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2014 SpringQuarterly Newsletter I Volume 69 - Spring 2014 Infrastructure Plans 2014 Polo Season O B newsAK ROOK 2 www.oak-brook.org | winter 2013 2 POLO SEASON RECAP Looking ahead to the 2014 Season 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Message from Dr. gopal Lalmalani 4 FROM THE MANAGER’S DESK Staff Improvements & More 5 POLICE Coffee with a Cop, grandparents Scam, and weekly Updates 6 FIRE Flood Safety, Thin Ice, knox box 7 PUBLIC WORKS Spring Construction & Transportation Enhancement Projects 8 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Development Update, & Drake Hotel 9 SPORTS CORE Sports Core activities & Upcoming Calendar 10 LIBRARY Spring Events, what’s Happening 11 FINANCE Village Debt & 2014 budget 12 BACK COVER 2014 Polo INSIDE THIS NEWSLETTER VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK ELECTED OFFICIALS/ BOARD OF TRUSTEES gopal Lalmalani, M.D., M.b.a | President Charlotte k. Pruss | Clerk Don adler | Trustee John baar | Trustee Michael Manzo | Trustee Mark Moy, M.D. | Trustee gerald wolin | Trustee asif Yusuf | Trustee VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK DEPARTMENTS Police, Fire, EMS Emergency: 9-1-1 butler government Center general Information: (630) 368-5000 Village Clerk: (630) 368-5052 Village Manager: (630) 368-5026 Community Development: (630) 368-5101 Economic Development: (630) 368-5022 Engineering: (630) 368-5130 Fire Non-Emergency: (630) 368-5200 Library: (630) 368-7700 Police Non-Emergency: (630) 368-8700 Public works: (630) 368-5270 water billing: (630) 368-5090 Sports Core administration (630) 368-6400 bath & Tennis (630) 368-6400 oak brook golf Club (630) 368-6400 CONNECT WITH THE VILLAGE website | www.oak-brook.org Facebook | “Village of oak brook” Twitter | @oakbrookVillage regular meetings of the Village board are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 7pm, with the exception of the fourth Tuesday of the months of June, august and December. Videotaped broadcasts of Village board meetings air on Comcast Cable Television, government access Channel 6 or 110 Mondays at 7pm and online at www.youtube.com/oakbrooktv Questions or comments? Contact us. Editor: Cathy Doczekalski cdoczekalski@oak-brook.org Content Manager: bethany burns bburns@oak-brook.org OAK BROOK POLO 2014 BUILDING UPON A SUCCESS! The oak brook Polo Committee and the Village are excited to announce that the 2014 season will have a total of ten (10) matches on five (5) Sundays. MATCH INFORMATION The following matches will be held on: Sunday, July 6th (1:00 pm and 3:30 pm matches) Sunday, July 13th ( 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm matches) Sunday, august 10th (1:00 pm and 3:30 pm matches) Sunday, august 17th (1:00 pm and 3:30 pm matches) Sunday, September 14th (1:00 pm and 3:30 pm matches) *rain dates of august 24th and September 21st, if any of the above are canceled because of the weather. Tickets are now on sale! Visit www.oak-brook.org/polo OAK BROOK news winter 2013 | www.oak-brook.org 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Village President (630) 368-5012 glalmalani@oak-brook.org A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT gopal g. Lalmalani, M.D., M.b.a. Dear Friends and Neighbors, Needless to say, we have experienced an unusually long, cold and snowy winter this year. Thanks to our Public works Department’s dedicated service in clearing the roads! Spring will seem so much sweeter this year after enduring this winter. I am very pleased to announce the addition of yet another corporation that will soon call oak brook its home, thereby creating a significant positive economic impact to our community. The Chamberlain group has announced plans to build a 252,600 sq. ft. building at the currently vacant Follett building site on Swift Drive. Chamberlain is currently located in Elmhurst and is expected to employ 750 people at their oak brook facility. They may also construct a second phase to include additional building(s) in the near future The search for a replacement for Fire Chief Tom McEllin is drawing to a close. There were a total of 68 applicants for the position. The Fire Chief Selection Committee reviewed all of the qualified candidates and made recommendations of several candidates for the Village board to review and interview. I would like to thank the Fire Chief Selection Committee members, Cathy giangrasse, Tom Mullins, Trustees baar, Moy and Manzo (Committee Chair), Manager Niemeyer, Police Chief kruger, and Human resource generalist kate andris for all their hard work. This Committee worked hard to assist the board in