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The City of West Chicago is now accepting applications for vendors for its annual downtown garden festival, Blooming Fest, scheduled on Saturday, May 21, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Organized by City staff and community volunteers, the event combines the West Chicago Garden Club’s annual plant sale with a craft and fine art show, auto exhibit, children’s activities, music, food and more.
The current focus is on attracting participants including artists and crafters with a garden-related emphasis and food vendors. Booth space is available at a minimal cost, with no charge for not-for-profit organizations. Applications for vendor space are available on the City’s website under Residents/Forms and Applications or Businesses/Forms and Applications, or via email at bloomingfest@westchicago.org.
Vendor applications are available in the following five categories:
The deadline for vendor applications is April 15, 2016 and space is limited.
A slideshow of the 2015 Blooming Fest event may be viewed here.
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March 3 - Library Late Night at the City Museum
March 26 - Coffee with the Mayor
*March 13 - Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 15 - General Primary Election
March 18 - Historiography Book Discussion Group
April 1 - Library Late Night at the City Museum
April 15 - Historiography Book Discussion Group
April 30 - Coffee with the Mayor
*
Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 13, 2016. This is traditionally a time to check and/or change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly. Make the most of the extra hour of daylight by adding an activity which further connects you to the community, helps a friend or neighbor, or brings added enjoyment to yourself and your family.
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Spring Means More Coyote Sightings
For safety tips and a reporting tool, click
here.
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March 1 - Library 500 Registration Begins
March 1 - Wiggle Worms
March 1 - Chess Club
March 7 - Stories to Grow On
March 8 - Wiggle Worms
March 14 - Stories to Grow On
March 15 - Wiggle Worms
March 16 - Mariposas (in Spanish only)
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day Pot of Gold Hunt March 19 - Old Fashioned Egg Roll& Spring Craft March 20 - Lego Brick Party
March 21 - Stories to Grow On
March 22 - Wiggle Worms
March 29 - Wiggle Worms
March 30 - Mariposas (in Spanish only)
April 4 - Stories to Grow On
April 5 - Wiggle Worms
April 5 - Chess Club
April 11 - Stories to Grow On
April 12 - Wiggle Worms
April 13 - Mariposas (in Spanish only)
April 16 - Creating Connections
April 17 - Lego Brick Party
April 18 - Stories to Grow On
April 19 - Wiggle Worms
April 26 - Wiggle Worms
April 28 - Stories at the City Museum
March 5 - Daddy Daughter Date Night
March 19 - Underwater Egg Hunt
March 26 - Breakfast with the Bunny
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Mayor
's Message
Allowing two worlds to come together, and developing lifetime and life-long relationships, is the profound result of the West Chicago Sister Cities organization. This group, which was begun when two brothers, one living in Taufkirchen vils, Germany and one living in West Chicago, Illinois, USA, brought the idea of forming a Sister Cities relationship to the attention of their respective communities. By doing so, Uwe and Bodo Gsedl, with much support from other community members, enabled a formal, international friendship between two cities to blossom in 1998. Since that time, a number of international visits between delegates of the two cities have taken place.
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Last July, I had the opportunity to travel with members of the organization, my family and friends to this beautiful part of the world to connect with its people, and enjoy firsthand its culture and heritage. Several of us stayed at the bed and breakfast establishment of the Bürgermeister, who is the principal magistrate of the City, a role similar to that of Mayor. The family-run guest house provided a welcoming home-base for the duration of our stay in the City. Others of our group stayed at the homes of German families associated with the organization. The hospitality extended to our group was exceptional, we were all treated like family.
While there, we toured the City and marveled over all of the unique buildings, gardens, and public art, as well as the magnificent Water Castle, or Wasserschloss Taufkirchen, which dates at least as far back as 1263, when it was mentioned in a document. We learned that the largest business in the City is a furniture manufacturer, Himolla, and it employs many of the people living in town. A tour of the facility was yet another highlight before going on a side trip to Munich to tour an Erlangen brewery where we were asked to sample beers for an upcoming festival. The collective experiences of this trip are too many to list here. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Upon returning to West Chicago, the City received a lovely parting gift from Taufkirchen vils, an original painting by an artist in the community of Wasserschloss Taufkirchen. It will hang at City Hall for all to enjoy as a reminder that we have an international bond with a city on another continent.
