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Good morning and thank you for your interest and support of the State of the City of West Chicago. Thank you also to Dave Sabathne and Wayne Lofton and the entire Chamber Board for sponsoring this event today.

I know that for many of you, attending this morning meant throwing yet another ball into the air as you juggle the responsibilities of your families, jobs and businesses.

Yet, you care enough about your community to carve out the time to review the events of the past year and tend to its future. It is that kind of commitment and resiliency that has brought us through one of the most difficult years in memory.

When asked in January by a major Chicago newspaper for the toughest challenge in 2010, twenty out of twenty-one northwest suburban mayors responded with some variation of the same theme, “it’s money.” Not surprising, as we all continue to operate in survival-mode and look for ways to balance shrinking budgets.

Here in West Chicago, increased costs of public employee pensions, combined with poor returns on fund investments, added to overall fiscal woes.  But resiliency is contagious and the fact is that notwithstanding this challenge, West Chicago’s 2010 budget has no tax or utility rate increases and no service reductions – all while leaving 12 positions in the organization unfilled.

This has been accomplished, in large part, through a budget philosophy which provides the framework to accomplish our mission of assuring a safe, cohesive and dynamic community that is responsive to the needs of both citizens and businesses as it strives for continuous improvement.

West Chicago prides itself on being an increasingly progressive community, willing to challenge the status quo and moving toward the “cutting edge.” We have accepted this challenge by developing the budget within the context of a search for creative solutions for the delivery of City services. The budget emphasizes policy and procedure reviews to improve the productivity and effectiveness of service delivery to its citizens. Its overriding goals are to support the high standards set by the community and to provide long-term value at reasonable cost.

  • One such improvement that resulted after careful planning and innovative thinking was the privatization of the operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant. It continues to reap financial benefit, saving the City approximately $100,000 annually.
  • Likewise, the privatization of the code enforcement function, has served the City well. The number of households caught with over-occupancy violations has tripled, and the City is experiencing compliance in this area.
  • Bringing the private development engineering review in-house, was another bold move which has resulted in money-savings for the customer as well as reduced review and permit turn-around time.
  • Proactive measures resulted in the City of West Chicago gaining a share of $16,000,000 provided through the Federal stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for infrastructure projects. Application was made for six highway projects, two of which were approved; the resurfacing of Joliet Street from Geneva Road to Illinois Route 38, and the resurfacing of Powis Road from Illinois Route 64 to Smith Road.
  • We also received $450,000 from DuPage County in a Community Development Block Grant for transportation related improvements that will be used for street resurfacing.
  • Though we lost Crossroads Chevrolet/Buick, which represented revenue of $120,000 in sales tax per year, the City was able to work diligently and quickly with Haggerty Ford to move its operation down the street to keep them in town.

Yes, the City remained busy and productive even amidst the financial uncertainty that
gripped the nation. Confident in its direction, ambitious projects were begun and others
successfully completed.

While other communities were canceling their special events, West Chicago recognized
that more than ever, families were looking for low-cost forms of entertainment without
venturing far from home. Blooming Fest, Touch a Truck, National Night Out, Railroad
Days, and Frosty Fest was their ticket. A  new event celebrating Mexican Independence
brought history, culture and pride to our downtown in September, and will become a
regular attraction to the special events schedule going forward.

We remained true to our distinction as an Illinois Arts Friendly Community by nurturing
Gallery 200 and the many talented artists who come through its doors at 200 Main
Street, and now an additional entrance at 203 Turner Court which accesses a lower level
devoted to classes and special events, like Local Music Nights and more.

Eight new gateway signs have enhanced the landscape at our boundaries and a commanding monument sign at the corner of Illinois Route 59 and Main Street which contains a four-color LED feature has become our latest communication tool.

Again, with an eye to the future, studies were commissioned on where to site two elevated storage tanks and two new wells to serve the existing residential and businesses customers. I’m proud to report the first new well construction along Hawthorne Lane is nearly complete, and the City is now acquiring land for the two elevated tower sites.        

After years of anticipation, Metra completed the third commuter parking lot, adding130 spaces to the existing 403, and enhancing the value of this recognized community amenity.

It’s just a matter of time before we see another renaissance. In the meanwhile, we’ve leveraged opportunities like the first time homebuyers program to incite investment to our neighborhoods; re-evaluated our current economic development activities; conducted research to create a list of new strategies to encourage future retail development; and taken time to recognize the milestones and accomplishments within our current business community through the creation of the Brilliance in Business Awards Program.

Moving on to matters of health and safety, much time was spent working with the Canadian National Railway to implement the terms of the Voluntary Mitigation Agreement, with several components moving on schedule including the neighborhood Noise Mitigation Program, the design of the George Street Pedestrian Walkway, Phase I engineering for the realignment of S. Aurora Street to determine road placement, and traffic studies for the intersections of Town Road and Route 38 and Pearl Road and Route 38.

From a public safety perspective, our City has much to celebrate. The inevitability of criminal activity, especially during tough economic times, is a reality for every community. That said, I am proud to report that all major crimes in West Chicago have been solved and that our Police Department received the prestigious PRIDE Award from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists for the largest increase in DUI arrests in DuPage County. Plus, over 90% of all graffiti incidents in town have been resolved. But most impressive, is the fact that our superb team of police professionals was involved in the manhunt and capture of escaped prisoner Robert Maday, who was armed and dangerous and evaded multiple police organizations during the 26 hour ordeal which ended after a high speed car chase in West Chicago.

As we exit what has been for many a painful year, and look hopefully to the future, it is only appropriate to acknowledge those who have stayed the course, held tight to our core values, and survived;

To our residents, I commend you for your determination to weather the financial storm that was the year 2009, and for some is still 2010 – for remaining active with your service clubs and volunteer activities; for coming to Coffee with the Mayor with ideas and suggestions instead of complaints and criticism, for dropping off donations of food for those in our community less fortunate, for planting flowers and putting out the flag and keeping your homes up as hard as that may be.

To our business community, I salute you for your fortitude and staying power and I thank you for the sacrifices you have made this past year to keep your doors open, your employees working and your community moving forward; and to the West Chicago Chamber of Commerce and Industry for helping them transform challenges into business growth opportunities and providing them vision, presence and advocacy.

To our community partners, thank you for always being there – in good times and in bad - to complement and supplement our efforts to bring about a better community; the West Chicago Fire Protection District for building and staffing the two new fire stations recently dedicated; to the West Chicago Park District, the West Chicago Public Library, West Chicago School District 33 and  West Chicago Community High School for hanging onto or creating new programs that enhance the quality of life like pristine parks and trails, enjoyable afternoon lunch and learn programs and evening educational workshops; extra-curricular activities for our students and special programs for parents that empower them to better help their children; and recognition programs that span the gamut of ability levels.

And finally, to City staff and the West Chicago City Council, our City Treasurer and City Clerk -  my dream team - a group of men and women who fiercely love the City and work tirelessly to preserve and promote its unique character while advancing its prosperity for future generations.

I thank you all for raising West Chicago to an enviable level among the ranks of DuPage County communities. You have humbled me by your support and I am honored to be your Mayor.