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Village of Addison
1 Friendship Plaza
Addison IL 60101-2786

(630) 543-4100

Mayor Larry Hartwig
Clerk Lucille Zucchero

Village Trustees:
Tom Hundley
Sylvia Layne
William Lynch
Joe McDermott
Harry Theodore
Richard Veenstra

Village Manager
 Joseph Block ........................ 693-7503

Assistant Village Manager
 John Berley .......................... 693-7532

Human Resources .............. 693-7504

Water Billing ...................... 693-7570

Community Development
 Engineering, zoning,
building permits, code enforcement
............................................. 693-7530

Community Relations
 Cable television, website, special events ............................................  693-7550

Public Works
 Streets, water, tree trimming, branch pickup .................................. 620-2020

Environmental Services
 Recycling, sewer backups, flood control ............................................. 279-2140

Police (Non-Emergency)
 Traffic violations, crime prevention programs, stray animals ......... 543-3080

E-Mail:
voa@AddisonAdvantage.org

Web:
AddisonAdvantage.org

 

 

 

Village of Addison eNewsletter

January 2012

  

In This Issue

Winter Snow Plowing

Emerald Ash Borer Update

Recycling Extravaganza

Summer Events Preview

Regular Features

Village Employees of the Month, Year

News Blurbs

A Bit of Addison History

Important Links

From the Desk of
Mayor Larry Hartwig

 

For the past few years, my look back at the closing of the previous year has begun with financial news. This isn't just because the economy continues to be the dominant news throughout the country.  It's because the Village's finances and the responsibility of overseeing them are the single most important task of the elected officials on your Village Board.

 

So I'm happy to say that we continue to do well in that regard.  While things are tight, and we still make cuts whenever possible, we are financially sound.  We are making do with less – through retirements and attrition, there are 25 full-time positions that have not been filled since the beginning of the recession.  But we have not laid off any employees.  And we have not cut back on service to our residents.

 

Our financial health was confirmed by Fitch Ratings in 2011, which reaffirmed our AAA bond rating.  And in the past 6 or 7 months, we have begun to see a small upswing in sales tax revenues over the previous year, which hopefully signals further improvement.

 

Our community continues to thrive, however.  One need only look at Lake Street and the progress being made on the new Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare Center to see that we are growing.  This 50,000 sq.ft. facility is a $27 million investment in our community, and it will be exciting when it opens next summer or fall.

 

Further down Lake Street, you can see other businesses that we have welcomed, such as A to Z Pediatrics, and Panera Bread.  Round the corner onto Rohlwing Road, and you will see that Sam's Club has begun their 30,000 sq.ft. expansion.  You'll also see the former Denny's about to be torn down, to make room for businesses like Panda Express, Chipotle and Game Stop.

Watch Mayor Larry Hartwig's complete
"Year in Review" interview

 

New businesses are good news for Addison not just because of the sales tax revenue they generate, but for the increased quality of life for our residents. Our community continues to have so much to offer.  Please support our local businesses whenever you can.

 

This will be especially important as we endure another major road construction project – the widening and reconstruction of Illinois Route 53/Rohlwing Road.  Work began this fall and will continue throughout 2012, from Army Trail Road north to the Elgin O'Hare Expressway.  This long-awaited, $45 million project will widen Rt. 53 to five lanes, and in the end, will make traffic much better for us.  The Village's share of this project will be about $1.9 million, as we install sidewalks, replace watermains, and install traffic signals at Woodland Ave., and at the south entrance to the Sam's/Walmart plaza.

 

Completing projects during tough financial times can be difficult, but our staff and Board realize that infrastructure must be maintained regardless.  Delaying these projects too much will only make things harder later down the road.

 

One of the most important improvements over the past year is one that most residents may not be aware of, but will improve public safety while saving money.  The Addison Police Department underwent major renovations and improvements to its dispatch center, now making it capable of becoming a Regional Dispatching Center.  So far, our department has taken over the duties of dispatching for the Bensenville Police Department, resulting in a significant cost savings for both communities, while maintaining or even improving upon the quality of service.

 

Another department that saw major changes in 2011 is our Public Works Department.  On Nov. 30, Public Works Director Greg Brunst retired after 42 years with the Village of Addison.  It is rare to see an employee in any line of work with that sort of loyalty, and it will be difficult for many of our staff to imagine the department without him.  But it is a sign of good leader that when he leaves, he has developed other leaders to take his place.  As Mitch Patterson takes over as our new Public Works Director, I have every confidence that our residents won't notice any change whatsoever.

