November 2016 Village of Westchester Illinois Newsletter by Village of Westchester, IL

Village of

Westchester

NOVEMBER 2016 Newsletter

From the Desk of The President POLICE DEPARTMENT

FIRE DEPARTMENT

CALENDAR

7 President Sam Pulia with Boy Scouts from Troops 1 and 73, as well as Cub Scouts from Troop 1, who were recognized by the Board for their volunteer efforts throughout 2016. Thanks again for all your hard work, Troops!

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

NEWS AND NOTES

SCHOOL DISTRICT

PARK DISTRICT

GET OUT AND VOTE! Tomorrow, November 8th, 2016, is Election Day. Throughout our history, voting has been the cornerstone of our democracy, of the United States. On Election Day, we the citizens of the USA get to have direct input on the leadership of the United States Congress, as well as our Illinois State Senate and House members. The pinnacle of the election is the Presidential selection; however, whoever is the winner must work with the congressional leaders across any aisle if we are to get anything done. Cities throughout the country are in dire need of financial assistance, especially in the area of our failing infrastructure. Many needed and worthy projects have had to be placed on hold due to the cost. Finding the dollars to fund the initial engineering costs has been difficult to obtain. Westchester was incorporated on October 30, 1925 and has just celebrated its 91st Birthday. A good portion of our unseen infrastructure - water mains, storm, and sanitary sewers - has reached the end of its useful life and planning the replacement is costly. Many of these projects are funded in part by federal grants, through matching participation, or subsidies sent to our state through the federal government. The stalemate not only on the federal level but in the State of Illinois is counterproductive and will

continue to be a definite obstacle for local leaders when we try to provide basic services now and in the future. Recently, many of our “Collector Streets” projects, once eligible for 80% Federal Funding and a 20% local match, have been eliminated making the whole project 100% local cost. Our economy and job creation, notwithstanding our safety and security both here and abroad, are the worries we all share. I have heard comments from friends and family that “it does not matter who wins, nothing is going to change.” Maybe so, but having a strong voice, following the issues, and actually finding out what the candidates’ platforms are and questioning how they plan on moving their agendas forward is our job as citizens. I located some reasons I would like to share on why voting is important. Top Reasons Why You Should Vote • Voting is a way to speak your mind and let your voice be heard! Your vote is your voice. When we vote, we are actually telling elected officials and lawmakers how we feel about education, public safety, social security, health care, and other important issues. • One voice, one vote really does count!

See PRESIDENT, page 5

Westchester 2

NOVEMBER 2016

Pictures

Police Department NOVEMBER 2016

A Message from the Police Chief

The holidays are right around the corner and the busiest travel season of the year will begin shortly. No matter what mode of travel you are taking, I want to be sure to advise you to please travel safely. With this being a heavy travel season there are several things you can do to help assure a safe trip for you and your family; and at the same time keep your home safe and secure. Here are a few travel tips to help during your travels: Notify a trusted neighbor or family member of your travel plans Secure all doors and windows Ensure your mail and newspapers are picked up daily Place lights on timers Call the police department to place a security check on your home BLACK FRIDAY The Westchester Police Department is dedicated to making all citizens as safe as possible as you shop from store to store in search of the best bargain you can find. Officers will be out in force patrolling the community during these busy shopping days. Your participation in making this a safe time is greatly desired. Here are a few reminders: Shop with friends and family – there is safety in numbers Park in well lit areas – be aware of your surroundings

Place packages in your trunk – do not leave anything inside your vehicle out in plain view Do not carry excessive amounts of cash on your person

Police blotter short time later. 1) At 5:38pm on September 14, 2016 a Stolen Bicycle was reported on the 1900 block of Buckingham. The owner of a mountain bike reported that unknown person(s) removed it from an unlocked bike rack. 2) At 11:28am on September 18, 2016 a Burglary to Auto was reported on the 1600 block of Westchester Blvd. The vehicle owner reported that person(s) unknown had entered his unlocked vehicle and removed a wallet and credit cards. 3) At 11:10pm on September 21, 2016 Stolen Auto was reported at the BP gas station located at 805 Mannheim Road. Vehicle owner reported that after pumping gas and while attempting to pay. Unknown person(s) took the vehicle while it was running. The vehicle was recovered a

4) At 3:13pm on September 23, 2016 a Retail Theft was reported at Mariano’s located at 3020 Wolf Road. A male subject left without paying for over $700 in merchandise. Video recordings are being reviewed for identification. 5) At 5:31pm on September 25, 2016 a Retail Theft was reported at J Dee’s Convenient located at 10147 Roosevelt Road. A male left the store without paying for $79 in merchandise. 6) At 2:26pm on September 29, 2016 a Theft was reported on the 10900 block of Windsor. The resident reported that unknown person(s) removed their gas grill from the backyard of their residence.

wTake extra precautions while using an ATM card As I end my letter, I want to say to all the residents of Westchester

that I hope each one of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving and please take a moment and touch someone close to you and tell them why you are thankful for them.

Fire Department 4

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 1 Remember: there is power in numbers, and when we vote and get our family members to vote, we can truly make a difference. If you don’t vote for what you believe in, others will – and you may not like the outcome. • Our children are depending on us to represent their voices too! Because our children can’t vote, we have to do it for them. That’s how we make our concerns about schools, safety, housing, and other issues heard. When we vote, we are looking out for our kids, and their futures. • Voting changes communities! Do you ever wonder why one neighborhood gets passed over for things it needs, while another seems to get it all? One big reason is voting. When we vote, we can get results that we can actually see. • Vote to effect change! It was through elections that we voted in officials who were champions for civil rights. Voting is our chance to make a difference in our own lives and within the world. • Believe it or not, voting is a way of honoring our history! As long as our country has existed, there have been people who didn’t want us to vote. There were several freedom fighters that stood up for the right to vote. Well, those times may seem ancient, but there are still people today who don’t want us to vote. It’s now our turn to stand up and vote to preserve the honor of those who went before us. • Last but not least, because it gives you credibility! Often times, we voice our concerns to elected officials, but if we aren’t voting, our concerns may not matter at all to them. Voting can actually give you the credibility to make your concerns a top priority for legislators. WESTCHESTER REFERENDUM QUESTION As reported in prior newsletters, in addition to voting for National and State Candidates you will see a local Westchester referendum question on the ballot. The question, like most referendum questions, affects all of our pocketbooks. The referendum question will ask you to vote yes or no to an increased tax rate for the purpose of public safety, police, fire, and other municipal purposes. The Village Board approved an ordinance at our August 9, 2016 meeting to submit the following question to you for your consideration: SHALL THE LIMITING RATE UNDER THE PROPERTY TAX EXTENSION LIMITATION LAW FOR THE VILLAGE OF WESTCHESTER, COOK COUNTY,

