Village of
Westchester MAY, 2021
POLICE DEPARTMENT
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SCHOOL DISTRICT
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FIRE DEPARTMENT
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PUBLIC WORKS
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SCOUTS
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LIBRARY
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SPOTLIGHT ON SENIORS
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Meet the new Village President Frank J. Perry While our new president is no stranger to the Village of Westchester, we would like to take this opportunity for the village to get to know him better. Frank was born and raised in Westchester by his parents Frank Sr. and Lucille Perry who were dedicated to the neighborhood and its residents. It is no doubt that they would be so proud of the success their son has accomplished and continues to accomplish for this town. President Perry attended Westchester schools, Divine Infant grade school and St. Joe’s HS as a youth and went on to graduate from Benedictine University with his bachelors’ degree in Science. He owned and operated Joe’s Place, a neighborhood eatery and local youth hangout for 18 years. During these years he received the calling to represent his town and residents in a more significant way and subsequently was elected to the Westchester Public
Library board in 2009 and proceeded to be voted in as a Westchester Village Trustee in 2011. While serving as Village Trustee, Frank has been involved with the Westchester Planning & Steering Committee as Chairman, the Westchester Economic Development as the committee Liaison Since 2011 to the present day. Many things were accomplished in those years and the future looks positive for this little bedroom community! On a more personal level, among being his biggest fans, his wife Peggy and daughter Ava love, participate and encourage him in his success. Frank is constantly giving back to his community whether it is providing help to residents on his own time or being a Coach/Manager for Westchester Girls Softball, a Divine Infant Church Parishioner, a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the DI Knights of Columbus, his devotion and passion are obvious.
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WESTCHESTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE We would like to highlight our newest member-
Interested in becoming a member? Right now, we are offering a discounted membership rate for new members for $75. Contact Laura Ball at info@westchesterchamber.org or Membership Chair John Lorenzo 312-816-6748 to find out what the Chamber can do for your business or organization.
P olice D e partment MAY 2021
Westchester to begin using the ‘Barnacle’
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Villages, Cities and States all have rules/laws that they expect to be followed by its citizens in an effort for things to keep running smoothly. Most of us follow these rules, but others need a reminder. Most Villages like ours remind its residents by issuing a citation or ticket, and letters. Most residents see that they have made a mistake and pay the fine and it never happens again, but others choose to ignore the citations and constant notices thinking it may just go away. Starting early May 2021, the Westchester Police Department will be utilizing a newer form of vehicle immobilization, it is not what most people think of “the boot”, it is called the “BARNACLE”. The BARNACLE is an industrial type suction cup device that holds strong to the windshield and has to be removed by an Officer. Please save yourself from the added costs, frustration, and inconvenience and pay any citations that are still outstanding. Letters are being sent to the homes that this may apply to. Thank you for your cooperation Chief Daniel Babich
POLICE BLOTTER 1) At 2:11pm on March 20, 2021 Recovered Property was reported on the 600 block of Newcastle. The resident reported that they discovered a purse in the alley and security camera video shows a male subject depositing the purse next to a garage. The purse owner was notified and investigators are reviewing security camera footage in the area. 2) At 11:17am on March 22, 2021 a Criminal Damage to Vehicle report was taken on the 11100 block of Regency Drive. The homeowner reported that unknown person(s) damaged a vehicle belonging to a guest. 3) At 3:56 pm on March 23, 2021 a Deceptive Practice report was taken at Giordano’s located at 10410 Cermak Road. The business advised that a subject was attempting to pay with a counterfeit bill. The offender left the bill in the store and fled the scene when confronted about the counterfeit currency.
4) At 10:38am on March 24, 2021 a Retail Theft was reported at the Dollar Store located at 10201 Roosevelt . 5) At 2:30pm on April 1, 2021 a Retail Theft was reported at Walgreens located at 10345 Roosevelt Road. A subject left the store without paying for merchandise and was subsequently followed and stopped by officers on patrol. 6) At 7:18pm on April 3, 2021 a Retail Theft was reported at 1925 Mannheim Road. The store owner reported that a male subject took 8 unknown brand vape pens from the store and was last seen running in the alley behind the store. 7) At 12:44pm on April 6, 2021 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 10800 block of Martindale. The resident reported that a vehicle parked in the driveway had damage to both front tires that occurred sometime during the previous evening.
