Sauk Village, Illinois

Template:Geobox Sauk Village is a village in Cook County and small parcel south of 231st St. in Will County, Illinois. The population was 10,411 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Sauk Village is located at 41°29′19″N 87°33′56″W (41.488535, -87.565658)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.8 square miles (10.0 km²), of which, 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.04%) is water.

The village stands on the Tinley Moraine. The Glenwood Shoreline cuts through the village.

Neighboring towns and longstanding rivals include Lynwood, Illinois; Ford Heights, Illinois; Chicago Heights, Illinois; South Chicago Heights, Illinois; Steger, Illinois; Crete, Illinois; and Dyer, Indiana.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 10,411 people, 3,331 households, and 2,648 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,737.2 people per square mile (1,057.8/km²). There were 3,515 housing units at an average density of 924.1/sq mi (357.1/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 59.80% White, 32.50% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.34% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.76% of the population.

There were 3,331 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.50.

In the village the population was spread out with 33.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $46,718, and the median income for a family was $50,088. Males had a median income of $37,901 versus $26,134 for females. The per capita income for the village was $16,598. About 8.3% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

History

The area that is now known as Sauk Village has been a center of activity for hundreds of years. Originally, several Native American tribes inhabited this land, which is a part of an area of high ground surrounding Lake Michigan known as the Valparaiso Moraine. The Native Americans used this high ground for transporting herd animals and trade items. Though the Potawatomi and Illinois Confederation tribes were native to the area, the Sauk, from Michigan, became the namesake of the Sauk Trail. As the westward expansion increased during the 1800s, the Sauk tribes were forced to move westward. Annually, they would travel the Sauk Trail to collect treaty money from Canada and the United States.

This area was originally opened up to American settlers back in 1838. Though the original settlers of Sauk Village moved here from the East Coast, their roots were in France, Germany, and Western Europe. The first immigrants to the area were Hiram Wood, Henry Ayen, and Rowley. After these original settlers, a second wave of families moved to the Sauk Village area, including such familiar names such as Kavelage, Reichert, Sauter, Rickenberger, Kloss, Barnes, Jung, Schaller, Schmidt, Kline, and Peters. Postmaster Charles Sauter named the settlement Strassburg, after Strassburg, France, home of many of the original settlers. Back when the area was originally being settled by Americans, land sold for a mere $1.25 an acre.

In 1847, St. Jakob’s Church was built. Father Francis Fischer was the first priest of the church, which had twenty parishioners. In 1871, this original church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The church was promptly rebuilt, only to be struck again in 1873. After this second lightning strike, the church was moved to the corner of Sauk Trail and the Calumet Expressway, this building was razed in 2004. The name of the church was changed from the German St. Jakob to St. James in 1917 as a result of anti-German attitudes due to World War I. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, St James Church experienced a shortage in revenues. Area residents helped by hand-digging the basement of the church in order to create a hall that could be rented out. On November 11, 1940, a tornado touched down in the area, causing extensive damage to the roof of the St. James Church. Area residents may have known the Old St. James Church as the Old Community Center. The graveyard directly behind where the Old St. James Church stood is the St. James Cemetery at Strassburg. It is the final resting place for many of Sauk Village’s original settlers. While being readied for demolition in 2004, former Trustee Richard Derosier, while cleaning the attic of the once old church stumbled over an old relic cross that once hung in the old St. James Church. The old relic cross now hangs as you enter St. James Church some 150 years later. The original bell, cast in 1800s, stand outside St. James Church today as a testament to the history and sacrifices of so many families of Sauk Village.

When the Calumet Expressway was built in the late 1950s, the Strassburg area was seen as a prime real estate development. The AMBO I Construction firm moved into the area in 1956, building homes in what is now known as the Garden Section, near the Calumet Expressway and just south of Sauk Trail. The community was incorporated on March 12, 1957 as Sauk Village, since there was a town in southern Illinois that already had the name Strassburg. Thomas J. Nichols served as the village’s first president.