narrowing the field to the top five candidates. after interviewing these five excellent candidates, it is my responsibility to pick the person who I believe will be the best fit to take oak brook to the next level and will submit his name to the board for their consent at our next Village board meeting on april 8th. In other news, on February 6th, the residential Enhancement Committee (ably co-chaired by Todd rusteberg and Cristin Jones) held an open House that was conducted by the marketing firm hired for this project, bDI (business Districts Inc.) The evening consisted of a power point presentation and three interactive stations for residents to provide input and feedback on how best to promote the oak brook brand and what we need to do to attract new families into our community. The open House was a success with approximately 60 people in attendance. The next step will be for bDI to develop a specific marketing plan. Looking ahead, Polo triumphantly gallops back to oak brook beginning this July, and the Polo Committee has been working hard to prepare for this season. Polo Matches are set for Sundays: July 6th, July 13th, august 10th, august 17th (rain date-august 24th) and September 14th (rain date-September 21st). Information on ticket prices and sponsorships are included elsewhere in the newsletter. we hope you save these dates on your summer calendar. In addition, it’s not too early to start thinking about the annual Taste of oak brook! The Taste is set for Thursday, July 3rd. we are once again working on bringing in top notch restaurants, great musical entertainment, and a variety of activities for both adults and kids to celebrate this special holiday. as always, the Trustees, the staff, and I are available to you at all times. Feel free to call, email or meet any of us if you have any thoughts and concerns. we are here to serve you. as Dr. Jonas Salk so aptly said, “I feel the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.” kind regards, For the first time in several years, the Village is busy filling a number of staff positions. as mentioned in President Lalmalani’s column, the village is in the final stages of the recruitment for a new Fire Chief. In addition, the Village board authorized the hiring of a few new positions: a recreation manager to oversee the bath and Tennis Club, a part time plan reviewer, a part time administrative clerk, and 2 seasonal employees in the Public works department. as you are probably aware, the Village made some significant personnel cuts a few years ago during the great recession. The staff made recommendations in the 2014 budget to add new positions only in mission critical areas. Even with these additions, the total number of village employees stands at 130 full time and 36 part time compared to 2008 when there were 175 full time and 81 part time employees. at the time, the Village operated both the communication center and the b&T Clubhouse both of which have since been outsourced. In addition, assistant Village Manager blaine wing recently resigned to take another position in the City of Des Plaines. we are currently reviewing the best way to fill this position in the future. Tickets are now on sale for the 2014 polo season. You can get tickets by going to oak-brook.org/polo, at Village Hall or the oak brook golf Course. general admission prices for residents will remain at $15 this year, with non-residents being $25. VIP tickets are $65 this year which include admission to the match and entrance to the VIP tent. groups of 100 or more will get access to the VIP area for $50 per person. we are planning on bringing back some of the special events we had last year including argentina Day and Classic Car Day. we are also planning a Hollywood Day on august 10 as well as a Hat Day. we are also looking for sponsors for polo, as well as advertisers for our polo program. More information is available on our website about this. STAFFING IMPROVEMENTS Village legal fees continued a downward trend in 2013. Trustee Moy did a presentation on this I at a recent board meeting and the full presentation is on the Village website. Total Village legal fees were $330,204 or about half of what the annual cost was in 2007 through 2009. Much of the reason for this decrease is a significant reduction in the amount of outstanding litigation and lower fees paid to the Village attorney and Village Prosecutor. 