Council to Meet without Sandack, Schnell, Beckman

Updated: 2:45 p.m.

With Mayor Ron Sandack out of town on business, the village council will open its meeting tonight with a motion to elect an acting mayor to preside over a light agenda.

The action is necessary because Commissioner Marilyn Schnell, the mayor pro tem, is also out of town. Commissioner Bruce Beckman also will be absent.

That leaves the minimum number of commissioners—four—for a quorum, which is a highly unusual occurrence for the village council.

It's also rare for Sandack to be away from the dais, said Doug Kozlowski, communications director. "He does try to plan trips around the council meeting schedule when he can."

Since taking office three and a half years ago, Sandack has missed "one, maybe two meetings," he said.

The remaining five council members will deal with a fairly light agenda. The only action item is the recommended approval of the village's estimated 2010 aggregate tax levy. 

Among the items for first reading is a special-use permit for Strayer University, a for-profit university which seeks to locate as many as 11 classrooms plus staff and administrative offices at 1431 Opus Place.  The school offers classes in business, criminal justice, information systems and other pursuits and grants associate, undergraduate and master's degrees as well as certificates. About 60 percent of Strayer's students enroll as online students, while about 200 are expected to attend classes at the Opus Place facility. 

Most of the classes would take place between 5:30 and 10 p.m., with students leaving the facility by 10:30 p.m. This was a concern for the Plan Commission, which at its Nov. 1 meeting questioned security at the facility. Village staff said it believes security will be sufficient. The school will have a security officer on site until 11 p.m.