Since its incorporation in 1957, Sauk Village has undergone considerable change and expansion. By 1961, a special census showed that Sauk Village had 1,258 homes and 5,774 residents. Strassburg and Cynthia Street (now known as Wagoner) Schools were built during this time to accommodate the needs of residents’ children. Though construction came to a virtual halt during the mid 1960s, by the early 1970s development was beginning again. In 1970, Rickover Junior High School opened its doors, and additions were made to the existing schools. Throughout the 1970s, developments such as the Amber Manor Apartments (now known as the Crossroads), Surreybrook Plaza, and St. James Estates were booming. The Sauk Village Library District was formed in 1973 to meet the needs of area residents. Under the direction of Mayor Theisen and the Village Board, the Village Hall and Police Station moved out of a renovated residential duplex to the now Old Village Hall in 1977 on Torrence Avenue. The building at the time would cost about $250,000, considerably less than the $5 million the new Village Hall would cost in 2008.

The area continued to expand through the early 1980s with the addition of more homes to the St. James Estates area and new subdivisions such as the Carlisle Estates and Southbrook. The Community Center behind the old Village Hall first opened its doors in 1982, coinciding with the village’s 25th anniversary. In the late 1980s, construction began on the Sauk Pointe Industrial Park on Sauk Trail west of the Calumet Expressway. Pacesetter Steel became the first company to move into the park in 1988. During the same year, Sauk Plaza underwent a $1.1 million dollar renovation project, which brought several new businesses into the community. The Library District also underwent several changes during the 1980s. First, in 1984, the library moved from its location in a home on Sauk Trail to a storefront in Surreybrook Plaza. Then, in 1986, the district changed its name to the Nancy L. McConathy Public Library in order to honor library board member and Village Clerk Nancy L. McConathy’s dedication to the library and its programs.

The 1990s promised to be yet another decade of expansion for Sauk Village. In 1990, Carolina Freight opened for business, bringing numerous jobs to the area. Building began in 1993 on the Carolina Subdivision, south of Sauk Trail and east of the Calumet Expressway. This subdivision would be the first residential development in nearly a decade. The 1990 census showed Sauk Village as having a population of 9,704. The 2000 census data showed the population at about 10,411.

In 2007, bold plans were being made for the construction of a new Village Hall and Senior Citizen Center. Groundbreaking began in August, 2007 on the new Sauk Village Municipal Center and Senior Citizen Center. The groundbreaking coincided with the Village's 50th Anniversary Celebrations. On November 1, 2008, the new Village Hall was dedicated at a ceremony attended Mayor Roger Peckham and the Board of Trustees, by two former Mayors Paesel and Collins, former Village Trustees Joseph Wiszowaty, Mary Seery, V. Zeke Luther, Rita Kueny, Patricia Hasse, former Village Clerks Marjorie Tuley and Elizabeth Selvey and several other local mayors and many other distinguished guest. The New Municipal Center is an open concept contemporary design about 18,500 square feet (1,720 m²) and a cost of $5 million. Construction took 14 months and was paid for but not with property tax dollars according to Village Manager Dieterich. Because of the influx of industrial development the monies raised from impact fees funded the entire construction of the Municipal center. The current Village Hall will be taken over by the Police Department after extensive remodeling.

From its early years as a Native American trail to its current status as part of the Chicago Metropolitan area, Sauk Village has gone through a great deal of change. After all the ups and downs, it is clear, this community has always been able to bounce back from hard times to change for the better.

Politics

The Village's first Mayor, then referred to as Village President, was Thomas J. Nichols who was elected in 1957, when the village was incorporated. Nichols would serve two term from 1957 to 1965 he was succeeded by Roger F. Theisen in 1965. During the Theisen administration, the village saw the largest expansion of its geographical boundaries and the largest growth in housing as a result of the baby-boomers moving from the larger urban centers to the more rural Sauk Village. Theisen continued the "bedroom community" character of the community. Theisen had the Village Board change the title of Village President to Mayor and developed a strong mayor system of government. Theisen appointed Theodore "Ted" Theodore as his Executive Assistant, effectively what is now the Village Manager's position. Theodore would serve in that capacity through the next adminsistration.

