Westmont Village News February/March 2020

Jacob Bearden, a Senior at Westmont High School, recently completed his Eagle Scout Project—two American Flag Collection Boxes. One of the collection boxes has been placed at the Park District Administrative Building at 55 E. Richmond St., and the second flag collection box is located at the Westmont Police-Fire Facility at 500 N. Cass Ave.

“This is something that was identified as a need in our community,” said Park District Executive Director Bob Fleck. “So when this idea was suggested, we immediately did all we could do to support the project.” Jacob worked on the project for about five months. The Eagle Scout project will now be reviewed by the local Boy Scouts Council. Jacob expects to receive his Eagle Scout certificate in February. He’s been a member of Boy Scouts Troop 6 in Westmont since first grade.

Citizens can place their old or damaged flags in the collection boxes at these locations during regular business hours, and then the American Legion will retire the flags properly.

“I want to thank all of the people who helped me,” said Bearden. “Especially Mr. Fleck from the park district, who helped me organize many of the details to complete the project.”

Share your vision of Westmont’s future

Westmont citizens are asked to create and send their written or visual arts interpretation of Westmont’s future, specifically, the year 2121, which will be Westmont’s 100 th Anniversary. Submissions will be reviewed and then forwarded to Moy, who will use the information to create the final installment of the historical murals. “We really want people to be creative,” said Moy. “Let us know what you think our future will be like.” Citizens can submit their submissions now through Feb. 28. To sign up, visit the village website at westmont.illinois.gov.

Citizen of the year nominations

Each year, the Village of Westmont and the Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau seek nominations for the Westmont Citizen of the Year Award. The award is given to a resident who has demonstrated exemplary volunteerism and community service over the past year.

“We have incredible volunteers in Westmont,” said Mayor Ron Gunter. “We are fortunate to have so many people who have so much pride in their community. We encourage everyone to nominate individuals who dedicate themselves to giving back.”

Nominations must be submitted to the Westmont Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau, 1 S. Cass Ave., by noon on Fri., March 6. For more information, contact the Chamber at wcctb@westmontchamber.com or 630-960-5553.

Walking to Hsinchu fitness challenge a big success This past spring, the Village of Westmont encouraged village employees and the community at large to sign up and participate in the Walking to Hsinchu Fitness Challenge, which was conceived by the village’s Health and Wellness Committee. The concept was to have people record their fitness miles over a six month period to see if the cumulative miles of the whole group would be enough to travel from Westmont to Hsinchu County, Taiwan. Hsinchu County, Taiwan is the Sister City of Westmont.

The program kicked off in May and participants sent in their miles each month through the end of October. The group would need to log about 1,500 miles each month to reach their goal. The group ended up outperforming their goal by logging an extra 3,000 miles per month. The original total goal was 8,871 miles, and the group actual logged a total of 27,845.75 miles, which was enough distance to travel from Westmont to Taiwan, back to Westmont, and then back to Taiwan again. “This was an extremely successful program,” said Health and Wellness Committee Chair Mike Chorney. “Our committee focuses on internal staff health initiatives, but once we agreed to include the Sister City concept in our goal, then we decided to open up the program to the community.”

The program had 32 village employees and 21 residents complete in the challenge.

At the Dec. 19, 2019 Village Board meeting, fitness challenge participants were recognized for completing the challenge.

“I want to thank everyone who participated,” said Mayor Ron Gunter, who also completed the fitness challenge. “This was a fun way to inform the community about our Sister City Program and get fit at the same time.”

Sister City program thanks departing director of Taiwanese Cultural Center Westmont Mayor Ron Gunter recently presented a Key to the Village to Weizan Wang, who is starting a new position in Taipei, Taiwan after serving as the Director of the Taiwanese Cultural Center here in Westmont for the past four years. “On behalf of the village, I want to thank you for all you’ve done to support the community,” said Mayor Gunter during the presentation. “You have been here since the start of our Sister City and we greatly appreciate your cooperation and friendship.”

During Wang’s tenure as Cultural Center Director, the Village of Westmont has hosted over a dozen cultural events in which performers, artists, and students from Taiwan have visited Westmont.