2014 POLO SEASON VILLAGE LEGAL FEES TASTE OF OA KBROOK P R E S E N T ED B Y McDonald’s 201131313 TASTE OF OAK BROOK Thursday, July 3, 2014 From 4-9 PM Fireworks Display at Dusk Oak Brook Polo Fields Join us for Food & Fireworks! Entertainment Restaurants For the latest information please visit www.oak-brook.org or call (630) 368-5005. Sam Fazio Breakfast Club DJ X Kids Activities Meet Ronald McDonald * Face Painting Oak Brook Park District Activity Stilt Walkers * Balloon Artists * Petting Zoo Additional Information Onsite parking will be available for $10/vehicle with additional lots walkable from nearby areas. Rain date for the fi reworks display only is July 4th. 4 www.oak-brook.org | winter 2013 From the Manager’s Desk BY DAVID NIEMEYER David Niemeyer Village Manager (630) 368-5026 dniemeyer@oak-brook.org COFFEE WITH A COP we have had three Coffee with a Cop events so far this year and have more planned in the coming months. Please be on the lookout for more information on our web site for dates and times. we will be holding future events at the McDonalds, 22nd Street and Spring location. GRANDPARENTS SCAM The area has recently seen a reoccurring scam called the grandparents scam. a person calls an elderly resident and claims to be their grandchild. The person then says that they have been arrested and needs bond money to get out of jail and are afraid to call their parents. They will ask for anywhere from $500 to $2000 and ask that it be sent electronically, and not to tell their parents. The oak brook Police would like to warn residents to be cautious of anyone who calls and asks for money in such an unusual manner. regardless of who the caller claims to be, it is best to contact someone of authority to independently confirm the caller's identity. Police also recommend contacting a family member of the alleged caller in an attempt to confirm the relative’s location. WEEKLY UPDATES The last thing I would like to mention is a couple of ways we are working on getting more information out to our residents. we have begun to post a weekly summary of major activities on our police department home page. It is not an all encompassing report of all our officers do to serve the community in a given week, but it is more of a highlight page to make you more aware of our activities. Secondly a couple of months ago I have launched a Twitter feed to announce activities, special events, and crime warnings to our community. It is still a work in progress, but I hope that you will find it informative. My Twitter feed is @chiefkruger. I hope that you have been able to survive the winter of 2013-14 without too much trouble. Please drive safely the remainder of the season and hopefully Spring is not too far off. winter 2013 | www.oak-brook.org 5 Police BY JAMES KRUGER James kruger Police Chief (630) 368-8710 jkruger@oak-brook.org News we are pleased to announce the start of a new community relations program called Coffee with a Cop. Coffee with a Cop is a national program endorsed by the US Department of Justice as a community oriented policing program. It is a simple concept. Police and community members come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships, and drink coffee. In over 175 cities and towns in 36 states, Coffee with a Cop has done wonders for community trust, police legitimacy and partnership building. Community members come to a local Coffee with a Cop event for a variety of reasons, but no matter why they come to their local event, they are likely to leave with a more positive impression of their local law enforcement agency. one of the keys to Coffee with a Cop’s success is that it removes the physical barriers and crisis situations that routinely define interactions between law enforcement officials and community members. Instead, it allows for relaxed, informal one-on-one interactions in a friendly atmosphere. This informal contact increases trust in police officers as individuals, which is foundation to building partnerships, and engaging in community problem solving. In over 175 cities and towns in 36 states, Coffee with a Cop has done wonders for community trust, police legitimacy and partnership building. Community members come to a local Coffee with a Cop event for a variety of reasons, but no matter why they come to their local event, they are likely to leave with a more positive impression of their local law enforcement agency. one of the keys to Coffee with a Cop’s success is that it removes the physical barriers and crisis situations that routinely define interactions between law enforcement officials and community members. Instead, it allows for relaxed, informal one-on-one interactions in a friendly atmosphere. This informal contact increases trust in police officers as individuals, which is foundation to building partnerships, and engaging in community problem solving. “Follow me on Twitter: @chiefkruger!” THIN ICE Now