City of West Chicago, Illinois

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April 20 Marks 31-Year Anniversary of Killing of West Chicago Police Officer

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Photo of police memorial wall display at West Chicago City Hall

Thursday, April 20, 2023 marked the 31-year anniversary of the killing of West Chicago Police Department’s Michael A. Browning.

On Monday, April 20, 1992, Patrolman Browning was killed after responding to a burglary at an automobile dealership. After exiting his patrol car and drawing his weapon, the suspect drove through the dealership’s showroom in a stolen vehicle and struck Browning.

Browning had served as an officer with the West Chicago Police Department for only five months. Prior to being sworn in as an officer he had served as a cadet for two years.

The City remembers Patrolman Browning’s sacrifice through a decorative memorial installed in his, and other Officers, honor. The memorial is on public display within the West Chicago Police Department’s lobby, where it is viewed daily by fellow Officers and the public, and serves as a meaningful reminder of the sacrifices that are made by Police Officers to keep our communities safe.

Details were provided on the Officer Down Memorial website at ODMP.org.

City of West Chicago Awarded Urban Forestry Funding

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West Chicago Urban Forestry

The City of West Chicago was awarded a $25,000 grant to complete tree inventories and develop a management plan for its urban forest.

The funds were provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Urban and Community Forestry Partner Grant Program, and are administered by The Morton Arboretum and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI).

“The City of West Chicago is thrilled to be awarded these grant funds to complete a comprehensive tree inventory,” said West Chicago City Administrator Michael Guttman. “Trees play a significant role in our daily lives and are vital assets of this community. The funding will help protect one of the most critical infrastructure of the City.”

The City plans to utilize the grant funds to complete a Citywide parkway tree inventory in its Geographic Information System (GIS) as well as to prepare an Urban Forestry Management Plan.

The inventory will provide the City with a better understanding of the urban forest areas it is managing by revealing an estimated number of trees, their size, condition and species. The inventories will also identify opportunities to increase planting, and will inform the development of a comprehensive, long-term urban forest management plan.

Original Press Release

City Issues Ordinance Declaring Decision for Proposed Transfer Station

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On Tuesday, February 28, 2023, the West Chicago City Council conditionally approved the Application for Local Siting Approval for Lakeshore Recycling Systems, LLC (LRS), for a new municipal waste transfer station in West Chicago.

A copy of the Ordinance is available on the City’s website at westchicago.org/transferstation for public view and is also be available for public inspection at the West Chicago City Hall.

Transfer Station Review Process Background

On Friday, September 16, 2022, the City received an initial formal siting approval application from LRS for the construction and eventual operation of a waste transfer station at its current property at 1655 Powis Road.

As part of the siting and application process, the City was required to hold at least one public hearing date. The City held the Public Hearing on seven dates from Tuesday, January 3, 2023 through Thursday, January 19, 2023. At the end, and for 30 days thereafter, public comment was received, which was included as part of the Hearing Record.

After the Public Comment Period ended, the Hearing Officer issued a written recommendation to the City Council that the City grant siting approval as the contents in the Application met the nine siting criteria listed within the Illinois Environmental Protection Act if certain conditions are met. The Written Recommendation and those Special Conditions were previously uploaded on the City’s website on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Subsequently, the City Council held a Special Meeting to discuss legal issues with its Special Counsel and to consider the record including the evidence and testimony presented in the public hearings. As previously communicated, the City Council members were required to make a decision solely on whether the criteria was met, and could not simply state that it does not want a transfer station within the City limits.

During the Special Meeting on February 28, the City Council announced the approval of the request for local siting through a written decision.

For more information about the transfer station review process and the City’s role in the process, visit the City’s website at westchicago.org/transferstation.

City Outlines Decision Timeline for Proposed Transfer Station

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The City of West Chicago has confirmed the following information pertaining to the City Council decision timeline and process in the matter of the application for local siting approval for Lakeshore Recycling Systems, LLC, for the West DuPage Recycling and Transfer Station at 1655 Powis Road.

For additional details about the proposed waste transfer station and the siting approval process, please visit the City’s website at westchicago.org/transferstation.

Saturday, February 18

Final Day to Submit Written Public Comment
Saturday, February 18 is the final day to submit written public comment. No further written comments or input from the parties or the public will be allowed after 30 days of the close of the Public Hearing, which concluded on Thursday, January 19, 2023.