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S chool D i strict MAY 2021
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F ir e D e pa rt me n t 6
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PUBLIC WORKS Branch pickup for May will be the week of May 3-7, 2021 Branch pickup for June will be the week of June 7-11, 2021 The Public Works Department will pick up branches the first full week of every month. (April-November) All brush must be put out on the front parkway by 7:00 a.m. on the designated pickup day. Branches can be up to 7 ‘in length and stacked with the butt ends facing the street in the same direction. If not stacked properly, a “restack” notice will be left. Again, please put ALL brush out on your designated pickup day and Public Works crews will determine what constitutes an open load, which will be picked up later in the week. An open load would include any brush that will not fit through the chipper such as logs, stumps, and large limbs. These must be cut for one man to lift. Dirt must be removed from any root balls for pickup. Public Works Crews will only pass through a designated pickup area once due to time schedule and other workload responsibilities. Landscaping contractors are responsible for their own brush pickup and disposal. Please note the following schedule for branch pickup: MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsorincluding both sides of Windsor Drive. Also, Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord. TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. WEDNESDAY: From Roosevelt Road north to the expressway and from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. Also, Roosevelt Road south to Canterbury from Haase west to Heidorn. THURSDAY: From Belleview west to Wolf Road, Martindale Drive to 31st Street Remember….. Waste Management will also pick up your branches if they are bundled no more than 4’ in length. These will be picked up on your regular garbage day every week. Free yard waste stickers for reusable yard waste receptacles are available at the Village Hall. Memorial Day Holiday Garbage Schedule There will be no garbage pickup on Monday, May 31, 2021
Monday’s pickup will be Tuesday June 1, 2021 Tuesday’s pickup will be Wednesday, June 2, 2021 Thursday’s and Friday’s pickup will remain the same-no change Construction season has started….. Please drive carefully in all work zones Parkway Restoration: The Public Works Department is now repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations and snow plow damage, weather permitting. Pothole Repair The Public Works Department repairs potholes throughout the Village, weather permitting. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 to report potholes. The vac and jet machine will continue to clean out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. As Always….. Village residents are asked to call Public Works at 708-345-0041 or the Police Non Emergency number after hours at 708-345-0060 if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway. This could be a main break or water leak that requires our immediate attention. 50/50 Shared Cost Sidewalk Replacement Program The Village offers a shared cost sidewalk replacement program. If the sidewalk in front of your residence is in poor condition and you would like to replace it, the Village will share the cost with you. Please call Public Works at 708345-0041 for more information or to register. Sprinkling Ban Reminder We have water use restrictions in effect every year, May 15-September 15, from 12pm to 6pm. This includes: Outdoor Watering Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces Cleaning Buildings Pool Filling Sprinkling during unrestricted hours (before noon, after 6pm) shall be allowed on even numbered days for those even numbered addresses, and on odd numbered days for those residents having odd numbered addresses. If we have a dry summer, further restrictions may be necessary.
New Utility Bills coming in May Attention! Be on the lookout for the new post card utility bills! Starting May 2021 residents of Westchester will be receiving new Utility Bills! Utility Bills are downsizing to a post card format. Please change the remittance address, for utility payments, to the Village of Westchester at 10300 W. Roosevelt Rd. Westchester, IL 60154. The BMO Harris Lockbox account & address, PO Box 71423 Chicago, IL 60694-1423 will no longer be accepting payments as of May 1st, 2021. Please
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contact the Utility Billing Department with any questions or concerns, 708-345-0020. Also, as a courtesy reminder, water and sewer rates are increasing as of May 1st, 2021. Residential properties will see the rate increase reflecting on the July 2021 bill print & nonresidential will see the increase reflected on the June 2021 bill prints. Water rates are increasing from $11.32 per 1,000 gallons to $11.65 per 1,000 gallons. Sewer rates are increasing from $1.37 per 1,000 gallons to $1.41 per 1,000 gallons.
