Village of Roscoe votes to move trick-or-treating back to Halloween night

The Village of Roscoe board of trustees voted Wednesday night to once again welcome trick-or-treaters on the traditional date of October 31, between 5 - 7 p.m.

For two years, since 2021, Roscoe was one of the few places in northern Illinois that held trick-or-treating on the Saturday before Halloween. Some residents,  especially schoolteachers and parents of young children, said they preferred Saturdays. But the controversial decision, despite claims it was safer, was unpopular with the overwhelming majority of Roscoe residents, especially in Chicory Ridge, who complained that hundreds of trick-or-treaters were being driven in from other towns, causing problems with traffic and parking. Trustee Stacy Mallicoat said, "We've done our two year test and I think it's time to go back to what they're asking for."

Normally, the board unanimously votes to pay the monthly bills, but at the Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023 meeting, trustees Justin Plock and Stacy Mallicoat objected to paying an invoice from the law firm of Ancel Glink. Trustee Plock said he would be voting no until the board receives unspecified additional information, which should be after Labor Day.

In June, the village hired Ancel Glink to represent the Village of Roscoe against a lawsuit by Josh Petry over the board's decision on May 2 to rescind their approval of the final subdivision plan for Hawks Pointe Plat 6. Plat 6 [PDF] was to be a major part of White Oak Homebuilders's proposed multi-family townhome development off Roscoe Road and Old River Road. Trustees Plock and Mallicoat voted in favor of the development and against rescinding approval. This week, the law firm is expected to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The next hearing in Winnebago County 17th Judicial Circuit Court is scheduled for Aug. 10, 2023. Plat 5 [PDF] of the development was approved in 2022, and construction could begin as soon as Monday, Aug. 7, 2022.

Julie Tappendorf, the Ancel Glink partner who is handling the case, told us, "The Village has no comment on this lawsuit." Neither did attorney Jeffrey Hoskins, who is representing Josh Petry.

The board of trustees confirmed Alan Harbut to serve another 2-year term and Roger Needham to fill a vacant unexpired 2-year term on the Police Pension Board for the Village of Roscoe, Illinois.

At the July 5 meeting, the board appointed Dayne Mead to fill a vacant unexpired term on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Roscoe, Illinois. Nancy White was appointed to a four-year term on the Stateline Mass Transit District (SMTD) Board of Directors.