NOVEMBER 2016 ILLINOIS, BE INCREASED BY AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT EQUAL TO 0.238% ABOVE THE LIMITING RATE FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE, FIRE, AND OTHER MUNICIPAL PURPOSES FOR LEVY YEAR 2015 AND BE EQUAL TO 1.676% OF THE EQUALIZED ASSESSED VALUE OF THE TAXABLE PROPERTY THEREIN FOR LEVY YEAR 2016. Supplemental Information that does not appear on the ballot is as follows: 1) The approximate amount of taxes extendable at the most recently extended limiting rate is $6,256,078 and the approximate amount of taxes extended of the proposition is approved is $7,291,507. 2) For the 2016 levy year, the approximate amount of additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $63.51. 3) If the proposition is approved, the aggregate extension for 2016 will be determined by the limiting rate set forth in the proposition, rather than the otherwise applicable limiting rate calculated under provisions of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (commonly known as the Property Tax Cap Law.) Those individuals who have attended the recent Board meetings have heard me speak in favor of hiring 3 police officers to increase our staffing to 32 officers from the current 29, in an attempt to provide additional security and services similar to when we had 38 officers back in 2003. The second issue I commented on was to follow the commissioned study of our Fire Department to increase 3 firefighter/paramedics to run a second ambulance. The study indicated our ambulance calls have increased and represent 69.3% (3 year average) of total calls for service. The law does not allow elected officials to utilize public funds to support or refute any referendum question. The aforementioned comments are comments I have made in public meetings regarding the needs I, as Mayor, wish to offer our residents. It will be up to our registered voters to either support or reject the referendum question posted above. VETERANS DAY Friday, November 11th is Veterans Day. I am respectfully requesting every residence and business display our American Flag as a show of solidarity to all our veterans, and current members of all of our Armed Services of the past, presently serving, and those who are planning to serve us in the future. We owe each serviceperson and their families a debt we can never repay. The

sheer numbers of returning veterans suffering from both physical and mental injuries that occurred protecting us is staggering. Hines Veterans Hospital is a mere 2 miles from Westchester and serves many of these heroes on a daily basis. I am told Westchester has a large number of veterans residing in town. I would ask them to consider becoming a member of the Westchester American Legion Post 1437, which holds monthly meetings on the 3rd Thursday of the month at our Village Hall. At our October 11th Board meeting, I asked the board to formalize and implement a proposal that would offer a reduction in the cost of one Westchester Vehicle Tag to any veteran residing with an honorable discharge for the upcoming 2017 sale year, similar to the discount for senior citizens presently in effect. Although not approved at the time of this newsletter, it will be voted upon in short order before the first of the year.

emergency?” Be sure to include clear information about the location of the emergency with the type of help needed in the first text message sent to 9-1-1. Emergency personnel cannot always determine your location. • Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker. • Text in simple words – do not use abbreviations (thx, idk, 2day, btw), emoticons or emoji. • Keep text messages brief and concise. • Stay on the line until the dispatcher closes the dialog, if it is safe to do so. • Don’t forget to silence your phone if you don’t want to be heard. • If you accidentally send a text to 9-1-1, be sure to follow it up with another text or voice call to let the calltaker know it was an accident and that there is no emergency.

EMERGENCY TEXT TO 9-1-1 DEPLOYED IN WESTCHESTER

There are a few things you need to know about texting 9-1-1: • Sending a text to 9-1-1 may take longer than a voice call because someone must enter the text, send it through the system, and then the 9-11 call taker has to enter a text response and send it back. Time is critical in a life-threatening emergency, and callers should be aware of this difference. • Location information with a text is not equal to calling 9-1-1 at this time. As is the case with calling 9-1-1, customers should only text 9-1-1 for emergency situations that require an immediate response from police, fire or emergency medical services. • Just like regular text messages, 9-1-1 messages can take longer to receive, can get out of order or may not be received. They may also be received by a neighboring 9-1-1 center. • Today, sending a text message to 9-1-1 is not available if you are roaming. • A text or data plan is required to place a text to 9-1-1. • If the service is not available in your area, or is temporarily unavailable, you may receive a message indicating that and to contact 9-1-1 by other means. • Group texts, photos and video cannot be sent to 9-1-1 at this time. • Do not text and drive! If you have questions about the new service, please contact NORCOMM 911 Executive Director Donald Nielsen at 630-903-2481 or email dnielsen@ norcomm911.com

Effective November 1st, 2016, a new service in Westchester will be available for those who cannot safely call 9-1-1 in an emergency, or those individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability. The NORCOMM 9-1-1 center, in conjunction with the Village of Westchester, has completed testing and will begin accepting texts to 9-1-1. Customers with text plans from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon can now send a text message to 9-1-1 in an emergency. Customers unsure whether their carrier offers the ability to text to 911 should contact the carrier directly. They should not send “test” messages to 9-1-1. NORCOMM has done extensive testing and are continuing to train on this new technology. While we can’t control text delivery from the many carriers or handsets, we are working with the cellular providers to deliver this enhancement to the community. Dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency is still the preferred way to request help, and the public is reminded to “Call if you can, text if you can’t.” For most people, sending a text to 9-1-1 will not replace making a call. Appropriate scenarios for texting 9-1-1 could include: • Deaf, hard of hearing callers or individuals with a speech disability. • The caller is unable to speak due to a medical issue or other condition. • When speaking out loud would put the caller in danger such as a home invasion, an abduction, a domestic violence incident, or an active-shooter scenario. Text to 9-1-1 services allow people who are deaf and hard of hearing to access the 9-1-1 center by sending a text message to 9-1-1 in lieu of making a voice and videophone calls or using the telecommunication relay service. Tips on texting 9-1-1 in an emergency: • “What’s the address of your

CARJACKING/ROBBERY On Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 10:51 am, a very serious crime was committed in Westchester. A Carjacking/Robbery occurred in the 11000 block of Lancaster, St. 2 m/b

See PRESIDENT, page 6

NOVEMBER 2016

PRESIDENT Continued from page 5 subjects approached a resident as he was entering his home. The offenders took all of the resident’s belongings, his car keys, and his car. The offenders were possibly armed with a handgun. It is believed a Black, secondary car was involved. Both vehicles left the scene driving toward Wolf Road. Chief Stelter and the members of the Westchester Police Department have been investigating this incident since it occurred and are doing their best to identify the offenders and make an arrest. The addition of this information is not to alarm anyone but to increase your awareness that crimes like this can happen anywhere. Thankfully our Westchester resident was not injured. The holiday season is upon us. When shopping and going to and from the store to your home please make every effort to be aware of your surroundings. It is not uncommon for the criminal element to follow you to your car or home and commit crimes where you become a victim. I am providing the information below to heighten your awareness this season. HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS The following Holiday Safety Tips were compiled to contribute to the safety and security of people during the holiday season. The holiday season is always a special time of year. It is also a time when busy people become careless and vulnerable to theft and other holiday crime. We can never be too careful, too prepared, or too aware. Please share this information with family, friends, and neighbors. The Westchester Police Department wishes you a safe, happy and peaceful holiday season. Driving • Avoid driving alone or at night. • Keep all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car. Set your alarm or use an anti-theft device. • If you must shop at night, park in a well-lighted area. • Avoid parking next to vans, trucks with camper shells, or cars with tinted windows. • Park as close as you can to your destination and take notice of where you parked. • Never leave your car unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside. • Do not leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This creates a temptation for thieves. If you must leave something in the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight. • Be sure to locate your keys prior

to going to your car. • Keep a secure hold on your purse, handbag and parcels. Do not put them down or on top of the car in order to open the door. • When approaching or leaving your vehicle, be aware of your surroundings. • Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area. • Ask mall or store security for an escort before leaving your shopping location. Automated Teller Machine (ATM) • If you must use an ATM, choose one that is located in a mall, or welllighted location. Withdraw only the amount of cash you need. • Protect your PIN by shielding the ATM keypad from anyone who is standing near you. • Do not throw your ATM receipt away at the ATM location. • Beware of a fake card reader that might have been placed over the actual card reader Shopping • Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. If you must shop at night, go with a friend or family member. • Dress casually and comfortably. • Avoid wearing expensive jewelry. • Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible. • Always carry your Driver License or Identification Card along with necessary cash, checks and/or a credit card you expect to use. • Even though you are rushed and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings. • Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. • Pay for purchases with a check or credit card when possible. • Keep cash in your front pocket. • Notify the credit card issuer immediately if your credit card is lost, stolen or misused. • Keep a record of all of your credit card numbers in a safe place at home. • Be extra careful if you do carry a wallet or purse. They are the prime targets of criminals in crowded shopping areas, transportation terminals, bus stops, on buses and other rapid transit. • Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion to avoid mishaps. • Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings. Children • If possible, leave small children at home with a trusted babysitter.

