Morton Grove trustees approve temporary honorary signs for Dorothy Williams

The Village of Morton Grove Board of Trustees on Aug. 26 unanimously approved Resolution 25-66 to install two temporary honorary street signs on the 5600 block of Church Street to honor Dorothy Williams.

The resolution, read into the record by the village president, says the signs will read “Dorothy Williams Way,” will be attached to existing sign poles on the 5600 block of Church Street, and will remain in place for 12 months before being removed and given to the applicants. The measure passed 6-0 after a motion by Trustee Mink and a second by Trustee Travis.

The resolution states that Dorothy Williams lived at the corner of Church Street and Parkside Avenue for 70 years until her death in 2024, raised six children and has an extended family with many relatives still living in Morton Grove. The application to install the signs was submitted by Kathy Reichart of 9109 Belafort Avenue and the village recorded that at least 65% of households on the 5600 block of Church Street approved the request. The resolution includes a clause that the honorary signs shall not be construed to change the official name or legal status of the street.

During the vote period a person in the audience said, “I've spent a lot of good years playing in that house, so I'm happy to do it.” After the resolution passed, board members invited the family to the podium for a photograph.

The resolution directs the public works director or the director's designee to fabricate and install the two temporary signs and specifies the signs will be removed and returned to the applicants after 12 months. No fiscal appropriation for fabrication was noted in the reading of the resolution.