The Village's third mayor Edward W. Paesel was elected mayor in April 1977, beating out long-time incumbent Mayor Roger Theisen, Paesel was a school teacher at the time of his election. During Paesel's time in office the village experienced some growth but still experienced the difficulties of the economic downturn as many blue collar jobs left the area. It wasn't until the late 1980s that saw some of the largest developments came about. DSI on Torrence Avenue, Expansion of Roadway Express, Carolina Freight two very successful Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts and Pascesetter Steel were all attributed to the vision of Edward Paesel. One of the most ambitious projects that never did come about but spearheaded by Paesel was the GM-Saturn Automobile Plant which was proposed for the Northwest corner of the Calumet Expressway and Sauk Trail. Saturn officials opted for an alternate location. (Since leaving office Paesel has served on the Third Regional Airport Clearinghouse and now serves as Executive Director of the South Suburban Mayor and Managers Association). Paesel has remained one of the staunchest advocates for Sauk Village since he was first elected to the Village Board in 1973.

Mark Collins, an iron worker, who was the Mayor Paesel's "preferred candidate" won election as a part-time mayor after beating out his one time ally and colleague Trustee Richard Derosier and a crowded field of candidates in April, 1989. Collins was sworn in on May 9, 1989 as the Village's 4th Mayor. During Collins' term, new housing construction began again after a many year hiatus. Many of the day to day activities that were handled by the mayor were now being handled by the Village Manager. Collins survived his re-election bid in April, 1993 beating out Trustee Joseph Wiszowaty and another candidate, again with the same core of supporters that brought him to office in 1989. In September, 1994 the administration was under intense scrutiny over the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The allegations include contractors doing shoddy work and allowing massive cost overruns on projects, and the village's hiring of unbonded and unlicensed contractors. Then in December, 1994, citing "serious questions" relating to the village's handling of a program to refurbish single-family homes, Cook County had suspended the release of grant money to the village for new projects. The mishandling of the CDBG program and several other blunders by the Collins Administration would cause supporters of Collins to look for an alternative in 1997 which they failed to do in 1993.

In April, 1997, Collins would soon find himself beat out by once ally Roger Peckham, his own appointee to the Village Board, who continues to serve as mayor today. Peckham during the 1997 election accused the administration, when it comes to dealing with new developments, jumps at opportunities rather than considers serious planning. Peckham, who was serving as Village Trustee said that the mayor would not communicate with the Board of Trustees on important matters. Peckham had 2 very close challenges in his last 2001 and in 2005 one of the closest mayoral elections ever, Peckham survived with only a 43 vote victory against Trustee David Hanks.

Peckham announced in 2008 that he would not seek a fourth term, which follows the tradition of Theisen and Paesel who both served three terms, it was only Theisen who would actually seek a fourth term, albeit unsuccessful. "The community has moved along during my term." But Peckham also said he had hoped for more economic, retail and housing development in the village. Lewis Tower would win election as Sauk Village's 6th mayor by a 2 to 1 majority over Village Trustee Derrick Burgess in April, 2009 and has become the first African-American to serve as Mayor.

The Village hired a Village Manager in 1988, at the time outgoing mayor Edward Paesel said that there was nobody at Village Hall with the experience necessary to run the administrative functions, and the Village's mayor's position was made part-time, so he felt it necessary to create a Village Manager's position which the Village Board at the time agreed. Richard Dieterich was hired and continues today as Village Manager. Dieterich relocated to Sauk Village from Nebraska. To date, Dieterich has served under 3 mayors and numerous Trustees, he has provided 20 years of leadership and continuity to Sauk Village to date.