• Teach your child to go to a store clerk and ask for help in case your child is separated from you. • Teach children to stay close to you at all times while shopping. • Never allow children to make unaccompanied trips to the restroom. • Children should never be allowed to go to the car alone and they should never be left alone in the car. • Teach children their full name, address and telephone number to give to police officers or mall security. Teach children to immediately inform you if a stranger is bothering them. At Home • Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a few minutes. • When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail. • Indoor and outdoor lights should be on an automatic timer. • Leave a radio or television on so the house looks and sounds occupied. • Large displays of holiday gifts should not be visible through the windows and doors of your home. • When setting up a Christmas tree or other holiday display, make sure doors and passageways are clear inside your home. • Be sure your Christmas tree is mounted on a sturdy base so children, elderly persons or family pets cannot pull it over on themselves. • If you use lights on your Christmas tree ensure the wiring is not damaged or frayed. Frayed or damaged wiring can cause a fire. • Place your Christmas tree in water or wet sand to keep it green. • Never place wrapping paper in your fireplace. Identify Your Property • The goal of Property Identification is to deter propertyrelated crime and to assist the Police Department in their efforts to find and return stolen or lost property to its rightful owner. Remember the following: o Mark gifts with your Driver License or Identification Card number. o Do not use your Social Security Number. o For items that cannot be marked with an engraver, photograph or videotape the items. Strangers at Your Door • Be aware that criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts. • It is not uncommon for criminals to take advantage of the generosity of people during the holiday season by soliciting donations door-todoor for charitable causes although no charity is involved.

• Ask for their identification, and find out how the donated funds will be used. If you are not satisfied, do not donate. • Donate to a recognized charitable organization. Hosting a Party • Have non-alcoholic beverages available for party guests. • Find alternative transportation for intoxicated guests. • Arrange for an official designated driver for your party who will not drink at all. Attending a Party • Have something to eat before consuming alcoholic beverages. • Eat high protein foods that will stay in your stomach longer and slow the absorption of alcohol into your system. • Remember only time will eliminate the alcohol from your body. • Know your safe limit. • Never drink and drive. Enjoy a Safe Holiday Season • Holiday safety is an issue that burns brightest from late November to mid-January, the time when families gather, parties are scheduled and travel spikes. By taking some basic precautions, you can ensure your whole family remains safe and injury-free throughout the season. Turkey Fryers The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports there have been 168 turkey-fryer related fires, burns, explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning incidents since 2002. CPSC says 672 people have been injured and $8 million in property damage losses have resulted from these incidents. The National Safety Council (NSC) discourages the use of turkey fryers at home and urges those who prefer fried turkey to seek out professional establishments or consider new oil-less turkey fryers. But for those who don’t heed that advice, please follow these precautions: • Set up the fryer more than 10 feet from the house and keep children away • Find flat ground; the oil must be even and steady to ensure safety • Use a thawed and dry turkey; any water will cause the oil to bubble furiously and spill over (see video at right) • Fryer lid and handle can become very hot and cause burns • Have a fire extinguisher ready at all times Candles and Fireplaces About 2,200 deaths were caused by fires, burns and other fire-related injuries in 2013, according to Injury

See PRESIDENT, page 10

Calendar NOVEMBER 2016

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 6 Facts 2015, and 12% of home candle fires occur in December, the National Fire Protection Association reports. Increased use of candles and fireplaces, combined with an increase in the amount of combustible, seasonal decorations present in many homes means more risk for fire. • Never leave burning candles unattended or sleep in a room with a lit candle • Keep candles out of reach of children • Make sure candles are on stable surfaces • Don’t burn candles near trees, curtains or any other flammable items • Don’t burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace • Check and clean the chimney and fireplace area at least once a year • Even Angel Hair can Hurt Putting up decorations is one of the best ways to get in a holiday mood, however an estimated 15,000 injuries involving holiday decorating were seen in emergency rooms during the 2012 season. “Angel hair” is made from spun glass, and it can irritate your eyes and skin; always wear gloves when handling it, or substitute non-flammable cotton • When spraying artificial snow

on windows or other surfaces, be sure to follow directions carefully; these sprays can irritate your lungs if inhaled • Decorate the tree with your kids in mind; move ornaments that are breakable or have metal hooks toward the top • Always use the proper step ladder; don’t stand on chairs or other furniture • Lights are among the best parts of holiday decorating; make sure there are no exposed or frayed wires, loose connections or broken sockets • Plants can spruce up your holiday decorating, but keep those that may be poisonous (including some Poinsettias) out of reach of children or pets; the national Poison Control Center can be reached at (800) 222-1222 • Make sure paths are clear indoors so older adults do not trip on wrapping paper, decorations, toys, etc.; NSC provides tips for older adults on slip, trip and fall protections It’s Better to Give ... Safely We’ve all heard it’s important when choosing toys for infants or small children to avoid small parts that can be pulled or broken off and might prove to be a choking hazard. Here are some additional gift-related safety tips you might not have heard about: • Select gifts for older adults that are not heavy or awkward to handle • Be aware of dangers associated with coin lithium batteries; of particular

concern is the ingestion of button batteries • For answers to more of your holiday toy safety questions, check out this Consumer Product Safety Commission blog • See which toys have been recalled Traveling for the Holidays? Be Prepared. Many people choose to travel during the holidays by automobile, with the highest fatality rate of any major form of transportation. In 2013, 343 people died on New Year’s Day, 360 on Thanksgiving Day and 88 on Christmas Day, according to Injury Facts 2015. Alcohol-impaired fatalities represented 31% of the totals. • Use a designated driver to ensure guests make it home safely after a holiday party; alcohol, overthe-counter or illegal drugs all cause impairment • Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance being traveled • Put that cell phone away; distracted driving causes one-quarter of all crashes • Make sure the vehicle is properly maintained, and keep an emergency kit with you • Be prepared for heavy traffic, and possibly heavy snow Remember, when guests are staying in your home, make sure areas have night

lights or easy-to-reach lamps in case they need to get up during the night. And, whether you are visiting someone else’s home or you have guests in your home, make sure all medications are kept up and away and out of sight from young children. Don’t Give the Gift of Food Poisoning The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides some holiday food safety tips. Here are a few: • Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking • Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked to a safe temperature • Refrigerate food within two hours • Thanksgiving leftovers are safe for four days in the refrigerator • Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating • When storing turkey, be sure to cut the leftovers in small pieces so it will chill quicker • Wash your hands frequently when handling food YARD WASTE PICK-UP ENDS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2nd It seems each year the village is being contacted to pick up leaf bags after the final Waste Management Pickup date. By contract, the Waste Management final pick-up week for YARD WASTE