Any person may file written comment with the City concerning the appropriateness of the proposed site for its intended purpose by this date. The City Council will consider any comment received or postmarked by this date, and these written public comments will become part of the record of proceedings.

Tuesday, February 21

Findings, Conclusions, and Conditions from Participating Parties in Public Hearing Due to Hearing Officer
The Parties that participated in the Public Hearing shall submit to the Hearing Officer proposed findings of fact; conclusions of law and conditions if any.

Friday, February 24

Hearing Officer’s Report Submitted to City Council
The Hearing Officer will submit his report to the City Council for its decision as to the ultimate approval or disapproval of the proposed site location.

Monday, February 27

City Council Special Meeting (Closed Session)
At the advice and legal direction of the City’s Special Legal Counsel, pursuant to Section 2 (c) (4) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the City Council will meet in closed session on Monday, February 27 to consult with its attorney regarding legal issues and to consider the record including the evidence and testimony presented in the public hearings. This process is necessary to protect the attorney-client privilege and is commonplace for local siting authorities.

This Special City Council meeting will occur at 6:00 p.m. at the West Chicago City Hall at 475 Main Street.

Please note, the City Council will not hear public comments during this meeting and no final decision will be made or will any other action be taken.

After consultation with legal counsel, the City Council will then come out of closed session and will continue the Special Meeting as an Open Session on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. During this meeting, the City Council will publicly vote and make available for public inspection a written decision setting forth its determinative reasoning.

Tuesday, February 28

Approval or Disapproval of Request for Local Siting
The City Council will approve or disapprove the request for local siting through a written decision on the record from the public hearing during the continued Special City Council Meeting from Monday, February 27, 2023. The City Council will specify the reasons for its decision during this meeting, which will be held as an Open Session meeting.

This Special City Council meeting will occur on Tuesday, February 28 at 6:00 p.m. at West Chicago Community High School at 326 Joliet Street. Please use 'Entrance H' if attending.

After the City Council deliberates, and after a written decision of the City Council has been made, public comment as required under the Open Meetings Act will proceed. Under the law, the City Council cannot consider any public comments that were made outside of the record of proceedings.

In order for public comments to become part of the record of proceedings, members of the public must have already done so as part of the public hearing, or must have submitted a written comment received by the City, or postmarked on or before, Saturday, February 18, 2023.

Any comments made at the Special City Council meeting would be outside of the siting record and thus not lawfully considered by the City Council in making its decision.

Upon approval or disapproval, a copy of the City Council’s written decision will be posted on the City’s website and will also be available for public inspection at the West Chicago City Hall. A copy of this document will be available upon payment of the cost of reproduction.

West Chicago to Receive $2 Million for Kerr-McGee Site

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Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) and the City of West Chicago are proud to announce $2 million in funding for remediation of the Kerr-McGee Superfund that was included as part of the $1.7 trillion federal spending bill signed by President Joe Biden on Thursday, December 29.

“After an extremely competitive project submission process and many months spent advocating tirelessly for our community, I am proud to deliver $2 million in Community Project Funding for the Kerr-McGee superfund,” said Rep. Casten. “I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, stronger, and even more resilient. This is democracy in action.”

Congressman Casten’s office announced the initial passage of this funding with the House Appropriations Committee in July 2022. In September 2022, the City began a search for professional park planning services, which resulted in Upland Design Ltd. receiving a contract agreement. Following the contract the agreement, the City has hosted several community input meetings during November 2022 in an effort to gather community members’ input regarding the development of a new park.

With the continued planning of the new park and the passing of the federal spending bill in December, the City is moving closer towards its objective of revitalizing the Kerr-McGee Superfund site.

In response to the passage of the federal spending bill, Mayor Ruben Pineda of the City of West Chicago provided the following statement.

“The announcement of this funding is a significant moment for our City. This site has afflicted West Chicago for decades, and through the development of this new park we can begin looking towards the future. Representative Casten and his team’s advocacy on our behalf has made a tremendous impact on our community, and the City of West Chicago is indebted to them for their continued support.”

The City will continue to provide updates to the community as it continues its progress of redeveloping the property along Weyrauch Street.

To view previous updates from the City regarding this development, please visit https://westchicago.org/kerrmcgee.