 

As we enter a new year, I once again thank our residents for their input, direction and feedback.  I am pleased to say that most of the feedback I receive about our employees and our service is positive.  But negative feedback, or suggestions for improvement are valuable and appreciated as well.  I know our staff tries hard to treat our residents as customers, and want to improve service to all of you.

 

We look forward to another successful year in 2012.

 

Respectfully,

 

Winter Snow Plowing and Road De-Icing

The winter season is upon us, and that means the Public Works Department will be busy keeping the roads clear of snow and ice for safe driving.   As a reminder to residents, the Village has initiated several strategies over the past few years to reduce the amount of salt used for de-icing.  The efforts are both to control costs, and to lessen the environmental impact of chlorides in our local streams.

Pre-Storm Liquid Anti-Icing Sprayer

CHLORIDE REDUCTION PROGRAM

The Village of Addison and other communities recognize that the total elimination of salt is not feasible at this time; however, there are several methods that can be employed to greatly reduce the amount of salt used each event.   

  1. ANTI-ICING is the practice of applying liquid salt brine to the road surface in advance of the storm.  This prevents ice from bonding to the pavement surface at the start of the storm and will greatly reduce the amount of salt needed later for de-icing.

    Bulk Tank of Pre-Wetting Agent


     

  2. PRE-WETTING is the practice of mixing the salt granules with a liquid solution prior to application.  This practice is very effective for two important reasons.  First, moisture is necessary to activate the melting process.  Second, the addition helps to reduce the “scatter” of the dry granules on the pavement.
     
  3. SINGLE SALTING is the practice of only salting after ALL plowing of snow is completed.
     
  4. SALTING EQUIPMENT CALIBRATION is the constant checking, servicing, and maintenance of the spreading equipment to ensure that only the prescribed amount of salt is applied per traffic lane mile.  In addition, newer trucks are fitted with salt delivery systems that are computer controlled to adjust for truck speed and lane size.

IMPACTS ON LOCAL ROADS

Residents may notice several changes to the salting and plowing procedures that they have been accustomed to in the past.  All changes are necessary to reduce the overall amount of salt that is needed for each event.  Please keep in mind that public safety is the number one priority and will not be compromised in any way as alternative salting procedures are implemented. 

It is always important that drivers SLOW DOWN and add additional braking distances during bad weather or on poor pavement conditions.  Please also be aware that:

  • Roads may appear “mushy” at first due to the pre-storm application of the liquid anti-icing material.
  • Delayed plowing start time due to the extended activation period needed for the liquid treatments to take effect.
  • No salting DURING plowing operations.  For obvious reasons the old practice of always salting while plowing was not a very efficient use of salt.  As more snow fell, and the plow truck returned to make several more passes on the road, most of the salt was wasted and pushed to the curb and parkway.

    Environmentally Safe Practices for Salting

    ¨       Use “Just Enough” salt to clear the area

    ¨       Clear all snow before salting.  Don’t use salt to melt the snow.

    ¨       Sweep up any unused product after a storm and re-use it.

    ¨       Switch to a non-chloride de-icer (acetate based products like CMA)

    ¨       Support the changes to use less salt in the community

TIPS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES TO USE LESS CHLORIDE

Individuals taking care of sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots are just as important in lowering the overall amount of salt we use each season in our community.  As noted in the table, there are many things that a homeowner can do to reduce their chloride impact to the environment. 

Businesses can also employ the same strategies, or in cases where snow and ice removal are performed by an outside contractor, insist they use low chloride techniques or materials.  Check with your contractor to see if they utilize salt saving techniques, and if workers have been properly trained.

SNOW REMOVAL

In order to safely and efficiently remove snow from the roads, the Public Works Department also needs the continued cooperation of residents to keep cars off of Village streets during snow events.  Main arterial streets and those designated as “Snow Routes” have a mandatory parking ban after 2 inches of snow.  For all other Addison streets a mandatory parking ban is in effect after 4 inches of snow.  The parking ban remains in effect until all snow removal procedures are completed.

Homeowners and businesses are also reminded that snow from your sidewalks and driveways cannot be blown onto the roadway. Snow should be placed on your property, and preferably not on the parkway.  Putting snow in the street only increases the amount of snow that will be pushed to the end of your neighbor’s driveway. 

For more information contact the Public Works Department at (630) 620-2020.

Addison Pest Update: Emerald Ash Borer

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a small, non-native, metallic green invasive beetle whose larvae feed in the conductive wood tissues under the bark of ash trees.

The resulting damage cuts off the tree’s ability to transport nutrients and ultimately causes the tree’s decline and eventual death. Ash trees can be infested with EAB for a few years before the tree begins to demonstrate any signs of EAB infestation.