that the temperatures are rising and Spring is upon us, many of the ponds, although still iced over, are very weak to walk upon. New ice is usually stronger than the old ice. It may seem thick at the top, however unknown if it is actually rotting or decomposing away at the center and base. at this time of year, ice may be found one foot thick in one location and merely one inch thick just a few feet away. The air trapped in your clothing will help you float. If you turn toward the direction, in which you came from, the ice is likely to be stronger there. remember it had held your weight at some point. If you place your arms on the edge of the solid ice, you can use your arms to lift your body up and kick your feet hard in a swimming motion while leaning over the good ice. If the ice breaks, move forward and try again. FLOOD SAFETY WHILE TRAVELING 6 www.oak-brook.org | winter 2013 Fire BY GARY CLARK “Please use extreme caution now that temperatures as rising.” Safety & Information gary Clark acting Fire Chief (630) 368-5212 gclark@oak-brook.org with the spring storm season approaching, there is a likelihood for flooding to occur in and around the oak brook area due to Salt Creek and the many bodies of water surrounding our village. The oak brook Fire Department asks that you consider the following while traveling through water: 1. Call 9-1-1 if you are trapped in your car and not sure about the depth or flow of the water surrounding you and your vehicle. 2. Do not drive unless absolutely necessary. 3. Flash floods can occur within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall. You may not have warning that a flash flood is approaching. 4. Do not drive through flooded areas. If you see a flooded- out road ahead, turn around. Find another route to your destination. If there is no other route, try to get to higher ground. 5. If your car stalls, abandon it immediately and find higher ground. If you feel you are in danger, stay in your car, and call 9-1-1. Did you know? Water Flooding Facts Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control or possible stalling. one foot of water will float almost any vehicle. Two feet of rushing water can sweep away most vehicles— including SUVs and pick-ups The residential knox-box® is a high security key safe designed for single family homes that only local emergency responders can access. with a residential kNoX-boX installed, emergency responders can respond quickly, without forcing entry. They simply remove your entrance key stored inside, provide medical assistance and re-lock your door when they leave. benefits of a residential kNoX-boX: •No monthly monitoring fee •Key locked in KNOX-BOX; not hidden for burglar to find •Key readily available to responders; no relying on neighbor to be home to let responders inside •Door or windows not damaged by responders trying to access your home •Security a top priority – KNOX-BOX is UL listed against physical attack Contact the oak brook Fire Department, Fire Prevention bureau at (630) 368-5220 for an application. order your kNoX- boX today! an excellent time skating on ice outdoors or catching fish while ice fishing can lead to danger. There are always alternatives such as indoor skating rinks or supervised lake areas. always look for signs posted for your safety, and if you don’t notice one, please use extreme caution. we recommend that you don’t go near the ice at this time of year, however if you must, please : • Never go alone • wear a life preserver or float coat • attach a 20-25 foot long rope to your waist and let if drag behind you. It won’t interfere and it’s something someone can grab onto should you fall through News ILLINOIS TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS 2014 PROJECTS as the weather warms Public works and Engineering are gearing up for an active construction season. road improvements include repaving Commerce Drive along with installation of a sidewalk. golf Drive, and 35th Street will also be resurfaced. we will also be continuing pedestrian access projects around the oakbrook Center. Features such as enhanced cross walk markings, improved pedestrian signals, and sidewalks will make walking to the mall safer and easier. our water system will also receive some attention. The water main replacement for York woods will be completed and the designs for brook Forest water main replacement will be prepared. Public works crews will be busy with drainage issues, street signs, pavement markings, as well as a good amount of forestry work. as ash trees are lost to the Emerald ash borer, we will be replacing them with a variety of trees. The objective is to increase the