When asked about what he will miss most about the United States, Wang responded that he will miss American food, specifically steak, and the Taste of Westmont Summer Festival.

Attending the presentation was Kerry Liou, who will be the new Director of the Taiwanese Cultural Center in Westmont. The Village of Westmont welcomes Ms. Liou and looks forward to continuing our excellent relationship. Weizen Wang, Village Manager Steve May, Sister City Ambassador Angela Yang, Kerry Liou, Mayor Ron Gunter, Chamber Director Larry Forssberg, and Sister City Chair Larry McIntyre

2020 garbage, recycling & brush pick-up The Village of Westmont contracts with Waste Management for recycling, waste hauling, and brush pick-up services. For your convenience, the Village has created an online information sheet and 2020 pick-up schedule for the community, which can be found at westmont.illinois.gov. If you have additional questions, please contact Waste Management at wm.com or 800-964-8988.

Village provides internship opportunities for area students

Over the past year, the Village of Westmont hosted four different internships for area high school students. The program has been very successful.

Interns were able to learn specific skills related to village communications as well as have a chance to meet with various Village Departments, including Police and Fire, as well as local public agencies. In one case, Timothy Christian High School Senior Priscilla Nartey, pictured left, was able to participate in a phone interview with an F.B.I. agent, which is a possible career path for Nartey.

For more information regarding internships, contact the Village at communications@westmont.il.gov.

Muddy Waters Exhibit receives new item for collection At the Jan. 16 Village Board Meeting, Westmont resident Keith Reich and Joe “Mojo” Morganfield talked about a unique item that will soon go on display at the Muddy Waters Historical Exhibit in Westmont.

For over a decade, Reich has been collecting the autographs of blues musicians on a Muddy Waters street sign and now that sign will be featured at the exhibit. At the meeting, “Mojo” Morganfield added his autograph to the sign. Morganfield is the youngest son of Muddy Waters and is now a popular performer on the blues music circuit. Reich began collecting signatures of the blues artists that played at the annual Muddy Waters Blues Tribute and Jam during the Taste of Westmont, and has more than 40 autographs on the sign.

“We’re always looking to add new artifacts to our Muddy Waters Historical Exhibit,” said Westmont Communications Director Larry McIntyre, who created the Muddy Waters Historical Exhibit located in Westmont Centre, 1 S. Cass Ave. “This Muddy Waters sign has the signatures of numerous blues musicians who are famous throughout the world. We want to thank Keith for loaning this artifact to the exhibit.”

The Muddy Waters Historical Exhibit is part of the office of the Westmont Special Events Corporation, which is the organization that hosts the annual Muddy Waters Blues Tribute & Jam each year at the Taste of Westmont. The Muddy Waters Exhibit in Westmont includes over 40 one-of-a-kind blues artifacts including rare photos, original posters and publicity handbills, clothing, tour memorabilia, and more. One of the featured items in the exhibit is a Grammy Award that Waters won in 1972. For more information regarding Westmont Special Events and the Muddy Waters Historical Exhibit, please contact the WSEC at wsec@westmontevents.com or 630-829-9378.

Holly Days committee seeks community feedback

The Westmont Holly Days Committee is asking Westmont citizens to fill out a survey regarding new ideas for next year’s event. One of the ideas being considered includes moving more activities and events to the downtown area. The committee is also looking at event dates.

“Every year, we have residents tell us that they would like to participate in Holly Days, but they are out of town Thanksgiving weekend,” said Dustin Kleefisch, Holly Days Co-Chair. “The results of this survey will help guide us as we plan for 2020.”

A link to the survey can be found on the Village of Westmont website at westmont.illinois.gov. For more information about Holly Days, please contact us at dkleefisch@westmontparks.org.

Westmont to be featured in Morton Arboretum video Mayor Ron Gunter was recently interviewed for a video project being produced by the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI), which is affiliated with Morton Arboretum. The goal of the project is to promote the importance of trees.

“We chose Westmont because of its strong reputation in urban forestry,” said Lydia Scott, who is the Director the CRTI. “Westmont is one of only three municipalities in the Chicagoland area to be part of the project. We hope to have the video completed by March of 2020 and it will be used to encourage mayors and community leaders to follow Westmont’s example to invest in green infrastructure.”