On April 4, 1989, many Chicago media outlets descended on Sauk Village to cover the election of Joseph Wiszowaty, a high school student who was elected to the Village Board of Trustees, and became the youngest man elected in the State of Illinois. Wiszowaty ran on a "change" platform and would in fact bring that change to the Village Board. Because of much national and local media attention, the media would descend again on May 9, 1989, to cover Wiszowaty being sworn in as a Trustee. Wiszowaty would find himself voting against the administration on many issues during his term in office. Wiszowaty made a presentation to the owners of the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium on the property that was proposed for the GM-Saturn plant, after securing economic commitment to expand the Enterprise Zone from the administration of Chicago Heights. The Chicago Bears would decline the proposal and opted to stay in Chicago with commitments for a newer more modern stadium. Wiszowaty served his term from 1989 to 1993, when he challenged incumbent mayor Mark Collins but lost in a three way race. Wiszowaty was born and raised in Sauk Village and would have been the youngest mayor Sauk Village ever elected had he succeeded. A petition to have Wiszowaty run again for the village board was circulated in 1995 by supporters, which likely would have led to another run for Mayor again in 1997, Wiszowaty chose not to seek election to his old seat on the Village Board.

A changing of the guard was said to have taken place in April, 1985 when incumbent Village Clerk, Agnes Theodore was beat out at the polls after many years as Village Clerk by Nancy L. McConathy. Theodore, whose husband was the Executive Assistant to the Mayor, refused to leave her position and McConathy filed suit against the Mayor, Village Board of Trustees and Agnes Theodore to force Theodore to leave her elected position. Theodore claimed she was not only an elected official but also an employee of the Village and the administration did nothing to support McConathy's contention. On April 5, 1986, McConathy collapsed at the Village's annual Appreciation Dinner and died just short of serving a full year in office. McConathy's lawsuit brought prior to her death was settled by McConathy's estate some time later, without the Village admitting any liability. Previous to her election as Village Clerk, Nancy L. McConathy served as a library trustee. The Sauk Village Library District changed the name of the library's district to the Nancy L. McConathy Public Library District in her honor, the Mayor and Village Board have never honored Mrs. McConathy.

It was "All in the Family" from 1981 until 1983 when father and son Raymond Gavin, who would actually go on to serve as one of the longest serving Village Trustee (elected to 5 terms but would resign before the end) and his son David Gavin would serve on the Village Board together. This has been the only time that a father and son would serve on the Village Board together. A father and daughter served on the Village Board, albeit not together Mary Seery (nee Slawnikowski) 1993-2005 did not seek re-election to the Village Board in 2005 and that made way for her father James Slawnikowski who went on to serve one term.

Raymond Gavin (1967-1986) would serve the longest consecutive time in office as Village Trustee 19 years and Robert Werner(1971-1987) and Matthew M. Murphy (1957-1973) would serve as Village Trustees for 16 years in office, all three longer than any Mayor. Coincidentally, these three men would serve together from 1971 to 1973. But the longest serving elected official in Sauk Village history is Agnes Theodore who served 25 years as Village Clerk from 1960 to 1985. Honors were given to Robert Werner as the baseball park on the north end of the Village were dedicated to his name. Mathew Murphy received a street named in his honor on the East side of town, however, no honors were given to Raymond Gavin the longest serving Village Trustee.

Harriet Kaminski (nee- Wiszowaty) made history in 1965 becoming the first woman to become a Village Trustee. She was followed by Alberta Goe 1965-1966, Catherine Moretti 1967-1968 and several other women. Sauk Village currently has two women serving as Village Trustees.

Over the last 20 years the demographic make up of Sauk Village has changed from a predominantly white blue collar middle class community to a more racially integrated community. Numerous industrial construction projects which hope to bring jobs to the area which has seen jobs leaving.

2009 Election

On April 7, 2009, Sauk Village voters went to the polls to elect its first African-American Mayor in it's 52 year history. Voters elected Lewis Towers over current Village Board Trustee Derrick Burgess 62% to 37% or by nearly 2 to 1. Towers will go on to become Sauk Village's 6th mayor, and the first to have won running on a party affiliation. Up to this election all mayors had run as independent candidates. Current Mayor Roger Peckham decided not to run for re-election but was said to support Trustee Derrick Burgess, Village Clker Elizabeth Zupon and incumbent Trustee James Slawnikowski.