species diversity and reduce the risk of future tree blights. The 22nd Street corridor bringing traffic into the Village from the east is a key visual focal point. approaching the Village from the bridge over I-294 visitors have a vista of key commercial, retail, and public open space. In an effort to optimize the impact of this streetscape the Village is undertaking two streetscape enhancements under the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP). The projects include median planters, irrigation systems, decorative plants, trees, and new street lights. The first is underway between Spring road and Salt Creek. all improvements have been completed except for plants and trees. These will be installed in the Spring. The second will include similar features along 22nd Street from Salt Creek to I-294 and along York road from Dover Drive to Clearwater Drive. This contract is expected to be let in Summer 2014 with construction starting in Spring of 2015. with the weather warming (finally) it is time to take care of some simple, yet important, housekeeping issues. with the large accumulations of snow and ice over the winter many drainage features have been affected. Homeowners should do a “walk around” inspection of yards. Make sure that drainage pathways taking water away from the house foundation are clear of debris and pitched away from the house. During Spring gardening, keep in mind the drainage and avoid trapping water against the house foundation with soil or mulch. gutters, downspouts, and area drains have a tendency to collect debris over the winter. Now is a great time to insure that all these drainage features are clog-free and running freely. This winter snow and ice build-ups on roofs were quite common. It is worth the time and effort to inspect the underside of roofs from your attic or crawl space. Pay particular attention to the section closest to the eves (bottom section). water staining is an indication that ice shielding under shingles needs repair/replacement. This is also an excellent time to have fireplaces, chimneys, and flues cleaned to prevent fire hazards. In the course of all these inspections you may notice items which are good candidates for recycling. The oak brook Library is sponsoring a recycling event on May 3, 2014 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Details are available at the Library or at the Village web site www.oak-brook.org Public works did a great deal of snow removal over the winter, but unfortunately, some parkway areas were plowed along with the snow and ice. we will be restoring these areas as soon as weather permits. Similarly, some mailboxes were damaged during the snow events. we will also be repairing these as weather permits. Should you choose to repair the mailboxes, please keep in mind clearance from the road. Placing the front of the box 12” behind the curb face/ edge of pavement will minimize the chances of damages in the future. Should you have any questions about these maintenance subjects or others, please feel free to give us a call at 630-368-5270. SPRING HOUSEKEEPING REMINDERS RECYCLING EVENT MAILBOX REPAIRS winter 2013 | www.oak-brook.org 7 Public Works BY MICHAEL HULLIHAN Michael Hullihan Director of Public works & Engineering (630) 368-5270 mhullihan@oak-brook.org Community Development BY ROBERT KALLIEN DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Information • The number of building permits issued in 2013 was up by approximately five percent over 2012 figures. • The total number of building inspections conducted is up over 13 percent over 2013 figures. • The amount of permit fees collected in 2013 will exceed $1.756 million which is over $500,000 more than was collected in 2012. • The value of all permits is over $131 million which reflects an increase of over 71 percent over 2012. • The size and scope of the building permits that were reviewed and approved were substantial including: HUb group HQ, blistex expansion, advocate Healthcare building renovation and parking deck expansion, Clearwater retail out-building which include new Chipotle and roti Mediterranean grill restaurants, Molina Health Care, great Lakes Dredge and Dock, and NxStage Medical Care. • The HUb building was granted occupancy in December 2013 and is now home to approximately 400 employees. • a significant number of large projects have either been completed or are still in process at oakbrook Center including: Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus, apple Store, Perch, Perry’s Steakhouse, old Town Pour House, Container Store, Le Meridian Hotel, west Elm, Tommy bahama, red robin and aritzia. • at the present