Wheeling board adopts new village flag, approves tax break for Windy City Linen and multiple development permits; special census delayed by federal shutdown

The Wheeling Village Board on Monday adopted a new official village flag, approved a Cook County Class 6b personal property tax classification for Windy City Linen, and granted site‑plan, height‑variance and lot consolidation approvals for a cold‑storage expansion at 199 Shepherd Avenue. Director Smith told the board a planned Wheeling special census launch was delayed because the Census Bureau is shut down during a federal government furlough.

The flag adoption and development approvals passed by roll call votes; all items on the consent agenda also passed. The board recessed into executive session at the end of the meeting for pending or probable litigation.

The new flag: symbolism and rollout

Trustee Lang, who worked on the design, said the flag project began about two years ago and was developed with guidance from Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton and community input posted on the village website. The board voted to adopt the flag and public‑works crews were scheduled to install 12 flags around the community the morning after the meeting.

Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton, who described himself as a member of the North American Vexillological Association, told the board the design follows contemporary flag‑design guidelines and mirrors recent county flag work. "They are incredibly significant," Britton said of flags, adding that the new Wheeling design "complies not with the rules but the guidelines of flag best flag design." Trustee Lang provided the board with written explanations of the elements of the design; those explanations are available on the village website, the board noted.

Special census delay

Director Smith told trustees the village had planned to begin a Wheeling special census the next day but the Census Bureau is shut down due to a federal government furlough. "My original intention tonight was to tell you that the Wheeling Special Census was launching tomorrow. But with the government shutdown, the Census Bureau has been shut down," Smith said. She said the first mailer — sent from the Census Bureau’s processing…