CRTI promotes the importance of green infrastructure investment to assist with solving problems such as saving energy, providing stormwater management solutions, and ensuring an aesthetic environment, which results in higher property values. Once finished, the video will be sent to Chicagoland municipalities and public agencies to encourage them to invest in green infrastructure. “This opportunity speaks

highly of our professional staff,” said Mayor Gunter. “The public works department has done a great job managing our community tree population. We cannot thank them enough for all of their great work.” For more information regarding CRTI, visit their website at chicagorti.org

Raising Cane’s makes donation to PRC

The Village of Westmont welcomes Raising Cane’s to the community and thanks them for their interest in community support. At their grand opening ceremony, they donated $1000 to the People’s Resource Center.

2020 updates for community development permits and policies

Starting with the new year, the Village of Westmont Community Development Department has introduced several new and updated policies and specifications for permits that were approved by the village board. There have also been some specific updates regarding new construction and remodeling projects relating to fire safety. “We strive to always make improvements to our permitting process,” said Westmont Building Commissioner Jason Vitell. “With that goal, we have streamlined the permitting process as well as reduced and eliminated some of our permit fees.”

The village has made updates and changes in several areas including: Building Permit Application Fee, Commercial and Residential Base Fees, Electric and Plumbing Fees, Commercial and Residential Flat Fee Permits, Express Permitting, Fire Department Submittals Due with Application, and more. A listing of recent changes and updates can be found on the village website at westmont.illinois.gov. For more information regarding the permit process, please contact the Village of Westmont Community Development Department at 630-981-6250.

Nix honored for 30 years of service At a recent committee meeting, Kirk Nix was honored for 30 years of service with the Westmont Public Works Department. Kirk is the Customer Service Coordinator for the Westmont Public Works Water Division and an IEPA Class *C* Certified Water Treatment Operator. For the past 15 years, Kirk has been in charge of the meter division, which includes installing, testing, and reading water meters, as well as the processing of water billing. Kirk, pictured with Public Works Director Mike Ramsey and Village Trustee Steve Nero, also assists with the water distribution crew, which includes fixing hydrants, valves, and water main breaks. The village thanks Kirk for his many years of service and dedication to the community.

WHS student graduates from public works training program Mayor Ron Gunter presented Westmont High School Senior Justin Yeater his Water Operator In Training (OIT) Certificate for recently graduating from the OIT program at the Dec. 19, 2019 Village Public Works Committee Meeting.

“I am very proud of Justin, “said Westmont Public Works Director Mike Ramsey, who started the OIT Program. “Justin is the first high school student in Illinois history to graduate from this type of program and receive the OIT Certificate while still in school.”

The OIT Program was created through a partnership between the Westmont Public Works Department and the Westmont High School in 2018. OIT offers WHS students the chance to learn about the water industry as a career choice. Yeater completed 890 hours of hands-on training, an online course, worked as a seasonal paid intern and passed the Illinois EPA State Certified Water Operator Class *D* exam to become fully certified. When Yeater graduates from Westmont High School in June, he will be a Class *D* water Operator in Training in the state of Illinois.

15 2020 Citizens Fire Academy

The Westmont Fire Department has begun open registration for the 2020 Spring Citizens Fire Academy (CFA). The CFA will meet Wednesdays from 6–9pm from March 25 through April 22.

The CFA program is designed to help citizens better understand the fire department’s firefighting and rescue operations as well as the multitude of services it provides to the community. The five-week course is not designed to train future firefighters, but to educate residents who are interested in gaining an insider’s view of the lives of professional firefighters and EMS personnel.

The curriculum is divided into three areas: classroom participation, hands-on practical training, and live fireground activities. CPR and first aid is also covered during the course.

Participants must be at least 18 years of age, of good standing within the community, and reside or work in Westmont. There is no fee to attend. For further information, contact Neil Berkowitz at nberkowitz@westmont.il.gov or 630-981-6442.

