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Ce
Cit
WEST CHICAGO
WHERE HISTORY & PROGRESS MEET
Approved 6/17/2020
MINUTES
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
February 19, 2020, 7:00 P.M.
1. Call to Order, Roll Call, and Establishment of a Quorum.
Chairman Beebe called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. Roll call found Commissioners Dan Beebe,
John Symowicz, Bethany Brown, and Bob Blaus present. Kris Zimmermann and Joe Cavataio were
absent.
Also in attendance was Assistant Director of Public Works, Tim Wilcox and West Chicago resident
Kevin Maloney.
2. Approval of Minutes.
The Environmental Commission Minutes of January 22, 2019 were tabled until the March 18, 2020
meeting.
3. Public Participation/Presentations.
Mr. Maloney was in attendance as an interested observer. He works for the City of Wheaton and has
interacted with their Environmental Commission and wanted to see what West Chicago’s Commission
was involved with.
4. Items For Consent
None
5: Review and discuss Commission Priority List.
A. Review current priority list
Chairman Beebe announced he will discuss 2020 events and their timeframes at the March Environmental
Commission meeting.
For Mr. Maloney’s benefit there was a brief discussion about what the Commission does and the events
involved with. Chairman Beebe described the original purpose of the Commission as an advisory to the
City Council, and at times the Commission is tasked to answer questions or research and report to them
on issues related to the environment which may have an impact on West Chicago. Since this does not
occur on a regular basis the group has become involved with other activities of their choosing that benefit
the environment and West Chicago.
Environmental Commission Meeting
February 19, 2020 .
Page | of 2 475 Main Street T (630) 293-2200 Ruben Pineda
MAYOR
West Chicago, Illinois F (630) 293-3028
60185 www.westchicago.org
|
Nancy M. Smith Michael L. Guttman
| CITY CLERK CITY ADMINISTRATOR

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The Rain Barrel Program was discussed. Chairman Beebe indicated the Environmental Commission has
partnered with the Conservation Foundation for number years to promote the sale of repurposed food
containers made into rain barrels. Mr. Wilcox indicated he has already been contacted by the
Conservation Foundation to provide a Rain Barrel Program for West Chicago residents for 2020.
He will start the process to arrange for a program again this year.
Other Commission activities were presented and discussed. Mr. Maloney indicated that Wheaton’s
Environmental Commission is involved with many of the same activities as West Chicago’s Commission.
B. Discuss new additions to priority list
None
6. Other Business
Commissioner Blaus mentioned he attended the February Clean Energy Job Act (CEJA) meeting. They
meet at the St. Charles Municipal Building on the second Tuesday of each month. He said they had a
speaker talking on the subject of monarch butterflies.
There were numerous other topics discussed including clothing/textile recycling, Commissioner Blaus has
started looking for someone willing to take clothing if collected at the next paper shredding event.
SCARCE is in the process of moving to a new facility so they will be closed for the next month. Batteries
are difficult to recycle now. In the past numerous locations including some banks we taking regular
batteries for recycling, now few places offer this without a cost.
Commissioner Brown mentioned there are a number of houses around the area where she lives that are
being fitted with solar panels. Some of the panels look like they are installed on the north side of the
homes and not at the best locations for sunlight.
Chairman Beebe mentioned numerous activities the West Chicago Garden Club is involved with. The
calendar of upcoming events is on the Garden Club’s webpage http://www.westchicagogardenclub.org/.
A speaker from Ball Seed will be at their April 23 meeting.
7. Adjournment
At 7:36 PM Commissioner Blaus made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Symowicz seconded the
motion. Motion was unanimously approved by voice vote.
Respectfully submitted,
Tim Wilcox, Assistant Director of Public Works
Environmental Commission Meeting
February 19, 2020
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