racing American sedans, collecting Matchbox toy cars, and listening to Rush, Pearl Jam, and XRT. George was the father of Alexandra Silva, Robert Silva, and Stephanie Hahn-Silva, and the godfather of Michael Pascua. George was the older brother of Nancy Silva and
Margie Zilligen, the uncle of Sean, Mallory, Courtney, and Rachel Zilligen, the nephew of David Silva, the cousin of Teresa and Anise Silva, and friend to many. In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations to organizations George supported over the years: St. Bernardine’s Catholic Church and the Forest Park Kiwanis Club. Visitations will be held on Friday, Feb. 14 at Zimmerman Harnett Funeral Home in Forest Park, 4-8 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 15 from 9:30 to 11 a.m., with a memorial service beginning at 11 a.m., followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
An accurate and complete count is critical
I am a member of Forest Park’s Census Complete Count Committee. We are assisting with the national census effort to make sure every person in the village is counted. Having an accurate and complete count of Forest Park residents is critical to receiving all of the funds, resources, and programs that Forest Park needs and that will help our community thrive. It is estimated that we lost out on more than $7 million due to an undercount of approximately 26 percent in the 2010 census. We have several subcommittees that are currently forming that will tackle different areas in order for everyone to be included in the count. We could use help to reach out to our schools, local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and renters to name just a few. Please consider volunteering your time for this important effort. If you would like to volunteer with one of our subcommittees, please contact Allen Serrano at aserranosr@ yahoo.com.
Kris McCoy Forest Park
Living with stigma, working for change
I live just outside of Forest Park, and I have worked in Forest Park for more than two years. I work at Progress Center, a nonprofit with services and resources that support independence for people with disabilities. Part of independence is the social aspect, trying to build communities that not only accept diversity but also engage with people who are different from the typical in one way or another. I have dwarfism. On a personal level, and on a professional level, I’ve found Forest Park to be very engaging. I’ve loved working with and interacting with other businesses along Madison Street, and with the Chamber of Commerce. Friday, Feb. 7 was a particularly lovely day in Forest Park. It was 37 degrees. With the sun, the pretty snow on the ground, and the limited breeze, the temperature felt more like the 40s. I was walking from the Progress Center office to pick up my car at Elite Tire. On Franklin Street, west of Circle, a car pulled up next to a condominium building and parked. A man stepped out of his car. He looked at me, raised his hand over his head, waved, and said, “Hello, midget.” He said it in a tone that reminded me of June Cleaver greeting a neighbor. For most people with dwarfism, there is nothing more unwelcoming than the m-word. The word steals our humanity. One minute I was walking down the street, feeling good about the sunny day, and my place in the world. The next minute I shriveled under the focus of misguided attention. I tried to talk to the man, but he shuffled into the condo building. This event is not reflective of Forest Park, and this event is not exclusive to Forest Park. This happens in the neighborhood where I live. It happens nearly everywhere I go. Not every day, but it happens. I have always been able to live with it. I will always be able to live with it. But I also want to make change, so that in the future, people like me, and all people who face some sort of social stigma, will feel welcome here in Forest Parkand everywhere. Gary Arnold Oak Park
SEWER Improvements needed
from page 1
that did not charge residents for sewer usage. Oak Park, River Forest, Riverside, Brookfield, River Grove, LaGrange Park, Lyons and Westchester residents all pay a sewer tax. For residential customers, water rates will increase on June 1 from $7.31 to $7.68 per 100 cubic feet, approximately a five percent increase. The village increased the water rate by 1.53 percent in 2018. In 2016 and 2017, there was no increase in water fees. And from 2013 to 2015, there was a 15 percent increase annually, with a 25 percent increase in 2012. Those increases came as the City of Chicago amped up the prices it charged suburbs for Lake Michigan water. All water customers in the village will pay a sewer rate for the first time. For residents, it will be $1.45 per 100 cubic feet. With the addition of the sewer tax, the total increase for r esidents for both types of usage will go from $7.31 to $9.13 per 100 cubic feet, an increase of approximately 25 percent. Even with this increase, however, Forest Park residents will still be below what most other surrounding towns are charging for combined water and sewer, including: Lyons, LaGrange Park, Riverside, Maywood, River Forest, Bellwood, Brookfield, Elmwood Park and Oak Park. Forest Park will be charging slightly more than Leyden Township, River Grove and Westchester. In January 2020 Chris Burke Engineering, the village’s contracted engineering firm, presented a water and sewer rate study to the village council. The study, the first one since 2005, looked at water and sewer infrastructure improvements needed in Forest Park. The study showed that water-related infrastructure improvements in the village would cost over $30 million, and sewer projects over $100 million. Not all of these are projects that must be completed immediately, but the water and sewer infrastructure in town definitely need work, as evidenced in the report. At the Feb. 10 village council meeting, Hoskins said all revenue from the water and sewer charges will be used for water and sewer improvements, such as replacing all 4-inch water mains with 8-inch mains.
