Oakwood Hills Village Hall shut down by personal threats over proposed power plant

OAKWOOD HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- Personal threats have shut down public business at government offices in a small northwest suburban village. People who are angry over a proposal to build a power plant in Oakwood Hills are threatening village board members.

The threat against board members is mentioned in a note posted at village hall, as well as on their website. It also mentions that the board meeting scheduled for Thursday night has been canceled and the village hall is closed until further notice.

The lights are off and the doors are locked at the small brick building that is Oakwood Hills Village Hall. Officials made the decision to close the building late last week after board members received threats related to a controversial proposal to build a gas-fired power plant in the village.

"The village is still paying its bills, and doing things we need to do. But as far as public business, we are closed until further notice," said Melanie Funk, Oakwood Hills Village president.

It's the latest development in a proposal that has generated an outcry from residents. Signs protesting the plant can be seen throughout the village of 2,000 people.

One is in Chris Reining's front yard. He says no one in the village knew about plans for what's being called the Oakwood Hills Energy Center until a month ago, when it was in the local newspaper.

Since then, he and some friends started a Facebook page that's become a forum for people opposing the plant.

"It really worried a lot of people. People are scared about the plant because it caught us off guard," said Reining.

The $450 million power plant would sit on 13-acres, close to both village hall and Prairie Grove Junior High School. The first public presentation of the plant drew concerned residents looking to stop the plans before they progress.

"How is it that a multi-million dollar power plant can become entangled with a small village? Is the village equipped to handle such things?" said Ryan Noonan.

"The village is not looking to put in a power plant. We were approached by a venture group in Northland Power as to a need for a facility in this area," said Funk.

Opponents of the plant said that while they don't condone threatening behavior, they question the timing of closing the village.

"Until I see personally arrests made, I have to be skeptical of shutting down the government indefinitely," said Noonan.

Oakwood Hills police say they take the threats seriously and they have informed the McHenry County state's attorney. So far, no arrests have been made.