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Girl Scout News for March/April – Daisy Girl Scout Troop 47147
Think Spring! That’s just what Westchester’s Daisy Girl Scout Troop 47147 did this past month. At the March 18th meeting the girls learned about the Vernal Equinox also known as the Spring Equinox, which brings more daylight hours and warmth for plants to sprout and flowers to bloom. The girls had a special guest, local space enthusiast, John Napoletano, demonstrate how the vernal equinox happens. He brought props to demonstrate how the earth tilts more toward the sun at this time of year. Mr. Napoletano also brought his telescope and talked to the scouts about what can be seen from Westchester as he fielded many questions about planets and stars. This all helped the girls work toward earning their Space Explorer badge. They found out there is lots to explore in the skies over Westchester! In early April, the scouts chose to add a little sunshine to Spring through kindness rocks. Kindness rocks are painted rocks with positive messages that are placed around town, sort of like Easter Eggs, to surprise and uplift walkers, runners, skaters and our neighbors along their travels through town. If you find a kindness rock in town, you can leave it for others to find or relocate it to spread the cheer. Also, at this meeting the scouts worked further on their Good Neighbor badge by doing a little spring cleaning. The girls collected garbage from around the Westchester Community Church and around the Community Center. After they were done tidying up, the girls placed the kindness rocks they painted around the Community Center park. There is still much to enjoy in the remaining two months of scouts this year! Our daisies will be learning about car engines and how they work. And probably, more complex – how democracy works, as they will be meeting with our town president and one of our village trustees later this month. The girls are also looking forward to a visit from Kirby, the Brookfield Zoo police dog, who probably cares more about biscuits than how democracy works!
Eagle Scout Project Continues to Give Eagle Scout Project Continues to Give Since 2013, Boy Scout Troop 1 from Westchester has been assembling beautiful handmade Easter baskets for families who are served by Divine Infant St. Vincent DePaul Society (SVDP). This program, developed by Aidan Walton (a long time SVDP and Troop 1 member) as his Eagle Scout project, aims to bring joy on Easter morning to local families enduring financial hardships. The scouts receive funds from SVDP, along with the gender and age of the child they are buying for. Then the fun starts as the scouts go out shopping for their assigned child. They pick out the baskets, the treats, and maybe a gift or two. All items are hand-picked to be age and gender appropriate, while maintaining
the confidentiality of the recipients. The baskets are then wrapped, labeled, and later delivered to the children by St. Vincent DePaul members. This year, the Divine Infant St. Vincent DePaul Society decided to sponsor the purchase of 14 Easter baskets for the children staying in BEDS shelter motels. The baskets were prepared by the Boy Scouts and delivered to the children of BEDS clients. The children and the parents were delighted when the baskets were delivered. “It’s great they think of us,” said one parent. “It makes it a little easier.” Now in its 8th year, this Easter basket project is a great example of Troop 1 Scouts staying involved and giving back to their community.
LIBRARY MAY 2021
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LIBRARY 10
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Library events for the village newspaper/calendar for May 2021 Saturday, May 1: Chicago Children’s Museum. 1 pm via Zoom. Registration Required. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@ westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl. com/05-01-21 Thursday, May 6: A Fireside Chat with Alex Kotlowitz Moderated by Mary Schmich. 7 pm via Zoom. Registration
Required. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@ westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl. com/Kotlowitz Saturday, May 8: Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. 2 pm via Zoom. Registration Required. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl.com/05-08-2021 Tuesday, May 11: Sound Opinions: The
10 Most Important Artists in Chicago Music History with Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot. 7 pm via Zoom. Registration Required. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl.com/SOpinions Saturday, May 15: The Art Institute of Chicago. 1 pm via Zoom. Registration Required. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl.com/05-15-2021
Saturday, May 22: Field Museum: Dinosaur Range exhibition. 1 pm via Zoom. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl.com/05-22-2021 Saturday, May 29: Elmhurst History Museum. 2 pm via Zoom. Contact the Adult Dept. for more information at askus@westchesterpl.org. Register at: tinyurl.com/05-29-2021
S t . J ose ph MAY 2021
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Projects that are currently in progress are shown on the map. Additional projects are being planned for the 2021 season. For additional information on current and future projects please visit the Village of Westchester website at www.westchester-il.org
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S enior s MAY 2021