See PRESIDENT, page 18

Community Development NOVEMBER 2016

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St. Joseph NOVEMBER 2016

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 10 will be the week of November 28th through December 2nd. Please mark this date on your calendar and place all the intended yard waste on the village parkway (NOT IN THE STREET) after 3pm the day before your pick-up date. The village has nowhere to put the bags and cans after this date as the location that receives the yard waste is quite a distance away and shuts down for the winter season. PUBLIC WORKS COMPLETING CRACK FILLING During the month of October, the Public Works Department has been using our new crack Fill machine, purchased this year, to seal cracks that have occurred on several streets throughout the village. The new machine, equipped with a temperature controlled heating element and hose attachment, has cut the time it has taken to perform crack filling in the past. The preventive maintenance program the staff and administration has implemented has kept our recently paved streets and patches from becoming pot-hole-ridden. PUBLIC WORKS COMPLETING PARKWAY RESTORATION Public works crews have been busy restoring parkways where Winkler Tree Service has been grinding tree stumps, left after the decimation of our Ash Tree population as a result of the Emerald Ash Borer. The grinding crews have placed new dirt and seeded the area. Each year the village loses nearly 100 trees through the normal lifecycle. On the flip side, we make every attempt financially to replace a like amount. The Ash Borer plague destroyed nearly 850 Ash trees just from public property. For those with declining /dead Ash trees on private property, that will ultimately have to be removed at homeowner expense We certainly understand what a beautiful addition trees make both on public and private property. Westchester, now being a TREE CITY, has signed onto the distinction because we believe our mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. PUBLIC WORKS COMPLETES PARTIAL NEW ALTERNATE AND SNOW ROUTE SIGNAGE NEW PARKING RESTRICTION SIGNS: PLEASE READ UPDATE For the past month, Public Works employees have been installing updated Blue and White “No Parking - Snow Route” Signs in several areas of the village. Unfortunately, due to our

financial constraints, we were unable to replace all of the signs throughout the village at the same time. The new Blue and White Signs are actually two signs in one. At this time ONLY concern yourself with the top Blue section. This top section outlines the parking restrictions after 2 inches of snow. The snow portion of the signs will be enforced only after 2 inches of snow have fallen between December 1st and March 31st. The Village Code (11.32.160) reads: “After a two-inch snowfall and except as otherwise posted, it is unlawful to park any vehicle, or to permit any vehicle to remain parked, between the hours of eight-thirty a.m. and four-thirty p.m., on off- numbered sides of the street on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on even-numbered sides of the street on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, until said snow has been removed. Any motor vehicle that has not complied with these requirements shall be considered to be in violation of these requirements until said motor vehicle has been moved, in order to allow snow removal operations by the village to be completed at that parking location. Off sides of the street are defined as the south side of east and west streets, and the west side of north and south streets. Even sides of the street are defined as the north side of east and west streets and the west side of north and south streets.” The CHANGE of policy concerns the ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RESTRICTIONS. If you live in a home with and EVEN-numbered address, you will NOT be able to park in front of your home ANYTIME 2 inches or more of snow falls on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. If you live in a home with an ODD numbered address, you will NOT be able to park in front of your home ANYTIME 2 inches or more of snow falls on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. The change came at the request of our Public Works Department. Snow removal has become increasingly difficult after 4:30pm and on weekends as snow falls many times during the evening and overnight hours when our snowplows are operating. Trying to navigate the small street footprint on the side streets with our equipment has become extremely difficult, and requires many follow-ups after the parked vehicles are moved. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT THE SIGNAGE ON YOUR BLOCK & MAKE A NOTE OF THIS CHANGE AS STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF THE POSTED SIGNAGE WILL OCCUR BEGINNING DECEMBER 1ST AND CONTINUE THROUGH MARCH 31ST For those areas where the old Red and White Signs are in place, we will

be enforcing what is written on the posted sign. Again, we would have loved to have replaced all of the signs however to do so would have been cost prohibitive all in one fiscal year. The remaining areas will have updated signage next fiscal year. The lower white portion of the new signs deal with a street sweeping maintenance program we will put in place on Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning APRIL 1st, 2017. Presently there are no garbage pickups on Wednesdays and a manageable section on Thursdays. Many times the sweeper does not get to sweep along the curb in an efficient manner as we never know when it is coming. Hopefully our sweeping will accomplish the goal of keeping the streets clean throughout the village. VILLAGE PAVING PROJECTS COMPLETED As of mid-October, I am happy to report that the village paving jobs, whether in-house patching or contracted paving, has been completed. Orange Crush, the low bidder for our contracted services, could be seen restriping Municipal Drive on October 20th, the day this paragraph is being written. Staff will be looking at our finances for our 2017 budget year to determine what re-paving projects will be tackled. The majority of the Orange Crush work had been concentrated on the oldest section of Westchester on the N/E section. Sections of Bristol, Suffolk, and Kitchener were the recipient this year of roadway resurfacing, ADA sidewalks, new storm sewer inlets, and catch basins. We have been told during our last financial rating by Moody’s that placing dollars in our infrastructure is a very positive step in increasing property values and supporting a healthy assessed value of all Westchester properties. Our present Moody’s rating is AA3. CARLISLE STREET NEWS The installation of storm sewer improvements along Carlisle, Mayfair, Kensington, Downing, and Buckingham are complete. As you may remember one of the goals of the program was to have FEMA make a revision to their flood map where many homes would be taken out of the flood plain and reduce and possibly eliminate the need for mandatory flood insurance by mortgage holders. We have received a preliminary update from Greg Wolterstorff at V3 engineers and our PW Director Robert Lewis that FEMA has given a verbal approval of the Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) for the Mayfair project area. FEMA will issue a letter to the Village with a revised floodplain map soon. The AO zone between the east side of Mayfair Avenue to the west side of Sunnyside, south of Carlisle and

north of 31st Street will be removed. PW Director Lewis and Community Development Director Melissa Headley will be hosting a public meeting to discuss the topic of Storm Water: changes to the FEMA map, the Addison Creek Project, the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Program, the Community Rating System, and our MS-4 Permit rules about pollution in our creeks, in the Court Room at Village Hall on Tuesday, November 15th at 6:30pm. When the official letter is received, each resident and insurance agent can use this revised FEMA map to possibly eliminate paying flood insurance, or getting a reduction in the insurance if they keep some level of flood protection insurance. As soon as the village receives the information it will be passed on. It is highly recommended that homeowners maintain some level of flood insurance. The Federal Program can be found at www.floodsmart.gov. ADDISON CREEK NEWS Our PW Director Robert Lewis had a discussion with MWRD on October 18th regarding MWRD’s purchase of the Addison Creek reservoir. They are moving forward with the purchase of the new Bellwood site at 25th & Washington. This is planned as a 600 acre-foot reservoir which is 195,510,600 gallons or approximately 200 million gallons of storm water. The new reservoir will be 5 times bigger than Mayfair Retention Pond. The construction schedule is to bid the project in the fall of 2017 with a ground breaking in early 2018. The project which you have heard me talk about many times since the Flood Event of 2010 July 23-24 could not have been accomplished without the help of many stakeholders. Congressmen Danny Davis and Michael Quigley, who both represent Westchester, were pivotal people in getting the federal funding to MWRD to make this project a reality instead of wishful thinking. All the Proviso Township Mayors had a huge hand, especially Bellwood’s Mayor Frank Pasquale, who was able to find the alternate site of 25th and Washington. This, as well as other upstream projects in the works in the Village of Stone Park, and the prior approved channel improvements in Westchester, will certainly help in the mitigation of 100year flood events that seem to happen every few years. Although, still a few years off, I am confident all of our efforts will benefit all of Westchester in the long run. Congressman Quigley’s assistance in getting the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 passed and getting money to MWRD for this program was a huge task. WHAT IS A 100 YEAR FLOOD EVENT? A common misunderstanding exists

