If you didn’t purchase your village sticker by the April 1 deadline, don’t delay because Forest Park Police are on the lookout for scofflaws.
“We gave people a 10-day grace period after the deadline,” said Police Chief Jim Ryan.
Police set up a traffic stop yesterday during the morning rush hour at Circle Avenue and Harvard Street. All vehicles were stopped, said Ryan, and if they had an expired sticker and no new one, citations were issued. The tickets carry a $30 fine.
Police also made the rounds late last night, issuing tickets to parked vehicles listed as owned by Forest Parkers.
Last night, Tim Wysocki got not one but two tickets on his boss’ car, which is registered in Berwyn, and already has a Berwyn sticker. The green Dodge truck (which is used for snow plowing) came to police attention because it was parked overnight on the street. The first tickets were written at 2:41 a.m. – one for illegal parking and one for lack of a vehicle sticker. Wysocki removed them, moved his car and got another ticket at 4:15 a.m.
“The local ordinance says if a vehicle is regularly housed in Forest Park, they have to buy a village vehicle sticker,” said Village Administrator Tim Gillian, “even if a vehicle is registered somewhere else.” As for receiving two tickets on one night, Gillian said, “If mistakes have been made, [the citizen] needs to come to the front desk in village hall and tell the clerk there about it.”
Berwyn’s local ordinance says all vehicles owned by residents must have vehicle stickers, regardless of where they are parked. The Berwyn sticker on Wysocki’s truck expires in June.
The truck’s owner, Joe Panico, did not immediately return calls. In the past, he has purchased two vehicle stickers, one in Berwyn and one in Forest Park for the truck, said Wysocki.
The police are still looking for more vehicles without stickers, Ryan said. “We have the patrol divisions monitor the alleys and issue citations to anyone who doesn’t have a village sticker.”
Forest Park vehicle stickers still cost $25. “I don’t know of anyone around who has vehicle licenses that cheap,” said Ryan.
The cost will double to $50 on May 1. The village council rejected a proposal to increase fees to $30 in January.