Since each female can lay up to 90 eggs, fly within a ½ mile from origin (or greater), and can breed in an area undetected for several years, EAB infestations have proven to be fast spreading and overwhelming for municipalities.

The presence of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was first discovered in Addison on July 22, 2009 and has since been found infesting ash trees to some extent in nearly every subdivision throughout the Village.

Since its discovery, the Village of Addison has been engaged in the ongoing process of delineating the extent of localized infestations, removing and replacing positive identifications, and inspecting suspect trees along the Village right-of-ways. This will continue through the winter.

The Village of Addison plans to mark and remove all positively identified infested public ash trees in an attempt to slow the spread of the infestation. These trees will be replaced during future planting seasons by the Village (subject to appropriate tree spacing).

Infested trees found on private property will be addressed through Village ordinances. Ash tree owners may ask about treatment options that may help protect their trees; however the only guaranteed method to control Emerald Ash Borer is to remove the host tree(s).

The Village of Addison has approximately 2,500 ash trees, scattered throughout Addison’s parkways, which makes up roughly 18 percent of the village’s 14,000 estimated total canopy.

The Village of Addison had proactively eliminated the planting of Ash species in the Village parkways and new subdivision construction since the reports of wide spread damage throughout Michigan in 2002 in an effort to insure greater species diversity throughout Addison.

How do I know if the tree on my property or parkway is an Ash tree?

Below are a few internet links to help you identify ash trees.

http://emeraldashborer.info/files/E2942.pdf

http://emeraldashborer.info/files/E2892Ash1.pdf

http://www.ehow.com/how_5277701_identify-ash-tree.html

How can I tell if my Ash tree is infested by the Emerald Ash Borer?

Signs and Symptoms of EAB include:

  • Canopy dieback

  • Very small D-shaped exit holes

  • Shoots sprouting from the tree trunks

  • S-shaped larval galleries underneath the bark

  • Splitting and flecking bark

  • Extensive/increased woodpecker damage

What can I do to protect my tree from the Emerald Ash Borer?

Once identified as infested by Village arborists, the suspect Ash tree shall be designated as a required removal.

Ash trees not confirmed as infested can be treated with insecticides to help prevent infestation. Boring insects already in the tree, improper applications or improper timing of applications contribute to poor or ineffective control.

Chemical applications will need to be applied to a healthy tree annually for the term of that tree’s existence. When considering ongoing, annual usage of insecticidal control, one should weigh the value of the tree against the cost of treatment.

Even if a property owner has invested time and money in proactive treatments, the Village will require its removal if the tree in question has been determined to be infested. Again, the only guaranteed method to control Emerald Ash Borer is to remove the host tree(s).

Insects and insect holes are commonly found in parkway trees. Several native wood boring insects are often found attacking weakened ash trees. Ash trees may appear to be declining for several other reasons.

  • Live branches can be brittle and prone to breakage during dry seasons.
  • Sprouts along the branches and trunk may form in the year following a heavy pruning.  
  • Ash trees along the roadside may also exhibit dead branches resulting from poor soils, root damage, insufficient soil moisture, and salt damage.

It is very important for area residents to be aware and vigilant in inspecting their ash trees for this pest. If you suspect you may have found adult or larval form of this insect, contact the Village of Addison Department of Public Works, at (630) 620-2020.

Additional information can be obtained by visiting the following links:

www.stopthebeetle.info

www.emeraldashborer.info/

www.IllinoisEAB.com

www.agr.state.il.us/

www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ep/eab/

www.mortonarb.org 

A Bit of Addison History

Henry Overcamp served as Addison’s Village President from 1908 – 1911 and from 1915 – 1927.  There is a street just north of the Addison Township building on Addison Road named after him.  Besides presiding over the Village of Addison, Mr. Overcamp also was the original owner of the local blacksmith shop. His nephew, Ed Schram, was a marble worker who had done extensive work on the Northwestern railroad station at Madison and Canal Streets in Chicago.  Mr. Overcamp invited his nephew to move out of Chicago and live in Addison; Ed accepted the invitation and went to work at Balzer Grave Markers, the only marble and granite business in town.  When Mr. Balzer could not supply enough work to keep Ed busy, he left the shop on Lake Street and went to work for his uncle in the blacksmith shop, a job which he really hated.

In 1910 he left the blacksmith shop to open an automobile repair shop and obtained an R.C.H. automobile dealership.  R.C.H. automobiles were produced by a company jointly owned by Robert Craig Hupp, who had been an employee of Oldsmobile and Ford in Detroit, and his brother.  While an R.C.H. dealer, Ed sold an R.C.H. automobile to his Uncle Henry. 