This month, our community will have a chance to reciprocate the hospitality when we welcome a group of students and chaperones from Taufkirchen vils. Arriving on Saturday, March 12, 2016, our guests will meet their host families, many of whom have students at Community High School, and enjoy a quintessentially Midwest tradition: a potluck supper. Tours of various sites around the City, visits to local attractions, attendance at school with their host student, a group dinner and a variety of day trips are planned. Day trips to Chicago to explore one of the many Museums, as well as a stop at the iconic Willis Tower and a customized walking tour will round out the visit. An evening reception at City Hall is planned for our Sister Cities’ friends on Monday, March 21, 2016.
I would like to convey my thanks to the organizers and all the volunteers and host families who are working together to give our German friends a warm West Chicago welcome.
Respectfully,
Ruben Pineda
Mayor
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City Services
LEAF COLLECTION
Residents may dispose of an unlimited quantity of leaves during the
week of April 25 – April 29, 2016
on the regularly scheduled garbage pickup day. No stickers are required for leaves during this week; however, no other yard waste may be mixed with them. All leaves must be placed in a biodegradable “Kraft” yard waste bag or a 95-gallon yard waste cart. Leaves will not be accepted in plastic bags or cardboard boxes.
YARD WASTE
Yard waste collection will resume
April 1, 2016 through November 30, 2016.
All yard waste that is not placed in a 95-gallon yard waste cart must be placed in a biodegradable “Kraft” yard waste bag with a universal sticker attached.
BRUSH
The City’s monthly brush pickup program, which runs May through November of each year, is scheduled to
begin on May 2, 2016
. Brush must be placed at the curb no earlier than two days prior to the first Monday of each month.
CITYWIDE COLLECTION EVENT
May 2 – May 6, 2016
The annual Citywide Collection Event will be offered to residents on their
regularly scheduled
garbage collection day during the period of May 2 – 6, 2016. If you live in a single or two-family residence, you must affix a total of eight (8) Universal stickers on your pile of ACCEPTABLE items (see examples below).
- Examples of Acceptable Items include, but are not limited to: Garage and attic clean-out debris; barbeque grills; bicycles; carpeting, if rolled into sections not exceeding four-foot (4’) in length and not weighing more than fifty pounds (50 lbs.) per roll; household construction materials (e.g. lumber, drywall, plywood, doors) if bundled or placed within thirty-three (33) gallon refuse containers and not weighing more than fifty pounds (50 lbs.); furniture; box springs and mattresses, and household fixtures excluding electronics (as described below).
- Examples of Unacceptable Items include, but not limited to: Hazardous waste; tires; automotive parts, fluids and batteries (e.g., oil, transmission fluid, windshield washing fluid, starters, brake shoes, etc.); household batteries; oil based paint; pesticides; propane tanks; and large household appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers). Small household appliances (e.g. toasters, televisions, microwaves, computers, monitors, speakers, stereo equipment) and all electronics are no longer acceptable items as they are now banned from Illinois landfills from all sources under penalty of law. You may visit www.dupageco.org/recycling for more information on recycling the materials listed above.
The City of West Chicago encourages all residents to do some spring cleaning and take advantage of this annual program. For more information, or for those who may have questions on the acceptability of an item for pickup, please contact the event coordinator, Michelle Baldino, at (630) 293-2255.
HYDRANT FLUSHING
The City of West Chicago's Utility Division will be flushing fire hydrants this spring,
weekdays, between 7:00 a.m. ‑ 4:00 p.m
. Flushing is tentatively planned for the
last two weeks of April
. Signs will be posted in the areas one day prior to hydrant flushing. Hydrant flushing maintains West Chicago's water distribution system and assures proper operation of hydrants in the event of an emergency. Unfortunately, discolored water can result. This discoloration poses no health risk. However, please check the water before washing laundry.
CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL DEVICES
As a means of protecting the City's public water supply system from contamination due to backsiphonage or backflow of contaminants or pollutants through a customer's water service connection, the City requires certain water users to install and maintain an approved backflow prevention (cross-connection control) device. The purpose of the cross-connection control device is to prevent materials from entering the public water system if, and/or when, the pressure of the private water system exceeds the pressure of the public water system. Per City Code and State statute, all cross-connection control devices shall be inspected at the time of installation and at least annually by the consumer using a person approved by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency as a Cross Connection Control Device Inspector (CCCDI). The inspection of mechanical devices shall include physical testing in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Results of the devices inspected must be forwarded to the City. Please call the Public Works Department at (630) 293-2255 with any
questions.
