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Residents urge Westchester trustees to pause $180,000 TIF-funded gateway sign; board says item is tabled
Summary
Residents at the Feb. 24 Westchester village board meeting urged trustees to halt consideration of a $180,000 TIF-funded digital monument sign, citing infrastructure and transparency concerns; the president clarified the item remains tabled pending further public review.
Dozens of residents urged the Westchester Village Board on Feb. 24 to pause consideration of a proposed $180,000 tax-increment financing (TIF) funded digital gateway sign at Roosevelt and Norfolk, saying the village should prioritize water-system upgrades and other infrastructure first.
"I strongly urge the board not to move forward with this, dollars 180,000 sign at this time," Cynthia Reyes, a Westchester resident and homeowner, told trustees during the public-comment period. Reyes said TIF funds should address core infrastructure and public-safety needs, not decorative projects.
Several other speakers echoed that position. Hannah, a nearby resident who reviewed the committee packet, asked the board to provide a 10-year life-cycle cost estimate including electricity and maintenance, to show that lower-cost non‑digital alternatives were formally evaluated, and to state measurable redevelopment outcomes that would determine whether the $180,000 investment succeeded. "I respectfully request the board pause the final approval, and for additional public discussion and cost analysis before moving forward," she said.
Phoebe, who lives on Norfolk and Roosevelt, said the money could better support struggling new businesses with storefront grants or lighting improvements.
President Greg Reebel responded to the public comments by clarifying that the sign had already been tabled at the prior board meeting and that there was no pending vote that night. "At this point, this has been tabled, and it's tabled indefinitely," he said, asking the village manager to provide more background on how the item moved forward to the committee packet.
Several residents also raised related practical concerns: repeated complaints that parking near the post office and village hall is inadequate, and requests for clearer project line items and procurement documentation from the village.
Why it matters: The sign is proposed to be funded through the Roosevelt Road TIF — public dollars generated within the village — and residents said the board should show how the project compares to alternatives and how it supports measurable redevelopment goals. With the item tabled, residents asked for more public review, a transparent cost-benefit analysis and a full accounting of lifecycle expenses before the board votes.
What’s next: President Reebel and staff said the item remains tabled; residents asked for more public engagement and for the board to provide the lifecycle numbers and procurement details before any final action.
