Don’t miss the Blue Island Garden Walk Sunday, September 7th!
Six beautiful gardens will be featured.

Tickets are $10.00 and may be purchased at CARR home-garden-holiday.

For more info call (708) 824-9171

Blue Island was awarded two 2008 USEPA Brownfields Assessment grants: $200,000 for hazardous substances; $200,000 for petroleum.  This award is in addition to the 2007 award of $200,000.

Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory and prioritize redevelopment sites in the South Cargo-Oriented Development Area. Hazardous grant funds also will be used to perform 25 Phase I and 2 Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct a brownfields inventory, prioritize sites, and perform 12 Phase I and 3 Phase II environmental site assessments in the Cargo- and Transit-Oriented Development Areas. Grant funds also will be used to support community outreach activities. Please read USEPA’s 2008 Grant Fact Sheet for Blue Island for more details.

Brownfields Assessment grants were applied for and will be administered by the Community Development Department. Please check the City of Blue Island Brownfields Assessment site for information on activities related to the City’s 2007 award. Information on the 2008 funded project will be posted as it becomes available.

An agreement has been reached to transfer St. Francis Hospital & Health Center to MSCM Investors, LLC. MSMC Investors LLC, was created by Transition Healthcare, the company that will manage the hospital, and its financial backer, Falcon Investors LLC, as the holding company for the hospital and healthcare assets.

Over the coming weeks, SSM Health Care, Transition Healthcare and MSMC Investors will be securing the necessary approvals from the state and the Catholic Church. This process should be completed and the official transfer of the hospital should take place within 60 to 90 days. At that time, the name of the hospital will be changed to MetroSouth Medical Center, reflecting its importance to the region. Arnold Kimmel, CEO of Transition Healthcare will become CEO of MetroSouth Medical Center.

The City would like to thank Senator Emil Jones, Congressman Rush, Congressman Jackson, Senator Edward Maloney, Rep. Robert Rita, Rep. Monique Davis, Rep. William Davis and Rep. Kevin Carey Joyce for all of their help!

Thanks to Mayors of our surrounding communinties, South Suburban Mayors and Manager, Southwest Conference of Mayors, Pronger-Smtih Medical, Care, the Doctors, nurses and staff at St. Francis, CNT and many others who worked to keep a quality healthcare facility in our region.

And a special thanks to all who contacted politial leaders to ask for their involvement and who’s grassroots efforts helped save the hospital!

The City of Blue Island is actively searching for a priced proposal from transportation engineering firms for a traffic study that will examine the existing one-way thoroughfare on Western Avenue at the intersection of Gregory Street to a two-way operation. This study will coincide with the City’s Western Avenue Corridor Grant Project. To read more, view the Traffic Study RFP proposal.

[RFP HAS CLOSED]

On September 11, 2007, the Blue Island City Council passed resolution 07-adopting the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Greenest Region Compact. The compact outlines a number of cost-effective environmental sustainability measures that enhance safety, reduce the consumption of energy and fossil fuels, conserve water, and reduce hazardous waste, solid waste and air pollution emissions. In endorsing the compact, Blue Island has agreed to join the effort to improve the metropolitan Chicago region’s environment.

Click ‘here‘ to view Resolution N0. 07-325 A Resolution Endorsing the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus’ Greenest Region Compact.

Click ‘here‘ to view the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus: Greenest Region Compact.