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HOME FLOOD-PROOFING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Do you get basement back up during heavy storms? In 2013, the Village implemented the Home Flood-Proofing Assistance Program. Due to the success of the program, the Village Board has reauthorized funding for this program in 2021/2022. The Village has decided to help the owners of single family homes and two-flats defray a portion of the costs of providing protection from the backup of sewage in the basement. The grant program’s intent is to offset a portion of the expense that a property owner will incur to revise the house plumbing such that sewage cannot backflow into the house when the sanitary sewer is pressurized or to help reduce the cost of the installation of a residential standby generator. There are six options available to the property owner, as listed below: 1) Modification of the soil stack to direct flow out of the house in a new OVERHEAD SEWER and the elimination of all gravity drainage below the basement floor slab. The Village is rebating 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $2,000. 2) Installation of an interior or exterior BACKFLOW PREVENTION VALVE and bypass pump on the house lateral in an underground vault. The Village is rebating 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $2,000. 3) LIFT STATION system with an inside or outside underground vault. The Village is rebating 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $2,000. 4) Installation of GLASS BLOCK WINDOWS or RETAINING WALL. The Village is rebating 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $500. 5) Installation of CLEAN CHECK VALVE system. The Village is rebating 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $1,000. 6) Installation of RESIDENTIAL STANDBY GENERATOR system. The Village is rebating 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum grant of $1,500. Each approach has different costs and degrees of property owner disruption, as well as different implications on the homeowner’s use of the revised plumbing. A licensed plumber can determine which option best serves your need. Updates or enhancements to current overhead sewer or lift station systems are not eligible for this program; however, replacement of an old system is eligible under this program. Participation in the program is on a first come, first served basis. Participation in the program is approved at the time the applicant submits their two qualified quotes. The program is subject to a funding limitation of $24,000 for this fiscal year. If you are interested in participating in the program or have any
RV AND BOAT PARKING RESTRICTIONS ILLUSTRATION
questions, please contact Community Development at 708345-0199 or via email at building@westchester-il.org. TREES AND BUSHES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY Did you know that the village has requirements for trees and bushes on private property that overhang sidewalks, alleys, and streets? If you live along an alley and have bushes/trees along your property line, it is your responsibility to ensure that all trees and bushes have their branches cut or trimmed so that no part thereof shall overhang the alley at a distance less than twelve feet above the alley, or any other public property. This applies to bushes and trees along the public sidewalk as well. Private property owners that personally trim trees standing upon their private property are permitted to place the excess branches, trimmings and other waste at the curb of their property for removal by the department of public works. Excess branches, trimmings or other waste from the trimming or cutting of trees standing on private property that are trimmed, pruned or cut by a landscaping company or any other entity besides the property owner shall be carried away and disposed of by said landscaping company or entity. DETACHED GARAGES ON ALLEYS Did you know all detached garages adjacent to alleys must have address numbers on them. This will help the Police and Fire Departments respond to events such as garage breakins, in progress crimes and medical/fire emergencies. The
goal is to easily identify the correct location instead of counting houses from the corner, or identifying where a problem exists that needs to be addressed. Garages shall have address numbers placed in a position to be plainly legible and visible from the alley fronting the property. These numbers shall: • Contrast with their background • Be Arabic numerals or alphabet letters. • Be a minimum of 4 inches in height with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch. RV AND BOAT PARKING RESTRICTIONS As the weather warms up and you start to consider moving & storing your boats & RVs, please keep in mind the following restrictions: (a) You cannot park a boat or RV on a public street unless permission is granted by the Police Department. (b) Boats & RVs cannot be parked on the grass (c) Boats & RVs can only be parked within a garage, or on a paved area located in a rear yard that is not adjacent to a street, or in a side yard that is not a corner side yard. The locations where it is permitted to park a boat or RV are shown below in red striping. (d) Any boat or RV, may be parked on a paved driveway located either in the front or the side of a residence between September 1st and October 15th.
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Celebrate The Merry Month of May Spring flowers are now blooming at Wolf Road Prairie. Save The Prairie Society members would like to share the colorful spring beauty of Westchester’s native flowers with you. They will be hosting a Wolf Road Prairie walk through both in the Savanna and the Prairie on May 13 @10 am. Participants can park on the north side of 31st Street just west of Wolf Road in one of the three parking bays.
WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY CHURCH May 2 - Worship Service, 10 am, Westchester Community Church, 1840 Westchester Blvd., 708/865-1282 , Communion will be served. A limit of 50 people, masks required. All Are Welcome! May 9 – Pet Blessing, 11 am, Westchester Community Church, 1840 Westchester Blvd., 708/865-1282. Please bring your pets to be blessed. All Are Welcome! Masks are required. May 9 –Worship Service, 10 am, Westchester Community Church, 1840 Westchester Blvd., 708/865-1282. A limit of 50 people, masks required. All Are Welcome!
May 16 - Worship Service, 10 Westchester Blvd., 708/865-1282. Welcome! May 23 –Worship Service, 10 Westchester Blvd., 708/865-1282. Welcome! May 30 –Worship Service, 10 Westchester Blvd., 708/865-1282. Welcome!
am, Westchester Community Church, 1840 A limit of 50 people, masks required. All Are am, Westchester Community Church, 1840 A limit of 50 people, masks required. All Are am, Westchester Community Church, 1840 A limit of 50 people, masks required. All Are
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