Roof, siding and window repair contractors are not as plentiful as plunging hail balls from last week’s storm, but it might appear there are.

And, with out-of-the-area home rehab companies converging on Kankakee and the surrounding community seeking to capitalize of those in need, Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis cautioned homeowners to be extremely careful before signing any contract.

After Monday’s Kankakee City Council meeting, Curtis said residents should verify the contractor has registered with the city’s Code Enforcement office.

By registering with the city, the company is required to have established they are properly insured and have filed a financial bond with the city which further protects residents against unscrupulous contractors.

As of late this week, only two out-of-the-area contractors have registered with the city. Most local companies have completed these requests long ago.

When there is such a large amount of damage done in an area due to storms, it is common for unfamiliar contractors to set up locally and seek work.

Curtis said these contractors are not unwelcome because there is such a large volume of house and business repairs which are needed.

However, the concern is the contractors not locally based can leave people with unfinished work and substandard work. And the problem is when they have left the area, the homeowner can be left with their insurance money spent and the work not completed.

“They must be licensed within the city they are working,” Curtis said. To determine if they are licensed, a resident only needs to call his office to have that information confirmed.

Residents can phone the mayor’s office at 815-933-0500.

Curtis warned many contractors may say they are licensed and bonded, but most often they are not.

Curtis is not unlike any other resident this past week. He said he’s had several contractors telephone him seeking to inspect his dwelling.

When asked if they are licensed and bonded in Kankakee, most replied they were. When he informed them he was the mayor and he knew that was a false statement, the call quickly ended.

“We are trying to protect our residents. We have a duty to protect our residents,” he said.

These contractors must fill out a $100 solicitors application with the city clerk’s office. They are charged $500 per solicitor working on their behalf.

From there, the city completes a background check on all of those agents. The company must have a locally-registered business agent.

“There are a lot of people knocking on doors. You have to be careful.”

Vehicle windshield repairs

Regarding damages to vehicles by the record-setting hail storm, Curtis was asked by 5th Ward Alderman Victor Nevarez if the city could help residents with the vehicle windshield repairs?

Without directly stating the city did not have that ability, Curtis said vehicle insurance does aid with that.

Due to the large number of car owners have broken windshields or smashed rear windows, many insurance companies have set up drive-thru locations to process those claims faster.

In addition to Kankakee, the hail storm struck significant portions of Bradley, Aroma Park and many unincorporated areas stretching almost to Momence and St. Anne.

Kankakee assisting Aroma

The 26-member Kankakee Public Works Department crew has been working in Aroma Township helping cut, pick up and haul away the massive number of downed trees or large branches.

Curtis said these are moments when all communities must come together.

Crews from other municipalities also have been assisting Aroma.

Kankakee 18-acre brush lot, which is the former Starlight Drive-in Theater property, near the city’s eastern edge along East Court Street is accepting tree debris from municipal and county government trucks at no charge.

The city, he said, has considerable room within the site and is mulching the brush.

“This is what we will do for our neighbors,” he said.

Curtis noted some city public works team members have their own damaged properties to be concerned with, but they are delivering for area residents and communities in need of help.

“These smaller communities need our help more than ever. This team has been awesome. I can’t be more proud.”

He also noted he’s fielded calls from 30-35 mayors from across Illinois asking if Kankakee needed help. To this point, he said the city is taking care of itself, but he said these gestures are greatly appreciated.

Greater tragedy dodged

He also noted, as did 4th Ward Alderman Lance Marczak, the city should consider itself fortunate.

Had the tornado entered the city a quarter-mile more north or more south, more heavily populated residential areas would have been struck.

The result, Curtis said, would have been more damage and most likely a greater toll on human life.

“If it had gone one way or the other, the city would have been devastated.”

In other words, as bad as the night of March 10 was, it could have been far worse.