Towers who headed up the Citizens for Progress ticket, swept all contested races. Village Clerk Candidate Debra (Debbie) Williams (Citizens for Progress) beat out incumbent Village Clerk Elizabeth Zupon 63% to 36% greater than 2 to 1 in the first contested Village Clerk's race since 1989 and the only time an incumbent Village Clerk was beat out since Agnes Theodore lost her election to Nancy McConathy in 1985.

Enoch Benson, IV, Edward (Ed) Myers and incumbent Village Trustee Rosie Williams completed the Citizen's for Progress Party Slate. All three candidates won beating out incumbent Village Trustee James Slawnikowski by nearly 2 to 1. Current Village Trustee James Schultz decided not seek re-election.

Mayor-elect Towers told a crowd of some 300 gathered at Citizens for Progress Party Headquarters on election night "this victory was for the people of Sauk Village. It was many years in the making". The new Mayor, Village Clerk and Trustees will all be sworn-in on May 12, 2009 and Burgess will continue to serve on the Village Board his term expires in May of 2011.

Development & Growth

The largest growth of the Village would come in the early 1990s when the Village would annex into the Village nearly 1-square-mile (2.6 km²) as a result of a major land grab with neighbors Steger and Ford Heights. This would only be rivaled in the early 1960s when the Village just began and housing growth was at an all time high. The largest parcel annexed came in 1991 when 500 acres (2.0 km²) was added to the Village with the property in the northwest corner of Sauk Trail and the Calumet Expressway was finally added to the Village. The 500-acre (2.0 km²) parcel was previously proposed for the GM-Saturn Plant by Mayor Paesel and the new Chicago Bears Stadium by Trustee Wiszowaty. Development would finally take off in 2004 when Sauk Village marketed the property to national developers and selected DP Partners out of Reno, Nevada. In November, 2004 the company entered into a development agreement with the Village. In January, 2005, DP Partners closed on the first 100 acres (0.40 km²) and began development two months later. In its DP Partners' master plan, the company plans to spend $150 million to develop 5,000,000 square feet (460,000 m²) of warehouse and manufacturing space. LogistiCenter Business Park [1] currently occupies 325 acres (1.32 km²) and has a 496,260-square-foot (46,104 m²) distribution facility (expandable up to 1.2 million square feet).

Fallen Hero

US Army Pfc. Shane D. Penley, a 2007 graduate of Bloom Trail High School died on April 6, 2008 at a patrol base in Iraq from wounds suffered while on duty at a guard post.

Penley was dispatched to Iraq on December 29, 2007 after joining the Army in June

Government

Sauk Village is governed by an elected 6 member Board of Trustees, Mayor and Village Clerk. The mayor appoints the Village Manager, Treasurer, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Public Works Superintendent, other Village Department Heads and members of Committees and Commissions with the "advice and consent" of the Village Board of Trustees.

Mayor: Lewis Towers

Village Clerk: Debra 'Debbie' Williams

Chief of Staff (designate): Brunetta Corley

Village Treasurer: Jim Griegel (pending re-appointment)

Board of Trustees: -David Hanks -Francine Anderson -Derrick Burgess -Rosie Williams -Edward "Ed" Myers -Enoch Benson IV

In 1988, after choosing not to seek re-election for mayor, Edward Paesel and the Village Board of Trustees approved an Ordinance establishing a position of Village Manager. Richard "Dick" Dieterich, has served as the Village's only Village Manager since 1988. The Village Manager handles the administrative function of the village according to Ordinance passed in 1988. That Ordinance is likely to be changed with Mayor Tower's administration from Village Manager to Chief of Staff. While the mayors position is now part-time and he retains executive powers and those granted by Illinois Statute. The mayor also serves as the Village's Liquor Control Commissioner as well.

Sauk Village is also serviced by the Bloom Township Board of Trustees, Nancy L. McConathy Library District and Consolidated School District 168, High School District 206 and Prairie State College Board of Trustees. All of these bodies have elective offices

Nearly all of Sauk Village is in Illinois' 2nd congressional district; the portion in Will County is in the 11th district.

External links

• Village website