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News

and

Notes

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News 20

and

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PRESIDENT Continued from page 18 that a 100-year flood is likely to occur only once in a 100-year period. In fact, there is approximately a 63.4% chance of one or more 100-year floods occurring in any 100-year period. A one-hundred-year flood is a flood event that has a 1% probability of occurring in any given year. The 100year flood is also referred to as the 1% flood, since its annual probability is 1%. The 100-year flood is generally expressed as a flow rate. Based on the expected 100-year flood flow rate in a given creek, river or surface water system, the flood water level can be mapped as an area of inundation. The resulting floodplain map is referred to as the 100-year floodplain, which may figure very importantly in building permits, environmental regulations, and flood insurance. Estimates of the 100-year flood flow rate and other stream flow statistics for any stream in the United States are available. (source wikipedia) MS-4 STORM WATER REQUIREMENTS Westchester has a separate storm sewer system that places storm water through its various street inlets to outfalls that place storm water directly into Addison Creek and Salt Creek. Being a separate system places Westchester under the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s NPDES Storm Water program and control; the requirements of the program and a summary of the mandates below. Phase I of the NPDES Storm Water program began in 1990 and required medium and large municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) to obtain NPDES coverage. The expanded Phase II program began in March 2003 and required small MS4s in urbanized areas to obtain NPDES permits and implement six (6) minimum control measures. An urbanized area as delineated by the Bureau of Census is defined as a central place or places and the adjacent densely settled surrounding area that together have a residential population of at least 50,000 people and an overall population density of at least 500 people per square miles. (See list of MS4s.) The General Storm Water Permit for MS4s was reissued on February 10, 2016 with an effective date of March 1, 2016. The expiration date is February 28, 2021. Significant changes have been made in the permit based on comments received by the Agency. MS4 Permit Requirements Develop a storm water management programcomprisedofbestmanagement practices (BMPs) and measurable goals for each of the following six minimum control measures:

• Public education and outreach on storm water impacts • Public involvement and participation • Illicit discharge detection and elimination • Construction site storm water runoff control • Post construction storm water management in new developments and re-developments • Pollution prevention/ good house-keeping for municipal operations The reason I’m writing about this issue is that Westchester, like most communities, use salt as a deicing component on our streets. PW staff just underwent training for recognizing violations regarding the proper storage of deicing materials not only on the grounds of the village but by private concerns. • Deicing material must be stored in a permanent or temporary storage structure or seasonal tarping must be utilized. If no permanent structures are owned or operated by the permit holder, new permanent deicing material storage are required to be constructed within two (2) years of the effective date of the permit. Storage structures or stockpiles shall be managed to minimize storm water pollutant runoff from the stockpiles or loading/unloading areas of the stockpiles. Stockpiles and loading/ unloading areas should be located as far as practicable from any area storm sewer drains. Fertilizers, pesticides, or other chemicals are also required to be stored indoors. • Using training materials available from the USEPA, the state of Illinois, or other organizations, the permit holder’s annual program to reduce and prevent storm water pollution must include: • Employee training, • Fleet and building maintenance, • Operation of storage yards, • Snow disposal, • Deicing material storage handling and use on roadways, • New construction and land disturbances, and • Storm water system maintenance procedures for proper disposal of street cleaning debris and catch basin material. The City of Rockford is on the hook for thousands of dollars after violating federal storm water regulations. When storms hit Rockford -- all that water has to go somewhere. The federal government puts strict guidelines on where that water can go to control water pollution. The EPA said Rockford has not been in compliance -- and fixing the problem could get very expensive. Storm water flooding has always been a problem in Rockford, but now the

city is being fined nearly 330 thousand dollars by the EPA for violating federal water management standards. Aldermen John Beck – chairman of the finance committee says, “Over the years Rockford has not been meeting its requirements as far as the way we handle our storm water. It wasn’t that we were choosing to be negligent is that we were not being monitored accurately by the Illinois EPA”. The EPA did an audit five years ago to ensure the city is complying with storm water management requirements ... and that’s when the violations were found. Aldermen John Beck chairman of the finance committee says, “All cities are responsible for the water that comes out of their cities into the waterways like the rivers and the creeks. As far as trying to limit pollution, trying to limit the stuff that goes into the waterways” the EPA hasn’t filed a detailed complaint with the exact violations , but city officials say they have an idea of the top issues the city needs to work on. Patrick Hayes, Rockford legal director said “the industrial inspection and control programs, as well as the monitoring of industrial facilities, illicit discharge, detection and elimination programs, which is the overall city response to a spill or discharge that is inappropriate” the agreement with the EPA says the city has to provide money to implement a storm water master plan. Alderman Beck says that will cost about 5-point-2 million dollars. That’s on top of the fine paid to the federal and state EPA and provide reports to show they are complying with federal law. Patrick Hayes – Rockford legal director says, “so the cost of the overall decree would come from a lot different sources, the civil penalty however would be withdrawn from our general fund.” The Rockford City Council will consider a consent decree to pay the fines and agree to the guidelines of EPA. PW Director Robert Lewis is reviewing all of our municipal sites for compliance. A civil penalty of any value will have a catastrophic result on any municipal budget. NICOR/COMED NEWS On Tuesday, October 18th I attended a Metropolitan Mayors Environmental Committee member meeting at the recently constructed ComEd training facility in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago, at 35th and Iron Streets. The Chicago training center prepares ComEd’s workforce to maintain the region’s electricity grid. It includes smart grid technologies, substation and manhole training areas, an indoor pole yard, lead splicing bays for underground cable and more. The facility also serves as an auxiliary storm center. The meeting was held to allow ComEd, Nicor, , the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Midwest Energy

Efficiency Alliance (MEEA), Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Illinois Energy Efficiency, and other agencies to explain what they have to offer in the way of energy savings and programs for residential and business customers. Nicor’s energySmart Free Products Homeowners and Multifamily properties can receive a FREE energy Assessment where an Energy Advisor will walk through your home or units to recognize energy-saving potential and can install FREE energy-efficient products: Such as: • Faucet aerators for kitchen and bath(s) • Water saving shower heads • Hot water pipe insulation • Programmable thermostats and setting assistance ENERGYSTAR certified CFLs for ComEd Customers • Complimentary water heater set back assistance Please visit www.nicorgasrebates.com often for an ever expanding library of resources, tips and tool that help all of us continue to save energy and money. For the most up-to-date list of approved contractors, please visit nicorgasrebates.com/findacontractor COMED SAVINGS Did you know the average home has 40 light sockets? That’s a lot of light bulbs and a lot of potential savings if you’re still using incandescent bulbs. For each 60-watt incandescent you replace with a comparable ENERGY STAR® certified CFL or LED, you could save $5.75 each year!* Do the math to see what you could save. Appliance Rebates Every appliance comes with two price tags: the purchase price and the cost of operating the product. ENERGY STAR® certified appliances help consumers save money on operating costs by reducing energy use without sacrificing performance. Appliance rebates put the power to save directly into your hands. Rebates are available on these ENERGY STAR certified appliances when purchased in store or online June 1, 2016 - May 31, 2017. ComEd customers have opportunities to reduce energy usage in their home by making qualifying, high-efficiency weatherization improvements. Heating and Cooling Rebates Upgrade your heating and cooling systems and boost your energy efficiency with these home improvements and save with ComEd rebates. Smart Thermostat Rebates Start managing your home’s heating and cooling costs with a smart thermostat. Using advanced

