Oakwood Hills Village Board Shuts Down Amid Threats

(CBS) -- A far north suburb's government office is shut down because officials there have been threatened.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports Oakwood Hills is a quaint village where many show their strong opposition to a proposed power plant with signs on their front yards.

"I am opposed to it because it is 200 feet away from my daughter's school and the school my son will be going to and the danger to my kids is the most important thing," said resident Jeromy Lopez.

Village President Melanie Funk says the distance would be 1,200 feet.

Resident John M. Madigan Jr. has been following the issue closely. He says last week the groups behind the proposed plant presented their plan in front of the village board. Hundreds showed up to voice their concerns. Oakwood Hills has a population of about 2,000.

"I like the idea of this power plant, it has real possibilities as a high-efficiency system," said Madigan. "It is too close to the school, it is too close to the people and it is going to draw way too much water."

The village president says a decision was made to suspend public business at the village. Threats have been made to board members. They've been urged to vote the power plant down.

"Everybody is affected by this including village officials that volunteer their time to do the work for the village and it is a shame it is affecting everybody," Funk says.

Northland Power, one of the partners of the proposed plant, says that with area coal plants closing that a gas plant makes sense. They say they will be able to use wastewater fluid to power the plant with well water as a backup.