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Residents urge action on business losses and ask why Westchester missed federal funding lists
Summary
During public comment, residents urged intensified economic development after local business closures and raised site‑security concerns; a speaker also questioned why Westchester did not appear on a list of nearby municipalities that received federal funding, asking about outreach to Congressman Danny Davis.
During the public‑comment portion of the Feb. 24 meeting, Mary Pidko told trustees she was concerned about recent business departures in the village and asked the board to prioritize economic development to prevent long vacancies.
"Sherwin Williams is leaving… I hate to see it sit empty for 4 years and turn into another decrepit building," Pidko said, urging the board to "keep economic development top of mind."
Another resident reported a potential security issue on the village website after accidentally creating an account for an outside contractor and said she planned to follow up with staff.
A third commenter recited a list of neighboring municipalities and their recently announced federal or state funding awards and said Westchester did not appear on the list. The speaker asked whether the village had sought funding and whether there is any contact with Congressman Danny Davis regarding outreach for those grants.
A committee member responded later in the meeting to clarify that a local "Black Excellence Award" ceremony is a recognition event and not an exchange of funding and stressed that receipt of an award does not obligate a public official to provide money to the village. Trustees also suggested drafting a proclamation honoring Jesse Jackson at a future meeting.
The comments were informational and prompted no immediate board action; residents asked staff to follow up on website access and grant outreach questions.