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NOVEMBER 2016

PRESIDENT Continued from page 22 technology, a smart thermostat conveniently controls and monitors your energy use, optimizes comfort and reduces energy costs in your home. The remote capabilities and intuitive interface make the smart thermostat simple to use, saving energy and money whether you’re at home or away from home. Weatherization Rebates ComEd has partnered with your natural gas utility to bring electric and natural gas savings to you. Customers that use electricity delivered by ComEd for the majority of their home’s heating, or natural gas provided by Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas or North Shore Gas for the majority of their home’s heating, may be eligible for the rebates. For the most up-to-date list of approved contractors, please visit nicorgasrebates.com/ findacontractor LEAF BAGS DELIVERED Over the past month volunteers have been delivering leaf bags to single family residences throughout the village. A good portion were delivered early one Saturday morning in October with the help of Boy Scout Troops 1 & 73 and others Trustee Celestino was able to commit from his Facebook post. Thanks also to Ted from Ted’s Landscaping who caught me walking down Martindale Drive and helped deliver the bags on Martindale and Windsor Drive. Trustee Carl Celestino rounded out the helpers delivering most of the area east of Mannheim Rd. An appreciation pizza party was held for our Troop 1 & 73 and other volunteers before our October 25th board meeting for their continual assistance this past year. ELECTRONIC RECYCLING HAS ENDED On Saturday, October 8th, the village hosted its final electronic recycling event for 2016. In addition to electronics the village made available FREE shredding, Shoe Collection for Pet Friendly, and Food Pantry donations. The event was a huge success on several fronts. First: we had a wonderful group of volunteers from the Boy Scouts Troop 1 and 73 and our teens completing service hours. Second: the weather cooperated; it was a wonderful day. Third, the large group of participants all from Westchester was patient and thankful for the program even being in available. The event is staffed by volunteers who donate their precious time to help our residents recycle electronics and achieve sustainability goals. I would like to thank all of our volunteers, as well as our high school teens fulfilling service

hours for their participation. A total of 310 Westchester residents came through the collection on Saturday, October 8 between 9:00 and 11:30 AM. The breakdown was as follows: • A total of 181 residents brought only e-Waste to the event. • A total of 83 residents brought only paper documents for shredding. • Forty-two residents brought both e-Waste and documents for shredding. • Three residents brought only shoes. • One resident brought only food. • Three residents stopped by to ask the hours of the event and other questions without actually dropping off any materials. • I turned away two nonresidents with e-Waste, one from Western Springs and another from Elmhurst. • Forty cars were in line prior to the gates opening. • None came following the closure of the gate at 11:30 AM. We plan to begin the collecting once again in April 2017. We are in discussions with our vendor; however a new collection contract has not been signed. Westchester is one of the only villages that has a monthly collection April through October in the area. State Law prohibits landfills from taking electronics. If it is your plan to purchase a new television or similar electronic product for the holidays you will NOT be able to put the old one on the parkway for Waste Management to pick-up. Residents who do place these items are subject to being cited as a code violation. Additionally, electronic items are NOT to be dropped off at the village hall or the site of the current or prior collection site. We have no place to store these items until our program starts up. Both sites are under camera surveillance and illegal dumping citations will be issued. As mentioned last month electronics can be dropped off in the Village of Burr Ridge however there is a cost being charged starting at $25. POST OFFICE ROOF REPAIR The Westchester Post Office building is owned by the Village of Westchester. The building was built in the mid 1960’s and originally housed the Westchester Library, Village Administration, Police/ Fire Departments and Municipal Court. Very little maintenance had occurred between the initial remodeling and the present time. Over the past several years, small roof leaks have occurred which over time have become a safety and maintenance problem. This past

summer we solicited bids for a complete roof tear off and replacement that were close to $350K. The board was able to secure a vendor who, after examination both by core sampling and laser exam, felt the roof was a candidate for a coating utilized in both private hospitals and municipal buildings. References were contacted and the board entered into a contract with Visions Construction & Roofing LLC who is an authorized agent to apply the trademarked GACOFLEX SILICONE ROOF COATING SYSTEM. Representatives from the construction company and the manufacturer Gaco Western appeared before the village board in September and a contract price of $135K was agreed upon and signed. There is a 10 year manufacturer’s warranty on the product. Per our ordinance, prevailing wage is being paid to all of the workers involved in the project. New flashing will be installed under the same contract, included in the same price, by Allied Building Maintenance. In addition to the roof repair the limestone portion of the building was tuck pointed to prevent any further water infiltration. The work was performed by KW Masonry, LaGrange Park, Il.

heroin/opioids. What once may have been a silent epidemic is now impossible to ignore. Killing more people than automobile accidents, opioids are the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fatalities from opioids more than quadrupled between 1999 and 2014, crossing all socioeconomic groups in urban, suburban and rural areas. It is estimated 78 Americans fatally overdose on opioids each day. At a recent Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Meeting, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel spoke about this important issue and has put together a Regional Summit with Du Page County Chairman Dan Cronin that has not occurred at the time of this article. Our jobs as elected officials is to “get the word out” which this article is meant to do. Further comment may be addressed in future issues. Special recognition needs to be given to Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison, who represents a portion of Westchester with Commissioners Richard Boykin and Jeffrey Tobolski, who has been leading the charge for this program which will ultimately save lives.

REGIONAL SUMMIT HEROIN/OPIOID ADDICTION

The Village of Westchester participated in the DEA Drug take back day on Saturday, October 22nd ,. Since the last DEA collection day we have collected 200 pounds of unwanted/expired/ unused pharmaceuticals. The Cook County Board is presently discussing an ordinance in an attempt to add several collection sites throughout Cook County. Keeping pharmaceuticals out of the sink, toilet, and landfills, where they work their way into our local waterways and drinking water supply is a major goal. MWRD President Mariyana Spyropoulos commented “It’s important not to dispose of medications down the drain because they end up in the water supply. Controlling what goes down the drain is the easiest and most effective way to protect our environment,” said. “We are pleased to partner with the DEA on this important event. This initiative offers a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications and harm to the environment.”