time, there are approximately 35 new homes that are under various stages of construction. • Permits for 19 new home permits were issued. This number exceeds yearly totals dating back to 2007. “2013 was a record year for new development!” Drake Hotel Update In 2014, Staff expects development activity to be strong. The number of new home permits is likely to surpasse 2013 numbers. The Le Meridian Hotel is expected to open in July 2014. as a result of the recent planned development approval at oakbrook Center, it is likely that at least two new pavilion structures and digital sign/video screen will be constructed this summer. The oak brook Court development is being actively marketed by ownership and it is likely that at least one new tenant may take space in that center. after many months of speculation, in December 2013 the Drake Hotel was sold by the Institute of basic Life Principles (IbLP) to James Nagle, who is a Village resident living in the oakbrook Club. Mr. Nagle has some development background in that he has previously completed projects in East Dundee (banquet hall) and LaPorte, Indiana (retail center). To date, Mr. Nagle has held several meetings with the Village to discuss his plans and vision for the Drake Hotel property. Those plans as explained to Staff would involve renovating the Drake Hotel property with the goal of securing a management company to run the hotel. Mr. Nagle also hopes to partner with a restaurant group to either run the food operation or construct a new restaurant that would become an integral part of the Drake Hotel. Mr. Nagle indicated that he had contacted a representative of the ruth Chris restaurant chain about the Drake Hotel opportunity. Mr. Nagle also indicated that he wants to partner with the Village on future golf and polo activities. with respect to a potential timeframe, Mr. Nagle indicated that he would open up the main (west) wing of the hotel first. remodeling work is underway in the west wing especially in the kitchen, ballroom and bar areas. additional steps may involve possibly removing the tennis courts and relocating the outdoor swimming pool. because of a recent water pipe break in the east Hotel annex, future renovation plans for this area are on hold. Mr. Nagle and the Village Staff agreed to meet again once a detailed business/ operating plan has been developed for the hotel property. on March 11, 2014, the Village board approved a development agreement with the Duchussois real Estate group in response to their plans to construct a new 252,600 sq. ft. corporate headquarters facility on the Follett building site which is located at 1818 Swift Drive. The tenant would be the Chamberlain group, currently located in Elmhurst which specializes in garage door openers and related parts. In addition, Duchussois is looking to buy several surrounding properties and eventually construct a second phase which may include an additional building(s). Chamberlain would initially be bringing about 750 employees to oak brook in its first phase. If the additional properties are purchased by Chamberlain, the parcels would be consolidated into a single lot which would require the review and approval of a subdivision plat by the Village of oak brook. Chamberlain’s relocation to oak brook will be a significant positive economic impact to our community. It will be easier for their employees to shop and dine in oak brook. oak brook hotels will benefit from events and overnight stays that will be generated from their presence in oak brook. oak brook will also be exposed to other corporate professionals who will visit Chamberlain. Chamberlain Group 8 www.oak-brook.org | winter 2013 robert kallien Director of Community Development (630) 368-5101 rkallien@oak-brook.org Sports Core BY TREY VANDYKE Information Spring is coming. and we are wishing for a very slow melt of all this snow. when the grass reappears we will begin the Sports Core outdoor activities. In the meantime, our staff is busy developing plans for summer fun. we are happy to announce that all of our top sports coaches will be returning: Cindy Jones, Head Swim Coach, greg Spencer, Head Tennis Professional, and Pga instructors Claudine boettger, Ian grant, Jeff kawucha, Dan kochevar, and gary Pinns. additionally, we are in the process of hiring a recreation Manager for the bath & Tennis Club. we hope you will be pleased to see the many improvements the staff has been working on over the winter months: a new pool heater, a locker room upgrade including new fixtures and ceiling replacement, main pool painting and coping repair (scheduled for spring), additional paddle boat, and several more projects scheduled