Board Votes to Crack Down on Delinquent Developer

The voted Monday night to go after TCB Development for more than $40,000 the company has owed since 2008.

TCB, based in Tinley Park, had planned to build an industrial park on roughly 170 acres of land between the two sections of Knell Road, north of Aucutt Road. The company brought this proposal through the village development process, beginning in July 2007 and culminating in a final approval in August 2008.

But the project stalled once the economy took a tumble, and the land remains vacant. And since village staff worked on TCB’s plans for more than a year, sending some of them to outside engineering firms, the costs piled up. TCB has yet to pay its outstanding bill to the village, which totals $40,568.59.

TCB did pay a $20,000 deposit to the village, and on Monday, trustees voted 5-1 to use that deposit against the outstanding balance. They also voted to inform TCB that further steps will be taken, including asking a judge for a lien on the property, unless the bill is paid.

Trustees directed attorney Peter Wilson to move forward with the lien process.

“The absence of communication is unacceptable,” Trustee Stan Bond said of TCB. “These are taxpayer funds that have been expended, and I am in favor of proceeding with this.”

Trustee Matt Brolley cast the only dissenting vote. He said cracking down on a company trying to make it through tough economic times sends “an awful message to our big businesses in town.”

But Trustee Bill Keck said this item has been on the city’s ledger long enough.

“It’s part of our normal process, there’s no mystery here,” he said. “We’re just trying to clean up our accounts receivable.”