ON-SITE PAPER SHREDDING
June 4, 2016 - 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Ensure that personal and financial documents are destroyed in a safe, secure and environmentally responsible manner. The City of West Chicago's Environmental Commission will be hosting an on-site paper shredding event on Saturday, June 4, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in the City Hall parking lot at 475 Main Street. Confidential materials are destroyed on premise by trained professionals in a matter of minutes while you watch. Local residents and businesses may bring up to ten boxes for onsite document shredding. Accurate Document Destruction, Inc. will be providing the shredding service.
SMART911 CAN BE A GAME CHANGER IN EMERGENCIES
Smart911 is a free, confidential service that allows users to create a profile that is activated in participating dispatch centers when they dial 911. The electronic safety profile provides essential household information about family members, home, pets and vehicles. This information will display automatically on the 911 call taker’s screen when a user make an emergency call. It’s private and secure, and those using Smart911 control what information is in their profile. Register at www.smart911.com.
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Cultural Arts
City Museum
132 Main Street - (630) 231-3376
Spring Hours
The City Museum's spring hours are Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. It is also available by appointment at other times for research requests and special tours.
Library Late Night at the Museum
Thursday, March 3, 2016 - 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Join West Chicago Public Library at the West Chicago City Museum for a late-night at the Museum. We'll share stories, handle objects from the Museum's collection, and have a variety of imagination stations for families to explore. Cardboard and other materials will be on-hand to make a one-of-a-kind creation to take home! Light snacks will be served. No Registration is required. This program is free and for all ages.
Friday, April 1, 2016 - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Stop by the City Museum for a late-night look into West Chicago’s High School history. Staff will be on hand with copies of West Chicago High School yearbooks, photographs and memorabilia from the community’s long history.
Time Traveler’s Suitcase
Filled with hands-on activities and bursting with history, these suitcases can be enjoyed by Time Travelers of all ages. Pick up a passport to track your travels. Time Travelers who get stamped in all six eras can turn their completed passport in for a prize. These kits are being released on a rolling basis. Available suitcases include Rocks and Dinos and From Another Land. There is a two week check-out period, with a $5 refundable deposit required. Pick up suitcases at the Museum during regular hours.
WEST CHICAGO HISTORY EBOOK – FREE! ONLINE!
For the first time ever, the City Museum is publishing an enhanced eBook version of A Brief History of an Old Railroad Town. More than 30 years ago, local historians Frank F. Scobey and Gerald D. Musich compiled an overview of West Chicago's history from the arrival of the railroads in the mid-1800s until the time of publication in 1984. Learn about our City’s history, including railroads and much more. It is now available as an eBook on the Friends of West Chicago City Museum web site at www.wegohistory.com/ebook.
Historiography
The popular non-fiction book club returns to the City Museum this spring. The March book At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson will be discussed on Friday, March 18, 2016 at noon. On Friday, April 15, 2016 at noon, the Historiography group will be meeting to discuss Mom: The Transformation of Motherhood in Modern America by Rebecca Jo Plant. Mothers are encouraged to bring children of all ages to the April meeting. The book group is open to all, feel free to bring a bag lunch; complimentary drinks and desserts will be provided. Copies of the books being discussed can be checked out from the Museum or Library. The reading group is in collaboration with the West Chicago Public Library.
New Exhibit: Made in West Chicago
The City Museum will open its new spring exhibit Made in West Chicago during Blooming Fest on Saturday, May 21, 2016. The City Museum is currently collecting stories from people who have worked at the Reid Murdoch Pickle Plant, Campbell Soup Mushroom Farm, General Mills or any of the other numerous businesses that have been part of West Chicago’s history. If you would like to be involved in the exhibit or share your story, please contact the City Museum at (630) 231-3376 or wegohistory@gmail.com.
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Ward 1
Lori Chassee (630) 231-8709
James Beifuss (630) 231-0584
Ward 2
Don Earley (630) 231-3060
Jayme Sheahan (630) 330-7972
Ward 3
Laura Grodoski (312) 925-9241
Alton Hallett (630) 254-7112
Ward 4
Sandy Dimas (630) 293-5170
Melissa Birch Ferguson
(630) 621-0128
Ward 5
Kurt Meissner (630) 235-4725
John C. Smith, Jr. (630) 293-3802
Ward 6
Rebecca Stout (630) 293-7335
Mark Edwalds (630) 632-6670
Ward 7
John Banas (630) 762-9762
Noreen Ligino-Kubinski
(630) 762-9929
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Important Number
Fire Administration
(630) 231-2123
Fire Emergency
911
Police Administration
(630) 293-2222
Police Response
911
City Administration
City Hall
(630) 293-2200
Ruben Pineda
Mayor
Nancy Smith
City Clerk
Michael Guttman
City Administrator
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