The Woodstock Independent Sept. 25th,2013

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25-Oct. 1, 2013 Sept.Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 20131

Woodstock

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

I NDEPENDENT The

Published every Wednesday

Est. 1987

Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill.

www.thewoodstockindependent.com

$1.00

NEWS

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

COMMUNITY

Woodstock Theatre sign dedicated, pedway opens

‘Shout! The Mod Musical’ comes to Opera House Oct. 4

Library to host antique appraiser Mark F. Moran Oct. 3

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TENANTS TO CITY: HELP US Renters tell City Council of mold, raw sewage, dangerous conditions By KATELYN STANEK The Independent ey told stories of finding mold covering their walls, raw sewage pooling in their basements and water cascading through their window wells. ey said they sometimes broke their leases in desperate attempts to escape unlivable conditions. ey said their landlords wouldn’t listen, and now they needed help. A group of current and former Woodstock tenants, armed with allegations — and sometimes photos — of the extreme neglect of the homes they rented made impassioned pleas to the City Council Sept. 17, asking for the city’s assistance in taking on their landlords. “Certain forces in this city really take advantage of a lot of people here,” Bill Zieske told the City Council. “I’ve met my match here. It’s the landlords in this town.” Zieske, an attorney who said he and his wife moved to Woodstock in May, helped to organize the group of about 20 aggrieved renters, most of whom said they were current or former tenants of Advantage Plus Inc., 454 W. Jackson St. Zieske said he quickly discovered the home he rented through Advantage Plus — Bill Zieske, at 307 W. Jackson Woodstock St. had many problems, including a leaky roof, a broken oven and an upper-level deck with partially detached railings. He said he faced great difficulty in getting the issues resolved, and he told the City Council that when he asked his neighbors about their experiences as renters, he found his concerns paled in comparison. Elizabeth Berris, a former tenant of Advantage Plus at 515 W. Jackson St., told the City Council she lived for 19 consecutive days without electricity on the upper levels of her house and

“I’ve met my match here. It’s the landlords in this town.”

INDEX

A drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility for adolescent boys and young

OBITUARIES OPINION EDUCATION A&E MARKETPLACE

5 6 8 10 12

COMMUNITY CALENDAR CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICES SPORTS

City officials talk courthouse goals, sale

Advantage Plus president: ‘It’s always easy to blame others’ But Mary Brown, president of Advantage Plus, which faced most of the criticism at the meeting, said the allegations are the unfounded complaints of a few angry renters. “If a tenant breaks a lease and they don’t get their security deposit back and they’ve trashed the space, they still blame us,” Brown said. “Somehow it’s our fault. ey’ll find something, because they don’t take responsibility for their own actions. It’s always easy to blame others.” She said the group of residents is an aberration, people bent on destroying her company.

e city of Woodstock will begin accepting bids and plans for the purchase of the Old Courthouse on the Square beginning Jan. 15, 2014, with a tentative deadline of May 1, 2014. e decision to start the bidding in mid-January came during a Woodstock City Council discussion Sept. 17, where council members talked about the city’s recently drafted request for proposals, part of a series of steps intended to return the cityowned courthouse building to private ownership. e 10-page document lays out the city of Woodstock’s intentions for the building, explains criteria that must be met by potential buyers and includes a brief history of the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “I think the goals capture the essence of how I was hoping this would come across,” Councilwoman Julie Dillon said of the RFP. e city will complete about $2 million in repairs on the building, which had fallen into disrepair by the time the city acquired the courthouse in 2011, but a buyer likely will have to make millions more in additional renovations to make it usable for a commercial venture. Early in the summer, some council members and other officials expressed concern about finding a buyer willing to make the necessary repairs to the building. e first draft of the RFP, submitted to the City Council before the

Please see Tenants, Page 2

Please see Courthouse, Page 3

A group of current and former tenants voiced concerns to the City Council alleging a pattern of unsuitable living conditions in some Woodstock rental units, including several controlled by property management company Advantage Plus Inc. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KATELYN STANEK described finding raw sewage in her basement caused by a leaking pipe. Tiffanie Shea, who, like Zieske, lived at 307 W. Jackson St., said she and her daughter were forced to leave because of mold growing on their walls and incessant leaks that soaked her — Mary Brown, carpeting. Advantage Plus “I am one of many folks here who has suffered living in those properties,” said Shea, who appeared to be holding back tears. “We need to ask for your help tonight with these issues and see if there’s something we can do.” Mayor Brian Sager said he was “personally saddened” by the tenants’ stories. “I am heartbroken that some of you had to make the difficult decision to leave Woodstock,” said an emotional Sager. “Please understand that your

“I guess somebody wants to take us down. It’s sad.”

men could come to Bull Valley if officials approve a special-use permit for the group home, but some residents are asking that the village deny the request. Lemont-based La Voie Inc.

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» CITY COUNCIL

By KATELYN STANEK The Independent

communication to us tonight is much appreciated. It’s sad, but it’s much appreciated.” He said the city should initiate a “collaborative effort” to examine how best to address the tenants’ concerns and asked that city staff direct more of their resources toward ensuring code compliance from landlords.

Proposed drug rehab draws opposition in Bull Valley By KATELYN STANEK The Independent

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is seeking to open the facility at 9414 W. Route 120, in a large single-family home that sits on 24.28 acres of land. e property’s owners of record are Patrick and Aimee Merryman,

OBITUARIES Donald E. Tibbitts, Woodstock Tyler B. Young, Marengo Jerry L. Ray, Woodstock

Some residents want the village to deny a special-use permit for a drug and alcohol treatment facility

who are petitioning the village for the permit, while La Voie is listed as a contract purchaser in documents filed in Bull Valley. e corporation has proposed the creation of a detoxification

END QUOTE “I didn’t expect so much generosity.” — Miguel Pastor, Page 8

and substance abuse treatment facility that would eventually house up to 22 boys and young men after the completion of Please see Rehab, Page 3

The Woodstock Independent 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 www.thewoodstockindependent.com


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