Westmont Fire Department sends care packages to U.S. troops The Westmont Fire Department recently assembled 100 care packages for the 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry serving overseas in Afghanistan just outside of Kandahar. “Several of our firefighters and police officers have family members who are soldiers and serving in this troop, so we wanted to give back and let them know we are thinking of them,” said Westmont Fire Chief Steve Riley. “I am very proud of our department for coming together and making this project successful.”

The Westmont Firefighters Association (WFA), which consists of current employees of the Westmont Fire Department, created a fundraising effort last year just for this cause. They designed t-shirts and sweatshirts, and sold them at Westmont community events. The WFA plans on continuing their fundraising efforts so they can make this an annual project.

Each care package contains items to help the soldiers with everyday life and also a few things they might miss from home. The firefighters packed lens cleaning wipes, baby wipes, deodorant, gum, trail mix, protein bars, sunflower seeds, cookies, beef sticks, flavor packets for water, and more.

With the fundraising efforts and a charity called Helping Heros of America, which will be paying for all shipping costs, these care packages should get to our soldiers by the end of January. If you are interested in donating to the Westmont Firefighters Association, please contact Lt. Chris Gerlich at 630-981-6400.

VILLAGE OF WESTMONT MISSION STATEMENT Shaping a vibrant community and future through connection, service and leadership

Village of Westmont Code Corner— snow removal and unpaved parking The Village of Westmont Code Enforcement Staff wants to remind residents, businesses, and property owners of a few important, timely items. Snow removal

Your care and consideration of snow removal and storage are appreciated. Per code, no residence or business shall deposit snow and/or ice onto any public street, public sidewalk, or private street. In addition, parking lots or commercial/multi-family drives should not have snow cleared from one private property onto a parkway across a street or onto a neighboring property or way. Disregarding this may result in a citation. Unpaved parking areas

Unpaved parking areas, driveways or parking pads constructed from compacted gravel or crushed stone are sometimes found in older areas of Westmont. These unpaved areas were built before cement, paver brick or asphalt pavement were required. While a pre-existing unpaved parking area is allowed to be maintained, it is prohibited to use gravel or crushed stone to create a new parking area, expanding a pre-existing driveway or parking pad, and is subject to a citation. All new parking spaces are required to be permitted and paved with cement, paver brick or asphalt pavement. Report-a-concern

To report any concerns, residents are encouraged to visit the village website at westmont.illinois.gov and click on the REPORT-A-CONCERN link that appears on the home page. The REPORT-A-CONCERN module can be used to file a complaint or report issues concerning code enforcement, new construction, streets, water, and more. For more information, please call the Community Development Department at 630-981-6250.

Voter assistance for elderly The DuPage County Clerk Election Division announced that special assistance in voter registration is available to the elderly and voters with disabilities through the division’s office. The division can assist in the arrangement of “In-Home” registration appointments with deputy registrars for the upcoming March 17 General Primary Election.

All eligible registered voters, including those who are physically unable to get to their polling place, are entitled to receive a ballot by mail or in person. An individual may request a ballot to vote by mail up through March 12. An individual may vote early at the Election Division office, beginning Feb. 6, through March 17, or early vote in person at one of the County’s Early Voting sites, starting March 2, through March 16.

Polling locations during Early Voting and on Election Day will be equipped with touch-screen voting machines to enable those who are blind, visually impaired or have limited dexterity to vote privately without assistance. Additionally, a voter may request assistance with marking their ballot. At the polling place on Election Day assistance may be given by Judges of Election (one from each political party), a friend or a relative. Assistance with marking the ballot will also be available at Early Voting sites.

For additional information, contact the Election Division office, 421 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton, IL, 60187 at 630-407-5600, the TDD number at 630-407-5631.

Sharps kiosk at Police-Fire The Village of Westmont has a sharps disposal container in the lobby of the Westmont Police-Fire facility located at 500 N. Cass Ave. Residents can safely discard their syringes and other medical-use needles, frequently referred to as “sharps”, in the container during business hours.

All sharps must be empty of medicine and secured in a small sharps container with a tamper-proof lid. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that used needles and other sharps be immediately placed in FDA-cleared sharps disposal containers after each use.

For more information, visit the Village Website at westmont.il.gov.