I am sure you have heard in the news about the heroin/opioid addiction epidemic that has come to the forefront. The Village of Westchester has not been immune to this problem. Since January the village has lost 4 patients with drug related overdoses. Westchester Police and Fire Departments have responded to 21 calls for service where the word heroin/drug had been memorialized in reports. Having the I290 expressway, also known as the HEROIN HIGHWAY, actually inside our corporate border where clandestine meets are made for transactions in the area of Mannheim Rd, has put us on the front line of not only enforcement but treatment. The Westchester Fire Department has had, as part of the excellent paramedic service we provide, administered the life-saving drug NARCAN (Naloxone) on several instances upon their arrival to an overdose call for service. The Village of Westchester Police Department has recently participated in training, actually held at our fire department, as part of the Cook County Overdose Prevention Program last month. Cook County officials were able to secure a 21-million-dollar grant to administer a county-wide training & certification program as well as a reporting requirement to Department of Human Services. The Westchester Police Department received 7 boxes, each containing 2 doses of the potentially life-saving drug when administered in time to counteract the deadly effect of

VILLAGE DRUG TAKE BACK DAY

To prevent or reduce accidental contamination of streams, rivers and lakes, the MWRD has participated in the DEA’s initiative each year since the event was launched in 2010. The drug collection is an environmentally responsible and secure way to dispose of medications. Water treatment facilities are not designed to remove minute

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NOVEMBER 2016

PRESIDENT Continued from page 23 concentrations of pharmaceuticals and as a result, the chemicals could wind up in area streams and waterways and potentially have a negative impact on water quality. There are many ways to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals before they reach treatment facilities and/or the waterways. The first is to complete the course of treatment as prescribed by the physician. For over-the-counter products, a supply should be monitored and stored in one location at home to prevent the purchase of additional or extras. Homeowners are encouraged never to pour the pharmaceuticals down the toilet or drain or give or sell them to others. Westchester collects pharmaceuticals from 7am to 11pm Monday through Friday with a collection box located in our lobby. Please keep up the good work and keep our drinking water safe. NEW PROVISO TOWNSHIP SUPERINTENDENT Recently, at a meeting of the Proviso Township Mayors, I had the pleasure of meeting the New Superintendent of Proviso Township H.S. 209, Dr. Jesse Rodriguez, and Board President Ms. Teresa McKelvy. Following the meeting Dr. Rodriguez sent this email to each of us: “Good afternoon mayors, Throughout the past two months, I have been visiting schools, community based organizations, community events, multiple meetings with a variety of stakeholders interested in education to learn from Proviso and establish action plans centered on children. A huge learning moment has been the fact that we are a special group of adults and children driven to create extraordinary results for our community. As I have been meeting with different stakeholders, I continue to gain a profound understanding of the opportunities we have as a district. The Board of Education, Administration and I shared great memories during our town hall meeting, the homecoming activities at Proviso West, The Proviso East Parade and Homecoming activities, and the PMSA homecoming week. We also enjoyed our Parent University, the visit from Univision Chicago which will be shown in November, my personal commitment to the community by participating and serving in different Boards, the first Teacher Pizza, and Superintendent’s Community Cafe. Tomorrow, we will have the first Superintendent Student Advisory Board where we will discuss topics aligned to student life. We will

NOVEMBER 2016 continue to have more events with the public in the coming months including future town hall meetings throughout the community (http:// www.pths209.org/town-hall-meetingspromo-2016-2017/). In addition, we will continue with our internal communication strategy and listen to all stakeholders within the district. I am clear in my approach to leadership and recognize the power of LISTENING. I am also aware of the importance to produce results while we engage in courageous conversations centered on the best interest of children. The past three months have demonstrated that we are ONE team with specific leadership behaviors centered on a learning management system that will enhance educational services for all Proviso families. While participating in these activities, I have again been impressed to experience the Proviso pride. I am honored to serve you and the community and would like to say THANKS for making me part of the Proviso family. I am “Proviso Proud” and know that as a team we will make Proviso Township high Schools 209 “the best school district anywhere”. Thank you for all that you do in keeping Proviso “Nothing but the Best!” A TOWN HALL MEETING has been scheduled on Monday December 5, 2016 at the Westchester Public Library, 10700 Canterbury. The meeting will begin at 6:30pm and are scheduled to end by 8:30 pm. Please mark your calendars.” SCHOOL DISTRICT 92.5 SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH On Wednesday, October 18th, I was invited to meet with the District consultant, Dr. Anne Noland from B.W.P. and Associates, for community input regarding who should take the helm of our Primary School District beginning this summer. I was invited by School Board President Ms. Carolyn Wilhight as a community member and former school board president. I felt honored being invited to share my opinion and found the process (I hate that word) very well done and professional. I am sure that, with the input given by board members, staff, parents, and residents, the process will lead to a positive outcome and the right person for the job. GRASSROOTS GARDEN CLUB NEWS As you put your gardens to bed for the winter, Grassroots members ask that you look forward to spring and consider donating any perennials you may be dividing. Over several weekends in October the group has planted some beautiful Daffodil bulbs around the Memorial Fountain, clock, and around many of the gateway signs. Tulip bulbs may be seen popping up as well, remnants from last year’s

efforts. The Grassroots Club is always looking for plant donations. If you have any perennials you would like to contribute to this project, please send a photo and information about your plants to Bethanny Alexander at grassrootsgroup2015@gmail.com. If you’re interested in helping out with village gardening projects, learning more about how you can enhance your own yard, or simply want to have fun and socialize with fellow gardeners in your community, please consider coming to a Grassroots Gathering! Watch coming issues of the village newsletter for more details, and “like” the new Grassroots Garden Group page on Facebook at facebook.com/westchester.grassroots. Thank you for working for adding to the beauty of Westchester…Sam CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING Our annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 7th. I have sent an email and SAVE THE DATE letter to Santa and Mrs. Clause in hopes that they will be available for a visit. As in the past our public works arborists will be reviewing the list of evergreen tree donations for this year as well as last year and will select the most accessible full evergreen tree for placement outside Fire Station 1. Donations had to be provided to Public Works by October 31st, so I am excited to see what tree is chosen this year. Our Special Events coordinator, Ms. Katy Noffsinger, is working with Westchester Park District officials to make this year’s Holiday Season the best yet. The Park District’s Holiday Party and Tree Lighting will take place on Wednesday, December 7th and Thursday, December 8th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Community Center. We hope to see you there! WINTER – AND SNOW - AROUND THE CORNER I hate to utter the word S—W, just coming off a beautiful 70 degree Sunday, October 23rd day. But you and I both know it is coming. Last year we had a mild winter that truly I cannot remember. Hopefully we will have an uneventful one this year too. Let me apologize now to the snow enthusiasts. But when you hit your 60’s, I have found the preference is warmer weather. I’ll put some snow shoveling tips in December’s issue. I checked the Old Farmer’s Almanac that was founded in 1792 for a preview of what November 2016 would bring. The results are: NOVEMBER 2016: temperature 41° (3° below avg. east, 3° above west); precipitation 2” (0.5” below avg.); Nov 1-4: Rain and snow showers, chilly; Nov 5-11: Showers east, sunny west; mild; Nov 12-17: Lake snows, cold; Nov 18-24: Rain, then snow showers, cold; Nov 2527: Sunny; cold east, mild west; Nov 28-

