Hundreds of phone calls are flooding into Germantown Hills Village Hall after a chip seal project led to tracked oil and rock throughout the village and damage to vehicles.

Only two upset residents were at Thursday’s meeting of the Germantown Village Board to hear the mayor and village trustees address the problem.

However, village clerk Ann Sasso said the phone has been ringing nonstop at village hall since the project got underway Aug. 11, and residents want answers so they can make insurance claims.

“I have overseen the chip seal project every year in my 28 years as mayor and never seen anything like this,” Mayor Marvin Johnson said.

“I am clearly upset and disappointed,” the mayor added.

Chip seal is used to preserve the road surface and to fill cracks.

Johnson said the village is looking into what went wrong and trying to address specific problems by scheduling meetings with the engineering firm, contractor and the street committee.

He added the same contractor worked on similar projects for Marquette Heights and Metamora and there were not any issues.

Johnson said he has heard from drivers who had chipped windows or tar on their vehicles and a postal truck that apparently got rocks lodged in its brakes.

“For now, we have sanded some areas, which is a stopgap to the oil tracking, but we need to find a long-term fix obviously,” Johnson said.

In other action board members:

• approved the annexation of White Pines Retail Center property.

Village Attorney Greg Bell said with annexation approved, everything else would have to be signed off on as well as a matter of contract.

Therefore, the board also approved the preliminary plat, zoning, recapture agreement, IEPA permit application, jurisdictional transfer and state police annexation on Thursday.

The retail development project at the corner of Lourdes Road and Route 116 by the State Police Headquarters will include extending the sewer main.

“We had a successful visit with state police, and they are anxious to annex because they have a vintage septic system from the 60s,” Bell said.

Bell added he was surprised the Illinois Department of Transportation also approved all draft documents for the project in less than 24 hours, and the township highway commissioner is also expected to sign off.

Mayor Johnson said the developer Jim Paul is anxious to get started and get potential tenants confirmed for the property.

“We’ve heard talk of a restaurant and a gas station,” the mayor added.

A public hearing was also held on the annexation prior to the meeting, but no one was there to speak.

• approved a three-year repair and warranty agreement with Finch Co. for the Coventry Farms Subdivision.

It is subject to attorney’s fees and language that includes an engineer expense clause if the firm does not perform up to village standards.

Engineer Judd Giffin said the street and ditch work he has seen good work so far on 4th, 5th and 6th streets at Coventry Farm.

• heard a report from Giffin about how IDOT was supposed to draw up an agreement for The Safe Routes to Schools Program, but his contact unexpectedly resigned.

“They keep facing cuts to their funding and employees so I think they want people to start complaining,” Giffin said.

Village Trustee Jim Booth said he is “not fond” of how IDOT handled the situation and wants to set up a meeting with Sen. Dale Risinger.

• discussed amendments to the village sign ordinance.

Currently, retail banner standards include keeping grand opening signs up for 30 days and anniversary signs for 14 days.

Some businesses at Village Center would like special conditions made for certain promotions, sales or holidays.

Village Trustee Terry Booth said a meeting was held on the issue and it will be discussed further.

“It was very productive, but we want to be careful we are not too lenient,” Booth said.

• talked about the future of the village’s recycling program.

Board members estimated only about 2 to 3 percent of the village is recycling so it was discussed whether curbside service or the purchase of trailers would be beneficial or cost-effective.

• heard a request from the Germantown Hills Fire Association to have a 5K run on Oct. 25.

The association wants to be able to park fire trucks at intersections as they run through the roads near the fire department on Holland. No roads would be closed off.