Minooka mulls law on street fundraising

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Updated: March 2, 2012 8:03AM

MINOOKA — A local law allowing nonprofit organization members to stand on streets to collect donations will be heading back to the ordinance committee.

The Will & Grundy Counties Building & Construction Trades Council and the Kankakee/Iroquois Counties Building Trades of the AFL-CIO asked to hold their fundraiser for diabetes research in June. This will be the 26th annual DAD’s Day fundraiser for the organizations.

While the request passed by a majority vote, most trustees agreed that the ordinance needs to be reconsidered.

Collecting donations from vehicle occupants while they are stopped at street lights brings in a lot of needed funds for nonprofits.

Trustees Houchens and Dick Martin have voted against the practice for the past couple years.

When the Minooka Lions Club decided to stop collecting donations on the busiest of Minooka’s intersections — Ridge Road and Mondamin Street — their collections went down by a third, said Trustee Barry Thompson.

The ordinance committee reconsidered the parameters of the ordinance in early 2011, changing it to allow fundraising solicitors on village streets between dawn and dusk and only on Saturdays.

Even with the restricted day and times, trustees are still worried about traffic problems and safety.