In a vote of 3-0, with one abstention, the Oak Park Health Board has recommended that the village board consider banning smoking at all indoor work places.
The health board will likely not be able to formally propose the ban to trustees until sometime in January, said village health director Georgeen Polyak.
It is expected that after a formal presentation, trustees will ask that the health board hold public hearings on the proposal in January, said Polyak. It is possible that the village board would then hold a study session sometime to discuss the proposal.
The recommended policy would ban smoking at all indoor work places, including restaurants.
The grassroots organization Smoke Free Oak Park has been advocating for the ban, primarily arguing that eliminating indoor smoking in public places would benefit public health.
Public Works heads east, for now
After determining that constructing a temporary facility would be too expensive, the village has leased an industrial site on the West Side of Chicago to house public works equipment until a new building can be constructed.
The village board approved unanimously last week signing onto a 3-year lease of a 30,000-square-foot complex at The Austin 1900 building, which is less than a half-mile from the village. The village will pay $9.50 per square foot, with an increase of 3.5 percent annually.
Free shuttle hours extended
From this Friday through Dec. 23, Oak Park’s free shuttle will run from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. From Sunday through Wednesday, however, the regular shuttle hours of 10 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. will remain in effect.
The shuttle makes 20 stops at 30-minute intervals. A route map and schedule is available at the village’s website, www.oak-park.us.
Stops include:
? Downtown Oak Park – At the Intermodal Station entrance on North Boulevard and in front of the Bank One drive-thru on Marion Street.
? The Avenue – Behind the Oak Park Avenue Green Line station on South Boulevard and in front of Oak Park Township on Oak Park Avenue.
? Chicago/Harlem/Marion – On Chicago Avenue just east of O’Connor’s Cleaners.
? Harrison – On Lombard across from Buzz Caf.
? Oak Park Avenue/ Eisenhower – In front of Westgate Flowers on Oak Park Avenue.
? Madison – At village hall on the parking lot side and at Oak Park Avenue next to Sear’s Pharmacy.
? South Marion – Next to the Carleton Hotel on Pleasant Street.
Parking ban takes Thanksgiving break
The on-street overnight parking ban will be lifted starting at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, and will not be reinstated until 2:30 a.m. on Monday. Metered spots will also be free on Thursday and Friday.
Bans tied to permit parking, however, will remain in effect, along with other daytime restrictions.