Mr. Schram eventually dropped the R.C.H. dealership for one with Ford and later dropped the Ford dealership for one with Chevrolet, which was becoming more popular because the public wanted a vehicle with a gear shift, whereas Ford’s Model T was controlled by three pedals on the floor board.

In 1912 Ed signed for a Buick dealership, also keeping Chevrolet.  Around 1920 he was notified that dual dealerships were no longer allowed, so he decided to discontinue Chevrolet and kept the Buick dealership.  He made a deal with another Buick/Chevrolet dealer in Hinsdale that lasted for many years, whereby the Hinsdale dealer ordered Chevrolets for him, and he ordered Buicks for the Hinsdale dealer.  His business, known as Ed Schram Buick, was located at 147 W. First St., in Elmhurst.  Ed died in 1957, but his business continued to be operated by family members until it was sold in 1965.

The information provided in this article was found on the back of the photograph depicting Ed Schram at work in William Balzer’s shop, and was probably written by Ed Schram’s son.  Visit the Addison Historical Museum, located at 135 Army Trail Road in Addison.  Open Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  (630) 628-1433.  E-mail:  museum@addison-il.org

Ed Schram at work in William Balzer’s shop on Lake Street.

Village Employees
of the Month
and Year

Judy Kmet
Clerk Typist
Finance Department
December 2011

Judy Kmet has been a Village of Addison Employee for 10 years. Judy responsibilities include any issues pertaining to finance, processing money that comes to the Village for collections and giving assistance to residents who may come in to pay their water/garbage bills and issuing vehicle stickers.

Judy and her husband Larry have grown children. Daughter Heather and her 3 children, ages 9, 11 and 13 live at home with Judy and her husband.

Her hobbies include reading and cooking. In her spare time, which isn’t very often keeping up with her family, Judy enjoys dining out and junior league football sports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snow Plow Team
Public Works Department
2011 Employees of the Year

In February 2011, the Chicago area was hit with one of the worst snowstorms on record, dropping 21.2 inches of snow.

The Village of Addison’s snow plow team, made up of 45 drivers, worked over the next 72 hours to clear the snow. Many positive remarks were received from residents and non-residents alike about the condition of Addison’s streets, especially in comparison to neighboring towns.

This is one of only a handful of times that employees have been chosen to share the “Employee of the Month” honor, and the first time ever that is has been shared for “Employee of the Year.”

News Blurbs

Shape of Addison

Itasca Bank & Trust will present the 5th Annual “Shape of Addison” Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25 in the Village Hall Board Room, at 1 Friendship Plaza, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Board Presidents and Administrators from the Village of Addison, Addison Public Library, Park District, Fire Protection District, Elementary School District 4 and DuPage High School District 88 will be on hand to update the community.

Addison Community Television will air the meeting live, and viewers will have the opportunity to call in questions during the live broadcast.

E-mail questions can be sent either before or during the meeting to ShapeOfAddison@AddisonAdvantage.org.

Addison Community Television can be seen on Comcast Cable Channel 6, AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, or online at here.

Christmas Tree Pickup

Free Christmas tree pickup service is available for residents.  Trees should be placed on the parkway any Sunday night during the month of January.  Village crews will begin collecting them on Mondays.  Please keep trees out of snowbanks.

Nails, tinsel, ornaments and lights must be removed from trees. Christmas tree bags and tree bases must also be removed.

Evergreen wreaths and garland will not be accepted because the wire used to construct them can damage the chipper machine.

For more information, please contact the Public Works Department at 620-2020.

Electronic Waste Ban

A State of Illinois mandated electronic waste ban will take effect on Jan. 1.  Consumers can no long place any type of unwanted electronics in with regular garbage.

This means if electronics are placed in your bin your waste bin will not be emptied, and the waste hauler will leave you a violation notice.

Electronics are accepted at the Addison Recycling Center at 711 N. Addison Road, in the E-Scrap Box. 

The area is under surveillance, and we urge the residents not to remove any contents that have been placed inside for recycling.

ALL Electronics are accepted inside this container. It will be emptied by ACME Refining, a zero waste recycler (All computer data is eradicated safely and securely, under EPA guidelines).

The Recycling Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 to 11 a.m.

‘Ask Mayor Hartwig’

Mayor Larry Hartwig will make his monthly appearance on Addison Community Television’s  “Before the Board” program on Tuesday, Jan. 3 to answer questions from viewers during the live broadcast.

Tune in at 6 p.m., and call the phone number on your screen to speak with the Mayor about your question or concern.

Or e-mail your questions before or during the program to AskMayorHartwig@addison-il.org.

Addison Community Television appears on Comcast Cable Channel 6, AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, and can be seen streaming live here.


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