30: Rainy, mild. FLU SEASON IS HERE Each year I have made mention of the need to take certain precautions to avoid getting the Flu. Here again I am offering some information from the Cook County Department of Health/ CDC that may be helpful. As always please check with your personal physician before doing anything. What is the flu virus? Flu, or influenza, is a contagious respiratory virus that affects the respiratory system and spreads easily from person-to-person through coughing and sneezing. It can cause mild to severe illness, and even death in some cases. Symptoms include: Fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. Who should get a flu vaccine? Everyone six months of age and older should get the flu vaccine every year. Don’t wait to vaccinate Getting an annual flu vaccine (flu shot or nasal spray) is the single best way to protect yourself and your family from flu and flu-related complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, or worsening of chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, or diabetes. It can take up to two weeks for the vaccine to provide full protection. Since flu season could begin in October and last into May, it’s best to get vaccinated now. People who are at increased risk of developing serious complications from flu should definitely get a flu vaccine; as should their caregivers. Limit the spread of illness In addition to getting vaccinated, encourage family members to take these common sense measures to protect against flu. Practice the three C’s to stay healthy and prevent germs from spreading at home, work and school: 1. Clean: properly wash your hands frequently 2. Cover: cover your cough and sneeze 3. Contain: contain your germs by staying home if you are sick Flu Shots Flu shots are available for people as young as 6 months old, pregnant women, and people with chronic conditions. There are intradermal flu shots for adults 18 to 64 years old and a high-dose flu shots for people over 65 years old, and egg-free flu shots for adults 18 years and older. Nasal Spray Nasal spray is available for people

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NOVEMBER 2016

PRESIDENT Continued from page 25 ages 2 through 49 years old. It is recommended that healthy children 2 years through 8 years of age get the nasal spray vaccine. Additional information about the 2016-2017 Flu vaccine The 2016-2017 influenza vaccine is made to protect against the three (trivalent vaccine) or four (quadrivalent vaccine) viruses research indicates will be most common this year. Trivalent vaccine protects against two influenza A viruses (an H1N1 and an H3N2) and an influenza B virus. Quadrivalent vaccine protects against the same viruses as the trivalent vaccine and an additional B virus. For more information about flu vaccine types, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For flu vaccine, contact your primary care provider, local pharmacy, or Ambulatory and Community Health Network of Cook County clinics. NEW BUSINESSES YOU SHOULD KNOW On Saturday, October 17th, I along with Village Manager Janet Matthys, Community Development Director Melissa Headley, and with Westchester Chamber President Maria Gamino attended a ribbon cutting for a new businesses opening in the strip mall at 927 Mannheim Rd. The new business is called ALISUN Business Printing. They occupy Suite 2s TX 708-571-3451 orders@alisunprinting.com. Their dedicated staff will spend the time to learn your company’s needs & brand standards. We offer personalized order sites, where you can order either static print pieces such as work order forms and envelopes or print pieces with variable information such as business cards and personalized sell sheets. On behalf of the entire village: WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD… MUCH SUCCESS... HAPPY THANKSGIVING Thursday, November 24th is THANKSGIVING. On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, Village Manager Janet Matthys, Finance Director Chris Webber, Community Development Director Melissa Headley, PW Director Robert Lewis, Fire Chief James Adams, Police Chief Steven Stelter, and all the employees of the village we hope your Thanksgiving Day will be filled with the happiness good health. Thanksgiving is a time to gather around loved ones ...to be grateful for all that we have been so abundantly blessed with and also to spare a thought for those not so lucky. It is a season of bountifulness and a reason to share the same ....true Thanksgiving

is in actually doing that - Giving!!! I know the Westchester Food Pantry Volunteers are gearing up in an attempt to make those less fortunate than us have a wonderful meal. Volunteers can be seen at the village hall several times weekly sorting stacking and making sure families needing sustenance are being taken care of. Thank you for your donations throughout the year.

CUBS FEVER At the time of this writing the CUBS just clinched the National League Pennant and are in the World Series after a 71 year hiatus. By now everyone knows they last won the World Series in 1908 and failed in game 7 for a second title in 1945. What you may not know, is that my father-in- law, long time resident of Westchester John Masterson, back in 1945 was an Andy Frain Usher. Now 91 years young, he is the consummate CUBS fan watching every game of the playoffs wearing Cubbie Blue. He remembers game 7 of the 1945 series like it was yesterday, inning by inning. He never thought “maybe next year” would be another chance in 2016. John tells the story of a spectator offering him $100 to let him sneak into the game, of course he told him NO. I have not asked him if he was an usher today and someone offered him the 4-5 figure prices tickets are going for would he have caved in. My gut tells me NO. For all the CUBS fans across the world I hope they won it all. Even from me, a Yankees Fan! GET WELL WISHES TO OUR VILLAGE MANAGER In mid October, our Village Manager Janet Matthys underwent a serious surgical procedure. I know she is on the mend and hopefully will be back later this month. During the time she’s been off all of the department heads and I have been handling the day to day operations. We have been in contact with her on many occasions and have sought her advice and counsel on issues through email and telephone. We have tried to let her get healthy and not bother her; however she wants to be in the know. Get well Soon!! FROM THE BOARD At the September 27th Village Board Meeting, the following items were approved under the Consent Agenda: • Approval of the Record of Bills ending 09-21-16 in the amount not to exceed $616,892.03 • Approval of Minutes of the September 13, 2016 Village Board Meeting, Minutes of the September 13, 2016 Committee of the Whole Meeting, and Minutes of the September 13, 2016 Executive Session

• A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of An Agreement Between the Village of Westchester and Crawford, Murphy & Tilly for Engineering Services Related to the Development of a Hydraulic Model of the Water Distribution System, in an Amount of $45,000 At the September 27th Village Board Meeting, the following items were approved under the Active Agenda: • An Ordinance Waiving Competitive Bidding and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract Between the Village of Westchester and Visions Construction & Roofing, LLC for Roof Repair Services to the Village-Owned Property Located at 10240 W. Roosevelt Road in an Amount of $139,500.00 At the September 27th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under New Business: • T-Mobile Land Use Request • Proposed Amendment to Façade Grant Program • Police Body Cameras At the September 27th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under Old Business: • Discussion regarding the purchase of perennials to be planted by neighborhood volunteer group At the October 11th Village Board Meeting, the following items were approved under the Consent Agenda: • Approval of the Record of Bills ending 10-06-16 in the amount not to exceed $925,568.85 • Approval of Minutes of the September 27, 2016 Village Board Meeting, Minutes of the September 27, 2016 Committee of the Whole Meeting, and Minutes of the September 27, 2016 Executive Session • Approval of Departmental Monthly Reports: Community Development Department, Police Department, Fire Department, and the

Public Works Department • A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Contract Between the Village of Westchester and NORCOMM Public Safety Communications, Inc. for the Provision of Emergency Dispatch Services for the Period from November 1, 2016 through October 31, 2017, in the Amount of $519,079 • A Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the Village of Westchester and the Westchester Park District Regarding the Installation and Maintenance of Two Security Cameras in Gladstone Park At the October 11th Village Board Meeting, the following item was approved under the Active Agenda: • Approving a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Village of Westchester and the Teamsters Local 705 At the October 11th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under New Business: • Contract Renewal with Safespeed LLC for Photo Enforcement • Proposed 2016 Tax Levy • Proposed Change in Video Gaming Regulations • Consideration of Appointment to Plan Commission At the October 11th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under Old Business: • Draft IGA – Westchester Park District – Norfolk Dog Park At the October 11th Village Committee of the Whole Meeting, the following items discussed under Information Only: • Update on Mayfair Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) • Required Repairs to Mayfair Pump Station

Public Works NOVEMBER 2016

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NOVEMBER 2016