Beecher Approves Crete Church Centennial, Adds Police Cost Requirement

Beecher Village Board Meeting | May 11, 2026

Article Summary: The Beecher Village Board on Monday, May 11, 2026, approved a permit for Crete Protestant Reformed Church to hold its 100-year anniversary celebration at Firemen’s Park on Aug. 1, 2026, and then approved a follow-up motion requiring the church to pay for police presence at the event, which is expected to draw 250 to 300 people.

Crete Church Centennial Key Points:

• The board approved the church’s Aug. 1, 2026, permit for an event running 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Firemen’s Park.
• Estimated attendance is 250 to 300 people, prompting trustees to require the church to cover the cost of officers on site.
• A separate, amended motion made the original approval contingent on the church accepting the police-cost requirement.
• A question about whether the church could borrow a village golf cart for the event was raised but not formally resolved.

BEECHER — The Beecher Village Board on Monday, May 11, 2026, approved a permit application from Crete Protestant Reformed Church for a 100-year anniversary celebration at Firemen’s Park on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., then approved a second motion requiring the church to pay for police presence at the event given its expected size.

Trustee Brian Diachenko, who chairs the Public Buildings and Properties Committee, presented the permit application, noting an estimated attendance of 250 to 300 people. The board unanimously approved the underlying permit on its first roll-call vote.

Discussion then turned to whether an event of that size should have officers present, and on what terms. Trustees noted village ordinance allows the board to require police coverage at gatherings above a certain size and to charge organizers for officer time. “It’s up to our discretion to to provide that,” Diachenko said, adding the application as submitted did not include a request for an officer detail.

After discussion, the board approved a follow-up motion making the permit contingent on the church accepting that it will be billed for officers assigned to the event. “Contingent on them accepting the fact that we will be charging them for officers to be there for public safety during the event,” the contingency motion read in substance. That motion also passed by unanimous roll-call vote.

Golf Cart Question Left Open

Diachenko told the board the application also referenced a request to use a golf cart at the event, possibly to transport elderly attendees. Trustees discussed whether the church was asking to borrow a village-owned cart or simply seeking permission to bring its own.

“I would I would clarify, but I mean either way, I just if they wanted to use their own, is that something that is okay?” Diachenko asked. Trustees indicated a church-supplied cart would not be an issue, with one adding, “Just ask them not to be driving” — a reference to safe operation in the park. The motion as approved did not formally address the golf cart question, and the issue was left for staff to clarify with the church.

Futsal Tournament Also Approved

The committee also won approval for a separate event permit. The board unanimously approved a futsal tournament at the village’s multi-use courts on Friday, July 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., serving as a Beecher Community School District 200-U fundraiser.

Diachenko told the board the village attorney had advised that, under Beecher’s intergovernmental agreement with the school district, these school-tied events at the multi-use courts come to the board for approval even though the courts sit on school property. He also confirmed with the public works staff that the Miller Street water main project will be in active construction during the tournament but will not block site access.

Both event approvals were unanimous, with trustees Joe Tieri, Jessica Smith, Todd Kraus, Brian Diachenko, Roger Stacey and Erik Gardner voting in favor.