for the summer. SPORTS CORE ACTIVITIES Giant Golf Demo Day Expected Date wednesday, May 7 Bath & Tennis Club Discount Deadline Expected Date wednesday, May 14 Bath & Tennis Club Pool Opens Expected Date Saturday, May 24 Taste of Oak Brook Thursday, July 3 2014 Oak Brook Polo Season July 6- September 14 “Top Sports Coaches will be returning this spring.”UPCOMING CALENDAR winter 2013 | www.oak-brook.org 9 Trey VanDyke Sports Core Director (630) 368-6420 tvandyke@oak-brook.org Golf Course Opening Day Expected Date Tuesday, april 1 Golf Club Driving Range Opens Expected Date Tuesday, april 1 Bath and Tennis Club Courts Open Expected Date Saturday april 12 This april, the oak brook Public Library joins supporters nationwide in celebrating National Library week, a time to highlight the value of libraries. More than just a repository for books and other resources, oak brook Public Library is deeply committed to the Village where our patrons live, work, study and gather to reconnect and reengage with each other. whether through offering e-books, technology classes, or programs to support early literacy, our librarians listen to the community they serve and they respond. we encourage you to attend one of the programs scheduled for your enjoyment this month. The library is proud to be participating in world book Night for a second year. This event takes place on april 23, the anniversary of Shakespeare’s birthday, and is aimed at providing free books to light or non-reading adults in the area. People who sign up for this event choose a title from a list of 35 books and then receive 20 copies of that item to pass out on the 23. The date to sign up for this event has passed; however, you can still spread the word about this event and the importance of reading. For more information or a list of the 2014 titles available, please visit world book Night’s website at www.us.worldbooknight.org. From april 24-26, the Library will be hosting the annual Friends Used book Sale. Thousands of books in excellent condition at very affordable prices are offered for your purchase by cash or check on Thursday from noon to 8 pm, Friday 9:30 am-4:30 pm, and Saturday 9:30 am-3 pm. There is a $5 charge per person from noon-4 pm on Thursday unless you are a member of the Friends of oak brook Public Library. Thank you for your participation and support. For the most up-to-date information on the programs offered at our Library, please visit our website at www.oak-brook.org/library. Library BY SUE MADORIN Calendar and Events DIRECTOR’S REPORT SPRING CALENDAR 10 www.oak-brook.org | winter 2013 Sue Madorin Library Director (630) 368-7706 smadorin@oak-brook.org Saturday, April 5 at 2:00 pm Oh, Just Bury Me In The Backyard! Loretta Downs is a nationally recognized speaker, writer, and counselor on the subject of supporting positive experiences at the end of life. This uplifting and inspiring presentation will bring peace and meaning to the end-of- life issues we all face and allow us to participate in the care planning. Sunday, April 6 at 2:00 pm Spies, Spying, Secret Soldiers and other Honorable Treachery in the Civil War. Come out and see Jim weren’s program about top-secret history: spies in the Civil war. This program explores the unique personalities, spying styles and adventures of the men and women who risked their lives serving their nation’s cause.Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 pm Great American Songbook The always entertaining Dr. Fischman returns to the oak brook Library! You may know Dr. Fischman from his presentations on improving memory but did you know he’s a talented musician as well? Join him for what will be an entertaining hour as you sing along to his performances of the most famous tunes in american history. Excellent for all ages! Sunday, April 13 at 2:00 pm Illinois State Poetry Society: Poetry Readings Join us as we welcome the Illinois State Poetry Society as they hold a juried reading of their poetry to kick off National Library week and celebrate National Poetry Month! all of the authors are local and if you’re a lover of poetry this is an excellent group to hear! Tuesday, April 15 at 7:00 pm The Detriot Institute of Art: A World-Class Collection with an Uncertain Future. The recent bankruptcy of Detroit has put the art holdings of its great art museum in a precarious position. Learn about the situation in detail and view highlights of this great museum’s collection in this slide lecture by art historian Jeff Mishur of art Excursions, including a discussion of masterpieces by various artists including Diego rivera, artemisia gentileschi and Vincent van gogh. Wednesday, April 16 at 7:00 pm Celebrating 100 Years of Cook County Forest Preserves. Imagine Cook County without Forest Preserves. No place to hike, fish, picnic, or observe nature. No habitat for birds or wildflowers. Impossible, you say? It almost happened. My presentation will tell the dramatic story of how Cook County Forest Preserves were saved and restored. I will also explain how two extraordinary people- Dwight Perkins and Jens Jensen- led this movement. Thursday, April 24-Saturday April 26 Used Book Sale by the Friends of the Oak Brook Public Library Thousands of books in excellent condition at very affordable prices for purchase by cash or check on Thursday from noon to 8pm, Fridat 9:30am- 4:30pm, and Saturday 9:30am- 3pm. There is a $5 charge per person from noon- 4pm on Thursday unless you are a member of the friends of oak brook Public Library. Sharon Dangles Finance Director (630) 368-5072 sdangles@oak-brook.org Finance BY SHARON DANGLES Information FINANCE REPORT “The 2014 revenues increased 5.5% from the 2013 budget. ” VILLAGE DEBT The Village is very conservative when issuing any type of debt. when possible, the Village tries to save money for large purchases rather than issuing debt. general obligation bonds have been issued only once in the history of the Village. bonds were authorized and issued in 1977 for the acquisition and improvement of the oak brook Sports Core. The final payment on those bonds was made in 1994. revenue bond debt, which is debt paid back by specific new property tax revenues source, has been utilized on two occasions. water revenue bonds were issued in 1973 and again in 1976. The first issue was to finance acquisition of the oak brook Utility Company. The second was to finance improvements to the water system acquired through the first bond issue. The last payment was made on this bond in 1996. The village has also used other debt instruments such as installment contracts, which again, have been used on a very limited basis. In 2001, the Village issued $4 million in order to finance approximately 40% of the Municipal Complex Project. The 2001 certificates were refinanced in 2009 to extend the term from seven years to nine years and lower the interest rate. of the $4 million in debt service, $2,920,000 has been paid with current debt outstanding of $1,080,000. The debt will be paid off in December 2017. 2014 BUDGET The total spending in the 2014 budget is $52.5 million, an increase of $5.5 million, or 11.7% from the 2013 budget. This is mainly due to an increase in major capital improvements in the general Corporate and water Funds as well as an increase in health insurance costs. The financial policy of the Village is to maintain a cash balance reserve of at least six months of operating expenditures in the general Corporate Fund. However, at the end of 2013, the general Corporate Fund balance was projected to be $12,519,034 or 8.1 months. This increase in the balance has been due to the increases in sales tax revenues and also a significant reduction in spending since the economic downturn. Spending on needed improvements to municipal buildings and the Sports Core have lagged. The budget uses some of the significant reserves built up over the last few years on buildings and Sports Core capital improvements. Even with this spending, the Village will end 2014 with a healthy 7 months of reserves in the general fund. Late in 2000, the Village issued installment contract certificates in the aggregate amount of $1.8 million to fund the expansion and renovation of the bath & Tennis Clubhouse, with the last payment made in 2012. Now that the debt has been paid off, this will help the Sports Core with cash flow needed for capital projects. The 2014 approved budget and Five Year Plan are available on the Village’s website. Please contact me with any questions. In December 2013, the board approved the 2014 annual budget. The 2014 budgeted revenues are $52.8 million, a 5.5% increase from the 2013 budget. This is mainly due to an increase in Sales Taxes and water revenues including the water rate increase mentioned earlier. Sales taxes are projected to increase 2%. Since the end of the economic downturn of 2009, general fund sales taxes have increased 16.1% compared to 2013 on an annual basis. winter 2013 | www.oak-brook.org 11 PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID OAK BROOK, IL PERMIT NO. 19 2014 OAK BROOK POLO Oak Brook Polo. Feel the excitement! Scan to learn more about oak brook polo: Order tickets, gift certificates, become a social member or a 2014 sponsor by visiting www.oak-brook.org/polo Village of Oak Brook 1200 Oak Brook Road Oak Brook, IL 60523-2255